The Old Store: Lost Tales 2

By Peter Salisbury

This second volume of four 'Lost Tales' is published in conjunction with the twenty-six entirely different episodes already existing in 'The Old Store: A Science Fiction Anthology'. In the future, after more episodes have been published, 'The Old Store' will be re-published as an episodic novel, containing episodes from two books of Lost Tales, a number of prequel episodes and several sequel episodes. A first volume of three completely different Lost Tales is also available from the same author.

The series of episodes contained in both Lost Tales 1 and 2 in terms of the chronology and sequence of episodes in 'The Old Store' would be between 'Rat Bites Snake' and 'Ham Radio'. The Lost Tales episodes are substantially longer than the original episodes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Salisbury
• Release date: Jun 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476027739

Peter Salisbury

I am a life-long fan of science fiction, and so when I had an idea for my first story, I wasn't surprised that it was in that genre. The first book took me ten years to complete, but I've got a little quicker since. I am pleased to say that I now have over thirty books published in my name. What next? So far I haven't run short of ideas for new stories, so there are several projects in various stages of completion, and I hope to be publishing the next story before too long, so please subscribe to my alerts. My profile picture is a portrait of the author as a young man, painted by my daughter Charlotte Salisbury who has also contributed to several of my book covers. Professional background In the 1970s I studied Chemistry at university and then spent over thirty years in classrooms across England teaching almost anything but Chemistry, including Photography, Communications Skills, General Science, Computing, and Information and Communications Technology. In the 1990s I spent ten years writing abstracts of chemical patents. This was a most exacting process but very rewarding to be reading about the very latest inventions in the field, and the abstracts were distributed world-wide to research scientists by subscription. Articles of mine have been published in magazines and I have written assignments used for assessing Communications Skills for a major international Examination Board. After retiring early this century I began writing in earnest.

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The Old Store: Lost Tales 2

Copyright 2012 Peter Salisbury

Smashwords Edition

No part of this may be copied, reproduced or transmitted by any means whether printed or electronic without the prior permission of the copyright holder. Please respect the hard work of the author and ensure your purchase is for your sole use.

This is entirely a work of fiction and therefore any resemblance to any actual person or place is entirely coincidental. No part of it may be copied, duplicated or distributed in any form, whether on paper, electronically or by any other means without the express permission of the author.

2012 June 14

Cover painting by Daphne Coleridge

With thanks for editing to Daphne and Karen

Editor's note

This second volume of four 'Lost Tales' is published in conjunction with the twenty-six entirely different episodes already existing in 'The Old Store: A Science Fiction Anthology'. In the future, after more episodes have been published, 'The Old Store' will be re-published as an episodic novel, containing episodes from two books of Lost Tales, a number of prequel episodes and several sequel episodes. A first volume of three completely different Lost Tales is also available from the same author.

The series of episodes contained in both Lost Tales 1 and 2 in terms of the chronology and sequence of episodes in 'The Old Store' would be between 'Rat Bites Snake' and 'Ham Radio'. The Lost Tales episodes are substantially longer than the original episodes.

The Old Store: Lost Tales 2

Table of Contents

Episode 1: Flight

Episode 2: Fuel

Episode 3: Tanker

Episode 4: Flying Club

Appendix 1: Cast List

Appendix 2: Full Sequence of Episodes May 2012

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More books by Peter Salisbury

Episode 1: Flight

Sharp-eyed Alice Spere on lookout duty spotted a pack of tanks on the move. She called her father Jed up to the roof of the department store stronghold to see.

Simon Black and Brian Gunn joined Jed and Alice in watching as ten tanks tore across neglected fields, ripping up the dirt. They were two or three miles distant, travelling at full throttle and taking intentional detours to crash over rusting cars, and doubling back on themselves to wreck any other enticing obstacles they could find. One steered at the double doors of a barn, smashing them right in, to exit through the wall on the far side a second later, scattering wood chips and hay to the wind.

'Least they're going away from us,' Brian said.

'Almost looks like fun from up here,' Jed remarked dryly at the futile wreckage the tanks left in their wake.

'Where are they getting fuel from?' Brian said. 'They do less than a mile to a gallon, don't they?'

'Yeah, only crazies would use 'em. And I'm surprised there's any still running.' Jed knew that you were lucky if it didn't send you crazy, being one of the last few survivors of a once powerful nation, with nothing but the last vestiges of civilisation crumbling into disrepair around you.

Although it was mid-afternoon and visibility was still good, one of the tanks ploughed into something the driver hadn't seen or didn't consider important. It may have been a reinforced concrete irrigation gully. Whatever it was, it ripped the left hand track in two, sending it flying off its mounts. Immediately, the tank span on its other track and lurched violently to a stop, tipped over at an angle of forty-five degrees, where it had dug itself into a rut. The other tanks circled slowly back.

'Spectacular!' Brian said.

Jed shook his head. 'Like I said, crazies. You can guess the com traffic between 'em after that little dance.'

Brian laughed. 'Turning the air-waves blue.'

'What's that mean, dad?' Alice said.

'Brian's saying they're probably cursing each other out.'

'What do you think they'll do now?'

'I don't know but I'm going to alert your mum and the others. Could be worth watching.' Jed strode to the store intercom, pressed the 'all stations' button and said, 'Alice spotted a bunch of tanks fooling around. One's thrown a track, case any of you want to come up and watch. Bring binoculars if you can lay hands on any.'

Within as many minutes as it took the damaged tank crew to fight their way out against the heavy lid on the turret, Christine, Sylvie, Hugh, Nina, Jaide, Edward and Jack had crowded along the parapet facing the tanks.

'What's going to happen now? Jack said.

'I asked that ages ago,' Alice replied with a note of superiority based on her being five years older than her brother.

The crew had taken something of a battering when the tank got thrown round and they were each either limping or nursing an arm or a head. The remainder of the tanks pulled up close and a crowd of men and a few women gathered round to survey the damage. One was dispatched to report on what had caused the incident and another two surveyed the extent of the damage. After several minutes of discussion, arm-waving and pointing here and there, the crew from the wreck then dispersed, one each into the other tanks. The crews from the intact ones then methodically plundered the damaged tank for anything useful, including several hand weapons, belts and boxes of ammo, shells, food, water and fuel cans.

'They're just going to leave it,' Jaide said in disgust, heading for the lift. 'I'm going back to mind little Mandy.'

Grandpa Gunn reached the top of the stairs at the same time, 'Jenny's with Mandy,' he said to Jaide. 'Anything exciting happening?'

'Jaide laughed. 'Depends on your definition.'

Sylvie also decided she'd seen enough and went back down to the day floor, while Grandpa Gunn joined the others.

During the stripping of all easily removable