Friday
Flash Prompt: Sing songy
My can’t-get-enough-song lately is “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People.
Here’s the first verse:
Robert’s got a quick hand.
He’ll look around the room, he won’t tell you his plan.
He’s got a rolled cigarette hanging out his mouth, he’s a cowboy kid.
Yeah he found a six shooter gun.
In his dad’s closet hidden in a box of fun things, and I don’t even know what.
But he’s coming for you, yeah he’s coming for you.
Write a 600-word or less flash about Robert’s story: Who is he? Who is the “you” that he’s coming for? Why is he doing that?
posted on 19 Sep 2011, 8:47 AM
See, I known Skid back before we called him Skid. Back when he was Robert to most folks, and back when him and all his brothers was still livin' on South Shepard with Reno. Reno's their daddy, but they called him Reno just th'same as everybody else. Outta 5 brothers Skid was youngest, see? He got the shit kicked outta him like it was his job and one day he up and snapped. He must've been around 17. Middle of the night, this kid just goes into Reno's room while Reno was sleepin.' This kid take Reno's little .45 and sticks it right in his daddy's jaw and made that hammer click. Told his old man that he was too stupid to ever understand why his own son was making him blow his own gun. Told him everything he had to tell, then he left with the shooter and a sack of clothes.
He won't never tell you that, a'course. So far as Skid's concerned, Robert's some mangy little mutt who's too scared to take half a shit.
Skid Monroe's always been Skid Monroe.