“HereYou know I love prompts and will let Keith Channing tell you in his words about this one. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”
The photo.
The Hold-Up bu John W. Howell ©2017
“Just keep running for god’s sake.”
“I’m not sure I can go any further.”
“You’d better. Want the cops to get you.”
“N-no but my lungs are going to burst.”
“Stop whining. You’re the one who screwed up the getaway car.”
“So I forgot to check the gas.”
“So I forgot to check the gas? You are an idiot you know that?”
“Aw come on. It could happen to anyone.”
“Okay let me ask. Who was responsible for the getaway car?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah it was me. I’ll never live this down I can see that now.”
“Shut up will you and give me a chance to think. This money is getting pretty heavy, and you’re right it is getting harder to keep running.”
“Look over there. Do you see what I see?”
“Carriages?”
“Yes, carriages. We can grab one of those.”
“I can hear the all points bulletin now. ‘BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TWO DUMB SHITS IN A STOLEN CARRIAGE ‘ Are you out of your mind?”
“No, listen. We hire one and give him a bunch of dough. He keeps his mouth shut. We look like a couple of tourists, and nobody will be the wiser.”
“I guess it does beat dying of a stroke. Okay, let’s do it.”
“You gentleman look like you are in a hurry.”
“Is this carriage for hire?”
“Well normally it is, but it is booked on an exclusive tour today.”
“Could a little incentive talk you out of skipping the trip.”
“What kind of incentive?”
“A thousand bucks.”
“Whoa. You could talk me out of anything for a thousand bucks. Hop in.”
“Here’s your money. Want to count it?”
“Ten hundred’s is pretty easy to count.”
“So what was the tour was booked?”
“Get up boy. Oh, nothing important.”
Come on. You have my curiosity aroused.”
“Well, the police chief wanted to take his wife for a ride and lunch.”
“The p-police chief?”
“Yeah. You see he’s a nut about romance, carriages, and horses.”
“He is huh.”
“He also likes to drive them himself.”
“H-himself?”
“I would sit back and enjoy the ride, boys. It might be your last for a while.”
Fiction Favorites 
Great example of natural justice. Nice one.
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Thanks, Keith. 🙂
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LOL!! Ingenious story…one only you could tell! 🙂
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AW…..Thank you. *blush* 🙂
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Hahahahah. I did not see that coming! Loved it!
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Thanks, Pam. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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Busted! Nice job, John. 🙂
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I love dumb criminal stories. (even when I make them up.) Thanks, Jill 🙂
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An absolutely hilarious story, John! I’m pretty sure the picture was taken in one of my favourite towns in Ontario: Niagara-On-The-Lake. It is a popular tourist town where Anne and I spend a few days each August for her birthday treat.
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Ouch. Wonder if they can call this entrapment.
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Um. I think they are the ones trapping the chief. 😀
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Didn’t consider that. Thought he was just going to drive them to the nearest jail.
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Oh yes. But they approached him with a plan so in essence they are not being entrapped. Paying the fare in stolen cash would convict them.
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Not bribing an official?
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Nice twist ending.
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Thanks, Craig. 🙂
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Love the ending, John. It could have been worse. It could have been Tiny’s wedding carriage. 3 to 5 won’t be so bad.
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I know right? I had Tiny in the back of my mind but then the chief jumped in the carriage, Thanks, Dan 🙂
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So your two mooks are Ferd and Tex?
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No Merd and Mex
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One of your specials there John. Excellent.
Hugs
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Thanks, David. I always appreciate your comments. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Words To Captivate and commented:
Don’t miss this ingenious story with a wonderful twist at the end!
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Thank you, John.
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Heehee! Loved that ending. So very clever 🙂
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Thanks, Mae Clair. 🙂
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Love it!
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So glad. 😀
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Reblogged this on Jan Hawke INKorporated and commented:
Love this photo prompt tall tale by jocular John Howell… 😀
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Thank you, Jan
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Ha ha!! A comedy of errors. Well done, AGAIN, John.
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Thanks, Jan. 😀
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YES!! The good guys finally win! Good one, John. By the way, this looks like an excellent tourist spot.
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It does doesn’t it. Thanks Debbie.
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Ha ha ha. Can these guys not hit it any closer to home. They might as well have walked into the police station and given themselves up. Perfect justice. 😛 😛 😀
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They should have Tess. You are right. 😀
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😂 Story set-up. Love the picture.
John, I forget to mention that I love your new cover reveal too! Is the girl Korean? She looks like it. I’m half Korean, so I was just wondering. She could be Japanese too I guess.
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The young woman is a depicting a Midshipman at the US Naval Academy. She is obviously of Asian decent and a symbol of our diverse military. (My desire) Thanks Ipuna. (BTW I don’t really know exactly since she is a model and I didn’t get to ask.)
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Ha ha. I love the picture just the same. I love the symbol of our diverse military. You did well.
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Thank you. 🙂
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It sounded like a good idea at the time. Or didn’t. Haha
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Well, sorta
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Haha
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🙂
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Rotflmao. Ah … meet Dumb and Dumber! So if the horses do a runner who gets charged with rustling? Your mind is a great place to visit, John, as always.
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Thank you, Soooz. Good point about the rustling. 🙂
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HAHAHA! Love that ending. I never saw that coming!! 🙂
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Thank you, Deborah.
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Nice twist, John. Had no idea what they were getting themselves involved in. I hope they enjoyed that last ride.
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I’m sure they did. Thanks, Hugh.
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Unless I’m mistaken, that pic is from my neck of the woods, specifically, Niagara-on-the-Lake?
By the way, well done, John.
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It could be. Thanks, Hook. Had I known I would have made the cop a provincial chief eh?
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Or a Mountie!
Mounties are great literary foils.
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What with Snidely Whiplash and Nell needing attention al the time. It is a wonder Dudley got anything done. 🙂
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Reblogged this on mallie1025 and commented:
Loved the humor in this flash fiction!
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Thank you, Micki for the reblog
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