For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
I had turned around when I heard Sky’s voice. It was different now, more like it should be. “Please Steve,” she said again, “please, do not leave me, I need you.” I started walking toward her smiling. She had relaxed so Kerstina and Bridgette let go of her arms. Sky could fight and could easily take Kerstina, Bridgette and myself without any difficulty.
Sky was walking toward me also and when we met we hugged. “I love you Sky,” I said, “I will never leave you.” “I wish I knew what was wrong with me,” she said, “it seems when I see you I lose control of myself and get very angry. I can feel it even now but I am able to keep it under control for the first time.” “Carmen did something to you,” I said, “and we are trying to figure out what she did.”
“She kept injecting a drug into me,” said Sky, “then she hooked me up to a small machine, but that is all I remember. She wanted to make me her slave she said. I’m scared Steve.” “Do not be scared,” I said, “I am always here and we will get through this.” That is when I noticed the hatred in her eyes again and suddenly she hit me and began screaming again.
Then she kicked me in the stomach, then on the side, knocking me to the floor. Amber and Dawn grabbed Sky and took her back to her room as she continued screaming and swearing at me. Cinnamon and Ginnifer helped me up and took me back home after Kerstina checked me to make sure there was no real damage done.
At home Beryan began massaging my back while I called Rossana to see if they had recovered a small machine of some kind. They had done so but did not know yet what it was for, so I filled her in on the possible use for it, plus we needed it to see if we can use it to undo what Carmen did to Sky. She got things moving quickly and we had the machine later that day.
By that time we had experts from Baldwin Corporation and Mandar Corporation to look it over along with the device that had been planted in Sky’s brain. But they also needed the composition of the drug that was used on Sky, so I called Rossana again and she checked. Sure enough, in the office safe was a full needle which they had just put aside to study later.
It was quickly shipped to us and Dr. Jorgenson was soon studying that. Meanwhile, a man with a rifle was patiently waiting for me to stand in front of a window. “No,” said a woman, “they have bullet proof glass in that chateau. I have a better plan, we need to kill Sky quickly before she recovers, and for that we need a good plan which I now have.” The next morning as Kerstina and Bridgette arrived at the clinic, a small car drove up and an older man got out, very nervously excited.
“Please, we need help,” he said, “my sister was hit by a car as she rode her bike and she is bleeding badly!” Kerstina looked at the woman in the back seat and sure enough, she was bleeding a great deal. She told Bridgette to get a stretcher quickly. When Bridgette went inside she pressed the emergency button which let everyone know that a Code Orange was in effect.
Sky’s room was automatically sealed right away with Aasta and Tracy in the room with Sky, plus Muffin, Snow and Storm. “Trouble at the clinic!” I yelled, “Get me there now!” Marlena had a car waiting for me, Kat, Jennifer, Astrid and Roxette went along with me, plus Rusty, Jewel and Tiia. Back at the clinic Crystal was quick thinking and changed into a hospital gown immediately since she was Sky’s twin.
She sat on a chair in the waiting area along with Sapphire, Penny and Engla. As the new patient got to that area she spotted Crystal and thought it was Sky. She quickly rolled off the stretcher and the two men hit Kerstina and Bridgette, then began shooting toward the girls. But the woman concentrated on Crystal, shooting her 3 times. Crystal fell against the chairs and onto the floor.
She was then shot twice more. By then Cassie and Kera arrived behind the trio of invaders and began shooting, killing all 3. Crystal, Penny and Engla also lay on the floor bleeding. We arrived after all this was over and I went immediately to Sky’s room, unlocking the door and went inside. Sky jumped out of bed hugging me tightly. “I was so afraid you had been hurt Steve,” she said crying, “I was just so afraid.” “It’s okay now,” I said, “the girls got the invaders.”
Meanwhile, “Steve, I hate you!” said a woman, “You will not get away free, you will be hurt and lose someone dear to you. And one day we will meet again, I promise that.” There were several shots and some screams. Then “Code Red A, Code Red A”, blared out at home and at the clinic. The clinic was immediately sealed off. “Steve, stay there,” said Baldwin, “we can handle things here, we are under attack.” “Please stay with me Steve,” said Sky, still crying, “I am so afraid…”
To Be Continued.
©2024 Steve McLeod.
Good morning to everyone! It is a lovely, sunny, spring morning here. There is a bit of light high clouds, but nothing serious. There is still the odd patch of snow visible in shaded areas, but otherwise the snow is gone. Spring is here nice and early this year. I do like spring. It feels so good after a long cold winter. Even though we did not get a long cold winter this year, but spring still feels the same.
Gulls are flying around squawking. An eagle is soaring high overhead. A flock of geese has just flown past. This is the kind of spring weather I used to like for some exploring. So, one time years ago, I made my lunch, packed extra clothes and whatever else I needed, putting it all in my backpack and off I went. I stopped for breakfast and ended up having Krissy join me on this adventure.

Lady Pearl (left) and Sir George (right), my old Herring Gull friends on a spring morning.
We found the old road that I had spotted the week before and stopped to look at it. Okay, it was more of a trail than a road. Well, at one time it was probably a trail anyway. But it looked drivable. Kind of. So, off we went. “You are going to get a lot of scratches on your car,” said Krissy. “It does sound like it,” I admitted.

Another Herring Gull named Sir Henry.
But, it was not a long drive and it opened up to a small clearing with a house and a large shed which had collapsed long ago. The house was still standing though. Sort of. It was leaning a bit. At one time it was a story and a half, but the upper part was, well, kind of in the lower part now. Half of it anyway. Along with half of the roof.
We went in the front door, which was open. There was quite a bit of furniture in the house, curtains still on the windows, there was even some cans and jars of food in the kitchen cupboards, along with dishes. It looked like whoever lived here just decided to move and leave most everything behind. “Hey, a basement!” said Krissy excitedly. Naturally I forgot to bring a flashlight.

An American Bald Eagle flying around on a spring afternoon.
“There are candles,” said Krissy, “and I have a lighter.” Down we went, each of us holding a candle. There were jars of preserves on shelves, lots of broken glass in one corner, 2 broken chairs, some empty wood boxes, plus a pile of rocks and bricks. People keep some odd things in their basements. Back up the stairs we went, but at about the half way point we heard something upstairs.
It was walking around, creaking across the floor. I could tell it was a bear so we went back down the stairs. “Um, Steve, we can’t stay down here,” said Krissy. “Well, we can’t go up either,” I said, “hopefully the bear will not want to come down here.” “Oh good, that makes me feel better,” she said. The bear did come to the basement entrance and kind of stuck its head down a bit, sniffing.

One of my chipmunk friends on a spring afternoon.
It likely was able to smell us so that should keep it away. I was wrong, the bear began coming down the stairs… Well, I better stop before this gets too long and I will continue it next time. Hmm, gulls are still flying around and 2 crows are chasing a raven, a typical spring scene. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2024 Steve McLeod.