The challenge: to write a story in less than 500 words.
The rules: It must be less than 500 words, it must be complete and it must be clean.
Why not write your own LitBit? Email info@alderway.com with your story.
Today’s LitBit comes from Lisa Hall Deckert. 492 words. Enjoy!
CLUELESS IN SEATTLE
‘OMG!’ Kara squealed, staring at her i-phone. ‘Nali, do you think that Don might have been cheating on me when we were in Seattle last month?’
Denali sighed. ‘I don’t think Don would invite you along with his family to their annual family reunion if he planned to cheat on you, Kara.’
‘Yeah well, look at this picture,’ Kara said, handing Denali the cell phone.
The picture was of a couple with their arms around each other, posed with the Space Needle in the background. It was kind of hard to see their faces because the sun was behind them, long shadows reaching toward the camera. Still, the tall, broad-shouldered guy was clearly Don, and the almost as tall chick with the long blond hair was just as clearly not Kara. Kara was short, with wavy golden brown hair and cocker spaniel eyes.
‘I can’t believe he would do this to me,’ Kara wailed. ‘Sometimes he flirts a little with other girls, but I’ve never know him to be sneaky about it. We were together the whole time we were in Seattle, except for once when Don’s mother and aunt and a couple of cousins and I went out for a girly lunch downtown. But we were only gone from about eleven-thirty to two or so. Other than that, Don and I were together at the reunion or the ball game or something the whole time.
‘Do you think he was just waiting for me to leave so he could sneak over and see this girl?’ Kara continued. ‘If she is an old friend or something, I don’t really mind if he met up with her, but his not mentioning anything about it looks suspicious, don’t you think? I wonder who she is.’
‘Slow down, Kara,’ Denali said. ‘Who sent you this picture?’
‘It’s from Don’s cousin, Tina,’ Kara answered. ‘Actually, I’m surprised that she would send this to me because I got the feeling that she didn’t really like me, but still. I wonder how she got the picture, though, since she was at the lunch with us. I guess whoever took the picture might have sent it to her. Anyway, the point is that Don sneaked off to see some other girl while I was at lunch and he didn’t tell me about it.’
‘Kara, relax,’ Denali said. ‘Just ask Don about it. This picture wasn’t taken at lunchtime.’
‘What do you mean?’ Kara asked, looking at the picture again.
‘This picture clearly wasn’t taken between eleven and two. Look at the shadows, Kara. The sun was low in the sky. It must have been taken in the evening.’
‘Ooo, you’re right,’ Kara said. ‘I’ll forward it to Don and ask him.’
A few minutes later, Kara’s phone beeped. She looked at the message and smiled. ‘You were right,’ she said. ‘It’s a picture of him and another cousin from last year’s reunion. Stupid Tina. Thanks, Denali, see you later.’
Lisa Hall Deckert
Lisa Hall Deckert is the author of two Denali mysteries, both available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Smashwords.
They Called It Moosicide can be purchased here for Amazon Kindle in the UK and here for Amazon Kindle in the US.
