Short Prose

A Dangerous Profession: Conclusion

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for OLWG, FOWC and
Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge.
This is the conclusion to my story.

© Liudmyla Shalimova on Pexels

Clicking HERE will take you to Part 1.

When I reached Aunt Gloria’s building, I chose to skip the slow elevator and take the stairs; I’ve gotten stuck inside that deathtrap countless times. I had almost reached Gloria’s apartment when I heard a loud crash; I quickened my pace.

Apparently the building super, “Frenchy” Loubeau was nearby and also heard the crash; it was a good thing, too, as the door to Aunt Gloria’s apartment was locked and I had forgotten the key. “Frenchy” pulled out his extremely effective master key and in two seconds we were inside the apartment. When I saw my aunt, I told the super to call the cops.

Aunt Gloria was on the floor in the middle of the living room; she must have made her way over to the window to place the vase there when things started getting rough. I raced over to my aunt; it was obvious by the marks around her neck and upper arms and the bloody bruises on her face that she had been knocked around. She was in bad shape, slurring her words. I ran to the kitchen to get some ice packs for her face. On my way back, I saw someone on the floor by the fireplace; a man’s legs were sticking out from behind the sofa but the rest of him was obscured. By then, the cops arrived. I identified myself and they began their investigation. I couldn’t help noticing one of the cops was a very attractive Latina; what red-blooded male wouldn’t? I’d file that info for the future.

The guy by the fireplace was face down on the rug, an ugly wound in the back of his head. There was a good amount of blood on the mantle around the nail holding a Christmas stocking with the name “Gloria”. Judging by the bruises on my aunt’s face, she must have pushed the bastard away from her in self-defense. He likely lost his footing and hit his head against the mantle with enough force to crack it open like a piñata Everything seemed pretty clear to the cops; the paramedics were taking Aunt Gloria to the hospital for treatment. She probably had suffered a concussion but, thankfully, she would be ok.

I, however, was still in for another shock.

The guy on the floor was dead. When the cops rolled him over, I recognized the pasty face and bald head of Malcolm Lodge …. the manager of the law firm where my meeting was scheduled for later that morning. It was clear to me the creep was one of Aunt Gloria’s long list of johns.

Safe to say, my appointment with the late Mr. Lodge has been permanently cancelled.

NAR©2024
#OLWG
#FOWC

This is “Gloria” by The Doors

Written for OLWG #395 where this week the three
prompts are 1) held up with a thumbtack; 2) Juanita?; and
3) want fries with that?, as well as Melissa’s Fandango
Flash Fiction Challenge #298, and Fandango’s FOWC
“countless”, FOWC “crash”, FOWC “effective”, FOWC
“words”, FOWC “wound”, FOWC “lodge”, FOWC “bald”
and FOWC “manager”. This is the conclusion to my story.

OLWG# 396- La Seyne (Haibun)
Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #298
FOWC With Fandango — Lodge
FOWC With Fandango — Effective
FOWC With Fandango — Countless
FOWC With Fandango — Manager
FOWC With Fandango — Words
FOWC With Fandango — Crash
FOWC With Fandango — Wound
FOWC With Fandango — Bald

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25 thoughts on “A Dangerous Profession: Conclusion”

          1. Far be it from me to tell you how to write, as you do it so much better than I do. But if you’re asking my opinion, no, I’d leave it as it is. After all, it’s only forgetful idiots like me who won’t make the connection.

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