Truckstop – Friday Fictioneers, July 2018

Posted on July 25, 2018 by Sandra

Copyright Ted Strutz

She looked fragile, confused and vulnerable.

“What’s up, Ma?” said a trucker.

“I’ve lost my purse in the bushes, with all my savings in it” she whispered.  “Please help me…”

The trucker grinned at his mate.

“Sure we will, honey.”

One took her arm, as the other glanced furtively around the car park before following them into the bushes.

Vehicles came and went, people stretched their legs, the air hung humid and heavy.

An old lady emerged from the bushes looking fragile, confused and vulnerable.

“Everything OK, lady?” said a concerned motorist.

“I’ve lost my purse in the bushes…”

 

Hot as Hades here in the UK, and we’re not accustomed to this.  Everytime there’s the remotest indication of rain approaching on the weather map, the little blue patch obligingly leaps over Dorset before carrying on along the coast.  A month’s worth of rain on Friday they say…  yeah right.  Rochelle, esteemed leader of Friday Fictioneers, tells me she had rain this week – glad someone did. 

About Sandra

I used to cruise the French waterways with my husband four or five months a year, and wrote fiction and poetry. Now I live on the beautiful Dorset coast, enjoying the luxury of being able to have a cat, cultivating an extensive garden and getting involved in the community. I still write fiction, but only when the spirit moves me - which isn't as often as before. I love animals, F1 motor racing, French bread and my husband, though not necessarily in that order.
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74 Responses to Truckstop – Friday Fictioneers, July 2018

  1. ceayr says:
    July 25, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Hey, what’s with the body count?
    Deliciously dark tale, Sandra

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. neilmacdon says:
    July 25, 2018 at 9:50 am

    that is so you, Sandra – dark and clever

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. jillyfunnell says:
    July 25, 2018 at 10:11 am

    The wicked lady – I love this story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. Iain Kelly says:
    July 25, 2018 at 10:17 am

    Has she been at this all night? Must be quite a collection of bodies in those bushes! Wickedly fun. Rain has found us in the west of Scotland, a welcome break from the sunshine – not often we say that up here…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. michael1148humphris says:
    July 25, 2018 at 10:20 am

    Gothic magic.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. rochellewisoff says:
    July 25, 2018 at 11:11 am

    Dear Sandra,

    And she’s back with a vengeance! 😉 Fragile and confused indeed. I felt the heat and humidity of the night. Few words, fantastic story. Watch out for that little old lady.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. Sue says:
    July 25, 2018 at 11:20 am

    Oooh, you’re back in business, Sandra! And hot as Hades it is, and no sign of let-up…..until the floods come

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Mike says:
    July 25, 2018 at 12:08 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed this Sandra. A really dark tale. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Dale says:
    July 25, 2018 at 12:24 pm

    So much for fragile, confused and fuggetabout vulnerable! Wonderfully wicked, Madame!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. J Hardy Carroll says:
    July 25, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    Said the spider to the fly! This isn’t by chance how you fund your cruise ship lifestyle, is it? 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  11. trentpmcd says:
    July 25, 2018 at 1:56 pm

    That’s great. I only hope that she preys only on those who wish to prey on her…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. sustainabilitea says:
    July 25, 2018 at 3:12 pm

    Have to admit I saw that one coming a mile away, Sandra, but it was still a good story. Happy Wednesday and may it soon be cooler. Tomorrow we’re supposed to get a welcome cool down. About time!

    janet

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Rowena says:
    July 25, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    Naughty old lady! Perhaps, she’ll get beaten at her own game.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. EagleAye says:
    July 25, 2018 at 4:41 pm

    She’s got a dark side, she does! That was really unexpected. I love it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. StuHN says:
    July 25, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    Not enough Old Lady serial killers. I think you’ve got a new market to explore. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. Jenny Kennedy says:
    July 25, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Time for little old ladies to wreak havoc. Great story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) says:
    July 25, 2018 at 7:14 pm

    No rain here in Sweden either as you might have heard… wildfires everywhere. But rain has been promised for the weekend.

    Even old ladies can be a threat these days… it only takes a blunt object.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. pennygadd51 says:
    July 25, 2018 at 8:18 pm

    One of the local chapter of Hell’s Grannies, eh? I always like a story where greedy people who should know better are bested at their own game. More power to the old lady’s elbow!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  19. 4963andypop says:
    July 25, 2018 at 9:00 pm

    I apparently read this differently than most. I thought the truckers were taking her into the bushes to rape her, to take advantage of her apparent dementia. And when she reappears, all her poor brain can remember is the purse. But it is true that the men are still missing…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  20. granonine says:
    July 25, 2018 at 9:50 pm

    It’s pouring buckets in my little corner of Pennsylvania. I got home and indoors just in time.

    This story intrigues me. We don’t see those men again but we don’t see the purse, either. Hmmmm…..

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  21. Alicia Jamtaas says:
    July 26, 2018 at 12:11 am

    Oh, she is a wicked one for sure.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  22. Sascha Darlington says:
    July 26, 2018 at 5:09 am

    I want to know how dear old granny is racking up the body count. Needles? Knives? Poison? Karate? Love it regardless.
    We (in VA USA) have floods 74F/23C. We had a drought and then no drought. Who knows what next week will bring. Hopefully your heatwave will end, I know you all are set up for heatwaves.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  23. tedstrutz says:
    July 26, 2018 at 6:28 am

    Typical Sandra. Damn good as usual.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  24. draliman says:
    July 26, 2018 at 6:37 am

    Ha! Not so confused and vulnerable… nice one!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  25. yarnspinnerr says:
    July 26, 2018 at 1:21 pm

    Hope this does not happen in real life or there will be no help for other old ladies. Lovely read.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  26. Russell Gayer says:
    July 26, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    Looks like her life savings are continuing to grow. Soon she’ll have enough for her own wing at the senior’s home.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  27. Carol J Forrester says:
    July 26, 2018 at 6:04 pm

    This is wonderfully dark, I do wonder how many innocent victims fell prey as well though.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  28. Susan says:
    July 26, 2018 at 10:01 pm

    I didn’t read it the same way everyone else did. I like the real ending better. Good one Sandra.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  29. subroto says:
    July 27, 2018 at 12:13 am

    Yike! And my first thought was “watch out for the mean guys, old lady”.
    Looks the old bird has a hand worth more than just two bodies in the bush 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  30. Dawn M. Miller says:
    July 27, 2018 at 12:52 am

    I can’t help but cheer for the old lady! lol

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  31. plaridel says:
    July 27, 2018 at 6:37 pm

    a serial murder on the prowl. looks can be deceiving. good samaritans better watch out. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  32. James McEwan says:
    July 27, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    Clearly a predatory vampire of sort – another trucker for tea. I found this comical in a sort dark way. A bit of the Adams family sort of horror. It was the sly expectance of the truckers being subverted that made this story a clever flash-fiction piece.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  33. Sarah Ann says:
    July 28, 2018 at 2:41 pm

    That’s a timely message for summer travellers – beware confused, innocent-looking old biddies at truck stops. Wonderfully done.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  34. lisarey1990 says:
    July 30, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    Wonderfully dark take.

    Like

    Reply

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