Ice cream: 10word challenge
a Torchwood story
by RoadrunnerGER
Disclaimer: Still don't own Torchwood, never will. Just playing around.
A/N: When I asked for 10 words for a writing exercise that I learned to enjoy at a workshop this is what Mattasaurus14 gave me: ice cream, aliens, sunshine, hands, talk, interrupt, snarl, tackle, green, and excitement. This one seems so short, I think I'll have to try again. So interesting and fun. Maybe it'll be a series? We'll see. Thanks, Mattasaurus. This is for you. Everyone, enjoy!
xXx
Despite common prejudices Cardiff did have sunny days. Today was one of them and the sunshine lured the Torchwood team out of their underground base to get some ice cream from Cadwallader's. All they had to do was leave the base through the tourist office, stroll down the few yards to the stairs leading up from the boardwalk, and cross the bridge to the ice cream parlour. Easy.
For Torchwood nothing ever was that easy, though.
They had barely left the office when their small talk was interrupted by screams and squeaks. Instantly all five agents were alert. Toshiko was the first who spotted the reason for the excitement, two green aliens, and pointed up to the walkway atop the tourist office, but Jack and Owen were the ones who got the head-start.
Even though Jack, closely followed by Ianto, took the long way up the sloped path while Owen and Gwen ran up the stairs, he was closest behind the unknown visitors as he ran down the alley, shoppers jumping out of his way.
"I don't register any Rift activity," Toshiko told them over their comm. links.
"Well," Jack panted, "not all of them come by Rift."
"Right, sir," Ianto replied.
Out of the corner of his eye Jack could see the Welshman beside him. A few yards ahead the aliens ran as fast as their chubby legs would carry them.
"Almost got them!" Gwen wheezed, getting ready to tackle the intruders.
Jack, though, reached out and got hold of one of them at the back of his neck. The rough grasp of his hand was enough to make the alien shriek and stop his run. Seeing his comrade getting captured the second one slowed its run as well and actually waited for Owen and Gwen to catch up.
"Hey!" it complained. "We just wanted to get some ice cream!"
"No reason to freak out the locals," Jack snarled, turning the alien around. It did not look familiar.
"I don't know what their problem is," the second creature huffed as it reached up to clasp its head. Gwen squeaked when it pulled on it and it came off. Owen drew his gun.
Ianto laughed.
"And some presumed visitors actually are locals as well," he chuckled.
"Told ya we should've taken off the costumes," the alien still held by Jack mumbled in a Welsh accent as he removed his mask as well.
"What…?" Jack was confused and stared at the boy with the same disbelief as Gwen and Owen. When realization sank in rage bubbled up. "What the hell were you thinking? You could've gotten yourselves shot!"
"We were role-playing," the boy muttered. "Online."
"Dressed as aliens?" Gwen prodded.
The boy standing between her and Owen nodded. "We all are costumed. It's kind of a competition, too. Wouldn't have thought that our costumes look real enough to cause a panic."
"Are you police?" the Welsh boy asked.
"Or special ops?"
"That's none of your business," Jack declared. "You'd better keep those masks off to avoid another uproar."
"It's not healthy in this heat anyway," Owen grunted. "You're risking heat stroke."
"Which is why we wanted to get ice cream," the Welsh boy complained.
"Well, now you can buy us some ice cream as well," Owen demanded. "As compensation."
"Good idea," Gwen agreed.
"Brilliant idea," Jack smirked.
Ianto rolled his eyes but did not complain as they all strolled back to Cadwallader's where the unlucky alien impostors bought each of them a big ice cream cone.