American Express

back-ally1

The boy had disappeared now, his promised bargain an obvious sham.

How could I be so stupid?  she thought. Then, that should be my mantra.

She tightened the strap on her purse and tugged it around so it lay flat on her belly. She imagined this would be how a mother might protect a newborn. Or perhaps a female kangaroo.

Everything was in the purse. Money, passport, credit cards. She mentally rehearsed what she might say at the consulate, assuming she survived. Istanbul was supposedly safe, but who knew, really?

She heard a sound behind her. The boy was laughing.

 

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13 comments

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  1. Claire Fuller

    Ooh, I love how open this is, and how much you leave up to our own imaginations. Are the things still in her purse, what did the boy promise, and what does his laughter mean. Wonderful.

  2. Sandra

    I love the ambiguity of this. I shall convince myself he’s just having a little joke. But there’s a part of me that suspects he’s not.

  3. gahlearner

    I know the laughter of witty locals about naive tourists, having falling into one or other trap myself. Poor woman, I hope she learns her lesson.

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