{"id":4068,"date":"2019-09-22T00:30:39","date_gmt":"2019-09-22T00:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jessicaeblack.org\/everythingelse\/?p=4068"},"modified":"2019-09-22T00:30:48","modified_gmt":"2019-09-22T00:30:48","slug":"nyc-midnight-flash-fiction-challenge-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jessicaeblack.org\/everythingelse\/2019\/09\/22\/nyc-midnight-flash-fiction-challenge-2\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(See below for story). The second NYC Midnight flash fiction challenge had equally poor timing for me. I had to get up at 4:20 Saturday morning to drive to Prague Lake, OK. for the Cougar Prowl Endurance Ride (Catch-riding at Cougar Prowl<\/a>). My mom messaged me my assignment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crime Caper: Biology classroom: A metal bucket<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

My mom also texted me the definition of crime caper (NYC Midnight’s genre definitions<\/a>). I had no idea (but I recognized it when I heard the description). I told myself I would think about it as I rode, and plan… Afterall, half of writing is planning. Maybe more than half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I didn’t plan that much. I ended up writing my story Sunday morning, in about an hour, and submitting immediately. What with work (as a postdoctoral research fellow<\/a>) and incessant blogging, I have very little spare time, and I’d used it all up for the week on the endurance ride. Now, as I read over the story after pasting it below, I realize I didn’t even mention that the location is<\/em> a biology classroom. It’s obvious, but…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The location was a source of inspiration for me, however. An old family friend passed recently. He was a high school biology teacher, and a very good one. He had snakes. This isn’t much of a story, but I wrote it, such as it is, for him. (My first story was much better: Half a turn, give or take<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bucket, the snake, and no pot at all <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Synopsis: Two boys try to steal a snake while their class dissects frogs. The snake-napping doesn\u2019t go as expected.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s in the bucket?\u201d Laura\npulled her leather purse close and leaned over the desk.<\/p>\n\n\n