Copyright Naama-Yehuda
Annie tilts her face to the sun.
Her tongue circles the mound of ice-cream, skimming over the softened rim of the cornet.
Waves whisper along the shoreline, seagulls wheel and circle, watching, hovering, calculating.
Then a shadow darkens the sun; a stinging slap falls on her sunburned cheek and knocks the ice-cream from her hand.
She stares at the pink ice-cream pooling at her feet, tears gathering.
And the man who gave her a shilling, telling her he’d look after her baby sister while she bought herself an ice-cream, well… he’s being dragged up the beach by two very angry policemen.
A day at the beach sounds idyllic this freezing January morning. Thanks to Rochelle, for her continued leadership of Friday Fictioneers.
castelsarrasin 
The calculating seagulls nicely foreshadow the danger
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Thanks for reading, Neil.
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You are so good at building atmosphere in a few lines….
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Thanks for dropping by, Sue.
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Pleasure!
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I enjoy the sunny atmosphere and the contrast of dark happenings.
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Thank you.
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Dear Sandra,
I hope baby sister is okay. You do have a way with a story. I’m guessing Mum is the one delivering the slap to Annie’s sunburned cheek. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, I’m guessing she’d not be best pleased with the outcome.
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Not a very nice ending to the story – and a highlight of the danger of strangers. Well done!
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Thanks Colline,,
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I still can’t work out how you say so much in so few words.
This is like a night at the theatre!
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Thanks, CE. 🙂
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Ominous. I like how you move the POV from close to a long shot. Very effective.
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Many thanks, Josh.
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Thank goodness the police were on to him, doesn’t bear thinking about…
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You’re right, it doesn’t. Thanks for reading.
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I really can’t add to what everyone else is saying. Remarkable, and I’m glad the evil man is caught before damage is done.
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Thanks for reading, Linda.
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Oh, those deceptive seagulls! You caught my attention with them, and when Annie’s face was slapped I thought “Seagull’s nicked her ice-cream!” But no – you were fooling. I read the last paragraph, and realised what had really been happening. You caught me with the twist, despite having told me what it was in the title! You’re good, Sandra, very good!
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Thanks Penny! Glad you liked it 🙂
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There’s an ending I didn’t see coming. Great job.
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Many thanks!
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It could have been so much worse. Another gem Sandra.
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Indeed it could. thanks for reading, Keith.
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Yes, another good one. My story is on the light side of “stranger danger.” We were out in the front yard when the girls were little and someone walked by. I said hello and exchanged a few words. After the person had moved on, one of the girls asked if I knew that person. When I said no, she said, “Mom, you talked to a stranger!” 🙂
janet
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I had a friend who engaged with everyone, and I mean everyone. I was always amazed she didn’t get into scrapes with her totally open and friendly nature. Thanks for commenting, Janet.
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Brilliantly done, Sandra. Truly. How you put so much into so few words, boggles my brain.
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Thanks for reading, Dale. 🙂
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Men causing mayhem in lives of the innocent. Oh how I wish it were different. Your story is chillingly accurate in the mechanics of these things.
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Yes, you have to be constantly on the alert. And then the most innocuous of approaches can be quite brutally rebuffed. Thanks for reading.
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You are welcome, Sandra.
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Oy! I hope baby sister is safe. I hope the adult who did the slapping will apologize for it was them who were truly derelict. Oy … well done in so few words!
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Yes, sometimes too much responsibility is given too early. Thanks for reading.
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🙂
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There is nothing more disturbing than violence, even implied, against a child. Well told.
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Many thanks for reading.
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It’s amazing how you built this story to its unexpected and chilling ending. So glad the police and her mother (I’m guessing) were nearby. What could have happened …
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Yes a narrow escape. Lessons to be learned by more than one person here. Thanks for reading, Brenda.
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excellent piece. it’s worth reading and reading again. must be the best this week.
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Why thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
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The baby sis was lucky and thank God she got saved.
This little girl was lured by ice-cream. Kids need to be explained and must be safe.
It’s a problem across our world. Where is our world heading?
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I’ve no idea, Anita. No idea whatsoever. Thanks for reading.
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It all started out so well… a lucky escape in the end.
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A close shave indeed. Thanks for reading.
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Poor little girl. Hope her sister didn’t suffer too much damage.
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The shadow darkening the sun set the mood for me vividly, changing an innocent day on the beach into a frightening event. So cleverly done.
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I could deal with a nice warm beach about now!
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The scene is set and I can feel the eeriness from the beginning and ends with a chilling ending. Stranger danger to the point! Nicely done.
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The part of the ice-cream skimming over the the cornet made me actually want to eat one. It’s a pity that it ended up on the ground though.
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Great turn, from expecting the birds to snatch the cornet – as they always try to do – to the sudden reality of the situation. How could she possibly put ice cream before looking after her sister?
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Lucky escape for the little sister. Pity about the wasted ice-cream. Excellent writing as always.
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Excellent writing!
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I hope everything turned well in the end…
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