Snicket #writephoto Flash Fiction

Snicket was the #writephoto prompt at the end of August 2023. Thanks to KL Caley at New2Writing for the prompt. I thought it was time for Lars and Pete to show their faces again. The trouble is, this post-dates Zanzibar’s Rings, so if you haven’t read that, the setting and emotional context may feel odd. It’s just over 800 words.

Lars and Pete make a Snicket or two

Pete Garcia stared at the plans laid out on the workshop table, stroking his chin. “It’s a great vision, but where will all the stone come from? And who’s got the skills to put them together. And how will we know the buildings are safe…”

“Oh, Pete, don’t fret about all that. Several of the new-worlders have building knowledge; the council has been discussing it with them for months.” Lars Nilsson looked sideways at his partner. “How does it look as a space people will want to live, work…and play, come to that?”

“Okay, start with the basics: sewers and water supply?”

Lars traced some lines that wound through and around buildings and roads. 

“What about shops, schools, community buildings?”

Lars tapped some squares and more complex shapes.

“Power, such as it is?”

“Restricted, but…” Lars tapped the supply lines, mainly connecting the shops and community buildings. “We did check all these concepts out with your folks down south you know. They know how to build a new community.”

Pete nodded. They did. They had. But not crowded into a small area left by the old resort, which had been pretty much destroyed after the alien intrusion. “Okay, so what do you want from me?”

Lars left the table and leaned on the door jamb. What did he want from Pete? A spark of interest, maybe.

“We could do with someone like you in the team, someone who gets people involved, that people like working with.”

Pete sniffed. “I know about mining rocks, not making them into something solid.”

“I reckon you’d be good at fitting odd-shaped blocks together. Bit like a puzzle. And—“

“Where are the blocks coming from?”

“Come and see.” Lars walked up the stairs to the flitter and took his place in the passenger seat. 

Pete appeared at the top of the steps and glared. His expression changed a couple of times, then he strode round to the driver’s seat.

“Where to?”

“Head out to old Arthur’s place for starters.”

~

The quarry contained several tons of beautiful stone blocks. It had also become the reclamation site for most of the building materials gleaned in the aftermath of the attacks on Sunset Strip.

“That lot needs sorting.” Pete still adopted a terse manner, but Lars knew his interest was on the up.

“Yes, it does. It needs someone who can tell iron from alloy, too. There’s a work party scheduled, needs a materials expert, but we haven’t got one.”

Pete eyed him, and walked on to the pristine blocks. “Nice stone. Some sort of marble. Sedimentary, but… weird.”

“A bit metamorphic, you’d say?”

Pete knelt down and stroked one boulder-sized chunk. “Are you asking me, or needing confirmation?”

“Thanks. I didn’t believe my senses. How could a sedimentary rock have orichalcum in it?”

Pete stood up, and regarded the quarry with an asteroid miner’s eye. “It would make a lovely strong building material. Why hasn’t it been used already?”

“I think it has. I reckon most of the buildings left standing have it under their white plaster coating. We should use it for the schools and hospital on the new site.” 

“Do you remember Mykonos? All those lovely buildings linked together making snickets between them, with that lovely red-purple flowering shrub up against the white walls?”

Lars smiled. That had been a lovely planet. “I think that’s pretty much want we want to do here.”

Pete punched him playfully on the shoulder. “Okay, you shyster, I’m in. When can this sorting party get started?”

“Tomorrow okay?”

~

Once the sorting started, the parallel team laid out the strings for the alleyways. Then more people gathered to help rebuild the resort area into a beautiful, liveable space overlooking the sea. White walled buildings linked together with archways, and alleyways ran between them. Despite the lack of craftspeople, the care exercised by the building teams made beautiful lines, secure joints, and houses fit for royalty. The gardeners made sure there were appropriate spaces left for flowering shrubs to take root and thrive. In only a few months the first families moved in, and building progressed around them at renewed pace.

As the last block of the verandah wall was eased into place, the mayor made a speech, and handed over the deeds of the new community to the elected leader. Then there was eating, drinking and a strange dance that wove through, round and about the snickets, sometimes crossing the path of later dancers, which added to the hilarity and chaos.

Lars, Pete and Maggie stood near the safety wall, looking down onto the beach below, drinking their celebratory drinks.

Lars nudged Pete. “Now tell me that wasn’t worth it.”

Pete gazed out to sea, sipped his wine, and took a deep breath. “Have you got any more projects like that up your sleeve?”

Lars smiled. Pete had nearly recovered.

© J M Pett 2024