He leapt up

Another prompt from a Dean Writers Circle workshop, stolen for my FaceBook prompts.

He leapt up
The picnic had been going well, until –
‘Ouch!’ Peter leapt up. His high-pitched squeal made Elaine jump up too.
‘What? What?’ she cried.
Peter rubbed his backside through his summer shorts. ‘Something bit me,’ he grumbled.

Elaine peered at the vacated spot where the rug heaved like a mini storm at sea. She frowned. ‘Oh no. We’re picnicking on an ants nest – bullants I’m guessing.’ She glanced up at Peter who had backed further way, still rubbing his bum. ‘Didn’t you check before putting the rug down?’
He threw out an arm. ‘It’s just scrubby grass and leaves.’
‘And an ants nest. This is Australia, remember,’ Elaine chided her English husband. ‘Not your biting- insect free English meadows.’ She laughed. He was a babe-in-the-woods when it came to the natural hazards of her native land.
‘Could’ve warned me,’ Peter grumbled. ‘Least I know to check the toilet seat for redback spiders.’
‘Hope not in today’s houses with their indoor dunnies.’ Elaine shook her head, smirking. ‘Should be fine, mostly.’ She couldn’t resist the temptation to tease him, conjuring an image of him tentatively lifting toilet seats everywhere he went.
He grinned, taking it good-naturedly as ever. ‘Shalle we move this picnic before these monsters eat it?’
‘We shall.’ Elaine gingerly collected plates and containers, inspecting them carefully before stacking them in the cooler and basket. She lifted them off the rug, peered underneath, and carried them to the car. ‘Make sure you shake the rug out very very hard-‘
‘Ouch!’

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Find Cheryl’s flash fiction and short stories, including audio versions of some, here.