1943
Population. 1943
Even painted over, the 2 was still visible if you looked at the sign at an angle. And the previous 1 if you were real close, but from a passing car, residents or the occasional visitor to Sleepy Falls would see, if they were paying attention, that a new resident now inhabited the town. Ted wiped his brow with his customary cotton handkerchief and reseated the dusty Sheriff's Hat.
"It's not straight." said this week's Deputy, who decided to punctuate this pearl of wisdom with an increasingly annoying, yet habitual spitting out the passenger window.
The fact he was right offended Ted all the more. But this particular dip shit hadn't been up all night, covered in blood, delivering #1943 in the back of a patrol car. He would be very familiar with night shifts from now on though. That was one of the advantages of being Sheriff.
The baby was scrawny. The mother, scared more white than a rabbit in headlights on a freeway, couldn't have been more that 13. She was still haemorrhaging when the paramedics arrived. Ted just hoped he wouldn't be out here tomorrow reinstating the 2.
Excellent cohesion. I like where you went with this prompt – and the jab about "this week's Deputy". Do I get the impression that this town is a bit tougher than average? Great ending line too.
Sleepy Falls may get a revisit - currently, I'm an occasional visitor, but there's something about the place... - and the story I started was quite different, but this just came out! Who knew?
It's a real place?
No. Except in my head. Ted's son is something of a frequent imaginary visitor, who keeps asking me to write about him.
Thanks!
Great story - you packed a lot of subtext into this.
There is an audio version of this story, recorded for #AudioMo, at http://audioboo.fm/boos/1038076-audiomo-2nd-november-blind-faith-and-deja-vu-redux-2-six-minute-stories
I do all sorts of things. Mostly badly. Mostly better than others. I tell stories. Occasionally, I lie.