Dare to Dream discussion
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End of the world
I'm ready...this breakfast was delicious. Thanks for making it, sweety. *I lean over and kiss you* I'll pack the picnic basket for a lunch over on the other side of the planet. Want anything specific?
Hummm...Just some beef sandwiches among whatever else you take. Better pack enough for a couple of days just in case. I've already let the horses out and turned the bigger dogs out with them, you know in case of big cats or wolves. The place should be okay for a day or two. The cats can get in and out of the barn if they need to.Take your time getting things together, I'd as soon not get there while that side of the planet's still dark.
Are the bats still in that cave on the other side? I told them I would visit them next time we came over, *I grab our biggest basket and scurry around the kitchen, making sandwiches, putting together a huge salad using a lot of our veggies, baking us a few pies and biscuits.*
I don't know, but I assume they would be. Bats like caves...Just ask that Bruce Wayne guy.So you want to go by the caves, I'll land us above that big waterfall.
I love that waterfall. Why don't we go over there more often? We could always build another cabin on the other side so that we can spend time over there too. The animals would be just fine I'm sure if we did that.
I suppose. I guess it's just keeping two places up when we're still building this one. We could travel more though. We have enough to do here that's easy to stay busy just with one spot I guess.* The shuttle lifts off and Mike set's the course into the computer. The small ship takes over and soon they're traveling into the evening and around to the other side of the planet. *
*I watch out the window* Yea that is true...maybe a big tent then, something that we can stash in the cave to keep it from getting ruined from the weather?
Cold do that, or even a cabin if you want to take the time. * The control panel starts to beep and Mike checks it. *
Humm, something coming into the system. Not too fast. I'll program the ship's system back home to rack and record it and we can check it out when we get back. Not coming very fast... Probably nothing.
*My eyes lift to the sky then look back at you as the beeping begins. I shudder and look back upwards* I hope you're right and it's nothing. Maybe just another falling star?
Could be...seems a little erratic. Still it's way out yet and just entered the system. At the speed it's traveling it'll be days before it gets close enough to get a good look at with using the satellites to zoom in on it and the computer has already listed it as not a danger to the planet.
Still curious but oh we'll first things first. Check on the other side of the planet and have some fun. *I turn look at you with a smile on my face*
*The time passes quickly. They grab a nap with the ship on auto and then arrive at just about sunup above the high crystal waterfall that cuts through the hardwood forest. They bring the shuttle down in a nearby clearing and disembark into the morning dew.*
*I take in a deep breath, enjoying the sweet smell of the dew as a gentle morning breeze flows over them. I kneel down and gently run my hands over the top of the grass, letting my hand get wet with the dew. I stood up and walked over to the edge of the waterfall and look down, enjoying the sounds of the rushing water down into the lake below, the trickling from the stream above wafting in the breeze behind me.* The waterfall is as breathtaking as it was when we saw it a few months ago.
This is a nice place. I was always torn about maybe building a little place here, but I didn't want to change it either.* A flock of large birds breaks out of the woods and flies over us. We can hear wild life all around us. *
So, you want to eat something before we visit the caves? We've been hours getting here and the climb up will take a while. We could just munch a sandwich on the way.
I think that's a good idea. I've definitely made us plenty of food. * I pull out the giant basket and open it handing you a sandwich*
Thanks. Let me strap on my belt with canteen and so on and we're ready to go. We can leave the basket here I suppose, for the climb. How deep do you want to go into the cave. Will we be staying in the first half mile or so under ground or do I need to take the rope for a descent down the hole?
No rope today. I think just in the first mile. The bats will come to us if they are any deeper than that. *I store the basket back inside the ship so that no wild animals can get to our food and grab my canteen as well*
* The climb is good exercise but not difficult and they arrive in less than an hour. Little has changed since their last visit. They are followed at a distance by a few animals and completely avoided by others that can be heard running at their approach. The cave opens with a wide mouth mostly hidden by brush. Using their flashlights they proceed in to a sort of natural bench where they settle down and wait as Lacy concentrates. *
*I close my eyes for a minute then smile and open my eyes as the sounds of bats flying reaches our ears. Soon bats appear swilling around above us*
I hope these guys can control their....bodily functions. * Mike sighs * So, how are they doing?
*I giggle as one bat after hearing your comment poops next to you, chatting and laughing. i shake my head when they quiet down and one, an elder, spoke up in a serious tone.* They are scared...there is a new creature living in the hole...something big, fast, and mean. They say it has been living here for centuries and it is mad. It has already killed several bats.
Can they describe it? Does it look like anything they know? Does it fly, climb....have claws?
*I listen as they all begin to chatter at once* Claws yes, wings yes, eyes as red as blood and that is all they have seen except for it has a tail like a rat's but it has fur on it.
How big is it? As big as you, me...bigger?
*I look from the bats to you* Bigger...bigger than Tor even.
Hummm....how does it get through the caves? The hole is about twice as wide as we need...??? So, does that mean it never comes out of the caves or is there another way out.* Mike looks thoughtful and sits on the nearby stone bench*
Does it lair here in the caves? Does it have hair or scales? They said it has a thin tail...with hair right? Is it like a.....giant rat or something else?
*I shrug* Like I said that is all they know and saw. But it scares them. They've already lost several elder and babies.
Well...where is it? Is it in the deep cave or does it come in and out? I'll check it out if they can give me an idea where it is.
*I look at the elder and he hissed* He says that it sounds like it comes and goes.
Okay.... Do any if them know where it comes in? Is it from up here or is there another entrance? As it stands I don't really have any idea where it may lair. If it lives underground that's one thing but if it lives and hunts above ground and comes in someplace that's another. Do they have any idea how it gets into the cave?
*I pick up my flashlight and begin to hike through the cave, one of the bats flying in front of me. I motion you to follow me as I disappear farther into the cave* He says he this he knows...
Watch out, we're not too far from the "Hole". That's a drop into the lower caves and without a rope it's a bad climb....
*I nod and shine my light to a narrow bridge that would take them around the hole* I don't remember that being there. Do you?
No... What is it. Go slow if we have something digging or worse, extruding something that hardens it could be big. Don't step on that till we know what it is.
*I glance back at you with fear in my eyes before I inch forward, closer to the new bridge. I lean closer, tapping it with my foot.* Well it's solid but I still can't tell if its made out of rock or something else.
*Mike joins her and kneels down. He takes out his knife and attempts to chip or cut the substance.*
*I flash my light down the hole then across the bridge. I look down as you chip some of the bridge* Rock? But...how did rock form a new bridge?
I have no idea...hang on.* Using the mutant strength he's had little use for lately, Mike grabs the bridge and swings down. He supports his weight with one hand and uses his light to inspect the underside of the "bridge".*
*I reach out and gently touch the underside which looked like it had been raked by claws* Did the creature do this?
Asking your friends??? Ask if their, beast is down below.
*The bat from before flies over the hole and hovers across in the darkness* No...it's over there. It made the bridge so it didn't have to fly across. Must be lazy.
* Mike pulls himself up and checks his belt. He's taken to only carrying on gun, a large caliber hunting revolver, but he does still carry several knives. (He seems to just like knives...go figure). He takes his light, crosses the bridge and begins to scan the ground for any loose dirt that may hold tracks.*If this thing flies we might want to find it here where that won't be such an advantage. Of course It may be so creature that naturally hunts bats. Are there any...less intelligent, more normal bats you know of? This could be a case of lion vs. deer kind of thing.
*I shake my head* No all the bats are like these. I'm really getting scared, Mike. Wait do you hear the scratching noises? They are coming from across the hole. *I duck quickly as the bat quickly flies away from the sound.*
Well, at least it won't be long now.......* Mike positions himself on the opposite side of the stone bridge from the noises and waits. *
*I move closer to you, turning my flashlight off as two glowing eyes appear glaring at us from the darkness. My eyes adjust and I take in a sharp breath when I see the creature for myself* It's a cross between a crow, a rat, and something else but I can't tell what...it's really creepy!
Humm.... can you touch it's mind?* Mike has his revolver ready but doesn't fire yet*
Any chance of telling it, it need to go eat rats or something?
*I shake my head* I can't reach his mind. He is either blocking me or something else is blocking me...
Hummm... * Mike looks like he just realized something* I say that a lot don't I? Well anyway, could it just be that he has a very alien mind?
*I watch the creature as it hisses at us, taking a step closer to us* Yes that and crap...*I jump when the creature lifts off the ground and flutters above us, circling*
Dare to Dream
Books mentioned in this topic
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (other topics)Phoenix Rising (other topics)
The Janus Affair (other topics)
So, you ready to fly off in a few hours? That should put us around the other side about sun up over there?