8 – 9 – 10
“Ready or not, here I come,” she shouted.
Rosie hated this game. She knew if she didn’t play along they’d ignore her.
Her eyes roamed the central plaza, but they were no where to be seen.
The pretzel vender grinned as she passed in her search. Rosie was sure he knew.
She was struck by the hands covering the eyes of the huge sculpture looming above her. ‘A bit like this game,’ she thought.
Swiftly, hands pulled at her scrawny arms. Before she could turn, her eyes were covered. She wailed.
Then, the sound of screeching tires.
2019©Isadora DeLaVega
Genre: Flash Fiction
Word Count: 100 Words
Photo Prompt-©Roger Bultot
To join Rochelle and her Friday Fictioneers challenge
to join in click here
To read more photo prompt stories click here
~~~~~~~~~
*****Hide-and-seek, or hide-and-go-seek, is a popular children’s game in which any number of players (ideally at least three)[1] conceal themselves in a set environment, to be found by one or more seekers.
The game is played by one player chosen (designated as being “it”) closing their eyes and counting to a predetermined number while the other players hide. For example, count to 100 in units of 5 or count to 20, one two three and keep counting up till it reaches twenty. After reaching this number, the player who is “it” calls “Ready or not, here I come!” and then attempts to locate all concealed players.
July 23, 2019 at 5:01 am
Oh good grief there’s no happy ending this time.
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July 26, 2019 at 3:07 pm
Sadly, the ending is frightening reality these days. Thanks, Gilly for popping over and commenting. Have a wonderful weekend.
Issy 😎
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July 22, 2019 at 11:01 pm
Yipes! Nowhere is safe these days, especially for children 😦
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July 26, 2019 at 3:08 pm
Yes, it happens to adults too but kids are more vulnerable. Glad you enjoyed … thanks.
Isadora 😎
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July 26, 2019 at 6:39 pm
You are welcome.
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July 22, 2019 at 4:48 pm
An ending I did not see coming. Gave me the shivers! Hopefully, the pretzel man saw something. Well-written!
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July 22, 2019 at 12:56 pm
An effective beginning of another horror story that could have come from the recent news, Isadora. The worst thing was the vendor was there when it happened and we don’t know if he’ll report it or be a good witness. No one seems to want to “get involved”. They’re afraid. Well-written. —- Suzanne
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July 22, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Yes, Suzanne. People are always hesitant to get involved when they see something.
I’m not sure how I would continue with the story but your thoughts on the vendor seem like a good addition. Thanks for the complimentary comment and for stopping by to read my story.
Isadora 😎
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July 22, 2019 at 12:55 pm
Poor Rosie! Giving in to peer pressure to fit in and ends up being kidnapped. At first, I thought the person grabbing her was part of the game, and wondered what kind of twisted game it was. That made me think of the film Game Night (2018), in which a murder mystery turns into a real life mystery.
Bien escrito, Isadora.
Mags
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July 22, 2019 at 3:10 pm
Yes, kids sometimes follow others just to fit in or because they want to have friends. I can see your thinking her being grabbed was part of the game. Sadly, it wasn’t. : (
I’ll have to watch this film. I’m curious about it. Hubby and I love movie watching.
Thanks for commenting, Mags. Glad you thought it was well-written.
Isadora 😎
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July 22, 2019 at 7:24 pm
The film is somewhat over-the-top, but fun to watch. 🙂
De nada. Isadora.
Un saludo,
Mags
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July 22, 2019 at 6:14 am
Rosie was kidnapped! Again the pretzel vendor must have seen it happen.
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July 21, 2019 at 7:27 pm
A harmless game becomes a horrid crime, and she didn’t want to play in the first place. A gentle lead up to a tension filled ending – keeps you awake.
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July 21, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Frightening and sad all rolled into one horrible package. It’s on the news too often.
There has to be a change somehow, somewhere. Thanks, James, for your great comment and for reading my story this week. Have a wonderful week … Isadora 😎
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July 20, 2019 at 9:21 am
Well, I think she’s a master, or mistress…of Flash Fiction. Wanted to wish you a very happy birthday from one cancerian writer to another. I hope you have a wonderful day and flourish in your spanking new year. FOR SHES A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW THAT NOBODY CAN DENY. 🙂
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July 20, 2019 at 4:20 am
what a twist. an ending i didn’t expect. well-crafted. 🙂
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July 19, 2019 at 10:32 pm
Querida Isadora,
Pobre chica, hay no lugar jugar. A simple game she didn’t even want to play turned to a horrific nightmare. Well written and cringe-worthy.
Shalom y abrazos,
Rochelle
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July 20, 2019 at 5:42 pm
Querida Rochelle,
It’s a sad testament to the times we live in.
I can still recall leaving my infant daughter in her carriage while I went inside to do laundry before I had a washing machine. Now, I’d be called neglectful or maybe come out to an empty carriage. YIKES … frightening thought. Es muy triste …
Carino y Adios,
Isadora 😎
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July 19, 2019 at 6:50 pm
That turned from gentle humour to horror in one quick, skillful phrase. Well done!
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July 20, 2019 at 5:30 pm
It can happen in the blink of an eye. Scarey and sad kids can’t enjoy playing outside now-a-days. Glad you enjoyed my take on the photo prompt. Thank you … Isadora 😎
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July 19, 2019 at 4:55 pm
It was a fun game up until the grabbing and the squeal of tires!
Awful, just awful. Great writing, though 😉
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July 20, 2019 at 6:00 pm
Thank you, Dale. It’s a shame kids can’t play outdoors anymore. Perhaps, it was always like this but never talked about. I don’t know.
My best days as a child were outdoors running around playing.
Have a great weekend … Izzy 😎
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July 20, 2019 at 6:02 pm
I think they could if people stopped living in such fear. My boys went out to play. But there weren’t that many other kids let out of the sight of their parents. It’s so sad.
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July 20, 2019 at 6:06 pm
So true … I remember everyone’s mom or older sister looking out for us. Sometimes, to our own detriment of being punished because someone saw us do something we shouldn’t have been doing. ~~~ : – ) Not me, of course. LOLOL
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July 18, 2019 at 11:47 pm
Now I hate this game too !!
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July 19, 2019 at 1:55 pm
Awww …. sorry, Ivor. It sure is a sign of our times when children can’t play outside and be safe. Fortunately, it’s fiction but it can happen and perhaps even has. Thank you for stopping by, reading and commenting.
Have a wonderful weekend …
Isadora 😎
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July 19, 2019 at 2:02 pm
Always my pleasure
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July 18, 2019 at 9:25 pm
Oh my goodness! That was a deadly game. Poor Rosie. 😦
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July 19, 2019 at 1:58 pm
I sure hop there isn’t a Rosie out there that has had this happen to her. It’s pure fiction. I do see a lot of stories recently on child and adult abductions. It’s very sad indeed, Sylvia. Have a wonderful weekend … Issy😎
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July 18, 2019 at 9:06 pm
A dramatic end to the game, and not a very happy one!
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July 19, 2019 at 2:08 pm
Too many stories in the news about abductions of children and adults. It’s awful to realize kids can’t even play outside and feel safe. Thanks, Iain for commenting and popping over.
Isadora 😎
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July 18, 2019 at 8:19 pm
A frightening fate for Rosie. Sad endng to the game
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July 19, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Although the story is fiction, there’ve been many stories recently about children and adult abdcutions. It’s sad when children can’t play outside because it’s unsafe. Thanks, Drew, for stopping by and commenting. Have a wonderful weekend … Isadora 😎
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July 18, 2019 at 7:45 pm
That game turned sinister
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July 19, 2019 at 2:09 pm
Yes, Neil, horribly so. Too many stories about children and adults being abductied. Sad …
Isadora 😎
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July 18, 2019 at 7:32 pm
Oh! Such a scary thought. I hope the pretzel vendor had nothing to do with it and has an idea about who took this little girl. Great take on the prompt, Izzy
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July 19, 2019 at 2:34 pm
Thanks, Lish. I’ve been hearing so much about child and adult abductions that it popped in my hear when I saw the photo. It’s a fiction story but very timely for today. Children are limited to playing indoors because of creeps lurking out there. AND … yes, it happen in the suburbs too. Sad world we live in. Thanks for the kind words on my story. Have a fun weekend … Izzy 😎
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