He stared across the small alcove at her. Bent over, she examined a flower. He felt stifled in the muggy dome or maybe it was the streak through the canopy alighting the cleavage falling out of her top.
She straightened and, as if aware of his thoughts, adjusted herself. "Your father designed all these?"
"Most of them."
"Do they have names?"
"I don't really care about that, do you?"
Grimacing, she walked the length of the clearing to stare into the darkness of the dense trees. "What's that?" She gasped, tripping and falling hard in panic.
"I didn't think I'd get you on your back so soon!"
But a loud crunch drew his attention, too. From the shade a creature emerged. It wasn't something he'd ever seen before; he thought his dad only had birds, plants in the dome. She scrambled behind him.
He shot her a grin. "I've got this, doll." He stomped his foot. "Go on now, get out of here!"
The creature's eyes narrowed. Tentacles uncoiled from its back, flashing toward them.
It wasn't until that moment doubt seared him: the tentacles tightened around his body and lifted him into the air, her scream piercing his ears.
YOU ARE READING
The Eternal Return
Short StoryA collection of speculative short stories and flash fiction. A few of these are also posted on my blog and others still I wrote in creative writing classes or for flash fiction contests. Please, let me know what you think.
