Hello everyone, I hope you've been having a good week!
I've got another 400 word flash fiction story for you, made as always with a prompt. This week's prompt was as follows:
Setting: The story ends in South America.
Situation: There is a video call.
Theme: This is a story about friendship.
Action: Your character is looking for a lost loved one.
Not the easiest prompt, but the most grounded one that's come out of the generator so far. Of course, I wrote about my vampire family, meaning reality was out the window. I hope you enjoy nonetheless!
I watch the signal on the video call fade.
“Lance, are you sure he’s here?”
“Yes!” The rest of my brother’s words are cut off.
“Why’s he in the Amazon rainforest?”
“—Studying—or—-something,” his voice disappears after that.
Francis loves to study in new places, but he didn’t tell us he was traveling this time. I shove my phone in my pocket and head into the forest. Lance never really cares, but Francis is our brother, I can’t let him wander here alone.
That means I have to wander alone to find him, but I have a sense of where he is. We’ve always felt connected, but ever since we were turned into vampires, I’ve been able to sense his general location. So I follow my gut and start running. I’m not prepared for combat with a dangerous animal, but I have medical supplies with me just incase.
Unsurprisingly, the animals avoid me. They’re good at sensing vampires, but don’t know I’m vegetarian. Sadly I have less than unlimited stamina power, because I very quickly run out of stamina, just as I feel I’m close to Francis. I take a moment to breathe and start to look around. I find him up in a tree, and when he realizes I’m there, he puts his finger up to his mouth, then points at a mother jaguar and her cubs. I hastily hide myself and watch as they play together. Francis scribbles notes until the big cats run off, most likely to hunt. It’s then I climb into the tree with Francis and speak.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
He shrugs. “I would’ve helped!”
He points at my medical supplies.
“I’m off from work to spend quality time with family. I don’t want you to be alone out here, where you could get hurt or forget to eat.”
He gestures towards his bag, which upon further inspection, is filled with food and artificial blood. “Doesn’t mean you’d remember to eat.”
Francis chuckles softly and I laugh too, happy he's not mad I showed up.
“I’ll be here to remind you, ok?”
He nods, smiling. We spend the day studying the animals of the forest, and making sure to eat. Francis signals to me when it’s time to go home, and we walk quietly through the forest, occasionally mimicking bird calls on the way to his car.
It was wonderful to visit these characters again, since it's been a year or so since I was able to write about them.
Have a wonderful week,
-Rosetta 💖
Image by Justin Clark