Chapter 12
|
By: Paul S. Cilwa |
Posted: 9/1/2026 |
Unpublished |
Page Views: 6 |
| Hashtags: #ScienceFiction |
| Bradley walks out of his body and learns he can never go home. |
| Estimated reading time: 23 minute(s) (5382 words) |
It was a beautiful day, Blessed thought. Locked up in the Lod Zu all day, every day, he did
not often have time to appreciate or even notice beautiful days; but here on the shores of
the Sea of Waters one could not help soaking in the loveliness of it all. The sun shone like
a jewel in the golden sky, with only a couple of cloudstreaks to the North. The seabirds flew
low over the deep green water, now and then diving into it to obtain a fish. The sand was
white and fine beneath his sandals, and crunchy where it had worked its way in between his
toes. Blessed could dimly remember swimming here, as a boy. His father, of course, could
never leave the Lod Zu; and days at the beach had been spent watching the other boys play
with their fathers. They had tossed balls back and forth, or thrown nets into the sea to
catch fish which they cooked over campfires for lunch. How deliciously they had smelled!
Sometimes the boys would paddle out beyond the breakers on brightly-colored, light plastic
boards. They would wait on them until a large, perfectly-formed wave rolled in; then they
would paddle! and build up speed, finally be captured by the wave and ride it in, sometimes
standing upright on the board if they were skillful enough. One time he had finally gotten up
enough nerve to ask another boy if he could borrow his board when his nurse had arrived and
taken him back, crying, to the Lod Zu.