Walt Trizna's Blog, page 30

THE ULTIMATE EXPERIMENT: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART II

                                Restarting The Ultimate Experiment

                                         An unpublished short story

                              T HE UNLIMATE EXPERIMENT

Stewart lived alone in a grand old house.  His wife died some years ago and he still deeply mourned her.  His only child, a son near 70, lived nearby and would visit when he could.  Stewart would have liked to see his two grandchildren and great grandchildren more, but they had their own lives and families.  He cherished the rare visits they managed.  A nurse’s aide kept watch over him and tended to his daily needs.

When Virginia began managing Stewart’s care one month ago, he was given three months to live.  “I’ll spend my final days at home,” he told his doctor.

Virginia was assigned to Stewart’s case and, during her first visit, she told him, “I’m having a hospital bed delivered today to make you more comfortable.  What bedroom do you want it set up in?”

“Oh, my dear,” he answered, “I want to spend my last days with my very close friends.  Set it up in my study.”

THE ULTIMATE EXPERIMENT: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART I

                                   Restarting The Ultimate Experiment

                                        An unpublished short story

                               THE UNLIMATE EXPERIMENT

George Stewart, age 94, with his mane of white hair and flowing beard, looked the part he had chosen in life, that of a distinguished scientist.  His mind wandered as he waited in his study for Virginia to arrive. He always anticipated her visits.  Twice a week she came.  Finally, the door to his study opened and she entered.

“Virginia how are you doing?” he said.

Virginia was thirty-five of medium build and quite attractive.  But it was the nurturing she gave her patients that revealed her inner beauty.  She put down her nursing bag and replied, “How are you doing, Dr. Stewart?” although she knew the answer.

Virginia had been an oncology and hospice nurse for four years.  The work was demanding and emotionally draining, but she derived comfort in knowing she helped the people she cared for to make their last days as comfortable as possible.

“I’m maintaining Virginia.  I’m so very glad to see you my dear.”

Virginia smiled as Stewart adjusted his body in his hospital bed.  She enjoyed spending time with Stewart, easily the most famous patient she had ever had.  In 1975, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.  His breakthrough theories and research led to the proposal of string theory.  At his advanced age, his brain was still nimble.  But his body was riddled with colon cancer and the malignant fingers of death had spread to other organs.

WALT’S OPINIONS: INFLATION?

                                                INFLATION?

I, like I’m sure most of you, go grocery shopping. And I still have the remnants of a memory and remember prices from one outing to the next and note the price increases.

What follows is pure conjecture on my part.

There are times when I see the price of a product increase, a large increase, at times in a week or two.

Why?

Is there a valid reason for the price increase or is there something else at play? Could it be that the manufacturer is taking advantage of the fact that inflation is constantly in the news. Could it be that there is no good reason for the increase? But, because of the constant discussion about inflation the manufacturer is relying on that fact and assuming the customer will not question the increase. The customer, because of all the inflation hype, will accept the increase as part of life. Could it be, in some cases, that the customer is being manipulated in the cause of profits?

You can try an experiment. For every product there are remarkable number of brands these days. When you buy something search the brands to see if the increase of the price of one of the brands stands out. Just an experiment.

When a company makes a tremendous increase in price, say a certain percentage in a certain length of time, they owe the public an explanation?

What do you think?

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART VIII

                                           DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by Progress. This story was published by Aphelion in May 2010.

With the increased demand of the migrating population needing electricity, the electric grid of Alaska collapsed. Normally, the residents calmly waited for a return of power. But now, when the electricity was renewed it lasted for seconds, then was gone for good.

                                                  * * *

David asked Lisa, “When was the last you saw a blue sky? It’s always grey and at times there is so much smog you can hardly see anything around you.

“I think it’s time we move farther north. If these conditions keep up there will no place to go. It’s like a science fiction movie but we’re living it. Conditions must be better up north.”

This time Lisa was in full agreement with her husband.

David and Lisa moved as far north as they could. But they came to a point where they lacked the energy to go on. 

Weak from lack of oxygen and extreme heat, David said, “I don’t think we can go farther,” and fell to the ground, his breathing labored and then stopped.

Lisa surveyed the scene around her. In the distance she could see solitary figures, walking, stumbling and then falling. Lisa knew she would not survive long in this heat. All the predictions she had read came true, although much sooner than anyone could anticipate.

Lisa lay down, and with the rest of humanity, ceased to exist.

                                                       The End

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PARTVII

                                               DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by Progress. This story was published by Aphelion in May 2010.

As the temperature began to climb across the world, many of the poorer could not escape the areas of death. Millions, and then billions died. The smell of rotting flesh hanging over cities and towns, once havens for the poor, became vast dying grounds for those populations of meager means unable to retreat the horror around them.

As the availability of food lessened, conflict broke out in proportions never seen. Looting was common for food. What else mattered? It was a war of survival, not between countries but between individuals wanting to live. The bloodshed these conflicts produced was unimaginable. To survive people would kill their neighbors, friends, even their own families so that they may live on. But in the end, all this was useless.

Strengthened by the new heat on both land and water, hurricanes, the likes of which never seen before, feeding off the warm waters, took an untold number of lives.

MY LATEST PUBLICATION: REVENGE AND REDEMPTION

I’m taking a break today from posting parts of my short story, Doomed By Progress, in order to share a link to my just published short story, Revenge and Redemption. For those familiar with my work, you will see that this is a departure from my usual fare.

                                                WARNING

The website, YELLOW MAMA, is a mature website.

Also, my story contains some rather strong language. But this is necessary to make the character who he is.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Revenge and Redemption (tripod.com)          

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART VI

                                               DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by Progress. This story was published by Aphelion in May 2010.

“You know, Lisa, I’m surprised at the temperature here in Anchorage. I imagined it would be cooler. But conditions here are okay. Better than back in Iowa.” For explanations of the change in weather David used his favorite news channel where facts morphed into opinions. The channel played to their audience which never gave a doubt about what they were being told. The vast opinion of its audience ‘Thought why check other sources when I’m being told the truth here?’

Lisa had other sources she relied on for information and knew things were not fine. All over the world heat made life unbearable. The equatorial countries initially suffered the worst. The populations of these countries migrated north and south to find a place that would sustain life. Millions sought refuge from the heat.

                           * * *

With worry in his voice, David said, “Lisa, have you seen how many people are showing up every day? How are they going to eat and live without affecting us?

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART V

                                               DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by Progress. This story was published by Aphelion in May 2010.

It began slowly, then snowballed. It is difficult to use that term for there was little snow or ice left on the planet. Cities, once told of the possibility of flooding, were either flooded or completely underwater. The increase in use of air conditioners throughout newly emerging economies, with the requisite demand for greater amounts of electricity led to stronger economies.

However, none of the countries, with this new wealth, spent any money on infrastructure. The problem being that this new fortune was lining the pockets of politicians and others in power.

As a result, electric grids in these counties with new wealth began to fail. And after a few years, because of the dramatic increase in temperature due to the vast amount of heat from air conditioners, in conjunction with the pollution contributed by the coal burned power plants to produce the demand for electricity, areas once appreciating the benefit of cool air, became too hot for human habitation.

Initially, people living in these areas of ever-growing heat sought out any place providing comfort. Malls, stores and movie theaters were crowded beyond belief. But as electricity became more expensive and unreliable, these “oases slowly disappeared.

It began slowly, then snowballed. It is difficult to use that term for there was little snow or ice left on the planet. Cities, once told of the possibility of flooding, were either flooded or completely underwater. The increase in use of air conditioners throughout newly emerging economies, with the requisite demand for greater amounts of electricity led to stronger economies.

However, none of the countries, with this new wealth, spent any money on infrastructure. The problem being that this new fortune was lining the pockets of politicians and others in power.

As a result, electric grids in these counties with new wealth began to fail. And after a few years, because of the dramatic increase in temperature due to the vast amount of heat from air conditioners, in conjunction with the pollution contributed by the coal burned power plants to produce the demand for electricity, areas once appreciating the benefit of cool air, became too hot for human habitation.

Initially, people living in these areas of ever-growing heat sought out any place providing comfort. Malls, stores and movie theaters were crowded beyond belief. But as electricity became more expensive and unreliable, these “oases slowly disappeared.

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART IV

                                               DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by Progress. This story was published by Aphelion in May 2010.

                                      Another ten more later.

David shouted with anger and hopelessness, “I can’t live like this. I’ve asked for a transfer to Alaska where it must be cooler. The company has offices in Anchorage. What really pisses me off is why hasn’t the government done something about this weather? Politicians just sit on their dumb asses take large contributions, and who knows what else, and vote how they are told. To hell with the public and everything else. The only thing important to these crooks is their careers.

David had not consulted Lisa before making the decision to move to Alaska. But she knew that voicing an opinion would only result in a huge argument. As much as she wanted to speak her mind she held her thoughts and anguish to herself for she loved this guy, but it was getting harder and harder to keep that love alive. She said to herself, Fine, David, you have a job already set up. But what about my career. I love my children and don’t want to leave them. Yet, in some ways, Lisa was looking forward to the move. She also found the increasing heat beyond comfortable. She felt caught in a trap with no escape. Blindness to what was happening to the weather existed for too long. She honestly felt that nothing could be done to change the direction in which the world was heading.

DOOMED BY PROGRESS: A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY, PART III

                                        DOOMED BY PROGRESS

Due to technical difficulties, I will need to postpone my posting of The Ultimate Experiment. So, for now, I will begin posting my short story, Doomed by progress. This is an unpublished story.

                                      Twenty years later

With sweat on his brow, David said to Lisa, “Isn’t this heat unusual for November?” His brow and the armpits of his shirt added proof to his question.

“I know, David, I know.” She had the air conditioner turned up to full, yet the house was uncomfortably warm. Lisa said, “This is just Iowa weather. You know we’ve had snow earlier than expected too.

  Life went on. The acquisition of air conditioners spread to populations in dire need of life-saving cool air to defeat the killing temperatures. There, air conditioners were not considered a luxury but a lifesaver. At the same time enormous amounts of heat, the product of air conditioners, were released into the extreme heat outside their homes every day.