I entered a short story competition that required me to write a 1000 word short story in 48 hours. The story needed to meet three things, a genre (Crime Caper), a location (A shrine) and an object (A cash register). It took me a while to find the right idea and to get it to work in a way I was happy with. But like the last time I entered something similar, I enjoyed the desire to find the story that sparked the right way for me. So, for the sake of creativity, here is 1 of the 24 rejected stories in a 100 word format..

***

The Golden Coin Of Cairo

“There is many more things in this life to be scared of than just me, that is true,” Barry says with a wry smile. “But all those things are not here in this room, for it is only you and I. So, they are baseless assumptions, where I am a fact. Now, let us move onto the more important issues that face us both, starting with the coins you have hidden in the cash register. And if you dare try and play stupid, I will show you why I am fear personified.”

Nicholas feels the sweat cascade down his forehead.