THE LIGHT WE LOST: a gripping thriller

by Valera Titov

Glory Carter’s university days were over and it was time to move into the working woman’s role. If she had a job, it would have been a perfect life now that she had found the perfect man.

  How would Glory Carter make it as a marketing executive? Her answer was, Terrible.. In fact, anything outside the world of space would not be good for her. Since she was a kid, she had always dreamed of going to space. It was all that really interested her.

  With her folder containing her identity and other important documents under her arm, she locked the door to her apartment and headed off to the university’s communications office to empty her pigeon post hole for the final time.

  On her way back, she noticed a red Aston Marti vehicle driving slowly down the boulevard. She was quick to work out that the driver was staring at her. Most men did that as her beautiful goddess-like looks and model figure was hard to miss.

  The Aston Martin vehicle moved closer to her and the driver’s window opened.

  “Did you need a lift?” said the man behind the wheel.

  Glory lifted her sunglasses from her eyes to the top of her head and smiled. The driver was nobody else than Alan Falcon, whom she had never met, but knew by sight.

  Glory climbed into the passenger seat next to the driver and ran her hands over the vehicle’s plush interior finish. It was like a palace on wheels.

  “You must have a sugar mamma who really likes you or else you are doing really well from your tips at your part-time job?” teased Glory.

  “Neither,” responded Alan.

  “I work for my money.”

  “Work for your money?” replied Glory.

  Alan nodded.

  “I have been a working man for a few years now.”

  Glory was stunned. She understood Alan to be a final year student.

  “I saw you at the canteen and again at prom night,” she said, looking for answers.

  Again Alan nodded.

  “I was at the university office last week to collect papers,” he quipped.

  “So what made you go to prom night?” asked Glory.

  Alan slowed the Aston Martin down and looked at his passenger.

  “I wanted to meet you,” he said.

  His answer took the wind out of her.

  “You know that I am dating Adam Kennedy?” she responded.

  Alan continued to drive the vehicle and did not respond to her comment. The last thing he felt like talking about was her fling with Adam Kennedy.

  “I work with the US space program.”

  Glory gasped.

  “I thought that the US space program was shut down a few years back?” she queried.

  Alan giggled sarcastically.

  “Don’t believe everything that you read or what the US President tells you.”

  Glory took her opportunity.

  “I have always dreamed of working in a space station ,” she said.

  “Then give me your Curriculum Vitae and I will see what I can do for you,” replied Alan.

  Glory remembered that she had her profile in the folder under her arm and took it out before placing it on the dashboard of the Aston Martin near Alan’s right arm.

  Alan pulled hard on the steering wheel and the vehicle came to a stop near the curbside.

  “Isn’t this where you live?” he said, in reference to the area which was home to the female students at the University of Chicago.

  Glory smiled and exited the vehicle.

  “Thanks for the lift, and please don’t lose my document,” she said.

  “If your phone number is on it, I definitely won’t lose it,” quipped Alan with a smile before winding the window of the driver’s door closed and driving off.

  Meanwhile, Glory was over the moon with her life. She knew that a big opportunity was just around the corner for her and began to plan her diary with weekly trips to the Observatory Principia which is about four and a half hours drive down the 1-55 S from Chicago.

  Even though her university time was over, she spent much time in the library of the tertiary institution as she double-checked her information.

  ‘So the US has a space office that they are not telling the world about?’ she thought. The last official US space station, named Skylab, that has no human life onboard, was launched back in 1979.

  The Russians were a bit more modern with their space station, Mir, having been active from 1986 to 2001 with three crew members onboard.

  Then it was the Chinese, whose 2-person crew onboard, Tiangong 2, was launched on 15 September 2016.

  She checked and double checked the information on the internet. There was no sign of any US space station being manufactured or launched over the past few years.

  Glory wasn’t an expert on the making of space stations but knew that they basically looked like a house. Each space station usually had four to five bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, lounge, and sometimes, a gym. There was also a large glass window at the front so that the crew could see space at its best.

  Monday, 24 December, 16h00

  Glory Carter was hyperactive as she headed towards downtown Chicago to prepare the Christmas Eve meal for the love of her life.

  Adam Kennedy was everything that she ever wanted and now there was a chance of Alan Falcon job opportunity for her too. Not too bad for a girl of a middle-class upbringing who hailed originally from Los Angeles.

  Once at Adam’s flat, she set to work to prepare the special meal. It wasn’t long before the smell of pot roast was not only filling Adam’s flat but the neighbours too.

  Glory was a wiz in the kitchen. She had inherited the cooking skills from her mother, Betsy Carter, but alas, both were found wanting on the baking front. Glory tried her best to make the Apple Crumble pie for pudding, but it became just that – crumble.

  At 16h50, Adam Kennedy made his way through the front door. He knew that his timing had to be spot on as he had some bad news for Glory.

  He knew how excited she was about the two of them spending their first Christmas together. Now due to work commitments, he had to burst her bubble.

  Adam sniffed in the awesome aroma of pot roast as he entered his apartment. Yeah, it was great to have a woman in his life and even more so, the right one.

  “Honey, don’t outdo yourself,” he said to Glory as he gave her a hug and passionate kiss.

  “I can’t believe that this is our first Christmas together,” she said with excitement.

  Adam smiled but opted to eat supper first before breaking the bad news.

  Once seated in the lounge with a quality plate of food in front of him, Adam felt like a king.

  The apple crumble pudding was divine and not nearly as bad as it looked.

  “So what are we doing on Christmas Day?” asked Glory.

  Adam nearly choked on his last mouthful of apple crumble at the question.

  He cleared his throat not that it would make the impact of his news any less devastating.

  “Honey… I have to go on a mission tomorrow. I can’t say too much about it as its government clearance stuff.”

  Glory looked up from her tray of food.

  “You are joking, right? Adam, tell me that you are joking.”

  Adam sighed.

  “Honey, you know how my work schedule goes,” remarked Adam.

  Glory was distraught.

  “You promised we would be together for Christmas?”

  Adam shrugged his shoulders.

  “Everything was just fine until I got a call this afternoon,” he explained.

  “Think about it this way; its money in the bank for us.”

  Glory wiped the tears of frustration from her eyes. It was a battle that she clearly wasn’t going to win. Then she said something that she wished she hadn’t.

  “Is your work part of the US space mission?”

  Adam looked up at his girlfriend.

  “Honey, you know that the US space station project closed down a few years back. It’s another project that I am busy with.”

  Adam k
new that he couldn’t divulge his mission, not even to Glory. If it ever came out that he had breached security information protocol, it basically equalled treason.

  Glory packed the supper plates and pudding bowls into the dishwasher. Something deep down inside told her that Adam might be away for quite some days. She hoped that her gut feeling was wrong.

  She led Adam towards the Christmas tree which was in the corner of the lounge opposite the fireplace and picked up a small, well-wrapped package, which she handed to him.

  Adam was not usually an emotional man but he had to hold himself together when he unwrapped the packaging of the gift and saw a top-of-the-range Audemars Piguet wristwatch in front of him.

  “Honey, this must have cost a fortune and I don’t want you to spend all your cash on me,” he said.

  Glory grinned.

  “I wanted to show you how special you are to me, Adam. Make sure you wear it whenever you go on your mission.”

  Adam pointed to a huge wrapped up box next to the Christmas tree.

  After receiving the Audemars Piguet from Glory, he suddenly felt cheap over his gift to her. He had worked really hard since Prom Night to find the right gift for her

  Glory began to unwrap her big box and her eyes lit up when she saw the contents.

  “Encyclopedias on the solar system!” she screamed.

  “I love it, Adam. It’s better than any other gift I could have wished for.”

  Adam giggled.

  “I didn’t want to get you a food mixer,” he teased.

  “You get me a food mixer or a blender and we are through mister,” joked Glory.

  “Encyclopedias are better value for information than any internet site will ever be.”

  Phew, thought Adam as he wiped his brow. Perhaps he wasn’t so cheap after all.

  Glory took Adam by the hand and led him to the bedroom. Tonight was the night that she would offer up her virginity to Mr Right.

  Adam didn’t resist too much! He rubbed his finger on her mouth and gently kissed it, while he slipped his fingers into her hair. She sighed into his mouth, loving the warm taste of him on her tongue. She felt a bolt of electricity run through her, as his lips made love with hers. She felt wet between her legs and her breasts started to ache. Soon, he was naked on his back with her on top of him in a seated position. She undid her blouse and removed it. Glory remembered her no sex before marriage policy, but sometimes, policies need to be overlooked. She loved Adam and this felt as natural as breathing.

  Gloria dreamed of this all her life. She wanted it so badly. It was an honest and sincere desire. This landscape and this picture often came to her in a dream. She constantly thought about it. She could not believe it until now. This is no longer a dream. This is her life. It's true. The soul sings. All parts of her body love Adam. She is in heaven with happiness.

  She didn't resist when Adam gently pulled her onto his thighs. She tilted her head backward as he leaned down to kiss her neck. He trailed sweet kisses from her neck down to the swell of her luscious, young breasts. She cried out his name, threading her fingers through his hair as he cupped her breasts.

  He looked into her eyes, gently asking for permission and she nodded her head. He trailed feather-light kisses over her neck, shoulders, and arms. He pampered every part of her body, a nibble here, and a love bite there. He kissed her lips, tracing every contour of her lips with his tongue while whispering softly into her ears.

  His hands unclasped her bra, and his tongue circled her exposed nipple. He bit, sucked, and licked them until she cried out for more. He slipped a finger into her and slowly moved within her with his fingers. Adam murmured in her ear, kissing her lips softly. He kissed her tenderly and with passion. He gently nibbled on her tender earlobes, eliciting a moan from her. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as he nibbled softly at her ear, slipping his tongue into the crevice of her ear.

  Glory slowly opened her eyes, tilting her face up as his mouth closed over hers. She trembled as his warm tongue found hers. He trailed a finger, tantalizingly along her jawline and downwards to the swell of her breasts. He deepened the kiss as she moaned into his mouth. He tore his mouth away from hers, staring into her misty eyes.

  "Glory, you are so beautiful," Adam gasped.

  She was too choked up with emotions to reply. Adam always made her feel beautiful and desirable. Her heart swelled with love for him, and the tears in her eyes were tears of happiness. She was the luckiest and happiest woman on earth. She arched her back in ecstasy as Adam gently cupped her aching breasts. Her moan grew louder as he gently grazed the pad of his thumb over her nipples.

  "You are so beautiful," he murmured huskily again and slipped his tongue into her mouth.

  They kissed passionately while their hands explored each other's body. His hard mouth grounded against hers in a hot searing kiss. She made a throaty sound, gently widening her legs for him. He placed sweet kisses on the swell of her breasts to the flat plane of her stomach. His fingers found and played with the curly dark hairs at the juncture of her thighs.

  She cried out when his fingers found her throbbing sensitive spot. He slipped his fingers into her, kissing her lips, face, and eyes. She was so beautiful and angelic that he wanted to please every part of her.

  “You are more beautiful when you moan like that,” He said.

  "Oh Adam," She sighed.

  He kissed her deeply, lovingly, gently, taking his time with her mouth. Her eyes misted with tears of happiness as he brushed his hand against her cheek softly. He placed soft kisses on the side of her neck, lifting up her hair to trail his tongue down the creamy length of her neck. She cried out when his mouth found her nipples. He licked both nipples tenderly before sucking them into his mouth as he wrapped his arms around her, gently placing her back on the bed. One if his hands were placed between her legs, rubbing her wet mound as he slipped a finger into her, slowly teasing her inner walls. His mouth was placed on her neck, pressing soft kisses on her collarbone. He arched his finger inside her and pushed it deeper. She screamed out when his finger located a sweet spot inside her.

  Her juice flowed out, trickling down his fingers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, afraid she might plunge if she let go of him.

  He inched in another finger inside her, gently easing it in and out of her as he kissed her nipples and gently squeezed her breasts. Soft kisses were planted on her lips as his fingers worked itself in and out of her. He slipped his fingers out of her and then kissed her toe. A hot tingle ran through her and her toes curled up. He sucked on each of her toes and gently kissed her legs. Her breath had gotten heavier as he trailed kisses up her inner thighs. She whimpered when he placed his thumb on her hard sensitive button, gently rubbing it in a circular motion. "Your scent is so intoxicating," He said and then kissed her sopped slit.

  She pushed up her hips, involuntarily offering herself to him completely. He licked her clit, and gently bit it. She pressed her fingers into the bed and moaned out.

  He continued to lick, to slurp, and finger her while he massaged her breasts with his other hand. He grazed his fingers on her nipples, gently tweaking them. Glory couldn’t bear the intense pleasure anymore. She needed him badly and she begged him to take her. He rubbed her inner thighs and sank his fingers deeper into her, making her arch her back in pleasure. He widened her legs gently and whispered in her ears. He told her not to be afraid, that he would make it good for her. He asked her to trust him and she did. Slowly, gently, tenderly, he pushed the head of his hard shaft into her. She was so tight, so he had to be careful. Suddenly, Glory was a little nervous and her eyes widened in fear. She was breathing heavily and she clenched her teeth on her lips.

  “Baby, trust me,” Adam whispered, staring into her eyes. “I will give you so much pleasure, you won’t ever remember the brief pain,”

  She trusted him. Adam would never hurt her. Slowly, he guided his engorged manhood into her, bending his head to suck on her nipples. Tears stung her eyes a
s he entered her. Slowly, he slipped out of her again and then gently pushed his length into her.

  Her body was burning with hot sensation and her abdomen was tensed. An intense pleasure was coursing through her. She felt him deep inside her throbbing. She placed a hand on his firm buttock, silently urging him on.

  He started to move in and out of her, filling her body with ecstasy. Soon, she was writhing in pleasure underneath him as he made love to her. His lean hips gently smacked against her pelvis as he thrusts in and out. She kissed his lips and nibbled on his lips.

  He was right, he was making it good for her. Her juices continued to flow heavily and her nipples grew harder. She started bucking her hips against his while trailing her fingers down his muscled back. His breath grew jagged as he continued to push his manhood into her. She started to tremble, clenching her legs around his hips as an orgasm washed over. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, kneading her breasts with his hands as he slammed his hips against hers in a fast-paced thrust. She buried her face into his sweaty chest, as hot tears spilled onto her cheeks.

  “Thank you,” She cried, kissing his face, “It was so….wonderful,”

  He chuckled softly and then moaned loudly as his balls tightened. He continued to thrust into her until he had emptied his hot semen into her. He brushed away the tears from her face with his fingers and then kissed her lips. He gently slipped his manhood out of her and then rubbed her pussy. She cried softly as he teased her clit. He fondled her nipples and continued to rub his fingers on her nubbin button. Glory pushed her hips against Adam’s hand and cried out. She started thrashing on the bed as a gigantic orgasm built up in her. A few minutes later, she came on his fingers. Adam pulled her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. He washed her body with warm water and washed between her legs. She also lathered his body with soap and rinsed it off. They took turns to towel off each other. He carried her back into the bedroom, helped her to change the sheets and they slept off in each other's arms.

  It felt like Adam had literally just closed his eyes when the alarm on his mobile phone went off. It was 04h15 and he needed to rise and get ready to head off to work.