In The Explosions

By Gabe Sluis

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

-Meteor Season – Meteor season befalls the City as the brutality of winter turns to an agreeable spring.
-Fire Baby – Living room fireplaces and little babies don’t mix. Usually.
-We Almost Lost Auburn – Chris McCourtney takes his girlfriend on a tour of his hometown.
-This is a deception – a prominent figure in the Assassin League decides he is through with murder.
-There was also the earthquakes... – A boy has an epiphany about the direction he wants to take his life.
-Fire from water – Sergeant David Oxley has not aged a day over twenty-six. He is as strong as an Ox, and as stubborn as one too.
Treasure Island- A reboot!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabe Sluis
• Release date: Nov 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005348441

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

In The Explosions

A Short Story Collection

By

Gabe Sluis

In The Explosions

Copyright © 2020 by Gabe Sluis

Published at Smashwords

First Edition

Cover art: 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. Off Palm Key he got itt..

Table of Contents

Meteor Season

Fire Baby

We Almost Lost Auburn

This is a Deception

There Was Also The Earthquakes...

Fire From Water

Treasure Island

It always hits me suddenly. I hear a phrase and it sticks in the brain like napalm. That’s how I know it’s time. I usually have around 3-4 short stories done, waiting to perhaps become something more. I think they just off gas enough in my mind- until the pressure is there. They are ready to explode. They want to make some noise.

Meteor Season

The sun had just rose- not yet fully above the horizon. The sky was blue and pink and bright orange. The underside of the clouds were purple. No breeze stirred the still air. It was quiet. Few people were up and even the birds were not singing.

Clifford walked across a concrete courtyard, not far from the tall building he lived in, to the one he managed. It was an easy ten minute walk. He looked up at the sky as he went. In a moment of whimsy, he stopped. Looking up into the pastel sky, the blood red tail of the ever-present comet clear to be seen, Clifford closed his eyes. The morning was warm. The exact right, perfect temperature, he thought. He was not one to stop and smell the roses, as it were. No one would expect to find him standing face-up, basking in the morning glow on his walk to work. But why not?

The moment past, and he went on. He wiped his hand over his short mustache and checked the corners of his mouth for non-existent debris.

The day is going to be warm, he thought to himself. Almost September. Last warm streak of the year, I bet. Seven Sixty-Three! Oh how the time flies. It will be winter again before anybody realizes it.

But that’s how it always was. Two kids and a wife, before he realized it. Fifteen pounds heavier than normal, before he even realized it. At least now he felt comfortable. No need to impress any one. He felt like he slept better, with a little more padding on his body. Ten years had passed being a building supervisor for Spargo. Time was whipping by before anybody realized it. Back in his youth, ten years was unthinkable. Now, forty-five years in… Well, you know.

Geo Westphal sat on a synthetic wooden bench, outside the buildings side entrance. He first noticed the middle-aged man wearing dark blue, standing still, face bathed in sky. Geo looked up to see what was so interesting. But, there was nothing there. The man started moving towards him and he could tell he found the right guy. The dark blue clothes he wore was a sturdy work uniform, with Clifford stitched on the pocket. Geo stood and waited to put on a smile until the man was in a reasonable communication distance.

Good Morning! Wow, it’s amazing out, huh? Couldn’t get more better unless you were down in the islands, huh?

Never been there, Clifford said, not stopping to talk to the man.

Hey, uh, you’re the building manager right? This is one of Otis Spargo’s properties, hey? I know ol’ Spargo. We’ve done some business in the past.

Is that so? Clifford unlocked the side door with a code on a key pad and went in the building. Geo followed as he went through a stairwell and down a narrow hall.

Yeah, yeah. He is always hanging out somewhere in the Bridges. Funny guy. But a nice guy. He knows me. He probably even still knows my Mud-Brick Act number!

So what’s up, what do you want? Clifford asked, stopping in front of his office door.

Oh wow, right to the point, I get that. Okay. So, I just got back in to the City, if you can believe it. I’ve been off, running around the world! Last year I did a season in the North Sea and went back for a partial season this year. Its tough work out there! But I was able to save up some money. Trying to not have to do the cryo this winter, if you know what I mean. Getting a little sick of all that. I was thinking I’d get a place in the Ferris District, but that wasn’t working out so well. This is a pretty good area, close to a lot of stuff. I was…

This isn’t an apartment complex, mister…

I’m Geo Westphal. Just Geo is great, and I get that. I get that. Lots of offices. But you gotta have something free. A broom closet even. I really don’t need much. I’ll be as quiet as a church mouse. I won’t disturb the daily peoples. Just mainly looking for somewhere to call home base. Keep a couple things, you know. Some place with heat in the winter. There has to be something. Check with Spargo if you want. I’m sure he can vouch for me. Come on, help a guy out! You can see I’m just trying to get on my feet? I’ve been working hard. You understand, right?

I ain’t gunna lie, fellas like you make me nervous. And the reason why is that I was one of you. I did the seasonal thing for a couple years. I got back on track. But I’ve met plenty who just can’t get it right. No matter how well you set them up for it. No matter how much good advice you give. It seems like you are getting through to them. But then they slowly slip back to their old tricks. There isn’t any incentive you put in place, or punishment you can threaten. I just don’t know.

Geo saw his window, and slipped into the stream.

So what is it? What made you different in the end? What got you off the endless cycle of cryo and into a comfortable gig? What is it about you that is different from all the others?

Clifford took a second to think after the younger mans’ sudden turn to genuine expression. He opened his office door and paused in the threshold. It was as if the words were up in his head, he just couldn’t make them coalesce. He looked over at a photo on his desk with him with his family. He struggled for a moment and gave up.

I couldn’t say. Some just rise above it, I guess.

Well, could you give me a shot? Who’s to say I won’t rise above it?

The day