Challenge #02002-E178: Double Scheherazade — Steemit

Afterlives are one of the more complicated cultural complications in Galactic Society. Though citizens are not encouraged to insist on inserting their beliefs into others’ heads, the topic of assorted beliefs is not taboo, either. One is expected to not judge, and not be judged in return. For instance: most cultures believe that some form of animated spirit persists after the mortal shell is deceased. Where it goes and what it does varies after that.

And all of those beliefs come out into the assembled team’s brains when exploring an empty, drifting vessel. Vessels should be full. Or at a minimum, crewed. This looked like a long haul cargo transporter and nothing had activated when they hailed it. Trajectory had it heading off into nowhere. So they docked and at least tried to sort out why it was headed in a funky direction.

The pock-marked painting on the side said, Revere’s Ride. Which made it a human vessel. The airlock failed, and had failed some time in the past, leaking air like a seive and subtly pushing the Revere’s Ride off course by potentially millions of kliks. How it had not set off alarms or signals was anyone’s guess. Nevertheless, they managed to bully the leaking door into opening and equalising pressure inside.

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An announcement

Firstly, I would like to thank Neil Gaiman for the idea that wound its way into my head and did what ideas do best: mutate into near cthulu-esque proportions.

See, the kind and apparently flamingo-like Mr Gaiman came up with/publicised All Hallows Read, an event in which people who celebrate Halloween [and even those who choose not to] can give away a spooky book to friends, family or complete strangers.

So I wrote a completely new story. From go to whoa, it took me two weeks, including piddly editing details that are now my new definition of Purgatory [Sorry, Mum].

I did try to write spooky. Almost all atmosphere and the world-gone-wrong and big hairy things jumping on the hero(ine)… but it still wound up as comedy. Le sigh.

I’m giving it away for free anyway.

So watch my Smashwords page come October 4 [Though since I’m Australian, most of you will see it Oct 5…] as my special birthday present to everyone who cares to read my shit stuff is a free short story.

I would very much like it if the folks who took the time to read said free story paid some real money for my other works, but that’s just icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned.

What I really want for my birthday, is to be read.

Have fun.