Three Men on a Snow Day

see here for the details of this flash fiction challenge

'It can’t happen' - he promised himself as he was driving down the boulder studded tundra that - according to his map -used to be called Northern California  - ‘I cannot die on this god forsaken land.’

The events of the last couple of days flashed in front of his eyes.

Like many young impoverished scavengers would do from time to time, Jaz, Meed-Lu and he landed on Earth to explore the frozen areas and dig for artifacts they would sell home.

No one has ever got rich doing those excursions; really significant objects and resources had been dug out and taken back to Earth II long time ago. They also lacked equipment to handle any major relics; their two mini excavators and a bulldozer was all they had to uncover most frequent findings of frozen people and fossilized animals.

Those usually paid fine; enough to cover the cost of fuel and months of sub par but carefree existence on Earth II.  

It was considered a major jackpot when they discovered a broken delivery truck with crates after crates of whiskey, beer and vodka. The booze could fetch enough to let them live of it for the next 9 months during which Earth was in grips of major snowstorms that circled most parts of the globe and made their expeditions life threatening. Also, Meed-Lu’s was about to start a new family with his now pregnant girlfriend making the find even more auspicious. 

As they were packing up the bottles into containers and the increasing wind was throwing the icy ninja stars of snowflakes at them Jaz suddenly suggested that he & Meed-Lu would head to the base with the crates.

‘Why don’t you prep all the equipment for the return to the ship?’- Jaz asked. ‘We have to be more efficient, the dusk is setting in’

Du agreed without thinking twice. The moment he was done locking all the equipment he called them. There was no answer. The snow blows were getting more intense and for a moment Du thought hoped that the weather messed with the cell signals.

He could not, however, risk waiting for the ship here. He started a car and drove towards the camp. 

As he plowed through the velvety curtains of the storm, his heart was sinking in his chest.  He could not believe it that his own brothers would leave him here. Were they that concerned with the weather? Did they want one less person to share the booty with?

He had to admit that they might still have a grudge about his penchant for sleeping with their girlfriends. But he worked really hard at being a better brother. Last year, he messed around with only one of those gals and when she became pregnant he discreetly let her know that it was time to end their relationship and go back to her boyfriend. “I hate myself for what I’ve done; you deserve so much better and my brother is a good guy...” he remembered consoling her.

As he got closer to the camp it became clear that the ship was indeed missing. In its place, there was a female figure standing next to the abandoned crates and barrels. He speeded up to help her carry the stuff into the barrack of the base – she definitely should not be right now carrying heavy objects.

stones and pebbles of Victoria Woolf

just a thought: perchance,
my dreams are like
Victoria Woolf's stones
weighting down my soul

I have a collection of those,
each shiny from every day polish
as I make my prayers, each dream passes my fingers
like a rosary bead

and I know tomorrow
as I keep stumbling down the path of my life
I will come across another,
glistering in the sun, catching my eye

will hoard it in my pocket
and shuffle toward Hades

excerpt from the draft of Chrysalis Now

excerpt from Chapter 2 of Salvation Sky

"...Davina McFyen shuffled her papers with her bandaged hands and continued the speech she was delivering to the hundreds of medical professionals gathered in the imposing classroom of Harvard Medical School.

"In the past, cancer was typically considered to be an acute disease, treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Right now, we are able, with help of drugs my preceding speakers discussed, turn some types of cancer into chronic condition, not unlike diabetics and in some cases, flu."


She raised her hand to move her dark bouncing hair off her glasses. She looked down on the public and continued: 


"But there is a long road ahead to fully control the genetic mutations that occur and accumulate daily in our cells and which are the crux of cancer. I do hope that we the humans..."- her tongue pushed those words slowly as they were heavy with meaning "...instead of being seduced by the promises from the aliens, will continue working together on a comprehensive approach to the disease."

She stopped to allow the audience to simmer with a humming of hushed whispers and protests that were an indication that the gathering did not welcome her cautious approach. It has been over 10 years since aliens (or Twolings as they were commonly called to annotate their origin on an Earth like planet (Earth 2) and the fact that they were in a way are our cosmic siblings) contacted humans about the possibility of collaboration on cure for cancer. 


As a President of the American Cancer Society, Davina was invited to all types of events discussing the issue, if not to give a stamp of approval to the process, at least to add a professional veneer to the controversail issue. It did not hurt that she was a former Miss Teen USA.

"Just like with cancer, we do not have all the answers about the 2lings' origins and objectives. Allowing them to treat humans might be akin to sending the most vulnerable to a Mengele Medicine Center..."

The audience did not wait for her to finish her thought; the last statement made some people stand up and begin shouting. Others, not paying much attention to anything around them, were furiously typing on their Smartphones, most likely spreading the news of the hate mongering 2ling-phobic nature of her speech.

Waiting to close the speech or open for Q &A was pointless. Instead, she just started to retreat down the backstage stairs. No amount of eyelash batting could help now. Davina put on a orange cashmere sweater over her tight pink sheath dress as she stepped down the halls leading her through the conference area's underbelly.

She threw aways her conference pass on her way to the car that was awaiting to whisk her safely to her hotel.

"Ah, that will be a last confrence I attend for a while' - she promised herself. Being 37 years old, single and childless would mean many more years she could devote to research only, and stop being a token diversity/ woman scientist.

"I could not take the popular position just to keep my job" she started to justify her speech to herself as her car speeded down the streets. "Once we agree to working with the 'saviors from the skies', the only way is to be compliant on other projects they might have for us."

She sipped on the water and looked through the window. 'How did the world change and yet how did it stay the same' - she though as the car was approaching the hotel. 


copyright 2011 M. Morris