46 Comments
User's avatar
Jim Cummings's avatar

Congrats on TIF , Sharron! This one really has teeth.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

ha ha ha! It SURE does. ( And shes not afraid to use them!) I get so happy when I see one of these little things accepted for the TIF magazine. I don't know why it seems like such a big deal to me. Thanks for noticing, my friend!

The Radical Individualist's avatar

I hate it when that happens...

Sharron Bassano's avatar

I know. Right😳

Parker McCoy's avatar

The predator becomes the prey. Always good fun. Hehe. Good one, Sharron.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks , Parker. I love it that readers have so many interpretations of what is happening here. 😂

K.C. Knouse's avatar

Whoa! What a turn of events, Cousin. The moral of the story is to beware women wearing large coats buttoned at the collar.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Unless, of course, the idea of a four-armed, alien woman sounds like your idea of a good time... ha ha ha. Thanks KC! Happy weekend to you!

Yael Gelardin's avatar

The kind of story I love! Suspense! Who is inside the big coat? A child? an animal? an alien?

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ooooh…I love the way your imagination just jumps right in, Yael. Thanks for reading my odd story!

Ben Woestenburg's avatar

You dark and twisted little girl, Sharron! I like that one. See? You stop to help someone and look at that, you end up on the menu. And a great reading as well!

Sharron Bassano's avatar

The vagaries of our one precious life... deal with it! ha ha ha. Thanks for dropping by here at Leaves, Ben. My god, you are a busy man! I see your name everywhere! I wish you great success, my friend.

Sue Cauhape's avatar

🤣 You and your aliens. Or is the fine lady just a simple vampire? Poor guy. And I think the biggest shock for me was the eight hours on a motorcycle. Holy merde! This story started out as a version of the old ghost story about the woman by the roadside but, as you do so often, ends with a marvelous twist. That was a fun ride.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks, Sue. Still needs a bit of work, but it seemed to fit the photo prompt. I admit that sometimes I do not understand what comes out of my head…

Sue Cauhape's avatar

What you have coming out of your head is a fertile imagination. Wish mine were like that.

Jim Sarasu's avatar

That'll teach him to not let his anatomy betray him so quickly :)

Sharron Bassano's avatar

🙄. Hey. Let’s not let that opportunity get away! Sounds like she might be up for it. Thanks for reading over here at Leaves, Jim. It is good to see your face!

Jim Cummings's avatar

Turns out she didn’t need a hand. She already had plenty. Creepy-good, Sharron.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Ha ha ha! Yes, indeed. Thanks for reading it Jim. That ending is not quite right. I am going to work on it some more. You know how it is -- you think your story is finished and then find out it isn't quite right...

Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

Wow, Sharon did not expect that. I was happy. He did the good deed and went back to help her. I actually thought the second pair of hands were a child that she may have been caring. You got me again.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

I like YOUR idea, too! A very different story would have been told.❤️

Kathleen Hobbs's avatar

For sure, Sharron

Richbee's avatar

The hog squeals, tires treads worn to threads. One more bite for the road at Taco Bell, she forgot hot sauce.

C. Lee McKenzie's avatar

Oye! I did not expect that, Sharron! What the heck? Why don't you leave a link to this on #Scary Summer over at @A.C. Cargill. This story will fit right in with the others.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks! I will check it out.

James Ron's avatar

Holy cow! What the — ! Some guys never learn. Terrific voiceover, Sharron. You have a knack for it.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

You never know, Ron, it may be a match made in heaven. No.

Sharon Hudson's avatar

𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙇𝙔, 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙏𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙀 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙮, 𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙎𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮. 𝙄 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙩. 🧛‍♀️𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙩𝙤𝙤! 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛, 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙣!

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks, Sharon. I posted it, but the ending still needs work....damn it! ha ha ha. It always happens.

David Perlmutter's avatar

Thank you for the Canadian shoutout in the top picture.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Hee hee hee. A photo gift from your fellow Canadian, Kenneth Mills. A man with an incredible photographer's eye and a wonderful water-colorist.

https://substack.com/@kennethmills

Kate Henry's avatar

Compelling read, but NAH..... Sits sour in the brain.

Sharron Bassano's avatar

Thanks for giving it a try, Kate.😬 No fear of drowning in this one, but you are a brave girl.