Far more insidious than any disease, and more malevolent than any dark coven, the chamber of lawyers viewed the arcane text of the local statute which would provide them with the loophole that would grant them ultimate power.
Padre
Arcane
#FFFC
Long-expected Reunion
Carly made her way into the dark interior. She was incredibly apprehensive of what might follow. Her mother had only left her a faded twenty-five-year-old photo of her father, and now she was going to meet him for the first time. It had taken her two years to track him down, but now was the day of reckoning. This had to be the place, it was the only opium den in the town.
Padre
Moving Up
Jay rested soundly knowing that he had not lied to his mother on his last visit. She had for years belittled him, and used every opportunity to negatively compare him, and his accomplishments, with his brother. Jay had had enough, so he boldly told her that he was in the process of moving into a much better part of town, and that he in fact was going to have some of the most influential neighbours in the city.
Padre
Stealth
“I’m really not sure about this,” Ryan said.
“Well, if we want to get in we can either try our luck at the main gate or sneak in this way.”
“But look at all that light, how are we going to ‘sneak.'”
“The light is all from the service tunnels. All the real security is above us in the compound. All we need to do is snorkel through the entry, stash our gear and put on the catering uniforms.”
“This is crazy. We change from wetsuits, to kitchen whites, then to eveningwear when we get into the grounds.”
“We have planned this for weeks. There is no need to second guess the plan now,” Tonya responded.
“It still sounds risky. One last question: what if we are seen coming out of the water?”
“Then we silence the threat.”
“That sounds a bit extreme,” Ryan replied.
“Well, it’s not my fault you threw the invitations away.”
“It was an accident, but wouldn’t it have been easier to just ask for another invite?”
“And sound pathetic,” Tonya said coldly.
“Okay, I surrender. But I do think you are enjoying this a bit too much.”
Padre
Lookout
Reg had said his business in 215 wouldn’t take long, but that was over twenty minutes ago.
“Just keep a lookout,” he had said, but now Lily was starting to get worried. What was keeping him, and who exactly was she on the lookout for?
Just as she was tossing this through her mind, the motel manager started to make her way towards the rooms. Lily instinctively reached over and sounded the horn and a moment later Reg came bounding down the steps carrying a carry-all that she hadn’t seen before.
“What’s that?” Lily asked.
“Just something, I left behind before,” he explained.
If that wasn’t a satisfactory answer, what might she expect his explanation for his newly bloodied knuckles to be?
She was really starting to question her taste in men.
Padre
Advances
Warren was quite proud of his exhibit on wind energy. His inclusion of working turbines was also helpful in his manoeuvring the display into position. His only regret was that he had paid so little attention during the lesson of wheels.
—————
Padre
Pedal Power
It looked to onlookers to be a Hallmark moment of family bonding as Dwain and Sonya taught little Amy how to ride.
What the neighbours didn’t know was that it was all part of Dwain’s long-term plan for energy self-sufficiency. In fact, the pedal-driven generator had already been ordered.
Padre
Getaway
A chance to escape, to get way
Leaving behind the day to day
Without the distractions and other obstructions
Of ringing phones and pressing buttons
Be it a novel or the great outdoors
Suspending reality can be yours
If you but try – to break the trend
And give your mind some time to mend
Padre
Tech
Stake outs weren’t like they were in Dan’s father’s day. Dad used to be gone for days at a time and return home smelling of sweat and stale coffee. No, Dan’s surveillance were quite different with state of the art optics, audible, and sensor arrays. To make it better still it was all done in the station, a mere ten minutes from home with decent coffee, and a unending supply of donuts.
Padre
https://fivedotoh.com/2022/06/06/fandangos-flash-fiction-challenge-172/
Simple Pleasures (or Paradise Lost)
It was the simple pleasures at the end of the day that made all the difference. A hearty meal of broth and bread, and a chance to relax and sing into to the early evening before retiring to face the next day. It had always been thus, until the terrible day when the men arrived and put up that infernal tower. Before long tranquillity was lost to the flickering blue light of plasma screens and handsets. Many believe Satan dwells in the bowels of the earth, but truth be told he is in the air. Lies and destruction are his delight, and TikTok and like are his joy.
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 