A short chapter of my blog fiction, but it is better than nothing...
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DARKENING STURGEONS
Chapter Eighteen
by John L. Harmon
The engine
of the large white van, followed by the generic gray police cruiser, cuts
through the silence of Sturgeons. It doesn’t
seem possible that over 4,000 people have either fled or vanished, but the
palpable stillness makes the unbelievable disturbingly real.
Evacuated
buildings of the downtown business district zip by as the scientific duo try to
focus on their work at hand. With
recent developments this is difficult to accomplish.
“Did he
live up to your uniformed daydreams?” Dr. Christine Abernathy can’t help but
inquire from behind the steering wheel.
“He seems
sweet and honest, so we shall see,” Dr. Samuel Dwyer answers, looking up from
the black gadget, while nudging up his glasses.
“So, were you truly expecting to see your date again?”
“No, and
now I don’t know what to think.”
Evacuated
businesses give way to abandoned houses of the residential area as the law
enforcement duo try to stay focused on the road and the white van ahead of
them. This is easier said than done.
“Do you
trust him?” Chief Deputy Clyde Woodhouse asks, glancing at the contrary image of
his passenger’s clean, bandaged face and torn, dirty uniform.
“I think
so. He seems sincere and thoughtful
enough,” Sheriff Benjamin Straker answers, briefly touching the bandage near
his left eye. “Do you trust her?”
“I did
Saturday night, but now I don’t know.”
Abandoned
homes are fewer and farther between as the two sole moving vehicles in
Sturgeons reach the city limits. An
occasional tree turns into a few, which multiplies considerably as they head
out of town, but not too far. Another
half mile and the vehicles leave the smooth highway for a bumpy dirt road, leading
them to the signal registering on the black gadget.
Leading
them back to Stickler Woods.
_______________________________
JLH
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