FICTION | FANTASY | MASH-UP
Gail’s Gift
A flash fiction
Nominated by JF Danskin, this is my first attempt at a Jonathon Sawyer Monday Mash-Up.
Today’s story — a New Adult fantasy flash fiction — was sparked by Prompt #31.
Gail’s Gift
Jem never failed to amaze Rhonda, these days. He wasn’t her usual type at all — she tended to fall for academic, serious people — yet still, he was giving her butterflies.
And besides, Bernie was, like her, strictly androphilic. In fact, they were currently trying to prepare Jem for the possibility that his new (sigh) girlfriend might just, y’know, not want a party…?
‘But it’s a nice surprise,’ Jem was saying. ‘I even put Individual Flavouring into the cake.’
Rhonda drew in her breath. When had Jem gained that amount of forethought? Once upon a time, he’d deliberately rebelled in class: Wisdom Thorne would give him detention and he could miss divining club. Right?
Wrong. Old Wizened Thorney put all of Jem’s friends — who actually enjoyed divining — in detention with him. Rhonda and Bernie were the only clubbers for weeks.
‘You’d think he’d know better, coming from a family of oracles,’ Bernie had remarked, as Rhonda was looking over the gift that lay between the pair of them. Their task: to discern the future from this present — factors like the way the bow looped if you tied it without looking, and the amount and shape of wrinkles in the wrapping…
‘I don’t understand this, either,’ she had replied. She turned the box around. ‘Does it say a storm’s coming, to you?’
Bernie peered closer. ‘I think it does.’
And so it had, in a way. Years later, the three of them were merry members of the same society when a fashion model fresher catwalked into their meeting chamber, and Rhonda and Bernie lost Jem for good.
Gail was dedicated, determined, decisive. She wished what she liked, and manifested what she wished. Woe betide anything that upset her vision of the future…
In that sense, Jem was a good match. Bernie returned to Rhonda’s side on a settee, having failed to persuade him that his optimism wasn’t the only outcome.
‘How long d’you think she’ll stay for?’ Bernie muttered, their voice masked by the background music.
Rhonda’s reply opened in unison with the door. ‘Oh, er-’
‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’
The Jem-led congratulations careened around the chamber. Gail silenced everything with a single clap.
Moments passed…
Aaaaand the tempest began. What the HELL — and how Gail had been gasping for a society spellbinding — she had done so much today that Jem couldn’t even begin to comprehend — what was he thinking — but he wasn’t thinking, was he? No, he never did — and, in short, how could he do this to her?
‘AND you lot!’
Rhonda stopped listening. She wasn’t sure how long it went on for but, in the end, Gail spun and strided straight out of there.
Jem trotted after her, little lost puppy that he was. Everyone heard him pleading his case, all down the corridor; she flared up again.
When the door finally closed them off, there was a collective exhale. Someone got the music going as quickly as possible.
‘Ah, well,’ said Bernie. ‘More cake for us!’
They left and returned with two large slices of plain, golden sponge. Inside, the cream was — wow, Jem had thought of everyone. It was, indeed, Individual Flavouring; Rhonda received raspberry ripple for her trouble.
On the way home, a thought struck her. ‘Gail didn’t even stay for the fireworks!’
Bernie snorted over the last crumbs of pistachio. ‘That doesn’t matter,’ they said. ‘She brought enough fireworks of her own.’
Prompts Used and Points Gained
Main Theme (2 points)
#2: Plan and execute a surprise party!
Who is invited? Does it go off without a hitch? Is there cake?!
Point Tally: 2
Constraints (1 point each; use 4)
A fire extinguisher
Fireworks *
A delicious ingredient inside! (What is it?) *
Run a roadblock!
A present wrapped with a bow *
Someone throws a temper tantrum! *
Point Tally: 4
Hardcore Constraint (2 points)
Crash a party, but make it better!
OR
Rob everyone!
Point Tally: 0
Literary Device (5 points)
Include a theme of unrequited love!
Point Tally: 5
Bonus (1 point)
Add a section that tallies up your points at the end of your story.
Point Tally: 1End Total: 12
I challenge The Accidental Monster to a future mash-up of their choice.
Copyright © E.A. Colquitt 2023