Junior Detective Coombs was already regretting getting roped into another of Detective Bunt’s bizarre investigations.
Coombs said, “So…we’re staking out a park bench?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“There’s no pigeons at this bench. Over there and there, pigeons visit the benches. The other benches have bird poop and stains. This one looks brand new.”
“So?”
“I checked the park records. The park never put a bench there.”
Coombs sighed.
“I checked deeper. A crooked cop and a corrupt politician used this bench for dirty dealings. Both last visited the bench before disappearing.”
“They knew they were being investigated.”
“Look!” Bunt pointed.
A seagull suddenly alighted on the bench.
“It’s a seagull.”
“From out of town, probably. Doesn’t know to avoid it.”
The park bench suddenly surged up like a wave and engulfed the seagull, consuming it. Quickly, the bench reformed back into its normal shape.
“My God!” exclaimed Coombs. “It eats things! That explains the cop and the politician.”
“Those poor bastards,” sighed Bunt.
“I know. Even crooked men shouldn’t die so horribly.”
Bunt shrugged. “I meant the seagulls.”
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Written for the weekly Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers writing challenge. Look here for the original prompt and more stories for the week: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/fffaw-week-of-february-9-2016/
I have to ask … does the bench ever burp afterwards? 😀
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Haha! Good question. I’m wondering if it got indigestion after eating a dirty cop. 😉
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That’s something, a bench that eat’s people/birds. Funny at the end, he felt sorry for the seagulls.
Great story.
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Hehe. I do try and something unique as often as possible. He felt sorry for the seagull because it’s cute. The other guys…well… 😉
Thanks so much! 🙂
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Three cheers for Detective Bunt’s observational skills! Hopefully Coombs will give him more credit next time Bunt has one of his supposedly crazy ideas. 😉
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Hehe. Bunt may be a tad barmy, but he know his trade. Coombs’ mind may be a little more open next time. Thanks so much, Joy! 🙂
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Where exactly does the people it eats goes? Is it like a portal that sends them to a different dimension? Does it send them underground beneath the bench to decompose so if anyone were to dig up the earth under the bench, they would find corpses and carcasses?
As always, such a creative take on the prompts! I always love reading your stories.
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Good questions! Well, maintaining a shape that isn’t it’s natural one takes a lot of energy for a warm-blooded alien. So what it eats gets digested and used for energy. They might some day find a bunch of bones beneath it though. 😉 Glad you’re enjoying these and thanks kindly! 🙂
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I kind of feel sorry for the park bench. That crooked cop would have tasted horrible, I reckon!
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That’s what I’m thinking. And the politician, like something rotten. Not good meals for the hapless park bench. 😉
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Sad to say, but maybe we need more benches like that! I must add, it is a very unique way of getting rid of the corrupt. I enjoy your stories…they have solutions! 😁
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Hehe. We just need to find another such park bench so they can mate. 😉 😀 I do like providing solutions, and I’m really glad you enjoy them. Thanks so much! 🙂
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I saw te bench recently. It’s obese! Nice one.
Visit Keith’s Ramblings!
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With all that eating, it’s no surprise. Maybe it should go out for a jog? 😉
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I do feel sorry for the seagull. Always a pleasure reading your take on the prompts 🙂
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Yeah, the poor seagull never hurt anybody. 😉 Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. 🙂
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Hahahahaha! I LOVED the ending! Crooked cop and politician! I’m surprised it didn’t kill the bench. LOL! GREAT story!
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Hehe. Perhaps less fit benches had eaten the same and never survived the experience. Otherwise, carnivorous benches might be more common. 😉 Glad you had fun. Thanks so much for the glowing words! 🙂
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Haha! Loved it! 😀
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Poor seagull. I’m sure it didn’t deserve being eaten. The dirty cop and the politician, on the other hand… Wonderfully creative story, Eric 🙂
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Haha! Exactly how I see it. It’s only fitting to pity the hapless seagull and leave others to their own devices. 😉 Glad you enjoyed this. Thanks most kindly! 🙂
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I would say, that’s a clever bench, getting rid of unsavoury characters. But I think it would probably gobble up the good guys with equal relish! Look what happened to the poor seagull – or perhaps the little fella annoyed the bench by attempting to poop on it. Haha. A great read! 🙂
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Hahaha… That last line did it for me!
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Awesome. Glad to hear that zinger is working. Thanks much! 🙂
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