G.G. Atcheson's Blog, page 2
April 22, 2014
Chapter 1 (revised)
Warning: This may be a bit long. WC-5590
Mesmerized by its beauty, I found myself staring at the sky with its only sun. It was setting down low on the horizon, making everything look orange and red with a hint of blue and purple. The shiny surface of the lake reflected the firmament like a giant mirror with the yellow star caught in the middle. No matter how many times I had seen this in the past, I still could not pull my eyes away from it. Earth is a beautiful planet, small but also attractive.
Intrigued by her primary life form, my people have sent navigators like me to study her. The numerous wars observed over those centuries have shown us a hot-tempered civilization. Yet, blending with the natives was the least of my worries. Physically, our two races are incredibly similar, and while classified as undersized by Xhartan standard, my shorter stature always served me better here considering there are very few seven-foot tall humans. Aside from our heights, we are similar in many ways. Both species have hearts although mine is on the right side. In fact, a faster way to describe our anatomy might be this way: If you look at yourself in the mirror, we are the reflection.
Ok well, enough with the rambling, sitting here watching the sun will get me nowhere. I need to find out where exactly on Earth I am.
I exited the ship and concealed it. It would necessitate repairs. My people would not come and get me. I was on my own. At least, I was still alive—for now. I figured I had about a month or so to fix my ship and leave. Any further delay and I would starve to death. As much as our two races look alike, we are still different. For some reasons, my body cannot tolerate any of the food consumed by earthlings. It is poisonous to me, and can even be deadly. Water, I can drink, and it is a good thing since I can survive for a while on that substance alone.
A few observations sufficed to reassure me that I would not have to deal with extreme temperatures. Call me fussy if you wish, but I do not have any love for the frozen water you call snow. Although its magnificence is undeniable, I prefer rain; it does not accumulate as easily on the ground.
Still, I wished this constant drizzle, which started soon after dusk, would stop. The darkness brought cold, and it made my teeth chatter. On my planet, night never occurs. For us, it does not exist. Our three suns keep it in constant daylight. Even if my body would soon become accustomed to this new climate, I needed something to cover me up. On my last visit here, most men wore pants called jeans. We also wear those garments on Xhartan, although in different material.
With my eyes closed, I invoked Earth and softly spoke a few words. Stagnant fog formed atop the ground. It thickened and boiled at the point of becoming almost viscous, then as quickly as it had appeared, it faded away leaving a pile of fresh clothes in its stead. Dressed in black jeans and dark blue tee shirt, with a light jacket and some sneakers, I was set.
Now, I needed to find out on what side of the planet I had crashed. A clear view of the stars could give me a good idea, but the few clouds that hung at sunset had somehow multiplied and thickened. Regardless, the area was not safe; I would have to abandon my ship for a few days and come back later for the repairs. I hoped to be able to fix it for the sake of my children. Both are so young—seven and two Earth years respectively—and my son is not even born yet. I owed them the chance to know their father. Mine disappeared in space during a mission—kind of like me, I guess—so my mother raised me by herself. She never got another union, because she knew he lived. The ring we exchange for our vows also serves as a link between the united couple. As long as we are alive and we wear it, we always feel each other's heart in the background of our own. She waited over two hundred years for his return. One day she told me she could not live in this world anymore. That is how I knew he had died. She passed away shortly after.
I ought to put those thoughts aside and concentrate on what I must do, but I am tired and—even if I do not fancy the idea of admitting it—a bit shaken. My training taught me that fear is my enemy so I must keep it in check. Giving in to it could mean my demise. I will find a way out of this mess. I always do.
The scent of a vast salted water reservoir coming from the west drifted my way. The awareness of an ocean lying within two hundred miles did not help. Since water covered 70% of the planet, I still could be anywhere. With that in mind, I focused on closer ground and inhaled deeply. A concentrated mix of fire, gasoline, blood, human perspiration, and other things associated with earthlings emanated from a closer location, maybe ten miles or so.
Good. No one was near when I crashed.
Even with a cloaked vessel, I could not have done anything about the noise made by broken trees and the collision itself.
So let me see what else I have here.
Each droplet of rain brought me new, distinct scents. Used in conjunction with my hearing and sight, it told me the exact location of a bird nest sheltering two babies, twenty feet up the tree to my right. A rabbit stood behind me. I could feel it without even seeing it. It smelled of fear. To calm it down, I sent it mental waves of reassurance that I would not cause it any harm. It came hopping and lifted itself on its hind legs. After I squatted down and scratched its belly, I told it to go with its friends standing a few yards away. It bounced off in the forest with the others. While interesting, none of this provided me any help. However, a light sulfurous odor hung in the air, and that gave me an idea. A small electric storm would serve my purpose.
With all the rain that had fallen on the land, to see a thunderstorm pop up would seem natural. The elements were already in place; all it needed was some guidance. I focused on a dead tree that stood taller than the others and seconds later, a massive bolt of lightning split it in half. My ability to shut down my senses protected me from the deafening sound, but I felt the ground shake with the instant thundering.
Now earthlings will have something to explain the latest occurrences in this part of the woods.
It was time for me to leave.
My first objective was to find out if communication would cause a problem all the while avoiding direct contact with the inhabitants so close to the crash site. The odds that the natives spoke a dialect I understood were in my favor since I studied eight of their languages. To know for sure, I had to find civilization, so I walked in the general direction of the stench.
Only thin undergrowth covered the forest floor and few dead branches encumbered the paths. This led me to speculate that humans were taking care of the area, which meant I might have landed in some national park or a reserve. Since many earthlings loved to hunt, which I never understood, any human encountered could carry guns.
"Great!" I muttered.
My pace was fast and steady. Sure, I could go faster, but if anyone was watching, it could mean trouble. It had been many years since my last visit and Earth was changing quickly. The first time I had come, back in your mid-18th century, people had no commodities at all. The slow interaction between cities had made my research easy. No one questioned my vocabulary deficiency, or any differences in my behavior, as long as I did not stick out of the ordinary. Already on my second visit, things had changed. More people used horses and carts, and they had invented a new transportation on rails. An old fashion machine using Morse code enabled a form of communications over long distances. However, that is also when I discovered that earthlings often resorted to violence. More than once, I had seen them kill each other over gold metal, and even rape women left unprotected. I had watched without interfering; our Navigator policy forbids us to take action.
A hundred years later, people still fought over women, land, and some thin paper used in trades, but they had improved transportation in the form of motorized vehicles such as cars and planes along with an upgraded communication system, electricity, and so forth. Up until then I had remained unimpressed with their slow evolution, but the last century had revolutionized their world. I had been proud of them after learning they had made small progress in space and stepped on their moon. Now, this had occurred some forty years ago, and many things could have changed, even in such a short time period.
Here I am, driveling again. I need to concentrate before I do something stupid.
My targets sat two hundred feet away. The darkness and the noise they made provided good cover even in this close proximity. A quick look showed me five men dressed in clothing reminiscent of leaves sitting around a campfire. Behind them, a dead animal hung from a tree. It explained the overwhelming coppery smell I had been breathing as I was closing in.
Ignoring this specific odor, I inhaled deeply and discovered two more humans in the portable dwellings: younglings. The savage love for killing disgusted me, but now to learn that they had no minimum age requirement was beyond my understanding.
Something triggered my sixth sense. My ears perked up, and my nostrils flared while my eyes scanned the area. The combination of aromas caused by the recent rain made me feel dizzy. It was time to try to classify each odor and maybe decipher the cause of my discomfort.
Wet earth, the first one and the strongest, was easy. Water precipitation forces spores from bacteria to spread in the air causing what you call the Earth smell. The rain had soaked everything in water: Check.
Minerals: you can find them in many things, but most likely, they came from the weapons the hunters were using. Check.
Rot: decomposing leaves covered the area. Check.
Cooked flesh, wheat and the sweet smell of sugar: the men had fed and drunk. Check. (Actually, they were still drinking that alcoholic beverage they call beer.)
Human perspiration, urine, and excrement: they must have been camping here for weeks. Check.
The smell of scared animals was understandable with all these hunters around, but the last one made me shiver. What could smell like that? Decay, but not your regular one you would get from a dead animal, something older, much older.
"Hey!"
I startled and looked around me. "Khara iz," I said before I realized I understood the language: English. Ok, my cover is blown, but at least I will be able to communicate. Squatting beside me was a woman in her lower twenties, crimson red hair, dark eyes, and light complexion. Why have I not heard or smelled her coming?
"Hungry?" she asked.
"Huh? No, not really. Why?"
"You're checking the camp," she explained and motioned with her head toward the men.
"Hmm yes, I guess I was," I answered, feeling ashamed that she had caught me off guard. "Is that your camp?"
She laughed in a cute way, muffling the sound with the palm of her hand. "Nah, it's not, but since you say you're not hungry, I might just make it mine." She let out a throaty laugh. "You're not from around here are you?"
"No," I said, already wondering what had given me away so fast. Maybe she heard the two words that escaped my mouth when I saw her.
"I thought so. I know everyone who hunts in this area. I'd have remembered such a handsome face." She tilted her head, staring at me, waiting for something, a reply maybe? After an awkward moment of silence, she asked, "Where are you from?"
"Where?" I repeated stupidly. Even with my brain working overtime, ignoring my location made answering that question tricky.
"Well, you don't talk much, but you've got a slight accent and you don't belong in these woods."
I examined her. She was dressed exactly like me, with a pair of black jeans and a dark blue tee shirt under a jacket. I frowned and shrugged.
She sighed. "Ok, my name's Mellie and you are?"
"Alex," I replied. "It is nice to meet you."
Of course, this was not my real name, but Zhendar stuck out too much, so I had chosen another alias. If you are wondering how I had ended up with Alex, it is simple. My full name is Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, Lutnalind being my rank. If you allow me to explain, you will understand: L(utnalind) X(avelk), LX. With a little twist, it quickly became Alex.
"Well Alex, you don't wanna tell me where you're from and that's fine with me, but if you don't mind, I'm hungry and I get grumpy when I'm hungry, so…" she trailed off, leaving her sentence unfinished. Her attention shifted to the men around the camp. "I'll be back in five, wait here for me ok?"
She did not wait for my answer. Instead, she wandered away faster than any other humans I had ever encountered.
How can Earth change that much in so little time? Maybe sticking around to find out more will be a good idea after all. My Leaders will find the discovery of a mutation or perhaps a completely different strain of human beings interesting.
One of the younger humans lifted his head as if someone had called him out. He stood up, said he would be right back, and trudged away in the woods behind the tents. I could hear the others making jokes about a lizard, and the need to drain it. Apparently, it was funny because they all laughed in unison. Intrigued, I took a mental note of it so I could find out what they meant by that later.
As the man returned to his seat around the campfire with a beer he took out of a rectangular blue box, Mellie popped back next to me. Although it surprised me, I hid my stupefaction. Until I learned if people like her were common, I could not let her know I knew nothing about it.
"That was fast," I said looking around to see if anyone had followed her back to our hiding place.
"Oh, you know, people like us, we like to do things fast," she replied with a smile.
I smiled back, trying to look as if I knew what she meant.
"Are you sure you're not hungry? There's plenty more for you out there," she told me while pointing at the camp.
"Sure, thank you."
"But your tummy's grumbling," she said giving me a nudge in the ribs. "If you don't do som'thing 'bout that, it's gonna give us away." She chuckled.
"Huh? Tummy?" I frowned. I had not heard Tummy talk—whoever he might be.
"Your belly, stomach, err, that," she said and she poked a finger in my abdomen. "It's making weird sounds."
"Oh," was all I managed to say. Decidedly, I had to admit to myself, I was not talkative. Eventually, she would start wondering about me. Still, I could not help it. I did not know what to answer. As it was, it appeared to be fine because it did not slow her down.
"Ok. Since you seem to answer questions with either one word or with another question, I'll try a different approach," she told me and then she bombarded me with questions one after the other.
"Are you from this state?" she asked, pointing at the ground with her finger.
My eyes followed her gesture and I looked down, frowning.
"You are from another state then."
State? Hmm, can she mean the United States?
I titled my head slightly as I pondered about her question but she caught my movement.
"Ok, so you're not from the US. Are you visiting here?"
Finally, something I could answer. "I guess I could say that."
"Wow! You can talk," she said seriously, but then she giggled and I realized it was a joke. "Are you from the old country?"
I nodded, hoping she meant Europe. The continent had so many countries it should be safe.
"Ah! I always wanted to visit Europe. Maybe I could go and visit you there someday when you'll go back."
Nodding again, I mumbled, "If I ever go back." Of course, I had Xhartan in mind, but even though I had said that low, she still caught it.
"Oh? Not planning on going back?"
"Not that I would not want to, but I am afraid it may be impossible for me now," I replied. It was the truth after all.
She patted my shoulder. A gesture probably meant to comfort me. "You shouldn't feel that way Alex, now'days everything's possible. It's harder to travel only at night but we can still do it."
"I guess," I replied, not fully grasping her reasoning.
What does she mean by traveling only at night? Did earthlings discover a better energy only operational in the dark? If so, that could be interesting.
After one last look at the camp she said, "Ok, if you're not going to feed, we might as well leave them alone. It's no use to risk their discovering our presence." After a slight hesitation, she grabbed my hand and we both got up. "Ready to go?" she asked. "Follow me," she added and we started running. Although it felt strange, I had no problem following her. She did not move as fast as when she had come back to me after stealing her food but she still used a speed I did not know any earthling could achieve.
"Where are we going?"
"My place," she answered. "Want to go faster?"
"You can?"
"Sure! Let's go!"
We went so fast that no critters or people could possibly see us. Soon we arrived in a large clearing with an old dwelling from the 1800s. The door was missing. The windows had no glass, and the only shutter left was awkwardly hanging by a single hinge. Years of neglect had left holes in the roof here and there giving free access to the rain. Despite its horrible state, it had charms. It must have been a cozy place before people stopped taking care of it. Wild flowers grew all around it. Mellie must love daisies. They grew in an assortment of colors and sizes. Their sweet sharp aroma filled the air. An old cemetery occupied some space between the house and the forest. Four gravestones stood side by side. Some partial names and dates were still visible. The most preserved one said: In memory of our beloved daughter Melissa Johnson 1825-1847. Time had eroded the others rendering them illegible.
"Hey, Alex, come inside. There's not a lot of furniture left but we can sit on the floor. At least, it's dry."
I accepted her invitation. Although the room was pitch-dark, she did not have any difficulty going around.
"Watch your step here," she said thumping her foot heavily in front of a hole in the floor. "I'm sorry for the lack of light; I'm out of oil. I should have a few candles in the kitchen cabinets though."
"No thank you, I am comfortable in the dark if you are too," I said and that was the truth. Day or night never made any difference, and it always left me wondering. After all, there was no such thing as darkness on Xhartan. "You live here?" I asked trying to start a conversation.
"Yep, I know it's not much but it's the only home I've ever known."
Her tone showed worries, so I worded my answer carefully. "Well, home is where your heart is."
She seemingly liked it because she jumped up and surprised me with a big hug. Then, just as quickly, she sat down. After making a motion with her hand, she tapped on the floor beside her. Guessing more than fully grasping what she meant, I sat down where she had touched. She smiled at me and I took the opportunity to look at her more carefully. She was an attractive young woman with hair barely reaching her shoulders. Her smile was warm and inviting. Her skin looked soft but it was almost as white as her teeth, so white it glowed. I found that a bit eerie. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by inspecting her too closely, I changed my focal point and looked around the room. A fireplace stood in the middle of it.
"Is it in working condition? Would you like me to get some wood and start a fire?"
"I don’t know," she said. "I've never used it. You know, our kind don't do well with fire."
"Of course," I said not understanding what she meant by our kind. Maybe she means those who suffered from pyrophobia. "I can take a look at it and if there is no damage, I could start one, with your permission. I promise not to set your house on fire. Ok?"
"Sure, go ahead," she sighed.
After examining the fireplace, which looked fine, I climbed on the roof to check the chimney. A few empty nests needed removed but for the most part, it was in surprisingly good condition. Finding wood was not difficult, and I came back with a bundle of it. Less than five minutes later, I had a nice fire going. I hate to admit it felt awesome. The lack of sun, coupled with the dampness of my clothes had left me frozen.
"There, like promised, no one is burning." I smiled at her and motioned for her to come nearer, the same way she had done for me. "Do you want to sit by the fire with me?" I asked her. She looked haggard and ready to run like a wild animal so I added quickly, "It is ok. You do not have to. Do you mind if I stay near it to give my clothes a chance to dry?"
"Not at all," she said. "If you're not afraid of going up in flame, I won't stop you."
"Thank you," I replied.
We relaxed watching the fire without exchanging any more words. It is hard to tell how long we sat like that, not talking. I may have dozed off a little. Logs still burned in the fireplace but there were no more flames, just a red glow. She got up and cuddled herself next to me.
"That's a nice fire you made. I haven't seen one in that fireplace for so long. Thank you!" That said she pressed her cold lips on my cheek. I could barely imagine how she endured such weather without any source of heat.
"My pleasure," I answered. It truly had been. My clothes had finally dried and I did not shiver anymore. I slipped my arm around her shoulders. "Here, let me warm you a bit."
A log broke and fell in the hearth and sparks flew around it. She jumped. To calm her down, I rubbed her arm lightly. She sighed and laid her head on my shoulder.
"How long since you've been to your country?" she asked, breaking the silence.
It would be safe to associate the country with my planet. I had left Xhartan about six weeks ago so I answered, "About six weeks."
"Wow! You must be a youngling! Where's your sire?"
I froze, speechless. Me? Is she calling me a youngling? She has to mean something else. Granted she does not know I am over four hundred years old but still. I have been called many things in the past, but that, and coming from a twenty-year-old girl?
"Why do you say that?" I heard myself reply.
"Well, you say you can't go back home, so you had to be here when it happened. Besides, if six weeks ago you were still there, well? Hey! I may not be the brightest girl around but I can add you know."
Ok, something I said made sense to her, somehow. In all honesty, I cannot figure out why she has come up with that statement. How does she know something happened to me here and what does she think it is? Did she see me crash? There is no doubt in my mind no one was around to witness my arrival, unless… unless I did not hear or smell her. Maybe she is making fun of me, maybe—
"Hey Alex, it's ok! Don’t make faces. I didn't mean to insult you. There's nothing wrong with being a newbie. You'll learn fast trust me. It's easy. Besides, if your sire already left you, he probably thought you were ready, and if you're not, well I'm here now. I'll guide you; don't you worry," she explained while patting my leg.
I took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.
It has nothing to do with my crash; she meant I was a youngling in the country as in a newcomer. Yet she used that sire word again. Is she assuming I should be with my father? It does not make any sense.
As I considered the way she had put it a little longer, I believed I finally understood.
Oh! It must be some sort of guardian. Someone who invites you, introduces you to your new country, and vouches for you. We have people doing that on Xhartan for cities with special restrictions.
I felt somewhat comfortable answering her.
"Yes, my sire is gone. He had other things to do, other people to sire I suppose."
"Ha-ha, you're funny! He won't be doing that so soon after you. We have unwritten guidelines you know. He'd be severely punished. Just remember as a rule of thumb, you can only sire an individual every two to five years, unless there are special circumstances. If you're caught otherwise, they'll cut your head off."
Cut my head off? She has to be kidding, right?
On the course of my numerous travels, I had encountered planets with harsh laws, but the few countries I had visited on Earth had showed me a forgiving species. They usually put lawbreakers in a small cell for a specific amount of days or years but now they were executing someone for welcoming more than one person in their homeland. What about families?
Finally recovering my voice, I replied, "I do not intend to sire anyone. I would not know how to do it anyway."
"You don’t have to worry. I was just telling you. Since you've been turned less than six weeks ago, you might be tempted to bring a relative of yours over. D'you have a wife out there? Some kids?" she asked.
A knot formed in my throat at the thought of my children. Looking at my ring, which I wear on my pointer on my heart hand, I felt Saylia's heartbeat and sighed.
"Yes, I do. I have both, wife and kids, but all things considered, I do not wish to bring them over." I stared at her, wondering if I had imagined that cloud passing over her eyes, but I dismissed it. She was smiling.
"It's that bad huh? Are you happy to be rid of them or it's just that you can't cope with what you've become?
Will she ever run out of questions?
I did my best to ignore her until her last comment hit me.
Yeah, what have I become? A stupid Navigator stuck on a strange planet with maybe just a few weeks to live. Oh heck, I am too tired!
In spite of it all, I owed her at least an answer. She was a sweet girl who had welcomed me into her home, and I appreciated her kindness.
"If you must know, I love my wife and kids and I miss them too, but they are far better-off where they are…" My voice trailed off. Speaking of them brought a dull ache in my chest. Anticipating another question, I added quickly, "Hey, it is getting late. I need some rest, if you do not mind."
"Of course not! The sun will rise soon. You can rest in the house if you opt for dryness over safety. However, I prefer to warn you, there aren't many areas in there I'd trust."
"I am not worried about safety," I told her. Being a light sleeper, no one could surprise me; besides, I always cast a protective shield anyway. However, she looked genuinely worried. What could she mean by that? Was she expecting someone to come here? There was no one around but the hunters. Would they hurt her? "Where are you going to sleep Mellie?" I asked her, suddenly feeling uneasy leaving her alone.
Her facial expressions changed radically. The smile she had given me all night disappeared, wiped off completely. "Hey! That's not something you ask others. Ok? You'd better learn that before you piss someone off and regret it. Our resting place is ours, and ours to know only! Oh, and don't you think about killing yourself Alex. I know you're having a hard time and all, but give it time. It'll get better, I promise."
Somehow, something I said had upset her and made her mad. Why is she concluding that I want to commit suicide? Baffled, I decided to keep my mouth shut. Play it safe. To put an end to the conversation, I stood up and checked what was left of the fire. There were only a few ashes left. The house would not burn down, just as promised. It was time to leave before I angered her more. "Ok. I will go and find a safe place in the woods. I do not wish to impose myself any longer than I already have. Thank you for your hospitality. Much appreciated," I said, stretching my mouth in an effort to smile.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Alex. I should've understood you better. I shouldn't have yelled at you the way I did. Your sire should've taught you all that before he left you, the 'effing bastard!" She looked at me with wet eyes. "Tell me you're not mad and that you'll come back tonight to visit again, ok?"
Talk about unpredictable!
Even if her house was close to the crash site, I could avoid her easily. Yet, she fascinated me with her mysterious ways. What can happen if I see her again? I will only need to watch for those potential mood swings and do my best not to provoke her anger. All should be fine, right? Besides, if I want to learn more about her and her kind, I have no choice.
"No, I am not mad at you Mellie. You are right. I have a lot to learn yet, and I am anxious for you to teach me… if you will of course. So ok, tonight, we will see each other again. Where shall we meet?" I answered and I sounded like an old broken robot.
"Cool!" She beamed a smile at me. "So… my house about an hour after sunset?"
"Your house, an hour after sunset? Sure."
"It's a date!" she told me and after a brief pause she added, "Have a great resting time!" She jumped up putting her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. Taken by surprise, my first reaction was to catch her with my hands on her butt. Heat rose to my cheek. I stuttered some apologies, but she giggled. Putting her lips on mine, she kissed me with a loud popping sound before she jumped back on her feet and ran out of the house. Without a doubt, if I would say that I was astonished, it still would not be strong enough to describe how I felt. It took me a minute to gather my wits and that has to be a record for me. I usually react a lot faster.
Halfway to the door, I stopped. Sure, I had told her that I was going to leave, but the truth was, I had no idea where to go, and my eyelids felt like lead. This had been a long day. Crawling in a corner to crash for a few hours sounded like a good idea. Mellie was gone. She was not near the house; I could not sense her anymore. She had invited me to stay. Surely, she would not mind. After finding a suitable spot with a clear view of all the windows and doors, I sat with my back to the wall and closed my eyes. I fell asleep right away.
Mesmerized by its beauty, I found myself staring at the sky with its only sun. It was setting down low on the horizon, making everything look orange and red with a hint of blue and purple. The shiny surface of the lake reflected the firmament like a giant mirror with the yellow star caught in the middle. No matter how many times I had seen this in the past, I still could not pull my eyes away from it. Earth is a beautiful planet, small but also attractive.
Intrigued by her primary life form, my people have sent navigators like me to study her. The numerous wars observed over those centuries have shown us a hot-tempered civilization. Yet, blending with the natives was the least of my worries. Physically, our two races are incredibly similar, and while classified as undersized by Xhartan standard, my shorter stature always served me better here considering there are very few seven-foot tall humans. Aside from our heights, we are similar in many ways. Both species have hearts although mine is on the right side. In fact, a faster way to describe our anatomy might be this way: If you look at yourself in the mirror, we are the reflection.
Ok well, enough with the rambling, sitting here watching the sun will get me nowhere. I need to find out where exactly on Earth I am.
I exited the ship and concealed it. It would necessitate repairs. My people would not come and get me. I was on my own. At least, I was still alive—for now. I figured I had about a month or so to fix my ship and leave. Any further delay and I would starve to death. As much as our two races look alike, we are still different. For some reasons, my body cannot tolerate any of the food consumed by earthlings. It is poisonous to me, and can even be deadly. Water, I can drink, and it is a good thing since I can survive for a while on that substance alone.
A few observations sufficed to reassure me that I would not have to deal with extreme temperatures. Call me fussy if you wish, but I do not have any love for the frozen water you call snow. Although its magnificence is undeniable, I prefer rain; it does not accumulate as easily on the ground.
Still, I wished this constant drizzle, which started soon after dusk, would stop. The darkness brought cold, and it made my teeth chatter. On my planet, night never occurs. For us, it does not exist. Our three suns keep it in constant daylight. Even if my body would soon become accustomed to this new climate, I needed something to cover me up. On my last visit here, most men wore pants called jeans. We also wear those garments on Xhartan, although in different material.
With my eyes closed, I invoked Earth and softly spoke a few words. Stagnant fog formed atop the ground. It thickened and boiled at the point of becoming almost viscous, then as quickly as it had appeared, it faded away leaving a pile of fresh clothes in its stead. Dressed in black jeans and dark blue tee shirt, with a light jacket and some sneakers, I was set.
Now, I needed to find out on what side of the planet I had crashed. A clear view of the stars could give me a good idea, but the few clouds that hung at sunset had somehow multiplied and thickened. Regardless, the area was not safe; I would have to abandon my ship for a few days and come back later for the repairs. I hoped to be able to fix it for the sake of my children. Both are so young—seven and two Earth years respectively—and my son is not even born yet. I owed them the chance to know their father. Mine disappeared in space during a mission—kind of like me, I guess—so my mother raised me by herself. She never got another union, because she knew he lived. The ring we exchange for our vows also serves as a link between the united couple. As long as we are alive and we wear it, we always feel each other's heart in the background of our own. She waited over two hundred years for his return. One day she told me she could not live in this world anymore. That is how I knew he had died. She passed away shortly after.
I ought to put those thoughts aside and concentrate on what I must do, but I am tired and—even if I do not fancy the idea of admitting it—a bit shaken. My training taught me that fear is my enemy so I must keep it in check. Giving in to it could mean my demise. I will find a way out of this mess. I always do.
The scent of a vast salted water reservoir coming from the west drifted my way. The awareness of an ocean lying within two hundred miles did not help. Since water covered 70% of the planet, I still could be anywhere. With that in mind, I focused on closer ground and inhaled deeply. A concentrated mix of fire, gasoline, blood, human perspiration, and other things associated with earthlings emanated from a closer location, maybe ten miles or so.
Good. No one was near when I crashed.
Even with a cloaked vessel, I could not have done anything about the noise made by broken trees and the collision itself.
So let me see what else I have here.
Each droplet of rain brought me new, distinct scents. Used in conjunction with my hearing and sight, it told me the exact location of a bird nest sheltering two babies, twenty feet up the tree to my right. A rabbit stood behind me. I could feel it without even seeing it. It smelled of fear. To calm it down, I sent it mental waves of reassurance that I would not cause it any harm. It came hopping and lifted itself on its hind legs. After I squatted down and scratched its belly, I told it to go with its friends standing a few yards away. It bounced off in the forest with the others. While interesting, none of this provided me any help. However, a light sulfurous odor hung in the air, and that gave me an idea. A small electric storm would serve my purpose.
With all the rain that had fallen on the land, to see a thunderstorm pop up would seem natural. The elements were already in place; all it needed was some guidance. I focused on a dead tree that stood taller than the others and seconds later, a massive bolt of lightning split it in half. My ability to shut down my senses protected me from the deafening sound, but I felt the ground shake with the instant thundering.
Now earthlings will have something to explain the latest occurrences in this part of the woods.
It was time for me to leave.
My first objective was to find out if communication would cause a problem all the while avoiding direct contact with the inhabitants so close to the crash site. The odds that the natives spoke a dialect I understood were in my favor since I studied eight of their languages. To know for sure, I had to find civilization, so I walked in the general direction of the stench.
Only thin undergrowth covered the forest floor and few dead branches encumbered the paths. This led me to speculate that humans were taking care of the area, which meant I might have landed in some national park or a reserve. Since many earthlings loved to hunt, which I never understood, any human encountered could carry guns.
"Great!" I muttered.
My pace was fast and steady. Sure, I could go faster, but if anyone was watching, it could mean trouble. It had been many years since my last visit and Earth was changing quickly. The first time I had come, back in your mid-18th century, people had no commodities at all. The slow interaction between cities had made my research easy. No one questioned my vocabulary deficiency, or any differences in my behavior, as long as I did not stick out of the ordinary. Already on my second visit, things had changed. More people used horses and carts, and they had invented a new transportation on rails. An old fashion machine using Morse code enabled a form of communications over long distances. However, that is also when I discovered that earthlings often resorted to violence. More than once, I had seen them kill each other over gold metal, and even rape women left unprotected. I had watched without interfering; our Navigator policy forbids us to take action.
A hundred years later, people still fought over women, land, and some thin paper used in trades, but they had improved transportation in the form of motorized vehicles such as cars and planes along with an upgraded communication system, electricity, and so forth. Up until then I had remained unimpressed with their slow evolution, but the last century had revolutionized their world. I had been proud of them after learning they had made small progress in space and stepped on their moon. Now, this had occurred some forty years ago, and many things could have changed, even in such a short time period.
Here I am, driveling again. I need to concentrate before I do something stupid.
My targets sat two hundred feet away. The darkness and the noise they made provided good cover even in this close proximity. A quick look showed me five men dressed in clothing reminiscent of leaves sitting around a campfire. Behind them, a dead animal hung from a tree. It explained the overwhelming coppery smell I had been breathing as I was closing in.
Ignoring this specific odor, I inhaled deeply and discovered two more humans in the portable dwellings: younglings. The savage love for killing disgusted me, but now to learn that they had no minimum age requirement was beyond my understanding.
Something triggered my sixth sense. My ears perked up, and my nostrils flared while my eyes scanned the area. The combination of aromas caused by the recent rain made me feel dizzy. It was time to try to classify each odor and maybe decipher the cause of my discomfort.
Wet earth, the first one and the strongest, was easy. Water precipitation forces spores from bacteria to spread in the air causing what you call the Earth smell. The rain had soaked everything in water: Check.
Minerals: you can find them in many things, but most likely, they came from the weapons the hunters were using. Check.
Rot: decomposing leaves covered the area. Check.
Cooked flesh, wheat and the sweet smell of sugar: the men had fed and drunk. Check. (Actually, they were still drinking that alcoholic beverage they call beer.)
Human perspiration, urine, and excrement: they must have been camping here for weeks. Check.
The smell of scared animals was understandable with all these hunters around, but the last one made me shiver. What could smell like that? Decay, but not your regular one you would get from a dead animal, something older, much older.
"Hey!"
I startled and looked around me. "Khara iz," I said before I realized I understood the language: English. Ok, my cover is blown, but at least I will be able to communicate. Squatting beside me was a woman in her lower twenties, crimson red hair, dark eyes, and light complexion. Why have I not heard or smelled her coming?
"Hungry?" she asked.
"Huh? No, not really. Why?"
"You're checking the camp," she explained and motioned with her head toward the men.
"Hmm yes, I guess I was," I answered, feeling ashamed that she had caught me off guard. "Is that your camp?"
She laughed in a cute way, muffling the sound with the palm of her hand. "Nah, it's not, but since you say you're not hungry, I might just make it mine." She let out a throaty laugh. "You're not from around here are you?"
"No," I said, already wondering what had given me away so fast. Maybe she heard the two words that escaped my mouth when I saw her.
"I thought so. I know everyone who hunts in this area. I'd have remembered such a handsome face." She tilted her head, staring at me, waiting for something, a reply maybe? After an awkward moment of silence, she asked, "Where are you from?"
"Where?" I repeated stupidly. Even with my brain working overtime, ignoring my location made answering that question tricky.
"Well, you don't talk much, but you've got a slight accent and you don't belong in these woods."
I examined her. She was dressed exactly like me, with a pair of black jeans and a dark blue tee shirt under a jacket. I frowned and shrugged.
She sighed. "Ok, my name's Mellie and you are?"
"Alex," I replied. "It is nice to meet you."
Of course, this was not my real name, but Zhendar stuck out too much, so I had chosen another alias. If you are wondering how I had ended up with Alex, it is simple. My full name is Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, Lutnalind being my rank. If you allow me to explain, you will understand: L(utnalind) X(avelk), LX. With a little twist, it quickly became Alex.
"Well Alex, you don't wanna tell me where you're from and that's fine with me, but if you don't mind, I'm hungry and I get grumpy when I'm hungry, so…" she trailed off, leaving her sentence unfinished. Her attention shifted to the men around the camp. "I'll be back in five, wait here for me ok?"
She did not wait for my answer. Instead, she wandered away faster than any other humans I had ever encountered.
How can Earth change that much in so little time? Maybe sticking around to find out more will be a good idea after all. My Leaders will find the discovery of a mutation or perhaps a completely different strain of human beings interesting.
One of the younger humans lifted his head as if someone had called him out. He stood up, said he would be right back, and trudged away in the woods behind the tents. I could hear the others making jokes about a lizard, and the need to drain it. Apparently, it was funny because they all laughed in unison. Intrigued, I took a mental note of it so I could find out what they meant by that later.
As the man returned to his seat around the campfire with a beer he took out of a rectangular blue box, Mellie popped back next to me. Although it surprised me, I hid my stupefaction. Until I learned if people like her were common, I could not let her know I knew nothing about it.
"That was fast," I said looking around to see if anyone had followed her back to our hiding place.
"Oh, you know, people like us, we like to do things fast," she replied with a smile.
I smiled back, trying to look as if I knew what she meant.
"Are you sure you're not hungry? There's plenty more for you out there," she told me while pointing at the camp.
"Sure, thank you."
"But your tummy's grumbling," she said giving me a nudge in the ribs. "If you don't do som'thing 'bout that, it's gonna give us away." She chuckled.
"Huh? Tummy?" I frowned. I had not heard Tummy talk—whoever he might be.
"Your belly, stomach, err, that," she said and she poked a finger in my abdomen. "It's making weird sounds."
"Oh," was all I managed to say. Decidedly, I had to admit to myself, I was not talkative. Eventually, she would start wondering about me. Still, I could not help it. I did not know what to answer. As it was, it appeared to be fine because it did not slow her down.
"Ok. Since you seem to answer questions with either one word or with another question, I'll try a different approach," she told me and then she bombarded me with questions one after the other.
"Are you from this state?" she asked, pointing at the ground with her finger.
My eyes followed her gesture and I looked down, frowning.
"You are from another state then."
State? Hmm, can she mean the United States?
I titled my head slightly as I pondered about her question but she caught my movement.
"Ok, so you're not from the US. Are you visiting here?"
Finally, something I could answer. "I guess I could say that."
"Wow! You can talk," she said seriously, but then she giggled and I realized it was a joke. "Are you from the old country?"
I nodded, hoping she meant Europe. The continent had so many countries it should be safe.
"Ah! I always wanted to visit Europe. Maybe I could go and visit you there someday when you'll go back."
Nodding again, I mumbled, "If I ever go back." Of course, I had Xhartan in mind, but even though I had said that low, she still caught it.
"Oh? Not planning on going back?"
"Not that I would not want to, but I am afraid it may be impossible for me now," I replied. It was the truth after all.
She patted my shoulder. A gesture probably meant to comfort me. "You shouldn't feel that way Alex, now'days everything's possible. It's harder to travel only at night but we can still do it."
"I guess," I replied, not fully grasping her reasoning.
What does she mean by traveling only at night? Did earthlings discover a better energy only operational in the dark? If so, that could be interesting.
After one last look at the camp she said, "Ok, if you're not going to feed, we might as well leave them alone. It's no use to risk their discovering our presence." After a slight hesitation, she grabbed my hand and we both got up. "Ready to go?" she asked. "Follow me," she added and we started running. Although it felt strange, I had no problem following her. She did not move as fast as when she had come back to me after stealing her food but she still used a speed I did not know any earthling could achieve.
"Where are we going?"
"My place," she answered. "Want to go faster?"
"You can?"
"Sure! Let's go!"
We went so fast that no critters or people could possibly see us. Soon we arrived in a large clearing with an old dwelling from the 1800s. The door was missing. The windows had no glass, and the only shutter left was awkwardly hanging by a single hinge. Years of neglect had left holes in the roof here and there giving free access to the rain. Despite its horrible state, it had charms. It must have been a cozy place before people stopped taking care of it. Wild flowers grew all around it. Mellie must love daisies. They grew in an assortment of colors and sizes. Their sweet sharp aroma filled the air. An old cemetery occupied some space between the house and the forest. Four gravestones stood side by side. Some partial names and dates were still visible. The most preserved one said: In memory of our beloved daughter Melissa Johnson 1825-1847. Time had eroded the others rendering them illegible.
"Hey, Alex, come inside. There's not a lot of furniture left but we can sit on the floor. At least, it's dry."
I accepted her invitation. Although the room was pitch-dark, she did not have any difficulty going around.
"Watch your step here," she said thumping her foot heavily in front of a hole in the floor. "I'm sorry for the lack of light; I'm out of oil. I should have a few candles in the kitchen cabinets though."
"No thank you, I am comfortable in the dark if you are too," I said and that was the truth. Day or night never made any difference, and it always left me wondering. After all, there was no such thing as darkness on Xhartan. "You live here?" I asked trying to start a conversation.
"Yep, I know it's not much but it's the only home I've ever known."
Her tone showed worries, so I worded my answer carefully. "Well, home is where your heart is."
She seemingly liked it because she jumped up and surprised me with a big hug. Then, just as quickly, she sat down. After making a motion with her hand, she tapped on the floor beside her. Guessing more than fully grasping what she meant, I sat down where she had touched. She smiled at me and I took the opportunity to look at her more carefully. She was an attractive young woman with hair barely reaching her shoulders. Her smile was warm and inviting. Her skin looked soft but it was almost as white as her teeth, so white it glowed. I found that a bit eerie. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by inspecting her too closely, I changed my focal point and looked around the room. A fireplace stood in the middle of it.
"Is it in working condition? Would you like me to get some wood and start a fire?"
"I don’t know," she said. "I've never used it. You know, our kind don't do well with fire."
"Of course," I said not understanding what she meant by our kind. Maybe she means those who suffered from pyrophobia. "I can take a look at it and if there is no damage, I could start one, with your permission. I promise not to set your house on fire. Ok?"
"Sure, go ahead," she sighed.
After examining the fireplace, which looked fine, I climbed on the roof to check the chimney. A few empty nests needed removed but for the most part, it was in surprisingly good condition. Finding wood was not difficult, and I came back with a bundle of it. Less than five minutes later, I had a nice fire going. I hate to admit it felt awesome. The lack of sun, coupled with the dampness of my clothes had left me frozen.
"There, like promised, no one is burning." I smiled at her and motioned for her to come nearer, the same way she had done for me. "Do you want to sit by the fire with me?" I asked her. She looked haggard and ready to run like a wild animal so I added quickly, "It is ok. You do not have to. Do you mind if I stay near it to give my clothes a chance to dry?"
"Not at all," she said. "If you're not afraid of going up in flame, I won't stop you."
"Thank you," I replied.
We relaxed watching the fire without exchanging any more words. It is hard to tell how long we sat like that, not talking. I may have dozed off a little. Logs still burned in the fireplace but there were no more flames, just a red glow. She got up and cuddled herself next to me.
"That's a nice fire you made. I haven't seen one in that fireplace for so long. Thank you!" That said she pressed her cold lips on my cheek. I could barely imagine how she endured such weather without any source of heat.
"My pleasure," I answered. It truly had been. My clothes had finally dried and I did not shiver anymore. I slipped my arm around her shoulders. "Here, let me warm you a bit."
A log broke and fell in the hearth and sparks flew around it. She jumped. To calm her down, I rubbed her arm lightly. She sighed and laid her head on my shoulder.
"How long since you've been to your country?" she asked, breaking the silence.
It would be safe to associate the country with my planet. I had left Xhartan about six weeks ago so I answered, "About six weeks."
"Wow! You must be a youngling! Where's your sire?"
I froze, speechless. Me? Is she calling me a youngling? She has to mean something else. Granted she does not know I am over four hundred years old but still. I have been called many things in the past, but that, and coming from a twenty-year-old girl?
"Why do you say that?" I heard myself reply.
"Well, you say you can't go back home, so you had to be here when it happened. Besides, if six weeks ago you were still there, well? Hey! I may not be the brightest girl around but I can add you know."
Ok, something I said made sense to her, somehow. In all honesty, I cannot figure out why she has come up with that statement. How does she know something happened to me here and what does she think it is? Did she see me crash? There is no doubt in my mind no one was around to witness my arrival, unless… unless I did not hear or smell her. Maybe she is making fun of me, maybe—
"Hey Alex, it's ok! Don’t make faces. I didn't mean to insult you. There's nothing wrong with being a newbie. You'll learn fast trust me. It's easy. Besides, if your sire already left you, he probably thought you were ready, and if you're not, well I'm here now. I'll guide you; don't you worry," she explained while patting my leg.
I took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.
It has nothing to do with my crash; she meant I was a youngling in the country as in a newcomer. Yet she used that sire word again. Is she assuming I should be with my father? It does not make any sense.
As I considered the way she had put it a little longer, I believed I finally understood.
Oh! It must be some sort of guardian. Someone who invites you, introduces you to your new country, and vouches for you. We have people doing that on Xhartan for cities with special restrictions.
I felt somewhat comfortable answering her.
"Yes, my sire is gone. He had other things to do, other people to sire I suppose."
"Ha-ha, you're funny! He won't be doing that so soon after you. We have unwritten guidelines you know. He'd be severely punished. Just remember as a rule of thumb, you can only sire an individual every two to five years, unless there are special circumstances. If you're caught otherwise, they'll cut your head off."
Cut my head off? She has to be kidding, right?
On the course of my numerous travels, I had encountered planets with harsh laws, but the few countries I had visited on Earth had showed me a forgiving species. They usually put lawbreakers in a small cell for a specific amount of days or years but now they were executing someone for welcoming more than one person in their homeland. What about families?
Finally recovering my voice, I replied, "I do not intend to sire anyone. I would not know how to do it anyway."
"You don’t have to worry. I was just telling you. Since you've been turned less than six weeks ago, you might be tempted to bring a relative of yours over. D'you have a wife out there? Some kids?" she asked.
A knot formed in my throat at the thought of my children. Looking at my ring, which I wear on my pointer on my heart hand, I felt Saylia's heartbeat and sighed.
"Yes, I do. I have both, wife and kids, but all things considered, I do not wish to bring them over." I stared at her, wondering if I had imagined that cloud passing over her eyes, but I dismissed it. She was smiling.
"It's that bad huh? Are you happy to be rid of them or it's just that you can't cope with what you've become?
Will she ever run out of questions?
I did my best to ignore her until her last comment hit me.
Yeah, what have I become? A stupid Navigator stuck on a strange planet with maybe just a few weeks to live. Oh heck, I am too tired!
In spite of it all, I owed her at least an answer. She was a sweet girl who had welcomed me into her home, and I appreciated her kindness.
"If you must know, I love my wife and kids and I miss them too, but they are far better-off where they are…" My voice trailed off. Speaking of them brought a dull ache in my chest. Anticipating another question, I added quickly, "Hey, it is getting late. I need some rest, if you do not mind."
"Of course not! The sun will rise soon. You can rest in the house if you opt for dryness over safety. However, I prefer to warn you, there aren't many areas in there I'd trust."
"I am not worried about safety," I told her. Being a light sleeper, no one could surprise me; besides, I always cast a protective shield anyway. However, she looked genuinely worried. What could she mean by that? Was she expecting someone to come here? There was no one around but the hunters. Would they hurt her? "Where are you going to sleep Mellie?" I asked her, suddenly feeling uneasy leaving her alone.
Her facial expressions changed radically. The smile she had given me all night disappeared, wiped off completely. "Hey! That's not something you ask others. Ok? You'd better learn that before you piss someone off and regret it. Our resting place is ours, and ours to know only! Oh, and don't you think about killing yourself Alex. I know you're having a hard time and all, but give it time. It'll get better, I promise."
Somehow, something I said had upset her and made her mad. Why is she concluding that I want to commit suicide? Baffled, I decided to keep my mouth shut. Play it safe. To put an end to the conversation, I stood up and checked what was left of the fire. There were only a few ashes left. The house would not burn down, just as promised. It was time to leave before I angered her more. "Ok. I will go and find a safe place in the woods. I do not wish to impose myself any longer than I already have. Thank you for your hospitality. Much appreciated," I said, stretching my mouth in an effort to smile.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Alex. I should've understood you better. I shouldn't have yelled at you the way I did. Your sire should've taught you all that before he left you, the 'effing bastard!" She looked at me with wet eyes. "Tell me you're not mad and that you'll come back tonight to visit again, ok?"
Talk about unpredictable!
Even if her house was close to the crash site, I could avoid her easily. Yet, she fascinated me with her mysterious ways. What can happen if I see her again? I will only need to watch for those potential mood swings and do my best not to provoke her anger. All should be fine, right? Besides, if I want to learn more about her and her kind, I have no choice.
"No, I am not mad at you Mellie. You are right. I have a lot to learn yet, and I am anxious for you to teach me… if you will of course. So ok, tonight, we will see each other again. Where shall we meet?" I answered and I sounded like an old broken robot.
"Cool!" She beamed a smile at me. "So… my house about an hour after sunset?"
"Your house, an hour after sunset? Sure."
"It's a date!" she told me and after a brief pause she added, "Have a great resting time!" She jumped up putting her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. Taken by surprise, my first reaction was to catch her with my hands on her butt. Heat rose to my cheek. I stuttered some apologies, but she giggled. Putting her lips on mine, she kissed me with a loud popping sound before she jumped back on her feet and ran out of the house. Without a doubt, if I would say that I was astonished, it still would not be strong enough to describe how I felt. It took me a minute to gather my wits and that has to be a record for me. I usually react a lot faster.
Halfway to the door, I stopped. Sure, I had told her that I was going to leave, but the truth was, I had no idea where to go, and my eyelids felt like lead. This had been a long day. Crawling in a corner to crash for a few hours sounded like a good idea. Mellie was gone. She was not near the house; I could not sense her anymore. She had invited me to stay. Surely, she would not mind. After finding a suitable spot with a clear view of all the windows and doors, I sat with my back to the wall and closed my eyes. I fell asleep right away.
April 6, 2014
New Prologue
Due to some comments about The Legacy: Fate's old prologue, I decided to rewrite it for clarity purpose.
Prologue:
The emergency system prompted me out of my symbiosis status. No time to stretch, something was amiss.
"Wait while I check for a malfunction."
The Heart hummed in response.
"Ok, what do we have here?"
A red lightning flashed in front of my eyes, followed immediately by another.
"What the—" I said while a third one hit the ship. Vapors of burnt substance tickled my nostrils. "Shield up, and let's see where that came from."
A peculiar object, seemingly static, appeared on my screen.
"Definitely man made, but not from around here; the planet's inhabitants are still in the Stone Age. Run a query and scan the entity. We need to find its purpose pronto."
The Heart, which serves as my computer, my engine, and my life support all at once, immediately proceeded with my requests. The first report astounded me.
"Twenty thousand years old, are you sure?"
Of course, the Heart is sure. It never fails. What am I thinking?
"Hurry up and identify its maker. We cannot linger here; I have a bad feeling about this one," I told it, keeping my eyes on the floating device that was now directly in front of my canopy.
Its center turned opaque and spurted lightning in all directions. Within seconds, the cluster's growth intensified and engulfed my ship. It spiraled through thick murkiness only interrupted by the frequent electromagnetic waves, which seemed to put a strain on the Heart. Finally, the storm spat us out and vanished. A quick assessment revealed we had been teleported to another galaxy, light years away from our original location.
I wiped the sweat off my forehead while glancing at the thermostat. "A hundred and thirty degrees on the rise… not good, not good at all," I mumbled between two coughs. Concerned about the thick fumes the Heart was emitting, I considered my options. "We need to land and it looks like we do not have much of a choice as to where."
Barely able to steer without burning myself, I managed to direct the craft toward the only viable planet in this solar system. With the shields depleted, it would be a rough entry.
At least, the cloaking device still works.
"Hang on. We are almost there."
Prologue:
The emergency system prompted me out of my symbiosis status. No time to stretch, something was amiss.
"Wait while I check for a malfunction."
The Heart hummed in response.
"Ok, what do we have here?"
A red lightning flashed in front of my eyes, followed immediately by another.
"What the—" I said while a third one hit the ship. Vapors of burnt substance tickled my nostrils. "Shield up, and let's see where that came from."
A peculiar object, seemingly static, appeared on my screen.
"Definitely man made, but not from around here; the planet's inhabitants are still in the Stone Age. Run a query and scan the entity. We need to find its purpose pronto."
The Heart, which serves as my computer, my engine, and my life support all at once, immediately proceeded with my requests. The first report astounded me.
"Twenty thousand years old, are you sure?"
Of course, the Heart is sure. It never fails. What am I thinking?
"Hurry up and identify its maker. We cannot linger here; I have a bad feeling about this one," I told it, keeping my eyes on the floating device that was now directly in front of my canopy.
Its center turned opaque and spurted lightning in all directions. Within seconds, the cluster's growth intensified and engulfed my ship. It spiraled through thick murkiness only interrupted by the frequent electromagnetic waves, which seemed to put a strain on the Heart. Finally, the storm spat us out and vanished. A quick assessment revealed we had been teleported to another galaxy, light years away from our original location.
I wiped the sweat off my forehead while glancing at the thermostat. "A hundred and thirty degrees on the rise… not good, not good at all," I mumbled between two coughs. Concerned about the thick fumes the Heart was emitting, I considered my options. "We need to land and it looks like we do not have much of a choice as to where."
Barely able to steer without burning myself, I managed to direct the craft toward the only viable planet in this solar system. With the shields depleted, it would be a rough entry.
At least, the cloaking device still works.
"Hang on. We are almost there."
March 18, 2014
Las Vegas (WC 1370)
This was going to be my back up story for the online writing course, but I decided to go with 'Healing' instead. So here's Alex once again.
For those familiar with The Legacy: Fate, you will recognize this. I rewrote a small part of the story to fit as a stand alone. Enjoy!
We arrived in Las Vegas late into the evening. Never had I set foot in a big city before so it amazed me to see people roam the streets even at this time of the night. No words from my limited vocabulary could express how I felt as I watched the bright lights of blues, yellows, and greens that covered the buildings from top to bottom. Even the ones in a more subtle white appealed to me just as much. Obviously, with three suns, such display of lights would have no purpose on my planet.
Mellie gave time for my strong fascination for everything surrounding us to settle down a notch. Content to be with each other, we strolled around the city for hours without even speaking a word. The proximity of her body so close to mine left me weak in the knees. How had I managed to fall so deeply in love with someone from a world so distant from mine? If this had been my first time on a foreign planet, I might have understood. Conversely, I had spent more time in space and on other worlds than on my own, and never had I come remotely close to anyone. In my line of work, letting your heart control your mind could get you killed, but this time, the mere thought of leaving made me feel miserable.
I was lost in my thoughts when the first sirens went off. Mellie stiffened in my arms. Some people shouted orders and ran inside the edifices, but most stood petrified and weeping. I half-expected to see the dreaded military choppers and jeeps that kept finding me everywhere I went, but they had not triggered the confusion, something else had.
"What’s going on?" I asked Mellie.
"Tornado alert," she murmured.
"No tornado has ever touched down in Las Vegas," a man behind us said.
"It must be the same phenomena that plagued the rest of the country for the last week or so," someone else replied.
"I saw it on the news. Just yesterday, Albany, Trenton, Springfield, and Daytona, all leveled to the ground, and a few hours ago, Phoenix and Tucson, destroyed too. No one survived. No one," a woman added between two sobs.
"You should seek refuge inside one of the buildings. It’s not safe to stay outside," another man, this one dressed in a blue uniform, told us before he ran to another group of people directing them to the safest locations.
The tornado roared in the distance but buildings hid it from our sight. Ignoring the man's advice, I ran toward the sound with Mellie following close behind. We pushed our way between the people who fled to safety until we saw it in all of its towering horror, gigantic, even from afar. The rotating monster was heading directly toward us. I could not help but wonder how people could even hope to survive such a force of nature.
Every fiber in my body was telling me to walk away, or better, to run away as far as I could. As a navigator, I followed a strict protocol and our law did not allow me any leeway. In situation like this, the instructions left no doubts: Step aside and let the beast destroy everything on its path, even if it kills everyone. They were right; too many people would witness my intervention, and yet, how could I let innocent human beings die when I could prevent it? Their reasoning made no sense. Nothing justified the death of so many people, not even our sacred vow not to reveal ourselves to indigenes.
The storm held a lot of potential for destruction but I knew I could beat it. For once, my emotions, all bottled up inside of me, would prove useful. I would draw on them to fuel my power and control the element. With no time to waste, I reached for Air. Once again, my faithful friend would come to my aid. I summoned her and commanded her from as far away as she let me. Once contained and under my supervision, she thickened and gained strength.
"What is he doing?" asked someone from behind me.
"Hush, don’t disturb him, I've got a feeling that whatever it is, it’s gonna be spectacular," Mellie answered.
I silently thanked her for not letting anyone break my concentration. This spell needed all my attention, and it was probably one of the most dangerous I had ever attempted.
Once I gauged the air under my control equal as the tornado, I ordered it to swirl in the opposite direction. Slowly at first but then faster and faster it obeyed, thus creating my own colossus. People became hysterical. For all they knew, the tornado had doubled itself and now two funnels threatened the city. The strong stench of fear crept in and mixed with the smell of perfume and cigarettes that already arose from the crowd.
Both giants were coming dangerously closer. It was time to put a stop to it. I slammed my air pet into the original. The force from one countered the other and in no time, they annihilated each other. All that remained of the turbulence was an enormous pile of sand.
A strange stillness followed, accompanied by an unusual energy that went through my body as if I were a human lightning. Mellie ran to me but before she could touch me, I sent a gust of wind that swept her off her feet and pushed her away.
"I am sorry, but I had no choice. You need to stay away until I figure out what is happening. Something is wrong. Touching me now would probably electrocute you," I said, after I cast an invisible wall around me, preventing anyone else from coming closer.
Pointing in my direction, the awed bystanders flocked closer. Some sought information while others captured everything on video cameras. As for me, unable to release the power, I felt wickedly stronger as more energy flowed into me.
Mellie bit her lips before she spoke with a small voice, "When you sent your tornado, a broad glowing ray initiated from your hand, and now you might not see it but your figure glows just like the beam."
All of a sudden, one after the other, all the lights went out, leaving the city in a total black out. Mellie started to cry.
"I am going to be ok, but please, leave the area. I feel uneasy. Before long, the military will rush here. I cannot bear the thought of them capturing you and dragging you back to that horrific place again. I would never forgive myself."
"Alex, I'm not leaving you."
"Please, do not argue."
Stubborn, she did not move so she left me with no choice; I had to find a way to stop this madness. After a few more failed attempts, I realized what I did wrong. To cast the spell, I had unlocked the door to my emotions, immersing myself completely in them. Now, to put an end to this, I needed to go back to the source and do the one thing I excelled at doing, the same thing that hindered my spell casting before: I had to push those emotions back behind that door.
As soon as I succeeded, it created a void in my heart and in my soul, and I felt the power rush out of my body. Finally, I was my normal self again, not a moment too soon. People cheered. Most could not comprehend what they had witnessed, but they could all see that the danger was gone. Somehow, I had become their hero. Mellie ran to me, and this time, neither wind nor wall prevented her. We stood embracing each other for a few minutes, oblivious of the people around us.
"I knew you could do it," she whispered in my ear. "Now, we'd better leave before those choppers show up again."
I nodded. It never ceased to amaze me how she could be so willing to put up with me and the weird life I was forced to live.
"So… where to now, Hun?" she asked me and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
For those familiar with The Legacy: Fate, you will recognize this. I rewrote a small part of the story to fit as a stand alone. Enjoy!
We arrived in Las Vegas late into the evening. Never had I set foot in a big city before so it amazed me to see people roam the streets even at this time of the night. No words from my limited vocabulary could express how I felt as I watched the bright lights of blues, yellows, and greens that covered the buildings from top to bottom. Even the ones in a more subtle white appealed to me just as much. Obviously, with three suns, such display of lights would have no purpose on my planet.
Mellie gave time for my strong fascination for everything surrounding us to settle down a notch. Content to be with each other, we strolled around the city for hours without even speaking a word. The proximity of her body so close to mine left me weak in the knees. How had I managed to fall so deeply in love with someone from a world so distant from mine? If this had been my first time on a foreign planet, I might have understood. Conversely, I had spent more time in space and on other worlds than on my own, and never had I come remotely close to anyone. In my line of work, letting your heart control your mind could get you killed, but this time, the mere thought of leaving made me feel miserable.
I was lost in my thoughts when the first sirens went off. Mellie stiffened in my arms. Some people shouted orders and ran inside the edifices, but most stood petrified and weeping. I half-expected to see the dreaded military choppers and jeeps that kept finding me everywhere I went, but they had not triggered the confusion, something else had.
"What’s going on?" I asked Mellie.
"Tornado alert," she murmured.
"No tornado has ever touched down in Las Vegas," a man behind us said.
"It must be the same phenomena that plagued the rest of the country for the last week or so," someone else replied.
"I saw it on the news. Just yesterday, Albany, Trenton, Springfield, and Daytona, all leveled to the ground, and a few hours ago, Phoenix and Tucson, destroyed too. No one survived. No one," a woman added between two sobs.
"You should seek refuge inside one of the buildings. It’s not safe to stay outside," another man, this one dressed in a blue uniform, told us before he ran to another group of people directing them to the safest locations.
The tornado roared in the distance but buildings hid it from our sight. Ignoring the man's advice, I ran toward the sound with Mellie following close behind. We pushed our way between the people who fled to safety until we saw it in all of its towering horror, gigantic, even from afar. The rotating monster was heading directly toward us. I could not help but wonder how people could even hope to survive such a force of nature.
Every fiber in my body was telling me to walk away, or better, to run away as far as I could. As a navigator, I followed a strict protocol and our law did not allow me any leeway. In situation like this, the instructions left no doubts: Step aside and let the beast destroy everything on its path, even if it kills everyone. They were right; too many people would witness my intervention, and yet, how could I let innocent human beings die when I could prevent it? Their reasoning made no sense. Nothing justified the death of so many people, not even our sacred vow not to reveal ourselves to indigenes.
The storm held a lot of potential for destruction but I knew I could beat it. For once, my emotions, all bottled up inside of me, would prove useful. I would draw on them to fuel my power and control the element. With no time to waste, I reached for Air. Once again, my faithful friend would come to my aid. I summoned her and commanded her from as far away as she let me. Once contained and under my supervision, she thickened and gained strength.
"What is he doing?" asked someone from behind me.
"Hush, don’t disturb him, I've got a feeling that whatever it is, it’s gonna be spectacular," Mellie answered.
I silently thanked her for not letting anyone break my concentration. This spell needed all my attention, and it was probably one of the most dangerous I had ever attempted.
Once I gauged the air under my control equal as the tornado, I ordered it to swirl in the opposite direction. Slowly at first but then faster and faster it obeyed, thus creating my own colossus. People became hysterical. For all they knew, the tornado had doubled itself and now two funnels threatened the city. The strong stench of fear crept in and mixed with the smell of perfume and cigarettes that already arose from the crowd.
Both giants were coming dangerously closer. It was time to put a stop to it. I slammed my air pet into the original. The force from one countered the other and in no time, they annihilated each other. All that remained of the turbulence was an enormous pile of sand.
A strange stillness followed, accompanied by an unusual energy that went through my body as if I were a human lightning. Mellie ran to me but before she could touch me, I sent a gust of wind that swept her off her feet and pushed her away.
"I am sorry, but I had no choice. You need to stay away until I figure out what is happening. Something is wrong. Touching me now would probably electrocute you," I said, after I cast an invisible wall around me, preventing anyone else from coming closer.
Pointing in my direction, the awed bystanders flocked closer. Some sought information while others captured everything on video cameras. As for me, unable to release the power, I felt wickedly stronger as more energy flowed into me.
Mellie bit her lips before she spoke with a small voice, "When you sent your tornado, a broad glowing ray initiated from your hand, and now you might not see it but your figure glows just like the beam."
All of a sudden, one after the other, all the lights went out, leaving the city in a total black out. Mellie started to cry.
"I am going to be ok, but please, leave the area. I feel uneasy. Before long, the military will rush here. I cannot bear the thought of them capturing you and dragging you back to that horrific place again. I would never forgive myself."
"Alex, I'm not leaving you."
"Please, do not argue."
Stubborn, she did not move so she left me with no choice; I had to find a way to stop this madness. After a few more failed attempts, I realized what I did wrong. To cast the spell, I had unlocked the door to my emotions, immersing myself completely in them. Now, to put an end to this, I needed to go back to the source and do the one thing I excelled at doing, the same thing that hindered my spell casting before: I had to push those emotions back behind that door.
As soon as I succeeded, it created a void in my heart and in my soul, and I felt the power rush out of my body. Finally, I was my normal self again, not a moment too soon. People cheered. Most could not comprehend what they had witnessed, but they could all see that the danger was gone. Somehow, I had become their hero. Mellie ran to me, and this time, neither wind nor wall prevented her. We stood embracing each other for a few minutes, oblivious of the people around us.
"I knew you could do it," she whispered in my ear. "Now, we'd better leave before those choppers show up again."
I nodded. It never ceased to amaze me how she could be so willing to put up with me and the weird life I was forced to live.
"So… where to now, Hun?" she asked me and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
March 1, 2014
Short Story (WC 1153) Healing
This week was the last assignment of my online writing course: a short story between 500 and 1500 WC.
As usual, I decided to use Alex (Zhendar) for my lesson. Enjoy! :)
One would think after four-hundred years the memory would have faded. Yet I remember that day as if it were only yesterday—although sometimes I wished I did not.
The seat felt cold and hard under me, but I did not dare move. My feet hung high above the ground, and no matter how I tried, I could not reach the floor. Mother had told me to wait here while she spoke with Father. To keep me company, she had given me a large stuffed animal. The bird was soft to the touch and smelled of her perfume. I wished it were alive, but she would not let me keep one so this was a nice compromise.
The sound of voices nearby caught my attention. The words sounded muffled.
"He's barely five, give him a break," my mother was saying.
"That's me," I whispered to the bird.
"I don't have time for this. I should be gone already, but no, because of this runt you gave me for a son, I'm stuck here and can't fulfill my duty," my father's words exploded loud in the room in contrast to the earlier whispers.
Startled, I almost fell off the chair. "Why is Father mad?" I asked the toy, which, of course, did not answer.
"Hush," said Mother. "He's blind, not deaf. You're talking as if he wasn't here."
"He might as well not be. Mika, did you read the doctor's assessment? He will hardly grow over six feet. That's a foot shorter than average. He's not a runt; he's half of one!"
"Oh Kheld, give him a chance. Height isn't all that matters. He's going to be exceptionally handsome, and already, he shows signs of gentleness and forgiveness, which you clearly lack."
"Don't get me started on that. You're not doing him any favor by over-protecting him. You need to toughen him up some. Kids are mean. They'll pick on him. If he doesn't learn to control his emotions, he'll live in a constant nightmare. Now, let's get this over with. My spaceship's ready. I can't delay my departure any longer."
The sound of delicate footsteps echoed in the now quiet room. My mother put a trembling hand on my shoulders before she kissed me with tear-wet lips. "Come. Your father will heal you now."
"There is no need. I do not want to see his face ever," I told her while hot tears ran down my cheeks.
"Please Zhendar," she whispered to me. "You're a very special child. Don't let anything change you, not even your father's stern words."
"Hurry up and come here. You've wasted enough time already."
"But I cannot see," I cried, looking into the darkness that surrounded me.
"Sure you can. Use your inner sight," my mother instructed me, "And your memory."
"I can't," I repeated and burrowed my nose in the feathers. My father seemed so far away. I did not think I could walk there on my own.
"Don't you want to see the bird?" Mother asked.
She had told me it would be my lucky charm. I was just thankful to have something to hold. The toy was as big as I was and I needed both arms to do so.
"You have no choice," his voice, my father's voice, slowly worked its way out to me. "I gave you everything you need. Now it's up to you to make good use of it."
Driven to do well by him so he might be proud of me, I tried to do as he coached me with only one thought in mind: If I were to succeed, maybe, just maybe, he would love me.
I set the big toy on the seat next to me and climbed down the bench. As soon as I was on my feet, I grabbed it back and held it tightly in my arms again. Still, I could not force myself to move.
"I know you can. You've done it before," my mother whispered. "Reach for that spark inside of you. Let it guide you. Open yourself to the world."
"What if I can't?" I asked although I feared the obvious answer; I would stay blind.
They did not formulate it in such harsh words. Instead, they offered me some comfort.
"Then we'll try again and again, until you succeed," my father replied. "If not today, then some other day, but we won't stop until you find the way out of your darkness."
"There's nothing wrong with your sight," my mother added caressing my cheek.
"Then why can't I see?" I asked muffling a sob in the fuzzy feathers.
"It's an old curse," my father tried to explain and was cut off by Mother.
"But we'll break it. Trust in yourself, and in us."
Her kind words gave me some courage. I defiantly raised my chin at that scourge they said had befallen on me, so desperate for an image of my parents I could keep in my mind even in those times of gloom when the whole world around me was nothing but an empty void.
Something fiery red assaulted my vision with its sudden bright color in my otherwise dark black world. Surprised, I quickly shut my eyes. The unexpected shock almost made me drop my new toy but exhibiting the swiftness of my species, I grabbed it back before it fell out of reach.
"That's it son, but you have to keep your eyes opened. The discomfort won't last long," my father said. His words offered promises.
I took a deep breath and did as he instructed. The bird slipped out off my arms but I did not let that disturb my concentration. Even at that tender age, I was tenacious, albeit some people considered it nothing more than a bad case of obstinacy or even plain bad attitude. I had heard them say that. Apparently, being blind had also made me invisible.
A hazy image formed in my brain first, and then it projected itself in front of me. As it became clearer and less blurred, much to my surprise, a man's face, my father's face appeared. His deep blue eyes sparkled. I gasped when I realized I was actually looking directly at him. I swiftly turned my head to have a good look at my mother, eager to attach an image to her gentle calming voice in case it all went away yet again. Her smile rocked my little world. She was crying but these were tears of joy. I could tell; I had the same.
"I believe it is done," he told her. "I know I said that the last time too, but I'm confident this time it will hold. I fastened it right on cue. He shouldn't have problems with his vision anymore." He turned to me and smiled. "You did well, son."
My heart swelled with joy. Father was proud of me, and for me, it was all that mattered then.
As usual, I decided to use Alex (Zhendar) for my lesson. Enjoy! :)
One would think after four-hundred years the memory would have faded. Yet I remember that day as if it were only yesterday—although sometimes I wished I did not.
The seat felt cold and hard under me, but I did not dare move. My feet hung high above the ground, and no matter how I tried, I could not reach the floor. Mother had told me to wait here while she spoke with Father. To keep me company, she had given me a large stuffed animal. The bird was soft to the touch and smelled of her perfume. I wished it were alive, but she would not let me keep one so this was a nice compromise.
The sound of voices nearby caught my attention. The words sounded muffled.
"He's barely five, give him a break," my mother was saying.
"That's me," I whispered to the bird.
"I don't have time for this. I should be gone already, but no, because of this runt you gave me for a son, I'm stuck here and can't fulfill my duty," my father's words exploded loud in the room in contrast to the earlier whispers.
Startled, I almost fell off the chair. "Why is Father mad?" I asked the toy, which, of course, did not answer.
"Hush," said Mother. "He's blind, not deaf. You're talking as if he wasn't here."
"He might as well not be. Mika, did you read the doctor's assessment? He will hardly grow over six feet. That's a foot shorter than average. He's not a runt; he's half of one!"
"Oh Kheld, give him a chance. Height isn't all that matters. He's going to be exceptionally handsome, and already, he shows signs of gentleness and forgiveness, which you clearly lack."
"Don't get me started on that. You're not doing him any favor by over-protecting him. You need to toughen him up some. Kids are mean. They'll pick on him. If he doesn't learn to control his emotions, he'll live in a constant nightmare. Now, let's get this over with. My spaceship's ready. I can't delay my departure any longer."
The sound of delicate footsteps echoed in the now quiet room. My mother put a trembling hand on my shoulders before she kissed me with tear-wet lips. "Come. Your father will heal you now."
"There is no need. I do not want to see his face ever," I told her while hot tears ran down my cheeks.
"Please Zhendar," she whispered to me. "You're a very special child. Don't let anything change you, not even your father's stern words."
"Hurry up and come here. You've wasted enough time already."
"But I cannot see," I cried, looking into the darkness that surrounded me.
"Sure you can. Use your inner sight," my mother instructed me, "And your memory."
"I can't," I repeated and burrowed my nose in the feathers. My father seemed so far away. I did not think I could walk there on my own.
"Don't you want to see the bird?" Mother asked.
She had told me it would be my lucky charm. I was just thankful to have something to hold. The toy was as big as I was and I needed both arms to do so.
"You have no choice," his voice, my father's voice, slowly worked its way out to me. "I gave you everything you need. Now it's up to you to make good use of it."
Driven to do well by him so he might be proud of me, I tried to do as he coached me with only one thought in mind: If I were to succeed, maybe, just maybe, he would love me.
I set the big toy on the seat next to me and climbed down the bench. As soon as I was on my feet, I grabbed it back and held it tightly in my arms again. Still, I could not force myself to move.
"I know you can. You've done it before," my mother whispered. "Reach for that spark inside of you. Let it guide you. Open yourself to the world."
"What if I can't?" I asked although I feared the obvious answer; I would stay blind.
They did not formulate it in such harsh words. Instead, they offered me some comfort.
"Then we'll try again and again, until you succeed," my father replied. "If not today, then some other day, but we won't stop until you find the way out of your darkness."
"There's nothing wrong with your sight," my mother added caressing my cheek.
"Then why can't I see?" I asked muffling a sob in the fuzzy feathers.
"It's an old curse," my father tried to explain and was cut off by Mother.
"But we'll break it. Trust in yourself, and in us."
Her kind words gave me some courage. I defiantly raised my chin at that scourge they said had befallen on me, so desperate for an image of my parents I could keep in my mind even in those times of gloom when the whole world around me was nothing but an empty void.
Something fiery red assaulted my vision with its sudden bright color in my otherwise dark black world. Surprised, I quickly shut my eyes. The unexpected shock almost made me drop my new toy but exhibiting the swiftness of my species, I grabbed it back before it fell out of reach.
"That's it son, but you have to keep your eyes opened. The discomfort won't last long," my father said. His words offered promises.
I took a deep breath and did as he instructed. The bird slipped out off my arms but I did not let that disturb my concentration. Even at that tender age, I was tenacious, albeit some people considered it nothing more than a bad case of obstinacy or even plain bad attitude. I had heard them say that. Apparently, being blind had also made me invisible.
A hazy image formed in my brain first, and then it projected itself in front of me. As it became clearer and less blurred, much to my surprise, a man's face, my father's face appeared. His deep blue eyes sparkled. I gasped when I realized I was actually looking directly at him. I swiftly turned my head to have a good look at my mother, eager to attach an image to her gentle calming voice in case it all went away yet again. Her smile rocked my little world. She was crying but these were tears of joy. I could tell; I had the same.
"I believe it is done," he told her. "I know I said that the last time too, but I'm confident this time it will hold. I fastened it right on cue. He shouldn't have problems with his vision anymore." He turned to me and smiled. "You did well, son."
My heart swelled with joy. Father was proud of me, and for me, it was all that mattered then.
February 22, 2014
Character Interview
This week's assignment was to create an interview with one of our characters. As you certainly guessed it, I chose Alex, yet again, although I was a little thorn between him or Mellie. Since I used him in all my lessons so far, I stayed with him instead of introducing a new character. So here it is...
"Thank you for accepting this interview. I didn't think you would show up."
"I always keep my promises."
"That's what I've been told. Now, how should I address you? Some people call you LX while others go with Alex, but I also heard a few who called you Zhendar."
"My real name is Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, but people call me by my initials, LX, since the whole thing can be a mouthful."
"If you don't mind then, I'll go with Alex. It sounds more… human."
"I am human, just not from around here."
"Point taken. So, what's it like on your planet?"
"My planet of origin is similar to Earth in many ways, but also much different. Three suns keep her in constant day light. Our moons, over a dozen of them, also contribute to its brightness and although their display would leave anyone breathless, for me, the sight of your sunsets eclipses them all. Growing on a planet without nights enables me to enjoy and appreciate them even more."
"I couldn't help but notice your eyes turned blue when you spoke, but they returned to their unusual lime green color-"
"My eyes change color with my moods. I am sorry I slipped."
"No, you're fine. Why would you apologize for being who you are?"
"It goes back to my childhood. The kids used to call me freak because of it."
"Theirs did not change?"
"No. I am genetically modified. It is a long story. One I would prefer not to elaborate at this time."
"I can accept that, if you promise to come back some other time to talk about it."
"Sure."
"What's your best childhood memory?"
"Studying under the waterfall with my feathered friend—the only place where I did not need to fend off attacks from other kids."
"You must have been lonely."
"It forges the character. Being alone in a ship for months does not bother me while many of the pilots have to leave the program because they cannot cope with the solitude."
"If you're not afraid of being alone, then what's your worst fear?"
"I have no fear."
"No, really, be honest."
"I am honest. Fear causes you to make mistakes. It blocks your mind and prevents you from finding solutions. It is what deer do in the headlights. It is why they die."
"Wait! This sounds like something taken out of a navigator manual…"
"…"
"Alex?"
"I am not allowed to show fear. They would know."
"But you promised to be honest."
"Humph! You know you are putting me in a tough situation here, but fine, since I always keep my promises..."
"So?"
"I fear losing Mellie. She is the suns this planet lacks, the warmth my body craves when your yellow star is hiding, the energy that keeps my heart pumping, and the sole reason why I do not wish to go back to my own planet."
"Can't you bring her with you?"
"She cannot stand under one sun, much less three…"
"Thank you for accepting this interview. I didn't think you would show up."
"I always keep my promises."
"That's what I've been told. Now, how should I address you? Some people call you LX while others go with Alex, but I also heard a few who called you Zhendar."
"My real name is Lutnalind Zhendar Xavelk, but people call me by my initials, LX, since the whole thing can be a mouthful."
"If you don't mind then, I'll go with Alex. It sounds more… human."
"I am human, just not from around here."
"Point taken. So, what's it like on your planet?"
"My planet of origin is similar to Earth in many ways, but also much different. Three suns keep her in constant day light. Our moons, over a dozen of them, also contribute to its brightness and although their display would leave anyone breathless, for me, the sight of your sunsets eclipses them all. Growing on a planet without nights enables me to enjoy and appreciate them even more."
"I couldn't help but notice your eyes turned blue when you spoke, but they returned to their unusual lime green color-"
"My eyes change color with my moods. I am sorry I slipped."
"No, you're fine. Why would you apologize for being who you are?"
"It goes back to my childhood. The kids used to call me freak because of it."
"Theirs did not change?"
"No. I am genetically modified. It is a long story. One I would prefer not to elaborate at this time."
"I can accept that, if you promise to come back some other time to talk about it."
"Sure."
"What's your best childhood memory?"
"Studying under the waterfall with my feathered friend—the only place where I did not need to fend off attacks from other kids."
"You must have been lonely."
"It forges the character. Being alone in a ship for months does not bother me while many of the pilots have to leave the program because they cannot cope with the solitude."
"If you're not afraid of being alone, then what's your worst fear?"
"I have no fear."
"No, really, be honest."
"I am honest. Fear causes you to make mistakes. It blocks your mind and prevents you from finding solutions. It is what deer do in the headlights. It is why they die."
"Wait! This sounds like something taken out of a navigator manual…"
"…"
"Alex?"
"I am not allowed to show fear. They would know."
"But you promised to be honest."
"Humph! You know you are putting me in a tough situation here, but fine, since I always keep my promises..."
"So?"
"I fear losing Mellie. She is the suns this planet lacks, the warmth my body craves when your yellow star is hiding, the energy that keeps my heart pumping, and the sole reason why I do not wish to go back to my own planet."
"Can't you bring her with you?"
"She cannot stand under one sun, much less three…"
February 18, 2014
Conflict (Resolved)
The next day after we had moved away, I had found Buzz waiting outside of my new home as if nothing had changed. He had crossed a few hundred miles just to be with me. If only I had known he would do that, or that he could even do it, things might have turned out differently, but it was too late to dwell on the past. Today, I had to pay Zack a visit. I grabbed my father's device and after a slight hesitation, I shoved it in my backpack along with a couple of bottles of water, a sandwich, and a bag of red berries. Outside, Buzz waited for me as usual. He wobbled next to me and nestled himself in my arms. His razor-sharp horns carefully pulled down to avoid injuring me.
"All will be fine," I told him while gently ruffling his feathers. "I need to jet or I'll miss the shuttle."
When I arrived at Zack's house, he was eagerly waiting outside. What wouldn't have I given to wipe the smile off his hypocritical face.
"So," he said eyeing my backpack. "Is it in there?"
A knot formed in my stomach at the mention of the item, but I managed to nod. My heart, which pounded with the force of a bass drum, gave me second thoughts. Would I be able to pull this through?
"Let's go inside," Zack told me.
"I thought you'd never ask," I sighed.
As soon as he opened the door, Buzz shoved him out of his way, and flew inside the house wreaking havoc. A strident scream accompanied by the sound of various falling objects pierced the air. Zack ran in and I followed right behind.
"Get this thing out of my kitchen," his mom yelled while running after Buzz, who, to avoid her spatula, flew in the living room leaving a multicolored rain of quills and down all over the furniture. He landed on the chandelier, which squeaked under the weight of the enormous bird. Seemingly not bothered by any of this, he ate the goods stolen from the kitchen table before he took off by the same door I had made sure to keep open for him.
"Well Zach, that makes us even now; I'll keep your secret as long as you promise to keep mine," I told him over my shoulder before I scampered away after my feathered friend toward the waterfall where we had agreed to meet after this slight rectification.
***
For those of you who know Zhendar (LX), the conclusion comes as no surprise, and I bet you saw it coming too. For those less familiar with my main character, let's just say he has an affinity with animals.
I hope you enjoyed!
"All will be fine," I told him while gently ruffling his feathers. "I need to jet or I'll miss the shuttle."
When I arrived at Zack's house, he was eagerly waiting outside. What wouldn't have I given to wipe the smile off his hypocritical face.
"So," he said eyeing my backpack. "Is it in there?"
A knot formed in my stomach at the mention of the item, but I managed to nod. My heart, which pounded with the force of a bass drum, gave me second thoughts. Would I be able to pull this through?
"Let's go inside," Zack told me.
"I thought you'd never ask," I sighed.
As soon as he opened the door, Buzz shoved him out of his way, and flew inside the house wreaking havoc. A strident scream accompanied by the sound of various falling objects pierced the air. Zack ran in and I followed right behind.
"Get this thing out of my kitchen," his mom yelled while running after Buzz, who, to avoid her spatula, flew in the living room leaving a multicolored rain of quills and down all over the furniture. He landed on the chandelier, which squeaked under the weight of the enormous bird. Seemingly not bothered by any of this, he ate the goods stolen from the kitchen table before he took off by the same door I had made sure to keep open for him.
"Well Zach, that makes us even now; I'll keep your secret as long as you promise to keep mine," I told him over my shoulder before I scampered away after my feathered friend toward the waterfall where we had agreed to meet after this slight rectification.
***
For those of you who know Zhendar (LX), the conclusion comes as no surprise, and I bet you saw it coming too. For those less familiar with my main character, let's just say he has an affinity with animals.
I hope you enjoyed!
February 14, 2014
Small conflicts
Hello,
Back with small examples. This week's online writing course was about conflicts. We had to write something with an example of a small one. That gave me an idea. For those who read The Legacy: Fate, you might recognize the protagonist in this short story, although in a much younger version. I hope you'll enjoy.
++++
The scent of the flowers that grew on the ocean nearby revived painful memories. Five years ago on this day, my father had left on a mission, never to come back again. Before he had flown away from the docks by the water, he had made me promise to practice changing the shape of objects with my mind on that same device I held tightly in my arms. Hot tears made their way down my cheeks.
"Big boys don't cry," I told myself while wiping them off with the back of my sleeves.
Only navigators and their family could live here and today, they had declared my father officially dead, so we had to leave. Mother was waiting for me back at the boarding site. I had stayed behind to say goodbye to a wild bird that had adopted me as his friend. Since we're not allowed to keep any kind of animals in our houses, I didn't know if I would ever see him again. He had been my companion and my only true friend for as long as I could remember.
"Come on Buzz; get out of the house before you get me in trouble."
Buzz let out a loud quack and wobbled out on his three legs.
"Hey, Zhendar!" A voice behind me called.
My breath cut short. Had someone seen Buzz? Blinded by my tears and the two suns, which hung low on the horizon, I squinted to see who was there.
"You know you're not allowed to have that thing in your house," Zack told me.
Zack was the same age as I was, twelve, but he outgrew me in height as well as in weight.
"He wasn't inside," I lied, petting my friend.
"So you say, but I saw it. You know they'll expel you from navigator school next trimester once they learned you broke the rule."
My throat constricted. That school meant the world to me. I had hoped to become a pilot and maybe with some luck, find my father on a foreign planet among the stars.
"They don't have to know," I squeaked as I felt my eyes prickled with the tears that threatened to come back.
"So you want me to lie?"
"I'm not asking you to lie. I'm just asking you not to tell anyone."
"And why would I do that? Unless…"
"Unless what?" I asked and watched him through stubborn strands of hair.
His eyes darted to the gadget in my hand; the only item I had left that had belonged to my father. Unable to hold back the tears any longer and not wanting him to see me cry, I turned around and dashed toward the docks.
"I'll give you a week to decide!" He yelled.
His voice still echoed in my head long after I set foot in the shuttle.
++++
Have a great week end!
-GG
Back with small examples. This week's online writing course was about conflicts. We had to write something with an example of a small one. That gave me an idea. For those who read The Legacy: Fate, you might recognize the protagonist in this short story, although in a much younger version. I hope you'll enjoy.
++++
The scent of the flowers that grew on the ocean nearby revived painful memories. Five years ago on this day, my father had left on a mission, never to come back again. Before he had flown away from the docks by the water, he had made me promise to practice changing the shape of objects with my mind on that same device I held tightly in my arms. Hot tears made their way down my cheeks.
"Big boys don't cry," I told myself while wiping them off with the back of my sleeves.
Only navigators and their family could live here and today, they had declared my father officially dead, so we had to leave. Mother was waiting for me back at the boarding site. I had stayed behind to say goodbye to a wild bird that had adopted me as his friend. Since we're not allowed to keep any kind of animals in our houses, I didn't know if I would ever see him again. He had been my companion and my only true friend for as long as I could remember.
"Come on Buzz; get out of the house before you get me in trouble."
Buzz let out a loud quack and wobbled out on his three legs.
"Hey, Zhendar!" A voice behind me called.
My breath cut short. Had someone seen Buzz? Blinded by my tears and the two suns, which hung low on the horizon, I squinted to see who was there.
"You know you're not allowed to have that thing in your house," Zack told me.
Zack was the same age as I was, twelve, but he outgrew me in height as well as in weight.
"He wasn't inside," I lied, petting my friend.
"So you say, but I saw it. You know they'll expel you from navigator school next trimester once they learned you broke the rule."
My throat constricted. That school meant the world to me. I had hoped to become a pilot and maybe with some luck, find my father on a foreign planet among the stars.
"They don't have to know," I squeaked as I felt my eyes prickled with the tears that threatened to come back.
"So you want me to lie?"
"I'm not asking you to lie. I'm just asking you not to tell anyone."
"And why would I do that? Unless…"
"Unless what?" I asked and watched him through stubborn strands of hair.
His eyes darted to the gadget in my hand; the only item I had left that had belonged to my father. Unable to hold back the tears any longer and not wanting him to see me cry, I turned around and dashed toward the docks.
"I'll give you a week to decide!" He yelled.
His voice still echoed in my head long after I set foot in the shuttle.
++++
Have a great week end!
-GG
February 11, 2014
POVs
After having a hell of a good time in a writing course, I thought I'd share some of it with you. For those who don't know what POV is, let me explain quickly.
POV is short for Point of View. It refers to the way a story is told. Using LX, the main character in my series The Legacy, I'll show you three different ones.
I'll start with the third person omniscient POV, which means that the point of view doesn't follow anyone in particular. It's a little bit like if someone could see the whole world and describe what he or she sees. Although there are many different third person POV, I only did one, but you'll get the idea anyway.
3rd person POV, past tense:
The man, tied up in a straitjacket, paced back and forth in the dark, empty room. An infrared camera near the ceiling followed his every move while on the other side of the wall a group of selected men studied his behavior. The air surrounding them was redolent with the smell of sweat. They were afraid of him, afraid of what he could do, afraid of what he might do. The wind he had summoned with a twitch of his fingers had brought forth questions about his origin. No one on Earth could do such a thing. They gasped as the alien stopped his mindless walk to stare directly at them via the camera. After he sniffed the air, he smiled, and returned to his corner, seemingly tired. At once, they all grabbed pens and pads, and hurried to scrawl notes.
Now, here's the same little story told in first POV from LX's eyes.
First person POV, past tense:
They had put me in a straitjacket. Although it felt awkward, it was still comfortable—at least, I could walk. The darkness that surrounded me did not hinder my sight. Light or no light made no difference to me, but there was nothing of interest to investigate. The room was empty as well as its walls aside from that device with the flashing red light near the ceiling. It grated every time I moved. Someone must be using it to observe me. I stopped my mindless pacing and stared at it. A strong scent of sweat came in from the ventilation next to it. I smiled to myself. Whoever held me prisoner was nervous, with reasons. Summoning air to my aid in front of humans might have been a mistake, but now that they dreaded my power, it could give me an edge. They would have to take me out of this cage, and I planned to make good use of this unique opportunity. I walked back into my corner and let myself down. With my eyes closed, I forged plans for an escape.
The last one, the second person POV is one that is rarely seen but still quite interesting.
Second person POV, present tense:
You watch the man in a straitjacket as the infrared camera follows him. He's pacing back and forth in the other room. It hadn't been easy to convince the others. They had taken you for a fool and hadn't believed a single word you had told them, arguing that no man on Earth could do what you said he had done. Well, you proved them wrong with that video tape, didn't you? Oh and what a proof it had been! Tricking the alien to summon the wind while you were hiding had required wits and great skills. Now, you can relax. He won't endanger anyone anymore, and he will never get out of this place alive—at least, not if you have a say in it. The alien stops walking and looks directly at you via the camera. Sweat trickles down your back. A disturbing idea crosses your mind, what if the alien can scan your brain. As if to answer your question, he smiles and walks away. With trembling hands, you take your pen and scribble notes.
Which POV do you prefer? Out of curiosity, could you see yourself reading an entire novel in the second POV?
Thanks for reading!
-GG
POV is short for Point of View. It refers to the way a story is told. Using LX, the main character in my series The Legacy, I'll show you three different ones.
I'll start with the third person omniscient POV, which means that the point of view doesn't follow anyone in particular. It's a little bit like if someone could see the whole world and describe what he or she sees. Although there are many different third person POV, I only did one, but you'll get the idea anyway.
3rd person POV, past tense:
The man, tied up in a straitjacket, paced back and forth in the dark, empty room. An infrared camera near the ceiling followed his every move while on the other side of the wall a group of selected men studied his behavior. The air surrounding them was redolent with the smell of sweat. They were afraid of him, afraid of what he could do, afraid of what he might do. The wind he had summoned with a twitch of his fingers had brought forth questions about his origin. No one on Earth could do such a thing. They gasped as the alien stopped his mindless walk to stare directly at them via the camera. After he sniffed the air, he smiled, and returned to his corner, seemingly tired. At once, they all grabbed pens and pads, and hurried to scrawl notes.
Now, here's the same little story told in first POV from LX's eyes.
First person POV, past tense:
They had put me in a straitjacket. Although it felt awkward, it was still comfortable—at least, I could walk. The darkness that surrounded me did not hinder my sight. Light or no light made no difference to me, but there was nothing of interest to investigate. The room was empty as well as its walls aside from that device with the flashing red light near the ceiling. It grated every time I moved. Someone must be using it to observe me. I stopped my mindless pacing and stared at it. A strong scent of sweat came in from the ventilation next to it. I smiled to myself. Whoever held me prisoner was nervous, with reasons. Summoning air to my aid in front of humans might have been a mistake, but now that they dreaded my power, it could give me an edge. They would have to take me out of this cage, and I planned to make good use of this unique opportunity. I walked back into my corner and let myself down. With my eyes closed, I forged plans for an escape.
The last one, the second person POV is one that is rarely seen but still quite interesting.
Second person POV, present tense:
You watch the man in a straitjacket as the infrared camera follows him. He's pacing back and forth in the other room. It hadn't been easy to convince the others. They had taken you for a fool and hadn't believed a single word you had told them, arguing that no man on Earth could do what you said he had done. Well, you proved them wrong with that video tape, didn't you? Oh and what a proof it had been! Tricking the alien to summon the wind while you were hiding had required wits and great skills. Now, you can relax. He won't endanger anyone anymore, and he will never get out of this place alive—at least, not if you have a say in it. The alien stops walking and looks directly at you via the camera. Sweat trickles down your back. A disturbing idea crosses your mind, what if the alien can scan your brain. As if to answer your question, he smiles and walks away. With trembling hands, you take your pen and scribble notes.
Which POV do you prefer? Out of curiosity, could you see yourself reading an entire novel in the second POV?
Thanks for reading!
-GG
