Dimitrios waved the truck off as it turned the corner and disappeared from view.
A weight lifted from his shoulders as it departed. Since his great-grandfather delivered medical supplies and food during the war, smuggling had been in the family.
His father had built up the shipping company to establish a network bringing drugs into Europe in the seventies. Dimtirios had seen the potential to expand to human cargo. The Syrian and Libyan wars had been a boom time.
It was becoming too dangerous. Political pressure was mounting to stop the routes through the Greek islands. The money needed to bribe all the necessary individuals was extortionate.
He walked through the park, silent in the evening dusk. The white statue of Athena glowed. A wise choice to get out now, Dimitrios thought.
A shadow leapt out and flattened him. There were police lights and sirens and men shouting.
Should’ve got out sooner.
Written for ‘What Pegman Saw’, a weekly prompt based on a view from Google Maps. The idea is to write a piece of fiction of around 150 words based on the prompt. Full details can be found HERE. This week we’re in Athens in Greece.
For more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Timing is everything.
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And his was just out…
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He was a little too late, eh! 🙂
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So close, and yet so far!
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Great story. Tense!
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Thank you
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Hi Iain. So great to see you! Tense tale, well-woven. Somehow seems such a fitting story to go with that picture too.
Was this a story borne out of research/knowledge? Sure feels that way.
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Thank you, not research, more just following the news on the refugee crisis in Europe and adding in Greece’s geographical and historical position. Glad to take part this week, unfortunately it’s not every weekend I can find the time, but always enjoy Pegman’s adventures when I get the chance! 🙂
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He should have realised earlier what a dangerous way he’d chosen – family legacy or not. I like the way your character just sees it as a way to earn a living – just a job, swapping from one cargo to another as the market demands. Chilling, but you’d need that kind of attitude to be involved in this kind of work. Great story Iain
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Thanks Lynn, I agree – those that do make money from this must see it as business and nothing else, or how could they live with themselves?
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The human mind is extraordinarily perverse at times. A person could love their own children but live with the fact they hurt those of other people and treat them as commodities. What a race!
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Yep, we consistently manage to achieve both the best and the worst that any species can! Thank you Lynn.
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Very true. A pleasure as always
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Good story. Nice to see the villain get caught for once!
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Thanks Penny – it’s nice when justice is done for a change 🙂
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Interesting since I included human trafficking in several of my recent “Mikiko Jahn” stories though I chose the entry point of Salerno, Italy since tragically, 26 young girls were drowned in the Mediterranean a week ago escaping Libya. Glad to see your human smuggler got caught.
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Thanks James – Italy and Greece have born the brunt of the refugee crisis, but many of the wealthier Western countries share a lot of the responsibility.
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Busted! Your tale perfectly captures the current state of affairs in the country. If only, all of these guys got caught! Five star write as usual!
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Thank you, I’m glad you felt it was relevant. Hopefully proper action to stop them will one day come into force.
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Well told. Just a day too late…
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Thanks Sarah Ann – or if your the police, just the right time 🙂
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There’s always that temptation of “one last job”. Looks like it was his last job after all!
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One too many. Thank you.
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