Free Clouds of Tyranny by J. R. Pond Page B

stomach; she died in the process and my father was killed
a year later, so Locke has been my only family for my entire life.
Anyway, it took me and Locke years to travel up here where we met
the Returners, but that’s a different story.” “Oh. So, you’ve been
through a lot together.” “Yes,” continued Ruthie, “Anyway, Alisa
was the daughter of the town’s blacksmith, Jorgan. They were so in
love, Terra. You ever read a story about true love? That’s what it
was like; they didn’t need anything but each other. Just about
every night you could walk to the ridge at dusk and you would see
them watching the sunset, or each other.” Terra smiled as she heard
Ruthie tell the story, but was also sad for Locke; obviously it
ended. She was also a little jealous.
    Ruthie’s eyes were glossy with forming tears from
the memories of their past. “I was very little, but I remember
thinking she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen; I
wanted to be her. She had blonde hair as gold as stardust, glowing
green eyes with thick eyelashes, and a firm slender body that would
make any man’s flesh emit steam. That part was out of Locke’s
character, he enjoys a ‘meatier’ gal,” giggled Ruthie, winking at
Terra. “But it wasn’t Alisa’s physical beauty that captured Locke’s
heart. They just had a magnetic attraction to each other; they
could talk about nothing for hours or… do nothing for hours.”
    Ruthie’s nostalgic smile faded, “Then, with four
weeks till the wedding, it happened.” “What? What happened?” “Locke
and his would-be bride went for their usual afternoon walk along
the northern shores of Listka. A short time later Locke returned to
Listka with Alisa cradled in his arms unconscious from a sting from
a sand mantis. The stinger rose from under the sand and spiked her
through the back and into her heart. The doctor couldn’t bring here
back, she was in a comma till the day he left. It was a sad day,
but what made it worse was that Locke was banished from the town by
the blacksmith. Jorgan who was also the town’s founder. Locke left
the next morning.” “But, I thought you and Locke…” questioned
Terra. “Yes, I ran away a week later and found the camp Locke had
made for himself. After a year of exploring the entire island we
decided it was time to see more of the world; we had had enough of
the island of Listka. ‘How big is our world?’ I asked Locke. He
simply smiled and said ‘Lets find out’. So, we made a boat and
sailed north to the southern point of this continent.” “Wow, poor
Locke,” said Terra shaking her head from side to side. “So, you’ve
seen a lot,” said Terra. “Yup, and a lot more to see. I’d like to
see the western continent one day. I’ve heard stories of large
ruins made of steel and glass.” “Hmm, weird.” Said Terra.
    Terra rummaged through the pile of
folded clothes on her bed and found a teal blue nightgown with
short sleeve. Terra, being a shy girl went to the bathroom to
change, then washed her face. She got into bed and read a few pages
from the book Ruthie had given her. She read about the INO
(Internal Neuron Osmosis), which enabled people to use their mind
to alter the elements to their advantage. As she read on she
learned that the INO started with the ‘cloning’ of living
beings. My ancestors weren’t born into
this world? They were created?, thought
Terra confused. She folded the book and laid herself down on her
bed and felt the soft pillow under her head and slowly fell
asleep.
    Terra was awakened the next morning by the sound of
the women’s dorm’s inhabitants moving about the hard cold floor.
Terra had rolled to face the wall that stood against her bed in her
sleep. She let out a long-winded yawn and rolled to face her
friend, who was in her pajama pants and nothing else. “Oh god!
Sorry sorry sorry,” exclaimed Terra as she attempted to cover her
eyes with her sheet. Ruthie giggled aloud, “Wow, you really are