Over the Darkened Landscape - By Derryl Murphy Page 0,24
two of the winged beings were hard at work chopping at the base of the stalk with large axes. As he was brought down for a feather-light landing two axes sliced into the last bit of plant, and then the stalk was straining over to one side with a creaking groan that put to mind giant teeth grinding together, loud enough so Jack could hear it through the closed hatch and his suit.
Two techs ran and let him out, then hurried him off to the side. His helmet was removed, and then they all stood in awe and watched as bits of the beanstalk fell to earth, accompanied by what looked to be a flaming comet that roared and cursed angrily the entire way down until it crashed to the ground several hundred meters away. The earth shook with the impact, gulls wheeling into the air and screaming madly, bats pouring from the mouth of some uncharted sinkhole and whirling through the daytime sky with precision confusion, and dust and moisture ventured into the air, forming new clouds before delivering wet, blackened soot in large splotches on the pavement and on their heads.
The ogre was dead.
Jack tilted his head back and with the awed techs watched as the winged beings—he knew now to be angels—ascended into the skies, going back home to their place in the Universal Plane. Melodious music reached down to stroke his ears, this time an orchestra and chorus that was joyous and soaring and free, telling tales of release and ecstasy that did his heart glad.
Jack smiled, and then walked back to the Aquila to retrieve his gear.
Last Call
The phone rang. Jackie rolled over and peered at the clock, eyes blurry and trying to make out the numbers. 4:25.
Her eyes flew open and she reached for the phone. The baby chose the same moment to practice soccer with her bladder, and she grimaced, pressing her free hand to her belly. She found the handset and brought it up to her ear, hit the button to answer. Dreading the voice she might hear on the other end.
“Hello?”
A soft clicking, and then an impersonal voice. “Mrs. Ferris, this is the operator. Please stand by for a call.”
What the hell? More noises, and then another voice, hollow and sounding far away. So unexpected it took her a second to realize who it was.
“Jackie. Sorry about the time, love.”
With some effort she rolled over onto her back, lay there with her free hand still on her belly, feeling the baby’s motions. “Allen. My God, honey, the phone ringing so early scared the hell out of me. You haven’t come down already, have you?”
A moment’s silence, and then a small chuckle. “No, love, not quite yet.” A few loud breaths, and then, “How’s the baby?”
She smiled, felt the motion as it rolled inside her like a dolphin trying to breach the surface. “Just fine. Must know that its daddy is calling, because there’s some sort of party happening down there right now.”
Her husband chuckled again. “Do me a favor, Jack? Put the phone up to your belly for a minute. I’d like to talk to the Worm for a couple of seconds.”
Jackie laughed. “Jesus, Allen. NASA must owe you some big if you can get patched through from building the station just to talk to a fetus.”
There was a knock on the bedroom door right then, and her mother poked her head in, a concerned look on her face. Jackie mouthed Allen’s name and shrugged her shoulders, smiling so her mother would understand it wasn’t an emergency. Then she pointed at the chair in the corner. Her mother sat, still looking concerned.
Something in Allen’s voice changed, took on the firmness that he knew got things done for him. “Please just do it for me, Jack. Go ahead and put it on speaker so you can hear as well, if you like.”
She frowned. “Sure, Allen. Mom’s in the room now as well.”
“Good. I’ll talk to her for a moment as well.”
“Oh-kay.” She dragged out the word. “Glad NASA’s paying the tolls on this one.” She pressed the button on the handset, held the phone above her belly. “Go ahead, hon.”
A few more deep breaths, now sounding somewhat hoarse over the speaker. “Worm? This is your daddy. I know you haven’t heard my voice for a few weeks. That’s because I’ve been working far away from home, helping build the new space station. Whatever you turn out to be, Worm, boy or girl,