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Start of the sequel to "The Reason"
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Start of the sequel to "The Reason" |
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WildPoet Member
since 2003-11-10
Posts 205California |
This story takes place 24 years after "The Reason" "Honest Mistake" Prologue Silently the small oval shaped escape pod, sped through the vastness of Alpha-Centari space. The man in suspended animation aboard the life raft knew and felt nothing. He wouldn't until the computer woke him after the landing. Flashing bright silver from the raw light expended by the sun, the little ship rushed towards the fifth planet in the system, with the computer calculating the data it recieved along the way. Data the man would use to survive on the planet and information that should help with his rescue. He was after all a rich man and could afford a handsome reward for his rescue. The ship neared orbit around the planet New Temple. The man slept on. I Swaying in the evening breeze, the bare feet of the hanged man slapped each other softly. Causing the vultures to shift uneasily. The birds waited anxiously for the human who was standing near the meat, to leave. The man showed no signs of going. Maybe he was dead, too. Joshua felt dead. He squatted down on his haunches and scooped up a hand full of pebbles. He let the small rocks slide between his fingers and watched them bounce on the ground below. He was stalling. He realised this and stood up slowly, letting the kinks work themselves out of his knees. Brushing the dirt off his hand onto his pants, he took one more look at the man hanging from the tree. He turned toward the town at the bottom of the hill and started walking down to it. Joshua thought bitterly of how the people of Davidaton had demanded the death of Eli Bernstein. As security officer, he had recommended exile for the crime of passion Eli had commited. Joshua knew it wasn't premeditated, but the outrage of the citizens and popularity of the victim, swayed the Elders to order the first execution in the history of the colony. Joshua was glad old Abraham was twenty years in his grave. He wouldn't want his grandfather to see what the village had come to. He especially wouldn't want him to see what had become of the security position that old Abe had trained him for. At age thirty-seven, Joshua felt so much older than his years. Little Abe ran through the meadow by the river chasing his dog Moses. They collided into a heap of licking tongue, wagging tail and laughing five year old boy! Laughter subsiding, Abe ended up on his back staring at the early night sky. The three half moons were setting behind him, but here he could see the first stars. Abe knew the stars well. He watched them most every night, but a new one has shown up there tonight! The boy sat up and studied the star with growing interest. Maybe it was an asteroid, he thought, or a ship from that other planet Earth that he wasn't supposed to know about, but that he had over heard his father Joshua talking about to the Elders. He heard Moses barking at some sheep in the next field. Abe pushed himself up in that weary five year old way he had, and went off to get Moses to stop bothering the sheep, so they could head home for supper. II Having orbited the planet once and established a landing point, the small escape pod entered the atmosphere and descended to a landing on a hill just outside the settlement it had detected. A bell clanged over and over, while a monotone computer voice repeated the phrase, " Please be aware we have landed". As he struggled up from the drug induced deep sleep, Jon Gates had the unsettling feeling of not knowing where he was. Then it all came back to him. The trip in his interstellar yacht to check on the companies interests in the frontier zone. The attack by unknown ships just outside the Alpha-Centari system. His rush to the escape pod, and the destruction of the yacht as he sped away. The bell and voice continued their announcements, until Jon yelled "Alright! Shut the hell up!" The atmosphere looked ok, so Jon grabbed his survival kit and hit the switch to open the pod hatch. Stepping out into the night air, his foot caught on the door frame and he went sprawling out onto his stomache." Son of a...!" Jon exclaimed, as he got to his knees and started brushing the dust from his taylored Wal-Mart World suit. It was then that he noticed the man hanging from the tree. "Holy...! This looks like a real nice planet, you've dumped me on, 'puter!" He sarcastically commented to the pod. Looking down the hill at the lighted town, Jon picked up his gear and shrugging his shoulders, started down towards the village saying, " I hope they at least have a four star hotel, I would give a thousand credits for some surf and turf!" " Dad! Dad! Wake up!" Abe yelled as he shook Joshua. Sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Joshua look at the frantic lttle boy and said " What is it Abraham?" The boy ran to the window and pointed saying " A meteorite hit Hangmans Hill! I saw it!" Damn, thought Joshua, are they already calling it Hangmans Hill? He got up and grabbed the night vision goggles from his desk and looked towards the now infamous hill. "What the hell?" Joshua exclaimed. There sure was something on that hill, but damned if he knew what it was! It looked like a flat egg. More important, was the fact that someone was walking towards the town. Abe was dancing around excitedly saying, "Is it a meteor, Dad? Huh? Is it? I discovered it!" Still staring out the window, Joshua said, "Just go to bed, Abe. You can find out in the morning." " But Dad! I saw it first! Why can't I stay up and see what it is?" Abe begged. Joshua snapped," I SAID, GO TO...." pausing to get his temper under control, Joshua looked down at the disappointed face of the five year old and breathed deep saying, " I won't let anyone touch the meteor until you have a chance to look it over. Ok?" This seemed to brighten the boys mood some what. At least he wasn't frowning anymore. Abe looked alot like his late mother, especially when he was upset. " Now off to bed with you and I'll wake you first thing in the morning." Joshua said. Abe reluctantly headed off to bed. It has been a little over a year since Anne died, and Joshua still woke up every day expecting to see her next to him. Letting out a sigh, he got dressed and prepared to meet the stranger coming to town. [This message has been edited by Christopher (12-24-2003 04:52 PM).] |
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Brad Majors 
since 2001-04-03
Posts 2647Georgia |
engaging piece! |
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WildPoet Member
since 2003-11-10
Posts 205California |
Thanks Brad! That's very encouraging! WildPoet  |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
Look, I will give you till after Christmas, but you best have more!! I am hooked... "if you won't let me fall for you |
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WildPoet Member
since 2003-11-10
Posts 205California |
I'm working on it right now!  Thanks Susan!  WildPoet |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
I like your story thus far. Good luck as you go along. FYI - I've edited out a couple of words and replaced them with asterisks. While I believe that some pieces can be improved with colorful language matching the character of... well, a character, Passions steers away from that. Write me if you have any questions. Christopher |
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WildPoet Member
since 2003-11-10
Posts 205California |
Asterisks would have been fine, since most people automatically fill in their favorite words and so the flow and impact remain basically the same. However, you have left the spaces blank!?! |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Very good...I hope you're keeping these together so when you put them in novel form you have the whole story..... |
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Magnus
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135South Carolina, USA |
You have an interesting story....parts of present day earth can be seen within the writings, and the evolution to where your story takes us is conceivable... Thanx.. Barry |
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WildPoet Member
since 2003-11-10
Posts 205California |
Thanks DeVine and Magnus This story takes place about 60 years in the future, so I can blend what we all find familiar, with what the future may bring. WildPoet |
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