Blackout

The evenings in Brit-Wales can be just as hectic as the daytime. Aisha is trying to make sure the next goes well.

“You will not embarrass me,” she hissed. Muriel, Lewis, and Clyde didn’t say a word. The leader sighed and forced herself to smile.

“Right,” she said. Aisha led the way into the church. The other three followed behind, silent. Not like she was going to listen anyway.

-Six Hours Earlier-

“You want us to do what now?” Lewis asked in the library.

“Please?” Aisha asked. “We need this.” Clyde cut her eyes at her.

“We or you need dis?” she asked. The leader tried not flinch at the poor grammar.

“We really need this,” she insisted. Her friends didn’t look so convinced. Aisha sighed and dropped her shoulders.

“Please?” she asked.

“What are you asking us again?” Muriel asked. Aisha perked up.

“I volunteered us to help out at a sale at the church,” she said. A collective groan filled the room. Were they surprised by this? That would be a lie if the answer were yes.

“Come on,” Aisha said. “Think of your community.” Clyde threw back her head and groaned aloud and long.

“Not that shite again!” she said.

“Watch your language!” Aisha said with her hands on her hips.

“No,” Clyde hissed.

“Shhh!” one of the librarians hissed.

“Sorry,” the leader whispered. Clyde rolled her eyes. Lewis and Muriel looked at each other. They could see where this was heading. They already knew how to stop this before it got out of hand.

-Now-

Annie and Tucker pulled up the dirt pathway. The wife kept bumping up against the door. She clung to the box in her lap.

“Tucker! Easy!” she screamed. “You’re going to ruin the snacks!”

“I’m trying!” her husband clapped back. They hit another bump in the road. Annie jerked forward with the seat belt on.

“Tucker!” she complained.

“Stop talking to me!” he snapped. “We’re just about there.”

“You are a terrible driver!”

“I am not!” Truth was, Tucker didn’t want to do this. Of course, this was his wife’s idea. He didn’t want to hear her mouth while he was taking a nap.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered as he waved her off. Tucker rolled over onto his side and went back to sleep. His wife stood over him with her arms folded across her chest, frowning. She hit him in the back.

“Get up!” Annie yelled. “You weren’t even listening to me!”

“I was!” Tucker said. “Now can I sleep?” His wife sighed and rolled her eyes. This would be the best that she would get out of him for now.

They pulled up to the church. Annie opened the box and looked inside.

“Good, none of the snacks are damaged,” she said. Tucker turned to her with a cross look on his face.

“I told you I would get you here just fine, wouldn’t I?” he asked. Annie clicked her tongue before she climbed out of the truck. Her husband gave her the inverted V-sign at her back. He turned off the truck and climbed out.

---------

Aisha looked up at the clock. Eight more minutes until the youth were to come inside. Her friends stood at their activity table with puzzled looks on their faces.

“Why are we here again?” Lewis asked. Muriel shrugged her shoulders. Aisha turned around to them. She smiled and clapped her hands.

“Ready to go?” she asked. Her friends mumbled to themselves. The leader frowned and dropped her shoulders.

“Come on, don’t be like that,” she said. “Tonight has to be good for the kids.” Her friends froze.

“What?!” they asked.

“You didn’t say nothing about kids!” Clyde shouted.

“They aren’t that young,” Aisha said. Lewis threw up her hands.

“I’m out,” she said. She started walking to the back door.

“Come back here!” the leader shouted.

“No!” Lewis shouted. “No! No!” She had just opened the door when the lights went out. Everyone looked up in the church.

“Oh…” Aisha said.

“Aisha, is that you?” Annie asked in the darkness. They had only five more minutes to fix this problem.

End