Out of the Mind Of . . . A Fantasy and Paranormal Anthology

by Barbara Combs Williams

  A Fantasy and Paranormal Anthology – Vol I

  by Barbara Combs Williams

  COPYRIGHT © 2020 ALL rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author, except where permitted by law.

  This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  All cover art, logo design and poetry are the original works of the author.

  A REMEMBER TOO DESIGN

  2020

  Foreword

  THIS COLLECTION OF short and not so short stories and poetry is Volume 1 of this project. The stories take the reader on a journey through time and space, through the mind of the author.

  Some stories take us on a voyage inside the dark universe of what could be. While other stories deal with the everyday lives of people much like us, but with a twist. A few stories have been published before, but have been rewritten and updated, so they are fresh as can be.

  Some of the stories will make the reader say, "aha," while others will swear the author has read their mind.

  Some stories will uplift you with their strength and determination, while others will sadden some. It is intentional, for as in everyday life, we have love and happiness; conversely there is also hate and despair that needs to be addressed. Hopefully, many will identify with several character’s stories and enjoy them, no matter the emotions elicited.

  Some of these stories are intentional cliff-hangers. The conclusion of the stories to be included in volume 2.

  The cover is the original artwork of the author. It depicts a mesmerizing look into the plane of existence the author dwells in. Please read, please enjoy, and please let me know what you think.

  Thank you – Barbara Combs Williams

  https://www.BarbaraCombsWilliams.com

  Contents

  A Fantasy and Paranormal Anthology – Vol I

  Foreword

  True Love Never Dies

  It Slowly Fades Away

  That Green Tree They Slid Sideways Into the Light

  Chapter 1- In The Beginning

  Chapter 2 - Let the Sun Shine In

  Fun House

  The Face In the Mirror

  Running Out of Time

  Time Waits For No One

  The Prize

  One Man’s Trash is Another One’s Prize

  Year 2175

  One Hundred Years After

  Haunts

  Love Lost

  The Time Traveler

  No Time for the Bull****

  A Killer Smile

  If You Only Knew

  Silken Threads

  The Web of Man-Kind

  Love at first sight

  The True Meaning of Love

  The Gift of Sight

  We Are Led by Faith, Not by Sight

  Who Commanded?

  Without a Doubt

  A Boy and His Dog

  Slender Brown Hands

  The loves of a lifetime

  One Day Love Will Last

  About The Author

  True Love Never Dies

  It Slowly Fades Away

  EVELYN AWOKE, GROGGY from a troubled and unsatisfying sleep. He was there, again. She could feel his cool breath against her cheek. The smell of his cologne (Old Spice) wafting through the small bedroom. He rustled the covers as he lay down beside her.

  It had been almost a year, and now Edward chose to come back. Last week he snuck in, in the middle of the night. At first, she laid very still, pretending to sleep on. She thought if she breathed evenly he would just go away, but no, he sniffed around her neck. Just like he used to do so long ago. She had yelled out crying and shaking, “Why are you back? I can’t take it; I can’t take it!”

  She loved him for so long that it came naturally to her. There was no pretense, no guile. It was a true and tender love expressed in the simple ways of living.

  They had three daughters, raised as God-fearing children should be. But they were adults now with children of their own and had moved into their own homes.

  So now, she lived alone. The small three bedroom house seemed too big. The living room was ‘un-lived’ in. The kitchen where she used to cook huge delicious meals for their entire family was cold and barren most days. The microwave took the place of the oven, and most meals were of the single serve kind.

  Evelyn told her daughters the first time Edward came back. They were speechless. “Why now?” they asked.

  Another spoke out loud thinking over the situation, “Mom, are you sure. It’s been so long.

  The third one said, “Why would Dad come back now?” They all gave her doubting looks of dismay.

  She shook her head at them. Almost unbelieving it herself, but it was true. Edward had visited her in the night, and it made her so very sad.

  Evelyn had given up on feeling his strong arms around her. She had come to terms with not having his booming voice, laughing along with her over some silly show on television. She had scaled back the large meals and only heated up food for one. Evelyn had adjusted as well as she could to him being gone.

  To come back now, as if she called him and begged him, was too much to endure. True, Evelyn had called out to Edward at first. She had begged God for his return. Knowing it was too late. Knowing he was gone for good. She had seen it with her own eyes. Edward turned his face from her and in her mind at least, he had simply ceased to exist.

  EVELYN HAD WOKEN UP that first night after he left. The tears still streaming down her soft cheeks. The pain of Edward’s abandonment too fresh, too raw, the cut too deep to ever recover from.

  She would never believe she could recover from it. In fact, she didn’t want to live herself. Without him by her side, life had no meaning. Evelyn wasn’t being over dramatic; it was too true the pain she felt at his loss.

  Now, almost a year later, he comes back. He comes back after she gave up looking for him to walk through the kitchen door, laying his hat on the peg. Edward was back after she made a simple existence for herself. She had moved on, so to speak. There wasn’t another man in her life, but she had gotten over most of the ‘wants’ of having a man in her home.

  Pretending to sleep was not going to keep Edward from hugging her close to him. Weeping, Evelyn spoke out loud.

  “I’ve gotten over you. I’ve moved on. You can go about your way. I don’t need you here.”

  It was all lies, but she wouldn’t let him know it. She needed him to let go of her and move on. Even though she desperately wanted him to never let her go; she couldn’t live now, knowing he hadn’t. Knowing he still clung to her, even in death.

  The arms that held her loosened. The cool breath against her cheek withdrew. His cologne she smelled, slowly drifted away to nothing. Evelyn reached out with her hand to his side of the bed. It was empty again. It was empty as it had been for almost a year.

  Her bed and her life were bare of love, as it was since Edward transcended this earthly life, almost a year ago.

  That Green Tree

  They Slid Sideways Into the Light

  Chapter 1- In The Beginning

  THEIR SHIP CRASHED at such a speed that when it hit the earth, a perfectly formed cavern ten miles wide, and more than a hundred miles deep was created.

  It had been a struggle for their pilot and leader; Evers, of the Bright people, to keep the speed at less than an Earther's equivalent of thirty thousand miles per second. As such it passed through the atmosphere unnoticed and unharmed.

  All that was observed, if you call the wild
creatures of the forest observing, was a stiff wind that blew through the leaves of the mighty green trees. These simple green trees for the Bright beings were to be the basis of their new homes.

  We would call these trees, giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron Gigateum). The Bright's pilot had set his coordinates to find the least populated area of what we now call the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

  Evers, being so cautious; as was not the habit of his people, sought the remotest area with the largest green trees to be found on Earth. He turned his instruments to select the easiest entry point that would enable them to crash-land without destroying them in the process.

  There was much to avoid as the earth was riddled with iron ore that traveled in river-like paths beneath the rocky soil. Evers knew he must be gentle with his payload as it was non-replaceable.

  Theirs had been a long journey that spanned more than a thousand human years. These one hundred Bright beings were the last of their physical line. Their less than noble elders in an attempt to have at least a few Brights spread beyond their galaxy; had sent these one hundred individuals, their best example of Bright-kind that could be found, to populate a new section of that universe.

  By any known standard they all were geniuses beyond the imagination of the humans best geniuses. They possessed natural abilities that surpassed even the most imaginative fantasy writer’s mind.

  Some Brights could manipulate matter into wondrous creations. These marvels enabled the creation of the very ship they rode on the galactic winds to their new home.

  Others had abilities that enabled them to perform what the early humans called miracles and to draw upon the very environment to mold and model these creations.

  They all appeared to be around twenty human years old, and they collectively possessed knowledge more ancient than the very earth they had crashed into.

  Why leave such a wondrous and advanced society to travel to a planet that had only developed to the equivalent of a newborn's mental and physical state? As Evers pointed out to his fellow Brights, "We are the last of a very foolish and destructive society that has poisoned the very essence of itself. I only pray to the Gods, as we make a home on this new world, we use it better than our esteemed elders did Brightdome, our last home."

  As their gargantuan space shuttle settled in the cavern, Evers ‘thought’ a message to all his family. They were not related by blood lines but to Evers mind they had been so long on their journey that such a bond as that, had formed.

  "Brights, we are landed. I have done a preliminary check and the ship is intact with all functionality stable. This new home we have been sent to meets the criteria set forth by the elders. Presently we are buried in its core, but soon a team will be selected to meet above ground."

  MELA OF THE BRIGHT people sat huddled in her pod. She brushed her tightly curled hair out of her shining green eyes. As usual her hair formed a dark halo surrounding her elfish face. She had felt the vibrations thrumming through the shuttle as it struck this new planet. This new planet that she and the other ninety-nine Brights were to inhabit and reproduce in.

  She had no illusions of her purpose on this voyage as it had been specifically and forcefully related to her by her guardian Baser.

  "Mela, keep your essence to yourself," said her stern caretaker, Baser. “Your purpose, as has been decreed by our noble elders, is to be a vessel. For the Bright to repopulate outward into the galaxy, we must have vessels pure in their essence."

  Baser strode purposefully away from Mela as if her very proximity would render Mela’s essence null and void. The ancient memory still brought a sour taste to Mela's mouth. She was sure Baser had expired long ago and far away, back on the now dead planet of Brightdome. And good riddance to her and her over-bearing ways.

  Still, she felt anger every time she thought of the old female who had treated her and the rest of her charges so harshly. It was bad enough the only use for them was their essence, but it was even worse that she had been constantly reminded of it by someone who possessed no essence whatsoever. It never crossed her mind that Baser was envious of the chance of the new life Mela and the others were being given.

  Mela slowly sat up and threw her legs out of the pod. Across from her, still clinging to the padding that cushioned her pod was her closest friend, Kee.

  "Kee, are you alright?" whispered Mela. She could have easily ‘thought’ to Kee, but she wanted to use her voice for a while. So long had they been in stasis that Mela needed to experience the simple pleasure of speaking.

  "Kee, did you hear me? Wait and I will come over to you."

  Each chamber contained at least two Brights. There were over five hundred said chambers on the ship, so there was no need for two to occupy one chamber. But being young, most of the Brights on this mission chose to have at least one other in proximity. It made them calmer to know another was close at hand.

  "Yes, I'm stable," said Kee as she struggled to stand up, and out of her pod. "Oh Mela, I don't, I mean, I'm just so scared. I heard the message Evers sent. This place, I don't know. Already it sounds terrible." Kee tried to hold back her tears, but she was overwhelmed after being brought out of her cryogenic sleep.

  The Brights on the long journey had been rotated on a hundred year basis from sleep to wakefulness. The elders felt prolonged sleep would hamper the young Brights development. As they were brought out of sleep, they were able to form attachments to their pod-mates and adjust to their surroundings quicker. Even though their wakefulness lasted the equivalent of a handful of weeks, they were glad for the small reprieve.

  Mela and Kee were as sisters. If such a thing had been possible among the Brights; as there had been no family units on Brightdome. But they had the familiarity of siblings. Even more so if it were possible they loved each other as only true sisters could.

  Mela hugged Kee to her small chest. "Everything will come about to be as it should. The elders knew what they were about. We will thrive on this new world and bring about new progeny. Just wait you'll see."

  Mela wanted to desperately believe what she said to Kee, but even she knew this was a risky and dangerous journey they were on. May all the Gods protect us, she prayed.

  Chapter 2 - Let the Sun Shine In

  EVERS WAS TIRED OF the constant heat and sunshine beating down upon his dry flesh. He wiped at his hot face and neck with a special coolant they developed. He pushed his shoulder length reddish hair from his bluish face. He looked on at the progress they achieved in such a short time.

  The Brights had manipulated a great deal of matter since they emerged from below ground. But even they, with all their seemingly magical abilities could not make an alien sun answer to their bidding.

  The sun constantly dried out their delicate skin to the point Jamil had to create a shower of sorts that moisturized their skin. It was not for cleanliness but for lubrications. For without it the Brights’ skin would be so brittle that it literally shed off.

  They were now in their thirtieth turn of this planets day to night; and of harvesting the natural materials abundant in this planet, to their purposes. Some Brights were adjusting remarkably well to the environment, while others like Jamil found change to be a long and difficult process.

  "Jamil, how does the fabrication of more substantial lubricant showers progress?" Evers waited patiently for Jamil to answer.

  Jamil was the most advanced of the Synthesizers. He could literally bring matter together in such a way that boggled even Evers mind. But Jamil was not the friendliest or chattiest of Brights.

  Jamil still pined away in vain for Brightdome; even though their universe had imploded until not a speck had been left of their home planet. Evers also believed someone close to Jamil had not been allowed on this quest, which affected Jamil more and more with each turn of the God's blasted day of this planet.

  "It goes," was Jamil’s brittle answer. "I believe we will be able to moisten our skin and still retain the original inherent properties we were created with. A more prog
ressive measure will be to harness the skin of these monstrous trees that shelter us from most of the harsh rays of this Earth's sun."

  Evers was astonished. He had never heard more than a few words from Jamil. Now his second in command had given more detail than in a hundred year of wakening through the universes.

  "That is great news. How many Synthesizers will you need to create this shield? These monstrous trees as you say are turning out to be a welcome boon for us Brights." Evers smiled brightly at Jamil as he watched him tinker with his instruments.

  Jamil in turn answered sullenly as he threw a distracted look towards Evers. "How So? I see them as an impediment to our progress. And to answer your earlier question, we will need no less than two of our best Synthesizers. Along with myself of course."

  Evers was still amazed at Jamil. Apparently he did not know him as well as he thought and longed to question him about this rare explosion of words. Instead, he expressed none of these curious observations and only responded to Jamil’s question and answer.

  "We are using these huge trees as buffers against the hostile environment. Our shelters mimic the trees exterior and the native species do not notice our presence at all. Have you not seen how the animals of this planet are violent in nature. I have seen them turn upon their own kind and rip them apart. What do you imagine would happen to us if we were noticed?"

  "Yes, I have seen this as well. I have also noticed the young of the natives hover around the trees as if they can sense our presence. I think these trees draw them to us and that cannot be a good thing. And before you answer Evers, I know we are a much superior species, but even we are not infallible." Jamil said these last words with a note of anger in his voice as it hitched on the last word.