Thursday Threads entry - 'Trading'

It has been a long time, a little over a year, since I have entered a piece for the Thursday Threads flash fiction contest, hosted by Siobhan Muir, so I was completely surprised to find that it yielded an Honourable Mention!

It is a word prompt, and these days I tend to be drawn to more visual inspiration. But I always check and have a read, and with this one the story appeared immediately.



Trading

Padrov pulled the car into the secluded parking lot, and spotted the battered brown Datsun straight away. He thought they’d drive something better than that with what they made.

He parked on the opposite side, wanting to keep his distance, and glanced in the rear view mirror at the round, terrified eyes looking back at him. He felt the sweat on his palms prickle.

Then he glanced at the woman squashed into the footwell behind the passenger seat, and she glanced back, her hands never leaving the knees of the two little boys.

Padrov killed the engine and waited. Someone got out of the Datsun. When they turned to face him, Padrov’s fear turned to rage. He knew this man. He was a teacher. His stomach churned at the thought of how many children he’d come into contact with.

Padrov breathed, opening his door slowly, and resisted the urge to scratch the wire under his shirt.

When they had both moved forward, the man jerked his head at the two small faces in the back of Padrov’s car.

“I’d like to see what I’m buying.”

“Not yet. Show me the money first.” Padrov was firm.

The man took out a buddle of notes and fanned them.

Padrov nodded. “Good, you have enough.”

With the key words triggered, sirens blared and blue lights lit up the car park, not giving the man time to turn round. Padrov didn’t say any more, only spat as his feet at he was taken away.