Don’t Drink The Water! by Juneta Key Storytime Blog Hop January

This starts the fourth year of the Storytime Quarterly blog hop. Storytime is a social and fun event for both authors and readers. Founded by a bunch of authors while taking writing courses to improve their craft at hollyswritingclasses.com.

Don’t Drink The Bottled Water

No matter how far I turned the A/C knob it blew warm air.  GPS had me driving back roads for two hours.

Wish I had remembered to bring my charger.

I tossed my cell across the car satisfied as it bounced off the door clattering into the floor board.  If I didn’t make Bible Camp soon, Mom and Dad would never let me do a solo trip again, or not until I’m 30.

I gave a sigh of relief as I read the big sign up ahead, Sweetie’s Diner.

The car had been sputtering for the last two miles and it now smelt hot.  I really hated Texas heat.  I pulled into the parking lot just as the car coughed and wheezed, steam rolling from under the hood.  I got out.  

I bet they’d have a phone.

Great, just great.

A sign next to the door made me pause, DON’T DRINK THE BOTTLED WATER!

Strange, was the sign a joke?  Not a very funny one in this heat. 

Shrugging I opened the door.  Inside was marginally cooler than outside but not by much.  I took a seat next to the big water cooler fan I spotted.  Ceiling fans dotted every beam.  The place was clean at least.

Pies, cakes, donuts, pastries of all types littered the counter tops and every shelf.  Bottles of water lined a cooler that took up the whole north wall labeled, “Take One. They’re Free.”  It looked more like a bakery rather than a backwoods diner, except for the large chalkboard displaying the menu selection.

An older, gypsy-like woman emerged from the back snagging a bottle of water from the cooler as she walked toward me.  She sat the bottle in front of me and pulled a pen and pad from her apron pocket.

“Today’s lunch special is Cob Salad with a side of chopped beef served with watermelon chunks for dessert.  The water is always free.”  She pushed the cold bottle toward me. “You look really hot.”

I was really hot.  I wanted that bottle of water, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the sign out front and all the free BOTTLED water inside.

What business does that?  

I licked my lips and decided to use caution.  “I’m good.”

“So, what can I get for you?” She inched the bottle a little closer to me.

I wish she’d stop doing that.

“A phone?”

“Sorry, no phones.” She paused.

Who doesn’t have a phone nowadays? I must have looked the way I felt. 

“Don’t look so heartsick kid, I’ll ask Han to call for assistance on his ham radio for you?

“Really? I mean thanks, that’d be great.”  Now I just needed to worry about how to tell Mom and Dad so they’d see how well I handled this situation on my own. I did not want to lose car privileges.

“So what do you want to eat or drink while you wait?”

I was so thirsty. “The special, but do you have soda?”

“Sure, I’ll get it for you.”  She was back in under a minute. “Han hasn’t made this month’s supply order, so this off brand of orange soda is all we have in stock.” She sat it on the table and then disappeared in back.

I sipped my soda.  It was icy cold.  Someone was humming in the background.  My eyes grew heavy and my head nodded forward.  I sat up. It must be the heat.  My body felt like a wet noodle.

One minute.  I just needed to rest my head for one minute.

***

“Did she drink it?” Han laid his knife down and turned on the furnace.

“Snoozing like a baby. That sign works every time.”

READERS TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK

This hop I decided to recycle this story from July 2016 for January’s blog hop after receiving requests to continue the tale. One request very recent. Remember this a flash fiction piece, one event, and prequel to a series world. It is not meant to tell a full story, only a story in one moment, and in this case hint at a bigger story outside the scope of this incident.

• So once you read the story tell me in comments, what do you guys think?
• Is this story world something you’d like to read more about, hear more tales?
• When you read it where do you think the story is leading?
• What did you find satisfying about the story?
• In what way, did it pique your interest?
• What type of story do you think you just read?

STORYTIME BLOG HOP

Click the links to read other stories from authors around the globe. Don’t forget to comment we love hearing from you.

Don’t Drink The Water, by Juneta Key <–YOU ARE HERE

Duty, Elizabeth McCleary

The Footnote, Karen Lynn

The Monster Under The Bed, by Nic Steven

Scary Monsters and Other Friends, by Lisa Stapp

Morning Has Broken, by Katharina Gerlach

Good Honest Work, by Chris Wright

Bad For Business, by Gina Fabio

The Last Friday, by Raven O’Fiernan

Lost And Found, by Angela Wooldridge

Bia Trevi’s Worldly Eats, by Barbara Lund

Hunting Bob, Vanessa Wells

Field Trip to the UFO Museum, by Bill Bush

Say Hi to C. T. Bridges hosting The Monster Under The Bed, by Nic Steven