Image: © any1mark66
The race was on. Over the road, across the field, jump the fence, trip, fall, get up, race on, the prize was for the taking.
It was so close and yet so far. The pot of gold awaited the fastest there.
Each contestant had in his mind what he’d do when he secured his prize.
One guy edged ahead then fell in the bog. Another took his place but tripped over his big feet. A third thinking he had it won made the mistake of looking behind and hit the wall.
The final contestants stood at the end of the rainbow and looked around. The pot had to be there. But where? They searched frantically, upturning everything in sight but there was no gold.
Just then the leprechaun stood up, the pot in his hand and announced they had to catch him first. He disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving them all clutching at air.
Written for: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2018/01/15/fffaw-challenge-week-of-january-16-2018/
Morpethroad 
You gotta watch those sneaky little guys. Gone quicker than you can say, “Guinness” 😉
Yes sneaky they are
There’s a Saturday night ‘entertainment’ show in this idea.
Good idea Iain.
In my twisted imagination, I wrote the last lines as, “Just then the leprechaun stood up, the pot in one hand and an Uzi 9mm automatic in the other and announced they had to catch him first. Then he blew them all away and laughed his ass off as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.”
Sorry. It’s how I roll sometimes.
LOL….you remind me of a kid I once taught who’d turn the simplest of things into mayhem in one way or another….though you’d given the leprechaun a dimension I’d not thought of.
First thing that popped into my head, Michael.
They always say to go where the prompt leads you James, so well done you.
I have often wondered where the pots of gold disappeared too. Now I know🙂. That’s just like a leprechaun.
Yes I know, you never know when they’ll pop up.
Great stuff Michael. Who’s to say the leprechaun didn’t sabotage the contestants to begin with!
Yes Di there is that possibility….
I am imagining even the contestants to be leprechauns, participating in a championship, who are outsmarted by one of their own 🙂
That’s a real possibility. Thanks for stopping by.
Hahahaha! Love the ending! Funny story Michael!
Thanks Joy
Ha ha – clutching at air… and pulling out their hair, to be sure, to be sure. Whimsical story, Michael.
Now who woulda thought a leprechaun , holding the mythical pot of gold, could be so sneaky? 😛
You did good with characters and place in so few worlds.
Ellespeth
Thanks Ellespeth, I appreciate you stopping by