Flash Fiction – The Riverbank

“Get him to the water and everything will be okay.” Fourteen year-old Jen told her sister.

“What if he hurts me?” Cassie replied, twisting the blonde curl that had slipped her ponytail.

“Look at him, he’s couldn’t hurt you now if he wanted to.” She waved a hand at the man lying unconscious on the ground.

“You do it.”

“I can’t,” Jen said and sighed. “My ankle is twisted.”

“That’s his fault and this bruise.” Cassie added harshly, pointing to the evidence on her face.

“I know, but that doesn’t matter now. Just grab his collar and drag him.” Jen was losing patience.

“What if I find a way to bring the water to him?”

“It won’t be enough. You can’t get out of this. Don’t be such a child.”

“Shut it Jen, I am a child,” Cassie’s mouth twisted in anger.

“Not today.” She’d only said it to steal the other girl’s fear and was glad it worked.

Cassie nodded, losing her momentary look of ire. “He doesn’t deserve it so easy.”

“Who are we to decide what another person deserves?” If that didn’t get the younger girl moving, nothing would, Jen thought.

When Cassie spoke, it was with calm. “We are the only ones who have the right to decide he deserves it.” She moved to the man. With strength that belied her age she did as her sister ordered and grabbed his collar, dragging him to the riverbank. She looked back once at Jen, who nodded at her, before pulling her mother’s abusive boyfriend fully into the river.

Jen, feeling her first moment of doubt, started crying. “I really hope he doesn’t wake up.”

“Don’t worry, he can’t hurt us now.” Cassie assured Jen as she held him under the water. “He’ll never wake up again.”

“What do you think Mom will say?”

“She’ll be mad when she finds out we put a dent in her best frying pan.”

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I didn’t really feel like writing today, which was my cue to sit myself at the computer and do it anyway! I always write on Wednesdays so I couldn’t let a mood mess with my schedule, but I could let it set the tone. I meant for this to be under 300 words but I’m satisfied it’s under 500. Maybe when I revise I can whittle it down. I didn’t work on my middle grade story but perhaps I will this evening. Did the rest of you write today?