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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:31:15 GMT -5
The Girl In The Woods Sheena was not like any of the other girls at her high school. While they busied themselves with talk of boys and the social scene, Sheena preferred to be alone. Dressing all in black, Sheena avoided the social areas of the school and instead hung out in the woods behind the high school. “Look, there goes Princess Weirdo again.” Ken Mitchell, the captain of the school football team, said. He and his girlfriend, the head cheerleader, Bonnie Rockwaller, were hanging out in the smoking area, with their friends, and watched Sheena head into the woods. “Yeah, she goes into those woods every day.” Bonnie replied: “What do you think she does in there. Grow weed?” Everyone laughed. “No, that would be too normal for her.” Ken said: “Maybe she talks to the animals.” “It wouldn’t surprise me.” Bonnie said in a snooty voice: “She is weird, all right.” Like most days, Sheena roamed the woods. She wished she could stay here forever. Being an orphan (Sheena lived with a distant uncle) and having no siblings or close friends, Sheena really didn’t care for the company of humans. She was just getting settled, when, in the distance, she heard the school bell ring. Sighing, Sheena got up, but twisted her ankle in the process and fell. Sheena stuck her head on a rock and was knocked out. For most people, this was nothing, but Sheena was a hemophiliac and bled to death. By the time someone found her, it was far too late to save her. Sheena was buried a few days later. Since she had no close family or friends, there were not that many people at her funeral. About a week later, Ken and Bonnie were in the smoking area again, when they spotted a black clothed figure entering the woods. “Sheesh, she WOULD come back as a ghost!” Bonnie said, shrugging her shoulders. “Yep, it kind of figures, I suppose.” Ken replied: “Anyway, Bonnie, about the dance on Friday. I was wondering...” Sheena was truly happy now. Now she could stay in the woods forever, and no longer had to worry about the weather and other factors that living people had to deal with: “This is my home now.” Sheena’s ghost said with resolve. Time passed, the students that had gone to school with Sheena graduated, and new students came to the high school. However, what all the students soon came to know was their local ghost: The Girl In The Woods.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:31:43 GMT -5
The Ghost of Queen Boudicca “Damn fog!” Howard Motz cursed as he drove his car through the Lincolnshire countryside. “Never gets this bad back in the States!” A native of New York City, Howard was in Britain, visiting distant relatives. Sighing, he turned his eyes back to the road, night had fallen, and a mist had come up, blocking his view. He was just considering taking another route, when he saw something that blew his mind away. Out of the fog, a chariot, pulled by two horses had appeared. Upon that chariot was a woman, at least six feet tall and with fiery red hair. To make matters worse, the woman was bearing right down upon him! “Holy sh...!” Howard screamed and slammed on the brakes. The car went into a near skid and nearly went off the road. Once Howard had gotten the car back under control, he stopped and got out. The woman on the chariot had also stopped, and was facing him from about twenty feet away. “What the hell is the matter with you, you crazy bitch!” Howard screamed: “You almost ran me off the road!” In reply, the woman raised an arm and shouted in a language that Howard could not understand. Then, without warning, the woman started the chariot and charged forward. Howard had just enough time to hurl himself aside as she thundered past: “You psycho!” Howard screamed as the woman and her chariot vanished into the mist. Grumbling, Howard went back to his car and saw that he had a flat tire. “Great!” he said. Luckily, he remembered passing a pub a few miles back. Maybe they he could get help there. About half-an-hour later, Howard reached the pub. “Have some car trouble, mate?” the bartender asked. “If only.” Howard replied, shaking his head: “Some crazy woman on a chariot nearly drove me off the road. You ought to call the local police. Maybe they can pick her up!” “A woman on a chariot, you say.” the bartender said. He went into the back and soon returned holding a book. He opened the book and pointed to a picture. “Is this the woman you saw?” he asked Howard. “Well, yeah.” Howard said, after looking at the picture. Indeed, the drawing greatly resembled the woman he saw. “Who is she? “Her name is Boudicca.” the bartender said: “She was a Queen in ancient Britain, when the Romans came. Eventually, she led an uprising against them. Gave them quite a bit of trouble, until she was finally defeated. They say she committed suicide after that defeat.” “The Romans?” Howard said with astonishment: “But that happened two thousand years ago! Are you saying...” “Yep, you’ve just seen a ghost, mate. The ghost of Queen Boudicca.” So, if you are driving on a misty night in Lincolnshire, keep your eyes open. The ghost of Queen Boudicca might be just around the next corner.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:32:20 GMT -5
The Vampire’s Last Stand “Destroy the vampire!” “Kill the fiend!” “Death to the vampire!” The cries of the angry mob, which surrounded his castle, reached the ears of Count Bartok as he stared down from one of the high towers. The torch bearing villagers had the castle totally surrounded and were armed with pitchforks, stakes, guns, any weapon they could get their hands on. “This is most unfortunate indeed.” Bartok muttered to himself. For years he had been able to prey upon the peasants in this region, but now that was over. It was time to leave, and Bartok had a plan. He left the tower and headed down to the lab, where his loyal servant, Hugo, was waiting. Aside from being a servant, Hugo was also a brilliant scientist, and this is how Bartok would thwart his enemies. “Is it ready?” Bartok asked. “Yes, my Master.” Hugo replied: “The time machine is ready. Soon you will be sent a thousand years into the future, where your enemies cannot harm you.” “Yes, I think we should...” Bartok began, but then broke off as he saw smoke coming from under the lab door. “They’ve set the castle on fire!” “Then you must hurry, my Master. Get into the booth.” Hugo then pointed to a glass booth that stood nearby. “What about you, my loyal servant?” “Alas, the time machine only has the power to send one through.” Hugo sadly said: “It has been an honour being your servant. Hurry, Master, go!” “Farewell, my loyal Hugo.” Bartok said as he entered the glass booth. Hugo quickly threw some switches and watched as his unholy Master vanished. Farewell, oh Master, may you find feast aplenty in your new time. Hugo thought, before the smoke overwhelmed him. The first thing Bartok noticed when he opened his eyes was that he was outside, the castle was nothing but a forgotten ruin. “Hmmmm, nothing left.” Bartok said: “Now, to feast! A thousand years is a long time.” Quickly, the vampire began his hunt. He noticed that the landscape seemed somewhat scorched, but he paid it no heed. Soon he saw two figures ahead of him. Ah! Bartok thought and pounced on one of them. He bit into the neck, but instead of flesh, he felt metal of some kind. “May I ask what you are doing?” the figure asked. “What? You are a machine!” Bartok said. “Yes, I am an android.” the first figure said. “As am I.” the second figure added. Bartok didn’t know what an android was and right now he didn’t really care. He needed to feed, now. “I must find a human to feed on!” Bartok declared. “That is very unlikely.” The first android said. “Indeed, humans have been extinct since the Atomic Cleansing, five hundred years ago. Only we machines survived.” “Humans extinct!” Bartok cried: “How will I feed? NOOOOOOOO!!” Count Bartok, a drinker of human blood, now trapped in a world where human blood no longer exists.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:32:56 GMT -5
The Empty Lighthouse The Time: November 13, 1903 The Place: Off the western coast of Scotland. “I don’t like this.” Joseph Winchester said as the boat plowed through the rough sea. “Don’t like what?” Tom Smith, the first mate of the boat, replied. “I don’t like that the lads at the Cove’s End Lighthouse haven’t been answering the telegraph. It’s been three days now, what is going on out there?” “That’s why we’re going there.” Tom said. “Aye.” Joseph replied: “But I have a very bad feeling about what we’ll find when we get there.” Joseph was the relief keeper at the Cove’s End Lighthouse, located on a small and isolated island. Several days ago, reports came in that the light had not been seen. All attempts to contact the three keepers had been unsuccessful. Bad weather had kept the relief boat from going out, until now. Several hours later, the boat had arrived at Cove’s End Island. While the crew secured the boat, Joseph headed for the lighthouse. When he got there, he saw that the door was swinging on its hinges, banging against the wall. This is not good. Joseph thought as he entered the lighthouse. He saw that the boiler, that powered the lighthouse, was cold and still. Clearly, it had not run for days. “Al! Jimmy! Willie! Are you up there, lads?” Joseph called out to the three keepers, but was met only with silence. With fear, Joseph mounted the stairs, fearing what he would find. He checked the crew room, he checked the supply room, he checked the head keeper’s private cabin, and finally, he checked the lamp room. Everything seemed normal, except there was no sign of the missing keepers. Where the hell are they!? Joseph thought as he looked around the lamp room. “So, what’s happening?” Tom said as he arrived on the scene. “I don’t know.” Joseph replied: “The lads are gone! There is no sign of trouble, it seems they’ve just...vanished!” “So what will you do now?” “I have no choice.” Joseph replied grimly: “I’ll have to man this lighthouse myself until a replacement crew arrives.” “Aye, I don’t envy you.” Tom said as he looked around: “Good luck.” As night fell, Joseph stoked the boiler and started up the light. Of course, fear passed through him as he wondered what could have happened to his missing colleagues. Thankfully, Joseph survived the night. When the replacement crew arrived, a few days later, Joseph got away from there as fast as possible. For the rest of his life, he never went near the sea again. As for the three missing keepers, their fate remains a mystery until this very day...
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:33:35 GMT -5
The Man Who Captured Death “Almost done.” Seventy-seven year old Arthur Gates muttered to himself as he completed work on a new device. The scientist had spent his life tinkering with various inventions, but now he was racing against the clock, literally. On his desk was the note from his doctor, telling him about the terminal cancer. Indeed, as he worked, Arthur felt his strength slipping away, he knew he had very little time. “It’s finished!” Arthur said: “Now all I have to do is wait. He will come for me soon.” With that, Arthur sat down in a nearby chair. I’m so tired. he thought to himself. Soon, however, he sensed he was no longer alone. A dark figure had appeared in the corner of the room and came towards him. “So, you’ve come for me.” Arthur said. “Yes, Arthur Gates, I have come for you.” the Angel Of Death replied: “Come, it is your time.” “Not quite!” Arthur said defiantly and activated his device. In seconds, the Angel was enclosed in a force field, trapped. “Release me! You cannot do this!” the Angel protested. “Oh, but I can, and I have.” Arthur replied: “Now that I have you in my power, the world need never fear you again.” “Please, you must release me. You don’t know the consequences of your actions!” “I don’t care.” Arthur said: “I was cheated. I still have a few good years left. What right have you to take them from me?” “The decision is not mine.” the Angel protested: “I serve a higher power.” “Well, then that’s just your tough luck, my friend, because you’re not going anywhere!” “Well, then at least let me show you the consequences of your actions. You owe me that much.” the Angel said. “How can you do that?” Arthur asked. “Close your eye and clear your mind.” the Angel said. Arthur did that and soon he was overwhelmed by horrifying visions: In hospitals and nursing homes, elderly and terminal patients cry out for the final release from their pain, but it never comes.
People with fatal injuries, who have no chance to recover, live on, in pain, forever.
The world population continues to grow. Since no one dies, the growth outpaces the production of food, clothing, homes. Soon all the countries in the world dissolve into endless anarchy. “Please stop!” Arthur cried: “Is that what a world without death would be truly like?” “Yes.” the Angel replied: “Everything has cycles, Arthur Gates, people live and die. If you disrupt the cycle, disaster occurs, such as what I have shown you.” “Dear God.” Arthur said with shame in his voice: “I have no right to be so selfish. Forgive me.” Arthur then shut down the device, releasing the Angel. “All is forgiven.” the Angel said as he came over to Arthur: “Rise and walk with me.” “Yes.” Arthur said and stood up. He suddenly felt at peace and didn’t have to turn around to see that his dead body was still in the chair behind him: “What happens now?” Arthur asked. “Now you move on.” the Angel replied and pointed towards a distant light: “A new existence awaits you, Arthur Gates. You have nothing to fear.” “I understand.” Arthur said and headed for the light. Whatever lay beyond that light, he would soon know for himself. Arthur Gates, a man who saw that a world without death was not a Heaven, but a Hell.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:34:07 GMT -5
The Rescue As he floated in his rented boat in the middle of Lake Ontario, Tom Kane knew he was in trouble. “Damn! I should have checked the fuel before I left the dock. Now how can I get back?” Night was falling, and Tom was a long way from shore. He was considering options, when good luck came his way. A boat appeared and steamed towards him. Look at that old thing! Tom thought: I wonder what museum it came from? However, he was grateful and was happy when the boat stopped beside his rented boat. “Need a hand?” a man in an old style uniform asked. “Do I ever!” Tom replied. “Always glad to help.” the man said and tossed Tom a rope. Tom tied his rented boat to the larger vessel and then came aboard. He saw that the name of the boat that had rescued him was called the Bannockburn. “Boy, I sure am glad you came along.” Tom said. “Oh, we’re always glad to help.” the man, who Tom learned was named Ian Barker, said. “So, what is all this?” Tom asked: “Are you part of some historical recreation, or something like that?” “Oh, you could say that.” Ian replied: “We sail the Great Lakes, always looking to help. It helps to know that we have a purpose, after all.” Huh? What the hell does that mean? Tom thought, but couldn’t bring himself to ask. A couple of hours later, the Bannockburn got Tom safely back to Toronto Harbour. “Thank you!” Tom called, as the old boat steamed away. Tom quickly made his way to the boat rental place and told them what happened: “If that other boat, the Bannockburn, hadn’t come along, I might have been in real trouble.” Tom told Al Smith, the manager. “Wait, what did you say the name of that boat was?” Al asked. “The Bannockburn? Why?” “Because there was a boat called the Bannockburn in the old days.” Al replied: “However, they got caught in a storm and sunk with all hands.” “What? When did that happen?” Tom asked. “In 1902.” Al replied: “Over a hundred years ago.” So if you are out on the Great Lakes and get in trouble, perhaps the ghostly Bannockburn will come to your rescue. One never knows...
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:34:38 GMT -5
What If? The words BREAKING NEWS lit up the screens of televisions sets all over the world. All the major news networks, such as CNN and FoxNews were covering the same amazing story. Something was orbiting Earth, something that was not made by humans. All the world could do was hold its breath and wait. In the United Nations building, in New York City, members of the Security Council were meeting to discuss the situation. “I can assure all the delegates present that whatever that thing is up there, NASA did not launch it.” Charles Benson, the American delegate said. “Neither did we.” Boris Smirnov, the Russian delegate replied: “However, what about our Chinese colleagues?” “The People’s Republic Of China denies any responsibility in this matter!” Xang Wong, the Chinese delegate declared. “Gentleman, this is getting us nowhere.” Sir Geoffrey Smith, the British delegate said: “We have a possible threat here. Perhaps we better stop bickering and see if we can find some answers.” “I agree.” Marcel Dumas, the French delegate added. “I’ve consulted with the President.” Benson said: “He is currently meeting with the Cabinet to plan a response to whatever this thing is.” “As are our leaders.” Wong replied. “We don’t even know what kind of beings are up there, or what they want.” Smith piped in, wringing his hands. “Perhaps...” Dumas began, but stopped when a strange light appeared in the room. Within seconds, a being was standing there. He looked humanoid, except his skin and hair were all silver. “Who... Who are you?” Benson asked. “My name is Garue.” the being replied: “I believe you’ve been tracking my ship, which is currently orbiting your world.” “You speak English!?” the astonished Smith asked. “Yes, we’ve been listening to your radio and television signals for years now. Through them, we learned all the major languages of your world.” Garue replied. “What brings you to Earth?” Benson asked. “I have come because we need your help.” “Our help? What do you mean?” Dumas asked. “I come from a planet called Olin, which is about ten of your light years from here.” Garue replied: “For many years now, we have been at war with an aggressive species called the Yantos. Their aim is to conquer and enslave other worlds. Only we have stood in their way. However, in recent months, the war has begun to go badly for us.” “I see.” Benson said: “How can we help?” “Your world, Earth, is located far enough from the war zone to go unnoticed by the Yantos.” Garue said: “Therefore, we wish to use Earth for two purposes. One, as a place to station our reserve troops, and two, a place from which we could transmit orders to our troops fighting behind the lines. I assure you that we would not interfere with the politics of your world in any way.” “Hmmm, but what if these Yantos were to track down your operations here on Earth?” Benson asked. “I will not deceive you.” Garue replied grimly: “That would result in the total destruction of your world.” “Forgive us for being a little cold blooded, but why should we stick our necks out to help you?” Smith asked: “Your war with the Yantos does not involve us.” “That is true.” Garue answered: “However, the Yantos will not stop at Olin if they win the war. Their aim is to conquer this whole part of the galaxy, and that includes your Earth.” “Oh.” Smith said slowly. “Well, Garue, this is quite the revelation.” Benson said: “However, we will have to consult with the leaders of our nations, and the General Assembly, before we can come to a decision on your request.” “I understand.” Garue said: “However, please decide fast. The fate of your world may lie in whatever decisions you make.” With those words, Garue vanished, and the world would never be the same again. What if an alien ship came to Earth and asked for our help? What if by giving them help, we risked destruction, but by refusing them, we risked conquest and slavery? What choice would our leaders make? What if...
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:35:14 GMT -5
The Escape The Time: The late 1800's The Place: Mid Atlantic As the two men in the life boat watched, the prison ship exploded in flames and quick sank beneath the sea forever. Neither man had any regrets about it, considering they were the ones that caused the explosion. “Well done, Cody!” one of the men, Zack Burns, said. “Yes, rather stupid of them to leave the powder room with only one guard.” Cody Green replied: “It was so easy for me to cut his throat and get into the room. I guess that’ll teach them to relax their guard.” The two men laughed, reveling in their new freedom. “So, where do we go now?” Zack asked: “We are both convicted murderers, after all.” “Relax, Zack, why do you think I rigged the ship to explode and make sure everyone on board died, including our fellow prisoners? When the authorities investigate, they will conclude that we also were killed. No one will be looking for us, Zack. We’re free men!” “You’re right, of course. Why don’t we get paddling?” For the next several days, the two men rowed their stolen life boat, however, no land came in sight. Their supplies, quickly grabbed, soon began to run out. “Throat so parched.” Zack croaked as he drank the last of their water. “You idiot!” Cody roared: “You left none for me!” “I’m sorry.” Zack said weakly: “I couldn’t help it.” “Well, be sorry for this!” Cody snarled as he pulled out a knife and stabbed Zack to death: “Feed the sharks!” Cody said as he tossed Zack’s body overboard. I’ve killed dozens of men, one more won’t make any difference. Cody thought as he watched Zack’s body float away. The days seemed to blur together as the life boat floated on. Cody no longer had the strength to row, so he let the currents take him where they may. Suddenly, he felt the life boat bump up against something. Cody opened his eyes and saw that a ship had come up alongside him. Thank God! Cody thought as he climbed up the rope ladder the ship had thrown down and pulled himself aboard. When he looked around, Cody saw that the crew were dressed rather strangely, but didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Seeing a man in a fancy uniform, Cody concluded that he was the captain. “Captain, I owe you my life!” Cody said gratefully. “I’d save your thanks. We have done you no favour, my friend.” the captain replied. “Of course you have.” Cody said: “When do we reach port?” “Port?” The captain said, a sad smile coming across his face: “This ship hasn’t touched port since before your grandfather was born.” “Now that’s...” Cody said, but his voice died away when he saw the name of the ship that had rescued him: No! Oh, God! No! he thought as the reality of where he was sank in. “Welcome, my unfortunate friend.” The captain said: “Welcome aboard the Flying Dutchman!” Cody Green, escapee from a mortal prison, now confined to an immortal prison.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:35:56 GMT -5
Return To Me When I arrived, I saw that the house was a blackened ruin. I knew then that she had not survived the fire, but still I had to see. I had to know. “Sarah!” I called out, hoping against hope: “Sarah! I’ve returned from Africa. Please, answer me.” Suddenly, my prayers were answered. “Peter!” she called: “I am here!” As I watched, Sarah appeared out of the ruins. She looked just the same as I had last seen her, two years ago, before my departure to Africa. “Sarah, I have returned.” I said. “Alas, my Peter, you have returned for nothing.” she said sadly: “For I died in the fire that destroyed my home. I am a ghost now, and thus cannot love you as I did when I was alive.” Of course, I knew she was a ghost, but I had a surprise of my own to tell her: “Sarah, my love, we can be together, for I am a ghost too. I died of a jungle fever, four days ago. I wanted to return, to say goodbye, but now I don’t have to! We can be together! Forever!” “Forever.” Sarah sighed as she ran into my arms. Today, the old ruins of the house still stand, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the two ghostly lovers, Peter and Sarah, happily spending eternity together.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:36:31 GMT -5
The Plague Astronaut Joe Sprague looked at the familiar blue and white planet on the view screen and sighed to himself. After ten years wandering the galaxy, he was home, but not the home he had known. He looked over at the chronometers, the one on the right read SHIP TIME, while the one on the left said EARTH TIME. Eight hundred years. Joe thought to himself : I have been out in the galaxy for ten years, but eight hundred years have passed on Earth since I left. They told me about the time dilation before the mission. I knew that I would never see my world again. Joe was an orphan, with no family or close friends, it was for this reason that he had been selected for the mission. There was no one close he was leaving behind. Hmmmm, there are traces of radiation in the atomosphere. Joe thought as he checked his instruments: Dear God, did they have a war? Is there anyone left alive down there? I guess there is only one way to find out. With that, Joe began the landing procedures. One he had landed and shut down the ship, Joe prepared to disembark. However, before he did that, he quickly donned his laser pistol. I remember when they gave this to me. Joe thought: When I asked what it was for, they said: It’s for when you return to Earth. With that, Joe opened the hatch and left the ship. Several hours later, Joe was exploring the barren landscape, when he saw people coming towards him. So, some people did survive. Joe thought as he moved towards them. However, he was just about to say hello, when panic seemed to grip the people in front of him. “The Plague!” a woman shouted: “He carries the Plague!” “Drive him off, lest he infects us all!” a man cried. “Wait, you don’t....” Joe began, but was soon driven back by a barrage of rocks. Plague? Joe thought as he retreated: I don’t understand. He made his way into the woods, when suddenly, he was confronted by an old man. “Who are you?” Joe asked. “My name is Ethan.” The old man replied. “You don’t seem to fear this plague your friends seem to think I have.” “That’s because I have learned many things.” Ethan said: “Come with me, you will learn too.” Ethan led Joe into a deep cave, where a computer, that looked centuries old, was. “This will teach you.” Ethan said and threw some switches. As Joe watched, a screen came to life, a voice began to narrate, and a terrible story unfolded before him. In the year 2087, after decades of skirmishes, the last major World War erupted. Although data on how the war started is inconclusive, what is known is that two thirds of the world population perished in this war.Dear God! Joe thought as the narration continued. The resulting nuclear winter and diseases also claimed many. However, from this disaster, a new humanity arose. As Joe watched, a group of men and women were depicted, looking at the ruined world. Now we must build again. a man declared: Let our world be forever free of the plagues of terrible weapons, and the wars they cause! As the screen went blank, Joe now understood why the people of this world feared him. He looked down at his weapon. “I see you understand.” Ethan said: “Over the centuries since that terrible war, we have come to see weapons of war as a plague, an evil that once destroyed our world and must never be allowed to do so again.” “Yes, I understand.” Joe replied and removed his laser, which he let drop to the ground. The crowd was waiting when Ethan returned with Joe. “My friends, welcome the newcomer. As you can see, he is now free of the Plague.” Ethan declared. “Yes, he is free.” a woman said and walked up to Joe: “Be welcome in our world. You have been cured of the Plague, you can be one of us now.” “Yes, I will.” Joe said, smiling: Looks like humanity learned a painful lesson. he thought: Hopefully, the plague of war will never rise again. Joe Sprague, a man now happily living in a new world, that had risen, like a Phoenix, from the ashes of the old one.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:37:13 GMT -5
I Will Always Be With You The Year: 1916 The Place: France Bob Havelock screamed as the German bullet shattered his left knee. He fell to the ground, watching as the other soldiers of his platoon were forced to retreat back to the British trenches. The young Canadian soldier was now trapped in No Man’s Land, between the British and German trenches. Scared, Bob kept his head down as bullets and shells whizzed all around him. Sooner or later, one of them will hit me, and that will be the end of it. Bob thought sadly. As time passed, Bob began to think of the people he had left behind back in Canada. He thought of his mother and father, he thought of his sister, Sheila, but most of all, he thought of his maternal grandmother, Rose. He was very close to his grandmother and, Bob being the first born of her six grandchildren, occupied a special place in her heart. Every year, Rose came to Bob’s house for his birthdays, and all the major holidays. Rose hadn’t wanted Bob to join the Army when the war broke out, but she understood his reasons for doing so. Now it seemed he would never see her again, and that was the saddest part of all, because, in her last letter, Bob’s mother had said that Rose was not doing well, health wise. Bob had no indication of when the familiar voice first sounded: “Bob, get up!” Bob opened his eyes and saw Rose standing there. “Grandma?” Bob asked: “How did you get here?” “That’s not important right now, Bob.” Rose replied: “We have to get you to safety.” “How?” “Just leave it to me.” Rose said: “You cannot die here, Bob, not now. The family back home is going to need you.” With that, Rose bent over and managed to get Bob to his feet: “Just lean on me. I’ll get you back.” “Okay, Grandma.” Bob replied. He still wasn’t sure how his grandmother had gotten here to France, but right now he didn’t care. She was taking care of him, like she always had when he was little. It didn’t take long for Rose to get Bob safely back to the British trenches. “Thank you, Grandma.” Bob said. “You’re welcome, Bob.” Rose said: “I have to be going now.” “Can’t you stay a while. I’ve missed you.” “No, I have to leave.” Rose said sadly: “However, remember this, I will always watch over you.” With those words, Rose faded back into the shadows. Of course, no one believed Bob’s story of how he got back to the trenches. They assumed that he had crawled back on his own. It was a few days later, when Bob was laid up in the infirmary, when the letter from home came. When he read it, Bob understood. The letter stated that his grandmother, Rose, had died on the 10th, the very same day she had come to him and saved him. He remembered her last words to him: I will always watch over you. He knew she always would. Bob Havelock, a man who knew his beloved grandmother would always be with him, no matter what. AUTHOR’S NOTE: This short story is dedicated to the memory of my own grandmother.
Agnes Patty Nicol
1912-2006
You will forever be in my heart, Grandma.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:38:05 GMT -5
The Derelict The day had been clear when Jeff Packard had taken the boat out of the harbour of Miami, Florida. He and his girlfriend, Sarah Hewlett, had been looking forward to spending the day on the open sea. However, they did not count on the heavy fog back suddenly descending and isolating them. “Can you find the way back, Jeff?” Sarah asked. “I don’t know, something is fouling up the equipment.” Jeff replied: “I can’t tell which way we’re going!” “You don’t think that the Bermuda Triangle...” Sarah began. “Sarah, that’s just superstitious nonsense.” Jeff said: “All this talk of ships vanishing into thin air is pure bunk. There is a logical explanation for everything, trust me.” Just then a ping sounded on the radar. “What is it?” Sarah asked. “Looks like a ship of some kind, right in front of us.” Jeff said. Soon the shape of a huge, and old looking, ship emerged from the fog. “AHOY THERE!” Jeff shouted: “Is there anyone on board?” There was no answer. “I don’t like this.” Sarah said, shivering. “Oh come on, Sarah, it’s just a ship.” “Well, then why don’t they answer?” “The only way to find out is to board her.” Jeff said. Soon after, Jeff had pulled his boat alongside the mysterious derelict. Spotting a metal ladder on the side, he and Sarah were soon able to board it. “Well, there’s no one here.” Sarah said as she looked around. Spotting a plaque, Sarah read the name on it: “USS Cyclops.” “Where the hell are the crew?” Jeff asked. The two of them made their way to the bridge and found a gruesome sight waiting for them there. The bridge was full of skeletons. “Oh my God!” Sarah screamed. “What happened here?” Jeff asked curiously. “Jeff, I want to get off this ship, now!” Sarah said. “Just hang on, Sarah.” Jeff said and went to examine the skeletons. Being a second year Med student, Jeff was curious as to what had killed these people: “Hmmmmm, I don’t see any sign of injury.” he muttered: “It looks like they just died at their posts. Strange.” “Jeff, these people have been dead a long time.” Sarah said, sounding more in control of herself now: “Whatever happened here, it looks like it happened years ago!” “Yes, but I still think we should report this, Sarah.” Jeff said as he straightened up: “Let’s go.” As they left the mysterious ship, Jeff couldn’t help but think: If this derelict has been out here all these years, how come no one else has found it before now? Very strange! Once they got back to Florida, Jeff and Sarah quickly reported what they had seen to the Coast Guard. However, there were in for a surprise. “We checked the area where you went boating.” The Coast Guard representative, a Captain Hawkins said: “However, we didn’t find any derelict ship there. What did you say the name of it was?” “The USS Cyclops.” Sarah replied. “That might explain it, although not in any logical way.” Hawkins said: “You see, the USS Cyclops vanished in the Bermuda Triangle in 1918, nearly ninety years ago now.” Jeff Packard and Sarah Hewlett, a young couple who took a trip to the infamous Bermuda Triangle, and returned to tell about it.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:38:42 GMT -5
Prison Break Mike Raynor sat in the gray cell and pondered. It had been six months now since he had been sentenced to this underground prison on the planet Mars. Not a day went by when he didn’t think of escaping. I will get out of here! Mike thought: No matter what. There is no way in hell that I’m gonna spend the rest of my life in this cell. As he thought this, Mike’s mind went back to that day, six months earlier, when he received his sentence at the end of his trial: For the crime of murder in the first degree, this court sentences you, Mike Raynor, to spend the rest of your life in the Aries Underground Prison, on Mars. Mike smiled grimly as he thought: They sent me here because no prison on Earth could hold me. They say that no one has ever escaped from the Aries Prison. Well, there is a first time for everything. A few days later, Mike was awakened by a maintenance robot that had come into his cell to repair a faulty light circuit. When Mike saw the robot activate its laser welder, he knew this was his chance. Moving faster than the robot could anticipate, Mike grabbed the laser welder from the robot and used said laser to disable the robot. This should come in REAL handy! Mike thought as he ran out of his cell. “ALERT! ALERT! PRISON BREAK IN PROGRESS! PRISON BREAK IN PROGRESS!” a mechanical voice shrieked as Mike ran down a narrow corridor. Strange that I haven’t seen any guards. Mike thought: Are they so confident of this prison that they think none were necessary? Well, I’m about to prove them all wrong! No prison can hold me, none on Earth and now, none on Mars! Ha! Ha! Ha! Soon, Mike reached one of the ladders leading to the Martian surface: I’m almost there! he thought as he pulled a space suit from a nearby locker and donned it. It wasn’t long before Mike had climbed up the ladder and had reached the hatch: Excellent! he thought: Now, once I get out of here, I’ll make for the Utopia Planetia Colony. It should be only a few miles from here! I’m free! Grinning, Mike opened the hatch and climbed out, but then, something happened. He began floating upward. What the hell? Mars has gravity, how can I be floating!? When Mike drifted further away, he saw the truth: “It’s not Mars!” he gasped when he saw the true nature of his prison, a huge metal satellite: “The prison is a satellite! That’s why no one has ever escaped from here, it’s an escape to nowhere! YAHHHHHH!!” Mike screamed as he drifted farther and farther away into deep space. Mike Raynor, a man who now finds himself a permanent prisoner of the empty void of space.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:39:32 GMT -5
Black Legacy The Year: 2156 The Place: Deep Space The sleek black ship made its way into the remote solar system. On the bridge, Jake Combs looked on as the fourth planet of the system came into view. “There it is, the planet Goth.” Jake said to his Second In Command, a man named Ian Andrews: “Home to the legendary race, the Deathsmiths.” “Just who were the Deathsmiths?” Ian asked. “According to legend, they were the best weapons dealers in this part of the galaxy.” Jake replied: “No matter how complicated the weapon, the Deathsmiths could make it.” “So what happened to them?” “No one knows.” Jake said: “Five hundred years ago, their whole civilization vanished, literally overnight.” “So why are we here?” Ian asked: “If there is no one left down there?” “Because it’s possible that the Deathsmiths left some of their weapons behind.” Jake said, grinning: “Could you just imagine the price these weapons would fetch on the interstellar black market? We could be rich for life!” “It does sound tempting.” Ian said, nodding his head. “I’ll say.” Jake replied: “Prepare the ship for landing!” Soon after, the ship had landed on the surface of Goth, near the ruins of an ancient city. Leaving one man behind to guard the camp, Jake, Ian, and the rest of the crew (there were ten in all) headed into the city to find some weapons. All in all, it was a good haul. However, they discovered something strange, an empty space port, with ships, all destroyed. “Strange.” Jake said: “Who could have destroyed the ships of the Deathsmiths?” “It looks like the Deathsmiths themselves did it.” Ian said. “Why do you say that?” “Because all the ships were destroyed on the surface.” Ian point out. “That’s true.” Jake said: “Why would they destroy their own ships though?” “I don’t know.” Ian said. “Sir!” another crew man called from a nearby building. “What is it, Ferguson?” Jake asked as he and Ian walked over to where Ferguson was waiting. “I found a container in here, a large one.” Ferguson replied: “I was able to translate the writing on it. It says that it housed something called an Apocalypse Device, but there is nothing in there now.” “Apocalypse Device? Well, this does sound interesting.” Jake said: “Let’s find it, I think it will be really worth something!” Although they spent the rest of the day searching, Jake and his men could find no trace of the Apocalypse Device. Indeed, they had no idea what it even looked like. Finally, calling it a day, the group headed back to the ship. However, when they got there, they found a grim surprise. The crew man they had left behind was now dead, his body looking like it had been eaten away somehow. “What the hell happened to him?” Jake asked. “I don’t know.” Ian replied: “I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s all rotted away.” “Could it have been a virus of some kind?” “No virus works that fast.” Ian said: “At least no known one. Perhaps we better just take what we have and leave this planet now.” “No!” Jake said: “That Apocalypse Device is here somewhere. I do not intend to leave without it! We stay!” Over the next several days, Jake, Ian, and the rest of the men continued the search, but could not find any Apocalypse Device. To make matters worse, they lost one man per day. They took precautions, but nothing seemed to work. The situation got more and more tense, until Ian finally confronted Jake: “We have now lost five men, half our crew!” Ian yelled: “Yet still we remain on this God forsaken planet! Why?” “Because we still haven’t found the Apocalypse Device!” Jake yelled back: “I will find it, Ian! With or without your help!” “Without!” Ian shouted: “I will no longer be a party to this obsession of yours!” “As you wish, Ian.” Jake said as he pulled out his laser and blasted Ian into atoms: “As you wish.” The next morning, Jake came out of the ship and found his remaining four men dead. He was alone now. Alone, but determined: “Hear me, whatever you are! You have not defeated me! I will triumph, and I will find the Apocalypse Device!” “That will not be necessary, Jake Combs.” an icy voice replied: “For the Apocalypse Device has found you!” “Wha...” Jake said as he turned around. He found himself confronting a creature that looked like a living mummy. Evil red eyes stared out from the wizened face: “What the hell are you?” Jake asked, his throat going dry. “Why I’m the Apocalypse Device.” the creature replied: “The Deathsmiths were truly good at their craft, they never made a mistake, until me that is. You see, they wanted to create an ultimate weapon, a synthetic creature capable to carrying all conceivable diseases. A creature virtually immortal and indestructible!” “We’ll see about that.” Jake said and ran back into the ship. Soon he had returned with all the weapons he and his men had looted from the dead city. Quickly, he chose one and fired it at the creature. “Ah, the molecular disintegrator.” the Apocalypse Device grinned, totally unharmed: “The Deathsmiths tried this on me themselves. You see, they soon realized that they themselves could not control me, so they tried to destroy me. However, they failed, and I destroyed them in a single night!” That explains why the Deathsmiths died out so fast. Jake thought as he tried one weapon after another on the Apocalypse Device, but nothing worked. “You can’t stop me. Nothing can.” Apocalypse Device said slowly. “Maybe not, but I can escape you!” Jake said and ran back into the ship. However, the Apocalypse Device was not that far behind. Strange. Jake couldn’t help but think: Why has it let me live this long? However, the answer soon came to him: Of course, it’s trapped on this planet! That’s why the Deathsmiths destroyed their own ships, to stop it from getting away. Once loose in the galaxy, this thing could destroy everything. I can’t let that happen! With that, Jake quickly stabbed down on a button he never thought he would push, the self destruct button. Both Jake and his ship vanished in a massive explosion. “Curse you!” the unharmed Apocalypse Device cried: “I wanted the stars, and you cheated me! You cheated me!” As angry as the creature was, it soon realized something: If one ship came here, others will too. One day, I will be free to roam the stars. One day, the universe will be mine! A warning to all who travel space: Avoid the planet Goth at all costs, or you too may become the latest victims of its black legacy.
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Post by Tim on Aug 17, 2016 23:40:48 GMT -5
Visit To A Haunted Tower “Way to go!” Katherine “Kate” Weathers muttered as she made her way through the Tower Of London: “First visit overseas and you get yourself lost!” The twenty-three year old Canadian university student was in Britain as part of a field trip (Kate was studying Ancient Architecture). Her class was visiting the Tower Of London, and Kate had gotten separated from the group. Now, which way did they go? Kate thought as she ran a hand through her curly brunette hair. Kate had gotten distracted, staring at the architecture of the Tower and the next thing she knew, her classmates had disappeared on her. Well, they have to be here somewhere. Kate thought as she wandered through the Tower, trying to find someone to point her in the right direction. About half-an-hour later, Kate was no closer to finding her classmates. This Tower is bigger than I realized. she thought: This could take a very long time! Suddenly, Kate saw that she was no longer alone. In the corridor ahead of her, two young boys were standing, both appeared to be pre-teens. What the hell? Kate thought to herself: Why are these two boys here all by themselves? Where are their parents? Kate also noticed how they were dressed: What the heck are they wearing? They look like something out of a Shakespeare play! Kate opened her mouth to ask the boys if they were lost, like she was, but before she could say anything, they turned and ran down the corridor. “Hey, wait!” Kate called after the boys: “I won’t hurt you. Come back!” Turning a corner, Kate spotted the two boys running into a room. Quickly, Kate followed them, but was astonished when she entered the same room, for it was empty! “What the... Where did they go?” Kate asked as she looked around the room. For the next ten minutes, Kate carefully searched the room, she looked out the window, she tapped on the walls (searching for a possible secret door), she looked around and under the furniture. However, there was no sign of the two young boys she had seen. There is no way they could have gotten out of this room without me seeing them, unless they can either fly or walk through walls, that is. File this under weird! Kate thought with a puzzled look on her face. Soon after, Kate resumed the search for her classmates. She had just turned down another corridor, when she spotted what appeared to be a woman about ten feet in front of her. “Excuse me.” Kate said, hoping the woman could help her: “Could you please tell...” Kate broke off as the woman turned towards her. Kate face went white and her blood ran cold, for the woman that stood before her had no head! As the headless figured made its way towards her, Kate fainted dead away. The strong scent of smelling salts brought Kate to her senses and she sat up. She saw that her classmates, and the local tour guide, had found her. “What happened?” Kate asked. “You tell us.” Rod Banks, one of her classmates, replied: “We came around the corner and found you out cold on the floor. What happened, Kate?” “I...” Kate stuttered, and then told them of what she had seen. “Well, young lady, it looks like you had a couple of encounters with the Towers ghosts.” the tour guide said, once Kate had finished. “Tower ghosts?” Kate asked. “Yes, the two young boys you described sounded like Prince Edward V and his younger brother. Both vanished from the Tower in 1483. Some bones, which may be theirs, were discovered more than a century later. They say that their uncle, King Richard III, had them murdered, but that information remains in dispute. You may have heard of the Shakespeare play, Richard III. Anyway, it is said that the ghosts of the two boys haunt the Tower until this very day.” “I see.” Kate replied: “What about that other ghost I saw? The one that scared me half to death?” “That would be Anne Boleyn. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII.” the tour guide replied: “He accused her of infidelity and had her beheaded in 1536. She’s harmless, miss, it sounds like she caught you by surprise, that’s all. We’ve come to consider them longtime residents of the Tower Of London.” “Yeah, I guess they are.” Kate replied: “This is one trip I’ll never forget!” Indeed, for when she got back home to Canada, Kate had quite a story to tell. Some of her family and friends believe her, while others didn’t. Either way, Kate knew that the Tower Of London contained much more than most tourists realized.
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