Everything Follows

By Gabe Sluis

A collection of ten science fiction and fantasy short stories by Gabe Sluis.

The First Day of Spring- The homeless of the City emerge from a long winter in hibernation.

My Corner Store- A trip to the corner store takes an unexpected turn.

Sara Joy- A young naval architect practices stoic meditation.

Story of a Graffiti Artist- A graffiti artist gets an odd request.

The Visitant- A prisoner decides how long he will wait before he will make his break.

The Ship in Question- The captain of a starship tries to get fake papers for his ship.

Drake Denver and the Ninja Gang- A recycled gem of a story started over 10 years ago.

The Most He Ever Spoke- A short conversation between two warriors.

Reflections From a Ditch- A time traveler takes a shot at US Army Ranger School in 1985.

The Blue Beetle- A woman goes on a quest to hunt down a cure for her arthritis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabe Sluis
• Release date: Oct 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370526499

Gabe Sluis

Gabe Sluis is a hobby writer, primarily exploring Sci-Fi and Fantasy. The books are not series based, yet many common characters and places are seen throughout novels and short stories alike. He has published five novels, six short story collections, and a children's book. Check out his latest short story collection, PROVISIONS or the new novel ANCILLARY.Please leave a review on wherever it is you download your books! I love coming on to see new downloads each day, and I would love to hear what you think after you've given it a shot!

Book preview

Everything Follows

A Short Story Collection

By

Gabe Sluis

Everything Follows

Copyright © 2017 by G. Sluis

Published at Smashwords

First Edition

Cover Photo: Gabe Sluis

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead or undead, is entirely coincidental.

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 recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. Cheshire Cat is the only thing allowed on this stereo.

For Orrin Sluis and Gabe Courtney.

I hope you two enjoy my stories when you are old enough to appreciate them.

Special thanks to friends for their thoughts:

Roni Waters

Coty Austin

Lauren Sonnier

Becca Gow

Mike Serrecchia

Josh Sluis

My Mummy and Dad

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The First Day of Spring

My Corner Store

Sara Joy

Story of a Graffiti Artist

The Visitant

The Ship in Question

Drake Denver and the Ninja Gang

Reflections From A Ditch

The Most He Ever Spoke

The Blue Beetle

The First Day Of Spring

There was no amnesia. There was no confusion; no postictle period where the brain takes time to reboot. One moment he was asleep, in dreamless slumber, the next, he was fully awake. And his heart was racing.

The doors to his cryo-chamber parted horizontally. The restraints holding him shrunk away. The tube attached to the port on his right clavicle popped off. Geo shrunk downward to a squat. There was nothing he could do to stop it. His stomach coiled into a knot, blasting out all the warm water that had recently been pumped into his intestines.

He rolled his eyes as blood filled his head from bearing down. It's almost passed, he told himself as he felt his stomach loosen. Part of him knew that freezing himself four months out of the year was crazy, but it also felt right. It felt right to be frozen by scientists, rather than by nature, since he didn't have a home to hide in all winter.

On a stool to his left was a neatly folded stack of clothes. Beneath the stool were his shoes. All showed signs of wear, but were freshly cleaned, pressed, and folded. A few months ago, they had been thrown on that very stool, dirty from a long day and splashlets from river mud. Geo pulled a palm-sized sticky pad off his right breast and another that was on his left shoulder blade. He flung them to the floor and dressed.

Fully clothed, Geo touched the doorplate. The frosted glass turned translucent and the door retracted. In the big room in front of him, a line had formed of all the others who had awoken and dressed. The common looking people, all clothed in worn, laundered and pressed clothing, stood chatting amicably. Geo stepped in line, nodding to a few recognized faces.

The room was a long, wide hallway. Computer terminals stood every few individual rooms, with clear, flat monitors encircling a desk. Some monitors were still active, displaying vital signs and information on rooms that still had opaque corresponding doors.

A gravely voice screeched in Geo’s ear.

"Well, ya lucky butt? Did it feel like a nice long sleep? Huh?!"

Good spring to you too, Pook, Geo said.

Red blinking lights made the old and young man look backward. A cryo-suite door opened without activation by its occupant. A pair of medical techs ran past pushing a cart. The techs looked disinterested, yet compelled by protocol to hustle.

There is always one! One each year, Pook announced. Hope it's no one we know!

Sure, Pookster, Geo said.

Hey! You’d better take this season serious! Don't you forget how I saved you last winter! Pool said, jabbing a finger into the back of Geo's shoulder.

Okaya, Pook. I got it.

Pook began to say something more, but the line had finally come to a head. Geo stepped into the next available cubical, where a nurse worked discharge. The cubical was all white. The nurse stood behind a diaphragm high counter that was devoid of any instrumentation. The woman was clothed in dark blue scrubs, black hair pulled straight back from her forehead. She had golden eyes, a gene modification that had become popular with the residents of the City. It was a luxury Geo would never be able, or want, to afford. The nurse looked up at Geo and then in the air to his left.

Geo Westphal, thank you for choosing Maton Laboratories for your cryogenic suspension needs. Was your experience a pleasant one?

Yeah, fine, Geo said. He waved his hand dismissively and preempted the next questions. No, I do not want to pay for any additional services. I don't need to have a highlight of current events or a genetic report on my physical condition. And yes, I want the shunt out.

Geo pulled his shirt away from his right collarbone, exposing the white plastic port.

The nurse, used to being interrupted by this particular class of clients, was unflapped by the distraction to the script she was required to read. Instead, she drew out a small white gun from below the counter and inserted a cartridge into the barrel. She leaned across to Geo, who stretched his neck in the opposite direction. She attached the gun to the port and explained as she injected.

The bio-foam I am injecting may feel unpleasant at first, but it is imbedded with an antiseptic that should relieve any pain associated with the packing of the arterial incision. Please keep the site clean for the next three days while the skin heals. The foam will be absorbed as you mend naturally, and minimal scaring will result.

Geo looked away as the nurse pinched two tabs on the plastic shunt and pulled it straight out. The skin was red beneath, but closed around the foam and did not bleed.

Yeah, yeah, I understand, Geo said, having heard this speech several times.

Sir, I am required by law to provide you with three more pieces of information prior to your release, the nurse said.

Geo shook his head and rolled his eyes, Go ahead, the hard sell, I know it's all crap.

During your procedure, a full body diagnostic was performed, showing several abnormalities that have the potential to be life threatening. Would you like to have an interview with a physician to discuss the findings?

A nose snort. No.

If money is an issue, payment plans can be arran…

Next! Geo interrupted. Come on, tell me the date.

You have been awoken on the 6th day of March, 762 Malitivian Years, the nurse said. And finally, you should be aware that a side effect of the drugs used in your rapid re-animation may cause you to be unable to sleep for the next 24 hours.

This is the most productive time in my year, lady! Geo said. Last year I stayed up three days, easy! Can I go now?

Once again, thank you for choosing Maton Labs, the nurse said. The next line she delivered with maximum irony in her voice.

We hope to see you next winter, Mister Westphal.

Geo was out of the cryo office in a flash. He zipped down a hall, down a fight