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Heres a contribution to my idea of a thread on SP related stories. I hope people enjoy it.
FOR THE LOVE OF MEGAN
Somwhere in Kentucky, planet Earth....
Ben Getty sat comfortably on the steps outside of the cabin. The first twinkling of daylight were beginning to creep through the treeline at the far end of the lake and the morning air was fresh and cool. A few birds were singing and that made this moment seem more magical.
Ben was just about to go back into the cabin for a cup of coffee, when his wife, Megan, came out of the door carrying two cups. Now this is what makes the sunrise even more beautiful, Ben thought as he turned and saw her. Megan, always radiant, wore nothing but one of his shirts. It covered her small frame well, but still, coming down to the middle of her thighs. Her long blonde hair lifted gently in the air as she walked, moving with the slightest of morning breezes.
"You're up early, hon," Megan said as she sat beside him and handed him his favorite mug. "I heard you puttering around the kitchen. At least you remembered to turn the coffee maker on."
Ben smiled and sipped the coffee. Megan had put it in his favorite cup, his "stasis" cup. No matter how long he sat the coffee down, it would remain the same temperature it was when it was poured. Megan had bought that cup for him just before they were married 8 years ago.
"I didn't mean to wake you, babe. I was having crazy dreams so I decided to get up and watch the sunrise."
"Oh, Ben," Megan said woefully and put her arms around him. "Not the nightmares again....I'm so sorry...but you have to let it go. The War is over now."
"No, it wasn't a nightmare," Ben began, "it was just a weird dream. I was still in the military, but it wasn't the same. The uniforms were different. I was getting a medal."
Megan smiled and looked up at him. "Well, that's not a bad thing. Why is that weird? You have plenty of medals...maybe you just dreamt up another one, hero."
Ben nodded and kissed her. Dreams were ephemeral things, and not easily recalled, but in his mind he fought to retain the few images and sounds from the one he had last night.
"You know what the weirdest thing was, honey? Everyone in the dream was carrying ray guns like in those old television shows with that bald English fellow....there was a big parade and an entire brigade of soldiers were there when this Spanish woman was pinning a medal on me for "Superior Bravery" or something."
"Oh, I see...." Megan drew back with mock incredulity, "dreaming about other women, now! And on our vacation! Was she prettier than me?"
Ben laughed and drew her closer to him. "No way, darlin'. She was scary in a way. She was tall and dark and kept saying how she wanted me to take my company and assault some aliens, and even though we'd take heavy losses I was the only man for the job."
"Tall and dark...uh huh." Megan teased and sipped some of her coffee. She was trying to keep Ben from focusing on the words "heavy losses". During the last days of the African Conflict (funny how wars were called conflicts sometimes, as if to hide their true horrors) the company under Ben's command was almost totally wiped out by nerve gas. Even though Ben managed to win that battle the deaths of all of those men haunted him.
"Aliens, too....as if there were such a thing. Honestly, Ben, you have an active imagination even though you claim not to possess one at all."
Ben's face broke into a wide grin and he chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know where all that came from. I even had an image of 'aliens' in my dream. They looked like big ass bugs with horns....must have been that chili you made last night."
"No, that didn't make you dream, it just made you fart." Megan laughed. "Maybe you ought to get yourself a dream journal and write this stuff down."
"I can be the next Asimov...or Frank Herbert, huh? Then I can give up on the construction business and you can be a lady of luxury." Ben joked. They both laughed and watched the sun peak over the trees. The blue water of the lake sparkled as the light hit the surface. It made Ben happy that he had decided to resign from the Federal Marines and go into business for himself. If he had stayed in for another tour he'd never have had this chance to spend time at the cabin with Megan. It seemed like there was always a war...or conflict...going on somewhere nowadays.
The couple went back into the cabin, and decided not to finish the coffee. Instead they made love, dozed for awhile, and then walked down to the lake with a picnic lunch. Ben threw his fishing line into the water and Megan sat on a nearby stump with her sketchpad and drew his image as he sat by the lakeside, trying in vain to catch a fish.
Ben had never caught a fish in this lake, even when his father used to bring him here as a boy. Ben didn't expect to catch one either, he always tried as a ritual to his father. When Ben Senior passed away, the cabin was almost sold. Ben and Megan spent a better part of their life savings to keep it. Megan knew the place meant a lot to Ben, and she would always do what it took to keep him happy.
The last four days at the cabin had been wonderful. There was no TV or computer, not even a telephone even though Ben did keep a cellular in his bag in case of emergencies. Without those distractions Ben had done what he had always wanted to do....spend time with Megan. They talked and took hikes, held each other and swam in the lake. It was hard to believe that Ben almost lost Megan a year before. The horrors of the African Conflict had made him bitter and morose. Megan suffered so much trying to help him come to terms with it. Finally, Captain Benjamin Getty of the United States Federal Marines realized he had to resign or lose the one person he loved most in the world.
Time moves quickly when we least want it to. Ben and Megan almost didn't make it back to the cabin before the stars came out. They sat on the porch swing just as the last light of day ebbed away and Megan proudly showed Ben her picture of him. It was remarkably well done. Then they both watched the stars come out and went to bed. Before going to sleep Ben took Megan's advice. He put a pencil and notepad by his nightstand...if he had another strange dream he would write it down. Then he snuggled next to his beautiful wife and let himself fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of her breathing.
Ben didn't awake with a start, nor did he slowly awaken. He just sort of Blinked on. There was total darkness and Ben could a hear a voice. At first he thought it was Megan, but it was a cold, but oddly feminine voice. It seemed to echo. Was it the Spanish woman from his previous dream? No...it was different...Ben strained to make out the words...
"Program Cycle has Ended..."
"Please Remain Calm....a Technician will be with you shortly."
"Do not attempt to remove your food bag, or catheter....a Technician will be with you shortly."
"You may experience a moment of disorientation. Remain calm. It will pass in a few seconds. On behalf of Morgan Entertainment, The Staff would like to thank you for using the Virtual World....where dreams come true."
A low whirring sound behind Ben's right ear started and the VR helmet lifted back into the headrest. He looked around for Megan...and she was right where he left her...in the picture in his right hand. It was an old photograph, taken in 2043 just before she left him. Ben had it coated in Plasti-Seal to preserve it. The Photo showed her sitting on that stump by the lake with her sketchpad.
"Computer," Ben croaked, his throat dry, "Time!"
A chronometer over the doorway of the VR booth flashed on.
"Good." Ben thought. "I still have time."
Yes, time enough to catch the late shuttle plane back to Sparta Command. Ben had spent a months wages and used all of his available leave for these last four days in the VR suites, but he still had enough time to report back to his company....before they launched their assault on Decision: Manifold.
FOR THE LOVE OF MEGAN
Somwhere in Kentucky, planet Earth....
Ben Getty sat comfortably on the steps outside of the cabin. The first twinkling of daylight were beginning to creep through the treeline at the far end of the lake and the morning air was fresh and cool. A few birds were singing and that made this moment seem more magical.
Ben was just about to go back into the cabin for a cup of coffee, when his wife, Megan, came out of the door carrying two cups. Now this is what makes the sunrise even more beautiful, Ben thought as he turned and saw her. Megan, always radiant, wore nothing but one of his shirts. It covered her small frame well, but still, coming down to the middle of her thighs. Her long blonde hair lifted gently in the air as she walked, moving with the slightest of morning breezes.
"You're up early, hon," Megan said as she sat beside him and handed him his favorite mug. "I heard you puttering around the kitchen. At least you remembered to turn the coffee maker on."
Ben smiled and sipped the coffee. Megan had put it in his favorite cup, his "stasis" cup. No matter how long he sat the coffee down, it would remain the same temperature it was when it was poured. Megan had bought that cup for him just before they were married 8 years ago.
"I didn't mean to wake you, babe. I was having crazy dreams so I decided to get up and watch the sunrise."
"Oh, Ben," Megan said woefully and put her arms around him. "Not the nightmares again....I'm so sorry...but you have to let it go. The War is over now."
"No, it wasn't a nightmare," Ben began, "it was just a weird dream. I was still in the military, but it wasn't the same. The uniforms were different. I was getting a medal."
Megan smiled and looked up at him. "Well, that's not a bad thing. Why is that weird? You have plenty of medals...maybe you just dreamt up another one, hero."
Ben nodded and kissed her. Dreams were ephemeral things, and not easily recalled, but in his mind he fought to retain the few images and sounds from the one he had last night.
"You know what the weirdest thing was, honey? Everyone in the dream was carrying ray guns like in those old television shows with that bald English fellow....there was a big parade and an entire brigade of soldiers were there when this Spanish woman was pinning a medal on me for "Superior Bravery" or something."
"Oh, I see...." Megan drew back with mock incredulity, "dreaming about other women, now! And on our vacation! Was she prettier than me?"
Ben laughed and drew her closer to him. "No way, darlin'. She was scary in a way. She was tall and dark and kept saying how she wanted me to take my company and assault some aliens, and even though we'd take heavy losses I was the only man for the job."
"Tall and dark...uh huh." Megan teased and sipped some of her coffee. She was trying to keep Ben from focusing on the words "heavy losses". During the last days of the African Conflict (funny how wars were called conflicts sometimes, as if to hide their true horrors) the company under Ben's command was almost totally wiped out by nerve gas. Even though Ben managed to win that battle the deaths of all of those men haunted him.
"Aliens, too....as if there were such a thing. Honestly, Ben, you have an active imagination even though you claim not to possess one at all."
Ben's face broke into a wide grin and he chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know where all that came from. I even had an image of 'aliens' in my dream. They looked like big ass bugs with horns....must have been that chili you made last night."
"No, that didn't make you dream, it just made you fart." Megan laughed. "Maybe you ought to get yourself a dream journal and write this stuff down."
"I can be the next Asimov...or Frank Herbert, huh? Then I can give up on the construction business and you can be a lady of luxury." Ben joked. They both laughed and watched the sun peak over the trees. The blue water of the lake sparkled as the light hit the surface. It made Ben happy that he had decided to resign from the Federal Marines and go into business for himself. If he had stayed in for another tour he'd never have had this chance to spend time at the cabin with Megan. It seemed like there was always a war...or conflict...going on somewhere nowadays.
The couple went back into the cabin, and decided not to finish the coffee. Instead they made love, dozed for awhile, and then walked down to the lake with a picnic lunch. Ben threw his fishing line into the water and Megan sat on a nearby stump with her sketchpad and drew his image as he sat by the lakeside, trying in vain to catch a fish.
Ben had never caught a fish in this lake, even when his father used to bring him here as a boy. Ben didn't expect to catch one either, he always tried as a ritual to his father. When Ben Senior passed away, the cabin was almost sold. Ben and Megan spent a better part of their life savings to keep it. Megan knew the place meant a lot to Ben, and she would always do what it took to keep him happy.
The last four days at the cabin had been wonderful. There was no TV or computer, not even a telephone even though Ben did keep a cellular in his bag in case of emergencies. Without those distractions Ben had done what he had always wanted to do....spend time with Megan. They talked and took hikes, held each other and swam in the lake. It was hard to believe that Ben almost lost Megan a year before. The horrors of the African Conflict had made him bitter and morose. Megan suffered so much trying to help him come to terms with it. Finally, Captain Benjamin Getty of the United States Federal Marines realized he had to resign or lose the one person he loved most in the world.
Time moves quickly when we least want it to. Ben and Megan almost didn't make it back to the cabin before the stars came out. They sat on the porch swing just as the last light of day ebbed away and Megan proudly showed Ben her picture of him. It was remarkably well done. Then they both watched the stars come out and went to bed. Before going to sleep Ben took Megan's advice. He put a pencil and notepad by his nightstand...if he had another strange dream he would write it down. Then he snuggled next to his beautiful wife and let himself fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of her breathing.
Ben didn't awake with a start, nor did he slowly awaken. He just sort of Blinked on. There was total darkness and Ben could a hear a voice. At first he thought it was Megan, but it was a cold, but oddly feminine voice. It seemed to echo. Was it the Spanish woman from his previous dream? No...it was different...Ben strained to make out the words...
"Program Cycle has Ended..."
"Please Remain Calm....a Technician will be with you shortly."
"Do not attempt to remove your food bag, or catheter....a Technician will be with you shortly."
"You may experience a moment of disorientation. Remain calm. It will pass in a few seconds. On behalf of Morgan Entertainment, The Staff would like to thank you for using the Virtual World....where dreams come true."
A low whirring sound behind Ben's right ear started and the VR helmet lifted back into the headrest. He looked around for Megan...and she was right where he left her...in the picture in his right hand. It was an old photograph, taken in 2043 just before she left him. Ben had it coated in Plasti-Seal to preserve it. The Photo showed her sitting on that stump by the lake with her sketchpad.
"Computer," Ben croaked, his throat dry, "Time!"
A chronometer over the doorway of the VR booth flashed on.
"Good." Ben thought. "I still have time."
Yes, time enough to catch the late shuttle plane back to Sparta Command. Ben had spent a months wages and used all of his available leave for these last four days in the VR suites, but he still had enough time to report back to his company....before they launched their assault on Decision: Manifold.