Free Write -The Mask

 

Today's prompt was taken at a parade. 

Rick's Free Write - Bird Man

As the parade of costumed characters pranced up the street, playing musical instruments, banging drums, waving to the crowds, he slipped in toward the end with a small group whose appearance resembled his: leather robes, faux fur cape, ragged hats with a witch’s peak, and a leather mask with a long, bird-like beak.

“Who is that?” Alexandrine asked Michel, two of the other three ‘bird people’ marchers.

“Aucune idée,” Michel responded.

Ah, well, she thought. It’s all for fun.

As the paraders turned onto the main commercial avenue, the mystery bird-man started darting in and out of shops, acting crazy, waving his arms and wooden staff wildly, scaring any young children and old women. This continued down the street until they passed the bank, where several tourists were queued up to the outside ATM.

Bird-man went inside, pleased to see no customers.

To the young female clerk, he commanded, “Donne-moi tout l'argent. Si tu cries, j'ai une arme.” He pulled aside his robe to show a gun in his waistbelt.

The clerk screamed anyway as bird-man dashed away with about 2000 Euros in cash.

He made it to the end of the street, three gendarmes in pursuit, and would have escaped except for the quick-thinking village historian, who loosed the rope holding the medieval gate, stopping the bird-man in his size 11 tracks.

D-L's Free Write

Jack hated the stupid bird mask and he was pissed at himself for agreeing to wear it.

Marianne kept telling him marching in the parade was for a good cause. He could have been home watching the Pats on TV and drinking a cold beer. 

God, that mask and vest were hot.

The band ahead of the "birds" was giving him a headache.

He lunged at a little girl, at the edge of the crowd. She started to cry.

Marianne, who wore the same costume and was marching next to him, grabbed his arm and shook her finger at him.

The more he thought about it, he didn't need to do this. His relationship with Marianne had run its course.

At the next intersection, he took a sharp right. Away from the parade and crows, he removed his mask.

Once at his car, he figured Marianne could get her own ride. His watch showed him, he could probably make it from for the second half of the Pats' game. He could almost taste that cold beer.

Julia's Free Write

I almost recognized her there in the lineup.

Impeccable dressed as usual with all the accoutrements.

But what in the world was she doing here – and of all things with a mask of some legendary long-gone scary bird?

I thought she was still in Finland, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

To satisfy my curiosity I sidled closer trying to get a better look – the overcoat and fur collar were in keeping but made recognition more difficult.

Still not 100% able to confirm her identify, I called out “Helga, what are you doing here?’”

No reply, not even the turning of the head. The chap in the background looked at me like I was nuts.

Cutting through the crowd he cornered me and said “Why are you acting like my wife is Helga? Françoise will wonder.”

Oops, not often do I mistake someone’s identity. But then why was “Françoise wearing my old friend’s shoes, watch and even the ring that I had given her 40 years ago?

Julia has written and taken photos all her life and loves syncing up with friends.  Her blog can be found: https://viewsfromeverywhere.blogspot.com/  Rick is an aviation journalist and publisher of www.aviationvoices. com        D-L has had 17 fiction and non fiction books published. Check out her website at: https://dlnelsonwriter.com