1,000 Words worth 2017-6 : Black Tortoise Press

Each week for 2017, [tweetthis]I'm posting a photo and a bit of flash fiction. I'm keeping the words brief because, you know, "a picture is worth a thousand...."[/tweetthis] To find out more click here.

“I don’t know why,” said Liz. “It feels like such a treat to go out to breakfast.” She cradled her coffee mug in both hands.

“Me too.” Fred leaned toward Liz, elbows on the table, palms reaching toward her as he spoke. “I have a surprise for you. I found a place for us to live.”

Liz ran her tongue between her top lip and her teeth. “Where?” She picked up her coffee cup, still in both hands and held it against her forehead.

“You know that Tiny House show we watch sometimes? I found just the place. It needs a little fixing up, but it’s got a huge glass door on one end and a skylight on the other and it’s gonna be just perfect for us. Wait until you see it.” Fred’s forearms hinged up and down as he spoke pumping up the smile that washed over his face. “It’s so great.”

“And we can afford it?”

“Wait until you see it. A wood floor, just like you always wanted.” Fred’s eyes danced with excitement.

As they left the diner, Fred kept one hand on the small of Liz’s back and continued to paint a vision of their Tiny House, swimming his free hand through the air, parting the sea of any doubt still floating in Liz’s head.

When they finally arrived at Fred’s ‘surprise,’ they stood like two balloons silhouetted in the sunlight. One filled with helium, the other like a week-old abandoned birthday balloon.

What could be a Tiny House, might have been hipster’s abandoned brooder house, after a well-meaning attempt to raise chickens.. Despite the scrubbed walls and floor, something reminded Liz of an old bird’s nest. Maybe the smell, maybe the tiny peephole of a skylight at the back.

“Can’t you just see it?” Fred pulled her hip closer to his and kissed her cheek.

“Yeah?” Liz said. “We could make a screen out of pallet remnants and old table clothes and put them against the back. A bookshelf and reading nook over there.” Liz pointed to the patch of sunshine gifted by the skylight to the back of the one-room shack. “Surely, this place won’t cost much.”

“A loft for a bed.”

“Yeah. A loft for our bed.” Liz swung around and pulled Fred’s face to hers. “Our very first home together.”