Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation. This is the start of a new work, Illegal Aliens. It is something of a cross between a horror story, a science fiction tale, and a romance.
One of a somewhat menacing pair of visitors finished last week with “that is irrelevant.” Maybe for them. The visitors found a mysterious note in what looks vaguely like Arabic, in a somewhat illegal search. Roland, in a mixture of embarrassment and pride read it (or at least its summary) last week. Another element from Roland’s past and a cat show up. Last week we met Roland’s old post-doctoral supervisor. Roland continues translating (and the cat is back). The cavalry arrives this week, in the form of a DI who worked on Roland’s missing wife and child.
The last image provoked a derisive laugh, “Are you sure, Dr Welchmann, that you can’t read it … the passage is from the book of the dead, a blessing … I mean, it’s in the textbooks; even your books.”
The doorbell interrupted the readings; the woman went to the door, and after a heated discussion at the door, reluctantly escorted someone in; the man she escorted said, “Ah, Roland, I see you’re entertaining the funnies … what happened?”
“Apparently they’re worried about that explosion in London; think I had something to do with it.”
The man studied the two people for MI6 and then asked Roland, “Did you lay gas lines in 1950, and not bother to put them on the map?”
“No.”
“Then it’s hard to see what you have to do with it; it wasn’t a bomb, it was a gas leak … small comfort to the injured, but nothing to do with,” he nodded at the MI6 agents, “that lot.”
“Thank you John; I’m sure you didn’t visit just to tell me that.”
“No, this is … official … about Janet and Thomas.”
“News,” Roland’s attention focused on him.
“Good and bad … something’s been found, but …”
My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.
I’m getting a bit ahead but these images will be useful next week.
The Black Mountains of Wales are stark and beautiful. This picture shows the dense heather that covers their flat tops. Sugarloaf mountain is that peak to the right of the background.
Grwyne Fawr is on the other side of the mountain in this picture.
Illegal aliens is up for order on Amazon. In the end, the way to fix my mistakes was to issue a new edition. I still used kindle create but in a more native way to produce a “reflowable” book.
You can get a copy of the first four chapters on instafreebie.
You can find my, well our, works here.
The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.
I’m glad he’s off the hook with MI6, even if his troubles are far from over!
It seems to me like his problems might only be starting.
But what?! Gah! Maddening. Hope this means the agents are leaving.
His life seems…complicated. Interested to read more.
Maybe the explosion was only a ploy, and the MI6 people (if they really are MI6) are there for another reason. At any rate, I hope they don’t listen in on what John came to tell Roland…
“BUT” what??!! Great snippet, I love the suspense.
Thanks for leaving us hanging. I hate cliff-hangers…unless I write them. 🙂
This is sort of a block reply. It never fails – the proverbial, when it comes to work if it rains it pours. Thank you for your comments, they are truly appreciated.