More Scorching Fan Fiction includes…
ANTIGRAVITY
(Flight Books – Volume III)
DESCRIPTION: Next book in the series of Short Fiction Stories by Famous Author of Fan Fiction Rene Blanco icludes, U.S. Scare, Don’t Make Me Squeal, & American Soil
Deterrents —
U.S. Scare – Quarreling couple fight prejudice, physical attacks and bad air during an oppressive plane flight.
Carin Fein –
Higher & Higher –
Don’t Make Me Squeal – Woman wants a ménage à trois with her best friend’s boyfriend.
American Soil – The hallowed ground of Thoreau’s Walden Pond bears witness to treacherous romance and clashes between Jews, Christians and Muslim-Americans.
Sorry Booth — Preteen wrestles with the meaning of God while sinning and going to confession weekly.
Antigravity
- S. SCARE
Quarreling couple fight prejudice, physical attacks and bad air during an oppressive plane flight.
All I wanted was to get home but the airline ticket clerk said: “I’m sorry, Sir, that will require a fifty-dollar change fee. And, Sir …” — she punches computer keys — “a two-hundred and six dollar ticket re-issue. If you want to go on the earlier shuttle flight.”
“You mean, it’s fifty dollars plus two-hundred and six to go on this fight? It’s only two hours earlier. I was told I could fly standby on the shuttle.”
“No standby on this ticket, Sir. It was purchased for connecting destinations. You want the change?”
“To get there two hours early, forget it.” I reconsider my approach, and say quietly: “Look, can’t you just get me on this flight? They told me when I called I could fly standby on any of the shuttles. You can’t just slip me on? Please?”
“No, Sir. It won’t work that way. The whole ticket changes.”
“But, you really can just let me on this flight. There are empty seats. It’s the same thing if you wanted to cut me a break. It’s the same thing…just two hours earlier.”
“Sorry, Sir.”
The thought of spending two hours at a New York airport wasn’t appealing but I fought the temptation to throw a tantrum and stuffed back the anger, hoping it was God’s way to meet a new woman or an interesting guy or another useful way to spend this time.
“I’m sure if I was an important person you would do it,” I told the ticket clerk.
“Someone important would probably just pay the change fee, Sir,” she said with a wide patronizing smile. I wanted to pick up the ticket counter and drop it on her flat head.
René Blanco © Copyright 2005
Rene Blanco @ Flight Books . com
DETERRENTS
In the near future, because of the large number of robberies, rapes, and shootings in certain neighborhoods, emergency laws are passed making it illegal for people living in the designated high-risk areas to leave their shades and window grates open after 9:00 PM. This is meant to protect the population by preventing criminals from taking clear shots into homes, gaining easy access, or otherwise harming the innocent inhabitants. Locking door and window grates, combined with drawn shades, is proven to reduce the occurrence of domestic invasions during nighttime hours.
But, a heavy policeman responding to a robbery call from one ground floor apartment argues with the victimized woman resident. “Ma’am,” he says, “the bottom line here is that your grates, which are facing the street, were left open. I’m sorry, but by law that warrants a citation.”
“Don’t give me that ‘best interest of the population’ crap!”
“I’m afraid so, Ma’am. Open grates are like an invitation to crime.” He removes his hand-held computer and bulging citation book.
“This must be unconstitutional—giving me a citation!”
“Talk to the Legislature.”
“You’re supposed to do something to stop them before they come in and steal everything.”
“You can’t temp fate. Fact is, you have to protect yourself better.”
“Unconstitutional.” She plunks down hard on the sofa, almost to the point of tears with fury and degradation.
The cop studies her, not like she’s a victim. “Perhaps you don’t know it, Ma’am, but the Constitution doesn’t call for the police protect you from the criminals. Mostly, it provides you with protections from the authorities, and the government. Not from your fellow citizens. The new Blackout Law, and this new Grate Law are there to protect you. They work. If you obey them.”
“I don’t care if they work.” She makes a scoffing face. “I should not have to keep the shades drawn, and my family behind iron grates, just to keep them safe.”
“I may, or I may not, agree with you.” The cop hitches up his holster belt. “But, that is the law.”
“Who’s to say that they wouldn’t have robbed me anyway, if the grates weren’t locked? Or, if the alarm wasn’t on?” said the woman. “Or, did it happen because you’re too busy writing tickets to stop them?”
The cop thinks. “Who’s to say whether it was, or, it wasn’t? The law says that you are accountable for protecting your own home. You can’t leave your place open around here, and not expect to get these problems. We’ll try to catch the guy. For now, though, there was a robbery in your apartment, your grates were open at the time of the invasion, therefore…” He shrugs his shoulders.
“Therefore, I should get a citation, to deter more crimes? And that’s supposed to make other people lock their grates?”
“Exactly,” says the cop. He shrugs his right shoulder in the affirmative.
“Who’s succeeding in locking who behind bars!”
“These measures are effective deterrents. It’s a known fact—a criminal is less likely to invade a home with the grates closed. And, as everyone knows, Ma’am, our country’s best ally in the War on Crime is a fully cooperative, and fully law-abiding citizenry.”
He cocks up an eyebrow, then puts pen to paper and cites her for the offense: NEGLIGENCE WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO A HOME INVASION, TO-WIT: The Failure To Close Front Window Grates Subsequently Resulting In A Robbery.
Before he leaves, the cop says again, “I’ll call you if we catch the guys.” He tears off her citation slip, and hands it to her. “It outlines your options right there on the back. You can just plead guilty, and pay the fine. You’ll probably have to attend Citizen Law Enforcement School, though. That’s a small extra fee.”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
René Blanco © Copyright 2005
Rene Blanco @ Flight Books . com