Flat Tire

By Barry B Begault

David, a medical Doctor, leaves from a weekend visit at his sister and her husband’s home, also their global warming research center, in the desert, twenty-five miles from the nearest highway. While driving the down twenty-five mile, sand-packed road to the highway, he has a flat tire 10 miles from his sister’s home. It’s dark, cold, and David soon has a Close Encounter of the Third kind that has intergalactic romance possibilities; truly a long, long, long, range romance.

Part of my "Snack Readings"; novelettes that can be read in an hour or so. Watch for more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barry B Begault
• Release date: Aug 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466177741

Barry B Begault

I started thinking about writing when I was in High School. I wrote a short story about a black horse that was trapped in a burning barn that was ignited by a bold of lightening in the middle of the night. There were other horses in the barn as well. The black stallion (naturally for a 17 year old!) kicked himself out of his stall, and kicked the gates of all the other occupied stalls to release the other horses to safety. But when he attempted to leave the barn, a roof timber fell blocking his escape route. I ended my story there because it was supposed to be a 500 word story. The class, including my teacher, demanded that complete the story. They wanted to know what happened to the black stallion. Not until the late 80's did I start writing novelettes (7,500 - 24,000 words). But I never really completed these works because publishing novelettes to paper was not an easy task in those days. Too long for magazines; too short for a book. Now with the advent of eBooks and self-publishing, the market is really heating up for writers like me. Opportunities are now open to me that were closed in the paper publishing days. I have worked in IT since after my NAVY days. I find that IT people have a very attuned intellect and an IQ that can speak on many different and diverse subjects and mostly on scientific matters. Plus we ITers seem to have that creative spark to write. I also find it highly unusual that in my IT department there are two other aspiring authors besides myself. One is an accomplished, published writer, Jeff Brackett, who has a novel on a post-apocalyptic event and centers around Houston, TX., which is very good. The other writer is working on a fantasy with dragons, other worlds etc. The other aspiring authors in my IT group have fired me up to complete the six or so novelettes I have started and to continue to develop the 20 or so other odd novelette stories. I like writing Twilight Zone type stories and aim for an audience that likes light Sci-Fi reading that has a little humor, does not take itself too seriously and is not the dark “entire-human-race-is-in-peril” type of stories. I like to leave my readers with hope for humanity, a smile on their face and a positive outlook in life. My beta readers come from all types of demographics from young adults, divorced mothers, and Canadian IT managers. I like to think of my stories as "Snack Readings" since they are short enough to read in under an hour usually. Good for dentist/doctors waiting rooms; waiting for tires to be put on your car etc. To me, reading a nice, positive, story in the middle of the day is very uplifting. Like a snack, it energizes the rest of the day.

Book preview

Barry B. Begault

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PUBLISHED BY:

Barry B. Begault at Smashwords

Flat Tire

Copyright 2011, 2013 Barry B. Begault

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

About The Author

Chapter One

David’s phone’s chimed indicating a message. He fished his phone from his pants pocket and reviewed the message.

I gotta go, sis. Mrs. Caldwell’s in labor and I have to get back to Barstow, he said a little unhappily with a one shoulder shrug.

It’s been a great weekend, and it's amazing how comfortable it is in this habitat y’all built. he outstretched his hands palms up to indicate the dwelling around him.

It seems like every time I come out here y’all have done something else to the place. remarked David with a smile.

I look forward to coming to see y'all to see what new invention Richard has created.

Thanks David. Richard’s really getting practical experience on solar energy use. He’s learning to effectively harness solar energy and his inventions get better every week. his sister replied grinning back at him.

Richard smiled from across the room.

I’m really impressed, sis. You and Richard have really made some cool inventions. he said proudly, How much longer are y’all going to be out here?

Probably another ten months before our research is done and the grant money will have been exhausted. I’ll be glad to get back to civilization again, she smiled and the corners of her eyes crinkled.

Yeah, but I lose my get-away spot, away from civilization. David laughed lightly.

Barbara and David rose from the couch together chattering about his visit and walked to the front door. He put his arm around his shorter sister's shoulder still listening and conversing . She talked animatedly with her hands.

Richard waved to him from across the den, which had a workshop on the other end, and David saw he was repairing a solar reflector or collector.

David waved and raised his voice cheerfully. Thanks Richard. It’s been a great weekend as usual.

Richard waved back, and nodded his head. It’s always nice to have you visit, Dave.

They reached the front door and David opened it. He released his sister's shoulder and walked out through the wide door onto the covered front porch with his sister on his heels.

The cool evening air flooded into the foyer through the open door as Barbara walked out onto front porch behind her brother to bid him farewell. She folded her arms under her breasts in a brace against the dropping temperatures.

He turned around to face her, smiling at his pretty sister’s face.

Ya know, sometimes I wish you didn’t have that satellite link then I wouldn’t have to rush off like this, he said in a sarcastic voice.

Barbara pushed out her lower lip in a mocking sad face. I know.

But seriously, this has been really great. I needed this long weekend off away from everything just to veg and chill out for awhile. You and Richard are always such great hosts.

Barbara squeezed her brother’s hand and smiled up at him beatifically.

It's always great to have my older brother visit her smile lit up her face.

David glanced at the setting sun over the miles of open, empty desert.

He could feel the desert cooling off for the night. The few birds that were around his sister’s abode foraging for food