The pirate captain dove so deeply into the water that he lost the ability to steer his escape pod. Adonis didn’t understand why the pod was stuck in place. Suddenly, something pounded on the pod and dented it. The pod then received further damage so Adonis quickly put on a breathing mask before ejecting from the vessel. Adonis swam in the ocean until he encountered a giant squid. He froze and stared at the monstrous entity. The squid promptly wrapped one of its tentacles around him and then it dove deeper into the ocean. Both of them quickly disappeared while Adonis tried to scream.
Chapter 22
In the aftermath, the Nelsons, Malcolm, and Beauregard sat near a dock in Alaska. The ocean liner was officially a crime scene.
“Worst cruise ever,” Savannah muttered.
Reb played with her new trident. “I agree. No more vacations for quite a while. I’m staying home in Oklahoma.”
“I’m just glad everybody we care about survived. That’s the important thing,” Percy, always the optimist, said.
“Actually, I learned a lot. I feel like a better man after surviving this incident,” Malcolm declared.
Beauregard scoffed at him. “Speak for yourself. I thought it was a nightmare. You weren’t kidnapped and tortured by those pirates. I’m traumatized.”
“Consider yourself lucky. You would be a dead man if Malcolm and I didn’t save you,” Giles mentioned.
Priscilla was curious. “Didn’t you guys lay siege to the pirate ship? That was pretty gutsy.”
“Yeah, tell us more about it,” Gable said, in an inquisitive tone.
“We wanted to conquer the pirate ship and blackmail the captain. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. There were too many pirates for us to fight,” Giles admitted.
“Guys, do me a favor. Please, don’t tell me how all of you almost got killed today. I’m not ready for it yet,” Percy insisted.
Savannah agreed with him. “That’s how I feel too.”
Reb held up her trident. “You don’t want to know how I got this cool toy?”
Life went back to normal for the Nelsons and their friends. Percy and Savannah returned to San Francisco and kept busy with their companies. Naturally, Savannah added some nautical themes to her next clothing line. Unfortunately, the bay area was still menaced by pirates from time to time.
Gable and Priscilla went home to Las Vegas where they reunited with their children. Even though they were career-minded, Gable and Priscilla found extra time to spend with their family.
Malcolm resumed his career in Chicago as a sports commentator. At times, he ventured from his immediate field and worked as a news reporter. Malcolm soon became an avid rock climber and marathon runner. After a short period of time, he received tickets in the mail. Reb had sent two tickets for an African safari. Naturally, she wanted him to take an acceptable Steampunk woman on the trip. Reb encouraged Malcolm to become an adventurer to further boost his image.
Beauregard continued to build his reputation as a painter and art dealer. He quickly became the leading figure in Steampunk Impressionism. Due to his popularity, beautiful women also became attracted to him. However, he avoided the dating scene and focused on his artwork for a while.
Reb and Giles didn’t want any more excitement for a long time. They returned home in Oklahoma and tended to their ponies. Reb and Giles had fast-paced careers and a laid-back lifestyle at home with their cats. Both of them were constantly annoyed by phone calls, complaints, and issues from their family. Luckily, they enjoyed tea at home without pirates bothering them. For the Nelsons and their friends, it was a normal existence in a Post-Apocalyptic nation.
One afternoon, Reb was sitting on the couch with Giles and she handed a liquor glass to him.
“What’s this?” he curiously asked.
Reb swished the clear alcohol in her glass. “It’s authentic moonshine. I have a full barrel on the front porch.”
Giles snickered. “Seriously? Now I understand why Moonshine is your nickname.”
“That’s just an annoying name that my dad uses,” Reb commented.
Giles sipped on the moonshine and abruptly coughed. “I can’t believe you like this stuff! It’s like drinking kerosene!”
“I suppose it’s an acquired taste,” Reb said, before she took a sip of the alcohol.
“Moonshine used to be illegal,” Giles stated.
Reb shrugged. “A lot of things have changed over the years. The world has definitely become a lot more violent since the Apocalypse. Do you think we’ll ever find peace from terrorism?”
Giles wrapped one arm around Reb. “I don’t know, but one thing is certain. You won’t have to face any terrorists alone. I’ll stand by your side and we’ll fight together.”
“Until the bloody end?” Reb asked.
“Absolutely. I’ll have your back until the sky literally crashes down on us. Hopefully, our situation won’t be so grim, but I’m prepared for the worst-case scenario,” Giles reassured her.
Reb held her husband’s hand while they sat together. “That’s an epic sentiment. Well, let’s drink to more adventures. Cheers.”
They clinked the glasses together and enjoyed a peaceful afternoon on their ranch.
Haunted By the Wild West
Chapter 1
After the 21st Century ended, a powerful race of human beings called Steampunks flourished in a Post-Apocalyptic era. Their bodies, clothing, and architecture were grafted with modified metal that gave them special enhancements. In many ways, Post-Apocalyptic America was very similar to its predecessor. The Steampunks had a democratic society, and enjoyed many of the same commodities from the 21st Century. However, jobs were more plentiful in the Post-Apocalyptic era because the nation was rebuilt for a smaller population.
Unfortunately, several countercultures struggled with the changes. Many of their members fell into lives of crime and added a dystopian element to the world. Oklahoma had bandits who functioned as lawless thieves. They frequently stole precious merchandise from the Steampunks and sold those items on the black market. A celebrity attorney named Rebel Nelson Hyde also lived in Oklahoma, and she conquered bandits using interesting methods.
One evening, Giles Hyde drove away from work in his sports car, closely followed by his wife and business partner, Reb Nelson. Her car was a vintage Jeep that she had converted into a Steampunk vehicle that was coated in copper. Eventually, the pair drove onto the ranch where they raised a variety of ponies. Reb wanted life to flourish on her ranch during the Post-Apocalyptic era.
They pulled into the driveway and exited their vehicles.
“What a day. I’m glad to be home. How soon can you fix dinner? I don’t feel like cooking today,” Giles announced as he opened the front door to their homestead.
After they entered the house, Reb responded, “It won’t take long at all if you’re content with pasta. I should be able to whip up something pretty soon.”
Giles hung up his coat. “That would be great. I shouldn’t complain anyway. We survived terrorist attacks in Louisiana and onboard a cruise ship. A busy day at work should seem like a blessing.”
“I agree with that. It seems like terrorists keep attacking us every time we go on vacation. Right now, I just want a nice meal and the newspaper,” Reb explained, heading toward the kitchen.
After a while, the couple sat down and enjoyed their dinner. Reb read the newspaper while she poked at her pasta.
“Are there any interesting articles today?” Giles asked, as he picked up his wine glass.
Reb shrugged. “Not really. I can tell the press is ignoring a lot of the mayhem that happens in our world. There hasn’t been anything interesting in the news since a group of scientists found Adonis’ partially digested corpse inside a giant squid that washed up on the shore.”
Giles rolled his eyes. “False utopia. No matter how hard we try to fix the world, groups of anarchists still plague our society. At least we haven’t had any trouble from pirates lately.”
“I have to give thos
e nautical thugs credit. They were a difficult group to fight. I didn’t have any trouble apprehending the Utopians, but those pirates were another story,” Reb replied.
“The Utopians were ignorant. I don’t think Victor and his minions knew much about the Steampunk culture. They thought Steampunks were cannibalistic mutants who hoarded metal and produced a ton of pheromones. How ridiculous. The pirates were actually prepared to face our culture and that makes a difference,” Giles discussed.
Reb sprinkled parmesan cheese on her pasta. “Well, I had the chance to upgrade my baton. That’s one perk about our disaster on the ocean. My current baton has a sword inside the body. It’s two weapons at the same time.”
“I also noticed you kept the trident from our nautical adventure. You enjoy taking trophies from your conquests, don’t you? “ Giles mused.
Reb couldn’t deny it. “That’s right. Survival should be a celebration.”
Giles continued to enjoy his meal while they talked. “Considering all the violence I see in the world, I’m glad we didn’t have any kids. Everything changed when the 21st Century ended. We tried to have kids for several years, but nothing worked. Thank goodness.”
“We even tried in vitro fertilization, but it didn’t pan out. Personally, I appreciate my freedom. I can have my career and my independence. We don’t have to spend our money on kids and nothing cramps our sex life. Neither one of us are home very often. Some people just weren’t meant to raise children,” Reb said confidently.
Giles understood his wife’s point. “I think that’s true.”
Reb heard her cell phone ring. She checked the phone number and then she answered with, “Hi, Gable.”
“You’re such a little brat! Lucky for you Priscilla and I are coming to Oklahoma pretty soon! I’m going to retrieve my tricycle when we get there!” Gable threatened.
“Bro, your tricycle was missing for months. I can’t believe you didn’t notice anything until now. On a different subject, how are you and Priscilla handling things?” Reb asked.
“We’re doing fine, for all intents and purposes. Ironically, I think those encounters with homicidal maniacs brought us closer together,” Gable replied.
Reb tried to eat and talk at the same time. “That’s impressive because the two of you are already close. So, why are you guys coming to Oklahoma?”
“We’re coming to rub elbows with your brand new senator, Remy Lafayette. Our parents are coming too. Your congressman is quite the playboy, with a lot of connections. Hopefully, he can become a useful ally,” Gable explained.
“Remy’s a wild and impulsive guy. You would probably like him,” Reb bluntly said.
Gable felt mildly insulted. “What are you implying?”
“I’m stating the obvious, party boy,” Reb smugly responded.
Gable changed the subject. “Do you mind if we drop by the ranch for a while? We haven’t seen you and Giles for several months.”
Reb picked up her wine glass. “Sure, but we’re having a busy week. Are you bringing the kids?”
“Not this time. They need to study for school exams. I really want them to develop good study habits while they’re young,” Gable explained.
“It’s good that you’re not bringing them anyway. Lately, we’ve been having trouble with bandits over here. There are groups of thieves who are influenced by the old Wild West,” Reb said.
Gable found her statement unusual. “Seriously? That’s kind of weird.”
“I guess it makes sense for our time period. Some people call it retro-futurism. Our Steampunk culture takes influences from the past, and so did the pirates. I don’t understand why Wild West bandits would be any different,” Reb explained.
“I understand what you’re saying. Thanks for the warning. We’ll see you in a few weeks,” Gable replied.
Reb finished their conversation, “See you then. Good night, big bro.”
The following day, Malcolm reached the end of his safari in South Africa. Malcolm was clad in an adventurer’s outfit and viewing some of the wildlife through a telescope. At that moment, his only companion was a tour guide.
“Magnificent. The animals and landscape are incredible,” Malcolm stated.
The tour guide sat in their truck while Malcolm viewed the environment. “Where’s your lady friend? She disappeared midway through the trip.”
Malcolm put away the telescope. “Sadly, the wildlife scared her away. I guess she wasn’t the right woman for me.”
“You strike me as someone who needs an adventurous woman,” the tour guide admitted.
Malcolm sat down in the truck. “That’s for sure. It’s hard to find a good fit. Take me back to the city. It’s almost time for me to go home.”
“No problem,” the tour guide said, as he started the engine.
While they drove, Malcolm used his cell phone to call Beauregard. In New York City, Beauregard stirred in bed then picked up his phone.
The artist rubbed his eyes and answered, “Malcolm, why are you calling me at this hour? It’s the middle of the night!”
Malcolm hadn’t thought about the time difference. “Sorry. I forgot that it’s nighttime in New York City right now. South Africa is a terrific place. I learned a lot and the safari was very exciting. You might like to do it.”
“Right now, I’m trying to stay away from long distance traveling. Our problem with the pirates is making me afraid to travel,” Beauregard admitted.
“That was a fluke. You won’t see those problems again,” Malcolm confidently said.
Beauregard rolled on his back. “I can tell you like being a Steampunk now.”
“And you don’t?” Malcolm queried.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m getting used to the Steampunk life, but it’s still new and confusing to me. However, it’s much better than the alternative,” Beauregard discussed.
Malcolm watched the landscape while his tour guide drove toward the city. “I couldn’t agree more. Well, you can go back to sleep. I’ll talk to you later.”
Beauregard sleepily replied, “Thanks, buddy. Good night or good afternoon. Whatever. I’m going back to bed.”
A few days later, Percy and Savannah relaxed in their living room after they had returned home from work.
Percy unwound in his favorite chair. “It’s so nice to be home. I’m still recuperating from the cruise.”
“Me too. Those pirates blew the Utopians out of the water. No pun intended,” Savannah said as she crossed her legs.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We’re flying to Oklahoma pretty soon. Hopefully, we can make a good impression with Remy Lafayette. That man knows many celebrities and politicians. He would be a good connection,” Percy stated.
Savannah thought about it. “I wonder if Reb is sensible enough to befriend him.”
“She’s probably his agent. Men like Remy tend to get into trouble. Reb is very good at sweeping people’s sins under the rug,” Percy mentioned.
Before Savannah could say anything else, her cell phone rang. “Hello?”
A familiar voice said, “Savannah, it’s Janet Hayward. I used to be one of your college buddies.”
Savannah was surprised. “Janet, we haven’t talked for a long time! However, I read some of your journal articles. It sounds like your career is going very well.”
“Yeah, I’ve found a lot of success. I’m actually living in San Francisco now. My workplace relocated. Can we meet for coffee tomorrow? There’s something we need to discuss. It’s kind of important,” Janet mysteriously explained.
Savannah thought the request was strange. “Okay, but you’re sounding really cryptic. It would be nice to meet and catch up.”
“I heard about the ocean liner. Are you guys all right?” Janet asked.
“We’re fine, but it was quite an experience. Why don’t we meet around noon at the coffee shop near my corporate headquarters? We can talk about everything during my lunch break,” Savannah recommended.
Janet agreed. “
That’s fine with me. We can talk tomorrow.”
“Works for me. Bye, Janet,” Savannah said, before she hung up the phone.
Percy was intrigued. “Who was that?”
“I went to college with a woman named Janet Hayward. Now she’s a big journalist who interviews a lot of celebrities. However, I haven’t seen her for a long time. She says we need to talk about something important. I don’t know what it’s about, but we’re going to discuss the matter over coffee tomorrow,” Savannah explained.
Percy stood up and stretched. “Maybe I’ll go to bed early tonight. There’s nothing good on television at the moment.”
Savannah got up and approached him. “Let me go with you. We can heat up the shower and share a little bit of romance.”
Percy wrapped his arms around her waist. “That sounds like an excellent idea. I love it when you seduce me.”
He took Savannah’s hand and led her to the bathroom. Savannah reached her hand in the shower and turned on the hot water. She kissed him on the lips and ran her fingers along his grafted monocle. Percy removed his jacket and unzipped her dress. It took a bit of effort for him to pull down her outfit.
“Is age catching up to you? It seems like you’re having a harder time stripping me out of these grafted clothes,” Savannah teased.
He slid her dress to the bathroom floor. “Don’t underestimate me.”
Savannah unbuttoned his shirt and removed it. She planted several kisses on his muscular chest and licked his skin. Percy felt aroused and unzipped his pants. She helped him drop his trousers, leaving both of them clad in only their undergarments. They removed the rest of their clothes and embraced each other. Percy kissed his way down one of her breasts and body until he reached her navel. When the water was hot enough, they entered the shower and caressed each other’s bodies. Savannah reveled in the warm water and her husband’s touch. She wrapped her arms around his upper body while he nibbled on her neck. Percy hoisted her up and gently pressed her back against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist while the powerful man moved his hips. Savannah tightly gripped her husband’s back while she kissed his shoulders.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Revolution Page 24