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Y's Wowrds
Category:
Science Fiction
Publisher: Gannah's Gate
ISBN-10: 1946985104
Type: Fiction
Pages: 230
Copyright: May 15, 2018
ISBN-13: 9781946985101
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
Second book in a three-part extra-terrestrial autobiography. Not your mother's sci-fi!
One of the most prominent names in the lore of the planet Umban, J. S. Freeman is as mysterious and controversial as the island of Freemansland from which she came. In this second book of her three-part story, she tells of her fairy-tale marriage into the City’s elite ruling class. It’s a dream come true—until she wakes up in a nightmare.
After nearly losing her life in what seems like the collapse of civilization, she seeks relief from her pain in a bottle. Her husband’s stalwart love draws her out of it and encourages her to develop her writing talent. No one is more surprised than she when her children’s stories are an immediate sensation. But escaping into a fictional world can’t restore what she’s lost. Will she ever find what she’s seeking?
Come and see. The truth she tells is better than her fiction.
Excerpt
Grey had been putting in long hours and wasn’t in the best of moods. I had no stomach for his grumpiness because I had concerns of my own. As a result, we did more eating than talking.
He chewed his last mouthful, gave his mustache a careful left-right wipe, and laid down his napkin. “I don’t like this.”
I glanced at his empty plate. “You ate it all.”
He shook his head. “That wasn’t very good either, but it’s not what I meant. I don’t like that it seems every time you travel, there’s an attack somewhere near your location.”
He was right. And though we hadn’t discussed it before, it bothered me as well. Beginning with the shooting at the spa in Dabamal, my steps outside the compound were dogged by gunmen, fires, hazardous spills, and vehicle mishaps. In two cases, I had been near enough the action that I’d received minor injuries. The perpetrators usually died before being apprehended, but the two that the City was able to question both claimed not to know their true mission. They were merely operating under orders to commit this act at that place at such-and-such a time. If a specific person was targeted, they didn’t seem to know it.
Grey said what I was thinking. “It’s too coincidental.”
“I know what you mean.” I took a sip of pseudo-glaffcrim—the best we could get in Arkantak those days—and made a face at it. “I can’t help but think…” I sighed. “I don’t know. I’m probably imagining things.”
His expression was serious. “I doubt that you are. What are you thinking?”
“I hesitate to say it.” Though no one was listening, I leaned toward him across the table and lowered my voice. “I didn’t make any friends when I gave that presentation at Saltcreek. I almost got the impression someone in the room—maybe even more than one—had connections here in Arkentak, and they didn’t appreciate it that I spoke that possibility aloud. And…” I lowered my voice even more. “General Denn was pretty open in blaming me for bringing down Colonel Redruff. If she’s colluding with someone here in Arkentak herself, she wouldn’t appreciate my suggestion that Redruff wasn’t the only one.”
He grunted. “That’s occurred to me as well. But from what I can see, she’s in the clear. She just doesn’t like you because you’re a Freeman. She thinks you should keep your nose out of CFC affairs.”
“You’ve checked her out? Seriously?”
“To a degree. And whatever she may feel about you, her hatred of Daig Lar far exceeds it.”
I drained my cup. “The High Priestess’s husband? What’s he got to do with anything?”
Grey hesitated. “Maybe nothing.”
“But maybe something?”
He spoke so low I could hardly hear him. “Maybe everything.” He cleared his throat. “Whoever’s behind the trouble around here does seem to be—well, not targeting you, perhaps, but I don’t like the coincidences.”
“Neither do I. But what am I supposed to do? I can’t very well tell Commander Thessar I don’t want to go because I’m afraid somebody’s trying to kill me.”
Grey’s dark eyes roved my face. “No, you can’t. And I haven’t been able to do anything either.”
“You tried? You can’t do that, it’s—”
“No, no, I didn’t break any regulations. I didn’t even bend any.” He reached across the table and took my hand in both of his. “I’ve been looking into the chatter surrounding those incidents and reading the reports on the investigations, and I’m not finding anything to connect them. Not to each other, and not to you.”
“Maybe it’s all just random, then. There are flare-ups everywhere these days, and I’m frequently sent to the hot spots.”
“Maybe.” He fingered my bracelet but looked into my eyes. “I know you have to go. I understand that. But be careful, Jemma. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”
He usually called me Freeman, and the use of my first name in such a tender tone almost brought tears to my eyes. Or maybe I was just overtired. I smiled. “I don’t know what I’d do either. But don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
It was a long train trip to Suthfan, and I didn’t get much sleep. Something I’d eaten before I left disagreed with me, or maybe I was getting a stomach bug. I was sick enough to be miserable but not enough to be incapacitated. So I reported to the commander at the base as ordered despite feeling wan and exhausted.
I’m afraid I was a little short that day with the four Specialists I was supposed to be training, but who could blame me? I’d been under a lot of stress, living and working in what amounted to wartime conditions, though the City refused to call it that. I was so sick I could barely function, and the people I was supposed to be working with seemed to have rocks for brains. Major Gates and her team must be scraping the bottom of the barrel if these new Specialists were representative of the recruits they were bringing in these days.
The second day I felt a bit better. And because I was trying to be more honorable, like a proper Standtall, I even apologized to the Specialists for my impatience the day before. “We got off on the wrong foot yesterday,” I said first thing, “and it’s my fault. I’ve been fighting a stomach bug, and I’m afraid it got the better of me. So let’s start over. I’ll do my best to be more patient, and I’m asking you to give your best as well.”
I recognized their expressions. It was the look I used to give to CFCs who were my superiors. Controlled disdain. Inner rebellion. Imagining what I’d like to do to the Cityslime if I had the opportunity, and if I could get away with it.
After the initial shock, I had to admit there was no reason why they shouldn’t view me that way. My name was Standtall, wasn’t it?
I stared at them right back.
“Of course, ma’am,” they said, or something approximating it.
A wave of pain through my gut made me hold my breath for a moment. When the cramp ebbed, I said, “Good. Very well. This is what we’re going to do.” I tried to ignore another pain as I picked up my tablet. “I’ve devised an exercise that will give you an opportunity to put into practice some of the things we went over yesterday. You’ll work together, but you’ll be evaluated separately so we can see what aspects still need improvement.”
So much for feeling better today. Steeling my jaw against the churning of my stomach, I squinted at the tablet until I located the document I’d been looking for, then sent it to the Specialists. “I’ve sent you the instructions.” Another pain, sharper this time. “And I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to visit the restroom. Please review what I just sent you, and we’ll get started when I get back.”
I hurried out, thankful the bathroom wasn’t far.
If it was a simple matter of eating something that disagreed with me, I should be over it by now. Was I sick? Or… I hated to think it, but had I been poisoned? I reviewed everything I’d eaten for the past forty-eight hours and tried to think who might have had access to it.
The symptoms had started on the train, but I didn’t eat anything there. How about a drink? Yes, I’d had a couple of beers before trying to sleep, but they were sealed. It was unlikely anyone had tampered with them.
I went over everything, but couldn’t think how this could be poisoning. It must merely be an illness. Did I know anyone else who was sick?
After a while, I thought it was probably safe to get up and leave, so I stood. But in the same moment I heard a rumble, an alarm went off, and someone shouted outside in the hall. I couldn’t understand the words.
An ear-rending roar filled the air and sucked the wind from my lungs.
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