A.B. Shepherd's Blog, page 2

Ancient Aliens??? Origins by Mark Henrikson #amreading #aliens

You all know that I am a big fan of the History Channel series Ancient Aliens, right? I don't believe it all, but I find it fun and interesting. So when you read the blurb for this book below, you will see why I had to read it. It hits upon everything the show is about in a fictionalized fashion. How fun is that?

This is book one of a series which focuses on a man named Hastelloy who claims to be 10,000 years old and from another solar system. Much of the book is Hastelloy telling his story to a psychiatrist, but there are also a few other points of view, namely Mark who is an NSA operative trying to thwart a space probe, and Professor Russell who has discovered a secret hidden chamber under the Sphinx in Egypt.

Hastelloy and his team have crash landed on Earth 5000 years ago during a battle with another alien species, the Alpha. The Alpha have also crash landed on Earth. They just happen to land in Egypt during the building of the Great Pyramid.

This story had a lot of potential. The author tied in the biblical story of Moses as well as intrigue in modern times to lead us on a merry chase that only as the book ended did we begin to understand how it all tied together. Clever that.

Will I read the next book in the series? I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but it spent more time in the past than I would have liked. I was more intrigued by the "now" part of the story. From what little I've read about the other books in the series, it appears they follow the same formula and will lead us through some key periods in history. That's not quite what I was hoping for, so I probably won't, but if you are a huge history fan I think this would be right up your alley.

Slight pet peeve too. This author doesn't seem to know the difference between "clinched" and "clenched". If one more person in this book "clinched" their fists I think I might have killed him.

But that is a very minor issue and doesn't have any impact on the fascinating story this author has told.

Another minor pet peeve is that the aliens in ancient history seemed to speak very modern using lots of common slang phrases. But ignore that and just enjoy the story.

Want to check it out for yourself? Click here to find it on Amazon.

Do you think aliens visited our planet in the past? Do you think there are secret chambers in the Sphinx or the Pyramids that we haven't found yet? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or email them to me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com.


Book Blurb:
A group of archaeologists make new discoveries about Egypt's past. Recorded history of the Great Pyramid, Sphinx, even Moses and the slave exodus to the Promised Land are drawn into question as they unravel the mysteries they find. A man in a psychiatric hospital may be the key to it all. the patient believes he is of another world and locked in a high stakes conflict with the mysterious species Alpha that has spanned the course of human history since ancient Egypt. Is he crazy, or is it crazy to ignore him?

About the author:
Mark HenriksonMark Henrikson grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis Missouri and attended the University of Missouri, Columbia where he earned a bachelors degree in Finance and Economics in 1998. He later earned his Masters of Business Administration from Lindenwood University.

Mark's love of story telling began at a young age while listening to imaginative, and often times scary, bedtime stories by his father. His respect for the written word was reinforced by the attentive eye of his mother who taught English for many years at St. Charles High School.

Mark has been happily married since 2000 and is the proud father of two children. He works as a financial analyst and uses his fiction writing as a creative outlet from the rather sterile profession he none the less enjoys.

His Origins novel series began as a two page plot write-up his older brother decided was not going anywhere. With his permission, Mark used that synopsis as back story for the main character in the Origins series and allowed his creativity to take over from there.

My Henry - Apocalyptic Flash Fiction by A.B. Shepherd #amwriting #flashfiction

It started nine days ago. Everything just stopped working. All technology, everything that required eletricity. Even the cars.


Rumor has it terrorists hacked into the electrical grid and blew up the communication satellites, but I still see satellites among the stars at night. Another rumor says it was a solar superstorm, but I didn't see any aurora. Some say it was a series of EMP bombs, but I never heard any explosions. The rumors are endless, but the result is the same.

We have lost everything we need to live. The grocery stores were looted clean by the second day. Water pumps don't work, so we have no fresh drinking water except what is held in our rain water tank. We can't flush toilets or shower. Can't afford to waste what little water we have on such mundane things. Our perishable food stores are rotting in the fridges and freezers.

I've heard there are people who prepared for this end of the world thing. Preppers, they call them. I've never met anyone who admitted such a thing though.

Folks with guns have taken to looting houses too. Robbing decent, hardworking people of their canned goods, batteries, and any thing else they think would be useful. Shooting their own neighbors if they won't hand over the stuff willingly.

A farmer who lives outside of town drove down the street in front of my house on his old tractor a week ago. I watched from my porch as Jan from next door chased after him holding her toddler up toward the driver, begging him to take the child with him to his farm. He ignored her and pressed a bit harder on the gas pedal. She continued after him, following until she was out of sight. I never saw her return.

I felt her pain roll down my cheek. The pain of a mother willing to give up her only son in hopes that he would live.

The looters had hit our street the day before and she had nothing left to feed him, and neither did I. My Henry and I would have shared what little food we had left with her and that boy, but those thieves got to it first.

Henry stood up to them. He told them to get lost, get out of our house and take their guns with them. I trembled with fear as I stood beside him, so proud of him for defending our home. They shot him in the head.

I fell to the floor next to him, screaming, "Henry! Oh my god, Henry!"

I couldn't do anything, he was gone. I hunched over his body as if to protect him from further harm, sobbing, as those thugs stole every last drop of life sustaining substances from our home. They only thing they left was the water in the tank.

Sometime later, I don't know how much time had gone by, I drew a bucket of water from the rain water tank, and found a soft cloth in the linen closet.  I washed away the blood from Henry's face and body and I scrubbed the floor and walls. I had to refill the bucket three times to get it all.

Then I changed Henry into fresh clothing, and dragged him to his favorite reclining chair. I pulled and pushed, straining for at least an hour until my muscles quaked with fatigue and my body dripped with sweat. I was much stronger then, when I'd had something to eat everyday.

Finally, he was seated in it, and I plonked his fishing hat on his head to hide the bullet hole, and pulled the lever to put the foot rest up. Now he looked like he'd comfortably dropped off to sleep watching football.

I covered him with the quilt his mother had made for our wedding present all those years ago. Didn't want him to get cold.

And we've spent most days together ever since. I talk to Henry every day, just as I have for the last forty years. He's a bit quieter than he used to be, god love him.

 And every once in awhile I feel the need for a little fresh air. That's when I sit on the porch and watch the chaos as the world ends.

After I've had enough I return to Henry to tell him all I've seen and read to him from one of the many books on our bookshelves until the sun fades and I can no longer see the print.

We sit together in the dark each night and each day I grow weaker from lack of nutrition
.

And I wait to die.

John Carter! A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs #MondayBlogs #amreading #JohnCarter

Sometimes I think I must be living under a rock, you know?

I wanted to read some classic sci-fi and some of the old classics have been remastered into inexpensive ebooks, so I picked up The Princess of Mars, published in 1912 - that's right, over 100 years ago -  by the acclaimed author of Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs.

It's all about a man named John Carter, who is a gold miner shortly after the US Civil War and is somehow transported to Mars where he meets all manner of Martian people and animals, and ends up involved in their wars, winning the hand of a Princess, and living there for ten years.

As I neared the end of the book, I thought to myself, "You know, there was a movie out a couple of years ago called John Carter. I never saw it, but I wonder if it is in anyway related to this book?"

So I finished the book and did a little googling, and guess what?

Oh. You already knew that. Well darn. Here I thought I was going to get to be the one to tell you that the movie called John Carter is based on this book. *sigh*

So if you happened to see the movie John Carter, you will know exactly what this book is all about. I have to say, for a book written so long ago Mr. Burroughs had a fabulous imagination, and in spite of what we now know of the terrain of Mars, there's no proof that what he wrote couldn't have been true a one point in time. I now want to see the movie just so I can see what they did with the fantastic world and creatures Mr. Burroughs brought to life.

It's a rather formulaic story, and fairly violent, but I did enjoy it and I am curious to read further books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. How about you?

If you'd like to pick up A Princess of Mars for yourself, here is the link to it on Amazon.

Did you see the movie John Carter? What is your favorite classic sci-fi story? Tell me about it in the comments or share your thoughts with me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com.





Book Blurb:
Do you love tales of inter-species romance? Want fantasy, science fiction and adventure all rolled into one? A Princess of Mars is a space western with heart and is a classic example of early 20th century pulp fiction.
Follow John Carter as he mysteriously is transported to Mars and earns the respect and love of the planet's strange inhabitants.


About the author:
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.

Mother Nature's Art - The Crystal Cave of Naica #crystalcave #wondersoftheworld

Photo Courtesy of WikiipediaI'm always looking for inspiration for my stories, whether it is settings, or plot twists, or key elements. I recently stumbled upon something I didn't know existed and it is AMAZING. Mother Nature is arguably the best artist that ever existed.

She created the Cueva de los Cristales, aka the amazing Giant Crystal Cave, 980 feet below the surface in Naica, Mexico.

Usually you think of caves as being cold places. Not this one. It's hot, with temperatures reaching up to 136 degrees fahrenheit (58 degrees celcius), and humidity of 90% to 99%.

Photo Courtesy of National Geographic Channel

Photo Courtesy of Daily MailGiant Crystal Cave was discovered in 2000 by miners excavating a new tunnel. This cave is reminiscent of Superman's Fortress of Solitude - only it is not fictional.

How amazing is this??? It would make a great setting for a story, don't you think?

What is the coolest natural creation you've ever discovered?

Please tell me about it in the comments, or share your thoughts with me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com.

Want to know the science behind the formation of the cave? Why not let Hank Green tell you all about it in this short 4 minute video.

A must read? Red Rising by Pierce Brown #amreading #Mondayblogs

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, BUZZFEED, AND SHELF AWARENESS

This book was mentioned on a message board I frequent. The commenters were very excited because it's sequel, Golden Son, had just been released and were praising Red Rising to high heaven. So I took the bait having to know what all the fuss was about, and after reading it's intriguing blurb I bought my own copy. Guess I like it when the protagonist finds out his/her entire life has been a lie. Hehe.

I had a hard time getting into it at first. I kept wondering what all the fuss was about. It was tedious reading, so many heirarchies and odd names and terms in the world-building Brown does makes it a hard slog. Until you get used to it.

Some people are calling this a YA book - I wouldn't. Just because the protagonist is only 16 doesn't make it a YA book - besides he doesn't act like any 16 year old I ever knew.

Darrow is a 16 year old low Red - the lowest in the colorful caste system. He's also a hard working Hell Diver and has been working in the mines, surviving deadly pit viper bites, and living underground Mars his entire life. He's also a married man. They marry young down there. Darrow is content with his world, working hard for his family and the benefit of mankind's future. His only desire is to earn the coveted production award so his family can reap the reward of more food and other luxury items. He mines helium-3 to be used in terraforming Mars for future generations. He has no idea that he is actually a slave.

His wife, Eo, yearns for more than the life of a Red and wants more for her people than to be slaves for the higher colors - the elite. She longs to be free and she shows Darrow there is more to their world than he is aware of. Her gift of that knowledge causes problems for them both and ultimately gets her killed, leading Darrow on a journey he didn't want and isn't ready for.

He has to become a Gold, one of the ruling class, and beat them at their own game.

These books have been referred to as having shades of The Hunger Games, Ender's Game and Game of Thrones. I'd add in a little Lord of the Flies for good measure.

Darrow ends up at the Institute - a school for the only the best and brightest children of the ruling Gold class intended to turn them into the leaders of the future.

In actuality it ends up more of a kill or be killed game. On the second day of school he has to kill another student in order to advance to the game that is intended to make the strong stronger and the weak dead or turned into slaves. Friendships and alliances sometimes leave Darrow forgetting why he is there, but the treachery of the Praetors (the teachers) always manages to remind him. Lots of graphic violence ensues as Darrow eventually turns their game on its head.

As hard as it was to get into, I did really end up enjoying this book and as I finished it I really wanted to know what happens next for Darrow. The more I think about it, however, I find there were inconsistencies in the ending that leave me hesitating. I'm currently undecided on whether or not I want to read Golden Son.

Many have called Red Rising a must read. I'm not sure I'd go quite that far, but I did enjoy it and still find myself thinking about it.

Want to check out Red Rising for yourself? Click here to find it on Amazon.

What is your Must Read dystopian novel? Please tell me in the comments or share your thoughts with me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com.

Book Blurb:
The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

About the author:
Pierce BrownPierce Brown's first novel, RED RISING (Del Rey Books), debuts January 28, 2014. It is the first installment in The Red Rising Trilogy.

Pierce Brown spent his childhood building forts and setting traps for his cousins in the woods of six states and the deserts of two. Graduating college in 2010, he fancied the idea of continuing his studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a magical bone in his body. So while trying to make it as a writer, he worked as a manager of social media at a startup tech company, toiled as a peon on the Disney lot at ABC Studios, did his time as an NBC page, and gave sleep deprivation a new meaning during his stint as an aide on a U.S. Senate Campaign.

Now he lives in Los Angeles, where he scribbles tales of spaceships, wizards, ghouls, and most things old or bizarre.

Note to the reader: Always feel free to contact him via his website, twitter, or facebook. He likes people. Except if you're a trollish person. Then he merely puts up with you for the sake of manners and propriety.


website http://www.pierce-brown.com/
twitter username Pierce_Brown

My dream worlds collide by A.B. Shepherd #dreaming #felting #aliens

Do you ever remember your dreams? I often do when I first wake up and I must say, for the most part I really love my subconscious imagination. I rarely have nightmares or bad dreams. Most of the time my dreams are like watching a movie. Usually though, my dreams fade quickly and I can't recall them for long, but when I have one I find interesting I try to jot down key details before I lose it completely.


Where am I going with this? Good question. Please read on.
A couple of days ago I woke up laughing at my dream. This dream had no me at all - the lead "character" for want of a better term, was a business man.

There are a couple of things you all know that I love - aliens and crafting, right? Well this time they collided in my dream.

How, might you ask? Well here you go.

The business man had no name, but for ease of description we will call him John.

John started out his day, as usual. He got up in his spartan one room apartment.The amount of light  emanating from his small frosted window indicated it was time for work, so he dressed in his shirt and tie and took the elevator four floors down to the office he shared with seven others, mostly women.

It looked like a typical office, painted white with old fashioned brown metal desks. The desks were formed into two rows, four in each row. Each desk was equipped with a computer, phone, pens, paper, and other typical office supplies. There were no windows in this room.

John sat at his desk, typing away on his keyboard for some time before one of his coworkers reminded him that it was break time and he should grab a bite to eat. Thankful for the reminder John left the office and crossed the corridor to a kitchenette area where he prepared a snack. While standing there munching away another coworker approached him from further down the hallway, and reminded him today was their routine physical examination day and he was up next.

John said, "Oh yeah. Thanks." He nervously swallowed the rest of his snack, brushed the crumbs and a quickly formed nervous dampness from his hands to his trousers and gave his shirt an extra tuck into his waistband. He ran his hand through his hair, straightened his tie, and walked to the exam room with the snack in his stomach rumbling in his anxiety. This was a routine exam, but it still made him nervous.

He entered the exam room and sat on the backless bench in the center, glancing around the room. It was more like an eye doctor's exam room than a typical doctor's office exam room. Blindingly white, with machines at about head height on movable frames. One wall had a frosted sliding window into another room that was partially open - maybe about six inches.

The second room was occupied by an automated technician, who remotely operated the machines. One of the machines was manipulated to examine John's ears. It pulled a small white fuzzy object from John's head behind his left ear. An object John had no idea had been there. The technician began behaving oddly, muttering to itself about having made a mistake and hurriedly trying to rectify it by putting the object back, which it did, then hurrying John out of the room, concluding the examination.

John left the room a bit confused and headed to a nearby lavatory where he tried to reason out just what had happened during the exam. What was the object that had been removed and replaced? The object's removal must have damaged it because soon John began to remember things he'd been programmed to forget.

Things like the fact that he was a captive. A slave. Working for aliens that he'd never even seen. As he stood in the restroom, grappling with these memories he began to form a plan. A plan to overthrow the aliens and set himself and his coworkers free.

He brainstormed for several minutes and determined that what he needed to put his plan into action involved... FELTING ? Taking fleece from sheep (or other hairy animal) and using soap, water, and rubbing to form large pieces of fabric. His first order of business was to obtain a book on felting from the library in the building to determine exactly how to go about felting.

And this is where I woke up. I never got to the part about how he was going to use the felted fabric. *sigh* I really wanted to know.


Do you remember your dreams? Tell me about it in the comments or share your thoughts with me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com.

A female world! Khe by Alexes Razevich #amreading #Mondayblogs

Khe is probably more in the fantasy realm than the science fiction realm, although it is listed as both. It is also listed as dystopian, which in my opinion it really isn't. It's not specifically a Young Adult novel, but there is nothing objectionable in it.

Khe is the title character, a doumana (female), part of a humanoid race in another world. This race isn't like the humans of Earth. They lay eggs, have red skin, no hair at all on their bodies, their emotions show on their necks, and they have a back toe. 

In their world the doumanas and males live separately and come together only for Resonance (mating) once a year. Most females either live in the city or in farming communities, but there are also travelling villages that move around selling and trading goods.  This book is set entirely in the female part of this world.

This is a fantasy world unlike anything I've ever seen or imagined. The author has made up words for many of the things that are part of this world, and it takes a little getting used to but it isn't hard. Initially I was a little annoyed with being told the colors showing on everyone's necks, but got past that fairly quickly.

The world is intriguing and Khe and the other females in this book are strong characters. She discovers that she can accelerate crop growth on her farm (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb), but doing so is sapping her life energy leading to a much shorter life span than she would normally have and the overseer of her farm doesn't care as long as the production is good. It's killing her - so she runs. 

Is this the best fantasy/sci-fi I've ever read? Probably not, but I'd give it four stars. It is enjoyable and quite a unique story. I really liked stepping into this world for a brief time.

If you want to check out Khe for yourself just click here to find it on Amazon. 
 
What is your favorite fantasy world? Would you want to live there? Please tell me in the comments or email me at TheRealABShepherd@hotmail.com with your thoughts. 


Book blurb:
A distant world. A trust betrayed. A transformation that changes everything.

When Khe realizes her ability to accelerate crop growth is a death sentence, she makes the wrenching decision to escape her farming commune—the only home she’s known. Fleeing across the wilderness, she makes her way to the city of Chimbalay—in search of the orindles who can save her life. But Chimbalay has its own dangers. The Powers are there—the secret rulers who have chosen Khe to be the mother of a monstrous new race.


Alexes RazevichAbout the author:
Alexes Razevich was born in New York and grew up in Orange County, California. She attended California State University San Francisco where she earned a degree in Creative Writing. After a successful career on the fringe of the electronics industry, including stints as Director of Marketing for a major trade show management company and as an editor for Electronic Engineering Times, she returned to her first love--fiction. She lives in Southern California with her husband. When she isn't writing, she enjoys playing hockey and travel.

She would love to have you join her on Twitter https://twitter.com/lxsraz
and get to know you on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AlexesRazevi... 

Not feeling it - South of Darkness by John Marsden #amreading #MondayBlogs

In May of 2011, long before I was writing book reviews, I discovered John Marsden. He is the award winning and brilliant Australian author of The Tomorrow Series and The Ellie Chronicles. The Tomorrow Series starts with Tomorrow, When the War Began, which was made into a movie a few years ago.

This series is set in modern day and revolves around six teenagers who are camping in the bush when Australia is attacked and overrun by an unidentified enemy. The teenagers return to town to find all of their families and everyone they know has been rounded up in a concentration camp. They must not only survive on their own, but they also do their best to fight the enemy as best they can.

It is a fantastic Young Adult series and I can't say enough great things about it.

South of Darkness is Marsden's first foray into writing a book for adults, or so I've read. It is the historical story of young Barnaby Fletch, an orphan growing up on the mean streets of London in the late 1700s, and later transported to Australia as a convict.


The story is told from a first person perspective. With Barnaby as the narrator we only read his name a handfull of times throughout the book. It was very easy to forget it.

The book is written in a very Dickensian type prose, which I guess is to be expected due to the historical time period and the first person narration, but I really didn't enjoy that, and all I could think while reading it was this is sort of a poor man's Oliver Twist.

I was never able to emotionally connect with Barnaby. In spite of the numerous perils that threatened his life I never feared for him and I'm not sure why. Was it because I suspected he'd come out right because he was the narrator? Was it because I've just read too many books set in this horrible time period and am immune to the depravations he suffered? Was it because Barnaby was quite a religious young man and was frequently referencing the Bible? Was Marsden just trying to hard?

I do know that there are quite a few others who don't feel the same way I do, and actually loved this book.

Marsden put a ton of work into making this book historically accurate, and I think he succeeded quite well, at least in that regard. But Barnaby Fletch is no Ellie Linton and I really didn't care whether he lived or died. 

If you'd like to check out South of Darkness for yourself you can find it on Amazon by clicking here.

Or if you'd like to read a really GREAT book and want to check out Tomorrow, When the War Began you can find IT on Amazon by clicking here.

Have any of your favorite authors disappointed you? Please tell me about it in the comments.

Book blurb:
Thirteen-year-old Barnaby Fletch is a bag-and-bones orphan in London in the late 1700s.

Barnaby lives on his wits and ill-gotten gains, on streets seething with the press of the throng and shadowed by sinister figures. Life is a precarious business.

When he hears of a paradise on the other side of the world – a place called Botany Bay – he decides to commit a crime and get himself transported to a new life, a better life.

To succeed, he must survive the trials of Newgate Prison, the stinking hull of a prison ship and the unknown terrors of a journey across the world.

And Botany Bay is far from the paradise Barnaby has imagined. When his past and present suddenly collide, he is soon fleeing for his life – once again.

About the author:
John MarsdenHis first book, So Much To Tell You, was published in 1987. This was followed by Take My Word For It, a half-sequel written from the point of view of another character. His landmark Tomorrow series is recognized as the most popular book series for young adults ever written in Australia. The first book of this series, Tomorrow When The War Began, has been reprinted 26 times in Australia. The first sequel of a new series of books featuring Ellie Linton from the Tomorrow series (The Ellie Chronicles) was published in 2003, with the second novel and third novels released in November 2005 and November 2006 respectively.

A whirl and a twirl #spindling

Finished single ply yarnMost of you know that in addition to writing, and reading, I like to do a little crafting from time to time.

I know I've been working on it for a long time because I first showed it to you in December in my I Haven't Forgotten You post, however, I am pleased to report that I just finished spinning my fourth top on my drop spindle.


Unlike the previous attempts I showed you in that earlier post, this is the first one I've managed to spin that is on the thin side, like normal yarn. The thicker yarns are considered to be art yarns. I am very pleased with how this has turned out.


I haven't plied it yet - still trying to decide whether I want to ply it on itself, or with something else. I think I'd like to ply it with something that is close to the bluish color in it - but you have to look close to see it - and maybe something shiny.


Filling up my drop spindleWhat do you think? What would you ply it with?





Braided wool topsIn the meantime I have just begun playing with my new Turkish Drop Spindle that Santa brought me for Christmas. I must have been a very good girl. Teeheehee.

Turkish Drop Spindle
Do you do any crafting? What are your hobbies? Got a blog of your own? Please tell me in the comments. Feel free to post the link to your blog - NO sales or spam links please.

Bonus points for pictures of your hobbies or suggestions for plying.

Flash Fiction: Mother Serpent by A.B. Shepherd #MondayBlogs #FlashFiction

This story was inspired by my friend Brian Long. I don't think it is quite what you were hoping for, but thank you Brian. 

The Land is my mother, my mother is the land...Aboriginal Proverb

She goes by many names and by no name at all. Each tribe call her something different, but in every tribal language the word translates to Mother. She is very old. No one can remember a time when she wasn't old. She is honored for her wisdom, yet no one is aware of just who she really is.

From time to time she travels. She wanders from tribe to tribe and speaks to each in their own language. Each tribe believes she is theirs. Their own tribal elder. The oldest member of their tribe. They have no doubt. And each tribe is correct.

For she is that and more. She is Mother and she is Rainbow Serpent. She has taken human form to enable her to live amongst her own chosen people.

She created the land, the water, the mountains, the plants and animals. She is the architect of all and older than time itself.

Mother has been seen the signs for years now. The signs that the time has come again.

"It is time for the ceremony. Gather all to the sacred circle."

They run off in all directions. She tips her head to the sky, closing her eyes and enjoying the wind caressing her face. Soon all this will change.

They come to her, young, old and in between. Surrounding her. She rests in the center of the sacred circle. Once all are in place she lifts her hands to the heavens and the ceremony begins. The didgeridoo sounds deep and reverberates through her chest. It is joined by the voices of her people in song. She feels the power surging through her body, tingling from her toes to her fingertips.

The sacred song nears its crescendo and Mother rises to her feet. The wind begins to whip, gusts rising. As the song trails away with the tempest, she signals the tribe to take cover in the prepared cave and seal the entrance. They run for cover, struggling against the galeforce blowing against them.

It pains her, this ceremony. She's done it before and likely will do it again. And again. Until man gets it right. She thinks of the lost civilizations on other continents. The Incas and Mayans. The Atlantians. The Romans. Those from Pompei.

So many times she's had to repeat this cycle. Tears streak down her lined and weathered face as the thunder and lightning crash around her. She lifts her ancient hands higher, bringing more power to the storms. The oceans rise and the ground shakes. Mountains fall, volcanoes erupt. She stands taller, stronger. Her role is no easy one. It takes great strength of will.

Her compassion brings sorrow, and her tears form rivers. The storms, quakes and tsunamis destroy cities, homes, and people all around the world. There will be survivors. Enough to start anew. Yet most will die.

Her heart throbs with the pain of it, yet it must be done. Each time Serpent Mother destroys the world she hopes this time will be different. This time greed, power struggles, war and polution won't win. This time the people of Earth will learn to live together, in peace, in love.

The Earth is battered for days and she is poised in the middle of it all. Finally, when most of the world has been destroyed she lowers her aching arms and her worn shoulders slump. Her head drops forward on her neck, and her wet eyes dry. She is spent and her heart feels as torn and battered as the Earth on which she stands. Again.

She falls to the ground, on her knees. She whispers her apologies to the Earth, to the survivors even though they can't hear. Mother sheds her human skin, reverting to her snake-like serpent form.

Soon she will slither away into the bush, and the survivors will start anew.

And she hopes...this time...this time will be different.

Do you like this story? Hate it? Think it is just meh? Leave a comment and tell me what you think. Your feedback means a lot to me.

*This story is intended as a respectful homage to the Aboriginal People of Australia. Research was done, but this story is a product of my own imagination based on my (scant) knowledge of Aboriginal culture. It is not intended to portray an accurate depiction of any Aboriginal culture or mythology. No offense is intended. If any is given, please forgive the unintentional ignorance of this writer.