Her heels clicked on the pavement as she walked toward the small U-Haul trailer. She looked at the hastily scrawled note in her hand: There is a trailer in the lot of the Budget Inn. You will find her there.
She wasn’t surprised to find the padlock on the trailer hanging open. Her hands shook as she reached for the lock. She shouldn’t have come alone, but the lure of finding her little girl had been too strong.
“She’s alive,” she whispered to herself over and over as she lifted the gate, hoping she wouldn’t find her worst fear inside.
—
Written for Friday Fictioneers.
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October 16th, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Aha! Good to see you back, Adam. Lucky for you, I have had a shot and a half of salted caramel Black Velvet, so this can qualify as a half of a half-drunken rant. Good story–a bit of a cliffhanger, which isn’t my favorite way for a flash fiction tale to end. However, it satisfies. Good read.
All my best,
MG
October 18th, 2015 at 8:46 PM
Glad to be back, and you’ve always been my favorite half drunken ranter. Also glad to see you haven’t lost your touch while I’ve been away.
October 17th, 2015 at 1:33 AM
Scary stuff, Adam.
I’m always prepared for an unfortunate end in your stories. I hope this ends happily, but I’m in doubt. Welcome back to Friday Fictioneers. Well written as always. 🙂 — Suzanne
October 17th, 2015 at 7:25 AM
Thanks, Suzanne. I’m in doubt too. I’m thinking the trailer is empty and whoever took the girl is just playing a sick game.
October 17th, 2015 at 4:44 AM
Dear Adam,
Welcome back! Gasp! You left me hanging. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
October 17th, 2015 at 7:27 AM
Thanks, Rochelle. Hopefully I’ll be sticking around for awhile. And yeah I have a nasty habit of cliffhanger endings.
October 17th, 2015 at 3:08 PM
A very engaging story. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. There’s nothing worst than a mother on the verge of losing her little girl. But just curious, was she alive?
October 18th, 2015 at 8:47 PM
Honestly, I have no clue. I’m thinking the trailer was empty–just a cruel joke by the one who took her. What that means for the girl I couldn’t say.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:58 PM
It would mean trouble or tragedy for the girl.
October 18th, 2015 at 9:00 PM
True, but whether she’s alive or dead… could go either way.
October 18th, 2015 at 9:34 PM
Yes, it absolutely can.
October 17th, 2015 at 6:35 PM
Reblogged this on The Scary Reviews and commented:
Another great short by Adam Ickes. If you haven’t been reading this author you are really missing out.
October 18th, 2015 at 8:48 PM
Many thanks, my friend.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:20 PM
Adam! Nice to see you back. I love the open-ended end to the story. Alive? Dead? Not even there? Another kidnap?
October 18th, 2015 at 8:49 PM
Option 3 would be my guess. Empty trailer just to tug at the poor woman’s heart strings. Get her hopes up, crush them, and keep the ember of hope alive all in one blow.
October 18th, 2015 at 10:35 PM
Oh, I hope she was alive. Nicely written. Great to see you, Adam! I’ve missed your stories.
October 19th, 2015 at 7:46 AM
Thanks, Amy!
October 19th, 2015 at 12:16 AM
I believe in positive energy.
She is alive!
October 20th, 2015 at 8:25 AM
Oh so well done! Loved the pace and the building tension!