Tag: books

Distant Love (Part 76)

Architectural blueprints, measuring tape, pencils, notebook, coffee mug, and drinks on a wooden desk

The drink flows, and Derek feels warmer.

“So, what was it like growing up on the moon?” Aaron asks Derek. “It must have been great to be able to look up at the stars and to see the lunar surface.”

Derek stops to ponder his response. “Most of the time, it was pretty boring, to be honest. It’s like being stuck on a small island where the scenery never changes and where you must justify your own existence.”

Mick rubs his nose and then speaks for the first time. “I take it you’re not a fan of the authorities?”

Grinning Derek replied, “You do realize that you are speaking to probably the most wanted either down here or up there.”

Mick’s jaw clenched, “Can we trust you?”

Gasps went out from those in the room.

“Of course, we can trust him,” Maeve interrupted.

“It’s ok, everyone, I prefer to talk candidly like this. Yes, you can trust me,” Derek says, staring right at him.

“Good,” Mick replied, “We have a lot of work to get through. And some of our best work is done while drinking whiskey.”

Mick takes out a blue and white schematic. “This is our next target.”

Distant Love (Part 75)

Four friends sitting at a wooden table with whiskey bottles and glasses, laughing in a cozy pub

Maeve taps her foot against the floor as she sits at the table and waits for Derek to enter.

Her four male friends stand beside her chatting away to her aunt.

Marcus, with a mop of sandy brown hair is the closest and tallest of the group. Usually reserved around those he doesn’t know well, he comes alive around those he trusts

Charles, in a black jacket, is to his right. The two of them are inseparable.

Then there is Mick. An imposing man with a powerful physique. Maeve knows little about him.

It’s Aaron she knows best.

Aaron pushes Maeve’s shoulder. “Don’t worry we’ll go easy on your lover boy.

She smiles. “You better.”

There is the familiar sound of Derek’s wheelchair. He bellows, “These must be the guys I’ve heard about.”

“Hope it was only good things,” Aaron laughs back. “It’s great to meet the legend that saved Maeve.”

They both nodded at each other.

“Are you sure you saved the right one, though?” Aaron continues. “Maybe someone a bit..”

“You shut up, Aaron. Or you’ll be off this island,” Maeve retorts.

The room bursts out into laughter.

Auntie pulls out some bottles of whiskey. “Get that into you. It’ll do you good.”

Exciting Times in Writing: My Recent Progress

Laptop on wooden desk with coffee cup, glasses, lamp, and floating digital icons

Hello my dear readers. First of all, my thanks to you for your time and support. This has been the been the best month to date with over five hundred views. The vast majority of views are from outside Ireland, most are from the United States. It will be interesting to see where I can bring it from here. Exciting times.

A brief update on my social media

X – my handle is @markahern2000

I have 149 followers. Slow growth

Bluesky – @markswritingcorner.bsky.social

2,800 followers. Growth in followers was explosive at one point but has since come to a complete halt. Disappointing but engagement on the platform has improved.

Mark’s Writing Page on facebook

135 followers. This is showing slow growth.

I have 61 people subscribed on the website and I also post to my 600 friends on Facebook.

So, enough statistics. What about the creativity aspect?

Wheelchair Wars – This is what I’m concentrating on at the moment. More or less at 40k words. However, I need 55k to 60k so expect more post on this lol

Galway Girls and Pegasus – Parked for now.

Distant Love – First Draft – expect more posts.

Of course, I will still be doing my reviews of whatever I fancy. Think I might even do one later.

That’s all for now. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you wish to comment.

And please subscribe to one of my platforms if you have not already done so.

Distant Love (Part 74)

Dim hallway with wooden door labeled 12B slightly ajar letting light in

“And what role do these people that are coming later have in the group?” Derek asks.

The auntie now sits at the table. “They are what is called an active duty cell. The rebels who get their hands dirty. You may find some of the stuff they do reprehensible but its all for a good cause.”

Derek looks her right in the eyes. “I understand. The thirst for freedom, to live one’s life as you wish. It is something intrinsic to being human. My life on the moon had been set out. Leaving and seeing Earth was never supposed to be in my future. I understand.

The auntie nods.

Derek retreats to his room. It’s important that he would be on top of his game later on. Guilty thoughts plague him.

He awakes hours later to the noise of chattering.

They have arrived.

There is a knock on his door as he transfers back into his wheelchair “Yes?”

“It’s me, Maeve. They are here and asking to meet you.”

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

He took a big breath and looked into the mirror hanging on the wall.

It’s important I make a good impression. My life may depend on it.

Wheelchair Wars (xvi)

Nun walking in stone monastery hallway lit by candles beside wooden doors

“Praise be” was once more hollered.

She was now caught up in a rage. “Every person in the galaxy will be converted and it will be beautiful”.

Then the eyes of all the nuns turned a bright green and they all spoke at once. “You will have a chance to repent. We can feel your fear. Others will take time, but we have plenty of that.”

The prisoners formed a single file and began to march down a steep incline of stone steps. They were no longer in control of their own bodies. They then entered their individual cells, except for Audrey and Brona who shared one.

Brona put her down on one of the twin beds in the purple colored room, at all times careful not to hurt her. The room was small with no natural light.

Looking up at the ceiling, tears welled in Audrey’s eyes.

I have failed the Emperor.

Brona hovered over her and wiped away a tear and smiled. “We can’t have the other Troopers seeing that. In front of me, it is okay.”

She leaned down and kissed her lips. “Is there any hope?”

Audrey sniffled. “Timothy will come. It may take a very long time, but he will come.”

Wheelchair Wars Audrey (Part xv)

Hooded figures standing in a circular stone chamber around an altar with purple smoke rising

An arc of nuns in purple habits awaited them inside. A tall one, with glowing green eyes stood at the center. Her face was young, full of vitality.

She spoke, “What has brought you brought you all here?”

Audrey spoke, “We are here on behalf of the Emperor. You will lay down any weapons you may have. The Emperor will be made aware of your intransigence to date.”

A cackle went up amongst the nuns.

Then the nun spoke again. “Oh dear, we shouldn’t laugh. We were just like you. Fools who believed in the power of the Emperor. Little realizing this he was drawing his power from us.”

Audrey felt rage building up inside her and roared out, “This is heresy.”

The noise returned and she convulsed.

“Please stop,” Brona begged.

The noise stopped, Audrey gasped for breath.

“Then many orbits ago, a warp anomaly appeared the sky. We feared death. But an alien appeared that delivered our salvation!”

“Praise be,” the other nuns said in unison.

There was no stopping her now. “It showed us to power of the Jeni and the error or of our ways. The Empire will fall and the Emperor will be brought to his knees.”

Wheelchair Wars Audrey (xiv)

Silhouette of kneeling person with colorful abstract explosions and sensory waves around head

Audrey turned to the Trooper on the right. “Prepare an A1 bomb.”

The Trooper took out a small, black, rectangular device and placed it in front of the silver metallic door. They retreated from the area.

It exploded. A translucent, blue shield activated. No damage was done.

Where did that come from?

The Troopers looked at each other in disbelief. Audrey peered ahead. There are many more devices.

There is a clinking noise, and the door begins to open.

Finally, these nuns are coming to their senses.

It started as an almost inaudible ringing in her ear. It grew louder and louder. She put her hands to her ears. Around her, all her Troopers were doing likewise.

Her mind is scrambled, no longer able to frame thoughts.

A woman’s voice speaks. “Put down your weapons if you wish to live. Two of you, take your leader from her chair and carry her inside. Four others are to carry the chair inside, separately. Failure to comply results in the following.

A roar goes out as one of the Troopers falls to their knees as their head explodes, smearing the ground with their blood.

Brona and another Trooper lift Audrey from her chair and walk towards the entrance.

I am like a child once more, helpless.

Wheelchair Wars Audrey (xii)

Soldiers firing weapons from trenches as drones explode above and tracer fire lights the dark battlefield

“Troopers, prepare to fire your incendiaries at the central mass of the drones. For the Emperor!” Audrey roared.

The gun of each Trooper was able to shoot a small explosive in size that nonetheless delivered a great punch.

A few seconds passed. “Fire.”

The sky lit up as powerful explosion lit up the sky obliterating drones. Pieces dropped over the landscape.And yet, still they came.

Audrey’s chair shook back and forth as her machine guns activated. Her Troopers followed her lead.

The remaining drones circled overhead before executing kamikaze dives on Troopers, detonating on impact. Their numbers dwindled though, under the concentrated fire. One by one, they disappeared from the sky. Then there was none.

Pools of blood, body parts and debris surrounded Audrey. Half of the Troopers, exhausted remained.

Brona stood beside Audrey. Her face vacant, gazing into the distance. Audrey knew it was time for what was known on Uisneach as Devil’s Gold. A powerful elixir, it was a stimulant that enhanced the spirit, strength, and alertness creating super warriors full of energy and without fear. Longer term, it decayed the human body. A signal emanated from Audrey’s chair giving both her herself and the Troopers a dose.

Distant Love (Part 73)

Two men wearing hats and coats shaking hands over a table with maps and books in a dimly lit wood-paneled room

Hours pass and there is a buzz in the house. The two women have smiles on their faces as they tidy and prepare a meal.

Derek knows that he needs to advance things further. “So, how did you meet these friends, Maeve?”

The auntie stops preparing the chicken that she is putting stuffing into. “Your an awful divil, Derek.”

Smiling, Derek replies, “What do ya mean?”

“You know well they are part of the Resistance. Lets not beat about the bush. You’re too smart for that sort of thing,” she replies.

Derek grins. “Fair enough. You’re a smart woman too. Maeve is part of my future. If she’s part of the resistance, or an associate, then its important I know about it.”

Maeve took his hand and their eyes. “Yes, it is. I was just waiting for the best time to tell you. Everyone in my family is involved, in some way or another.”

She sits down at the table beside him. “I’m what they call a cadet, the lowest level in the organization. It was something that I was born into, but I also believe in the cause. My Mum was much more involved, she was what you call a chief.”

Wheelchair Wars Audrey (xi)

Flock of birds flying above rocky mountain valley with cloudy sky

“How many Troopers have we left?” Audrey wheezed.

“Only about seventy, and some of them are injured.”

Audrey got lost in her thoughts. It would be standard practice to kill those injured that might hold them back. Brona protected me.

“Try to bring the injured with us as best we can.”

They were in a plateau under a light blue sky. The granite rock beneath them was smooth. Huge mountains were to their left right, with streams of lava flowing down. The air stank of sulphur. In the distance, an artificial oblate structure loomed large.

The battle chair activated to Audrey’s touch. A hologram of the planet appeared before her. A flash red dot highlighted their current position near the equator. The artificial structure close to them was the largest on the planet. It was named as The Convent. Audrey felt a shudder down her spine.

She faced the Troopers and told them to move out.

Progress was slow. Audrey felt pain after every bump.

Specks of black dots appeared above the structure. Then they headed straight for them. It could only be one thing – drones.

“Defensive circular formation,” Audrey commanded. Her tone frantic. “Fire at will.”

She turned on the machine guns of the battle chair.