August at Pat's

Ann got most votes.
Next month "Announced." at Joan's.

Thudding

Luke groaned when the phone started ringing and muttered to himself, “Why does it always ring just as I am about to sit down for a quiet evening? I suppose it’s because everyone knows that I will probably be in at this time”. Reaching over, he picked up the phone,

“Hello”

“Hi Luke”, answered his sister Jess. “Do you still have Doris?”

“Umm, yes, but what is this all about and yes I am well in case you were going to ask”.

“Sorry dearest brother! Well I was wondering if I could borrow her for one of our props at our next production in a couple of weeks time.”

“I’ll have to find her first. I think she is up in the loft tucked away safely in a box. I am away for a couple of days this week, but if I can find her I could bring her down to you at the weekend and you can feed me as a Thank You”.

“That you would be great and thanks so much. I look forward to seeing you again”.

Having located Doris and packed her safely into the boot of the car, he went back into the house to check everything was locked up and turned off before returning to get in the car, but the car had gone.

“Shit”, he thought. “I left the keys in the car. What a plonker. I suppose I’d better phone the police and report it stolen. At least it’s got a tracking device fitted so that may help, but how am I going to explain Doris?”

The police notified the traffic cops and before he knew it he had another policeman knocking on the door to take more details. Wondering how they had managed to find at least two, possibly three policemen to deal with his complaint when he had heard of others who had just been given a crime number and nothing else, he answered the door. He went over the details he had given to the officer over the phone and then went on to explain about the box in the boot of the car and it’s contents.

“It was a relic from my student days. We all tried to outdo one another with bizarre items and Doris was mine. I was about to deliver it to my sister in Somerset for her drama group production next week. You can check if you want to”.

The officer said there was no need, but it could prove to be quite amusing when the joy riders were apprehended and it would appear that they had been located.

The two lads were kicking around looking for something to do when they noticed the car in the drive with the driver door open and the keys in the ignition. They turned to each other, gave a high five and quickly got in and drove off. A trip down to the beach seemed like a good idea and after getting out of town, the driver put his foot down and they were off. It wasn’t long before they saw the blue flashing lights fast approaching. Now the chase was on. Screaming round round-abouts, taking corners almost on two wheels and risking life and limb as they jumped red lights, they were hotly pursued. After a while there was a slight thudding in the back of the car that increased as they sped along. Out into the country and down the narrow lanes, the chase continued with the siren blaring and the lights flashing. Seeing a small pull-in next to a field gate the driver slammed on the brakes and the car came to a halt with a jolt. Not stopping, they were out of the car and off across the field with the police close on their tails. Their layabout lifestyle showed as they were very quickly rounded up and marched back to the parked cars. After asking their names and getting no reply, except shrugs, the police went to the back of the car and opened the boot. Looking in, the policeman said, “Now I can see why you were in such a hurry lads. Were you on the way to the cemetery or had you just come from it?”

Wondering what on earth he was on about they went to look in the boot and had the shock of their lives.

“Christ”, said one as the other exclaimed, “Bloody hell”.

Spilling from the broken box she had been in, Doris the skeleton gazed up at them.