Amber Alert - a Flash Fiction Challenge

Shauna's preferred genre is fiction. She particularly enjoys rising to a challenge posed by fellow artists.

This story is my first attempt at flash fiction, based on a challenge DzyMsLizzy posted in a forum. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story in which the following sentence must appear somewhere: "Analisa sat alone on the park bench, the scowl on her face as dark as the gathering thunderclouds."

I love writing fiction, but have never tried my hand at flash fiction. Here it is. Let me know what you think!

Amber Alert - Flash Fiction

The stench was overwhelming.

Analisa sat alone on the park bench, the scowl on her face as dark as the gathering thunderclouds.

No one was to be seen as she peered across what is normally a busy street, when she felt the need to take a breather and get some air. She hadn’t been on the bench for more than a minute. Or had she?

Earlier this morning, during the team meeting, it was business as usual: going over each ongoing project, what documents were needed from subcontractors, when new jobs were scheduled to begin, etc.

Same shit, different day and she was over it.

Change of Venue

Analisa wasn’t sure what propelled her from the conference room to the park a mile away that had always been a relief from the oppressive world of business. Here she often sought solitude within the natural setting. Live Oaks decorated with Spanish moss, Sandhill Cranes, White Ibis’ walking freely amongst the humans, turtles dancing about in the pond. Crane’s Roost provided comfort for the humans who appreciate nature.

It was upon one of the many benches along the flora- bejeweled walkway, that Analisa found herself, not remembering how she got there.

It was noon and the sky was dark. No signs of rain. Life had halted. The thunderclouds enveloped the atmosphere and descended, smothering all life below it.

I can’t breathe!

Analisa fought to catch her breath as she watched all wildlife become still and decay before her eyes. The stench enveloped her and she felt her skin crawl.

Within minutes, life – including hers – ceased to exist.

Her cell phone beeped with an Amber Alert, but she never heard it.

© 2019 Shauna L Bowling