On IndieSnippets...

Today, the title story: The Wood & Copper Inn, from my first book of short stories, was mentioned on indiesnippets: http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/

The snippet consists of a scene in the story where the main character, who is traveling west, receives an unwelcome visit by a stranger while in the Rocky Mountains.

Currently, I am re-working that title, and will soon upload a new version.

30,000,000 Years

As scheduled, the loyal robots completed their captain's revival process aboard the vessel. The ancient traveler awoke, and as was his tradition, walked to the vessel's bridge to survey the wonders of the universe.

He watched the forming gaseous spheres orbit their parent, yet adolescent suns.  He watched the dawning of complete solar systems.  He watched supernovae obliterate ancient planets and their harnessed moons.  He watched the utter chaos of mighty black holes, and he watched as life sprang from chemical compounds.

On this particular revival, he discovered a new, yet ancient planet.  It was older than even the ancient traveler himself.  He named them, the planet and it's seventeen moons, and watched for decades.  He slept, and revived several times, and the traveler's vessel remained before Sentinilla, and it's moons, for many millions of years.  He watched life spring on two of the moons.

When the ancient traveler decided to move on, he documented the following:

"Although the massive gaseous planet Sentinilla IV itself cannot support life, two of its seventeen moons can.  Fratello Maggiore and Sorella Piccola are unique in that they are the closest to Sentinilla IV, and the most toxic, yet life has sprung on both.

This is a scene from the dense methane surface of Sorella Piccola. You can see her elder brother, Fratello Maggiore close by, and the gargantuan gas planet Sentinilla IV in the distance," The traveler said to himself.

"When I find my people, I will share what I have learned."

Spectre on the Staircase

On our return from the party, we decided to return to the hotel, rather than visit the famous cliffs at midnight.  We had all of our vacation week to explore the ancient parts of the city and countryside.  While on the road, we passed many dark houses in wide fields, and wooded areas.  We came across a tree that had fallen across the road, and decided to take an alternate route.

After many minutes of bumpy fields and rocky rivers, yes, we were far from the main road, we finally came across a small dirt path.  We went along, and some time later, we found another road.  An hour passed as we tried to find a familiar monument, as we were lost.  A car passed us, then another, before a horse-drawn vehicle came at us.  We swerved as best as we could, but our driver lost control and we hit an embankment.

The three of us were run off the road by, what we perceived, as being an 18th century carriage.  We all helped to push the car back onto the road.  We worked on the car for almost an hour, but it seemed that our poor vehicle wasn't going anywhere.  We noticed that we weren't far from cliffs facing the dark sea, and we could hear the distant waves crashing against the rocks.

Although it wasn't raining, the wind from the sea, along with the sea spray, was freezing cold.  We found a trail leading away from the cliffs, and towards a dark wooded area.  Perhaps we would find help, or at the very least, find a place to stay for the night.  We wouldn't see our hotel that night, we were sure of it.  Soon after we started, it began to rain.

Following the small cobble trail, we saw a building in the distance.  We ended up at an estate, which by all appearances, seemed to have been long abandoned.  We went in to get out of the rain and to spend the night.  After what seemed hours, I heard quite a shrill that would have startled those in the portraits that covered much of the walls.  We walked into another darkened room, keeping close together. That is where we saw it.... there, on the staircase!!

The Clay Watchman

"And I say to you as well, friend Actlimic, no matter how long lasting those iron watchers may be, or how durable they are, nothing can last as long as a clay watcher. They are the best guardians, as they reform themselves of damage after every battle. And, you need only pay them in moss."

The warlock Oliduur, at the 47th Annual Evil Warlocks Convention.

Tower of the Dragon Keeper

If you read this, then at the very least, the first of the scouts that I sent back has somehow managed to find his way.  It was true that the swamp to the towers is full of slimy creatures.  No doubt, they are the former crew of the ships that were lost along the rocky coast not far from the swamps.  It was quite an adventure along the rocky coast.

We lost many soldiers crossing the swamp, and when we arrived at the edge of the thorny woods, we were able to see the tips of the towers from there.  We lost one soldier when we made our way through the thorny wood.  Despite the knowledge of the guides who knew their way in these enchanted lands, they knew nothing of the wood nymphs that live in the wood.

When we reached the great doors of the towers themselves, we were beset by monstrous stone golems.  Guardians of the towers? they may have been.  Most of us were able to pass the golems, which were far too cumbersome to enter the towers themselves.  We ran far into the first tower before turning to see the lumbering things walk back and forth outside of the first tower.

Up we went, far up, and the air itself seemed to burn as we walked along.  Flame and fire engulfed us, as we protected ourselves as best as we could.  We turned to see a skeletal dragon as it's breath melted breastplate and shield.  We escaped into another chamber, before we realized that the unnatural creature had devoured six of our soldiers.

The stench of it's sulfuric reek still lingered in the ash-laden and smoky air.

Stumbled Upon

They covered much ground that day and their reports up to then were uneventful.  They managed to find a way to scale the Ashen Mountains and in two weeks time, they reached the pinnacles.  I was not in the research room when the team started to receive unusual communications.  I rushed back into the research room to the most spectacular scene on the monitors.

Our friends on the Ashen Mountains had managed to uncover quite a scene.  Ahead of them, and hovering far above the terrain, they discovered several unidentified vessels.  They were circular, silent and despite the lightness of late day, the vessels were quite colorful.  Through their equipment, we watched the alien vessels perform various maneuvers.

Suddenly, we heard our friends start arguing with someone.  By the movement of the camera, we realized that there was a struggle.  Soon, the camera was dropped and other than the wind, everything was silent for several minutes.  In moments, we heard a low but audible hum, a barely audible beeping, and the camera feed went out.

Missing Vegetables

Why not.

Left, rather than Right

"I dare you, any of you, if you have the nerve," I said to my trembling friends.

"No, I shan't, and no I shan't," they said to me.

"But the flowers there are so colorful, and the treasures," I said, "they seem to glow with an unimaginable light."

My friends standing all about me remained undeterred.

"Well then," I said, "If I go, then shall any of you follow?"

My concerned friends looked at each other, and one after the other agreed to the test.  Then one ran off, and another, and another, down the dirt road to the village. Only my stoutest of friends remained at my side.

"Dear friend," he said, "rather than exploring the field, the distant barn, and the glade beyond, in which still resides that transparent fiend, shall it not be more agreeable to better visit our most favorite Inn? Where the finest ale and best bread is served?"

I stared at my stoutest of friends.

"When I return, I shall meet you and the rest at the Inn.  I shall pour gold and silver coin on our favorite table, for all of you to gaze upon."

My friend turned and walked down the dirt road.

"Well then," I said to myself as I crossed the forbidden fence and entered the fog.  The distant haunted building lay far in the distance, "great fortune awaits me."

"That was some time ago, and the descendants of my friends still stop at the road and gaze at the haunted building from a safe distance.

I hear them say things as: 'This is where grandfather's friend was lost forever', and 'Do you remember grandfather's stories about he that was foolish enough to pass the fence into the haunted place?'

How foolish I had been."

An Old Encounter

When I built this image, of course in 3D using 3D objects and figures, I received great feedback.  I don't have the file anymore, as the typically unstable PC that I built it on has since gone to that great PC place in the sky, and I don't mean any Cloud storage service either.

I suppose that what it was representing was: the ending mythical age giving in to the beginning natural age, or something like that.  Yes, I know, it doesn't make much sense, but I liked how the completed scene rendered, so I had to come up with something.  Maybe I'll reproduce it one of these days.

Anyway, I posed the figures to represent good versus evil.

A Homage to Sunny Days

When we were very young, we ran and we played, we climbed trees and scraped our elbows and knees.

When we were very young, we stood as statues, we rolled in the leaves and tattered and tore our little sleeves.

When we were very young, we played in the snow, in fields we flew our kites and scratched our mosquito bites.

When we were invincible and very young.

And we collected our great treasures on that now long-gone bamboo, under the summer sun. When we were very young.

Now, miles and miles and inaccessible miles keeps us all one from the other.

Until the day when we shall all be together again.  Under the summer sun, and once again, we shall be very young.

Warnings to Unruly Tourists

The Old Hanton Place has since broken apart and sunk down into the swamp, but in it's memory, it still has it's own history of ghostly goings-on.
 
In the elder days, hard-working folk at the Old Hanton Place used to frighten premodonna tourists with stories concerning the old Hanton ghost.  Folk would say to the tourists that if they acted unruly, or had the intention of skipping out without paying their bill, then greedy old man Hanton would rise up out of his swampland grave and stand at their window just to say "boo!" and frighten them out of their socks.

But those are just stories of local folklore... or are they?

Sirei of the Ruins

I built this scene about two years ago.  Here is a little story about this character.

~~~

Long ago, a small plane set out on a long flight.  While over the Pacific, it was caught in a powerful storm.  Misfortune interfered, and the small plane was struck by lightning.  Try as he might, the pilot was unable to maintain control, and the small plane crashed into the ocean.

Hours later, the wreckage was washed ashore on the beach of an uncharted island.  From the dark jungle, several eyes watched as a wounded person crawled from a break in the side of the plane.  The wounded person staggered onto the beach with a small bundle, and fell halfway to the first coconut trees that lined the jungle's edge.

The eyes continued to watch as the person struggled to get up, which then fell back down and stopped moving.  One of the pair of eyes emerged from the jungle.  Carefully, the ape walked closer to the person and the bundle that the person was carefully carrying.

The ape came closer to the mortally wounded person lying in the sand, her long stained locks blowing in the wind and rain.  She looked up at the ape, which was cautiously kneeling a foot from her.  Knowing that her end was near, the wounded woman pushed the small bundle towards the ape, which carefully took it as the woman's arm fell to the sand.

With the small bundle, the ape slowly walked towards the coconut trees.

Surrounded by the other apes, all of them of many sizes and ages, the ape carefully pulled back the soft blanket to find a sleeping child.

Sirei was the name that the apes would come to call her, as it was the first word that she had spoken in her early years.  She grew to young adulthood amongst her new family on the jungle island.  The years passed and she would become their champion, for the enemies of the island people were many and powerful.  Sirei of the Ruins had many adventures and knew many tragedies in her years on the islands, but those stories are for another time.

The Stone Bridge Resident

I built this scene some time ago, having modeled the bridge myself, and having used foliage from a set by an artist named Tony Meszaros.  I was going for the forgotten bridge in the dark forest thing.  I posted it in order to write a bit of flash fiction for it. Lets see...

~~~

There once was an old troll that lived deep in the dark forest.  Being a traditional troll, he went in search of, and found a slimy stony bridge, where he lived under it for many years.  The bridge itself had been built long before, when the area was first populated by villagers before falling into ruin.

One day, a small raccoon came along.  He was a feisty-natured raccoon, and because of it, had very few friends.  Well, raccoon went along the bridge, then at the center of it, jumped up onto the stone ledge.  He looked down into the water and saw his own reflection.  He was momentarily mesmerized at this, as he thought of himself as a very handsome raccoon.

As this was going on, the old troll awoke from his slumber.  He leaned over and glanced up to see a small raccoon staring down into the rushing waters, and mesmerized by his own raccoon reflection.

"Hm," he said to himself, "it seems that my dinner has come to me this fine evening."

With that, the old troll snuck to the opposite side of the bridge, and quickly climbed up behind the mesmerized, but very feisty raccoon.

Just then, the small raccoon turned to look at the old troll.

"What are you thinking of doing?" asked the small, but feisty-natured creature.

"Well now," began the old troll with a crafty smile, "it seems that you have trespassed upon my home, you see.  And for one to trample upon another's favorite home of many years, well, you must admit, that it is quite impolite."

The little raccoon thought of this and agreed.

"Yes, it is quite unsavory of one to trample over the much favored home of another," the small raccoon said in an "I'm sorry" type of way, "but you must also agree that if it weren't for this bridge, and the safety that it provides for small and defenseless animals such as myself, well, we would have to jump into the fast-paced river, and would never make it to the other side."

The old troll agreed with what the little feisty-natured raccoon had said, but being that it was the late of the day, he was determined to eat raccoon for dinner.

"Well now," said the crafty old troll, "it would seem that you do have a point, and I agree with you most wholeheartedly.  Therefore, let me invite you down under the bridge where we may speak of this more comfortably, over tea and bread."

"Ah yes, let us do so," replied the raccoon as the old crafty troll turned to climb down first.

Being a feisty-natured raccoon, and one with many years of experience with crafty-natured creatures, the little raccoon jumped up onto the rocky back of the old troll, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the onrushing water with a splash.

The little raccoon ran across the rest of the bridge, then along the side of the riverbank and looked down at the troll.

"Well sir," the little feisty-natured raccoon started, "it seems that I won't have the time to join you for tea and raccoon, er, I mean, tea and bread."

The little raccoon turned and ran into the forest and disappeared amongst the foliage.

Unidentified

Ages ago, those humans were still living in caves and still forming tribes.  They had very little knowledge in anything other than survival.  Soon after, they developed into societies and civilizations.  It did not take them long before they started to stress their assigned planet.

Well, It seems that after they managed to get their hands on some of our technologies, they were able to manipulate those technologies that should have taken them generations to develop.  It seems that they are now visiting other planets.  Through one of my explorer drones, I am watching one of them now.

Onslaught in the Vacuum of Space

The solar system consisting of seventy-four planets was deathly silent.  The armada of six hundred warships had arrived several hours before, and scans from all warships have not discovered any unordinary activity.  D-48c-Neptune sat at it's station for hours, watching the console and the reports of the destroyed cargo vessels orbiting one of the planets.

"They were unusual signatures," The battle-worn bio-robot thought to itself.

In it's years in service, D-48c-Neptune saw many confrontations.  Now, it was serving aboard warship 77, as part of the quadrant's defensive force.

Scanning continued.

From one of the distant planets in the solar system, sensors indicated a life source.  Considering the planet's distance from the armada, it was clearly a great number of life forms clustering together.  D-48c-Neptune watched the sudden reports from several of the other planets and their moons.

Suddenly, billions of life forms began registering throughout the solar system.  It seemed as if the beings themselves were capable of transversing the emptiness of space.  Sensors indicated that the beings were linking their own bodies as they moved from one planet and moon to the others.

The full armada attacked the swarms with all of it's firepower, but it seemed that the sheer massive number of the life forms were far too numerous.  As the multi-appendage creatures quickly reached the warships, D-48c-Neptune noted the tearing and ripping as the creatures physically demolished all warship that they could reach.

D-48c-Neptune left it's station for the main battle bridge.  When it arrived, it noted the ship's captain lying on the ground in shock.  Some humans were attempting to assist the captain, but they knew that as a child, she had encountered this species once before, and that they had left a lasting terror in the captain.

Other humans and bio-robots fought the swarm to the best of their ability, but it was clear that the battle was a lost cause.  The battleship's commander declared a retreat, and in moments, the two remaining and severely damaged vessels of the greatest armada, managed to escape the infested solar system.

D-48c-Neptune realized that they had encountered one of the most devastating forces in the universe.

Microscopic Devastator

Imagine that you are part of a team of explorers.  You have been assigned to survey a newly discovered planet in the ongoing search for energy sources.  From orbit, the planet seems as if it were formed from gaseous material.  Upon further inspection, your team discovers that the planet has a solid surface, although no available sources of oxygen.

You join your exploratory team on a mission to the surface.  From within the vessel, you can see the seemingly endless terrain.  It is sharp and rocky in places, and in others, the terrain seems as smooth as glass.  Some time later, you are standing on the very planet itself.  The surface under your boots is clearly very unstable.

You walk for what seems to be hours as your team collects data.  Suddenly, your suit sensors detect a fast approaching life force.  The unknown being is detected by your team as well.  You are concerned because these life sources were not detected from orbit.  Instantly, warning alerts from your vessel indicate a danger situation and your team is recalled.

In moments, an energy strike obliterates a member of your team.  Frantically, you and your team make for the vessel.  You move as fast as you can as energy strikes ignite the very surface of the planet all about you.  You hear a strange sound as like a grinding and cutting machine, cutting and tearing.

Sweat beads on your forehead, as you see defensive energy bolts firing from your vessel ahead of you.  They cut through the dense atmosphere, passing your suit by inches and disappear behind you.  A high shrill voice cuts through your protective suit and bursts within your head, dropping you to the ground.

You try to cover your ears, but for your helmet, are unable to.  Struggling to stand, you stagger back in the direction of your vessel.  You notice that your suit no longer detects your team members, and you make an extra effort to make it back to the safety of your vessel.  Before you, you see a great amount of sparking and heavy smoke.  Staggering forward, you notice that your vessel lies on it's side and in ruin.

Everything is silent.

You turn to see a strange creature floating silently above you.  In one arm it wears a heavy red-hot weapon almost as large as you are and in the other it carries a huge red-hot cutting machine.  The creature lets out a piercing shrill that makes you fall to your knees, as the beast descends down towards you.

~

I couldn't resist writing a little story.  Did you survive this dire and hopeless situation? That is for you to decide.

Some Childhood Inspirations

When I was a child, I played with a particular toy line that was available back in the mid seventies.  They were from a science fiction storyline that was supposed to exist in a microscopic universe.  I like to think that they contributed to my love for science fiction story writing.  Some time ago, I attended a convention and just happened to see those same figures on display.

After I came home, I proceeded to reproduce them in 3D and build alien worlds for them.  My "versions" of those figures don't look exactly like their toy line versions, as I tried to make them look as if they really existed somewhere out there.  I would love to write stories populated with these creatures, unfortunately, since I do not own them, that may not be possible. But, oh, the stories that i could write.

Oh well, at least I can build and render scenes.  This is the first of three images.

I was interviewed today...

Today, I was interviewed by the talented Cyndia Rios-Myers.  She is the author of: "The Song of the Sleeping Grass" and "Joppa Park".  She is also the author of the ongoing paranormal romance series: "The Wolves".

I'm telling you, one day you'll see her name up there with the great contemporary authors of our day.  Check out her work if you get the chance.

You can read my interview at: www.cindyrios.blogspot.com

Generations of Ghosts

There once was a man who moved to the area long before my time.  He was a seafaring man, and according to those who like to sit and talk by the seaside, he was a quite imposing sight.  Soon after he arrived, he went around town, looking at all of the houses that had been available at the time.  Finding none that suited him, he paid for one to be built.  When it was completed, it was a great mansion.

He lived in his mansion for several years before finally deciding to mingle with the locals.  He was a very generous man, having given much of his fortune to improve the seaside town.  It was well known, although rarely mentioned, that he was a very wealthy man.  Some say that he had been a naval officer, although it was said that he himself did not like to speak of his past.

In time, he married and took his wife to live in the great mansion.  The stories say that his wife was a good-natured and very generous woman herself.  They had several children, one of which they named Tobias.  No one remembers the names of the other children, or what became of them.

One day, during their aged years, the old man had many building built in the area.  Of those buildings, only two survive to this day.  His great mansion remains on the hill, as does a seaside grain silo that he had built.  It eludes me why anyone would build a grain silo near the shores of the sea, but he had become quite eccentric.

According to the stories that mentioned the silo, it was never used for that purpose.

Some say, that the old man's spirit can be seen walking along the shore.  Others say that they have seen it walking towards and around the grain silo itself.  It is well known that he still haunts the great mansion that is still inhabited by his descendants.  His grand nephew Michael lives there with Victoria and a younger girl named Stephanie.  Whether Tobias, or any other members of that family remain there, I do not know.

Arun and the Princess

Arun used the legendary sword to break through the wooden drawbridge and enter the castle and the wizard watched.  Arun climbed great stone steps and crept across great dark chambers while the specters watched in the shadows and the wizard was intrigued.  He rose from floor to floor and hallway to hallway in search of the little princess while the specters mumbled to themselves and the wizard allowed him, for the boy’s bravery fascinated the old wizard.

Arun broke through the lock that sealed the door to the princess’ tower while the specters circled in every shadowed corner of the chamber and the wizard watched with great curiosity.  There she sat, the little thing, the princess of the southern realm.  She smiled when she saw Arun, for she saw that he was brave.

‘Are you here to save me?  Are you here to take me back to my father?  And yes you are.  But you are so small and so young to be a mighty hero, yet you carry the legendary sword.  What is your name?’  The princess asked.

Arun put down the mighty sword.  ‘My name is Arun and I am a Page of the king’s court.  I am your hero and I am here to rescue you.’  Arun said heroically.

Up the dark and winding stone stair and through great halls, Arun the Page and the little Princess crept.  The specters followed.  The wizard noted the bravery in the Page. Along long hallways and narrow passages Arun led the princess and down, down the stone steps towards the break in the drawbridge of the castle that he had made.

Around the final corner Arun led her.  They looked for the break in the drawbridge to make their escape, where the princess put her hands at her mouth in terror.  Arun unsheathed the great sword, for there at the break in the drawbridge stood the mighty wizard himself and his servants with him, their glowing eyes and ancient swords and battle armor shining in the darkness.

Real Vampires are NOT fabulous-looking!

You are walking along a dark and abandoned street.  Heavy fog and a recent rain add to a sense of foreboding, but you try to reassure yourself.  You stop and glance back for a moment before continuing.  You are almost at your destination, you are almost there.  You hear a sound as if someone is walking behind, it sounds as if someone is trying to step in unison with your steps.  Stopping to listen, the steps cease as well.

You hurry along the rain-soaked streets, thinking of your warm room and the faces of friendly people in the inn that you have been inhabiting for the last few days.  You have to get there.  The sound of steps behind you become more pronounced as you move from street to street.  You start to see shadows against the oil lamps to the side and you glance to look.

There is nobody there.  There is nothing there, but the shadows say different.  Only a few more blocks to safety.  Only a few more hundred steps to the threshold of the inn and the inviting room in it.  It is not that far to go.  A shadow crosses behind you and you turn to look.  A shadow crosses to your left and you turn to look.  There is nothing.

The fog seems thicker now as you splash through puddles of rain water.  The only sounds coming from frantic shoes and a distant bell.  Only three blocks to go, that is all.  Only three blocks to safety and a welcoming environment.  You are almost there.  You are safe now. This is an experience that you will share with the others as you sit in front of the fireplace at the inn.  "What an experience!" you tell yourself as you turn the final corner and...

As things must be

The Eiotrii were safe.  I saved them myself from those who would destroy them.  For this, I would lose my status amongst my fellow geneticists.  My work was halted and my position was taken and I would never again develop experiments amongst my fellow research-mates.  I was banished from those who were my own people to wander the universe alone.

As for the Eiotrii, my people elected to allow them to continue.  Being a peaceful and advanced species, full of curiosity and with a need for learning and advancing, the Eiotrii had become a species whose progress was pleasing to my people.  Surely, sometime in the distant future, the distant descendants of the Eiotrii would transcend their physical forms as well and become as us.

I left my home and my people for the last time and returned to Eiotros.  I could never again manifest myself to them, so I moved amongst them in etherial form and watched them. For millenia, I watched their advancements.  Often, members of my people would return to Eiotros.  They continued to monitor the progress of the Eiotrii and that was pleasing.

I remained with the descendants of the Eiotrii until Eiotros and the heavenly bodies around it and further from it were no longer sufficient for them.  I watched as a great majority of them left Eiotros forever and spread out into the universe.  I watched them grow and evolve into other forms and species.  In time, Eoitros would become a forgotten place, populated by other species that would live there and call it their home.

They had succeeded as we had in our time.  The Eiotrii had become one of us.


***** ***** ***** ***** *****


Thank you for reading this little story.  It was told from Bilret's point of view as Bilret documented events throughout the discovery, re-development and progress of a long extinct species. The following are some questions and answers to who and what the beings in this story were...


Who are We, and who was I?

The being Bilret was a member of an ancient species, which after millenia, had transcended physical form and became a partially ethereal and near immortal species.  This species had the ability to move about by thought.  They still used physical machinery in order to complete their experiments, but they moved about by thought in near-ethereal form.

who were the ErhHumn?

Despite their name which was taken from the discovered cylinders, they were not humans.  Note that the letters that make up the name 'ErhHumn' was partially scratched off and they were letters or 'glyphs' that in fact did at one time read: Earth Human, but in actuality, they were remains that were collected by another species and labeled with their own ancient species name.

The 'other' unnamed species was one that had arrived on earth long after humans.  They were a dying species which by chance had discovered human dna material and had manipulated it in order that it become compatible with their own.  They used it to save their species.  In time, the influence from the human dna attributes would 'evolve' the Hybrids into a more bipedal and humanoid species.

The Hybrid species remained on earth and continued to develop their own civilizations.  In time, they would become the ancient ancestors of the beings that Bilret would call ErhHumn.

What about the Humans?

Despite the violent and greedy nature of humans, they did survive their own primitive ways and eventually became highly intelligent beings unlike their ancestors.  Eventually, they managed to spread out into the solar system and afterwards, were able to leave the solar system altogether.

What happened to the solar system?

Long after evolved humans left the solar system to populate other parts of the universe, the solar system still existed.  Long after the Hybrids arrived on earth and developed into what they would become, the solar system still existed.  Eventually, the time came that the sun began to fail.  It reduced in size, and the activity from it as it began to fade, destroyed the solar system.

Humans who had become an interstellar species never to return, as well as the Hybrids who populated earth afterwards never actually saw the end of the solar system.  By the time that the dying sun left the solar system in ruins, the ancient ancestors of the Ueitilh had already long destroyed the Hybrids.  The material that the Hybrids had collected, was actually their own Hybrid biology which they called EarthHuman, which to them did not mean Earth Human.

Was Bilret a member of a far ascended Human species which had populated a distant solar system?  Was it that they eventually and unknowingly returned to their own planet of origin?  Well, you can decide that for yourself.

Bilret's Decision

I surveyed the devastation for myself.  Destroyed cities and nations covered the main continent of Hhilei.  They would remain silent forever.  Destroyed underground and deep sea civilizations smoldered in ruin.  Not a living Hhil remained on the sub continents or on the thousands of islands.  The Ueitilh had seen to it.

I traveled to the heavenly bodies that orbited the asteroid.  As on Hhilei, the cities that had been built there were destroyed mercilessly.  Not one Hhil remained.  I traveled further around Hhilei and found the same.  These were the asteroids that the early Hhil had considered their deities, and in later generations had become extensions of their very home.  I sent many tiny collector vessels in search of Hhil biology, as I wished to study them further.

Through the devastation, I did note that the many millions of sub and microscopic species had been ignored.  The great beasts that lived in the sea and those that grazed in the fields had been left behind as well.  As I left Hhilei with a collection of Hhil atomic material, my attention turned to Eiotros.  What had happened to the Hhil was something that I did not wish for the Eiotrii.

With a thought, I traveled to the Ueitilh warships themselves.  I noted their massive war machines and great armored bipedal constructs.  This was also a violent and merciless species.  Perhaps, once in their history, they had not been so.  And now, the Ueitilh warships were on their way to Eiotros.  I returned to my people, and we continued to monitor their progress.  We knew that their intent was to destroy the Eiotrii.  That was definite.

We knew that it would not take them long to arrive and soon after, they would erase all that I had developed for so long.  Long before, while the Eiotrii were but a species of farmers and fishers, I had great expectations from them.  They became highly intelligent and quickly developed their technologies and sciences.  Their early vessels reached other asteroids and other heavenly bodies long before their extinct brethren had.

When the Hhil were developing industrial nations, the Eiotrii were well into developing stations on the many asteroids and exploring the solar system.  I was pleased with their progress.  When the first Hhil vessels landed on an asteroid that was not their own, the Eiotrii had begun to develop great mental capabilities, greatly prolonged their lives and had eradicated most of their diseases.

The Eiotrii had become a great and highly developed species.  They had come in contact with three distinct species in all of their time.  They were a peaceful species, as they had been from their beginning when the first ErhHumn had been developed within our research centers from the structures of an ancient biology and our bio-synthetics.  I remembered it well.

Now the Ueitilh were to soon arrive and destroy all of it.

Despite our way of not interfering with natural species and those that we were able to re-develop for our projects, I found that I could not allow them to do such a thing.  Others amongst our people recommended that I not interfere and I understood their position for I knew our way.  But I had decided to save my project as I had become quite fond of them.

As the Ueitilh arrived on Eiotros, they launched thousands of their forces upon the asteroid.  They descended upon Eiotros and began their intention of destroying the Eiotrii.  They proceeded to attack the great cities on all continents, seas and islands.  Other Ueitilh war vessels went out in search of populated heavenly bodies around Eiotros.  I made my decision.

I descended to Eiotros and manifested myself.

The Ueitilh witnessed my form as did the Eiotrii.

In their languages, I told the Ueitilh that this was not their right to do.  I proceeded to tell them that the Eiotrii were my people.  From the Ueitilh, came forth an ambassador to speak for them.  It proceeded to tell me all that I already knew.  I understood that the ancient ancestors of the Eiotrii were guilty of great actions against them.  It told me that for those actions, they had the right to destroy any who would try to destroy them.  It was their way.

I proceeded to declare to them that they had no claim over the Eiotrii, as the Eiotrii were at their very basic biology, synthetic in nature, and not truly descended from their ancient enemy.  This they understood.  The ancient enemy species that the Ueitilh had known had truly become extinct.  They would remain so forever.  This they accepted.

The great armies and war machines returned to their vessels, and I, along with the Eiotrii, watched them leave Eiotros forever.

The Eiotrii had been preserved, but they knew of my presence.  Because of this, their history would be changed forever.  By my actions, I had influenced their progress and history, which was something that we did not do.  I knew that my people would not allow this to remain unpenalized.  It was something that I had accepted as I could not allow the Eiotrii to be destroyed.

In an instant, I returned to my people who had been monitoring the events on Eiotros and my unacceptable actions.

My Eiotrii were preserved, but what would become of me?

Bilret - Elder Geneticist

Ruination

I did not agree with our decision but I did abide by it.

We watched as the Ueitilh arrived on the asteroid Hhilei.  We watched as the peoples of Hhilei assembled and defended themselves against the invaders.  We watched as the Ueitilh forces continued to devastate the greatest of Hhilei cities and their armies.  They lay waste to Hhilei civilization, from the great continent to the bases within the deepest of oceans.  The Ueitilh were merciless and thorough.

We monitored Ueitilh communications in hopes of understanding why they did this.  By this means, we quickly understood their reason:

In their ancient time, when the ancestors of the Hhil, who were the ancient ErhHumn, lived in a living solar system, their technology was so that they had populated most of the planets and moons closest to their planet of origin.  Eventually, they had a presence upon all planets and other bodies within their solar system.  In those ancient times, it seems that they became more arrogant.

The time came when the ancient ErhHumn came in contact with the Ueitilh.  At first, the two species learned from each other.  Ambassadorships were established as was trade.  Despite the distance and dangers of travel between their two solar systems, there was a peaceful mingling of cultures and sciences.  But it was not to remain so.

According to the historical knowledge of the Ueitilh, there came a time when the violent nature of the ancient ErhHumn began to manifest itself.  They believed that they had the right to dominate the Ueitilh and all other species that they came into contact with across the vast galaxy.  In time, they proceeded to attempt to take ownership of Ueitilh moons and some began to declare ownership of Ueitil itself.

A conflict between the two species began and the ErhHumn amassed a great force from across their solar system to invade Ueitil.  The conflict itself did not continue for long.  The Ueitilh were far superior in technology, and despite having shared much knowledge, the Ueitilh quickly defeated the ErhHumn forces.

Not long after, the Ueitilh invaded the ErhHumn solar system and proceeded to obliterate the species from every planet and moon.  From the military remains left on the many ruined moons and rock orbiting the cindered sun, it seems that small groups of ErhHumn had survived.  But these ancient peoples were doomed, as there is no evidence that they had the means to contact each other and eventually became extinct.

Over the millenia, the sun itself faded and it's power devastated the orbiting planets, breaking them apart.  Now, all that remained of the solar system was a radioactive cinder of a sun orbited by massive bodies of rock and ice.  It is unlikely that any surviving peoples were able to devise means to escape into the universe.  We understood why the Ueitilh returned to destroy the Hhil, as it seems that by their very biology, they saw the Hhil as their ancient enemy.  They did not forget.

All was now quiet on Hhilei.  We monitored the Ueitilh warships scanning the massive remains of Hhilei in search of survivors.  Some of the warships had begun their return to their own solar systems.  The Hhil was destroyed and the Ueitilh wanted to ensure it.  Then we noticed that Ueitilh scanners ceased scanning Hhilei.  They had discovered distant signatures far from Hhilei.

The massive Ueitilh warships had discovered Eliotros.

Bilret - Elder Geneticist

Invasion

As we pondered the fate of the Hhil, we allowed them to temporarily continue in their development.  Time went on and they continued to evolve in their own way.  Like their brethren on Eiotros, the inhabitants of Hhilei advanced in science and technology.  Unlike their brethren on Eiotros, the Hhil stubbornly focused their skills and abilities on developing more and more devastating devices of war.  They seemed to have such a hunger for conquest.

I was concerned as it was inevitable that this species on Hhilei would in time become a deep spacefaring species.  When that time came, I knew that they would come into contact with their brethren on Eiotros.  Already, they had the technology to gaze into the heavens and note distant Eiotros.  But their technology was still far too primitive to discover the Eiotrii themselves.  Certainly, they would make it their goal to invade and conquer Eiotros, for that was their way.  That is, if they survived to that day and not destroy themselves before.

As we continued to debate the fate of our second project, I watched them.  I watched as they quickly moved from heavy industrialized and polluted societies to the time when they first developed primitive space vessels.  I watched as they successfully visited one of the smaller asteroids that their Hhil ancestors had first wondered at in their sky ages before and believed them to be deities.

I watched as they honed their skills and technologies.  One by one, and with countless disastrous attempts, the Hhil visited and claimed the many hundreds of heavenly bodies that orbited around Hhilei itself and further out into the ruins of the former solar system that orbited around the ancient cindered sun.  I feared that their inevitable encounter with the Eiotrii was to come far too soon.

The ancient species had returned and we named them the Ueitilh.  The species that had caused the eradication of the Hhil's ancient ancestors had returned and their destination was the ruins that orbited the cindered sun.  We monitored their journey across the quadrant.  We detected that they traveled in vessels made for war.  Somehow they knew.  Somehow they detected the presence of their ancient enemy.

They knew of the existence of the Hhil.  Surely this ancient species was returning to destroy their ancient enemy again.  We must study Ueitilh technology closely in order to understand how they knew.  We watched as the Ueitilh forces arrived on Hhilei.  We observed the Hhil as they prepared against the threat from unknown invaders.

I noted how the various Hhil civilizations quickly put aside their violence toward each other and joined their technologies to face their common foe.  I was pleased at this.  But despite the arrival and intentions of the Ueitilh, we had yet to decide what we would do with the Hhil, the question remained.  Would we allow the Ueitilh to answer our question for us and allow the Hhil to be eradicated as their ancestors had been?  Or, would we remove the threat and allow our project to continue to evolve?

Some of our people say that we should allow events to unfold as they may.  It was a quandary that we had to decide quickly.

Bilret - Elder Geneticist

Those from Hhilei

We named their home Hhilei.  We chose an asteroid far from their brethren the Eiotrii.  We developed it.  We prepared it.  We ensured that they were fully compatible with their environment.  In the proper time, we deposited our second project upon it.  At first, the Bio-ErhHumn were content on their new home.  Soon enough, they began spreading out and quickly formed their own societies.

As many expected, this species became violent and cruel.  Early generations were quite warlike and many of the weaker tribes were mercilessly trampled underfoot.  Within three generations, we noticed that the Hhil, as we began calling them, had begun developing a class system.  We watched this progress with special interest.  Within the fourth generation, most Hhil societies adhered to a three class system.

The primary class consisted of the wealthy, which were those who held most of the control over natural resources and land.  They populated the richest kingdoms and controlled the most fertile of lands.  Early on, they set themselves over the other classes and made it a rule that they, over all others, were the chosen.  They were quite violent and used any means to retain their status.

Early on, the secondary class consisted of hill and mountain peoples and those who fought wars for the upper classes in their many kingdoms.  In time, the secondary class began specializing in armed might and became a military class.  As their technology and strength grew, they became more uncontrollable.  By the fourteenth generation, the secondary class had overtaken all others and became the dominant class.

The tertiary class consisted of all others.  They were those who had little or no property and therefore no influence of their own.  They built the great cities and monuments under the heel of the primary class.  They were manipulated and used by the primary class and were considered the most expendable.  These peoples were the workers of the many Hhil societies.

In later generations, the Hhil were developing complicated war machines of many kinds.  They had populated and fought over most continents and islands.  I was dismayed.  The Hhil were a violent and treacherous species and not unlike how their ancient brethren must have been.  We came to the conclusion that the original species was just too violent and warlike and that their end had come by their own hand.

Many in our scientific community, including those who had reservations from the beginning, believed that unlike the Eiotrii, we should not allow the Hhil to continue.  I admit that I began to believe the same way.  I wished that we had not begun the Bio-ErhHumn project.

It was not until the next development of the Hhil began to take place that we discovered the ancient truth concerning them.  It was a development that we did not expect.  Within the same quadrant, we detected another ancient species.  We dispatched some of our vessels to collect samples of this species and of their technology.  

Our suspicions were satisfied when we discovered similar genetic material amongst the alien ruins on the planet and asteroid remains orbiting the cindered sun.  We realized that at one time, the ErhHumns, who were the Eiotrii and Hhil's ancient ancestors, had become spacefarers.  Over time, they had populated the many planets and asteroids in their solar system when that solar system existed.

Eventually, they made contact with the other ancient spacefaring species.  We believe that whether the ErhHumn invaded or were invaded by the other species, in the end they were destroyed.  What a disappointing end to a species which had potential.  We do not believe that the species was destroyed by their own sun, as it would have obliterated the entire solar system, leaving nothing behind.

Afterwards, the question debated by our scientific community was: Where do we go from here?

Bilret - Master Geneticist and Biological Research Specialist.

The progress of our project

We have been observing our ErhHumns on their new home: the asteroid Eiotros.  Having populated the asteroid with a great number of sub-species, we are confident that the ecosystems will continue to diversify and thrive.  Soon after we named the asteroid, we began calling the new inhabitants; the Eiotrii.  We have documented that within two of their generations they have already begun developing complex civilizations.

Within the third generation, our subjects had already broken off into three distinct peoples.  The first group moved away from the others and built cities along the coasts and became coastal people.  Amongst them are the seafarers and those that work pastoral lands.  It seems that they have embraced a more peaceful existence.

The second group has chosen to populate the many islands that ring the smaller continents.  We are most interested in the progress of this group in that they have begun to split into smaller groups.  Amongst them are those who have built great monuments on their islands and have begun to mine metals and build simple machines.

The third group, and also the most populous, are those who have chosen to remain on the main continent.  They have built many great and complex cities as they have expanded outward across the continent.  Some of their peoples have inhabited the colder mountain regions and others chose the warmer prairie lands and valleys.  We have noted that of the three main groups, this third one has developed the most complex technologies.

We are very pleased in the Eiotrii's progress.  We have also noted that they have developed into a very peaceful species.  It seems that those of us that believed that the Eiotrii, or rather, the ErhHumn, would eventually develop into the violent species that the synth-organics had patterned from, are pleased that the Eiotrii have become an intelligent and very resourceful species.

Sadly, we cannot say the same for their counterparts, our second project which were those who we placed on the second asteroid that we named Hhilei.

Bilret - Master Geneticist and Biological Research Specialist.

Two Projects

Our project is becoming more and more curious and knowledgeable.  Because of this, our research-mates and myself have decided to introduce ErhHumn into a special environment.  It is a setting that we have developed using some of the biological materials that our excavators found on a series of broken asteroids.  Most of the material could not be reconstructed even by our synth-organics.

From the biological materials that were viable, we were able to reproduce a varied collection of foliage and smaller organisms.  We chose an asteroid in particular to place our collection.  We hope that ErhHumn finds it's new environment pleasing.  We are already in the process of developing more ErhHumns.  It will be interesting to see how they react and behave in each other's presence.

We are exceptionally pleased in that the latest cylinders retrieved by our survey vessels indeed contain viable materials that seem to be identical to the materials that the synth-organics mimicked in order to develop our ErhHumn.  This gave us something to think about.  We have decided that we would continue with our ErhHumn project, but we will also begin a second project that we will call our Bio-ErhHumn project.

This new Bio-ErhHumn project will be developed solely using the viable materials from our recent discoveries, while our ErhHumn project will continue to be developed using synth-organics.  Both projects will be housed on separate asteroids and far from each other.  I tell you, these new developments are quite exciting.

Some of our research-mates here, still voice concern with our first project, and much more so with our second project.  They say that we will be re-releasing a violent species back into the universe.  I myself am beginning to have reservations about our work as well.  Should we be doing this?

Bilret - Genetics Research Student in Ancient Extraterrestrial Civilizations.

Cindered Sun

Our survey vessels continue to scour the remains of broken planets and asteroid fields orbiting the cindered remains of that ancient sun.  Resistant to the heavy radiation, they have had much time to deploy and retrieve our excavators from several planet and asteroid surfaces.  We sent out hundreds of vessels in search of more biological material or more protective cylinders containing biological material that we hope to reactivate and study.

Recently, our survey vessels were able to locate several space-faring warship ruins on the surface of one of the more massive asteroids.  Perhaps the asteroid was used as a war base of some sort as the warships were equipped with primitive yet a great amount of weaponry.  Luckily, our excavators were able to locate several more ancient settlements on and around the further planet remains.

Some of our survey vessels are on their way back to our research facility with more of those protective cylinders.  I hope that we are able to retrieve viable material from them.  Perhaps we will be fortunate enough to have access to more material of the same species as our ErhHumn project.  If so, we may be able to complete it and if so, may even be able to reproduce the actual species itself.

Research-mates, by the time that you return, we may be well on our way in resurrecting an ancient and long extinct species.  Most of our people here at our research facility seem to be excited at the prospect of it.  We have devoted more of our resources to the ErhHumn Project.

Although, some of our research-mates who have studied ErhHumn and it's behavior, have said that we shouldn't continue with it.  They believe that a species that seems to have been so preoccupied with war and violence, more than likely had been the cause of their own end.  They believe this because of the fact that ninety-one percent of the ruins in the former solar system are military in nature.

Bilret - Genetics Research Student in Ancient Extraterrestrial Civilizations.

Reconstruction Project

Do you remember that collection of genetic material that our excavators discovered amongst the radioactive remains of that solar system orbiting that cinder that had at one time been a sun in ancient times long ago?  Well, our suspicions were correct.  It seems that that material was deliberately collected and sealed in the ruin of a primitive vessel that orbited the massive bluish gaseous planet, or at least what was left of it.

After our research, we were able to decode and reconstruct our little project, but not in its original organic form.  Unfortunately, the material itself was far too ancient to be reactivated and as a result we were only able to duplicate its genetic structure with the use of our own synth-organics.  You should see what our project looks like!

The microscopic synth-organics copied the genetic material's structure at it's finest degree.  They have formed a somewhat complex bipedal being with complex memory retention and a curiosity unlike any other genetic project that we have ever found before.  This must be what the ancient creature must have looked like in its time.  It is quite fascinating!

Unlike other projects that we have reproduced and studied from the organics we have found in this quadrant, this is the only one that has attempted intricate communication and thought capability.  We will continue to test and learn from it.  Perhaps one day we can reconstruct a completely organic version of this extinct being and adapt it's compatibility in order to populate one of our appropriate study planets.

Well, Research-mates, I hope that you find my ErhHumn project worthy of your attention when you return to our research facilities.  I named it after the unreadable and barely visible glyphs that were marked on the protective cylinder that housed the genetic material itself.  These glyphs have no meaning in any of our known languages.

Bilret -  Genetics Research Student in Ancient Extraterrestrial Civilizations.

Monsters on Black Velvet

Everyone knows what a black velvet painting is.  You've seen some about dogs playing cards, exotic long-tailed birds, famous musicians in tacky karate poses and even some with politicians as nautical commanders weathering the storm.  My question is: Have you ever seen one with monsters?  Yes, it's Monsters on Black Velvet.

Just in time for the creepy season, Monsters on Black Velvet immortalizes a select collection of midnight creeping critters.  Everyone knows about the standard werewolves, zombies, vampires and the like, but what about a piece of art that portrays ghostly knights, goblins, witches, evil dogs and other basic beasts taking a break over a few hands of poker?

Wouldn't you just love to cover your walls with fabulous black velvet masterpieces?  Whether they are about monsters, chickens, smiling celebrities, dogs and cats with big droopy eyes or comedians from the 70s, these masterworks are making a comeback and you can jump on board!

So get yours today!  It's kitsch-tastic!

Just one last thing: We don't like clowns on black velvet, you don't like clowns on black velvet, nobody likes clowns on black velvet.  So don't expect to see any here.  Why, they're just too creepy.

Old Man Tobias' Favorite Haunt

There was a time when the estate was owned by a mean and old and very rich ancestor of Michael's.  Not much is known of him, because in life he grew to be very secretive and in later years, preferred to live out his life behind the brick walls of his mansion.  Michael's grandmother often said: "Great Grandfather Tobias was as greedy as leaves are green and a man who was permanently angry and suspicious of everyone.

One day, he sold all of his interests, passed his banking business down to grandfather Victor and went into the house and remained there, on the third floor for the next forty-seven years.  He ignored everyone and life went on without him."

Now, old Tobias' spirit roams around the old mansion and surrounding estate, which has since passed down to Michael and Victoria.  Stephanie says that she always sees him on the third floor and always searching for something, before he notices her and chases her away.  If it weren't for Grandmother's stories and now Stephanie mentioning how much she didn't like him, old great great great grandfather Tobias would have been long forgotten.

It seems that Stephanie's friends, such as great great grandfather Victor, great great grand aunt Millicent, the twins without names and the others who remain on the grounds, they aren't very fond of old man Tobias either.

"Is he the meanest?"  Victoria asked Stephanie as she sat with her pile of books in the library.  "No, he's not."  Stephanie replies as she fumbles with yellowed-aged pages of a book.  "There are others who are much worse."

Stephanie's Locket

Old houses that were built long ago always seem to be favorite places for old ghosts.  They like to walk here and there in the dark and dimly-lit quiet hallways and long forgotten locked rooms.  Why they choose dark and musty places filled with aging books and dusty furniture over brightly lit studies and patios is a question that only they themselves can answer.

Little Stephanie liked the dark rooms of the estate.  As you can see, she loved reading by the fireplace and did do so for hours and for many years.  Early on, she started hearing the subtle voices from Michael's distant relatives as they called to her from shadowed halls and stairways within the house to share long hidden secrets with her.

When Victoria asked her about the unusual locket that Stephanie wore one evening, it wasn't a surprise that it had belonged to a great great grand aunt of Michael's who had once lived in the house and that the item had been long lost.  Victoria knew of it as she had seen it several times in a painting of great great grand aunt on a third floor hallway.

When Michael and Victoria found their little "sleepy reader" Stephanie playing with dozens of gold coins that must have belonged to Michael's great great grandfather who had been a banker in his time, well, they were perplexed as to how and where she could have found them.  It was all of the other long-forgotten and quite valuable watches, gems, coins and broaches that she had piled in the corners of her room, that finally drove them to ask her.

"Your great great grand ancestors gave them to me."  She answered.  "They like when we have little talks about the old days and the new days and sometimes they give me things.  They're so nice."

The Troll's House

Don't let people tell you that the swampland is safe like the new neighborhood realtors have been trying to do.  Remember how when we were young the old troll took up residence in that lake house and drove its residents away?  Well, it seems that things haven't changed.  The old troll may have moved away since you left for the hills, but his nephews moved in and took his place.

I tell you, if it's not one spiny skinned and long-lived creature in our midst, its two hard-shelled and green skinned ones taking it's place.  It makes one think that leaving for the hills may not be all that bad, even if there are wisps there.  But at least they don't eat your livestock and make a habit of trying to slay your night watch.

Well, I'm taking your suggestion and am about to load up my cart and make for the hills myself.  You can expect to see me soon.  We'll sit by the fire with some fried fish and ale and talk about old times.  Hopefully, the werewolves won't be home when I pass through the woodlands, since this is their convention season and they all love to attend.

-Your cousin, Otto the Chicken Rancher

One day, this is going to happen.

We watched War of the Worlds today.  We didn't watch the new one, we wanted to watch the original 50s version.  That reminded me of this image that I rendered some time ago, so I posted it.

We thought about it and after all that humans have done to each other over the centuries and continue to do to each other, we summed it all up in 2 words: greed, hate, greed, hate, greed and hate.  Well, you know that one day the aliens are just going to get fed up with all of it.

Eventually they are just going to come down, reveal themselves for who they are and then straighten everybody out.

A clear day

It was only a few weeks ago when we had the air conditioner going.  Today it's cold and rainy.  Oh well, the seasons change and so does the temperature.  This is an image of a warm and sunny hill on a summer day that was rendered on a cold and windy fall chicken soup and fresh bread day.  Both have their positives.

Relaxed and Thinking

After a big meal with friends and after everyone have gone home, muskrats of the 3D type like to sit in front of their fireplaces and relax for a while.  It gives them time to think of short stories to write, 3D images to develop and of other muskrats that they would like to visit soon.

Usually this time of the night inspires them, so when they are with friends they can share short stories or develop on-the-fly ones according to the season or the weather or something that they saw earlier that day.

Dramatic Scene

The great artist was at work today.  I pointed my camera out of my window and just happened to take a picture of this masterwork.  A few minutes before, I was outside, looking around for something natural to photograph.

After taking some pictures of branches and leaves, grass and vines, I came back inside and just happened to look out at the sky.  It's amazing what kinds of fleeting artworks we can take photos of when we take the time out of our busy schedules to do so.

This dramatic scene is definitely inspirational.  If you look closely, there is an unidentified wedge in the image.  Whether it was something minuscule that had stuck to the lens while I was scrounging around for things to take photographs of, or if it was something in the sky, I don't know.

It's just one of those things that will never have an answer.

Abandoned

I rendered this image some time ago and re-found it on a hard drive that I had converted into a portable drive, whose laptop home had gone to that great p.c. showroom in the sky.  That was years ago, way back before I moved up to Mac.

I wrote this little story to accompany the image.

-----

Walking along a strange beach in the late evening, I came across an abandoned seaside house.  It was very weathered and in severe disrepair.  As I went closer to it, I happened to see an old man walking along the side of it.  I asked him about the house and noticed that he looked concerned.

"Your not going into that house are you?" He asked.

"I wasn't thinking about it seeing that it seems very dangerous."  I replied.

The old man looked relieved.

His reaction sparked my interest into investigating the old house.

"Does the house belong to somebody?"  I asked, "Personally, I don't understand why such a neglected building would be allowed to remain standing being in such a poor condition."

"Well, the building belongs to Captain Orlande." He said, "So nobody ever goes in there, much less even think of knocking it down."

I stared at the house.  What a strange place to build it.  It was right on the beach and so close to the sea.

"Captain Orlande?  Do you mean that someone actually lives in that?"  I asked.

"No, Captain Orlande was lost at sea over eighty years ago."  He replied.

Now I was confused.

"He's been gone for over eighty years?  Well, I suppose that he was a highly respected man of the community then," I said.

"Actually, no.  He was despised.  You see, Captain Orlande turned traitor during the war and joined the enemy for a few bags of gold and a commission in their navy.  After that, his ship saw battle at sea.  As far as the townsfolk of that time knew, Captain Orlande's ship didn't survive."  He said.

"Well if that's the case, then I would have thought that a traitor's house would have been burned down long ago."  I replied.

"Are you kidding?"  He said suddenly, "If we did that, Captain Orlande wouldn't be very happy with that.  He comes back to it every night at about this time."

I looked at the old man as if he was out of his mind.

"What do you mean?  He's been gone for so long."  I said.

Just then, we heard a bell in the distance and heard a commotion in the distance.

We turned in the direction of the sea and there we saw a turn of the century naval ship.  I thought that since this was a pretty popular seaside community, the antique ship must have been a restored vessel for a re-enactment of some sort.

Just then, a small lantern-lit boat with a single man came closer to shore.

We watched as the man, dressed in a turn of the century naval uniform, came out of the boat and pulled it onto the shore.  He took the lantern, turned and walked closer to us.

I wanted to say hello, but the man walked right past us and up the stairs of the dilapidated seaside house.  We watched as he went in and closed the door behind him.  We watched the light of the lantern move around through the breaks in the walls of the house, and then slowly went out.

"That was Captain Orlande."  The old man said.

I stood there confused, as the old man excused himself and walked off.

I then turned to face the sea.

"Of course, the ship's gone and the small boat as well."  I said to myself as my expectations came true.

I turned back towards the house and it was gone as well.

"O.k. now, it's time for me to go."

As I walked off, I had a thought...

"This could make for a blog post.  I hope that I don't forget about it before I get back home in a few days."