Writing Prompt

Your best friend has been arrested for illegally downloading music. While in jail, she asks you to go to her house and clear everything off her computer. As you start deleting files, you notice a folder called "Top Secret." Out of curiosity, you open it—and are shocked by what you find.

"Hey, Char, it's Tam. I need a favor," Tam whispers.

"What's up Tam. You in jail or something?" Char laughs.

"Yeah. I downloaded some music to my laptop and I need you to clear it off before the cops find it."

"You're kidding right? This is some sort of weird joke you're pulling?" Char couldn't believe Tam had actually been arrested. She'd pulled some stunts before but nothing that major.

"No. Now listen. My laptop is in the closet in my bedroom. I need you to get it and delete the music files," Tam said. "I gotta go. My one call is almost up. You gonna do it for me?"

Char shook her head and said, "Yeah, Tam. I always do."

Char hung up the phone and sat down at the kitchen table. This was real. Tam had been arrested and she wanted Char to help cover up her crime. She stood up and walked toward the door, picking up her keys on the way out. She headed over to Tam's apartment a block down.

No cops. I guess they haven't gotten the search warrant yet, Char thought and shrugged.

She used her key to get in and headed straight for the bedroom closet. She could take it home with her and no one would ever know she'd been here. That seemed to be the safest way to go. She locked the door behind her and walked back home.

Char put the laptop down on the kitchen table and pulled up a chair. Once the desktop came up she opened the music file and started the delete process. I wonder what other weird stuff she's got on here, thought Char, chuckling to herself.

A file named "Top Secret" seemed to leap off the screen at her. Her hand hesitated on the mouse before she finally opened it. They'd been friends for a long time but she'd never spied on her before.

Hmmm. Password protected. I wonder what could be so 'top secret', she thought. Char entered the password, the same thing Tam had used on every document since sixth grade, and pulled up a list of what she assumed were places Tam wanted to visit.

"Now, why would a file of vacation brochures need to be password protected. This is wierd," Char muttered to herself. She opened the first document, "Sandy Beaches", and nearly fell out of her chair when she saw what Tam was keeping secret. Tam was running a phone sex business and Char had just found the list of client conversations.

"Oh, my God! I wonder if she'll let me use some of this in the erotic romance I'm writing," Char laughed and continued reading.