Flightless

By Robert C. Waggoner

Two astronauts return to planet earth that is mostly void of living things. The year is 2018 and the astronauts have been in suspended animation, or cryonics, for almost three years. The space craft automatically lands by its computer. The landing triggers the awakening of the two sleeping astronauts. They are greeted by the silence and emptiness of the air base. This is their story about survival with other humans joining and hideous deformed plague monsters desiring meat for dinner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert C. Waggoner
• Release date: May 20, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476311739

Robert C. Waggoner

I now reside in the USA in Eastern Oregon. Due to health reasons, I don't write much anymore. I'll continue with a few short stories and all will be free to my readers. I'm privileged to have had thousands of readers download my stories. I thank you all. Happy reading and sure hope you have and will enjoy my writing. Robert [Bob] Waggoner

Book preview

Flightless

By Robert C. Waggoner

Copyright 2012 Robert C. Waggoner

Smashwords Edition

Novel

Overview

Part One of Three

"Flightless

Brief introduction:

Two astronauts return to a world without people. First they blast off in the year 2012 and return in the year 2018. They have been in a state of animation for 3 years.

Captain, James T. Atwater.

Captain, Cathy A. Fleetwood.

They wake up in California after the shuttle lands. First to awaken is Capt Atwater.

Chapter I

Groggily the first of his five senses he recognized was taste. The taste in his mouth reminded him of what was euphemistically known as the bottom of a bird cage. Searching his memory banks, Captain James T. Atwater, astronaut, recalled he was put in suspended animation for the long trip back to earth.

He realized the effect of gravity on his body. It felt heavy as he moved his arms to grasp the sides of the chamber he lay in. The lid had automatically lifted, but his strength was absent. He called out, Cathy, are you there?

Yes, I'm here somewhere. I'm so weak I can't raise my arms. Are we back home?

Yes, I can feel the gravity and my strength is coming back. I'll help you out in a minute. Captain Atwater slowly climbed out of his 'coffin' he so aptly named the container that held them in animation for the last three years.

A short time later he had Cathy out of her 'coffin' closed the lid and sat down to recoup their strength. She rubbed her forehead and said, My God what an experience. My head is pounding for mercy. How do you feel Captain?

"Like you, I've a splitting headache and am very hungry. Where is our support crew to help us out of our containers? I'm very curious why no one has made us aware of their presence. I'll be right back after I look out the window up front.

Captain Atwater made his way forward to the cockpit. He looked out the window doing a panoramic take of the airport. All he could see was desert and the runway continuing on for a long ways. After scanning the entire area, he came back to focus on the runway. What looked like a recent rain had produced green weeds growing up through the runway. If he didn't know better, it looked like an abandoned runway or airport.

This was Edwards Air Force Base home to over ten thousand personnel and countless other activities such as secret plane testing, weapons training and other classified things; also space shuttle landings.

James shook his head not understanding what he was looking at as he made his way back to where Cathy sat. He sat down beside her and said, I've no idea what is going on but it looks we have landed on an abandoned runway. Let's open the emergency belly door and take a look around.

I'm confused James. We should be attended and this place should be crawling with personnel. I'm not only confused, but a little scared, Cathy said as she followed James towards the belly door.

James lowered the door and tossed down a rope ladder. He went first and then held the ladder taunt for Cathy. While she came down slowly, he felt the dry desert wind blowing his longer than usual dark black hair. He was ready to catch her if she fell as the effects of gravity were something neither one were used to. As she reached the bottom he said, I've got you. Just lean on me and get used to the atmosphere and hope our sea legs return quickly.

Leaning on each other they turned to look at the terminal area. Both noticed there was not any sign of life anywhere. James looked at the sun and guessed it was early afternoon. Strange, he thought, where is everyone? Cathy said, James, I've a bad feeling about this place and time. If I remember correctly we left earth January 2nd 2012. Now it should be January 2018. Six years have passed since we left. Well, Captain Atwater, let's take a walk and see what we can find in those building over there.

They walked past the blowing parachute trailing on the runway. It appeared to both that this runway hadn't been used for a long time. Cathy said, I'm really thirsty James. Let's find some water first thing.

The closer they got the more desolate it looked. Tumble weeds lined up against the walls with the prevailing winds doing their job. Vehicles sat around with tall brown weeds surrounding them. There was no doubt this place was abandoned many years ago. The first building they came to was the main seat of command. The US flag flapped in taters on the flag pole. The main door was not locked as they entered. Sand and dust were everywhere and not a sole in sight.

A grim look was on James face. He said, Let's see what is in the lunch room we can drink. If memory serves it's right back here down the hall. He led her down the hall and to the last door on the right they entered the lunch room. A large table and plastic chairs sat around nice and neat. Except for the sand and dust, the place was fairly clean. Cathy opened the fridge and found some bottled water still unopened. Do you think this is safe to drink James?

Yes, no light has shown on it and it looks clear to me. I'm game if you are. Both greedily drank the water. James continued, Let's see if we can find out some information on the desk of the commander. He led Cathy to the back of the building and each room they passed was bereft of any sign of life having occupied the place recently. Opening the commander's office door, James first looked on the top of the receptionist desk to see what the latest documents had to say. Cathy looked at the calendar and exclaimed:

James, the year on the calendar is 2014. Now, if this is what I think it is we are in deep shit here. The only conclusion I can draw is a world war, or a plague has taken place and there aren't any survivors that we know of.

Let's remain calm Cathy. We are special trained and can survive without a lot of things that normal people can't do without. He opened the center desk drawer and found a diary or an appointment book. The inside cover revealed that the owner of the book was Lieutenant Patricia Green. James quickly flipped to the last entry and read out loud:

The time is ten am January 3rd, 2014. I think this will probably be our last day at the base. The plague cloud is due here tomorrow and we are all leaving to go to our respective homes. I'm riding with Colonel Williams who lives in my neighborhood in Lancaster near Los Angeles. If by chance a lone survivor reads this after we are all gone, then I'll tell you what happened. We think someone released a biological plague. No one claimed responsibility. However, it soon engulfed the entire world. Few survived.  Rumor has it that the president and selected members are living underground in the Rockies, but I've no way to substantiate that rumor. God Bless you all. Pat.

Chapter II

Let’s go into the Commanders office and see what we can find there. James said. The same amount of sand and dust seemed ubiquitous to even the Commanders office. James went to the small bathroom and found some towels to wipe off the chairs. After a hit and miss clean up attempt, he sat down in the Commanders chair. James pulled the top right drawer out first.