Category: Responses

For Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #108, where we write about this photo from Ba Tik at Pexels.com.

Erica had just moved into her new apartment and had decided to redecorate the entire place.

It was a Saturday, and she had enlisted the help of her identical twin brother, Eric. At twelve o’clock, there was a knock on the door and… bonus! He had brought his roommate, Billy, along with him. Great – three people instead of one. She had met Billy a few times before but never really talked to him. Despite this, she found his company pleasing. The conversation was so easy with him, he seemed to be flirting with her and, playing along, she flirted back.

At five o’clock. Eric had to leave to prepare for his evening shift as a waiter, and as Billy needed the ride, Erica was left on her own. Assessing the situation, there was several days more decoration required and Billy asked whether she’d like some more help Monday.

“Would I?” was her simple response, and Billy arranged to stop by after work.

She had assumed that the pair would be coming around, but on Monday evening, Billy turned up alone. Still, he was eager, and she would take all the help she could. The flirting continued, and Erica had decided that she quite liked Billy. When he suggested coming back Tuesday to finish the job, she eagerly accepted.

Tuesday, he arrived at 7:30 on the dot. There was a lot to get through, although the company made it a pleasant experience. The pair were joking with each other but, later, they were starting to wane. As he finished painting the doorframe, Billy’s hand slipped and dashed the wall. As a punishment, Erica flicked her brush at him.

“Hey!”, cried Billy, “what’s the game?”

“Be careful, Klutzy. We’re gonna have to do that bit again, now.”

A second later, she felt a splash of paint hit her cheek.

“What was that for?”

“Well, hey, missy, you can’t go round throwing paint at people.”

A second later, Billy felt a brush hit his beard. He looked up at a very smug-looking Erica, who seconds later received some facial decoration of her own. The next time, she found his hair, and was similarly decorated for her trouble. Then the poking started. For each poke, she had one back in reaction. Her mistake was to start tickling. Billy used his strength to return the favour, until Erica begged surrender.

Climbing off her, Billy came to his senses and offered, soberly, “Now, don’t be putting me off. Half a minute here, and we’ll be finished.” And, regaining her breath, Erica watched as Billy finished the last of the room.

The job was, indeed, very shortly finished, They both sat to admire their handiwork, tired but proud. It was gone 11 PM. “We’re both a bit messed up here, don’t you think?” She leaned in toward him as they relaxed. “What say we take a shower and get all this paint off?”

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Mrs Bump’s Influence

Mrs Bump is here today. I showed her the photo, and shared my idea that she was saying “no chance, mate”, but she assured me that this was very much not the case. But I couldn’t resist Eric and Erica!