An Anthology of Short Fiction

By Chandler Jackson

Exciting adventures of action and thought provoking events mix together to open the worlds of Chandler Jackson to the world. This collection of short stories range from, The Final Moment, a fun adventurous run through the dark world of a corporate controlled future in which life is cheap, especially when compared to the technologies and necessities in a world with no real control. To an alien invasion to take over the Earth and enslave the human race in the short story Invasion. The story of a simple thief who finally scores the job of a lifetime, and gets the biggest break he could imagine in That One In A Million. A touching tale of lifelong friendships and the wisdom we all have but sometimes just don't realize is there, as well as loss of that friendship in the short, A Game Between friends. Capped off with a very intriguing journey into one mans mind as he races to save his unborn child and fiance from death in Moment In Time, a story that tries to explore what really goes through your mind when life is slipping away.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781440167645

Chandler Jackson

Chandler Jackson is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan. A vivid imagination and a constant questioning of life and the world as well as a fascination with history have influenced his life and writing throughout his life. he began writing at 13 years of age while still in school as a way to keep from trouble as well as a way to learn to control his own attention deficit disorder. He discovered quickly that it was a passion and a love to tell stories and create exciting and interesting characters. Born in Pennsylvania he moved to Michigan as a young child where he went through his education. He moved to North Carolina in his mid twenties before moving again to settle in South Carolina where he resides today.

Book preview

Contents

Invasion

That One In A Million

The Final Moment

A Game Between Friends

Moment In Time

Invasion

Bryan Jordan began his day as he had for twenty years. Up at five a.m. he ate eggs, biscuits, bacon, and ham, a glass of orange juice, and three cups of coffee, out the front door by five-thirty and into the pastures by six-thirty. As a farmer in rural Ohio, Bryan had seen many strange things in his life, but nothing prepared him for what he saw today. As he made his way out of the barn he heard the loudest blasting sound of his life, dropping his buckets of feed for the chickens he ran to see where the sound had come from. Exiting the barn he turned toward his Cow pasture.

The ship hovered over the great field, another screamed across the sky behind it. As Bryan began scanning the sky he realized that there were thousands of these things, whatever they were. Fear ran through him as he turned and ran toward his house. A light appeared behind him and he spun as he reached the door to see where it was coming from.

Martha get out here! Bryan cried.

What’s all the commotion out here, Bry? Martha said as she came toward the door. Bryan stared at the light mouth hanging open as Martha opened the door the light changed color and obliterated the house in a ball of red-blue flame.

Washington DC

Five Forty five a.m.

Tuesday April 6 1999

The White House

The large disc shaped craft hovered over the north lawn for twenty minutes as people from inside the house, as well as people from all over the city gathered. The crowd had been growing ever since the craft appeared at about Five a.m. The first few people who saw it thought some chemical warfare agent had doped them, but slowly realization set in as other craft appeared and made their way off to the rest of America. As the crowd grew larger and more curios the President stepped forth on the balcony, On behalf of the people of the United States of America, as well as the Earth I say welcome. His voice rang through the speakers and flowed through the crowd. As the people realized that this could be the day that would forever change man’s life a cheer began to arise. The red-blue light that engulfed The White House and erupted it into flame cut short the cheer and the crowd broke in terror.

The Fighter planes swung in and bombarded the craft with all the firepower they could throw. The missiles they fired broke on the outer shell of the vessel the explosions doing nothing at all. The other ammo they fired bounced off the sleek craft as flies do a flyswatter. As the planes swung around several red-blue beams shot out from the craft engulfing and destroying the planes. Suddenly more beams launched forth destroying the Pentagon, the Senate and the Congress buildings, beams began incinerating cars, trucks, motorcycles, and commercial planes in the area, indeed anything that might make travel possible was destroyed. As the people ran in terror from the ship the city came apart around them as debris launched skyward from explosion after explosion, then plummeted back to earth in loud, often deadly heaps of waste. The world it seemed was under attack, The military was quick to respond with planes, and tanks all of which were laid to waste by the three disk shaped craft over head, The gunfire and anti aircraft weapons erupted from military bases, police departments, as well as civilians homes and businesses around the city everywhere weapons fired so to did the red-blue beams wiping out life as well as resistance. Within hours of their arrival the ships were landing and their occupants began disembarking.

The beings made their way down the ramps of the ships they came upon and moved throughout the city rounding up human beings, and taking them to large holding areas. After the city had been cleared of humans, and they had all been corralled into a holding pen a TV was brought in and put before them.

The aliens, who looked human excepting their great size and coloration, stood around the corral carefully studying the people inside. The television was turned on at 2:45 p.m. A large bald being appeared on the screen looking into the cameras he spoke slowly and calmly.

My name is Kel Tlovar, I am the leader of the Kalotion invasion force that has conquered your planet. From this point forward you are all enslaved to the Kalotion Empire should you in any way attempt to save yourselves or any one else you will be eradicated. People of Earth this is your only warning obey your new masters or suffer a fate worse than anything you can imagine.

The Kalotion’s standing near the corral opened the gate and stepped toward the people inside, All of the women will come forth and prepare for transport to the pleasure domes. The men will step to the rear of the corral and await your instructions do not tempt your fate humans, do as you are told.

Saying this the guards began pulling women of all ages out and leading them to a smaller disk shaped craft that was resting near the corral. The women, ranging in age from thirteen to Eighty-five were lead aboard the ship as the aliens stood watch.

As the men watched their wives and daughters and mothers lead away they cowered in fear from the creatures standing before them. The strange looking weapons they carried appeared harmless but more than one man had seen what those stick shaped weapons were capable of, not everyone had come along to the corrals quietly those who had resisted were incinerated by the weapons these Kalotion’s carried. As the guard began to close the corrals gate an average sized human stepped forward, Hey you ugly Kalot Scerfnar I have a message I want you to deliver to Tlovar. Tell him that Dargo promises this is the last planet he, or any of you will ever conquer.

The guard stared in amazement at the man his eyes wide with fear at the name the human had used. Turning the guard ran toward a large craft that was a short distance from the corral. Launching himself up the entry ramp he sent five more guards to the corral, he disappeared into the ship. Several minutes went by before the Kalotion reappeared and made his way toward the corral again. Pointing to the man who’d called himself Dargo he ordered four guards to remove the man and take him to Lord Tlovar’s rooms. The guards grabbed the man by his arms and legs and carried him away into the ship.

Dargo took note of the strangely familiar surroundings inside the ship, As a Kylearan he’d spent allot of time inside starship’s as a sworn enemy of the Kalotion Empire he’d spent more hours than he cared to think about study, exploring, and destroy Kalotion ship’s from within. As they carried him through the ship he made special note of the markings in every corridor they lead him through, upon reaching a large chamber the guards set him before a great chair raised high above the floor, there sitting upon his seat was a man Dargo knew all to well. Kel Tlovar one of the most evil vicious Kalotion conquerors to ever live Dargo had chased him from fifty worlds over the years they’d been alive Tlovar was the most dangerous of all Kalotion war-gods.

Tlovar studied Dargo with great concern before saying, So you are Dargo, tell me this are you son of the high lord and heir to house Reayalt?

I am the heir to the throne of Kylear and next ruler of house Reayalt. I am the worst dream a Kalotion war-god could ever have. My face has haunted more war-gods than any Kylearan before me. I ended your assault on Denevia and I thwarted your attacks on Garrotia. I lead the attack on your home world and killed your royal family, I single-handedly plunged your people into civil war and turned Kellas Bryne against the Kalotion Empire. I am Dargo Reayalt of Kylear Prime and house Reayalt. There is one last thing I want to tell you Tlovar, if you kill me in this form I will come back to destroy your forces as a Kylearan, further you should know that we’ve been watching for this invasion since you first solidified your empire. The Kylearan people will come to Earth upon the behalf of your latest victims, we will defeat you as we have every time before. My advice to you is leave this planet before you face the Alpha Five united. Dargo glared defiantly at the Kalotion war-god before him a look of vengeance burning in his eyes.

Killing you would do me no good, and letting you free to roam the Earth would cause me even more trouble. It would appear Reayalt I have but one option available. Take him below to the cell and lock him away with the other prisoners. Isolate his cell from all others that he may speak to no one nor inspire them with his activities. See to it that he is given nothing but the cold floor to lie upon and make sure he receives constant reports of our success at conquering this world, this time Dargo it is I who will have the last laugh.. Tlovar smiled a wicked grin then turned his throne to face out into the