Category: Uncategorized

Galway Girls (Part 24)

The days were getting longer, the bleak winter was just a horrid afterthought. I could now feel the warmth of the sun on my face as I admired the lush, green trees that were dotted around my urban landscape and the plethora of birds in the sky.

These were the best of days. The warm weather. A decent job but most importantly Leslie. She was my first and last thought of each day. We discussed everything about each other.

Our favorite films – “Gattaca” for me, and “Die Hard” for her.

Music – Eminem for me, Coldplay for her.

Location – Galway for me, Dublin for her.

The list would just go on and on. There was nothing I didn’t want to know about her.

Then it happened. She was coming to see her Gran and would meet me afterward. It was set for a Saturday. It was to be a flying visit but would help us plan her next longer stay. We arranged to meet at 7pm in an accessible pub close to my apartment called The Court.

All that day, the anticipation built. She sent messages telling me she was on her way. I decided to get over to the pub at 6pm to get a bite to eat before she arrived. It was largely empty apart from the odd staff member and one or two people watching the horse racing that was blaring in the corner. The dinners provided there were always delicious and I went for the Chicken Supreme with a vodka and coke.

A young chubby barwoman took my order and delivered it to my table twenty minutes later. The smell of the freshly cooked chicken whetted my appetite and I quickly tore into it.

Pegasus (Part 47)

We decided that the best option was to put branches across the track, not wanting to use a blade or a gun that would make them aware of the presence of humans. So instead we pulled at the branches from close by fern trees hoping that the presumed AI intelligence on the train would suspect nothing more than a rogue monster crossing its path.

Then we hid in the undergrowth close by cursing our luck at the putrid smell of a flower therein and the large ants that tried to go up our arms. Fortunately, we only had to wait a few minutes before we heard the rumblings of a train before it clamored to a halt.

We discreetly made our way onto one of the more empty carriages that was filled with building materials. I looked at Tabitha. I knew by her smile that she was feeling the same elation that I did. At least the very first part of our journey had been completed.

She threw her arm around me in a warm embrace. It mattered not at all that we both stank, our clothes were in tatters and grime covered our faces.

“We did it. I thought I was going to lose you my love,” she whispered.

“You’re stuck with me,” I replied with a smile.

Then we rested. At times sleeping and at times looking out at the magnificent beasts that dotted the passing landscape.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (14)

For a moment time seemed to stand still. All eyes were on the Ambassador.

Then he finally replied in a slow monotone.

“Very well. A shuttle has been prepared. It will bring you and your men to the planet’s surface. Glory to the Emperor.”

Timothy gripped the controller tightly before he adeptly turned his wheelchair around. Just a few minutes later he and his men were on a cramped, aging shuttle and entering Uisneach’s atmosphere.

The thud of the landing came as an immense relief. It was not unknown for someone whose allegiance to the Emperor has even been slightly questioned to be involved in an unfortunate accident.

A moment later the shuttle bay door began to open. A gentle breeze entered the shuttle. It smelled of flowers and vitality, alien to the Uisneach he once knew. He ordered his troops to leave the shuttle as warm rays of sunlight hit their cheeks. The chirping of birds could be heard as Timothy’s wheels hit the asphalt.

He was surprised that there were no roaring crowds. Instead a welcoming partying of men and women, some in battle chairs and some not were in front of them. The familiar banner of the Omega was hoisted up on a pole. Timothy’s eyes welled up with pride.

Galway Girls (Part 23)

My heart skipped a beat. She regularly came to Mullingar. What were the chances?

I immediately sent her a text back

You must know the town well so? I live in a flat near the County Buildings. Do you know Mount Street?

No, I don’t really know the town that well. She’s in a nursing home on the outskirts.

Oh right, guess I’ll have to show you one of the days lol

Yeah, I’d like that.

That ended the texting for the day. My dinner was due to arrive at my flat and the hunger was taking over.

Then as I lay in bed later that night, my phone suddenly lit up.

I quickly picked it up and tried to see who it was. It took a few seconds for my eyes to readjust to the bright screen. To my surprise, it was her.

Hey, are you still up?

I wasn’t but told her I was. My sleep could wait.

We messaged back and forth. Then things gradually turned sexual.

You have such beautiful eyes.

I can’t wait to see you again babes.

I want to kiss you and so much more.

Tell me more.

Eventually, my hand got tired from pressing the small buttons and I told her that we would talk the next day.

And we did and the day after.

Pegasus (Part 46)

After an exhausting few hours of traipsing over stony hillsides in the deadening heat, they finally reached the outskirts of the lush forest. It started with one lonesome tree but gradually they became densely packed. No longer would they have to keep one eye on the sky in terror.

Tabitha appeared to relish the change of environment as she ferociously hacked her way through the dense undergrowth. I simply let her at it. I was already tired and my face was burning sore from the light source. The shade was of immense comfort.

He smelled the threat over the flowers a few seconds before hearing it. It was the smell of rotten flesh. Tabitha froze before looking back at me. Her face was frozen in fear. Then we heard its roar. It reverberated through every cell in our bodies. The ground was shaking. I pointed to the base of a large tree and we both tried to hide behind it.

Then an enormous beast rushed passed us. Its long neck flapped back and forth before the beast sunk its teeth into its lower neck. The two of us looked into each other’s eyes and then ran trying not to trip on the roots and brambles. We need not have worried. It had its prey.

After a few minutes, we stopped and took a breath.

“Your face is all red. Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I replied, “it’s my white skin and the light.”

“Not good, I am worried about you. Come on, this way.”

Sometime later, we finally reached the railway line. The plan was simple. To stop the train so we could board.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (13)

“Not what you expected to see, is it?” the ambassador croaked.

It was as if his heart had been pierced by a bullet. Except, this wasn’t a physical pain that he was experiencing but something far worse and it pulsated through every part of his being.

The ambassador continued.

“You have been away far longer than you thought. All of our journey has not been through the Warp. Not that you noticed. Some of our journey was done at light speed. Time went far faster for the people of Uisneach than it did for us. Everybody that you ever knew on that planet is long dead.

I have seen it in your eyes- questioning the wisdom of the Emperor. Perhaps, now you will understand the better not to question him.”

A million different thoughts swirled through Timothy’s head. Sweat dripped from his forehead as his body temperature rose exponentially. He was in his battle chair. All he had to do was to turn on its weapons and he could kill everyone on the bridge. But it would achieve nothing.

He latched onto the thought of saving his home world and tried to block out any other thoughts.

Then he simply said.

“I serve the will of the Emperor.”

Galway Girls (Part 22)

We spent another ten minutes catching up as a throng of people passed by. A mixture of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Normally my brain would be sizzling, thinking of all their different stories. But not this time. My mind was still foggy from the night before and Ronan seemed only marginally better.

Then we decided it was time to head back home to Mullingar.

A shower was just starting as the lift raised me and my electric wheelchair up into the back of the van. Briefly, I got the smell of wet grass.

The journey home took an hour and a half. It gave us plenty of time to chat.

Mostly it was reminiscing about our previous trips and the different sporting occasions that were coming up.

Then just as we were driving off the motorway and into Mullingar, I felt the buzzing sensation of my mobile. Instinctively, I knew it was her –

I wasn’t sure if you would message but I’m glad you did. Are you still in Galway? x

Of course, I did. No, nearly home now.

Where’s that again?

Mullingar.

Oh, that’s where my Gran lives. I actually go and see her quite often. She is in a nursing home.

Talking to a Scammer (comedy)

We all have little quirks to our character. Things that don’t really make sense. One of mine is that I love winding up scammers. And today is no exception.

Yesterday I received a friend request from what looked like quite an elderly lady called Jacinta Halpin. I wondered whether I should accept it. If I’m going to be a famous author, I need as many “friends” as I can. So I accepted and forgot about it.

Then today things got interesting when I got the following message –

JC

Hello Mark

How are you doing?

Ah, that’s nice of the sweet old lady. Might as well be nice and reply.

Me

I’m doing good and u?

JC

Good to hear from you. I’m doing amazingly well too. I have been trying to reach you here because I saw your name on the (DHHS) list. Have you heard from them yet?

Game on. I didn’t expect this convo to become interesting.

Me

Who are the DHHS?

Play dumb. I want the fun to last.

JC

The Department of health and human services , they have a campaign program to help pensioners, workers, youth, old and disabled with money in the community and your name was on the winner list . Did you get anything from them?

Ah ha, I have been targeted. All is fair in love, war and scamming.

Me

Nope.

How much will I get?

JC

Oh, really? I received 150,000 cash from the program when I applied and you don’t have to pay it back , do you know how to apply for the program?

Me

No, sounds super.

How do I apply?

JC

A link appears on a picture of a suited man with an American flag in the background. It appears to be another Facebook page.

Click on the link it we lead you to the agent page message them that you are ready to apply for your own winning money okay

No way I’m clicking but you don’t know that.

Do I have to give my bank details?

I have them here if needed

So happy I’m getting money from US Dept even though i’m in Ireland

i’m so lucky

thank you so much

JC

You didn’t have to give that

Have you message the agent?

The fun

yes

& I was about to lose the house

the kids have been starving all day

JC

Trust me I don’t want you to be skeptical about this, everything about this program  is real and legit. You know I can’t pull your leg into a scam or to hurt you no I can’t do such, Just put your mind at rest

Any respond from the agent?

The scammer is getting suspicious. Why is everyone so paranoid?

no not yet

i know you wouldn’t scam me

Why won’t he email me?

JC

Text me your email

I text him my dodgy email I use for nefarious purposes. He replies with a thumbs-up emoji.

Me

Still no email?

JC

Just click on the link and message the agent now so that he can proceed on your winning money

Me

I did

didn’t work

can you get email sent to me

?

will try that way

JC

Email xxxxxxxx@gmail.com

Message them on

email right now

?

Me

sent email

so excited

Why did you unsend your email?

Still waiting

JC sent a thumbs up emoji

I now have one less Facebook “friend”.

Pegasus (Part 45)

I gasped in exasperation. The odds were not good of us ever making our destination. Looking around at the rugged, hilly, rocky landscape I wondered how I found myself in this situation.

Tabitha reached out and placed her hand firmly on my arm. My heartbeat fell and I felt back in control.

I looked into her eyes.

“Will we do it?” I asked.

“We will babe.”

And that was that.

Over the next few days, the plans were finalized. The fate of perhaps hundreds of billions of people would rest on our shoulders.

The day we set out the whole base waved us off in their shabby clothes. Almost certainly more in hope than any real sense of confidence that we would succeed. There were no smiling faces. Just the strong aroma of the meat we had feasted on.

Over the rocky hills, we went following the same path from where we came. All the time keeping one eye on the sky and always fearful of what lay around the next corner. At least this time we were far better armed. We both had Grade A lasers. The best two weapons that the resistance had retrieved from a storage bunker just for us. A volley of shots would be enough to bring down any beast.

Still, they were only to be used as a last resort as it would reveal the presence of the Resistance in the world.

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (12)

All of Timothy’s former confidence and exuberance returned in the coming days. Finally, he would be back on his homeworld and there was a glorious battle to look forward to. That part though increasingly worried him. Even as he drilled his loyal troops in the shuttle area, negative thoughts and those bordering on chaos kept entering his mind.

Would he be able to watch the obliteration of his world if commanded?

If the Emperor was truly all powerful surely he could snap his fingers and put the enemy out of existence?

He knew such thoughts were heresy. But still they came.

Instead he tried to think of the positives. Of seeing his father and Audrey again.

He patiently waited till the day came that he could set his wheels on Uisneach once more. And he knew that it had arrived when the summons to the bridge came.

He drove out onto the bridge in full military regalia with all his medals proudly strapped to his chest.

But then he stopped his wheelchair stunned, his mouth ajar at what he saw in front of him.

It was Uisneach and yet it wasn’t. He recognized the two megacities protruding from the planet but other things were so different. He had expected to see a barren, poisoned world but there were lush forests, grasslands and agricultural fields covering the planet with ostensibly human settlements dotted throughout. The sea was a deep blue hinting at abundant marine life.