TODAY, WE HAVE PLEASURE IN INTRODUCING OUR GUEST AUTHOR, KURT D SPRINGS, WHO IS SHARING CHAPTER ONE FROM BOOK 1 OF HIS DREAMSCAPE WARRIERS SERIES #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat
- Eva Bielby
- 7 hours ago
- 8 min read
Lidia looked up as her husband entered the house.
“Marcus, what happened?” Then she saw the child in his arms. “Dear Creator! Is that—”
Marcus nodded. “Seámus and Deirdre are dead. We arrived just in time to save Liam.”
The toddler whimpered and clung to him, still in shock.
“Mommy, Daddy?”
The two turned as their seven-year-old son, Randolf, enter the room. Randolf’s eyes fell on the child. He looked confused.
“The bugs killed his parents, Randolf,” Marcus explained.
“Liam doesn’t have anyone else to take care of him.”
Randolf’s face darkened, and he turned away. Lidia went to go after him.
“No, Lidia. It’s as much a shock for him as it is for us.”
“What about the other farmsteads?” Lidia asked.
“They seem okay for now,” Marcus replied. “However, the pro-Founder’s group still won’t allow them into the city.”
“The chitin will butcher them.”
“I agree.” Marcus sat down. “I sometimes wish I could just order the Council to do the right thing, but I’ve read history. When one person forces others to do what he thinks is right, democracies fall. The Council, however, has no say in who we adopt. At least we can save Liam.”
Lidia took the child from Marcus. Tears came to her eyes. She looked up as she held the poor child to her. Standing at the door, Randolf frowned and left the room.
. . . . .
That night, Marcus and Lidia woke to the sound of Liam screaming in terror. Both leaped from their bed. The screams gave way to frightened whimpers as they raced down the hall. When they got to the boys’ bedroom, Randolf was not in his bed. He had climbed into his old crib—which they had set up for the little one—and cradled Liam in his arms as the child clung to him.
Randolf looked up at his parents, his face full of concern. “I think he had a bad dream.”
His parents looked relieved and, after a few moments, left them alone. Randolf glanced at Liam, who looked up at him with desperation in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, Liam,” Randolf whispered. “You’re my little brother now. I’ll take care of you.”
Twenty years later.
Liam strapped down his armor and slid a knife into his shoulder sheath. Around him, soldiers in the locker room donned armor and weapons. Some were heading to the interdimensional portals in the Military Center to prepare for transport to the city’s defensive outposts. He considered his sniper rifle but decided to use the one at the outpost. Instead, he took his assault rifle—specialized enough to sharpshoot at medium range. After checking his ammo and power pack, he slung the rifle onto his back and slipped his pistol into its holster.
Liam heard familiar footfalls approaching the locker room and smiled.
“Hey, little brother!” Randolf began putting his gear into his locker, then cast a concerned look at Liam.
Other soldiers entered the locker room, having finished their tours at the outposts.
“Hi, Randolf.” Liam strapped a larger blade to his thigh and straightened. He saw the expression on Randolf’s face. “How are things at the outposts?”
“All quiet.” Randolf frowned. “You volunteered for extra duty again?”
Liam sighed and nodded, looking up at Randolf. At two meters, Randolf stood a full head taller than Liam—like everyone else in the city. The handsomer of the two, Randolf had dirty blond hair and ice-blue eyes. He cut a fine figure, especially when he wore his dress uniform. Liam had a more gracile build—slim and lethally agile. He had dark brown, curly hair, but his eyes were gray. Their mother referred to them as steel-gray.
“I was hoping we could go into the plaza together this weekend.”
Randolf put his weapons in his locker. “Festival Day will be here soon. I hoped you would take part this year.”
“You know I’m not comfortable with celebrations.” Liam closed his locker. “I don’t fit in, Randolf. You know that. People aren’t comfortable with me. So, I guess it’s mutual.”
“You don’t even try.”
Liam did not want to argue. “I know what I’m good at, big brother. I can do my part to protect the city and keep the celebrants safe.”
“Father—”
“Father understands.” Liam turned back to his brother, reading the profound disappointment on his face. “Besides, if Councilor Licinious sees me, he’ll make trouble.”
Randolf clenched a fist. “Is that fool still talking about you?”
Liam suppressed a bitter laugh. “Which would be a relief. Usually, he’s shouting about me.” Liam scooped up his helmet and holstered his plasma blade. “I sometimes wonder if he’ll ever accept the truth.”
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you. I met a priestess last month.”
Randolf stripped off his armor and stowed it in his locker. “We’ve been seeing quite a bit of each other. We are planning to meet again this evening—”
“Then you don’t need me along.” Liam grabbed his rucksack with a laugh.
“Actually,” Randolf paused for a moment. “I do want you to meet her.”
Liam stopped and gave his brother a thoughtful look. “This sounds serious. Have you introduced her to Mom and Dad?”
“I was thinking of telling them during Festival,” Randolf replied. “Maybe she has a friend.”
Liam shook his head. “I promised Jorge I’d cover for him so he can be with his family for Festival Day.”
Randolf opened his mouth but shut it. Instead, he put his arm around Liam and squeezed his shoulder. “Take care, little brother.”
Liam turned and headed to the portal room for Taho sector.
Randolf watched Liam go. He stood staring after him, lost in thought.
“Problem, Lieutenant?”
Randolf turned with a start. “Sorry, Captain.”
“Problem?”
“Just my brother.” He grabbed the things he would need for his shower. “He knows those outposts better than his own bedroom at home.”
Captain Targus nodded.
“I remember when Father first brought him home after his parents died,” Randolf told him. “I was jealous at first. He was about two years old. That first night, we all had to rush to him because he started screaming. Afterward, I couldn’t leave him. I guess I became his big brother that night.”
“Can’t get used to the fact he no longer needs protecting?” the captain asked.
Randolf gave a grim chuckle. “I guess he’s grown up. I used to protect him when kids picked on him. He was always small. They used to wonder why he didn’t blow away.”
“What he lacks in size, he makes up for in agility,” the captain noted, “and he’s a lot stronger than people realize.”
Randolf thought back to that incident in training when Licinious’s son attacked Liam. Jochan did not live long enough to regret it. One more reason Liam brought out the worst in that old fool.
“Licinious has been calling him a threat ever since,” Randolf thought out loud.
The captain looked up. “That matter with his son? The boy was a bully and not fit for military service. We made our views on the matter clear. While we wish Liam had just knocked him out, Jochan attacked when Liam was vulnerable—with an actual knife.”
“Now Liam just hides at the outposts,” Randolf slammed his locker closed. “When he should be...”
The captain nodded. “Like a light hidden under a basket.”
“What’s more, he’s going to miss Festival. Again.”
“I won’t order him to stay here,” the captain said. “It’s his choice. If we try to force him, we could make things worse.”
. . . . .
Liam stepped out of the portal. “Hi, Jorge.”
Jorge looked back at his replacement.
“Hi, short stuff,” he replied.
Liam knew Jorge well enough to know he meant no malice. A good-hearted man with the gift of laughter, Jorge was big, even by he standards of the Neo-Etruscans.
“Any trouble here at Taho?”
“Not a sign.” Jorge put his binoculars away. “It seems as if the chitin have given up. Funny, we’ve had no sign of them in the past three years.”
Liam switched his comm to the Military Center’s headquarters. “Taho-331, on station at Taho number three outpost.” He lifted his binoculars and did a quick scan. “Shield barrier force field between Taho and Archer functioning normally. Shield barrier force field between Taho and Grizzly functioning normally.”
“Taho-331, HQ. Confirmed by Archer-077 and Grizzly-010. Barrier secure.”
Liam switched back to local as they went into the outpost’s locker room. He checked the ammunition locker and made sure everything was in order. “I wouldn’t get my hopes up. They never leave. Once they get your scent, you can’t escape—even in sleep.”
“Still having nightmares after all these years.” Jorge gave him a look of concern.
Liam looked at his friend and nodded. “At least Father taught me a trick to control my dreams.”
They stepped back out onto the platform, and Liam did a quick check of the other four outposts of his sector. The engineers had constructed each against the cliff face with a semicircular wall around its portal and heavy weapon emplacement.
“Well,” Jorge said, “I wish we still had aircraft capability. It would certainly give us a useful advantage.”
“My father still wonders why we can’t find what’s generating that mysterious force field around the planet.”
“How is Marcus?”
Liam was glad to change the subject. “He’s doing well, considering the burden he carries as high councilor. How are Sharina and the kids?”
“Fine, all looking forward to Festival.” Jorge looked at him. “You know, I have been lucky. For the past several years, you’ve taken my place when it’s my turn to be on watch during a holiday. Sharina understands. Maybe I should take my watch this year, and you should celebrate Festival.”
Liam smiled and shook his head. “Festival Day is a time for family, my friend. You have a wife and the twins. You should be with them.”
“Just because you aren’t married doesn’t mean you don’t have a family.” Jorge shouldered his rucksack. “You’ve been a diligent soldier, Sergeant. Everyone who’s worked with you knows you’ve a toughness that belies your size—brave and as ferocious as a bear-lizard. You work hard. You should play hard.”
Jorge picked up his gear. “By the way, Sharina wants me to get you to join us for dinner. Justin and Sylvia want to meet their ‘Uncle Liam.’”
Liam looked sharply at the man. “‘Uncle?’ What have you been telling those kids about me?”
“Only that you’re one of the best.” Jorge laughed. “If it weren’t for you, they wouldn’t have their daddy on holidays.”
Jorge ducked through the portal, back to the city.
“Maybe I should request to stay out here permanently,” Liam muttered to himself.
. . . . .
Randolf felt lucky to have met Teresina. The beautiful blonde was flirtatious and fun. She wore the robes of a priestess. Not full ceremonial attire, but garb that displayed her rank among the priestesses. This uniform also marked her as an empathic healer, should an emergency arise.
“Dinner before we go to the theater?” Randolf asked.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
“I know a good bistro near here.”
They held hands as they made their way through the crowded theater district until they reached the café and found a seat. Peter, the owner, came over to them.
“Good to see you again, Randolf,” Peter called.
Teresina looked up at Randolf and smiled. Randolf felt a thrill go through him. Then he remembered Liam and felt troubled. He peered into a glass of water and tried to see his brother in it.
“Hey!” Teresina snapped her fingers.
Randolf looked up.
“You know, it’s not polite to ignore your date.” Teresina pretended to be cross. “Especially a priestess.”
“I’m sorry.” Randolf blushed. “I guess I am a little distracted.”
Teresina’s face softened with concern. “You want to talk about it?”
“It’s my brother,” Randolf replied. “Adopted brother, really. He is almost like a real brother to me.”
“It sounds like you’re very fond of him.”
“Teresina!”
Both of them started at the greeting.
__________
“From the cover to the opening pages, Price of Vengeance grabs the reader and takes them on a wild ride. Fasten your seat belts for this book.”
–S. J. Francis, author of Shattered Lies
“This action-adventure, military-science fiction, young adult novel is non-stop action from start to finish, interspersed with dreamscape and paranormal and romance sequences.”
–Charles Freedom Long, author of Dancing with the Dead
“Springs strikes an excellent balance between world creation and character development. He paints a vivid picture, while simultaneously developing and executing a strong plot.”
–Jessica Lauryn, #1 Bestselling Romance Author
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COMING SOON: On Sunday, 16th November, we are delighted to feature author, Patricia D Zito, who will be sharing chapter 4 of her health book, 'Rate my Plate'.
