A very short story - Strike

I've been challenged to enter a "drabble" contest as part of a huge online fantasy and sci fi event that will take place from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8.

What is a drabble? 

You might ask. So would I except they explained it. A drabble is a very short story of 100 to 200 words. I've never written any of these or any other sort of flash fiction before. The concept doesn't entirely appeal to me because my primary interest is with in-depth character and emotional impact, but I thought I'd try it for kicks.

How much depth could I pack into a 200 words? It's a challenge. I was curious to find out if I could maintain a plot arch, character changes from passive to active and other basic tenants of fiction in such a short space. So, here is my attempt.

Strike

The book is warm, sheltered from the driving sleet inside my windbreaker. I bound down the steps from the professor's townhouse. My heart flutters.

He's accepted me as one of his elite students!

Dark. Huge. “SLAM!“ 

Nothing.

Creative Commons image by Robin Hutton

I'm looking down at my sprawled form next to a truck. Bystandars crowd around. Someone hauls the drunk driver from the cab. 

Fear is distant. More like curiosity. Is this the end?

"Dramatic, eh?"  

A man in a black coat sits on the roof beside me. Something is odd. His face is flat. Feline. Yes, he has no human ears. Instead... cat ears and fur.

“Who...?“

“You accepted.” It’s the professor.  

Something flaps in front of me. Wings?  Yes, a person with wings.

“She’s new?”

“Very new,” the professor says.

“No!” I strike at the professor. “I’m not one of your pets!”

“Too late.”

I crouch at the edge of the roof. Now I’m afraid. But surely I can... I leap.

“Nooooo!” he screams. 

Falling.

Nothing again. 

Then I wake up in the ambulance.

The EMT gasps, “You are one lucky lady.”

“Thanks.” I feel for the book. It’s gone. I’m glad, but there’s a touch of sorrow. What did I miss?

There you have it. Wish me luck. 

By the way, FantasyCon is going to be a huge event. I'll post about it in depth next week. But it is going to be like a huge fantasy and sci fi convention except it is all online. Imagine... a bunch of geeks and fantasy freaks getting together to talk magical races, biotechnology and medieval weaponry, play hilarious games and win prizes without actually leaving their basement lairs. This is how we do things these days.