Another Flax Golden Tale

To say I’m astounded by the standard and variety of story offered to this compendium of Flax Golden Tales is no exaggeration. Far from it, I’m awestruck and humbled by the response and my sincere thanks to everyone who has had a crack at it. This is Cath Humpris‘s contribution and it’s been well worth the wait.

Flax Golden Tales
Posted on September 5, 2016

Dermot Hayes, on Postcard from a Pigeon, invited me to join a story challenge this week. Check out his blog for the story behind his project, and to see the flash-fictions it has inspired others to write.

book cover

Below is mine:

Maxine tests for the freedom of the road.

Maxi is at the locked side-gate of Cherry Close, a private housing complex. She’s been there ten minutes in the hot sunshine, with a parcel for S Jenkins, number eight. The gateman, seated on the other side of an open window, has checked his computer, and Jenkins is in, but he’s not answering his buzzer.

‘Come back in an hour,’ the gateman suggests.

‘Then I’ll be late finishing. It’s my first day, and this is the last drop. Can’t you just take the parcel?’ Maxi smiles, trying to feel friendly towards this lump in a crisp blue shirt who’s leaning back on a swivel chair, basking in the breeze of a large fan. ‘I really need this job.’

The gateman shakes his head and looks Heather up and down. ‘Show us some ID.’

The Courier badge she hands him is plastic, and has the company logo, and her name. He glances at it and waves it away. ‘How do I know this is you?’