“Nooooooo!!!”

Glad you could join us for the next nail-biting episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot N
Photo credit: Lee Daniels

Before Elliot’s scream skidded to a halt, the mushroom cap sat empty over an expanding set of ripples.

Juliet was the first to jump into the water.

“Come on, you guys!” she called, paddling hard and fast for the center of the vanishing rings. “Are you really gonna let the little guy’s chance for True Love slip away?”

James and Lorenzo exchanged shrugs and dove in.

Elliot strained his eye stalks as far over the water as he dared, helpless to help, yet yearning to try. He might as well have been on an alien planet as he watched the rescue attempt play out.

James, having out swum Juliet, ducked his head beneath the surface to retrieve the hapless maid.

Elliot held his breath.

James brought his head up, something limp and dripping hanging from his mouth.

Elliot gasped as James shook his head, flinging a wad of river grass splattering from his bill.

In rapid succession, Lorenzo and Juliet split the water with their faces, only to resurface long moments later with nothing at all to show for it.

The knot in Elliot’s gizzard threatened to throttle him. He knew she — whoever she was — couldn’t last much longer.

In a balletic display of choreographed precision, all three fowl friends dipped deep into the unforgiving wetness, their tails reaching skyward like prayers of desperation pleading for a merciful miracle.

Elliot’s heart stood still.

To be continued…

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

#AtoZChallenge A-to-Z Fictioneers: Interested in original fiction? Here’s a list of writers who are writing stories for the 2017 A to Z Challenge. The author’s link will take you to their “A” post. If you know of any other story writers I can share, please drop the link in the comments!
  • Today’s twofer from April 18, 2016:

Nothing Ventured

Farkus
N is for Nemesis

This little ol’ A to Z Blogging Challenge is trying to whoop my a**. It keeps yelling:

“Stay down, you moron!” This little ol’ A to Z Blogging Challenge. The big bully.

And I?

rocky
This is only the first round.

I keep getting up.

Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story...

29 thoughts on ““Nooooooo!!!””

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  7. You were right about the course of true love…nail biting, breath holding…hope the ducks find her!!!
    Terrifying picture of a Nemesis…there were some like that at my son’s old school! But I think you TOTALLY have this challenge on the run…looking forward to the next part 🙂 xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

          2. If it’s true that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, then I trust the more adventures Elliot survives the further he will grow away from being a poor little thing. 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

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