Month: August 2016

Two Sides To Every Story

We dug too shallow.

We didn’t know what we would find but we kept going. Hard rock gave way to soft dirt and loose gravel. Cave-ins had become a daily occurrence. Still we pressed upwards until we breached open space. The light was brighter than any flame or tunnel glow we had ever seen. The air was not like the air in our tunnels. It filled our heads making us dizzy and nauseated. A couple started twitching and stumbled around. Suddenly, tall gangly creatures rushed at us with swords and daggers screaming with shrill voices. We fought back and they proved no match for Dwarven pickaxes and shovels. We collected those dazzled by the air and light and returned to our tunnel, collapsing it behind us in hopes they would not follow.

-From the journal of Derke Coalmaster
(First recorded meeting of Dwarves and Men)

***

Villagers have been reporting sinkholes on the outskirts of the village. They believe a monster is trying to dig up from the underworld. I have sent a five man squad to investigate.

Update: The men I sent happened upon one of the sinkholes forming and laid in wait to see if anything would emerge. From a nearby thicket they watched as several short man-like creatures clawed their way out of the ground. They carried crude weapons so the decision was made to attack. The monsters proved terrifyingly strong and killed all but one of the men. The lone survivor played dead and watched them return to the ground. Several more sinkholes formed but no further sightings of the creatures. I have ordered the hole they emerged from filled with stone.

-From the daily logs of garrison captain Greg Levett
(First recorded meeting of Men and Dwarves)

Lisa’s Story: Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter Ten

Twenty minutes later, I was ready to get moving. Well most of me was. My ankle still hurt when I put weight on it. Andy found a cane for me after I refused to lean on him. I limped out of the store under my own power while he closed the doors behind us.

My bat and machete were still laying near the bodies. I made my way over to my machete watching the corners of buildings for motion. I started to dip down to retrieve my machete when Andy swooped in and picked it up for me.

“Here you go. I’ll get your bat,” he said walking off. I sheathed the machete and stuck my bat in my pack when he handed it to me.

“We should move the bodies,” I said.

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Scientist of Death #2

After the Doctor left, I took a bathroom break and copied down the address and phone number on a pharmacy receipt. Then I ran water over the card and tore it into several pieces looking for concealed circuity before I flushed the pieces down the toilet. Maybe that was overkill, the card seemed to be just paper, but better safe than sorry.
The rest of my work day was tinged with anxiety but nothing else happened.

I walked past the living room to set my purse on the dresser in the bedroom and sled my shoes. I also reached up behind my back and unhooked my bra and pulled it off through a sleeve. I rubbed the sore area under my breasts from the bra and walked back into the living room.

I found Julie curled up on the sofa watching her medical drama. She lifted her legs so I could sit beside her and then laid them on my lap. I leaned into her for quick kiss and settled back to read on my phone. We were dating right now but even if we hadn’t been we would still be spending the evening together as roommates. I was perfectly happy to let her have other partners but she had a streak of monogamy that had us breaking up when she met someone new and then getting back together when it didn’t work out.

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Empty Nest

The Captain sat on the bridge of the flag ship, a cruise line ship that had been hastily refitted, of the United Earth Space Force. The bridge was spacious with a large forward window. The captain’s chair was plush and soft like an well worn armchair; less a command seat and more a throne. Around it several screens had been added, hard mounted through the plush carpet, to give the captain situational data. Currently they displayed files on the situation that was her current mission.

Eight months ago a FTL drone had arrived in Earth orbit and transmitted a message from a mining colony. It was a simple declaration of independence. Most people thought a single colony declaring its independence was just posturing, perhaps a bid for better pay. Some feared it would start a movement among the colonies if allowed to stand unchallenged. The debates seemed never ending until the cargo ships began returning empty. They reported the colony had ceased trade until their independence was recognized. Spurred by corporate interests a fleet was assembled and dispatched to bring them back under control.

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Lisa’s Story: Zombie Apocalypse – Chapter Nine

We were in the middle of the parking lot when I saw them. Two zombies shuffling out from between a couple of buildings to the north. I touched Andy’s arm and pointed. He stopped and look at me.

“What do we do?” he asked.

I put a finger over my lips. Maybe we weren’t close enough for them to hear but I didn’t want to take the chance. I looked back at the superstore. We were more than half way across the parking lot. I looked at the two figures. One was about my height with short hair the other was shorter and had long hair. A man and a woman probably. They were angling in our direction.

Could we make a run for the store? Maybe we could walk back to the nearest car and hide. Or we could fight them. I didn’t want to fight them. I looked at Andy and motioned toward the store. I began walking slowly, sideways so I could keep an eye on the two zombies. I heard a thump and Andy grunting. I turned to see Andy half sprawled on the hood of a car. He lifted himself off the hood, which popped back out with another thump. I turned back to the zombies in time to see them turn toward us and begin running in our direction.

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