Tag: Distant Love

Distant Love (Part 47)

“I am indeed.”

The lady walks over and wraps him in a warm embrace. “Thanks so much for everything you’ve done for Maeve. I don’t know what we would have done without you!”

“There is no need to thank me. I would do anything for her.”

The lady takes a step back, looking into his eyes. He can see her wrinkled, weather-battered face now. Still, there is a beauty there, mixed with determination. “You can call me Jessica.”

She waves her hand for Derek and Maeve to follow her. Derek’s wheelchair bobbles up and down on the uneven, pebble-filled surface. It bothers him, not.

Jessica points at one of the few buildings. An unappealing, simple building that is somewhat derelict. “That was once the most northerly post office in the UK.”

Derek and Maeve look at each other in confusion.

“Oh lord,” Jessica says in exasperation, “doesn’t anyone teach you young people history anymore? The UK, or the United Kingdom, once had an empire so large that the sun never set. And now, it might as well have never existed. I guess that the northerly part is lost on you two, you being from space and all.”

Jessica continues muttering to herself as they start to make their way up a road.

Distant Love (Part 46)

A few moments pass, and it comes into view. White dots surrounded by green jutting out of the ocean.

“Is this it?”

“It sure is.” Her voice is full of excitement.

More interesting than the moon, I suppose.

The ship comes to a halt, and Derek feels the vibration of the landing thrusters firing. A few seconds later, a thud as it hit the ground.

Derek shakes. The reality of landing on an alien world hits him.

“You okay, Derek? My Auntie is waiting for us. Everything is going to be fine.”

She places her hand on his shoulder, and he turns the wheelchair.

They go to the rear of the ship, and the hatch opens. A silver-haired, plump woman is waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp.

Maeve rushes forward and wraps her arms around the older woman.

Derek drives down the ramp before coming to an abrupt halt. The smell of the sea, the beautiful cloudy sky, the feel of the wind on his face, it’s so different.

Maeve looks back at him and frowns. “You okay, Derek?”

He looks over at her and smiles. “Oh, yes. I’ve never experienced anything like this. To hear the waves and the wind. I knew it would be different, but this is incredible.”

The grey-haired woman then spoke. “You must be Derek.”

Distant Love (Part 44)

Hours pass, and the magnificent habitats come clearly into view. They are cylindrical in shape, with a constant stream of small vessels travelling in between them.

“Looks incredible, doesn’t it, Derek?” Maeve says, both of their eyes transfixed.

“It is. I read somewhere that we’re reaching the tipping point where more people will be living off Earth than on it. Crazy, really, and there’s a huge universe out there for us to colonize.” Derek’s eyes were wide with wonder.

“Incredible, we’d better dock you in place again. We’ll soon start to feel the effect of the Earth’s gravity.”

Derek began to sweat in nervous anticipation. This would be unlike anything he had experienced before.

Their ship descended between the habitats.

The ship shook. It was almost imperceptible.

Derek thought – It is beginning.

Then another shake.

“Don’t worry, Derek. The ship’s onboard navigation system won’t have any difficulties taking us in. Landing on Earth is routine, not like landing on the moon.”

Maeve smirked, and Derek found it odd how reassuring he found it to be.

The rattling increases with each passing moment. The viewport edges turn red.

“We’re going to the top of the second large island off that landmass. You can’t see the small island itself, yet.” Maeve shouted over the sound of the spaceship crashing through the atmosphere.

My Journey as a Writer: Updates and Goals

Hello, dear readers, I hope you are all doing well. A quick reminder to consider subscribing to the website to be kept fully updated. It really is the best way.

So what have I been up to? Well, not too much in the last day or two (I’m so lazy). Before then, I did make some steady progress.

Wheelchair Wars – The reworking is almost complete of my far future dystopia, where people with disabilities are forced to fight to the death for entertainment. I’m hoping to have it published (probably self-published), but I’ll try to look for an agent in the new year. I joined an online writing group, and I think I have significantly improved my writing skills. Like everything I do, I will always endeavor to improve.

Pegasus – This action-packed story set hundreds of years in the future recently came to an end. Like Wheelchair Wars, it will be reworked and published at a future date.

Distant Love – I only started this recently. It is still easy to find Part 1. This is my latest story – a sci-fi romance. I’m still working this one out in my head, not sure how long it will be.

General Overview:

I am on track to get a record number of views this year. I’m hoping to break the 2,000 mark. From research, to be a professional blogger would need an absolute minimum of 24,000 views per year. I’m a long way off, but not beyond the realms of impossibility to do it in a few years.

I now have 1,400 followers on Bluesky. My plan is to try and get over 2,000 by the end of the year. Then drive that audience towards here, along with my Twitter and Facebook followers.

Please don’t be afraid to comment. It would be great to have some feedback.