Congrats to Ed Drury, the readers’ choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.
The winning entry is recognized with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.
Without further ado, here’s the winning story:
The Objective
by Ed Drury
Just around the bend in the river was a small sandy beach. Footprints led from the treeline to a V shaped indentation in the sand at the water. Someone had left by boat recently, but who? Something about this scene was tugging at my memory but what?
I followed the footprints back from the beach to the dense forest which lines both sides of the gorge here. Perhaps a hundred feet from the beach I found a deep hole had been dug in the sandy soil. Spades stood around the perimeter of what appeared to be a grave. Either someone had recently been removed from this spot or preparations had been made to bring someone to it.
I felt something cold, hard, and round press into the small of my back. Hot breath caressed the side of my neck just below my right ear. “Get in,” whispered a soft seductive female voice. It was all coming back to me now. I was back where I started before I clawed my way out what was a shallow grave and stumbled up to Highway 84. This time they dug deeper. This time, they would check my pulse before covering me with dirt. This time there would be no second chance.
Congratulations, Ed!