Flash! Friday: Sacrifices + One And One

by Michael Seese

Hoping to build off last week's Flash! Friday win (I did mention I WON, right??) I tried to come up with two strong entries for this week's contest. (As if I don't always.) You can decide if I succeeded.

Our prompt was Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan's allegory that follows the adventures of eager, oft-stumbling but good-hearted Christian as he leaves his doomed native land in a quest to reach the glorious golden shores of the Celestial City.

The story elements to use were:
* Conflict: man v man, man v self (not gender specific)
* Character (choose at least one): a pilgrim; Beelzebub; a man whose mission is to help others; someone who talks too much; someone who loses his/her life for standing up for what is right; a corrupt mayor; someone whose primary purpose in life is avoiding hardship; a cheat
* Theme (choose one): salvation; good v evil; the value of true friendship; the dangers of temptation
* Setting (choose one): a doomed city; a corrupt and wealthy city; a long road; a palace guarded by lions 

And this photo:

 













The idea for "Sacrifices" came to me while getting the kids ready for school.  I pretty much brain-wrote it on the way to work.

"You take it, Mike. Save yourself. I'm a goner anyway."

Jacob was right. I just hoped my face wouldn't betray my concurrence.

At 10, we played war. Fifteen years removed, this was no game. Our enemy treated prisoners like shit. Wounded prisoners worse. He'd last a week if he was lucky. Two if he wasn't.

"Hell, I was hurt worse that time you winged me hunting in Harper's Woods. We'll make it."

Above us, gravel crunched under foot.

"Take it!"

"No. I'm not leaving you."

I kissed my best friend's forehead, aimed through the tears, and gave him our last bullet.

Then I set out to do something fun, using Beelzebub as the character. At the gym I wrote "One And One." I came up with the second line first, and the rest flowed pretty easily.

"Come on, lucky sevens!"

Einstein’s opinion notwithstanding, God does play dice. And at the moment, He was losing.

Badly.

Satan smiled. Satan always smiled.

The Creator rolled. The Prince Of Darkness waved his hand, freezing the bones in mid-air.

"I’ll make you a deal. You’ve already lost love, music, art. And now you’re wagering the animals. I’ll give all that back. In exchange for one thing."

"What?"

"Man, of course."

"You’re on!"

The dice resumed their rendezvous with destiny.

"Snake eyes. You lose, old friend. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go for a stroll in my Garden."

 
I am SO going to burn.

Until then, there is a Janet contest, which I have not yet begun. But I have 24 hours.