Strategic Arms Talks

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the words: Rock, Table and Spear

Strategic Arms Talks

The mediator paused before sitting as a movement to his right caught his attention. With lightning speed, he fanned through the shaggy head and plucked out a tick.

He plopped the pest into his mouth thinking, not for the first time, When will we come up with an alternative to eating whatever we find crawling in someone’s hair?

“I hope everyone had a good night’s sleep as we have a lot of ground to cover today,” he began; not failing to notice that the delegate from Top of Far Ridge, a known Neanderthal-about-town seemed to be a bit foggy-eyed. Holding these talks while the red berries were fermenting near the tar-pits was probably not the best idea . . . but at least everyone made it to the table.

“Picking up where we left off yesterday – the tribe from the Mango Grove proposed that no one be allowed to carry more than three rocks into any battle. The delegate from South of Lake suggested that a single rock may be exchanged for a stick. Are there any comments on this proposal?”

The Top of Far Ridge delegate threw his coffee across the table before jumping up and down while pounding on his chest.

“The chair recognizes Chong,” said the moderator.

The Neanderthal needed another lap around the table before he was calm enough to speak.

Finally, “If it pleases the chair, the Mango Grove tribe is building a weapon that would extend their ability to attack by twenty, maybe even thirty feet.”

“Ridiculous!” shouted the Mango Grove delegate jumping onto his chair. “Yes, we have been working on a device we call “spear” but it’s only good for scientific research.”

“Just remember what Prophet Einstein said,” cautioned the moderator, “Thou shalt not fight WWIV but with sticks and stones.”

Word Count 299