_____________________

I missed this week’s session because of arthritic pain and project overcommitment. (I really do need to say “no” when needed and not feel guilty about it.) So, here’s last week’s (my fourth) session with the VA OT Creative Writing group I’m participating in. The writing prompt for the day was “The Overheard Remark”. This is what I came up with.

_____________________

“Soon, the time comes” a voice whispers into the darkness.

He turns to look around for the speaker. There is no one there, as is to be expected, under normal circumstances. “Opportunities-to-excel” are usually lonely jobs at the best of times for the lowest ranking enlisted guy in a maintenance unit. Cleaning a drop ship in a hangar bay on a weekend only makes it moreso.

He shakes his head, picks up the hard bristled push broom, and goes to work on the undercarriage, always the worst part of this cleaning job.

“Soon, the time comes,” the same voice whispers out of the darkness.

Airman Darwin Moore shrugs his shoulders and decides to ask for clarification. “Soon, the time comes, for what?” he asks.

“I think one of the mortals can hear us,” another voice speaks out in surprise.

“What?” asks the original voice, somewhere between surprise and incredulity.

“Don’t mind me,”Amn Moore responds to the unattached whispers, and goes back to working on the backside of the right landing skid.

“I think you’re right,” the original voice speaks to the other. “I don’t know how this is possible.”

“Maybe we can convince him he’s going crazy and just hearing voices in his mind,” the other replies.

“Works for me,” Amn Moore replies to the darkness. “I got work to do here anyway.”

“Just don’t mention the prophecy,” the original voice says. “Maybe we can talk around specifics and still make our plans.”

“But the 30th of February is coming soon,” the other voice answers.

“You idiot,” the original voice says.

“No kidding,” Amn Moore adds, “everyone knows February only has 28 days, unless it’s a leap year, then you get 29 days. Never 30.”

“Says you” the other voice says defiantly. Then, addressing the original voice, it adds, “See he knows nothing of the workings of this world.”

The original voice speaks up again, “silence, you fool. In your effort to be right, you’re educating the mortal.”

“I’ll distract him,” the other voice says and then begins chanting, “tse roma siriuqer douq enmo.”

“Is that ‘All You Need Is Love’ in backwards Latin,” Amn Moore asks, recognizing the tune from a childhood of being raised by a Beatles-fan father.

“How does he…,” the other voice cuts off in shock. “He knows way more than he should,” the other voice huffs angrily. “We may need to just kill him to be safe.”

“No,” the original voice shouts with command. “We just wait until he finishes his job and leaves the area. The dimensional walls are thinner in this area than I thought.”

“Thanks guys,” Amn Moore says into the darkness. “I’m really busy here and don’t really have time to worry about your plans or getting killed.

He shrugs and goes back to scrubbing the drop ship. He shakes his head knowing no one’s going to believe this story.

_____________________

I missed a couple of weeks during the period referred in a previous post, so yesterday was my third session with the VA OT Creative Writing group I’m participating in. The writing prompt for the day was “Treading Water”. This is what I came up with.

In this case, the writing is related to an art project I’m currently working on which answers the question: What would a viking space ship look like?

_____________________

“Can one tread water in the skies?”

That’s the question that keeps crossing my mind as I watch the progress on the frame of this new ship we build. I still think this location is too far inland for the building of a ship, yet we continue to build it here.

The chieftan, Leif, son of Erik, says Loki called on him in the night and promised great raids in our future if we build a newer, bigger ship. The Drakknarr, he called it, a cross between the knarr ships that carry our families and our goods and the drakka longships we use for the raids. Once built, this ship would be quite the achievement in itself and a cause for celebration.

However, instead of our usual ship building technique using wood and lumber, we are building this ship out of metal. A metal frame covered by a metal hull. Personally, I think it’s going to sink as soon as we try to set it on the water. Not to mention, it’s going to be quite heavy to move a ship made of metal the distance between this grassland within Greenland’s boarders to its coastal waters.

The chieftan says this ship does not need to be near the water since Loki intends for this ship to sail the skies between the stars. Most of the warriors, now drafted as builders, have expressed our doubts about pursuing any project involving an idea proposed by the trickster god. Yet, Leif insists he believes Loki can be trusted to keep his word on this promise.

If or when the ship encounters trouble in the seas of the skies, it would be helpful to know our chances if stormy weather were to knock one of us overboard or the ship should take on water and sink. No one has an answer to that one. The chieftan refuses to call upon Loki to ask, fearing it would invite his wrath and encourage him to use us as targets for one of his games.

So, as we build this great iron ship, I’m left with just the one unanswered question, “Can one tread water in the skies?” I hope I’m not one of the one who has to answer that question when the time comes.