We, R Vol.2

By S.K. Ballinger

Madison Monroe's perspective of her tragedy of being captured to only return to earth at a undisclosed facility. She is confused, lost and doing her best to remember where she was before being confronted with an agent, Agent Nick Wolfe. From there her journey begins as the mystery unfolds slowly with the power she has inside her as markings on her body change. Man kind may rest in what she is while Agent Wolfe does his best to protect her and decipher what she has become.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.K. Ballinger
• Release date: Apr 6, 2021

S.K. Ballinger

Residing in Elkton, MD, I am thrilled to announce that two books have recently been released and are Sci-Fi thrillers. I began writing in 2014 and published my first novel in 2015. I've co-authored two horror novels and won 3rd place for the book 'Unfleshed' in the same year. In 2016, I took part in an anthology with all proceeds donated to a charity that the primary author chose. Since then, my wife and I are finalizing our Maryland business license as I continue writing my third sci-fi thriller titled 'We, R Vol.3'. In 2019 I was offered an opportunity to host a few shows on cecil.tv which focuses on local artists, writers, musicians and other talents that surround the local area.

Book preview

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My family first and foremost.

Tawni Rae, Daniel Haynes, Marina O'Brix and the many authors and friends I have.

My father Stephen Ballinger, Grandfather Dewey Fadler and my Grandmother Nina

My children and their patience.

And my favorite reader and recent editor, Stephanie Scurto.

SPECIAL THANKS

My mother Janet Ballinger. Love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for being who you are and for helping make me the man I have grown to be.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

HER STORY BEGINS

NEW TERRITORY, NEW REALIZATIONS

NOT AS STRONG AS YOU THINK

ALMOST TOO MUCH INFORMATION TO PROCESS

RESENTMENT WON’T SAVE YOU

CLEAN BUT NOT CLEAR

UNEXPECTED

DAWN THROUGH THE CURTAINS

GONE FISHIN’

LIFE FOR NOW

NEW PLACE

VACATION DAY

SETTLED INTO A DREAM

ON TO THE NEXT MOVE

TIME SHARE

DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN

RETURN

DOES DETRUCTION HAVE AN END?

IN MEMORIUM: OTHER STORIES TOLD

DEDICATION

HER STORY BEGINS

My name is Madison Monroe. I am a freelance writer for a fashion magazine, yet, I am not a fashionista. I just love to write, and a photograph is poetry in still motion. Joining the arts of words and images brings me grand pleasure, and that draws me into that world more and more. L live in Los Angeles with my dog Walker and my husband Connor—well, that’s what the papers say anyway. The mortgage is mine, and so is the dog. As for my husband, I doubt he really belongs to me much these days. However, that is a story for another time. I am what I would most would say to be a pretty average woman; I work out, go to work and go home and take care of my dog. I have no other virtues to extol. Today was expected to be no different.

Yet—have you ever had one of those days where nothing was going right? Perhaps a day when everything that could go wrong really, really did? Well, that was my day when my average life went from infuriating to nightmarish. If I can get one message across it would be this: If that morning happens, my recommendation next time you notice everything is going wrong, go home, lock the doors, and hide your head under a pillow.

My alarm goes off every morning at 5:00am. As usual, I climb out of bed and gather my clothes for the day. Connor was out of town, again, so, alone, I rolled out of bed, and stepped in a steaming piss puddle.

Oh, Walker! Yuck. What the hell?

He has not had an accident in years. After cleaning it up, I exchanged my night clothes for exercise clothes, and I took Walker out for a jog. We have the same routine every morning, regardless of whether Connor is around or not. As we set pace along the sidewalk, Walker fought me the entire time. What was his ordeal this morning? Did I need to call the vet? He is a predictable little buddy, but not today. I questioned as he pulled me beyond our usual stride:

Walker boy, what is the matter with you? Ease up, sweetie.

Usually, he hurries along with my rhythm, unless he happens to see a squirrel or cat or another dog to stop and sniff. Today, not so. With no animals, people, or sounds around, he just took off jerking the leash out of my hand. I almost face-planted with the momentum. Catching my balance and rubbing my over-stretched wrist, I yelled against the dawn:

Great. Walker just great! Get back here! Come back! Now!

After sprinting here and there around the neighborhood, I finally located him and leashed him up. He refused to budge from his stance, so I lifted him in my arms and hurried home. What a morning. Inside the house, I realized the time. Crap, I have deadlines to meet, so I swiftly filled his water bowl, hit the coffee machine to brew, and jumped in the shower. Under the hot water, I tried to breathe and relax. Maddie—let the stress slough off of you; you have priorities this morning. Then, under the stream, I felt everything move and my bath products tumbled from the shelves. Grabbing the walls to catch myself, I screamed at the tiled shower walls. No! No more this morning! Enough.

Thank goodness it was just a small earthquake. There wasn’t time to pick up the shaken bottles and other messes. That could all wait for later tonight. It wasn’t even 7:00am, and this day was already dreadful. Finally, getting out of the house, I went by the local coffee shop for a tall, strong coffee—no cream—100% forgetting I’d made coffee at home. Oh, well, I sighed. Walking out of the shop with my cup, a dog walker drew close to me and the dogs went bat-banana-nuts, and a few of them bumped into me; shoot, at least two actually lunged. I dropped my coffee with no chance of running back in for a refund or refill.

Jeez! What is up with all the dogs?

I left the cup on the ground—I know it is bad Karma to litter, but I needed a taxi ASAP. As one glided to a stop, I hopped in, said my work address, and took several deep, deep breaths. I opened my purse, took out my phone, and started scrolling through Facebook. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sky growing dark. We already had an earthquake, and LA didn’t need unpredicted storms. I didn’t need unpredicted storms. Looking back out the window, I watched as one area above a few of the buildings deeply shadow, which was quite odd. It was hard to describe; yet, fascinating to watch, and I couldn’t stop looking at the sky. A few minutes later the taxi came to a stop. This day sent me sign after sign to go back home and jump into bed.

Getting out of the defunct taxi, I remember cursing under my breath as I paid the driver. I headed down the alley to cut across to Pine Street. As I was walking, I heard a rumble and a loud crack that sounded almost like lightning. There was a flash bang so bright I covered my eyes, all the while trying to turn away. I tripped and fell to the ground and in the process, hit my head on the corner of a dumpster. I may be clumsy, but really—this was too much. Then, everything went dark.

When I came to, my head was pounding. I was sore and dazed as I tried to focus, and there was nothing recognizable. Dirt was all I could see. Where am I and what the fuck happened? I grabbed my head where it hurt most and wiped the blood off with my right hand. Sitting there, I recalled a few of the events. Through the fuzz, I first had to figure out, was how the hell did I get here, and where the hell is here?

NEW TERRITORY, NEW REALIZATIONS

After assembling my thoughts, I stood up and brushed off the caked-on dirt or dust or whatever the heck was all over me. Gazing down, I looked like I was rolled in dirt, sprayed with water, and rolled through dirt again. Searching around my location, I slowly turned so I could look in every direction. The last I remembered was that I was in the city, then in an alley, and now in the unknown here.

Out of instinct, I reached for my purse, and it was gone. Frantically, I crawled around and felt around on the ground, and it was nowhere to be found. Was I mugged in the alley, then dropped off into the abyss? I rummaged through my pockets and managed to find my phone and a few dollars. My next inclination was to use the phone—call someone—but of course, there was no signal. Looking around, I tried to determine which way to head, as it was my plan to walk home, and then, erase this day from my memory. I took off through the dusty gravel, and then in moments, I soon came face-up to a solid, frightening, penitentiary looking fence.

What the hell? My mind swirled among the diamond-shaped links now protruding with curves of gangly razor-wire. I continued on at arm’s length following the fence, all the while assuming it ended somewhere down the line. As I walked. I saw signs hanging on the fence. They read:

Warning! Electric Shock Fence!

Warning! Area Under Heavily Armed Surveillance!

Warning! Security Clearance Required!

Warning! This That, and Everything…

Shit. LA is an urban jungle, but I’d never seen anything remotely close to this in my neighborhood or on my daily jog or commute. Then, there was this sign:

Warning! No Trespassing! Government Property!

Government. Oookaayyy. So, what Twilight Zone wicked world was I experiencing at the moment? Well, thank goodness it was American government owned property. Even if I had no clue what was happening, somebody should have some ideas or advice for me. They would take