Friday Fiction: 200 Word Challenge

A quote: “Every crag and gnarled tree and lonely valley has its own strange and graceful legend attached to it.” ~~ Douglas Hyde

I’ll start with a story …

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Mike knew he was a cliché. Burned out, big city detective takes cop-job in small, rural town.

Blue Pine’s town manager had hired him on the spot as they ate lunch together in Del’s Diner. The Diner’s hardcore 50’s aesthetic was almost unnerving as the town manager’s (Hi! Call me George!) loud coat and tinted glasses screamed used car salesman.

Mike mused there must be a persuasive optician nearby judging by how many people he saw sporting tinted, big-frame glasses. Time stopped at the 80s in Blue Pine.

He chalked up his continued jumpiness to not being used to friendly people welcoming him by name on the street. He told himself to get-a-grip and enjoy the fresh air.

Tule fog had rolled in by the time he locked up and headed home. No streetlights and he hunched over his steering wheel and crept along. Until he was stopped by an abandoned car in the middle of the street.

Mike clamped down hard on the rising panic he felt as he slipped out of his car, unsnapped his holster and held a flashlight on his shoulder. The car’s interior lights were on, and he slipped up the passenger side for a better look.

Why was the light pulsing? Changing color?

His mind only had time to register Wait, this isn’t light … when it poured out on him.

Mike showed up early at the Diner next morning, waving to customers and slipping into a booth with George. His coffee was already poured and on a plate was a new pair of tinted, big-frame glasses.

Mike slipped them on thinking, I’m going to love living here.

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Now, it’s your turn.
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. featured image, cropped, Adobe Stock standard license

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