Lightstorm

By Jeremy Bursey

A man and his wife are about to share a life-altering secret on national television . . . if they aren’t careful.

Jake and Kate have done what few people have ever done. They’ve gotten a movie made about their professional photography and their marital life, and now they’re making the TV rounds hyping it. It’s all by-the-book, of course: show up, tell the interviewer and audience the story’s highlights, then go out for dinner afterwards until the next rinse-and-repeat episode begins.

At least, that’s how it’s supposed to be. Problem is, as much as the biopic may electrify their photography business, embedded in their story is a secret that neither wants getting out, and to talk about one without addressing the other is near impossible. But Jake is going to try because he knows the interviewer will ask about Greenland.

Interviewers always want to hear more about Greenland, and Jake the action junkie is running out of ways to sidestep the best part of that story.

But what’s the secret? And why does Jake insist on keeping it? And what would happen if the secret gets out?

In "Lightstorm," experience Jake and Kate’s adventure through Greenland as they bet on their photography, confront wild animals, and compete toward the pivotal moment when their lives transform forever. But, as they retell their hottest story, you may find the secret they keep is just the tip of the iceberg.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeremy Bursey
• Release date: Sep 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310905698

Jeremy Bursey

Jeremy Bursey is the author of many short stories, essays, and poems, along with a modest number of novels and screenplays, each covering topics and genres that differ from what he had written previously. He hopes to bring many of these into the ebook generation over the course of the next few years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Central Florida and currently works at a local college as a writing tutor. He appreciates feedback for anything he offers to the public.

Book preview

Lightstorm

A novella

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Jeremy Bursey

Copyright © 2015-2019 by Jeremy Bursey

All rights reserved.

zippywings.wordpress.com

Smashwords Edition

E-book edition: 1.1

ISBN: 9781310905698

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this e-book. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to your favorite e-book retailer to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Some real-life cities, towns, institutions, or products may appear to lend authenticity to a scene for literary purposes, but this work does not intend to endorse or malign them. There is no catharsis or advertisement happening here. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

No part of this text may be reproduced in any other work without giving credit to the author. No part of this text may be used for commercial purposes, except by reviewers or critics, without the author’s permission. The complete text is intended for personal use only and may not be used for commercial purposes, or duplicated in any other form for purposes other than personal, noncommercial use, or posted to any other site without the author’s permission.

Contents

Title

Copyright Information

Edition Notes

Chapter 1: On Display to the World

Chapter 2: The Dance of Muskoxen

Chapter 3: Calendar Rivals

Chapter 4: A Bet of Tastes

Chapter 5: Knights and Ice Water

Chapter 6: The Danger in Nature

Chapter 7: The Ice Hole

Chapter 8: Lightstorm

Chapter 9: Photographic Madness

Chapter 10: Winner of the Year

Chapter 11: Applause

Readers’ Group Discussion Questions

Other Books

For Reviewers

Join My Mailing List

Author’s Note

E-book Version

Revision History

About the Author

Contact and Questions

Coming Soon

Edition Notes

In case you’ve downloaded or read an earlier version of the story, here is the list of changes to Lightstorm since its initial publication in September 2015:

1.0: September 2015: First e-book edition.

1.1: August 2019: New interior and cover design. Added a section for Readers’ Group Discussion Questions and other back matter. Minor additions and revisions to account for missing or inconsistent details. Forcefully removed a lot of adverbs.

For a more detailed production history, including details about its life before the e-book version, check out the Revision History section near the end of the book. You can also consult the Author’s Note for information on where it came from and where it may still go.

"Mixing photography with weird science? Good luck with that."

-Jake Kelly

Chapter 1

________

On Display to the World

Kate took Jake’s hand as they waited backstage for their introduction. Any moment they would be whisked through that curtain and applauded by hundreds of strangers under the flood of lights. Jake swallowed hard as he mentally checked off his talking points. Some topics were fair game. Some were not.

He was seeking a familiar anchor for his thoughts and somehow found himself staring at her neck. After all these years, it was still slender. Even as she neared the age of fifty, Kate had maintained her youthfulness and her vitality. In his mind, she was still the lovely sight she had always been, even when he’d first laid eyes on her. Yes, everything about her was beautiful, but her neck was by far the loveliest. Her neck was what had kept her head on her shoulders for so long, and her head was what kept him out of trouble since his more reckless days. Inside that head of hers, he was sure that she knew it. If anyone could get him through the night, it was Kate and that beautiful head of hers.

He looked at her eyes. They were sparkling from the anticipation of what was coming. She had her talking points, too, and he figured she would try hitting them all. As usual, their idea of what the people would find more interesting was under debate. Everything he wanted to avoid, she was eager to discuss in front of the millions who might be watching. Fortunately, they had reached a compromise.

He promised not to stir the audience into a frenzy. She promised not to wax eloquent about landscapes.

Jake smiled as he considered how far they’d come.

Now, after all these years, Kate was moments away from keeping him out of trouble again. It was for the best because, assuming the host asked the questions they believed he would ask, the two of them had a whopper of a story to share tonight. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that, but Jake needed that head of hers to do again what it always did so well: bail him out, just in case.

She leaned over and whispered in his ear.

You ready?

He squeezed her hand.

As long as we keep off that one topic, I’ll be as ready as possible.

We’ve managed this far.

Barely. Remember that interviewer in Santa Fe?

She nodded.

True. But we were also stuck with him longer than usual, and he was running out of questions. We’ll hardly get to say hello this time before the commercial kicks us off.

You’d think. But this show’s a different, bigger animal.

She pecked him on the cheek.

I want to keep your secret as much as you do, she said. We’ll get through it.

He kissed her back.

Your optimism is always refreshing, even when you lie to me.

Ladies and gentleman, let’s give it up for Jake Kelly and Kate Riarton!

We’ll just be careful tonight, she said. Make sure your shoes are on tight. Millions will be watching, and someone out there might even be smart.

Let’s hope not, Jake said. And I still think I should’ve worn my boots.

It’ll be fine. Just watch your words.

And you watch yours.

The whoops and hollers from the crowd erupted as the blue curtain rose before them. They now stood at the back of the shiny stage inside the cavernous, spectacle-driven theater, listening to the house band serenade them with an electricity-filled instrumental version of Duran Duran’s Girls on Film. The television host stepped off his platform and danced toward them to the music’s beat. As he entered their space, he shook Jake’s hand and kissed Kate on the cheek. Then he led them to the plush sofas beside the desk. Jake kept his eyes on his feet as he crossed the stage.

When the music died down, the host introduced his guests to the world.

Thank you for coming, he said. Nice to finally meet you. I want to say I’ve seen the biopic, and, wow, it’s amazing. The two of you have quite a history behind you.

You could say that, Kate said. She reached down and squeezed Jake’s knee. This one has nearly killed me, er, let’s see . . .

She rolled her eyes up toward the rafters.

Maybe fifty times in the last twenty-some-odd years.

She glanced at Jake, who was trying to give her his attention but was also studying the audience, wondering which of them would figure out what he was keeping under cover.

That sound about right, honey?

Jake shrugged.

Probably.

The audience laughed. Jake didn’t think it was funny. Everything she said was true. Countless times he’d come close to losing her. These people were terrible.

That’s crazy, the host said. Must’ve been some wild moments.

"Oh definitely. We began on a wild moment. You may