blogwithvalor

I’m working on the next short story and have some ideas thrown together, but hit a small writer’s block because my original idea is a little close to a book I read recently, the Priory of the Orange Tree. It’s a good read for anyone interested in fantasy. I haven’t read more of the series yet, but I’ve also just got a lot of books on my TBR list.

That said, I’m allowing myself some grace and posting another short story that my wife and I did back on May 3rd of 2021. It was another short based on 5 topics we pulled from a hat. It is an interesting story that I personally liked quite a bit and thought would make a fun book. Probably a shorter novel, but it is a futuristic sci-fi story, so that probably requires a longer story just to get everyone into the universe. Sci-fi is my favorite genre and that’s also probably why I liked it so much. It would probably focus a lot on people modifying their bodies for different functions and aesthetics. But I don’t want to get too much into the story before you read it. So I’ll stop there. Enjoy.

…

5 Topics: Water, Female, Fire, Future, Spring

Nadine awoke to a cold splash of water drenching her entire body. The monitors in her cell humming her to consciousness. She looked up through damp locks of dark brown hair at the guard, whose slight smirk denoted some joy at her inconvenience. Her tan uniform was soaked from head to toe.

“You’ve got a visitor,” he said in a voice so coarse it sounded like a growl.

Confusion must have been broadcasting on her face because, as she sat there wondering who it could be, the guard’s smirk turned into a chuckle, “Ain’t expecting that now, were you?”

Nadine stuck her hands through the opening in the door so the guard could put on her restraints. It was a process she’d done so many times that it felt like an overplayed and worn-out dance. Her hands went out, the cold heavy bracelets went on, and the high-pitched ring would sound as the electro-magnets pulled her wrists together.

As the guard opened the door, Nadine noticed his slightly disheveled hair and missing buttons at the bottom of his shirt. “It looks like you’ve had a worst morning than me,” she said returning the demeaning smirk he had given her mere moments prior.

Within a hundredth of a second a baton emerged from the forearm holster all guards had installed when they took the job and into his hands. The guard jammed the end of his baton so hard into her gut that she nearly heaved the barely edible nutri-paste she had eaten the night before.

Walking past the other cells, Nadine could hear a fellow prisoner being electrocuted inside. In the worst cases, if a prisoner decided to act out physically or attempt escape then varying volts of electricity were released upon the prisoner. Nadine knew all too well how bad they’d zap you depending on the violation.

The government had started rebranding prisons and detention centers as Rehabilitation And Control Epicenters or R.A.C.E. after they started deeming some citizens too uncontrollable. Every cell monitored and regulated a prisoner’s temperament by releasing aerosols containing undisclosed chemicals. It kept most of them complacent, but some of them began building a tolerance. Aerosol doses would be increased until they were maxed out or the prisoner died of an overdose. Nadine had long ago maxed out the recommended dosage, seemingly unaffected by the concoction. The Director of Patients had considered stopping her treatments completely but was unaware of the effects of such an abrupt withdrawal from such a high dose.

As she walked into the visitor center, Nadine saw Ferrin. He was dressed like he was ready for a night out at an oxygen bar. His slicked black hair was freshly cut and she could smell the expensive cologne he had always worn too much of. “It’s time to spring you out of this joint, what do you say sweet stuff?”

Nadine’s blood began to boil, and her face became heated under her dripping unkempt hair. “No. Whatever it is. No.”

“You haven’t even heard about the job yet.”

Nadine was already turned around walking back towards the guard.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes meatbag. Like it or not.” The baton quickly springing out of the guard’s forearm and into his hand again.

Nadine could still taste the nutri-paste in the back of her throat. She turned back to Ferrin and took a seat at the cold metal table. He could hear the squish of her wet uniform as she sat down.

“Great, now that you’ve wasted some time, let’s talk business.” Ferrin pulled out a gold pack of cigarettes from his silk-lined jacket pocket and slid one of them into the corner of his mouth. He clicked the red button on the side of the pack that ignited a small torch from the top corner. The tip of his cigarette glowed bright as he took a long and satisfying breath.

“You’re going to ruin your lungs with those.”

“Nadine, baby, it’s been too long, and you’re too late.” He beat his chest twice so she could hear a low hollow drum-like echo. “It’s the best gift I could have given myself. I got this new tech installed 3 years ago after those meat balloons started giving out on me. These are twice as efficient at supplying oxygen to the bloodstream and are even better at pulling nicotine out of the air.” Ferrin took another long drag blowing the stream of smoke right over her head.

“Nice to know some things don’t change. You’re still as stubborn a prick as ever.” She turned away noting that no one else was in the visitor center with them aside from the guard. Ferrin had paid for this level of privacy.

“Get off your fuckin’ high horse. Not all of us kept our meat as prime as yours, Nadine. And even then, you could still do with a few upgrades here and there.” Ferrin was staring Nadine up and down the way a person would look over a used car mentally pointing out the worn-out parts that they’d replace if they made the purchase.

“Just get to the point, so I can say no, and get back to my life.”

Ferrin smiled as he placed the pack of cigarettes to the side. He looked down at his hand, making a fist and relaxing it back to the table. His eyes turned up to meet hers as he said, “They found her.”

“You think I’m going to change my mind because they’ve got Natasha. I don’t fucking care! I’m not going to be part of whatever shit brained ideas you come up with. I’d rather asphyxiate on the happy gas they pump into the cells than join in your scheme to ruin what’s left of my life. Besides, what do you care? Natasha burned both our bridges when she up and left.”

Ferrin took another puff, “C’mon, she’s your sister! And besides, I can’t believe you’d rather rot in here than come make some real money on the outside. I’ve already talked to the Director of Patients and I can buy your way out for a couple weeks. I just need you to agree to help with one last transaction and you’ll never see me again. With the money you make, you could move to the bougie cells and eat some real living greens for the rest of this sad fuckin’ existence.”

His fist was clenched tightly, while he snuffed out the end of his cigarette.

“You’re actually worried about her?” She gave him a puzzled look. “After everything she did to you, you’re going to risk your meat for her?”

His brow unfurrowed as he grabbed another cigarette. “It’s just business. I’ve got a lot of money to make on this transaction and she just happens to be the only person that can do it and the only person she’ll trust enough to follow out of that hell hole is you.”

Nadine could feel the desperation in his voice. She couldn’t tell if it was for the money or to have the three of them together again, even just for a short time. “Let’s say I do agree to help. I’m going to need more than a fancy cell and some greens.”

“The Director isn’t going to give you anything else.”

“I want one day a week in the sun.”

“There’s no way they’re giving you any outdoor time. Think of something else.”

“That’s it. The cell, the greens, and some natural light.”

“Then you’re going to rot in that stinking meatbag cell of yours.”

“Then you can find someone else Natasha will follow out of their grips.”

They glared at each other, while Ferrin’s cigarette produced a thin stream of smoke rising up from his hand all the way up to the ceiling.

“Fifteen minutes are up,” the guard yelled at the both of them. He grabbed Nadine’s arm and yanked her up to her feet.

While being force out of the room, Nadine turned to see Ferrin. “Get me the sunlight and I’m yours.”

Ferrin raised his middle finger to her as she turned away.