Serial Short Story
Part 2
Part 2
Two hours could have passed with Stan standing at his doorway, watching his wife Catherin step aboard the spaceship with his daughter in hand. Finally, he shook himself out of the daze and rushed out to stop his wife from making the biggest mistake of her life.
Shandra is only eight. What are you thinking Catherin! Stan asked himself over and over again as he ran past the thick line of people snaking down the valley road. He made his way through, not giving any regard to the shouts coming from the horde of people who’d likely been waiting hours to board.
Two police officers standing watch fifty feet ahead turned in his direction. He tried to ignore them, especially their thick, black batons, heavy vests worn outside their uniforms, and guns tucked in easy reaching locations. Maybe by some grace of God they would see the desperation in his face and let him continue on.
Of course, the biggest one, wearing riot gear, raised his right arm and braced himself for impact. The officer was much taller, more full of girth, and definitely much more menacing than Stan. Stan forced himself to slow instead of making a fool-hearty attempt to blow past the officers. He stopped inches from the officer’s raised, bended arm and possibly breaking his jaw on his elbow.
“Officer! Officer! Please let me through! My wife just boarded the ship with my daughter. She can’t do that. That’s my daughter! I have to get her back before the ship takes off!”
“Sir,” the tall, menacing officer yelled out, “Even if that’s true, there’s no reason to risk getting someone injured by running like that. You could ram into an old lady or someone else’s child, causing serious harm or even death.” He lowered his arm, though the other hand hovered over his holstered pistol. “Look at how many people are waiting. You’ve got time to go about this the right way.”
The right way? he wanted to yell. What in all that is right and earthly is the right way? Before he could ask what was that right way, an electric whirl flowed through the people in line, the officers and Stan. Stan turned toward the spaceship down in the valley. The wavering movements of the ship confirmed Stan’s fears.
He pointed and started to run, “They’ve started the ship!”
Shandra is only eight. What are you thinking Catherin! Stan asked himself over and over again as he ran past the thick line of people snaking down the valley road. He made his way through, not giving any regard to the shouts coming from the horde of people who’d likely been waiting hours to board.
Two police officers standing watch fifty feet ahead turned in his direction. He tried to ignore them, especially their thick, black batons, heavy vests worn outside their uniforms, and guns tucked in easy reaching locations. Maybe by some grace of God they would see the desperation in his face and let him continue on.
Of course, the biggest one, wearing riot gear, raised his right arm and braced himself for impact. The officer was much taller, more full of girth, and definitely much more menacing than Stan. Stan forced himself to slow instead of making a fool-hearty attempt to blow past the officers. He stopped inches from the officer’s raised, bended arm and possibly breaking his jaw on his elbow.
“Officer! Officer! Please let me through! My wife just boarded the ship with my daughter. She can’t do that. That’s my daughter! I have to get her back before the ship takes off!”
“Sir,” the tall, menacing officer yelled out, “Even if that’s true, there’s no reason to risk getting someone injured by running like that. You could ram into an old lady or someone else’s child, causing serious harm or even death.” He lowered his arm, though the other hand hovered over his holstered pistol. “Look at how many people are waiting. You’ve got time to go about this the right way.”
The right way? he wanted to yell. What in all that is right and earthly is the right way? Before he could ask what was that right way, an electric whirl flowed through the people in line, the officers and Stan. Stan turned toward the spaceship down in the valley. The wavering movements of the ship confirmed Stan’s fears.
He pointed and started to run, “They’ve started the ship!”
Return next week for Part 3.
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