This past week I entered the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge, a weekly flash fiction contest. I didn’t win, but it was fun to write. Here’s the writing prompt, and my entry appears below. I’m hoping to do more of these, if inspiration hits me.
Ain’t Good
“Don’t look now, Lenore, but I see fresh meat a’coming.”
Lenore ruffled her feathers and moved to the edge of the branch for a clearer look. Sure enough, two more of the humans in their orange clothes were approaching the tree. “Is it feeding time again, dear?”
Edgar, her mate, cawed to their dozens of children. The large birds flapped their wings and hopped excitedly. “I’d say they’re hungry, all right.”
“One of these days it will be time for them to leave us,” Lenore said. Little had the two ravens known that when they picked this tree for their new home, they’d become foster parents to a nest of abandoned baby vultures. How could she say no to the helpless little ones? At least the humans made it easy to take care of their brood.
“Oh, don’t say that. They’ve got everything they need right here. You know you’d miss them.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Lenore watched with pride as several of their children took flight and began circling the approaching figures.
“If the damned humans hadn’t built that prison over yonder, I don’t know what we’d do,” Edgar added.
“Edgar!” she scolded. “Language, dear.”
He hung his head. “Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.”
But the children had already taken up the cry. “Damned humans! Damned humans!” Within moments, they swooped down on the terrified men, beaks and claws ripping and tearing.
“Our babies,” Lenore said with a proud sigh as she watched them feed.
Cindy Young-Turner 