From Jenne Gray and C.E. Ayr’s photo prompt, The Unicorn Challenge(08/26/23). No more than 250 words in length. Otherwise, let your creative flag fly!

“Hey Emil, where ya headed?” Olaf cycled like Old Nick himself, trying to catch up with his childhood friend.

Emil slowed his bicycle and halted, gingerly slipping off the extra-wide seat that Dorothea had gifted him to encourage his getting in shape, on account of his tricky ticker. He sorely missed her dark black coffee, her cardamom buns, even her often sharp tongue. But she’d made him promise before she died, and two years later, he was fit enough to give Olaf a run for his money.

He turned, smiling placidly as the man caught up. Olaf’s wife, Solveig, and Dorothea had no doubt plotted together to get both men in shape; Olaf had started bicycling a year after he had.

“What’s that, old man?” Emil noted his friend’s breathlessness with satisfaction.

“Something wrong with your hearing?” Olaf shot back. “Where’re you going?”

“Why, I’m leading the protest!”

“What the Sam Hill are you protesting?” Olaf wiped his forehead with the blue bandana stuffed in his back pocket. Solveig’d rather he wear it on his head. But you know.

“Anything you want! We don’t discriminate here in Newfoundland County. ”

“I’m up for that!” The two set off.

Before long, they’d picked up Erling, Lars, and German Joe, and wound up at the Crow Bar, where they continued their protest over beers. It soon became a weekly summer tradition.

For their part, Solveig and the other wives toasted Dorothea on their own success, with rhubarb sherry cordials on the porch.

© Liz Husebye Hartmann (2023)