The captain had never seen such a storm and never expected to again. He saved a whiskey bottle from falling. No need to die sober.
Tag: danger
Quotable 184
Fiction is dangerous because it shows you that the world doesn’t have to be like the one you live in.
– Neil Gaiman
#quikfic 79
“Five-card stud,” the new dealer said. “Aces and Colt .45’s are high.” One of the other men sighed. “So much for a friendly game.”
Fiction: A Glass of Water
A tall, shapely woman walked up the three flights of outdoor stairs and turned right, approaching the apartment she was looking for. She was reasonably well dressed and wore a matching set of 12-carat earrings, necklace, and bracelet. She made three sharp, short knocks on the door.
Another woman opened the door. She was a few years older than the one outside. She was not well dressed, she was not wearing jewelry, and her figure was settling.
“I’m Yolanda,” the younger woman said. “Mrs. Cates, I want you to let Horace go so he and I can be together.”
OT: FDA Warns No Bones for Dogs
The Food and Drug Administration today issued a consumer update warning dog owners not to give their canine friends bones. The list of possible complications is long and unpleasant. Read the FDA’s warning here, and dispose of the bones where the dog can’t get at them.
Fiction: Replacements
“A squid! A squid!” the children screamed.
“That’s right,” their father said happily. “Your very own squid. Go ahead and jump in the pool with him. Have fun!”
The three youngsters squealed their delight. They peeled off their clothing and jumped into the swimming pool to play with their new pet. Soon the squid was wrapping them in its long tentacles and swirling them around in the deeper end of the pool.
“Martin! A squid?” Alice asked.
“He’s a genetically altered 10-footer,” her husband said. “Just the right size for the pool and the kids.”
“But what if he harms the children?”
“There’s a 96-percent safety rate with this model. At least that’s what the salesman said. And even if something goes wrong, that’s what the backups are for.”
Alice couldn’t argue with that, and together they enjoyed the wonderful family moment, watching their three children – Annie, 12; Ron, 9; and Ben, 6 – splashing around with their new friend.
Alice’s concerns were eventually borne out, though, and Ben was heartbroken when his parents had some people come and take away Neptune the Squid.
“But he never killed me!” Ben sobbed. “Just Annie and Ron, and they were mean to him. He loves me!”
Alice rubbed her younger son’s back. “I know, honey, and Daddy and I are very sorry. But activating the backup clones of your brother and sister – and having new backups prepared – was awfully expensive, even with insurance. We can’t afford to keep doing that. But we’ll get you another pet. A walrus, or maybe a seal. Something the geneticists have really perfected.”
Needless to say, nothing can truly take the place of a beloved squid in a boy’s heart.
Fiction: A Dangerous Occupation
Did you ever have one of those days where you’ve got a 15-story drop in front of you and a guy with a gun behind you? That’s the kind of day I’m having.
I am not speaking metaphorically. This is where I am and what’s happening to me and I’m relating this to you because, well, I need someone to talk to just now. I’d talk to God … but we have sort of a history. It’s looking more and more likely that we’ll be seeing each other pretty soon and it may not go well. So I’m leaving Him alone for the moment. And you seem nice, so here we are.