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I Spy

March 18, 2019 by Phil Town 10 Comments

I Spy

“I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with …” The boy searches the surroundings, lifts his face towards the sky, but forgets to use a distractor before blurting out: “C.”

“Oooh, that’s tricky, Porkchop. Er … could it be ‘clouds’?” The second boy punches Porkchop on his chubby arm.

“Ow, Mikey! What d’you do that for?!”

“You know — just because.”

Mikey turns to the third, slightly older child and grins, but Sophie doesn’t take her eyes off the stream trickling by.

“Okay, my turn,” says Mikey. “I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with …” He casts his eye around for inspiration and sees something, but unlike Porkchop, he makes a point of gazing in various other directions before giving the clue: “B.”

Porkchop, still rubbing his arm, slowly takes in the possibilities. A flock of boisterous, squawking parakeets lift off from the nearby trees.

“Ha! Got it! Birds!”

“Nope!” Mikey scoffs.

“No?! You sure? I bet you’re cheatin’.”

“I don’t need to cheat with you, Porkchop, you dumbo.” Mikey goes to punch the other boy again but stops his fist an inch from the target. Porkchop recoils.

Mikey grins at Sophie once more. She shifts her gaze from the stream to her bare, calloused feet.

“What d’you reckon, Sophie?”

Sophie appears not to hear. Mikey nudges her.

“Sophie?”

“Branches.”

“Yes! Y’see, Porkchop? I wasn’t cheatin’.”

A trace of a quiver on Porkchop’s lower lip — beaten by a girl!

“Your turn, Sophie,” says Mikey, watching Sophie’s pretty, smudged face, waiting.

“I spy …”

She contemplates the thin bushes on the banks, the sun beating down on the dusty field beyond, her rough hands with their ragged fingernails, her grubby, tattered jeans. And the meagre stream, flowing on its tortured way into the distant heat haze. She sighs and lets her shoulders droop.

“F.”

The boys’ eyes dart around eagerly while Sophie drags herself to her feet and fills her bucket to take back to the shack. They start firing out their guesses.

But they’ll never get the answer, and nor will Sophie tell them.

That what she spied was her tomorrow. And the thousands of tomorrows to come.

Filed Under: Drama

About Phil Town

Phil is a teacher (of English as a foreign language) and translator (Portuguese > English) in Lisbon. In his spare time he writes screenplays (features and shorts) and short stories; he’s a regular contributor to Short Fiction Break. He also writes about Portuguese football (soccer) for the British independent football magazine When Saturday Comes.

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Comments

  1. Dolene says

    March 18, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    The story’s cliffhanger is the plot twist. I really like that. Because of such attention to character development, I’m wishing for a sequel..

    Reply
    • Phil Town says

      March 19, 2019 at 10:07 am

      Thanks, Dolene! I like these characters and may well try to see what happens to them later on in life; perhaps Sophie’s fears prove unfounded?

      Reply
  2. William Marcus says

    March 18, 2019 at 9:04 pm

    Phil, I like the descriptions, I felt as if I were in the scene with the children. I wish Sophie would give us the answer. Oh, well I’ll have to think more on that. Another one of yours that I enjoyed. Sincerely

    Reply
    • Phil Town says

      March 19, 2019 at 10:08 am

      Thanks once again for your kind words and encouragement, William. Sophie will always keep the answer to herself, but there are clues for us to take a good guess …

      Reply
  3. Phoebe Anasco says

    March 19, 2019 at 12:59 am

    I think the answer was “forever”?

    Reply
    • Phil Town says

      March 19, 2019 at 10:09 am

      Warm, Phoebe!

      Reply
  4. Adina says

    March 19, 2019 at 5:27 am

    Wow I loved the story. The description was amazing and the surroundings felt so real.

    Reply
    • Phil Town says

      March 19, 2019 at 10:10 am

      Thanks very much, Adina. Very glad you liked it.

      Reply
  5. Rebecca Lawrence says

    March 20, 2019 at 12:11 am

    Was the answer was future?

    Reply
    • Phil Town says

      March 20, 2019 at 6:11 am

      As the old line goes, Rebecca: I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. 😉

      Reply

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