13 September 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3225: secret file
When the secret file on the Fortier Apartments in Shortport, VA was found in a box of files that was supposed to be shredded, and the names who had allowed that structure to fall over in a mere five years were seen, Sheriff E.P. Alexander sighed.
“Well,” he said, “at least everyone knows where the rest of the evidence is. Can't shred the building in the Roanoke River.”
The sheriff already had his warrants, and his deputies were out on the job – the file, however, had required his attention because of the prominence of the names in business and politics that were on it.
“I want these people picked up today,” he said, “so that when the Big Loft Bulletin gets this, they can also write that we have them in custody, because it is not going to be long before lives are lost and then more lives are lost. I don't see how we only lost one person after Bayard Heights, but that fire is not out either.”
The number of people, including families, that were being displaced because of bad building work in Lofton County was growing, and this was added on top of the stress of the pandemic and coming election. Sheriff Alexander knew that the kind of violence that had broken out in 2019 was not at all impossible in 2020 … and the losses had been immense.
But …
“We have children wondering if they are going to lay down and their buildings are going to fall over when they get up,” he said in the Big Loft Bulletin. “I don't care who you are: if that's the kind of crime you may be involved in, I need to get you off the street.”
“Finally, somebody else gets it,” ten-year-old Andrew Ludlow said. “We have Cousin Harry, Cousin Ironwood, and we have Sheriff Alexander.”
“Three police officers we know get it,” eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow said.
“But we only had two last year,” their friend eleven-year-old Velma Trent said. “We are making progress.”
“Yeah, and our cousins did pretty good last year, so, with three that get it, I think things will maybe get better,” Andrew said.