10:15 by Lawrence Peters A short story about fate and speed and the things that bring people together. [713 words]
The Go-Between by David Gardiner Everybody in the big city is looking for something. The trick is to find out what. [1,638 words]
Talent Takes Patience by Andrew Allyn Rasmussen This story is an interview with my next door neighbor, Christopher Beier. He has a treme... [821 words]
All For Her by F Luis Alvarez The ultimate sacrifice for the ultimate love. [834 words]
Winston (Part 4) by Wolfa Continuing story about a pitbull and a crazy woman... I don't really see the need to describe ... [3,116 words]
Till Death Do Us Part by Sorcha Colleran A chilling tale about a grieving husband. [873 words]
The Unwanted Doll by Debbie Bailey A little girl finds a lonely doll to bring home for Christmas. [821 words]
The Serpent by Simon King Beware your sins... [6,543 words]
The Promise by Debbie Bailey A fictional account of a woman caught in the WTC tragedy and the firefighter who rescues her. [2,453 words]
The Official Brown Envelope by Anna J McGuire A short story based on the challenges faced in war, by the men at war, and their wo... [829 words]
T-H-E N-U-T-Hare B-A-R-T-E-R-I-N-G R-A-B-B-I-T K-I-D by Christopher Dark This is a true story about the lives of 4 people I know ve... [2,454 words]
The Music Of The Spheres by Simon King Can you hear that noise...? [3,946 words]
The Little Things In Life by Fiona Shine This is a story told from the wiewpoint of a man who has spent most of his life in pr... [976 words]
The Greatest Gift by Debbie Bailey A woman reunites with the man who got her pregnant 25 years before. [7,498 words]
The Cab by Jeremy Shackleford Four people ride the same taxi at different times and the cabbie realizes between all of them.And in on... [927 words]
Qualities Of A Friend by Andrea Diane Brown John Denton, a high school sophomore, is excited to learn about the new neighbor his age ... [844 words]
Puppy Love by Debbie Bailey Animals do fall in love too! [747 words]
Peripheral Vision by Simon King In some places, the past and the present are very close... [2,838 words]
My Sweetheart by Debbie Bailey A high school student gets his girlfriend pregnant. [12,593 words]
Mightier Than The Sword by Simon King How much do you hate your boss...? [2,506 words]
Melody's Journey by Rose Trimovski It was her journey, her destiny to find the castle and to get the sword that had powers of the... [8,992 words]
Love That Never Dies by Andrea Diane Brown Daniel Jackson lives with his father. Both are having a great deal of trouble overcoming ... [1,273 words]
Finding Fleur by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Katy desperately wants to find Fleur, but does Fleur want to be found? [1,727 words]
False Accusations by Andrea Diane Brown Something's wrong in Sandra Richardson's life, but she just can't figure out what's going on.... [1,304 words]
Dirty Apartment by Sunny Description of my dirty apartment and its cause, me. [756 words]
Deadly Persuit by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Nature at its most cruel .. when it's interfered with by man. [1,541 words]
Dawn Rising
Dark Solitude. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson A woman alone on the moors when a storm threatens, but this is no ordinanry storm and that is no... [1,434 words]
Creeping Up From Behind. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson You can't ever really know what someone else is thinking ... unless they choose to tel... [925 words]
Cold, Cold Night.. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The night was beautiful but biting, she had to make her final farewells, a cigarette would h... [630 words]
Car Trouble by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Boys will be boys. [496 words]
Breakfast In Bed by Sue (Sooz) Simpson She loved her husband so much, and a sepcial man deserves a special breakfast. [1,633 words]
Barriers by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Everybody's frightened of the prisoner in the cell at the end of the block. [2,913 words]
Bandit At Twelve-O-Clock by Sue (Sooz) Simpson A sinister note drops through her letter box, but who is it from and what's it all abo... [2,144 words]
Attractions by Sue (Sooz) Simpson People stared at the sisters and called them freaks. [678 words]
Apple Of His Eye by Sue (Sooz) Simpson Daddy's little girl, Daddy's little sweetheart. (May be deemed offensive). [1,742 words]
Angel Stew by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The kitchens are in uproar. [826 words]
Agony by Sue (Sooz) Simpson The First in a series of Agony columns written by the unstoppable Aunt Nasty. (May be deemed offensive) [1,200 words]
A Fork In The Road. by Sue (Sooz) Simpson A paradox revolving round the lonely Holker Mosses in the dead of night. [2,835 words]
Madness by Keri McGriff Story based on the life of a woman in the mad house. [593 words]
Thelma's Dilemma by Elwin L Wormwood Thelma Price is about to loose everything she holds dear, until a teenage boy arrives and chan... [3,101 words]
The Medium by Stan A Fowler An engaging and personal battle by an arrogant talk-show host to undermine and expose his guest to r... [4,843 words]
You Verbally Bruise by A Delusion Of Adequacy Just fnding no depth in peope in general. [666 words]
Winston (Part 3) by Wolfa The escaped pitbull forges a partnership with a bum. Meanwhile, the woman Dana believes she h... [2,671 words]
Should Have Would Have, Could Have Been by Alberto Pupo A story of regrets and mistakes.... [638 words]
Observations At An All You Can Eat Buffet Line by Ashley M Smoger Story satirizing Buffet Eaters. [506 words]
Janeska's Story by Ashley Burdett A story of the Holocaust told through a victim's eyes. [5,942 words]
Greatest by A Delusion Of Adequacy The most brutal writing I've ever done. [967 words]
God's Hiding Place by Lawrence Peters - [230 words]
Feng Shui Movers by Kelly Moran My short story involves a reluctant heroine who hides behind new age philosophy instead of tak... [1,922 words]
Dor Omhan by Kai Zi Led "It was... my wife's," Jrudam said, much to Omhan's embarressment, "An earring. I had it made f... [2,810 words]
Describing by A Delusion Of Adequacy The only thing I've written that I like. [532 words]
And Angels Crept. by Duluoz First attempt at writing a novella..(semi-bio)..i'm only two chapters into it but would enjoy... [1,325 words]
Alien Mask by John Barnovsky This is a third-person narration about the encounters of a mountain rescue team with a small clan of... [9,096 words]
The Ticket by Kurt Kitasaki A satire on people who play the lottery. [912 words]
Winston (Part 2) by Wolfa The pitbull, Ripper, plots his escape, and a strange young woman is introduced. [3,397 words]
Winston (Part 1) by Wolfa A brutal, viciously intelligent pit bull -- a champ pitfighter -- makes his way from the dogfi... [3,013 words]
When The Blood Runs Cold by Jack M Brown A murderer surveys his victim, while trying to certify that he has done the right thin... [419 words]
The Medusa Raft by Dimitry Shreders The Medusa Raft is the story of one man ascension from cowardice and personal despair to courag... [7,100 words]
Thanks For Asking by Charles Bishop Twisted Bishop The town that polices it own. [787 words]
Papa by Lawrence Peters For one of the greatest there was. [473 words]
Nympholepsy by Rowen Ravera A bit of prose? attempting to leave the reader aware of violent emotions - particularly relating to... [499 words]
Its A Dog's Life by Ramkumar Menon This story is a poignant description of relationships between human beings. The idea is brough... [1,830 words]
If Not (Dog), Then What? by Jaaffar Munasip A short story of deception and self-believe. [1,344 words]
Devil's Embrace by Black Widow It's an erotic tale of one woman's descent into madness and masochism. [5,139 words]
Boston Blacky by Ken Whan An extended twist on a folk tale. [1,439 words]
An Intimate Conversation With The Powers That Be by Robert G Hagans From the mind of the hopeless cynic, comes a very strange but ... [1,070 words]
When Sylvie Sang by John Kraft A story of love, food and music. [2,030 words]
The Story Of Trading (Featuring Man And Ape) by Rowan Davies 'Tis a humourous tale of the begins of trade. Ape knows the key to... [1,609 words]
The Signal by Tom Campbell What if our search for extraterrestrial intelligence proved fruitful? [876 words]
The Men And The Beast by G Sandberg A descriptive description of the horrors of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. [586 words]
Simple Pleasures In Vegas by R James Hunter One chapter of an in-progress novel. Examines life through one man's ego. [389 words]
Face Your Life by Niall Power Street racing community. [621 words]
Bad Boy by Richard Koss A true story about a bad boy growing up in 1950. Was he just mischievous? Would his behavior be consi... [2,844 words]
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TITLE (EDIT)
Dawn Rising |
DESCRIPTION
He looked at his own personal sunrise every morning, yet longed for the warmth of the sun.
[1,069 words] |
TITLE KEYWORD
Drama |
AUTHOR
Sue (Sooz) Simpson |
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
I'm thirty nine, recently single again. I have two boys Cli' (pronounced clee) Real name Christopher and Mark. I'm a care in the community nurse and formerly (when I was married) an occupational Therapist working with the mentally ill on a secure unit. I love reading and writing and meeting people. I hate offal, seafood and intolerance. I keep dog, cat, polecats, rats and reptiles. And for seven years ran the second largest reptile sanctuary in Britain. Apart from having my lads, I think that's probably the most worthwhile thing I've ever done. Writing wise, I've been the main fiction writer for Legends magazine for three years.And have two books published 'Lizard's Leap' published by Quillusers, and 'Better the Devil You Know' soon to be released by Bestbooks.Um I drive a knackered old Astra, and ride a two litre trike. I live in the lake district of England, and am happy. :-)
[January 2003] |
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL ADDRESS
sooz.006@virgin.net |
AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (84)
A Fork In The Road. (Short Stories) A paradox revolving round the lonely Holker Mosses in the dead of night. [2,835 words] [Mystery]
A Twist In The Tail (Short Stories) - [963 words]
Agony (Short Stories) The First in a series of Agony columns written by the unstoppable Aunt Nasty. (May be deemed offensive) [1,200 words] [Comedy]
Agony 2 (Short Stories) Morew from the irrepresible Aunt Nasty (May be deemed offensive). [1,077 words] [Comedy]
Angel Stew (Short Stories) The kitchens are in uproar. [826 words] [Comedy]
Anne (Short Stories) - [707 words]
Apple Of His Eye (Short Stories) Daddy's little girl, Daddy's little sweetheart. (May be deemed offensive). [1,742 words] [Drama]
Attractions (Short Stories) People stared at the sisters and called them freaks. [678 words] [Drama]
Bandit At Twelve-O-Clock (Short Stories) A sinister note drops through her letter box, but who is it from and what's it all about? [2,144 words] [Drama]
Barriers (Short Stories) Everybody's frightened of the prisoner in the cell at the end of the block. [2,913 words] [Thriller]
Breakfast In Bed (Short Stories) She loved her husband so much, and a sepcial man deserves a special breakfast. [1,633 words] [Horror]
Car Trouble (Short Stories) Boys will be boys. [496 words] [Comedy]
Cat's Chorus (Short Stories) - [1,332 words]
Cherry Blossom (Short Stories) - [435 words]
Cold, Cold Night.. (Short Stories) The night was beautiful but biting, she had to make her final farewells, a cigarette would help. [630 words] [Drama]
Creeping Up From Behind. (Short Stories) You can't ever really know what someone else is thinking ... unless they choose to tell you. [925 words] [Drama]
Dark Solitude. (Short Stories) A woman alone on the moors when a storm threatens, but this is no ordinanry storm and that is no ordinary lady. [1,434 words] [Drama]
Deadly Persuit (Short Stories) Nature at its most cruel .. when it's interfered with by man. [1,541 words] [Drama]
Deep Blue Eastern Light (Poetry) I've never been to Budapest, but I saw an image on a postcard, it was misty and had a sort of dreamy quality about it. I wondered about the spirit of Budapest. Hope I've done her justicce. [204 words]
Different Road (Short Stories) Charlie is running scared. Will he find his way before his precious time runs out? [521 words]
Empty House (Short Stories) This had been her domain, now it was only a shadow. [649 words] [Drama]
Find Me A Place (Poetry) Everybody needs somewhere to run. [193 words] [Drama]
Finding Fleur (Short Stories) Katy desperately wants to find Fleur, but does Fleur want to be found? [1,727 words] [Drama]
Four Minute Warning (Short Stories) - [476 words] [Comedy]
Freedom By Another Name (Short Stories) He's an imposter [557 words] [Drama]
Furtive Glances (Short Stories) Always the last to know! [891 words] [Drama]
Galaxy (Poetry) Let Venus bear witness and Mars be our guide. [139 words]
Hickory, Dickory, Dock (Short Stories) - [991 words] [Drama]
Is The Toilet Roll Half Full Or Half Empty (Short Stories) It's hard when you're at bursting point. [423 words] [Comedy]
I've Always Wanted To Write... But! (Short Stories) There's always an excuse if you want to find one. [510 words] [Mind]
Jasmine And Gardenia Love (Poetry) - [417 words] [Erotic]
Jinny (Poetry) - [176 words]
Just The Ticket (Short Stories) You pays your money and you takes your chances. [5,177 words] [Drama]
Knockers (Short Stories) It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. [2,210 words] [Drama]
Little Bird (Short Stories) He liked fragile things [1,406 words] [Drama]
Lizards Leap (Novels) Four children buy an intricately carved frame from a school fair. A crazy old woman chases them desperately wanting the carving for herself. What is the mystery surrounding the strange frame? [5,753 words] [Adventure]
Long Walk Back To Jurassica (Poetry) Evolution and progress or three million steps backwards? [323 words] [Drama]
Lookingthrough The Window (Short Stories) - [401 words]
Madness Becomes You (Short Stories) She used to be someone, now she's several people, or maybe she's nobody at all, it makes no difference. [394 words] [Drama]
Making My Way Back To You. (Short Stories) She'd told them a thousand times to keep the front door closed, now tragedy had struck. [1,926 words] [Drama]
Memberwhen (Poetry) Memberwhen that mystical word of long ago memories. [189 words] [Drama]
Mortar Doesn't Breathe. (Short Stories) The house was inanimate, dead ... because her child was gone. [1,114 words] [Drama]
Mourning Glory (Short Stories) One of my favourite pieces. Please note *This is not a children's story* It's the tale of a little girl trying to be a child. [1,786 words] [Drama]
Mumbles From The Madhouse (Novels) It was her first day on the secure unit and somehow she had to see it through. [2,215 words] [Drama]
My Friend The Tiger And Me (Poetry) I wrote this for my little boy when he was having trouble at school. [942 words] [Animal]
Naughty Bunny Goes To Ibiza (Short Stories) - [552 words]
One-Man Race (Short Stories) He had only his nerves to rely on. One slip and the race would be lost. [664 words] [Drama]
Out Of Print (Short Stories) A man, a boy, a love of reading and echoes of the past. [2,007 words] [Drama]
Outrun The River (Poetry) The snow was melting fast and he owed it to himself and his seld of dogs to make it to safety. [145 words] [Action]
Pact Of Joy. (Short Stories) Don't we all just want to be happy? [2,497 words] [Drama]
Play With Me Please. (Short Stories) - [322 words]
Return Of The Hellcat (Erotica May Be Offensive) (Short Stories) Please do not read this one if easily offended. Or even not so easily offended. Continuing sexploits of Dark Solitude. [3,390 words] [Erotic]
Room For One More (Short Stories) The dream was haunting and wouldn't leave Mike alone. [1,728 words] [Drama]
Rush Hour (Short Stories) - [419 words]
Sally (Short Stories) - [2,268 words]
Sinister Music (Novels) She had no psychic ability, so why had fate chosen her to foretell of the spate of brutal murders? [6,114 words] [Drama]
So This Is My Life Then (Short Stories) - [517 words] [Comedy]
Space Walk (Short Stories) May Cause offense. [1,290 words] [Drama]
Spirit Dancer (Poetry) - [514 words]
Sweet Child Of Mine (Short Stories) The old lady had been brutally mugged, her son was sucjh a good boy, but would his thoughts now turn to revenge? [1,843 words] [Drama]
Tangled Web (Short Stories) Treat `em mean and keep `em keen. [596 words] [Drama]
The Band Played On (Short Stories) - [1,486 words] [Drama]
The Big Picture (Short Stories) The little girl was a great artist, but her subject matter was giving cause for concern. [776 words] [Drama]
The Comet. (Short Stories) Remember! [796 words] [Drama]
The Dinosaur (Short Stories) - [1,523 words]
The Half Empty Glass. (Short Stories) They had no idea of the horror they were walking into. [3,030 words] [Drama]
The Hhmmm Efect (Poetry) - [783 words]
The Iceberg (Short Stories) She had to break the hold they had on him... release him from his parents grip. [410 words] [Drama]
The Joker (Short Stories) - [2,032 words]
The Lovers (Poetry) - [124 words]
The Mark Of Jack (Short Stories) The start of something maybe. [1,044 words] [Drama]
The Old Enemy (Short Stories) I just hope I've got the names right. [253 words] [Drama]
The Rosary (Short Stories) May cause offense. [422 words]
The Spark (Short Stories) - [557 words]
The Thirteenth Station (Short Stories) - [8,024 words] [Horror]
The Village Green. (Short Stories) - [559 words] [Drama]
Three Mile Gap (Poetry) So close and yet... [285 words] [Drama]
Tomorrow Lies Beside Us (Poetry) - [239 words] [Drama]
Tusk (Short Stories) - [1,012 words] [Drama]
Under The Whether (Short Stories) - [1,626 words]
Watching And Waiting (Short Stories) - [1,253 words] [Drama]
White Icing (Short Stories) - [1,385 words]
Worlds Biggest Loser (Short Stories) - [114 words]
You Are My Sunshine (Short Stories) - [1,285 words]
|
Dawn Rising
Sue (Sooz) Simpson
The still muted orange swirled and mingled with the gentle hues of mauve and lilac. A tentative sun rose almost shyly from the valley between two mountains, its golden rays weak and still unmatured flaying out to light up the hazy purple heather. The scene flaunting the intrinsic perfection of natures dawn.
Baxter turned away, he must dress and prepare for the days work ahead, yet still the sunrise pulled him back for one last glance. This was his way of stamping it upon his retina, so that the beauty of all that he loved burned brightly in his memory. He was terrified of loosing the ability to recall the sun, he gazed at it for long moments every morning it was as much a part of his early ritual as his shower or his shave.
He heaved a great mournful sigh as he was pulled from the past, and brought back to the glaring reality of fluorescent lighting, and beyond that eternal darkness.
Baxter was not sure if his memory of the past was a blessing or a curse, the children flocked round him begging to hear tales of the ‘abovers’ as the old people were called. Bax had been twelve when the nuclear war had distroyed the earth, and the few lucky enough to be given shelter had scurried beneath the ground into the subterranean bunkers that were the starting pegs of the new world. He had witnessed the atrocities of war as they neared their head. He had been one of the chosen to take shelter. Baxter kept the children captivated with stories of life above ground, the children of the new world inched towards him on their bellies fearing to miss a word of the enchanted life that the abovers had lived. He described for the hundredth time fresh air and the feeling that one derived early on a Sunday morning when you took into your lungs a huge breath of brisk morning air, and then exhaled to the melodic tolling of the church bells calling the holy to worship. He told them of toffee, and chocolate cake fresh baked and eaten still warm, of bonfire night and Christmas. He explained what it was like to swim in a river warmed by the blazing sun. He felt the sting of tears as he reminisced about the smell of sweet hay waking him on the night when he had waited in the stable for his pony, Bliss to deliver her first foal. How he had felt very small when his fathers strong hand had shaken him awake to tell him that he’d slept through the whole event, and that Bliss had someone she would like to introduce him to. Bliss and her foal, Starlight had both perished in the holocaust of the final war, along with most of his friends and family. Only Baxter his mother and father had been spared due to his fathers expertise in physics, he had been needed for the emergence of the new world.
Baxter at the age of thirty six was the last of the abovers left. they had all died off, many of them fairly soon after the end had come, some lasting longer, but disease had been rife. In the early days before the new world had formed, conditions were appalling for the abovers, and many just didn’t want to live any longer.
One of the chosen hundred had been an eminent scientist and geneticist of the old world, his name was Franz Schultz. He had achieved many great advancements in the fight against disease and hunger as the new world developed. However what was acclaimed as his greatest triumph, soon became his worst nightmare. He had killed himself in disgrace one night when he could no longer look at the products of his creation.
Professor Schultz had created an innovative serum. It was said this serum would enhance and speed up the natural process of evolution, and would enable the new order to better cope with life underground.
Everybody was vaccinated with the serum. It was hailed a great success. Eyesight became eighty percent improved, people could now see perfectly in the dark. The body produced massive levels of vitamins. This meant that such conditions as scurvey which had run rampant through the people who had not seen sunlight for years cleared. These conditions were, within a short period of time obliterated. Joints remained supple and failed to stiffen if huddled for long periods of time when mining out the tunnels. Most important of all the changes was the fact that gradually the need for oxygen was reduced. Professor Schultz was proclaimed a hero. Thousands of years of evolution had been condensed into a matter of months.
However the pedestal that Franz was elevated on began to revolve, and soon it was spinning out of control. There were those who had warned caution, but initial testing had far exceeded their expectations. It was decreed that the entire colony be vaccinated.
The first child to be born after the mass immunization was little Helen Jenkins. Baxter had come to know the Jenkins family well. Like all parents to be, they were excited and impatient for the birth of their first child. The pregnancy had progressed well with no sign of distress to either mother or baby.
The delivery was perhaps a little longer than would be expected, but word had it that you could hear the screams of Mary Jenkins all the way to sector seven when her baby was finally placed in her arms.
The child was sightless. White depressed orbs lay where the eyes should have been. After all there was no longer a need of sight in the darkness. The evolutionary process hadn’t taken into account the fact that an advanced lighting system had been installed throughout the new world. The nose of the child had become elongated and rounded. A perfect implement for burrowing. Legs and arms had receded into the body. The new streamline shape of the child’s torso was white and smooth. the skin had no pigment, for no sun would ever shine on it. Many such children had followed. The spawn of the new world. Baxter had seen creatures like them on the surface, all be it much smaller and thinner.
They had been called Worms.
Baxter took one last look at the beautiful sunrise tattoo emblazoned on his chest, and then put on his shirt, another day was about to begin in Utopia.
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READER'S REVIEWS (3)
DISCLAIMER: STORYMANIA DOES NOT PROVIDE AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWS. ALL REVIEWS ARE PROVIDED BY NON-ASSOCIATED VISITORS, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
"It's a clever ending like so many of yours, but I think there are problems in the middle section. One is an inadvertent jump from the past tense into the present and back again. Another is the amount of "tell" as opposed to "show". I think this is one of your early pieces because most of your work is spectacularly better written. It's not bad, but it's not up to the usual Sooz standard." -- David Gardinerd, London , England.
"1999 or maybe 2000, but there's far worse than this. I was cringingly embarrassed by a review on a very poor piece this morning, but it's good to look back and to recognise that you've improved with time. you've reviewed a lot of my stuff David. Thank you for the time you've put in. I think I owe you a few. " -- Sooz, Dalton, England, Cumbria.
"***Achy’s Review:***Dawn Rising Sue (Sooz) Simpson The still muted orange swirled and mingled with the gentle hues of mauve and lilac. A tentative sun rose almost shyly from the valley between two mountains, its golden rays weak and still unmatured flaying out to light up the hazy purple heather. The scene flaunting the intrinsic perfection of natures ***>*** dawn. ***>*** Baxter turned away, he must dress and prepare for the days work ahead, yet still the sunrise pulled him back for one last glance. This was his way of stamping it upon his retina, so that the beauty of all that he loved burned brightly in his memory. He was terrified of loosing the ability to recall the sun, he gazed at it for long moments every morning it was as much a part of his early ritual as his shower or his shave. He heaved a great mournful sigh as he was pulled from the past, and brought back to the glaring reality of fluorescent lighting, and beyond that eternal darkness. ***>*** Baxter was not sure if his memory of the past was a blessing or a curse, the children flocked round him begging to hear tales of the ‘abovers’ as the old people were called. Bax had been twelve when the nuclear war had distroyed ***>***the earth, and the few lucky enough to be given shelter had scurried beneath the ground into the subterranean bunkers that were the starting pegs of the new world. He had witnessed the atrocities of war as they neared ***>*** their head. He had been one of the chosen to take shelter. Baxter kept the children captivated with stories of life above ground, the children of the new world inched towards him on their bellies fearing to miss a word of the enchanted life that the abovers had lived. He described for the hundredth time fresh air and the feeling that one derived early on a Sunday morning when you took into your lungs a huge breath of brisk morning air, and then exhaled to the melodic tolling of the church bells calling the holy ***>*** to worship. He told them of toffee, and chocolate cake fresh baked and eaten still warm, of bonfire night and Christmas. He explained what it was like to swim in a river warmed by the blazing sun. He felt the sting of tears as he reminisced about the smell of sweet hay waking him on the night when he had waited in the stable for his pony, Bliss ***>***to deliver her first foal. How he had felt very small when his fathers ***>*** strong hand had shaken him awake to tell him that he’d slept through the whole event, and that Bliss had someone she would like to introduce him to. Bliss and her foal, Starlight had both perished in the holocaust of the final war, along with most of his friends and family. Only Baxter his mother and father had been spared ***>*** due to his fathers ***>*** expertise in physics, he had been needed for the emergence of the new world. Baxter at the age of thirty six ***>*** was the last of the abovers left. they had all died off, many of them fairly soon after the end had come, some lasting longer, but disease had been rife. ***>*** In the early days before the new world had formed, conditions were appalling for the abovers, and many just didn’t want to live any longer. One of the chosen hundred had been an eminent scientist and geneticist of the old world, his name was Franz Schultz. He had achieved many great advancements in the fight against disease and hunger as the new world developed. However what was acclaimed as his greatest triumph, soon became his worst nightmare. He had killed himself in disgrace one night when he could no longer look at the products of his creation. ***>*** Professor Schultz had created an innovative serum. It was said this serum would enhance and speed up the natural process of evolution, and would enable the new order to better cope with life underground. Everybody was vaccinated with the serum. It was hailed a great success. ***>*** Eyesight became eighty percent improved, people could now see perfectly in the dark. The body produced massive levels of vitamins. This meant that such conditions as scurvey which had run rampant through the people who had not seen sunlight for years cleared. These conditions were, within a short period of time obliterated. Joints remained supple and failed to stiffen if huddled for long periods of time when mining out the tunnels. Most important of all the changes was the fact that gradually the need for oxygen was reduced. Professor Schultz was proclaimed a hero. Thousands of years of evolution had been condensed into a matter of months. However the pedestal that Franz was elevated on began to revolve, and soon it was spinning ***>*** out of control. There were those who had warned caution, but initial testing had far exceeded their expectations. It was decreed that the entire colony be vaccinated. The first child to be born after the mass immunization was little Helen Jenkins. Baxter had come to know the Jenkins family well. Like all parents to be, they were excited and impatient for the birth of their first child. The pregnancy had progressed well with no sign of distress to either mother or baby. The delivery was perhaps a little longer than would be expected, but word had it that you could hear the screams of Mary Jenkins all the way to sector seven when her baby was finally placed in her arms. The child was sightless. White depressed orbs lay where the eyes should have been. After all there was no longer a need of sight in the darkness. The evolutionary process hadn’t taken into account the fact that an advanced lighting system had been installed throughout the new world. The nose of the child had become elongated and rounded. A perfect implement for burrowing. Legs and arms had receded into the body. The new streamline shape of the child’s torso was white and smooth. the skin had no pigment, for no sun would ever shine on it. Many such children had followed. The spawn of the new world. Baxter had seen creatures like them on the surface, all be it much smaller and thinner. They had been called Worms. Baxter took one last look at the beautiful sunrise tattoo emblazoned on his chest, and then put on his shirt, another day was about to begin in Utopia. ------------------- Shalomar’s Review: Very grim story about the end, and possible new beginning. My only other comment would be when you mention the name Franz Schultz. I don’t know if this is a real person or not, but if he is, are you sure you want to “date” your piece. Most end-of-world stories work best when the reader is made to believe that they could be right around the corner. --------------------- Jenna’s Review: Cameron, the work you keep laying on us by this particular author is quite honestly making me sick. I know that you feel compelled to post on her behalf, but I beg you to stop! You mentioned works by this author were published, but I can’t imagine what company would be so tasteless as to accept such vile material! " -- Cam Davis.
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 1999 Sue (Sooz) Simpson |
STORYMANIA PUBLICATION DATE
March 2002 |
NUMBER OF TIMES TITLE VIEWED
2499
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