Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

Here are a few longer snippets from a story I wrote (and re-wrote for various markets; it was actually erotica at one time!) called “The Simple Life.” Written as by “Skip Hanford.” Ronnie and T. J. are happily ensconced on T. J.’s family farm where they are raising experimental crops that will thrive in all kinds of weather (they hope!) But it all may be changed by dire news…

One more note; these characters first appeared in a flash fiction story I wrote before I did the longer story. https://authorjeffbaker.com/2018/03/09/a-stop-at-the-neighborhood-cafe-for-friday-flash-fics-march-9-2018-by-jeff-baker/ Then I did another flash story set in the same world. Enjoy “The Simple Life.”

It happened when they were in bed. Ronnie had gotten up to use the bathroom and when he climbed back in bed, T. J. had mumbled something and rolled over. Ronnie, half-asleep, had moved closer as T. J. started to snore. A moment later they heard the low rumble and felt a shudder. T .J. had sat up and stared around the darkened house. Earthquake, he thought.

“Fracking,” Ronnie muttered, as he pulled in closer to T. J. They were both asleep when the streetlight outside flickered out.

That was what somebody later called “the first volley.”

Ominous. Here’s Ronnie and T. J. checking the news—while they can…

“Okay, phone’s on. See what you want me to…” T. J.’s voice trailed off as he scrolled through his messages. After a few moments, he breathed out “Jesus Christ…”

“Yeah,” Ronnie said. “Wichita’s gone. That was the one we felt. “L. A. was hit too.”

“My God, my God, my God…” T. J. said. Hey! We’ve got e-mail!”

“Yeah, I know,” Ronnie said. “Wait, how do we…”

“How do we still get stuff like this?” T. J. asked. “They didn’t get everything, but I bet it won’t last long. Hey, check for something else. Your news feed. Local news. Anything.”

Okay, just a little more, and a little more than six lines…

After a few moments, Ronnie looked up. “I can’t get on Facebook,” he held up his phone “but I found this.”

It was a video of a news broadcast from a local station, they weren’t sure where. The newscaster looked haggard and pale.

“If you are just joining us, the news, as far as we know is the following: at 2:24 Eastern time, several explosive devices went off in this country, including one in Los Angeles, one outside Washington D.C. and one in Wichita, Kansas. These devices were not, repeat were not nuclear. At the same time across the world, similar devices exploded in Moscow, London and the United Arab Emirates. The President of the United States is aboard Air Force One at this hour, and at last report, had been in contact with surviving world leaders…”

“Surviving,” T. J. breathed. “My God!”

And on that ominous note, I will say farewell for now! I’m going be a little busy the next few months so my snippeting will be more occasional than weekly, but it’s still fun! (Besides, I’m running out of stories!)

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you all soon!

——-jeff