It's been ages, but I'm working on my new volume of short stories and thought writing some flash through Microcosms would be a good way to dust off the form.
Voyage Observation
It took four cycles of the coin-operated pirate ship ride in front of the Piggly Wiggly for Observation Subject #4 to nod off. The little girl’s mother let the machine slow to a halt before putting another quarter in and starting the ship rocking against the invisible waves again. The woman checked her watch and rattled the last three quarters in her hand. It was enough to fulfill the agreed-upon time that allowed the person from the agency to watch her adopted daughter.
Martha pulled her binoculars down again and wrinkled her nose. She then impulsively yawned and rubbed her left cheek. She’d somehow picked up this exact trio of actions when she was a child. No idea where it came from, just born with the unusual trait. Unlike the rest of the lab team she had to observe the dozen Observation Subjects from afar and, while she liked to keep tabs on their placements, sitting in the heat of the car always tired her out.
Today her cheek was numb. That wouldn’t last too much longer. The Botox was her little treat for learning the Nobel committee had nominated her work again. Ultimately, they would probably reject it again. Martha’s ethics on cloning were at least a decade ahead of that stodgy institution. If they surprised her and Martha did finally win the prize, she wanted to make sure she walked on the stage fresh-faced.
The final voyage of the pirate ship ended, and the mother roused her sleeping daughter. The girl opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose before yawning and rubbing her left cheek. Just like all the others. Just like her source watching her in the binoculars.