Living Proof
copyright 2005 Johnny Vanderlip
Chapter I (page 3)
Once inside the ship, Joseph sealed the air-lock behind him. He sat down and waited for the indicator to register safe limits. It felt like an eternity before the green light came on. He quickly took off his helmet, gloves and boots running his fingers through his thick silver-blond hair to brush it from his forehead. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror across from him and was startled by his reflection. "Jesus Christ!" he said. His intense blue eyes, now red and swollen from the tears he had shed, were surrounded by dark circles from nearly three days without sleep.
Emerging from the airlock, Joseph crept cautiously through the hallway leading to the main deck. No telling who was on board. He'd tucked Lathrop's laser into the waistband of his pants and was holding a stun gun. Halfway down the hallway, he spotted a flash of movement through the open doorway. Instinctively, Joseph dove for the floor as two short laser bursts pierced the air, inches above his head. Elizabeth Shockley, was kneeling in the hatchway with a laser pointed in his direction. She was clearly wounded. The right side of her face was bruised, her right eye swollen shut, and the front of her blouse was soaked with blood. She struggled to hold the weapon.
"Get out!" she gasped.
"Put the laser down, Elizabeth," Aldus warned, aiming the gun.
"Get out," Shockley coughed, grasping the weapon with both hands.
"Put down the laser, Elizabeth…now," his finger tightening around the trigger.
Shockley pointed the laser, leaving him no choice. Joseph pulled the trigger. His shot sent her reeling back, knocking the weapon out of her hand. Joseph ran to the threshold and scanned the next room. Shockley lay face up motionless on the deck. Seeing on one else, he stepped in and walked over to her. Joseph picked up her laser and crouched down beside her. She didn't have long to live.
"Why did you do it Elizabeth? Why did you kill them?"
"Don't you see? We had no choice."
"Those were people you killed. People like you and me." "They weren't people. They weren't even human!"
"You're wrong, Elizabeth. They were more human, more civilized than we —"
"Bullshit!" she spat. "They had to be destroyed, and you know it." She coughed, blood spewing from her nose and mouth.
"They were the last of a civilization!" his fury rising like a volcano. "THEY WERE OUR ANCESTORS AND SHE WAS MY WIFE!!" Joseph shook with rage and pain, his tears overflowing.
Elizabeth Shokley's gaze suddenly went blank and Joseph knew she could hear him no more. go to page 4
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