A Ride in the Desert
Cover photo: Cicero7, Pixabay, CC0 license
Theme Song: Just a Friend to You by Meghan Trainor
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #meetup #yuma #arizona #motel #awkward #kiss
She was already headed east as he headed back out west.
The whole journey was now just a ride in the desert.
She was already headed east as he headed back out west. The whole journey was now just a ride in the desert.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
Ness took him back and they drove all around looking for the Suburban, but his chance was gone.
Ness took him back and they drove all around looking for the Suburban, but his chance was gone.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
“Ness, please, I’ve got to go back to her. I feel it’s meant to be.”
“Ness, please, I’ve got to go back to her. I feel it’s meant to be.”
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
“We’ve got to turn around!” Harry called to Ness.
“What?! No! We have no time to turn around. We keep going.”
“We’ve got to turn around!” Harry called to Ness.
“What?! No! We have no time to turn around. We keep going.”
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
On reflection, it all seemed like a sign to take a chance on love, which he clued into too late.
On reflection, it all seemed like a sign to take a chance on love, which he clued into too late.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
Outside of town, his gut turned as he realized that he had missed everything—the silly ice cream, the non-talking, the goodbye.
Outside of town, his gut turned as he realized that he had missed everything—the silly ice cream, the non-talking, the goodbye.
#writersofbluesky #writersofmastodon #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
Ness pulled up next to him, and they turned west for home, longing for the cool, fresh breeze of the ocean.
𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵.
Ness pulled up next to him, and they turned west for home, longing for the cool, fresh breeze of the ocean. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #ocean #lovelost #regret #goodbye #desert
It felt like his future was driving away, as if it had been a movie someone fast-forwarded through.
It felt like his future was driving away, as if it had been a movie someone fast-forwarded through.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #yuma #arizona #goodbye #takeachance
And then the SUV pulled away, with Harry standing in the middle of a baking parking lot, the heat warming his feet through his shoes.
And then the SUV pulled away, with Harry standing in the middle of a baking parking lot, the heat warming his feet through his shoes.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #yuma #arizona #goodbye #takeachance
“Thank you for making it here to see me.
I always think about that year together, and I won’t forget this time too.”
“Thank you for making it here to see me. I always think about that year together, and I won’t forget this time too.”
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #yuma #arizona #goodbye #takeachance
Harry walked out with them and said goodbye.
Lena hugged him for what seemed like a long time.
Harry walked out with them and said goodbye. Lena hugged him for what seemed like a long time.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #yuma #arizona #goodbye #takeachance
A knock came at the door.
Mr. Turner had returned to retrieve Lena.
“Let’s go, we are running late.”
A knock came at the door. Mr. Turner had returned to retrieve Lena.
“Let’s go, we are running late.”
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.
𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵.
𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
Then a moment like those from school passed between them, a moment full of electricity and...
love? Was it love?
Then a moment like those from school passed between them, a moment full of electricity and... love? Was it love?
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
She looked up expectantly at him and smiled in victory. “Got it.”
She looked up expectantly at him and smiled in victory. “Got it.”
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
But he could only think what people would say if he misread her feelings.
But he could only think what people would say if he misread her feelings.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
She was so close.
The urge to pull her up to him was overwhelming.
She was so close. The urge to pull her up to him was overwhelming.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
Lena went to the bathroom for a wet towel and dropped to her knees in front of Harry to wipe the dried ice cream from his bare skin.
Lena went to the bathroom for a wet towel and dropped to her knees in front of Harry to wipe the dried ice cream from his bare skin.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
“Oh! You’ve got some on your leg,” she said.
“Oh! You’ve got some on your leg,” she said.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #soclose #icecream #romance #isitlove #takeachance
He turned on the TV to fill the swollen silence.
He turned on the TV to fill the swollen silence.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romance #givemeasign #motel #silence
He was waiting for a sign from her that she wanted the same thing, but it never came.
He was waiting for a sign from her that she wanted the same thing, but it never came.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romance #givemeasign #motel #silence
The thought of Mr. Turner was also in the back of his mind.
The thought of Mr. Turner was also in the back of his mind.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romance #givemeasign #motel #silence
But he didn’t want to assume that she wanted the same.
He didn’t want to ruin their friendship.
But he didn’t want to assume that she wanted the same. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romance #givemeasign #motel #silence
He wanted to take her in his hands and pull her next to him for the rest of the day.
He wanted to take her in his hands and pull her next to him for the rest of the day.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romance #givemeasign #motel #silence
The room was dark from the curtains drawn against the sunlight, with only a dim floor lamp in the corner.
The room was dark from the curtains drawn against the sunlight, with only a dim floor lamp in the corner.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #friendship #friendzone #romantic #givemeasign #motel #silence
With nothing else to do, they sat back down on the edge of the bed.
With nothing else to do, they sat back down on the edge of the bed.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #icecream #romantic #surfsession #motel #awkward
But they laughed at the situation as they cleaned their hands off together in the motel bathroom.
But they laughed at the situation as they cleaned their hands off together in the motel bathroom.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #icecream #romantic #surfsession #motel #awkward
The ice cream had been a terrible idea and a mess.
The ice cream had been a terrible idea and a mess.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #icecream #romantic #surfsession #motel #awkward
They ate their ice cream as fast as they could, but half still melted all over them.
They ate their ice cream as fast as they could, but half still melted all over them.
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #arideinthedesert #heatwave #icecream #romantic #surfsession #motel #awkward
