“The Tempting Tower” — FWG Flash Fiction for 5/10/2025
Rob Johnson- May 16
- 2 min read
How secret are secret societies? Some may just be a distraction…
The prompt is:
THE TEMPTING TOWER
The Victorian-era faux-Renaissance campanile looked completely out of place among the pedimented neo-classical buildings.
“It’s a scar on the face of the University,” Professor Jenkins sniffed.
“Oh, come on, Doc. It’s not that bad.” Susan pointed above the four arches of the base. “Check out the statues. That one’s topless.” She grinned at the professor’s obvious discomfort. “Too distracting, eh, Doc?” She nudged him with her elbow.
He sniffed again. “Hardly. It is meant to distract. And to tempt one as well.”
She thought for a moment as the breeze flicked the professor’s academic robe. “Oh, you mean the bouldering. Climbing the tower in the middle of the night.”
Jenkins scoffed. “It is not a folly to tempt those fraternity fools. No, it distracts from something much more tempting.”
His leer suddenly transformed her stuffy Classics Professor into an almost-handsome, almost-sexy enigma. Intrigued, she said, “What’s so tempting?”
Without another word, Jenkins strode across the quad to the blank door set into one of the arches of the base and unlocked it. Susan followed, swept along like a leaf rushing through an opened door.
“We’re going up inside?” She was excited by the guaranteed high marks she’d have if she played her cards right.
He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “Not up. The Climbing Club is not the only fraternity who uses this eyesore for their rituals.” Inside the narrow room, he closed the outer door and opened a smaller one hidden beneath the spiral stairway. Descending, he said, “Ours are practiced beneath the monstrosity that was erected to distract prying eyes.”
He opened another door at the base of the steps. Torches revealed a dungeon outfitted with all manner of torture devices.
“Welcome to your new dormitory, Susan.”
His laughter echoed, even after the door slammed shut.
THE END
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