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Welcome to the latest installment of Friday Flash Fiction. Enter your
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You are standing in a large crowd of people. They are all screaming and waving banners. The barricades start moving and the entourage of the President's motorcade approaches. The Presidents steps out of his vehicle and starts his walk to the podium. You squeeze through the crowd to get a better look. As you approach the boundary markers the President walks right past you. So close you catch a whiff of his aftershave. He makes eye contact with you. As he passes, an envelope falls to the ground. You scoop it up hurriedly. This might be your 15 seconds of fame to rescue the President's property and give it back. But then you look down, CLASSIFIED! is the only thing printed on the envelope. Curiosity is pounding you, and even in those few seconds the President is far enough away; he wouldn't even turn to look at you if you yelled for him.
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Friday, January 11, 2013
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I stared down at the sealed envelope in front of me. Big bold letters in a fine print read, “CLASSIFIED.” My heart pounded inside of my chest. It was like my heart grew wings, and was fluttering up to my throat. Do I pick it up? Do I return it to a security guard? Maybe this was meant for me? I looked around at all the people who cheered and were beginning to move closer together, almost stepping on the envelope. Suddenly, just as I knelt down to pick it up, it was being pushed through the crowd by stomping feet, and people running around to get a better glimpse at the president. I followed the path leading to the envelope. It was like a game of cat and mouse I was playing with the envelope, every time I knelt down to get it, it would blow away from my grasp. I didn’t notice how far up I was getting to the podium where the president was standing on stage. Just as the envelope stopped blowing in the wind, I got a hold on it. Fresh shoe prints where on it, and a little tear went down the right corner of the envelope. But I knew whatever was inside didn’t get damaged. As I picked it up, I stood again noticing a security guard with a black suit and sunglasses on his eyes with a chord like earpiece going into his left ear. He looked like stone, but I knew he was staring at me. “Sorry sir.” I said putting the folded envelope in my back pocket. I knew he wanted me to step back a and join the rest of the crowd in their positive jeers to hear the president speak. I began to walk away, pushing past people, and beginning to leave the crowd into a secluded area where I could read this mysterious letter.
From off in the distance, the security guard watched her leave intently, just as she cut through another group of people. The man, almost as mysterious as the envelope itself, touched his earpiece in his left ear speaking into it, “We’ve got her.” As the president walked the steps to the podium, he touched an earpiece attached to his ear as well, “good” was all he said before waving to the ovation of people waiting to hear his speech.
As I hold the envelope in my palms, which are already clammy and sweaty, I quickly tuck the envelope in my jacket pocket. Curiosity is pulling at my insides and I just couldn’t turn away from this one in a life time situation. A part of me felt like this could be very dangerous. I walk to my acting as if nothing happened. Although my heart was beating so hard and so loud I thought the old women who I walked past with hearing aids and an ancient looking cane could hear its rhythmic beat. I stepped inside my car and turned the ignition. I drove home and briskly walked into my apartment. I lived in a quiet suburb on the outskirts of town. I sat down at my desk and took the envelope on the desk. I stared at it for a good three minutes contemplating what could possibly be in this envelope. Finally, I slowly ripped open the envelope with one trickle of sweat falling in slow motion down the middle of my forehead landing on the bridge of my nose and falling down in the center of the now opened envelope. Slowly and cautiously, I pulled the paper out of the envelope and it was folded. I unfolded it and looked at lots of words written in very little font. I had to pull out my little magnifying glass to see the words and read them without squinting. The first few lines talked about the war which I knew about already. The next paragraph is what took my breath away. I almost fell out of my chair when I read these next few paragraphs. Starting on December 20th, which was in about three months, there was going to be an evacuation of the whole United States of America. It also said that no one was to know about it until the last minute. We would be spread out among the UK and Europe. There was an expected nuclear attack from a country I had never even heard of. My thoughts were interrupted with a loud, “BANG, BANG, BANG!” on my front door. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I tucked the envelope in my desk. I tried to compose myself. I walked to the door and opened. I felt my skin crawl as I saw four heavily armed law officials standing there. They held up a search warrant. They pushed their way in nearly knocking me off my feet. They walked to my study were I had the note stashed in my desk. I made a split decision and ran out of my apartment. All I remember is one of the men shouting then complete blackness.
The envelope was glaring at you like a bright light. The curiosity was killing you! The President was long gone anyways… You might as well keep it safe. Tucking the paper into your coat pocket, you look around to ensure that no one saw you holding the envelope. Once you feel secure, you let out a sigh of relief and turn to watch the President finish his speech. You clapped when everyone else clapped, laughed when everyone else laughed and cheered when everyone else cheered. For that time, you were just another fan. But the envelope was burning a hole in your pocket. You just HAD to get home and see what it revealed.
You pulled up to the house in your Audi. You ran inside and studied the envelope. It was thicker than an envelope that enclosed a simple letter. It must be something important. “Obviously, it’s important!” you thought sheepishly. “It belongs to the President!!” You slide one thumb under the envelope but then pull it away. “I shouldn’t do this… It isn’t my business. I should just return it to the White House,” you say, thinking aloud. The words CLASSIFIED were sticking out at you like a swollen nose. The suspense was eating at you. Being a journalist only piqued your curiosity to a higher level. After minutes ticked by, you finally decided to open the envelope and discover the secret. You slid a finger under the flap and it released easily. You pulled out the documents inside labeled CLASSIFIED INFO, DO NOT LOOK. The letter wasn’t sealed, so you unfolded it and began to scan the words. As your mind processed the contents of this envelope, your jaw dropped open and your heart was pounding. The things you could do with this! You could write about it and publish it for the world to see! You’d become famous! Your brain was overflowing with ideas, but there was one thing stopping you. The President was a good man. You had voted for him, after all. If this secret was leaked, it would ruin his life. The letter was full of things that the public could never find out. These words could make your career! The letter said…
I decided to bend down and reach through the barrier and grab the envelope. My mind started racing even faster. “What could this be?” I asked myself. I made up my mind and decided to take my new found treasure back to my apartment. I couldn’t even bear to stay for what the president had to say, I needed to know what was in this envelope. I pushed my way back through the crowd and hastily made my way to my car and sped back to my apartment. I ran up the stairs, nearly broke down the door, and then slammed it right behind me. There was only one thing on my mind, the letter. I was too engulfed in my thought of what this could be to even make a rash decision. I stood there with my back against the wall, the letter in my hands, and slowly slid to the floor. The decision was mine. Do I open it? I swear that this is very, VERY illegal. I need to know! I have to give this back to the president. What if it was his speech? My mind was going a mile a minute. I needed to know. I slowly peeled away the one thing holding me back from seeing what this “CLASSIFIED” document was all about. That’s it, the adhesive was broken, the envelope is open. I reached my hand in and pulled out this critically important letter. “Happy Birthday,” read the words on the front. It was a letter from his wife. It turned out to be one of the sweetest letters I’ve ever read.
• I would take the envelope and hide it in my jacket pocket. I have the sly smile of knowing I just did an evil doing. As the president says his final few words in his speech I dart out, and make it so nobody who might know I picked this mysterious letter up says anything. As I leave the security guards want to check your personal belongings anyway, just to make sure you didn’t pick anything up, as how I did. I sneakily go through the back exit and make my way back home on the side streets. I finally make it home, covered in sweat because of the anxiousness over knowing what this could possible be! I finally wait for the midnight broadcasting of the news to see if there was any catastrophic things with the president, or if the world could be in danger. It is now twelve o’clock, I sit down at my couch with a drink and I take the classified letter from my pocket, to be honest at this point I’m almost sweating from the excitement, I open one half, then the other, to my surprise it is a little piece of sticky note paper. On this paper are the numbers 178 and the time 12:40 AM and the date 1/11/13. I think to myself what it could possibly be, but then I got an idea. My apartment is number 178, the time is roughly around 12:37, and the date today is 1/11/13, I had no idea why all this would be happening like this but it all got my really worried! I sat there waiting on the couch till the time hit 12:40 A.M., nothing happened so I waited in complete silence for another five. Finally I started to hear a small buzzing sound, like the sound of small rodents at the bottom of the complex. It started getting louder so I went outside my door to see what was going on, up the stairs came thousands upon thousands of while, big, half rotten, rates. All their eyes were red with disease; I freaked out and shut the door behind me. I finally came to the conclusion that the government was doing some sort of human study on us and we were all under quarantine. We were all dead. I look back on the piece of paper, on the back side read Rat Redemption on Human Study.
That’s why it’s Confidential
Your heart skips a beat as your cold finger slides up and touches the flap on the top left side of the envelope. You knew it was wrong, but you gently start to tear the envelopes top. You quiver with fear; the fear at the thought that someone is watching, or someone will find out. You didn’t care the excitement filled you, and you pulled out a bright orange piece of paper. Your vision blurred through excitement, your heart was pounding too fast; you couldn’t even make out the very first letter. The paper was no longer orange but began to glistened with blots of white. Your legs fell victim as well, as your cold lifeless body hit the unwelcoming pavement.
I stare at the letter with curiosity pounding in my head. I look up to see the President walking up the steps to the podium. When he gets up there I can either yell from the crowd or hold up the letter or I can open it and see what’s inside. I decide to rip open the letter and read what it says: “Whoever is reading this, your curiosity overcame you.” I flip the note over to see if it said anything else but it didn’t. I then realize I have been tricked! I have been tricked by America’s President. He wanted someone to open it. I had failed a simple test. As I slowly thread my way to the back of the crowd and walk home, I could feel the President’s eyes burn my skin. He knows it was me.
Once I reach down all I see is that envelope. At the very moment only two thought raced through my head. The first though was should I risk running under the tape to return him his letter, or if I should send him the letter privately. I at that moment I knew I wanted an adventure. So I ducted under the rope and started to run at the president. I will admit though that wasn’t my smartest idea. The next thing I remember, a survive member tackled me. When I came to, I’m in a little room tied up. One of the members started to ask me the weird question, or what I thought because he was speaking some other language. He was shocked that I could speak perfect English. So then he asked why I ran at the president. I tried to tell him but he would let me get any words out. So I raised my voice and he shoves me to the floor; that’s when the letter fell out. In that little moment of his little shock, I finally got some words out. So he started to listen. I told him my story and he looked at me like I was crazy. All I said after that was what could I say; I was looking for an adventure. That when he busted up laughing. He untied me and I went on my way.
Buccina 5th hour
When the president drops the classified information I decide to open it. When I open it said that it was saying that there is an army of Neon Cats with weapons of mass destruction that may attack the United States from Neyonapolis just south of Neyonistans capital, Neyondad. When I discovered it I thought It wasn’t really important at all so I was about to throw it away but then I decided that I might be able to get some money for it off of eBay. Instead of throwing it away I decided to go home and put it up for auction on eBay. As soon as it was up though. A giant helicopter spot light came hovering my house and a whole bunch of FBI people came crashing though by door, tazzed me until I passed out, and then carried my unconscious body away to one of their vehicles. When I woke up I was inside a blank room with sitting at a char with a small foldable table in front of me. Then all of a sudden a guy came in to interrogate me. The first thing he did was he asked me if I was working with the Russians, then the Chinese, then the North Koreans, and for some reason the Canadians. I told him I wasn’t. Then all of a sudden another interrogator came in. He was much nicer, I assumed they wre trying to pull the good-cop bad-cop routine on me. I eventually told them what has happened that I had just found it when the president dropped It. The only reason I didn’t tell them right away is because the interrogators really never gave me the opportunity to talk up until this point. Shortly after I told them this however, a man came running in to tell the president that the neon cats had started to invade and hat been hitting major cities with ballistic missiles that looked kind of like blueberry poptarts.
I then decided to see what it was but I didn’t want anyone else to see. So I squeezed back through the crowd. Once I got past everyone, I quickly rushed towards the nearest bathroom. I ran into a stall and I pulled out my handy dandy mail opener and opened the envelope. In side I found a code, an address to a place in Illinois, and a note that said, “Go to the address and ask for the CEO.”
When I got to the address I first noticed that the address was for the Mountain Dew headquarters. I then walked inside and a big bodyguard came up to me and asks what I wanted. I told him I wanted to see the CEO and he rushed off to go get him. 5 minutes later, a guy that was in his forties came up and asked what I wanted and I showed him the code. His eyes widened and he started to shake. Then he said, “You now own the Mountain Dew Company and you get unlimited supply of Mountain Dew.” When I heard those words, I started to throw up because I was too happy and I was then quickly rushed off to the emergency room.
The End
If I picked up the letter I would give it to my friend and tell him to choose what to do. Then my friend opens it… he reads it says… well his face was shocked so he said you need to read this. I told him I don’t want to… so he passes it to his friend and he reads it. He started laughing and also looked confused. So he handed it back and my friend matt grabbed it. He already knew what it said. So he gave it to Trey, he said is this a joke? Matt said no it’s legit. Trey handed it to me; I told him what are you thinking. Trey said read it. After thinking it over I decided to read it. I was somewhat surprised and curious if the words on the paper meant anything. I went home and put the envelope and the stuff inside of it in the safe. Later that day I wrote about this envelope I picked up when I saw the president. I you need to open the envelope to find out what it says… the next year I remembered about the note I picked up. I walked over to the safe and opened it; there was an envelope, other valuables too. I then closed it, thought about what I wanted to do during the day… wait a minute I’m not getting off task. I reopened the safe pulled it out…
So I quickly put the letter in my pocket without security seeing. I get home I open the envelope there is 10,000 dollars cash and a gold coin I was jumping of happiness so later of thinking what I wanted and what I was going to buy I thought why was all this money in the envelope without at least a note. I go to get my new B.M.W and they arrested me for counter fit money I get fined with a year in prison. Next year I go home all the money is still there, I go get an appointment to see the president it gets approved I get 30min next Sunday. I go to the bar with some college friends and ask why all this money in was in the envelope they had no clue what I was talking about and that I was lying. It’s the Sunday I’m about to go talk to the president I’m so nervous. I get there and I tell him everything I give him every thing back my time is up but I ask just before I left why do you have that and the guards pushed me out before I could hear his answer.
I decided not to give the envelope back to the president. When I got home I opened it. But before I could get it open ninjas flew through the window, so I ran to the front door. Before I could open the door it flew open and I fell to the ground. The president is standing there and he says “come with me if you want to live.” I ran out the door with him as he did some Khufu to distract the ninjas. When I got in the car I drove away as fast as I could. I stoped at the police station. When I got there Brock Obama was waiting there for me. He said “come with me, we need to talk.” He took me to 5 Guy Burgers and Fries. When i sat down he explained to me that what fell out of his pocket were plans to bomb North Korea and the key that would start the bombing. Then we started to her beeping then Brock said “BBBOOOOMMMMBBBBB”. Every one ran out and as we were walking away in slow motion it blew up behind us and we didn’t even look back. Then we were ambushed. I started to shot them with my spas 12. When he got back in the car we drove as fast as we could to Wisconsin. We went to my cabin. We planned out how we would get to Washington. Air Force one was back in Minnesota, so we snuck back into Minnesota. We got to Air Force one extremely easily. But when we got to Washington we got in a car chase. As we were being chased I took out a bazooka and blew up their car. We got to the White House, we ran up to the Oval Office. When we got there he put the key and turned it. As we watch all the missiles launching up in to the air he said, “You’re a good man Bobby, a good man.” Then he gave me a hug.
The end
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