Fire-by-Robert-Kraft

HOSTAGE

Written by on April 14, 2013 | 26 Comments

Dark shades. Reeking, tattered rags. A cup of pencils and a sign: “MAKE MY DAY.” Let them call him “Blind man on Pennsylvania Avenue.” He didn’t care. If push came to shove, he’d shed the shades, let them perish in the fires ignited by his Evil Eye. He’d bring the begging city to its knees.

 

Salvatore Buttaci

 

 

Does your blog earn you money? Learn more here.

  • http://www.facebook.com/r.j.saxon r.j.saxon

    Another great one, an opening to unlimited possibilities. R.j. :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/r.j.saxon r.j.saxon

    Sorry you got my thumbs up , R.j. :)

  • http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com Salvatore Buttaci

    Thanks for posting my flash “Hostage.” I am honored to send my family and friends to read it here at this great site!

  • http://www.confessionsofacrazyfox.blogspot.com/ Anna Mullins

    Interesting and thought provoking as usual Sal!

  • http://www.clarkliterary.com Gary

    This is Sal Buttaci at his very best. Great job!

  • http://www.kennethweene.com Kenneth Weene

    Once again I get to enjoy a piece of Sal’s great writing.

  • Manny

    Sal you are outstanding

  • Paul Wharton

    Good story. WWCD? — What Would Clint Do? — throw a sharpened pencil at cheapskates who walk on by without a contribution? Just wondering.

    • http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com Salvatore Buttaci

      Paul, Clint just might do that! After all, millions are witnesses to old Clint’s chair monologue some months ago. What the shady guy in my flash might do is sing a few bars of “I Only Have Eyes for You.” This is where it’s wise not to stare down beggars!

  • http://www.richbottlesjr.com Rich Bottles Jr.

    Sal just made my day.

  • Joe

    Another excellent flash from the Flasher himself!

    • http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com Salvatore Buttaci

      Joe, I hope the Princeton Police don’t read your comment and come a-knocking on our door. I could do without a spot on the 6 o’clock news: FLASHER CAUGHT IN AUSTIN BRIGGS’ BACKYARD!

      • http://www.austinbriggs.com Austin Briggs

        Ha! Yeah, we don’t want that in my quiet Swiss neighborhood.

  • http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com Salvatore Buttaci

    Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments.

  • http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/ vic fortezza

    Rock on, Salvatore.

  • Delores and Pat Caccamo

    That was very good Sal.

  • Zelda

    Sounds like an intriguing introduction to a longer story. Go for it, Sal!

  • http://www.mallie1025.blogspot.com Micki Peluso

    Wow, Sal–that’s a good one!! Says a loton a few words. I gave thethumbs up!!

    Micki

  • http://www.ChristIsMySaviorMinistries.org Yves Johnson

    This was great!

  • http://www.bryanmurphy.eu Bryan Murphy

    An intriguing lesson in how to say a great deal in a few words.

  • Sharon

    Great story, Sal!

  • Robert Rubenstein

    Sal is not a tease. A wit like acid eviscerating all comfort, he gets to the essence of things: pathos and paranoia co-exist on Pennsylvania Avenue. I wish I had more time to read these very brief nuggets. And I do mean that if Sal reduces his craft to but one word, and that word were some kind of ‘eeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyh,’ a primordia scream, I would have to carry that vision a long time with me, like a stack of dreams. Just absolutely terrific, Sal re-invents what it means to describe the soul of the thing.

  • Jeff Travers

    There is a full blown story ready to jump out.Off comes the shades and…..

  • Jean Rodenbough

    Sal: You have done it again. This time there’s a story told here in just a few words that says all there needs to be said.

  • Debi Swim

    I thought I’d already left a message here Sal. Hmmm, wonder where I put it? Anyway, really enjoyed this flash. Loved the idea of “evil eye”.

    • http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com Salvatore Buttaci

      Debi, I am thinking of developing the idea into a novella.