No way out
I am trapped with no way out, so I circle and circle. The residents of this place try catching me, but I am too fast for them. They chase and chase me, at least that pleases me. I enjoy showing of my turn of speed. Ha they are trying a new technique, attempting to flatten me, but I go high, the silly things can’t fly. So I relax up high and smile at them.
I have got rather hungry with all this caper. What’s that I see, a juicy piece of bread. I will have to be quick…
This Post Has 67 Comments
At first I thought it was a mouse, until he flew. Poor trapped bird, hope someone saves him.
‘Tis strange I had an insect in mind as a quickly penned this story. I will enjoy learning how those who read this story perceive the narrator. Thank you Jennifer
I wonder if we’ll all see something different? Interesting.
I like it that you don’t tell us what the narrator is, or the residents
I was tempted to elaborate on those who took part in this game of chase. I am glad that I did not, and so I thank you for your comment Neil
Wait until they bring in the Harris Hawk to take care of the unwanted guest.
The hawk will have to have good eye sight, to catch a ?
I assumed an unwanted bird, pigeon perhaps?
I have left it open to the reader, to decide who the chatterbox was. So far it’s birds x2.
I think it’s the bread at the end, that takes it away from being something supernatural or fantastical.
That’s true, thank you Iain. When I was writing this piece of flash I had a fly in mind
Will a Red-tailed Hawk do? Pigeons are tasty.
Good one.
Michael, I’ll go with the bird. I had a bird stuck in the house and it was absolutely terrifying. Full panic attack material. I was a mess.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Hi Rowena, I quite like birds, but my wife agrees with you. It is thought provoking how differing cultural groups react to different species of animals etc. For instance how so many people for India fear dogs.
However when I was writing this piece of flash I had a fly in mind,
A fly presents an entirely different scenario. People will want to save the bird but swat the fly. Your protagonist is a very vulnerable, threatened species.
Rowena. All has gone quiet, so I think the bread might have been a trap.
My first thought was a seagull, having somehow become trapped in a building. They’re scavengers, and they take whatever they can 🙂
Hi Linda, when. I wrote this piece of flash I deliberately left the chatterbox as unknown. Although I had a fly in mind
Poor bird. Maybe he’ll have his revenge by infecting everybody with flu!
So pleased to read your comment, but no flu needed here. As I have just got rid of a stinker of a cold.
Dear Michael,
I used to work at a grocery store. This put me in mind of the time a bird got caught inside and couldn’t seem to find his way out. Good one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rochelle. I recall two birds that came down a chimney only to find themselves in a glass fronted wood burner. They where not happy.
A trapped bird? But one that is enjoying itself. Nice take on the photo prompt.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Susan, I decided to leave the miscreant to my readers imagination, but I had a humble fly in mind.
At least the bird is having a nice time playing games with its foes. Maybe it will even win too
Thank you Larry for your comment, sadly I think that my mischievous miscreant did not win
Michael I took it as a bird, but I might be predisposed… Nice story.
Sorry Jo in my mind the mischievous miscreant was a humble fly. He and his friends had been plaguing me all week. But now he and his friends have all has gone silence.
Like Neil, I like that you leave everything open to interpretation! Good one.
Thank you Dale, the mischievous miscreant has finally moved on.
I really like the twist on the trapped creature taking pleasure in outwitting his pursuers. The creature has such a sharp sense of humour that I wondered, is he a bread-eating sprite?
It certainly could be a sprite in disguise. However I may never know as the mischievous miscreant has moved on. Thank you Jilly
i say good luck to him. 🙂
He says thank you back to you Plaridel
For me the most obvious candidate was a roach: the flattening comment immediately brought the critter to mind. Of course if hes bragging about flying, he must be a palmetto bug. Either way, the sooner they catch him, the better!
This was a great comment. All has gone quiet, so I think the bread might have been a trap.
Great cat and mouse game. I hope you get the juicy bread. Nice story.
Why thank you sir, the bread was quite tasty.
Ha ha ha, nice trick perspective there Michael.
I was so pleased to read your comment. Thank you
I like how cleverly you refrained from telling us who the narrator is. I liked the descriptions too.
It is very kind of you to say so. Thank you Piyali
Is it a bird? I thought it was a game of cat and mouse at first. Maybe it’s a bat? 🙂
I am now pleased that I let the reader decide who was “playing cat and mouse”, it created a wave of who done it type questions. Birds twelve, roach one, bat one, thank you for joining in, itis appreciated.
🙂
As I read the story I imagined a bird soaring in circles just about the human’s heads, taunting them. I guess the fact they wanted to squish “him” indicates an insect, but I thought of a bird. I enjoyed your tale very much! =)
Hi Brenda, I liked your comment very much. Especially that word “squish” I will have to try and use it more often in my writing.
a couple of decades ago, I saw this movie called Mouse Hunt. It was silly but 15 year old me liked it. Your story reminded me of that film. Good fun here, Michael.
Hi Varad, I was pleased to read your comment, when I was about fifteen I loved going to the cinema. Such memories are important.
What fun! I thought bird, but of course it’s unlikely that people would want to squish a bird.
Hi Penny, I am so pleased that I penned this story and that I left the protagonists unnamed, I have loved reading the comments.
Fly away, fly away, fly away home!
Hi Stuart, I am so pleased that I penned this story, as I have loved reading the comments. I do hope that the flying protagonist did get away
I love this! I got a bit breathless with all the circling!!! Well done!!!
Welcome and thank you for following my attempts at flash. I am so pleased that I penned this story, as I have loved reading the comments. I hope that you are no longer breathless, and that you will enjoy reading some of my future flash as much. Although I do try to vary the mix.
I’ve often wondered if insects had brains and thoughts – now I know they have! Nice one Michael
Thank you Keith, the doctor Dolittle in me, likes to think that all creatures can communicate their thoughts in some way. Now I will have to go off and read a book by Hugh Lofting
Well described thoughts! 🙂
I do like to consider that I might learn to decipher the thoughts of my favourite animals, rather like the character created by author Hugh Loft [Doctor Dolittle]
Oh wow..that would be fun! 🙂
Dr Dolittle is hilarious!!
So pleased that you enjoyed these flash stories. Thank you Nidheesh.
Most welcome, Michael! 😀
Love the mystery here.
I have enjoyed reading all the comment about my mysterious chatterbox, who’s flying antics are legendary. I try to vary the style and subjects, the comments help me understand how I am doing.
I’m going with a bug. Great way to get a conversation going. Well done.
Thank you Alicia, a bug it was, but it has been good to hear how differing readers saw different things.