Unwinding used to take a couple glasses of booze. That takes a toll eventually, so now I use fiction. I happened to sit next to a man reading book five of the Cleric Quintet by RA Salvatore. I've met Salvatore and more than 20 years ago produced a short show with him. He's charming, clever, and a wonderful author. I've been inspired. May the unease of my long day at work provide you a momentary joy.
Hathic the Half Crazed
Lionadot stared down at the sharp blade protruding from her chest covered with crimson liquid dripping down it's curved blade. She tried to scream in pain, but her lungs were full of blood. The sound instead was a dark gurgle and the last sound she'd ever make. Her eyes glazed over, her soul escaped, and she fell lifeless on the floor. She never gave away the location of her son, and for that she died with the slightest hint of smile upon her face. She could only hope that he could outrun his father, Hathic the Half Crazed, but that was no longer her concern....
Nagan VII
Admiral Santana looked down at the blinking red screen in front of her. Every dashboard lit up with colored lights. Her training had prepared her for the lights, but not the doom. The sinking doom of the Kartouri raiders above her home. Four billion hearts pulsed below her, and four billion hearts needed her to live. She slid from her chair as gas hissed out at her from a broken circulation tube. She cleared her best friend's corpse from the weapons display. She can cry about that tomorrow if she lives, but not today. Shaft 7-9 were empty. Shaft 3-6 were broken. Shaft 1-3 were working, but only 2 had a balistic ready to fire. She pursed her lips with a vengeful smile. Quantom sliders were illegal for a reason... but this was home. She clicked the keys and entered her private key and watched as the lone torpedo flew from her ship; a last gasping trail of ice and hope behind it.
The Hack
Swaying back and forth on a hammock in the Bahamas, a hot breeze over his face, a mimosa in his hand, and a shit eating grin on his face Jonny Hampton relaxed. $18 Million. Eight-teen-fucking-million. "I could buy this shit island for that. I could buy every person on here. I could live out my days fucking islanders, sailing in this ocean, and basking in the sun rays." He thought. But this wasn't the end of the story. This is just the start. Because on that morning Special Agent Brian Dreeson was on his way. He wasn't there to arrest or kill him. The man he needed to catch was a man that was hard to find, and the man that could find him was surely the one that could hack his $18M mouse trap. So you see, the only person happier than Jonny Hampton on that bright sunny day in the Bahamas was Special Agent Dreeson making his way to a hammock.
Trick'm or lose'm
Tictac was a stable kind of man, but even this was hard to hide. Ace Queen is one of the best hands you can get drawed right off the bat. It's a little risky because you never know what pairs might be out there, but Ace Queen is a solid hand to play. For a table game at home you'd probably be squirming in your seat as you thought about going all in with it. What's that? $40? And you're sitting there letting your veins pop, your breathing change, your tone change, and your stare alter... You can't do that. You have to stay calm. You have to keep your steely gaze. You have to look like you're bluffing, but know you're winning because you have AQ. I mean you're probably bluffing right? But they have to buy it... But even then it's only $40. That's lunch. That's a movie date... but this... This is a life changing. Those red chips are piled high. High enough to bury a man if you know what I mean, and I'm staring down Kingston Towne. I'm staring down a legend, and all my chips are in. You see me sweat? You see me exhale any different? Not on your fucking life. He's got to make a call. He's gonna lay it all down. He's got to... Oh shit... he's betting and all I got is rags. How the fuck can he tell? And how the fuck am I gonna pay back $4 million?