“If I Plant You” by Brian Franklin is our first flash fiction story of 2022! In a short space, utilizing a second-person POV, Franklin expertly crafts the fear and sudden responsibility that befalls the narrator as he must lead his younger brother Malik safely to the park when their village becomes a warzone. Get rooted in “If I Plant You” below.
You push through a piece of the loose paling that a high breeze from the last storm did lick off. Out here behind the house is bush. But there got a little path people does take to reach the main road in the next gap. You know out here like the back of you hand but in the dark and under the light of you cellphone everything look strange.
When the power dies, you know you got to leave.
You little brother, Malik, still sits down in Dad’s chair in the front room, arms wrapped round he knees and staring at the door as though at any moment we parents going fling it open and take we up in them arms and tell we everything going be all right again.
You peep through the window. Outside black-black. You can’t even see the rows of cassava in Mr. Leacock ground short there so.
But at the horizon a column of smoke lit by flames.
You turn on you cellphone light. You fingers wash in silver.
You grab the two bags a mind did tell you to pack a few hours earlier. Each got in a few snacks, couple bottle waters, change of clothes, some money your mum had hide way in she top drawer, and you and Malik’s passports. You shoulder the heavier bag and grabble up Malik from the chair.
“We leaving,” you whisper.
