“The Portal” — FWG Flash Fiction for 3/29/2025
- Rob Johnson
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
With apologies to Sir Arthur C. Clarke, one person’s magic is another’s boring technology.
The prompt is:
THE PORTAL
Jan stared through the Portal.
“It’s different every day,” Bernie said. “At least, I’ve never seen it repeat.”
“The Portal” was a natural arch carved into the stone cliff face, either by the wind and rain or by some long lost, ancient civilization. It showed a pastoral scene of a mountain lake on which a single sailboat floated.
“Is it a hole in the side of the mountain on their side, too?” Bernie just shrugged in response. “Can they see us?” she asked, then tentatively raised a hand as if to wave hello.
“I’ve never seen anyone—or anything—on that side react to us.”
He grinned and jumped up and down, waving his arms above his head. The two people—at least they looked like people—on the other side didn’t seem to notice.
When Bernie stopped his antics, Jan stepped over to him with a sly smile. “So, we can do anything and they won’t see?”
Bernie shrugged. “Seems so—”
He was interrupted by Jan sliding her arms around his neck and planting a kiss on his lips. When they, at last, took a breath, she took his hand and led him like a puppy to directly in front of the Portal. Without a word, she began unbuttoning her blouse.
***
“Oh, my!” Ma Burns stared at the billboard. “Pa, what’s that?”
Pa Burns never looked away from his bobber floating on the lake. “It’s one o’ them newfangled ’lectronic signs, I think. It’s always showin’ diff’rent places, but never tellin’ ya’ where it is nor what they’re sellin’.”
“Well, wherever it is, I want to go there,” Ma said with a chuckle, her eyes wide.
“Huh?” Pa turned to see two naked bodies embracing. He turned fully around, his bobber forgotten. “Yup. That’s better’n fishin’.”
THE END
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