Fiction friday #2 - Risky business

Late but we’re here. TGIFictionFriday, the second one ever in TheEndNote.

Apr 25, 2025

If you weren't here for the last one, you can read it here. If you're not yet up to speed on how Fiction Fridays work, you can also check it here.

This one was inspired from a beautiful prompt sent in by Valentina Plata. The prompt is included after the story as to not give away any spoilers.

In addition, you will find a writing challenge I applied to this story for further practice in limitations and an extra source of ideas.

Read the story, take a shot at the prompt, and practice the writing exercise. Let me know how it goes!

*“Everyday kitchen utensils such as lids, pots, and trivets have turned into monsters”* Kawanable Kyōsai (1890)

So without further ado, here's this week's Fiction Friday:

Risky business

Eugenio de la Vega

“I’m done living on breadcrumbs” I say,

biting into the scraps.

“It’s the life we were given” says my brother,

always the wise.

“It doesn’t have to be…” I answer “we don’t have to live like rats”

“Just leave it,” he barks “this dinner’s quite nice”

“Let me finish!” I say, “I have a plan”.

“It’s too risky”, he argues, “It’s not worth it to die”

“Just trust me,” I beg, “It won't be that bad”

Under his breath I hear a whisper. A reluctant old “fine”.

The following night as the lights turned off,

my plan was on.

The switch flicks the room dark, and it's time to go go go.

I rushed past the stove and noticed it was still warm.

You have to be careful, I said to myself, you don’t want to get your wings scarred.

I gave it a minute to make sure it was safe.

And up the steel I went, making my way.

Oh boy was it more than a guy can ever dream.

The pots were all flooded with sauces and cream

Pans left all greasy with golden brown butter.

And utensils still dripping, my amazement was utter.

The coast seemed to be clear, so I gave them the signal,

And the kitchen, once empty, became full of jingle

Old friends and close neighbours from all planks and sewers

were in time for the feast of flavours and skewers.

Even my brother had made it, feeling quite tense

But once he tried the dishes, a smile he couldn’t help.

Time flew by us, forgetting all cares

Until a switch flicked again, and gave us the scares.

The light turned back on, and we all froze on site

The chef walked right in, not expecting the sight.

“COCKROAAAACH!” he yelled, with a voice like a flame

Even I was in shock. How did he know my name?

“Run” I told all of them, “but fear not the man”

In the end it was all going according to plan.

As my friends all rushed back home, I was to stay behind

To show face to my fears and not run for my life

If I failed at this step, we could all be at risk

He would come in stomping, most violently, his feet.

So I had to ignore my instincts and push him away.

So I did. I spread my wings, and flew right to his face.

“Success!” I yelled, as he fell on his bum.

Stumbling in fear of my brave little stunt.

I turned back to make sure everyone made it home

Where soon I would join them, happy, but not done.

“That was fun” said my brother as he walked in my room, “You could’ve really hurt yourself” he adds, always the gloom.

“But I didn’t” I say, “It went perfectly fine”

“I don’t think it was worth it, if we still have to hide.”

“Just wait” I said and I could feel him get mad

But before things got heated, the phone

Rang

It was the restaurant. They were referred to this number for thorough extermination.

“The thoroughest,” I answered.

And part two of my plan was already in motion.

The next part was simple. I’d ask them to close down for one night.

A small price to pay for doing things right.

“Leave everything as it is” I would tell them,

“and make sure, please, that everyone’s evacuated.

We want to find the source of the issue and prevent it from spreading”

My sales pitch was cleaner than the kitchens we raided.

We’d feast and we’d frolick, and we’d dance and delight.

And as the sun made its way up, we’d leave no crumbs in sight.

No cockroach stomach would be empty again

As our service was known from Japan to Big Ben.

A success through and through and the plan never fails,

The phone always rings and we’re there for your aid.

And we feast and we frolick, and we dance and delight

And the business is booming ever since that night.

The prompt:

Last Fiction Friday, I invited you to comment any type of prompts, challenges, or ideas you’d like to see applied to the following weeks’ editions.

This comment by Valentina Plata was very close to my heart as a fond lover of children’s books.

Cockroaches, on the other hand, I wouldn’t say are close to my heart. But my mom has such a special despise for them, I couldn’t help but to make them the stars. Hope you could make it through the read, mom!

How would you have solved this prompt? Which type of insect would you have chosen or what other stories come to your mind?

The exercise:

I’ve been recently getting some targeted ads for this game called Q-Less. Well targeted, of course, because I’ve been wanting to play.

Shipping is too expensive to make it make sense, so I’ve been playing ever since with a set of Boggle, which does the same thing.

Basically, the idea is you get 12 letter dice and throw them to get a random assortment of letters.

You then have to connect the letters in a type of crossword. Only rule is words have to be at least three letters long.

Ever since I saw the game I thought it would be a great way to wake the brain up in the morning, but also to try some writing exercises. The first one, which I applied to this story, was simple:

Solve the Q-Less, then use those words in a story.

This is how my Boggle version of a Q-Less looked. Can you find the words in the story?

How would you have solved this exercise?

Leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

Send me your short stories based on this prompt or exercise, and finally, send me a challenge you would like to see featured in the next Fiction Friday (May 9th)

Thanks for reading,

Eugenio