Justin’s Comments (group member since Mar 13, 2016)

Justin’s comments from the Science Fiction Microstory Contest group.

Merry Christmas to you all! I'm thankful to be a part of such a talented group of writers!

I wish you all a special day with family and friends, and better things in 2021!

Tom wrote: "Beautifully written, Justin. Dream-like flow."

Thanks Tom, much appreciated!

Tryptophanic Transposition

Tendrils of gray cloud stole quietly across the valley, hemmed in on either side by great walls of ancient stone. The bare, upthrust rocks echoed with the sound of silence as the capricious vapors caressed everything in its path with a gentle blanket of mist. Stunted, windblown trees dripped moisture onto a rich carpet of sodden moss blanketing the valley floor. Upon a jutting ledge stood a solitary figure clad in full Black Watch tartan. Fissures of age crossed his face, though some were hidden beneath a trim beard of fierce iron. Inhaling deeply, he blew into his bagpipes. Its mournful lament reverberated across the highlands, a dirge carried upon the winds and scattered by it. A lone raptor screeched as if in reply, wheeling away on an updraft to vistas far beyond.

Defiant in the face of increasing inclemency, the old highlander played on, fingers remembering regimental pieces from ancient battles for soldiers long dead. Their ghosts seemed to march, rank upon rank, among the swirling effluvium that hovered over peat-filled bogs. On they came, shrieking like banshees with glistening bayonets and banners flying. They stared death in the face and pushed ever forward, waves of steel crashing over hapless foes.

“Hey Pops, wanna move it?”
The old man stood confused at the sudden dislocation, the wet highland air replaced with the stale, oppressive smell of the subway. Station announcements replaced the cries of battle. He rocked slightly with the movement of the train but did not give way. The iguana on his shoulder said nothing and simply stared back at him in a vacuously reptilian fashion.
“Yo old-timer! Move or be moved! And what’s with the dinosaur?” said a young punk, whose wide, glassy eyes and trembling hands betrayed his addiction.
“Here I am and here I stand,” replied the old man.
“What the f….get the hell out of my way you dumbass!”
“I shall never yield!”
Unsheathing an ornate silver blade hidden within his walking stick, the old man stood unbowed and unbroken.
“I’ll do you one better Pops.” A small pistol appeared in the punk’s unsteady hands.
The train swayed, its lights flickering into momentary darkness, a black canvas on which to paint the explosion of a single shot.
Time slowed as the bullet erupted from the barrel, spinning lazily on a plume of gracefully expanding gases. Nanoseconds stretched to infinity as the old man easily side-stepped the nearly static projectile. Strains of ancient battles rang in his ears – and bagpipes…the smell of cordite from the expended munition filled the railcar, a silver blade drove straight and true. It penetrated deep, dividing soul and spirit from joints and marrow.
“Now you’ve done it,” said the iguana.

Light swam before his eyes, formless and void. He could not tell if he was standing, floating, or flying. He simply was. There were voices, vague, distant, and undiscernible.
“Am I dead?” he asked.
“No, not yet,” came the answer.
The iguana was standing before him now, head cocked askance, eyes roving in short, jerky movements.
“Where am I then?”
“Where do you want to be? Or better yet, when do you want to be?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“That is a true statement. You are here, you are there, and when you are, you wish to be somewhere you are not. It is very confusing.”
“I cannot remember who I am.”
“You will, I can assure you.”
“Why am I talking to an iguana?”
“That…is a good question. There are simply some things we cannot adjust for.”
“I was…I was shot!”
“Yes, we observed your altercation. You acquitted yourself well for one so old.”
“Old…”
“Do you wish to know your length of days?”
“You can do that?”
“It is a simple calculation.”
“None of this makes any sense.”
“Does it have to?”
The old man felt for his blade and found nothing. He suddenly had an overwhelming urge to get out of this place, whatever this place was.
“You wish to leave then?” asked the iguana.
“I do.”
“Then the question remains. Where do you want to be?”
“Put me back wherever you found me!”

The light retreated once more into darkness. Shapes began resolving into solid objects: a couch here, a television there, a dining room table and chairs set for supper. Pleasant smells wafted from the kitchen, utensils clinked and cabinet doors clattered.
“Almost ready dear! I just need a few more minutes. Are you feeling okay?”
Startled, the old man jolted fully awake.
“Yes…I am now…”

(750 words in story) Justin Sewall © 2020
Reviews/critiques welcome

Great story Chris, fantastic!

Funny one Jeremy!

C!!! So glad you're back! Funny story! I'm thinking about the punk rocker on the bus in Star Trek IV. LOL!

Tom, great visuals!

Yes! Great work and great story!

Tom wrote: "No apologies needed, Justin. I'm glad you're happy with the new cover image, and here's hoping both our books do well.

I like your new image very much; psychedelic. (It does perfectly fit the titl..."

Thanks Tom!

Good on you Greg for getting all that work in. I envy your ability to DYI!

Tom, thanks for all the great reviews!!

Well...
1) If I'd actually read your book yet, (purchased, but languishing) I'd have seen your cover art

2)I've found another image I'm happy with.

I want your book and my book to stand out. So I've gone with a more conceptual image versus a concrete image.

My apologies on both not reading your book yet, and duplicating the cover! :)

Tom wrote: "Congratulations, Justin. I'll be sure to spread the word. Interesting title, BTW.

(I see your editor picked the same stock picture for the cover as my editor did for my novella "Star Dancer." Eye-..."

Oh...damn. Maybe subconsciously that's why I used it. Well, now I'm a bit embarrassed. Like I didn't do my homework. I knew other books were called Superluminal, but it's not like you can do a cover search to prevent cover art duplication. Now I'm seriously thinking about changing the cover art.

There are other images from that artist that I liked but have probably also been heavily used on sci-fi covers as well.

Thanks for letting me know!!

Paula wrote: "This is so cool, Justin! I shall be letting people know of it; remind me on FB and I'll share it onto my page there. Congratulations on getting this book out!"

Thanks so much Paula!! Much appreciated!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to announce that my latest sci-fi story collection: SUPERLUMINAL is now live on Amazon in e-book and paperback formats.

Now, it's the same stories you've read from me here for the past two years - but if you wouldn't mind giving it a share or mention to friends, family and complete strangers I would appreciate it! It is on my Goodreads page, Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course justinsewall.com.

Thanks so much!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

Nice one J.F.! It gave me a good laugh. Maybe I shouldn't have laughed - but I did... Good work!

Thanks so much Alina!!

Alina and Marianne, your stories both have that ethereal feeling that Paula's stories often demonstrate. It is a quality I admire and see in stark contrast to my own. I can't replicate it, but it is really different from how I write. Nice work both of you!

Tom wrote: "Justin wrote: "Thanks Tom, much appreciated! The nature observations are what I experience when I step outside to go for a run. I only run outside during the dark, rainy months here in Washington, ..."

A poet and I didn't even know it! LOL! Okay, lame joke. Thanks Tom. I don't think I have a poetic bent in the least degree, but I appreciate the compliment!

Thanks Tom, much appreciated! The nature observations are what I experience when I step outside to go for a run. I only run outside during the dark, rainy months here in Washington, on Sundays. During the week I'm inside my garage where it is warmer, dry and lit. So when I go out for that outside run, I really try to soak up autumn. The sun hit these orange leaves last Sunday and they just glowed as if they were golden. Absolutely beautiful. And the air is sweet and clean. So that's what I was channeling. Thanks again for your feedback, it's great knowing what your thoughts were.

LOL! Thanks Paula!! :)

Thanks Tom! If you get a chance and don't mind, I'd love to understand what you found unusual about it. Much appreciated!