Going North

(entry for NYC Midnight 250-word flashfiction challenge 2022)

Theme: Thriller-Suspence

Action: Asking for money

Word: vision

Going North

Farida didn’t think she’d be chasing down soldiers and insurgents to sell them pep pills. It killed their hunger and filled them with purpose.

      Khadija would have Farida murdered if she didn’t fetch her 50,000 pounds. “Sell it all. Bring only cash,” she had said. Khadija had a big family. Her husband had been mangled in an attack. She wanted to keep Farida close in Aleppo. Not fleeing north like everyone else.

 Farida had a different vision.

“You can’t stop me!” Farida ripped a hand out of her bag. It was holding an old black pistol. “Only I can stop me.” Farida pulled the hammer back. The other hand held Khadija’s cash.

“Farida, wait!” Khadija raised her palm. It was the kind of plea that didn’t expect patience. Farida waited, a cushion of resolve in her eyes. “You’re taking it, aren’t you? That’s why you’re acting so crazy…”

“Call me crazy again!” said Farida, jerking the rigid arm at Khadija’s big belly.

“Ok. Go.”

“Do you know where I’m going?”

“No.”

“Farida threw some cash at Khadija. “Do you mind if I keep the rest?”

“Fine. Thank you.” But Farida wasn’t done. She pulled the trigger. First once. But then thrice more. Click Click… Click. Click. Not loaded.

“You bitch!” said Khadija.

“Haaaa!” Farida tossed the gun across the room at her. Cheap slippers slapping downstairs could be heard before the useless weapon even landed. Farida would be at the Turkish border with her son in three hours.