Hello, you night owls! I am lacking on this blogging thing. Spring break is approaching soon and I hope to sort my schedule out to make time for more blogging. Max, on the other hand, has this flash fiction prepared. This one took me awhile to understand it; maybe I still do not. I like that, though. How do you interpret this story? Let us know in the comments, please!

Fitful Waves

I awoke to the musings of a large, boisterous looking fellow who was sitting across from my meager campfire. I laid still. Watching him. Paralyzed by my apprehension, straining to hear the words slipping past his lips, “…a man,” he said, “cannot change who he is. He can simply change the perceptions of those around him.” He stared silently into the flickering fire. Contemplation dashed across his disproportional features.

Suddenly noticing my fearful eyes upon him, the stranger jumped to his feet and exclaimed, “Oh, why hello there! Good morning!” The man struck quite a figure, with the moon hovering just behind his head, eclipsing his features. I merely gaped at this oddity before me, the gears of my sluggish mind churning for an explanation of his unwelcome and colorful appearance. “You’re looking at me a bit funny, aren’t you?” He said. “Here, drink this!” And he extended towards me a small mug, which seemed to materialize from salty night air.

My mind lacked any response to his invitation, which surmised him to say “Well you ARE a slow one, aren’t you?” as he leaned in close, showing me his great big beaming smile that stretched across his circular face. “Here, let me show you how it’s done.” And with that he tilted back his head, opened his gargantuan maw, and poured the entirety of the mug’s dark syrupy contents straight down his throat.

“There, see. It’s not that bad…a little tasty even.” The round man explained as he dabbed the corners of his mouth with a dainty white kerchief. “It’s your turn!” He extended the mug to me once again, and much to my astonishment I could see that it was full to brim once again.

“Who…who are you?” I said, my voice trembling and cracking as I reached for the small mug. I hadn’t spoken to another human being in months, as it’s hard to find talking companions when you’ve been marooned on a pimple of an island – my very private rock.

“Me? You want to know about me?” He sounded absolutely flabbergasted at the notion.

I nodded slowly, “Wh…where did you come from?” The question stuttered from my knotted tongue, as I attempted to control the slight trembling of my hands wrapped around the small, warm mug. “Are you marooned too?”

“Well to be quite certain…” His voice trailed to a stop. The strange man quickly spun about to stare…directly into the waves crashing on the beach.

I tried to peer around this strange fellow in yellow pants to see what it was that he was looking at. There was nothing in sight. “Are you looking for something?” I asked, the strength slowly returning to my voice.

“Oh, never mind that, my dear boy.” The man quickly responded, returning his attention to me. “Please do drink up. The concoction is most delightful!”

I gave the syrupy contents of the mug a sniff. It had a quite heady, yet sweet, aroma. “What is it?” I asked, my starving mind becoming exceptionally aware of the last time a drop of alcohol had tingled my tongue. Seventy-two days.

“Just a little brew I’ve put together, please do take a sip!” The strange man said with wink. Out came a pocket watch, quickly read before it disappeared back into the sleeve from which it emerged. “Quickly now my dear boy, I have a large number of appointments I need to keep!” He said, hinting of his urgency.

My mouth ached of cravings, soured of flavors and tastes once forgotten. I tore my eyes from the mug before me. “But…there’s no one else here.” I stated hesitantly.

The strange fellow’s patience had begun to shrivel, and from his feet arose a tapping as he crossed his arms and said sincerely: “Just do drink up. And hurry! It’s not poisonous, surely you have grasped that concept by now!”

His point was fair, and it did smell quite delicious. I perched the mug upon my lips and took a quick sip. The liquid slipped over my tongue, and down my throat.

“Quickly, quickly! All at once now!” The fellow said with sincere impatience, his eyes guiding my hands to quickly finish the rest of the liquid at his urging.

“There!” I proclaimed, panting for breath. I pushed the small mug back towards my strange, round friend, “Are you happy?”

“Oh marvelous! Just absolutely marvelous!” He exclaimed, ignoring my question.

With that, my odd friend jumped high into the air, landing with both of his feet upon my dying campfire, and exploded – disappearing forever from a world of fancy that I will never quite fully understand.