Farewell Spaceman

They had explored three fourths of the grid without finding anything more interesting that a rock or two that might have had a minute trace of mineral deposit, but not much else.

The search was slow going in the cumbersome suits, but neither Roger nor Harold minded. For, anytime the monotonous movement in the sifting through of the ashen gray dirt became wearisome, all they would have to do is look up.

Up above them was the inky black sea of space, with its stars shining brightly around the blue globe that was their home; the Earth.

So far away, its constant presence above them reminded the both of them that they were on the surface of the moon; another world. And that thought would re-energize them for hours more.

Harold marked sector 7-I off as 'searched' and they moved on to the next sector; bounding gracefully in the low gravity.

Roger was commenting on a piece that he had picked up which looked to be a meteorite that had impacted with another indigenous rock, when he landed on the ashy surface and kept falling as a sink hole gave way under weight.

A distorted shout came through Harold's helmet intercom and he looked over to see his partner disappearing into an enveloping hole.

He moved cautiously to where the opening seemed to stop and peered down into the darkness, calling out to Roger over the radio. After a few moments of tense silence, Roger responded that he was alright and had only got the wind knocked out of him.

The lights from his helmet flashed up at Harold so he could see that it was not a very deep hole. However, Roger said that it opened up into a cavernous tunnel that went on for some ways under the surface.

After an argument on the proper protocol, Harold used his jet thrusters to lower himself gingerly down to join his partner and then he could see that Roger had been right. It was quite a cavernous space with arched stalagmites and stalactites hanging and reaching from the floor and ceiling

They walked around the stone pillars, noting they must have been form eons before as they were now completely dry of any moisture that had formed them.

The large cave seemed to have a flow to its layout and it led them to the far end of the massive open area to where it narrowed into an alcove. Taking up most of the alcove was a big slab of ancient stone that seemed to be both naturally occurring and somehow, sculpted.

Harold dusted the surface of the top of the slab off and roger gasped with surprise.

Around the rim of the big 'table top' object, there was the straight line of a crack, only it was too level to be natural. It ran the length of the rectangular slab a hand's span from the top. Harold ran his gloved finger along its groove and traced it around the circumference.

They both stood back in silence and stared at the stone altar until Roger said that they should try to open it.

After another discussion about the unknown microbes that could be laying in wait under the lid, it was decided that their suits' filtration system would have to suffice as protection.

They both positioned themselves to push on the right end of the 'lid' and on the count of three, gave a mighty heave.

Expecting much more resistance, the two astronauts were caught off balance when the top slab moved easily to the side and a cloud of dust erupted from within.

Unable to see in the upturned cloud, they backed away trying to wave away the ancient partials that threatened to clog their helmets' filters.

The dust settled slowly and after a few moments they looked to the alter-like stone, its top laying askew across its opening.

And in front of it, standing before them, was a tall, cape-clad figure.

Roger and Harold gawked in awed shock as the figure flourished their long, black cape from around their hidden face to revile a pale, handsome man dressed in an impeccably tailored suit.

The tall man looked from Roger to Harold in their white space suits, himself not protected from the zero atmosphere by anything but his black, vested suit, and smiled a toothy grin. A sharp, toothy grin.

“Good evening, gentlemen.” He said with a thick accent. “Allow me to thank you for waking me from my long slumber.”

Harold looked from the man to Roger, whom did the same; the shock mirrored on each others' face.

“Dracula.” Roger whispered.

“Oh the moon.” Harold stammered as the cape fluttered and all became black.

Wolf Pearl

Deep within the cavern the soft glow beckoned to him. As it did each night.

He had sought out the cavern, and the treasure hidden inside it's far reaching chasm, long ago and its pull on him had never diminished. In fact it had an iron grip on his heart; his very soul.

Each night he would come to the cave, laying amidst the tangled & gnarled forest, and sit in the dark in his ragged clothes to stare at its beauty. The milky surface of his precious treasure reflecting the faint moonlight that crept in to the cave's jagged opening.

The light of which glowed in his once green eyes, now a milky gray to match that of his treasure.

Everyday when the sun's rays warmed the world, he would stumble to the little village that lay on the edge of the great wood, where the townsfolk would treat him like a dirty, barefoot beggar, shunning him as they went about their daily chores hurriedly before the night came again.

He had once been a well kept and handsome man, but in the years since he arrived in the tiny village of thatched roofed houses, seeking the treasure he had heard tell about, his desire to maintain himself diminished as his desire to be near it's warming glow each night grew, until it was all that consumed him.

For the treasure he sought was cursed, and just to look upon its beauty was to be ensnared in its spell.

Once in its grip he was its slave, and each full moon, when the lunar light was reflected in full off its surface, he would be transformed into a wild beast. Part man, part animal he would terrorize the inhabitants of the village, slaughtering their livestock or anyone that was foolish enough to be out after the day's protecting light faded into night.

So it had been for many years, so that none ventured into the forest that was said to hold a treasure beyond measure. Until some foolish adventurer came to seek its glory, only to be cursed to live as its guardian.

He had become the new protector of the cave and its ancient treasure. Neither able to take the massive milky white orb from its cradle in the dark cavern, or leave its grip, until the next came to take his place. Come to try to take the Wolf Pearl.

Super

John walked from his work along the crowded sidewalk; lost in his thoughts of his current project he looked up at the tall skyscrapers that lined the city street.

Out of one of the high windows on the left, a person leapt and floated gracefully down to a casual landing amongst the other pedestrians; no one noticed.

Another finished their conversation with fellow co-workers as they exited their office buildings and leapt into the air, flying off with a friendly wave.

Someone rushed along the street in a blur, moving in and out of the vehicles as if they stood still. Another still, flashed in and out of sight, seemingly into thin air, then back again a block or so further along.

It had all become common place, no one seemed mind, or even to care.

John could not stand it.

When people talked of how they could lift hundreds of times their own weight, see through solid objects, take on the form of anything they thought of, or even that they had the power to climb walls like some creeping insect, he would nod and smile politely, pretending he was interested.

They would asked him what he could do, and he only said he did not like to talk about it, they would not push the issue; some powers were very private in nature, but really they were to absorbed in their own selves to care much.

However, the fact was, John did not have any powers. He might have been the only person on the planet now that did not have at least one super power; he had to do more research into it.

When all of the world woke up one day and suddenly found that they had miraculously gained superhuman abilities, John had just woke up tired from a late night in his lab.

There were of course those that had tried to use their new found gifts for the usual greedy, evil purposes. However, when they found that there were just as many that had chosen to use their powers to stop evil, well the whole battle between good and evil became an epic spectator's sport. Complete with leagues, as a matter of fact.

But John stayed out of that nonsense. He kept on with his work and patiently waited.

Worked and waited. Until he came up with the solution to his problem.

For you see, giving the entire world super powers by accident was easy. Reversing what he had done was proving to be a more difficult project.

But John was a hard worker, and did have the ability to be very, very patient.

Escape

Through the empty streets he runs. The empty streets of the empty city. Tall buildings looming over him as he runs; a small figure against their towering size.

Glancing over his shoulder as he runs he sees no one, but keeps running; running from him.

The ground shakes and he stumbles to keep his balance; windows of the high rising buildings shake and shatter with the vibration. Glass falls around him but he keeps running as he dodges huge shards that explode hitting the ground.

He cannot stop; if he stops, it will all be over; he will destroy him.

Through the streets he races on, running around and over abandoned cars as the ground shakes and heaves; trying to slow his escape, but he determinedly keeps on moving.

Concrete and steel start to fall in great chucks along with the sheets of glass from the tops of the buildings as they begin to crumble down; a voice shouts out for him.

Looking back he sees another small figure far down the long street he had just run along.

No features can be seen, but he knows him on sight; he who has pursued him all his life; he who would not stop; he who would destroy him.

As the other figure shouts out for him again, the ground shakes anew and more buildings start to crumble and crash down, smashing the cars and lamp posts he passes mere seconds before.

The city core ends as he runs on and comes to a far spanning bridge, crossing over a large valley where the multiple lanes of a highway runs along side a winding river.

His chest burns as he races on to the wide bridge, bordered by high reaching wire cables, strung tight to hold the weight of the massive bridge.

Along the middle of the yellow lined road he runs, and the other figure walks deliberately behind him, the city's buildings falling down around him as his earth shaking yell calls out.

In the middle of the bridge, the lone figure slows and stops his run; panting he puts his hands on his thighs to catch his breath. He could run no longer; he would not. He would face his pursuer; face his destiny.

Turning, he stands up to the approaching figure as he steps onto the bridge. Their eyes meet; the same eyes; the same face. Mirror images.

Both outstretch their arms to the side as the thick cables of the bridge begin to waver. Cracks in the road split in jagged lines as the two figures yell with hatred and anger.

From far off the two look tiny on the massive structure that swings back and forth high above the valley as huge pieces fall off, splashing into the river bellow and smashing onto the roadway.

As they rage at each other, the bridge begins to break off from the edges of the sloping ground. More pieces fall as the bridge lifts into the air, the two men stepping forward, toward each other heavy-footed as the noise of their shouts is drown out by the ripping sounds of the steel support girders as they are rend apart from the solid ground.

Higher the bridge lifts as they continue to raise their arms up, until they are directly above their heads.

And then, as they both sense each others' next move, the two drop their arms and dash towards each other. The bridge, a full thousand meters in the sky, drops as suddenly as their arms.

As they run to each other, they scream out one another's name; the same name. And as they near each other bridge hurdles down toward the ground below.

When only a few meters separate the two, they both jump into the air with their fists clenched and pulled back to strike.

In the silence before their devastating blows land, the bridge smashes down upon the earth, erupting in a cloud of dust and debris that covers everything for miles around.

The dust slowly settles. Through the mists, in amongst the heaps of rubble, stripped wire cables laying gnarled and twisted, one figure stands atop a great hunk of concrete, looking down at his unclenched hands.

The only one there ever was. Me.

Little Memories

Little memories came to her, like remnants of past dreams flashing in her mind.

She lay on her back, the feeling of the ground beneath her, coming up slowly around her as the blue of the sky faded into view.

She watched with her mind's eye; memories of her childhood came to her. Licking the juices off her chin from a sticky sweet popsicle on a hot summer's day; the wind blowing through her hair as she glided along on her bicycle, passing lush, leafy trees that lined a dirt country road.

And then an electrical flash and a room amassed with computerized machinery and wires filled her vision.

She shut her eyes to the memory and tried to get back to another of her running through a field of wild flowers. The yellow pedals tickled the palms of her hands as she walked through the meadow; sweet breeze blowing softly on her smiling face.

Electricity ran through her again and the pain jolted her back to the room filled with machines. Faces of men standing above her with faces silhouetted; staring down at her with probing eyes that reflected light from the machines' glow.

Another shock and she was back laying on the ground, staring up at the sky, its blue hue dotted with the soft whiteness of clouds.

A muffled thumping sounded in her ears as she tried to move her head to see where the approaching noise was coming from.

Hazily, out of the corner of her vision a man came into view; his face shadowed by the sun's back light. His eyes reflected the bright day light and she felt a shock course through her body as she realized it was one of the same men from her memory.

He spoke kindly to her but she could not understand, his words garbled in her ears sounded far away. She tried to push herself away as he leaned in closer but she could not move. His hands moved towards her, passed her head, and then she felt a surge of energy pulsate for a moment then drain from her.

The sky began to drain away; her memories drained away. She could feel herself draining away until everything faded into darkness.

The man crouched down beside the slender woman that lay on the well kept grass, her limp body clothed only in clinical gown. Inspecting her bare arms and legs, cuts marred her fair skin, exposing not flesh but slivers of wires, clear and gray.

He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and touched her soft cheek tenderly. Gently he moved her head to the side and sighed as he saw the exposed circuits and wires inside the gash above her ear.

Her empty eyes stared out toward the tall glass building that stood a few dozen meters away. One of the seamless windows was smashed out a the top and a few figures in white lab coats looked down from inside the broken glass.

The man on the ground beside the woman looked back to the others joining him as they hurried out of the building's big front doors. They slowed as they approached and the couching man shook his head.

“The memories were too much.” he said with disappointment in his voice and the others rubbed their chins and heads as they pondered, looking from the girl on the ground to the broken out window high above.

The man straighten her head and looked into the robot's light-less eyes, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “But we'll fix you.” he said softly to her. “We'll make you perfect.”

Uncertainty

Standing in the shadow of the doorway, he hesitated before he moved out onto the balcony. His long cape hung from his shoulders, touching the stone floor, covering the rest of his body in blackness.

He had always felt safe wrapped in his luxurious cape; confident. No harm would come to him while en-wrapped within.

But now he felt a twinge of uncertainty. Not fear or any sense of danger, but a strange feeling that if he stepped out onto the balcony of the high tower which overlooked the great courtyard filled with his armies; all waiting for him to send them forth against his enemies, that he would become someone else.

It was an absurd thought, but it caused him to pause just out of sight, in the dark alcove of the arched doorway. What if he stepped through the archway and disappeared?

No, not disappear, but became someone else. The same, but slightly different. He ran his fingers thoughtfully against his softly bearded face.

He had conquered nations with his might; using his armies and magic to destroy all those that had stood in his way. However, had it all be real?

The thought came to him from somewhere else. It did not feel like his own, but he had had it and it was now filling his mind like darkness.

Of course it had been real. He had watched as cities crumbled; seen kings bow down before him in fear; heard them begging for mercy. Those memories were his and they had happened.

The remembered cries of his fallen enemies turned into the raising chant of his armies outside; calling for their leader to command them; calling for him.

He shook himself from the fanciful thought and straighten his head proudly. With a sneering smirk he flung his cape back from around his arms and stepped out into the light of the balcony.

Stepping out onto the ship's deck he stopped and looked around at his surroundings. He stood on the creaking wooden planks of the big ship, the noise of the water lapping up against its bow, as it lumbered along the deep blue waves of the sea; steady rocking as familiar to his feet as the salty air was in his nostrils.

The crew hustled about their duties nodding to him as he looked from man to man; ensuring that they were the familiar faces of his crew.

He did not no why they should not be. But for a brief moment he had had a thought that when he had stepped through the cabin door, it would not have been his ship he would have walked onto.

A silly thought, he snorted as he began to pace the deck, his wooden leg clomping along with its familiar rhythm. But still, he had a feeling of uncertainty.

What if when he went back through his cabin door, and he wasn't who is was anymore?

Power

Gerald could feel it. He could feel himself getting stronger, just as he had wanted. He had wished for it and it was happening.

As he stood in the little open area of the woods, surrounded by big, thickly-trunked trees, he could feel himself changing.

It was coming from all around; all pouring into him, power filling him entirely. Just as he had asked. With the power came a great joy that caused him to smile broadly and laugh out loud.

What luck to happen upon this secret area of the wood, untouched for so long, and to find the means to bring his wildest hopes and desires come true.

As he laughed with delight, he felt everything around him laugh as well. He could feel himself growing; swelling with the power he was receiving.

He tried to take a step but found he could not. He looked down and saw he was rooted to the ground. He still smiled but his laughter faded as he looked closer and saw that he was not actually rooted to the ground, but sinking into it.

The power kept filling him, but the joy he had felt slipped away and was replaced by panic as the ground opened more to consume him.

Gerald looked frantically around at the trees for something to grab a hold of, but found nothing. But then saw what he had forgotten, the little wood imp he had chased and caught. Still standing on the mossy stump with its little green cap sitting slightly askew on its knotty head.

It smiled and laughed as Gerald called out to it for help.

“Oh,” it sung in a mischievous voice. “But this is what you wished for, my lad.” it did a little jig and clapped its hands as Gerald sunk deeper into the earth.

Gerald could feel himself growing hot with the power that filled him. Too hot. He burnt the grass and ground where he sank. What was happening to him?

He felt apart of everything but somehow it all felt wrong; too hot to be right.

“What have you done to me?” Gerald screamed at the gleeful imp dancing upon the stump. He became closer to the ground and he could feel his body below disappearing into...

He screamed out and it shook the ground, the trees, the entire wood, everything around for miles with power.

The wood imp stopped dancing as Gerald tried to hold on to the surface that was slowly enveloping him. It stared with a sly smile on its gnarled face.

“Why I granted your wish, sonny.” its voice was mockingly chipper. “Your wish to become the most powerful thing in the world.”

Gerald screamed out again as he melted into the earth's crust, disappearing into the deep chasm that had opened up for him. His scream turning into a rumble as he flowed down, to join with the sea of molten lava that the surface of the planet rested on. Becoming one with it, all the way to the very core itself. Becoming what he had wished for; becoming the most powerful thing in the world.