Flash Fiction_ShadowingACharacter_ SPRINGBREAK

Here's a flash fiction I wrote for my class this week. Please read it if you feel like it.

Spring Break

Lee Heffernan

    The passengers exited. Vance stayed seated in 14A until Rachel the flight attendant returned for him.  He looked for his suitcase, but Rachel pointed him toward the jetway. 

 

         "Let's go find your mom," she said.

 

         Past the crowded gates, and onto the escalator, Rachel kept her hand on Vance's teeshirt, slightly hurting his sunburnt shoulder. Descending, Vance saw his mom's white shoes first.  Then her scrubs, her hospital ID tag, her short red hair.  He waved, but the police officer distracted her from looking up.  When she noticed Vance beside her, she pulled him into a hug.  

 

         Vance had thought of his mom every day of spring break while visiting Nana.  He wished Mom were there too, but she had to work.  He wished for Disneyworld rides while he swam in the pool with Nana watching, asking the same hopeful questions about school and friends.  After lunch--- grilled cheese and fritos--- they watched soap operas. Then he swam again. 

 

         From his purple floatie, Vance stared at the sea turtle shell hanging like a trophy behind Nana's chair. Its shiny brown pieces fit together like a puzzle. It reminded Vance of a medieval shield. 

         On his last day in Florida, Vance asked, "Did Grampa catch that turtle?"

         Nana laughed. "Your grandfather couldn't catch a sea turtle if it walked in the front door.  He bought that at the flea market ages ago. I've seen you looking at it.  I'll clean it up and you can take it home with you if you like."

         Vance knew he shouldn't ask for things, but Nana had offered and he wanted the shell a lot. "Thank you Nana!  I'll show it to my class at Morning Meeting."

         "Morning Meeting?" Nana laughed.  "How modern are we getting?"

 

         At the airport, Nana met the flight attendant who would take care of Vance, "He's all yours, Rachel. Make sure he gets to Pittsburgh in one piece."

         "Thanks for a great trip, Nana. Thank you for the sea turtle shell," smiled Vance.

         "You're welcome, Vancer. When you share it at school, make sure you tell everyone that you hunted sea turtles with your Nana on spring break." Vance and Nana fist-bumped.  When they hugged one last time, Rachel reached down and took the suitcase.

 

         The reunion in the Pittsburgh airport didn't go how Vance had imagined. It took over an hour for his mom to convince the officer that neither Vance nor his grandmother knew that sea turtle shells were illegal contraband because of the Endangered Species Act.  

 

         On the drive home, Vance stared silently out the rainy window, wondering where the shell would end up and what happened to the turtle in the first place and what he could share at Morning Meeting the next day.