《The Return of The Cloud》


 Prologue, part one

    <u>Author¡¯s Note:</u>


    There can be no greater destination than that which leads to intrigue, mystery, fear and the imaginings of the unknown. So, come with me to another existence, to another place, another world- a world in which the laws of science have far simpler workings and the silver rockets of the earthlings have already landed on Venus. In this universe, Venus and Mars have oxygen, have life and wilderness, exploration and adventure. Here dreams of reaching the stars are so close but so too is the return of The Cloud¡­


    Come with me to a destination that is¡­ ¡®Not of This Universe¡¯


    The intention and aspiration of this series is to recreate the atmosphere and excitement of a twentieth century pre-technological age- an age of innocence and ignorance, an age in which the populous could believe in DIY space travel, in Martians, werewolves, monsters and all manners of nonsensical, unscientific but loveable fun. The episodes are designed to intrigue and excite and to inspire the reader to read on, and on and...


    <u>Part one: Sister Sororis</u>


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    Amidst the vast expanse of time and space, there are infinite universes, with infinite other Earths and other earthlings and somewhere, somewhere very close, so close we can almost sense it, there is a sister universe with a sister Earth- Sororis, and our sister has a story to tell. In this sister universe the stars are reachable. In this sister universe the story and the future are very different. The Earth of this other, near identical universe has a science and a reality that is not quite the same as our own. The science of this universe, with different expectations and limitations, make this Earth a world of different wonders and different adventures. The earthlings in this other universe have begun to explore their solar system but their planets are not the same as our planets- their Mars and their Venus both have oxygen and life and these earthlings are about to meet that life, but there is also another form of life that approaches our sister Earth. Soon, the people of Sororis will learn of life from another solar system, scores of light years away, and from the fruits of this other life will come the chaos of fear.


    Unknown to Sororis¡¯ earthlings their solar system contains the remnants of another planet- a planet from another solar system, a planet that was destroyed and shattered to dust. That dust, now a cloud, is trapped to forever orbit their sun and the time has come for the orbits of Sororis and the cloud to cross paths- yet again. The cloud will bring with it the seeds of mythology, creatures and beings that defy science and explanation...

 Part two: The Planet with No Name

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    Part two: The Planet with No Name


    They had no idea the asteroid was coming or even that asteroids existed. The strangeness of this planet¡¯s ever evolving and mutating life forms had thwarted the progress and development of civilisation. The planet with no name had intelligent beings who had a spoken language and who had craft skills too, but these beings had no knowledge of science other than the minimum required to survive in bizarre landscapes of the weird and the wonderful; landscapes full of dangers and the unknown, full of all manners of monsters and demons, disease, and death. There was, however, a beauty to the planet. The multitude and variety of terrains, plants, and fauna made the lands exciting and colourful, mysterious and wondrous. The planet with no name was exceptional in every way, including its death.


    The asteroid, also nameless, was almost as big as the planet. It had hurtled through the darkness of space since the beginning of time and may have continued its journey for eternity if it were not for that singular, innocent waiting planet of such spectacular forms. At an impact of thirteen hundred and seventeen kilometres per hour the asteroid and the planet met. As in our universe, sound does not travel through the vacuum of space and so the spectacle of explosion and bursting brilliance of colour and debris was silent to all the universe, except for the creatures on the destroyed planet who, for a very brief moment, both heard and felt the cosmic eruption. After the collision, there remained only emptiness. What was once a planet and an asteroid had all but disintegrated to form a giant planet sized cloud of spiralling dust. Most of the debris, contained by the gravitational forces within the solar system, remained within that solar system but there was also a considerable amount which had managed to escape out to the depths of the cosmos. A vast swirling mass of the dust had twirled and spun away out into space, rocketing outwards in a seemingly endless journey through time and space. The remnants, a vast frozen mass of the organic and the inorganic, sped through the galaxy. Its gently swirling mass of indeterminate diffused colours could be seen from millions of miles away, its beauty disguising its portent.


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    For far more than a billion years the cloud had shot through space unabated but as large as it was, the cloud could not escape the gravitational pull of the first solar system it encountered and for the last millennium it had orbited its newly found sun, narrowly missing several planets on every orbit. However, when passing close the periphery of the cloud infiltrated and changed all living things and the planets of those living things- including Sororis. The last humans to witness the strange events of the cloud had lived in the dark prehistoric age of Earth¡¯s history and they had not been aware of the cloud, only of the things that it brought. But later, when humans had science to hand, its affect would give it the simple deserved title of ¡®The Cloud¡¯.

 Part three: Before the Bronze Age, part one

    <u>Part three: The End of the Bronze Age part one</u><u> </u>


    When the angry flames of the Gods had cut their red scars across the skies, Aghard¡¯s family were the first in the village to witness the spectacle and Aghard¡¯s son was the first to bring back a relic. It could not be coincidental that, some days after the first fire rains, strange things had begun to occur; the behaviour of some animals had become unpredictable and violent, some livestock had become sick and had developed mutations. The village folk seemed unaffected, except for one young child who, having been inflicted with a terrible illness and strange behaviour, had soon after died. There had been debate as to whether or not a sacrifice to the Gods was necessary but the villagers had decided against it, at least for now.


    Emrys threw the barn door open, stepped inside and paused briefly for his eyes to be able to focus in the early morning darkness. Small ghostly clouds of the boy¡¯s warm breath spilled from his excited mouth when he saw the small creature lying curled up huddled in the straw, exactly as it had done for the past several days. The boy, spear in hand, stepped close then lowered himself to crouch down alongside the strange animal¡¯s body. His hand slowly reached out to gently caress the scaly head but the creature¡¯s eyes remained tightly closed. Emrys¡¯ face had twisted with disappointment when he had felt no warmth or movement from his recently found friend. The boy then ran his fingertips under a wing. He carefully lifted the limp limb and then, just as gently, he lowered it back and slowly removed his hand. Emrys, deeply concerned for the creature¡¯s health, remained crouched and motionless. Only when a roar came from deep within the woods did he remember the importance of the morning¡¯s task. As he stood, he heard Aghard, his father, call out his name. Then, again, he heard the distant roar. The monster¡¯s cry, now clearly closer than yesterday, incited both fear and excitement. Aghard, was a large, and slightly ferocious looking man. Although a farmer, he was a skilled hunter. Emrys had been with his father and friends many times to hunt bear in the woods but they all knew this creature was no ordinary bear.


    The creature in the woods was yet another animal that had been changed by the coming of the fire rains. This beast had to be destroyed before it could bring its wrath to the village but the village was small and some males were needed to stay back to protect the people, should the beast enter their vicinity. Consequently, just Aghard, his brother, also a large man but with a much milder face, and Eric, a lean and wiry charater, were the only adults available for the hunt but his son, Emrys, at just thirteen years, was also to join them.


    Before the sun rose, the three men and the boy were treading the frosty leafed pathway into the woods down towards the valley. They did not stop until they had reached the river and the cascades. In autumn, the sun would take longer than usual to rise above the hill tops and the trek along the open river bank did not allow sufficient light for clear observation. At the waterside the men, each with a stone axe, bow or other weapon in hand, stood in silence waiting to hear the creature¡¯s next roar but all that could be heard was a cooing pigeon above and the rumbling of cold water at the nearby cascades. This part of the river was rocky terraces strewn with small boulders and fallen timbers. The surrounding hillside was steep but the men would take an easier path to reach the place where, a few days back, on the far side of the river, Emrys¡¯ uncle had seen the animal that he described as a dark brown monstrous creature resembling a large bear.


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    After their very brief wait to rest and to listen, they continued on, following the course of the water upstream. They had not gone far when they were stopped in their tracks by the familiar roar of the unknown beast- the animal was close. Everyone waited motionlessly and silently, each studying their surrounds with all their senses. Slowly, an arm was raised to point. All eyes stared into the depths of the foliage in the direction indicated. No one moved.


    ---------------------------Emrys could not see what had been spotted. He wondered what the others were seeing- were they seeing anything? As the out stretched arm was lowered, together the men very slowly turned and treading one slow step at a time they moved in the direction that Eric had pointed. Emrys¡¯ father led the way forward. After a short distance of careful silent stepping, the party again halted, all ears and eyes searching for any signs of their prey. Nothing was seen and nothing was heard but Emrys had a vision in his head that warned him of the hideous beast his uncle had told of just two days before. His uncle had described the bear as being far larger than the biggest he had ever seen and he¡¯d said that the animal had an enormous distorted and oversized forehead and that it had moved with an odd cumbersome gait as though limping. Emrys had been impressed by the expressions and body language his uncle had shown when telling his account of seeing the animal drinking at the water¡¯s edge. His uncle had raised his arms to show how tall the animal was at shoulder height and he had also moved his arms in a circular fashion when describing the head. A bear hunt was always dangerous but exciting, however, after what his uncle had witnessed and described, on this hunt all were exceptionally nervous.


    Fire rain had never been seen before and it had caused an enormous panic and foreboding amongst the communities. A daunting thought that would remain in everyone¡¯s heads throughout the hunt was that many of the villagers had come to believe that the gods intended to punish them. Since the fire rain, strange occurrences had been witnessed by all, one of which was Emrys finding the tiny winged creature encompassed within a block of rock and ice.


    When the next long awaited roar came, it was very close and it froze them all in their tracks- such a raging they had never before heard. Again, ears and eyes did their job and again nothing was seen and nothing was heard. The group stood, weapons at the ready, and they waited. Then, an arm rose to point. All looked in that direction to see that there was indeed something in the woods just a few hundred feet away. The thing was dark and unclear and unmoving but by its size and its shape it was very apparent that it was nothing anyone had ever seen before. The men waited for the creature to move and when it did so it moved to their left, passing behind trees and shrubbery. Its shape, large as it was, became difficult to follow. The animals¡¯ shimmery dark silhouette moved behind the bushes and tall undergrowth as though it were injured. All observed with weapons at the ready. In the still forest darkness of the late autumn morning, to everyone¡¯s disappointment, and fear, the animal was no longer visible. Heads began turning in all directions. Hearts began beating very fast.


    While the waiting continued, no one moved or spoke. A short distance away, a startled pheasant cry broke the long silence, shocking everyone. The men knew the bear was now much closer. Heads very slowly turned to face in the direction of the bird¡¯s startled call. All waited. The only sounds heard were the distant gurgling river and the fluttering of leaves and branches above, disturbed by a sudden strong breeze. Then, with the breeze, came the smell. Who was predator and who was prey had yet to be recognised.

 Part Four: The End of the Bronze Age part two

    Part Four: The End of the Bronze Age part two


    How something so large and so cumbersome could charge through the undergrowth to rush and grab a full-grown man and toss him in the air before a weapon could be released was a shock to all, especially to Eric, who had been thrown twenty clear feet, to hit the trunk of an old pine tree hard enough to break an average man''s back. Immediately after the attack, Emrys'' father had hurled his spear with great strength and accuracy, hitting the beast''s shoulder firmly and squarely to penetrate deep enough for the blade to remain lodged in five inches of flesh. Before further injury could be inflicted, the animal had leapt into the forest undergrowth and was gone. Only the animal''s strong lingering odour remained. The potent smell of this animal indicated that the creature was very sick- the stench was not like any ordinary animal scent but had a sickly, pungent odour.


    When the men felt confident that the animal was gone and safe to move, they tended to Eric. Bloodied with deep lacerations and a back that surely must have been broken, Eric had landed in the bracken and was quickly unconscious. The party''s predicament was now severe. Could two fit men and a boy of thirteen care for and protect their heavily wounded friend and fight off a creature of monstrous proportions and power? The journey out had taken less than three hours but the journey back would take the rest of the day. They needed to act and work fast to return home before dark.


    Whilst the men cut branches and built a stretcher for Eric, they each pondered and discussed their best course of action. Their tasks were made more urgent when, once again, they heard the creature''s roar- not close but not far enough away to allay their fears and anxieties.


    Emrys had shared the carrying with his father and uncle, and by midday, they had carried Eric halfway home, but Eric, being in so much pain, was constantly in and out of consciousness. The bear''s bellowing could be heard throughout the journey, always, seemingly close. Whenever this occurred, they would stop and prepare themselves for another attack- but now they were a man short; plus, Aghard had lost his weapon in the attack, and Eric''s bow had been broken. Emrys'' father suggested their best defence could be to attack, but he could not tell how they could manage such a thing. It was Emrys who, having a plan of sorts, convinced the other two to go with his idea of trapping the beast.


    Back where they had first stopped by the river, the cascade terrain was amidst a maze of rocky nooks and crannies. At this place the rocky terraces had vegetation where they could hide. Away from the rocks, the surrounding area was sufficiently clear of vegetation so that all could spot the bear from a reasonably safe distance as it would step from out of the woods. Emrys described a place there where he and friends, unbeknown to their parents, would play as children, and it was here that he knew of a deep rocky passage leading to the cascades where he intended to lure and trap the bear. The others recalled the place from their mischievous childhood days, so the plan was accepted. Emrys would wait by the broad entrance to the passage where the animal could clearly see him. When the beast sees Emrys and charges him, Emrys runs into the passage with the bear in pursuit. The passage narrows before it reaches the high rocks above the cascades. Here, Emrys would pass through the narrow gap at the top of the falls, leaving the bear trapped and vulnerable, hopefully unable to turn around in the tight enclosure. They would attack the animal from a safe vantage point above the passage. His father asked his son if he was still small enough to get through the narrow gap- they would only know the answer to this when at the spot. However, there was another problem for them to consider- where could they safely leave Eric?


    Whilst they continued downhill towards the lower cascades, another idea came to Emrys: to keep the animal trapped by using fire to block off the passageway once the bear had entered it. If they could be assured that the bear would be trapped, they knew they would be able to attack it from the rocks above, but nothing, of course, could ever be assured.


    When Emrys tested his plan at the cascades, all became concerned because squeezing through the gap was difficult and could not be done quickly; their situation was desperate, and they had no better plan.


    Eric was carried to a place of relative safety and left hidden on a concealed ledge at the lower falls. The others then went to their place of waiting, above the passageway, where they could hide amongst shrubbery whilst having a clear view of the surrounding terrain. The passage entrance was large, but as no one had an accurate idea of the size of the bear, they were forced to recognise that if the bear was as big as it seemed, there was a risk that it would not be able to follow Emrys into the passage. They had no guarantee that the animal would want to follow Emrys or even return to make an attack. All they knew was that since its first attack, the wounded animal had been following them from a distance.


    A portable barrier fabricated from shrubbery was made, along with a torch ready to set fire to the barrier once it had been positioned. Once Emrys and the bear were in the enclosure, Emrys would have to tease and torment the bear from his safe place in the narrow part of the passage. Doing this would allow time for the flaming barrier to be positioned and set alight. However, the torch had be lit and immediately concealed as soon as the bear was in sight. Aghard would be in hiding above the enclosure, ready with the weapons. His brother would join him after he had set the barrier afire. Midday had passed, and they had not heard the bear since reaching the cascades. Their new concern was that the bear would not come and that they would need to stay overnight in the forest to avoid the more dangerous trek in the dark, carrying Eric with the bear, no doubt, in pursuit. Of course, a worse scenario could be that it would attack at night.


    When it finally happened, there was an irony in the men''s joy at hearing the terrifying sound of the monster''s roar! The forest was not as dark as it had been when they were first attacked, and their viewpoint from the high spot at the top of the cascades was an additional advantage. The three waited, sitting motionless, studying the forest for the slightest movement. The river, making an alleyway between the trees, allowed for a stronger breeze, and that breeze drew with it the obnoxious smell that told everyone there would be action very soon. The action that would follow could go either way, but now was no time to think anything other than the positive. Aghard looked at his son, grabbed him firmly by the shoulder and spoke of his pride for his son and the bravery that he was showing. No sooner had he removed his hand from his son''s shoulder than there came another roar, and this time, there was a distinct movement in the forest a few hundred feet away. Immediately, Emrys and his uncle nimbly scampered back down over the rocks to the passage entrance, and Aghard remained to conceal himself in the area above the passageway. Aghard''s brother made ready with the torch but did not yet want the animal to smell fire. They each waited, hoping for the bear to see and pursue Emrys into their trap- and for the Gods to be on their side.


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    From his hiding place, Aghard stared intensely at the slowly plodding shape in the woods and his young son waiting in full view twenty feet below.


    The beast, clearly six feet at the shoulder, stepped out from within the bracken, pausing in the open causeway that led to the cascades. The animal, its head swinging from left to right and back again, plodded down towards the cascades and the waiting boy. It then stopped to raise its head high, sniffing the air to take in the scent of man. Even from a distance, the creature''s colossal head size and lopsided shape were easily distinguished as a very abnormal animal.


    The bear, seeing the boy''s distant figure standing motionless at the passageway entrance, raised its head to sniff the air. It smelled the boy''s odour, and it felt the pain from the blade in its shoulder. It saw the small figure that waited, and it wanted revenge. Enraged, it thrust its weight backwards onto its hind, its snout pointing upwards and its mouth gaping open to let out a roar of all roars.


    Emrys watched the distant roaring bear rise high and up onto its rear legs, then drop its huge bulk back down to begin its charge down and along the causeway. Emry''s tiny voice exclaimed, "Is the fire ready?" His uncle replied with panic in his voice, "I''m doing it now."


    From above, Emry''s father saw the distant animal begin its charge. He felt his stomach knot and his heart race. Anxiety seared through him. He could no longer anticipate the events they had carefully planned. He could only fear for his son- the charging bear was already less than forty feet from Emrys, who remained still and silent. He watched the beast bouncing and lolloping at high speed towards Emrys. The spear that had remained embedded in the animal''s shoulder swung with every stride the animal made, and as it did so, the bear''s head rocked from side to side. Why did his son not move? Had he been frozen from fear?


    Below, Emrys, as wide-eyed as a person could ever be, stretched all his powers of will to help him stay his ground. He was waiting until he could sense the right moment, and only then would he turn, run into the passage and force himself through the confines of the rocks leading to the top of the cascade. When the beast was close enough for him to hear its snorting and see its burning eyes and dangling, salivating tongue, he reacted like a released spring.


    Heart now beating with the speed of galloping hooves, Emrys spun around and sprinted into the passageway. He kept running until he hit the hard dirt and rock wall at the rear. As his body smacked against the rock, he quickly twisted around to move to his safe exit gap in the corner of the enclosure. As he turned sideways to pass through the gap, he heard the deep snorting breath and the heavy padding paws. Still trying to press and pull himself through and into the safety of the final gap, he now saw, just two long sticks away from him, the massive brown shape of the enormous animal''s scurrying body. A crescendo of fear flooded into poor Emrys as he continued to struggle whilst watching the hideous, snarling face that was soon about to reach him.


    The bear, however, also struggled to pass through its narrow section to reach the boy. Emrys paused, recognising that the animal may retreat before the fiery barrier could be positioned. Would he need to temporarily abandon his escape to encourage the bear into the area further? Emrys'' head became a mix of fear, panic, and a self-pleading cry to carry out his duty.


    Above, Aghard, looking down, fearful for his son, was tormented by his choice of whether or not to make the attack early- his brother had only just lit the torch and positioned the barrier ready for it to be set afire. Until this was completed, the animal still had the chance to escape their trap by retreating backwards. He desperately wanted to call out to his son but knew he must not relinquish his position.


    Emrys, heart near explosion, moved away from his escape route. The trapped raging animal transfixed him. The creature''s head was enormous, as wide as a man''s shoulders. This was a creature unlike any other. The forehead was swollen and deformed, and the whole face had almost no fur but instead showed a blue-grey bare skin covered in red blistery sores. The animal shook its shoulders, its head wildly swinging back and forth as it tried in vain to push through the gap to reach the boy. Emrys, shouting, side-stepped closer to the bear''s head to provoke the animal, but then, there came a sudden change in the creature.


    All the creature''s struggling movement stopped. The mouth slowly opened, exposing an array of irregular teeth. Each of the four canines was longer than a man''s finger- except for one that was broken. The lips curling back and the eyes bulging showed an evil determination- the whole face suddenly took on an eerie expression of intelligence. Next, a giant paw appeared above its head and then another below, at its side. As the animal twisted its body, the violent head shaking began again. With both arms pushing at the red crusty dirt walls to pull itself through, cracks began to appear, dust showered, and small chunks of rock and soil broke away to fall to the ground. Emrys jumped back and again began to squeeze through the final gap.


    An almighty bellowing roar filled the enclosure, but the animal could still not get through, and so, instead, it pulled itself backwards, out and away. Emrys could see the smoke and now wondered if the fire was sufficient to deter the bear from retreating- it wasn''t. With a screaming roar of frustration and anger, the bear pushed backwards through the blazing barrier, scattering the mess of flaming branches and leaves in a display of red sparks and flying embers. When the bear was free and away from the flames, it sniffed the air to find the men''s whereabouts.


    Aghard''s brother had scaled the rocks to join him, but now both men were trapped by the high rock face. Confronted with the monstrous bulk of the animal as it began climbing up and onto the rock alongside them, they gripped their pathetic weapons and made what stance they could. Aghard looked down at the passageway and his son, who was looking up at him.

 Part Five: The end of The Bronze age part three

    Part Five: The end of The Bronze age part three


    As Emrys cried, "Jump! Jump!" the men were already dropping into the passage. The bear immediately scampered back down over the rocks for another attempt to break through and into the passageway.


    Emrys asked for the spear, explaining to the men that he could make his way through the gap and down the cascade via the rocks and back around to the entrance to attack the animal from behind. When his uncle passed him the weapon, Emrys, with help, finally pushed himself through and out to the safety of the far side, leaving the two men with just an axe and five arrows.


    There was little left of the failed burning barrier and nothing to stop the creature from thundering back into the passageway and hitting the narrow spot with such force that the cracks previously made were now opened further. The beast''s head shoved through, and then the two paws appeared. The twisting and shaking returned as the monstrous animal writhed and shook, snarling and rapidly shaking its head, spraying the men with thick saliva. Aghard''s brother rushed forward with an arrow raised high, but Aghard grabbed his arm and told him to wait. He did not want the animal to retreat and come face to face with his son- they needed more time. His brother hesitated but, fired by fear and panic, immediately made a lunge forward, this time stabbing the creature in the throat. Finally, the bear''s shaking broke away a layer of rock and its rocking shoulders, then began squeezing through the now wider gap. The first huge paw, claws spread wide, swiped at the men. The men now had to make a full attack before the beast could break through. The second arrow stabbed upwards into the creature''s flan. The axe hit hard and firmly between the eyes. The head trembled and quivered in anger, then, along with both paws, it quickly withdrew.


    The men stared at the bloodied and drooling creature, now glaring at them with such a cold and evil malevolence. Both men had frozen in hesitant confusion as to what they should do. Men and beast stared at each other waiting for the next move. The standoff, however, was ended quickly when Emrys, aiming for the spot that would do the most damage and cause the most pain, thrust his spear with all his might into the bear''s exposed rear end. The vast bulk of the animal shimmied and juddered violently as it rushed rapidly backwards, crying out in pain and anger. Emrys could not withdraw the deeply embedded spear. Left with no weapon and the bear''s rapidly retreating mass, he had no alternative but to turn and run.


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    Even wounded and in great pain from the two deeply embedded blades, Emrys knew the bear may still be too fast for him to outrun. The only option was to head straight back to the cascades and back to his father and uncle, but he knew the bear would be far quicker than he. His plan could go no further than beating the bear to the cascades, where he would leap from the high rocks into the river, praying that the bear would not follow him into the water or that he could outswim the beast. Heart pounding, Emrys ran and clambered as quickly as possible up the rocks, making sure not to falter or to turn to see how close the bear may be. Almost at the top, he could hear the rumbling, crashing waters below and the snorting, growling animal close behind- so very close that he jumped without hesitation and care.


    Tumbling haphazardly through the air, on his way down into the cascades, at the last moment, Emrys saw a large timber that, some years before, had been dragged by a torrential downpour to become lodged between the rocks. The heavy branches'' weight and the current''s force had snapped the timber to leave a huge pointed stake. Emrys was falling directly onto that stake, but, by the will of the Gods, he landed on the timber, just below the sharp pointed end, to roll off, injured, into the cold water.


    Emrys found himself in a calm pool away from the main water flow. Better still was that when he looked up, he saw the bear had leapt to follow him, but the bear, being so much larger, had been unable to avoid the lethal pointed timber which, due to Emrys blocking its view, it had not seen. The creature, crying out in great pain, writhed around, thrashing the rocks and water around him. Emrys pulled himself out of the water and moved around the struggling beast, amazed at its vast size. The madness remained on the animal''s face, and the eyes screamed as loudly as its voice roared. Emrys felt a shudder of fear as he stared into the dying creature''s still menacing eyes. Thoroughly exhausted, Emrys pulled himself from the water and then fell unconscious.


    When Emrys awoke, his father and uncle were beside him, but bad news came with the news that Eric had died. They carried Eric''s body home and arrived after night had fallen. Two days later, whilst Eric lay in his open, hastily made coffin of pine wood and whilst the burial words were being spoken, someone had noticed Eric''s face was changed; his forehead was swollen, and his skin had turned a blue-ish grey. His cold eyes had opened wide, and he was staring with a menacing expression of intense evil. Then, groaning and shaking, Eric sat up. Snarling and with teeth clenched, he grabbed the nearest person and, before anyone was able to stop him, bit hard into their flesh.

 Chapter 1. Day One: Somethings Coming

    <u>Chapter 1. Day One: Something¡¯s Coming </u>


    The six crew members clung to their seats, fingers gripping hard as the shaking ship rose, accelerating upwards into the blue Venusian sky. No one ever spoke during this time- the atmosphere and mood were always too intense, and the volume of sound too extreme. The shaking lasted less than two minutes, but in those two eternal minutes, all thoughts and feelings were focused on ''When will it stop?!'' The juddering continued, blurring the faces of the crew members and the big fat dials and levers of the rocket controls. This was only Brian¡¯s second lift-off, the other being when he left Earth six months before. He hadn¡¯t yet gotten used to the fears and thoughts of lift-off and its physical effects. He was beginning to feel sick already- not from the vibrating and shaking but from the horrible thoughts of possible catastrophe that were rocketing around in his head. He tried to avert his thoughts by looking out of the small round window five feet away, but all this showed him was the empty blue sky. He looked at the others, each strapped to their seats, wearing helmetless astronaut suits and ear protectors. Despite the blurry expressions on the others'' faces, he recognised that his crewmates shared his feelings. The pounding sounds continued, as did that feeling in everyone''s stomachs. Then, the drama began to ease, and the sky slowly darkened. Within five more minutes, they had reached space. Had they all been speeding on the highway at a hundred miles an hour, it would have taken them an hour to travel the same distance.


    In orbit, everyone was relaxed- smiles of excitement and relief abounded. The now relative quiet of the engines allowed the chat to begin. Brian chose not to listen. He hadn¡¯t yet got over the lift-off. Leaving Earth just six months before had been his first experience of space flight, and it had been a shock to his body and mind. He was still deciding whether or not this second experience had been any easier. It would be several more minutes before the gravity would be turned on and seat belts could be removed.


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    Meanwhile, as his nerves returned to normal, he became aware of a conversation beside him. A lady had just said that as much as she had loved her time on Venus, she couldn''t wait to get back to normal everyday life on Earth. She''d missed the food, her friends and family, T.V. and Earth''s multitude of possible entertainments, but what had surprised her most was that she had also missed just about everything that she had thought she never liked- commuting, house cleaning, her neighbour''s loud dog- even her boss. As Brian sympathised with her, others added their thoughts on the nostalgia they were feeling after only six months away from home.


    Then, Brian¡¯s attention went back to the window and the starry vastness outside that he was now witnessing. He tried to lean outwards, stretching his seat belt to its max, and peer through the tiny window at the myriad of tiny twinkling stars. His view wasn''t at all panoramic, but it was good enough to show the wonder. He stared in fascination and amazement, as all would generally do when orbiting. As he stared at the stars and the beautiful turquoise hazy surface of Venus, he saw something unexpected. He watched and was puzzled at what he thought he was seeing. At first, he squinted to refocus his eyes. Then, his eyes widened, and his mouth slowly fell open. Finally, in a tone that matched his excited face, he just had to call out, ¡°Look! Look! What is that?"

 Chapter 2. Day one: 1957

    <u>Chapter 2. Day One: 1957</u>


    <u>Author''s Note</u>:


    The science in the universe of these tales is not our science- it''s science, Jim, but not as we know it...


    Earth in this sister universe has an atmosphere and character reminiscent of old black-and-white fifties sci-fi/horror movies. Science and reality are different: space is not so vast that we can''t cross it quickly- but so too may aliens! The science and technology of Sororis are always comprehensible and rarely complex; technological equipment is boringly simplistic, large and bulky and always tangible. A person may be knocked unconscious by a single punch or blow to the head (which makes scriptwriting easier!). Though the humans of Sororis live in an old-fashioned world akin to our 1950s, their technology is, in fact, superior to ours. Humans in this universe have reached Venus and begun exploring the oddities and life on the planet- this Venus has oxygen. So, too, does Mars- not a planet of red desert but a planet of vast variations of terrains and life forms. Mars gets its name from the god of war because it has a huge blood stain on its surface- an enormous area of reddish vegetation and terrain. Mars is the planet people are most interested in because it has not yet been reached, so its initial strangeness consequently has far greater mystique and allure.


    Day One:


    It could only be because Jane had stolen his heart that Graham Barnes had ever contemplated leaving his home town, London, for California, but by the time Heddy had been born, Graham was smitten with the grandeur of the USA and hooked on the big culture, big cars and big everything that made up the character of life in The States in the 1950s. Though the Barnes family were typical middle-class Americans, including Graham, they were an exceptionally attractive-looking crew, especially Jane, a natural blonde who somewhat resembled Marilyn Monroe. Heddy was a replica of her mother. Johnny was an excitable kid with crew-cut red hair and a most rebellious but cheeky-looking smile. All in all, they had that Hollywood-style appeal.


    In their almost new, big, shiny blue Cadillac, Graham, Jane, Heddy aged eleven, and Johnny aged seven, were on the freeway headed for the new L.A. Museum- ''The Wonders of Venus''- for Graham''s optimistic second interview for the post of Head of Security. The excitement inside the automobile had not waivered since they''d left home five hours before. The car''s air conditioning whined softly, the road gently rumbled below, and the engine purred. All soothed the minds of the Barnes family stretched out on the big, long bench seats. Luxury had become a big part of Graham''s new world in the New World. Outside, the sun burned brilliantly in a perfect cloudless blue sky and up ahead, Mum could see the distant city skyline. She waited a few minutes before she leaned her head towards the back seat and asked,


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    "Kids, can yer see the city yet?"


    In slow motion, the kids rose from their semi-slumbers to stare silently at the L.A. skyline. Little Johnny asked, "Where''s the museum?" and Dad told him it would be a while before they would be seeing the museum, to which both kids slumped back into the comfort of the Cadillac.


    Thirty minutes later both kids- and both adults- were sat in the parked car staring in awe at The Museum of The Wonders of Venus. Heddy, an out-and-out Venus fanatic, spoke first,


    "Please, get this job Daddy!"


    "Well, I''ll do my best, Honey- I can assure you of that!"


    Once out of the car, both kids ran to the colossal authentic silver rocket ship displayed immediately outside the museum entrance. When they reached the base of the rocket, they stood, necks craned upwards, staring up at the sky-high spectacle sparkling in the sunlight.


    "Can we see inside the rocket, Daddy- P L E A S E?" Heddy pleaded.


    "You''ll have to wait for the next tour Darling!" was not the answer Heddy wanted but it would have to suffice for now.


    Stepping through the museum''s entrance the family looked upon a huge suspended globe- a rotating model of a blue green shimmering Venus. Behind that, they could see the entrance to the latest exhibition which displayed many of the strange creatures that had, so far, been discovered on Venus. Heddy''s excitement could hardly be contained- pulling dramatically at her mother''s hand. Mum very quickly but jovially scolded her for her impatience.


    After a few words with the receptionist, Graham was led away for his interview and his family were given free passes for everything at the museum. The arrangement was that the family would be called over the intercom when Graham had finished his interview in approximately one hour. Jane and the kids wandered through the main exhibition hall. They would have to wait until after Dad''s interview was over before they could do the tour of the site. It was after what had been almost ninety minutes that the family were called to the reception area to meet Dad, where Dad, looking very unpleasantly down at the mouth, quickly took his family to one side. Without any hesitation and holding his arms out wide, Dad pulled his most glum face. He wanted to get his announcement over with immediately¡­


    "Meet the new Head of Security!"


    Needless to say, it was biggest smiles and hugs all round! Smiles, jubilation and hugs over, Heddy was quick to ask,


    "When can we do the tour and go in the rocket?"


    Dad again raised his arms, this time smiling. He told them, "We can go now, or we can wait until the end of the month¡­" To which both kids screamed, "Now! Now!" Mum calmly asked why the end of the month. Dad replied, "That''s when we''ve been invited to see the real thing- a week''s vacation on Venus¡­"