Flash! Friday: "At War"

by Michael Seese

As I had said, I was pretty proud of last week's Flash! Friday entry, "Happy." It didn't win, place, or show. No matter. I still liked it.

I'm similarly psyched for this week's entry, "At War." Here is the photo.

It's the marathon from the first modern Olympics, in 1896. We also had to include the theme "War." (We always have to include some stated them. I don't always mention it because it often folds seamlessly into the story. But "war" and the Olympics are a bit incongruous.)

Without further ado, below is "At War."

Serhan was at war with his lungs. His entire body, in fact. His legs were ready to abandon him. His heart threatened to spill over its cramped borders. His mind had long since seceded.

“The Olympics is war without guns,” their coach had screamed. Daily.

He had to win.

Serhan forged a hasty alliance with the rebels, and pressed on. Through painful eyes he spied Geōrgios, the reigning champion, slightly ahead.

The weary combatants trudged into a small grove, the finish line less than a mile away. Serhan and Meriҫ exchanged glances. Here, they had agreed in advance, one would trip Geōrgios. Then, “May the best man win.”

The unexpected happened.

Geōrgios’s knee buckled oddly. He crumpled to the dirt. Serhan and Meriҫ looked at each other as if to say, “What now?”

Serhan knew.

He slipped the shiv out of his pocket and buried it in his brother’s side.

“War without guns,” Serhan gasped as he sprinted to victory.

Feel free to comment on "At War."