Gary Inbinder's Blog - Posts Tagged "fantasy"
Zotheca: SF/Fantasy
Zotheca, a Science Fiction Fantasy, is one of my earliest published short stories. It's about a lonely widower who has a close encounter of a different kind. I believe it will appeal to Twilight Zone aficionados and fans of writers like Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson. Here's a brief excerpt:
"Almost springing to his feet, Bill immediately noticed the absence of aches and pains, as though his arthritis was a memory left on Earth. Moreover, the soreness in his throat was gone. Reaching up beneath his collar, he rubbed his neck; the rope-burn had completely healed. “Gee, Mel,” he exclaimed, “I feel great, like I was forty years younger.”
Melanie gave him a gentle hug, and whispered, “Of course, Billy; we’re on Zotheca. Nothing hurts here.” Holding his hand, she led him to the portal, saying, “We don’t need space-suits, helmets or anything like that. It’s like Earth outside, only a thousand times better.”
Descending the now visible silvery-metallic stairs Bill viewed a vast expanse of broad, manicured green lawn bordered by familiar looking trees: oaks, elms, maples and weeping willows. At the foot of the staircase, he turned back to view the space ship and almost keeled over from vertigo. The gleaming burnished silver ship was enormous, reminiscent of flying saucers in movies but much bigger, like a gigantic ocean liner seen up close. “God,” he gasped, “It’s breathtaking; like looking up at the QE II from the dock.”
“Yeah,” Melanie replied, “I almost fell over the first time I saw it.”
Turning away from the ship, Bill took a deep breath; the air was pure and oxygen-rich; a mild breeze carried a sweet floral fragrance, like Melanie’s youthful perfume. A radiant, aureate sun glowed through drifting white clouds, lighting an aquamarine sky and casting purplish shadows on the green grassy turf. An eerie stillness made Bill uneasy; all he could hear was a slight rush of wind and the faint rustling of tree branches. “It’s very quiet, Mel,” he remarked.
The complete story is available free online at Bewildering Stories.
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/iss...
"Almost springing to his feet, Bill immediately noticed the absence of aches and pains, as though his arthritis was a memory left on Earth. Moreover, the soreness in his throat was gone. Reaching up beneath his collar, he rubbed his neck; the rope-burn had completely healed. “Gee, Mel,” he exclaimed, “I feel great, like I was forty years younger.”
Melanie gave him a gentle hug, and whispered, “Of course, Billy; we’re on Zotheca. Nothing hurts here.” Holding his hand, she led him to the portal, saying, “We don’t need space-suits, helmets or anything like that. It’s like Earth outside, only a thousand times better.”
Descending the now visible silvery-metallic stairs Bill viewed a vast expanse of broad, manicured green lawn bordered by familiar looking trees: oaks, elms, maples and weeping willows. At the foot of the staircase, he turned back to view the space ship and almost keeled over from vertigo. The gleaming burnished silver ship was enormous, reminiscent of flying saucers in movies but much bigger, like a gigantic ocean liner seen up close. “God,” he gasped, “It’s breathtaking; like looking up at the QE II from the dock.”
“Yeah,” Melanie replied, “I almost fell over the first time I saw it.”
Turning away from the ship, Bill took a deep breath; the air was pure and oxygen-rich; a mild breeze carried a sweet floral fragrance, like Melanie’s youthful perfume. A radiant, aureate sun glowed through drifting white clouds, lighting an aquamarine sky and casting purplish shadows on the green grassy turf. An eerie stillness made Bill uneasy; all he could hear was a slight rush of wind and the faint rustling of tree branches. “It’s very quiet, Mel,” he remarked.
The complete story is available free online at Bewildering Stories.
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/iss...
