Tell The Story Challenge

Welcome to all my new followers!

So, in February this year, I read a tell-the-story challenge and I really loved the image for the nominees (see the image below), so, even though I wasn’t nominated, I decided to do it. But, I unfortunately either forgot or got lazy (not sure which excuse is better 🙂 ) so here I am in October finally getting around to it.

https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/let-me-tell-you-a-third-story/

My sincerest apologies to pensitivity101 for the inexcusable delay in getting around to it. I know I said I would in Feb…then June or July, but life got in the way both times (now that’s a better excuse, isn’t it? 🙏), so here I am now with a very sheepish look on my face and big puppy dog eyes, hoping you won’t throw tomatoes and eggs at me.

Anyway, here is the picture:

Hope you guys enjoy (and that you’re not too mad, pensitivity101 🤞) Notes: In my story, the girl in the suit is called Eden. On with the story!

---

Eden checked her oxygen levels. 30% oxygen remaining the holo-display on her visor read back to her with a cold, emotionless voice. And she had no more portable oxygen tanks left. Eden fought down panic and forced her voice to sound calm as she spoke into the comms.

“Reid, have you found it yet?” she asked, trying not to let hope creep into her voice.

A rattled sigh came across the airwaves, the first hint that they were going to die out here.

Actually, Eden reflected, it wasn’t the first hint. They had had plenty of hints – the very first being when most of their team was ripped to shreds by the dragons as they were going through the Canyons, leaving only her, Reid, Torn, and Beatrice.

While she felt all their deaths keenly, Eden felt Azalea’s death the most. Azalea had been like a mother to Eden ever since her actual parents had died when the dragons first emerged fifteen years ago. Eden blinked rapidly to prevent tears forming. She reached up and took hold of the locket around her neck. It had belonged to Azalea, who had then given it to Eden just before dying.

Her thoughts were rattled when she realized that Reid was speaking. “Negative. There’s no sign.”

Eden’s shoulders slumped. But what had I expected? There was very little chance that they would find that stupid portal, anyway and even if they did, there was even a less chance of them being able to go back in time and reverse the apocalypse that had ravaged earth for thirty years.

Oxygen down to 20%

Now we won’t even make it back home. Eden restrained a sigh and sat down on a rock. The sun beat down on her. She could see the others coming over. Azalea and the others all died for nothing. Why did I listen to that old guy in the first place? Anger welled up inside.

Eden glared at the dry and cracked ground. Seeing a sizeable rock, she picked it up. Gritting her teeth in despair and anger, she raised her arm and threw the rock. It went up in a large arch, then fell towards the ground. Just like my dreams.

Just before the rock could touch the ground, she saw it hit something shimmering and…go through it?

Oh my gosh!

Eden pressed a button on her suit and her suit’s thrusters turned on, propelling her forward. Adjusting her angle towards where the rock disappeared, she brought up a holo-keyboard on her visor and with rapid eye movement, quickly typed out a message to the rest of her team.

I found it! Follow my signal

She then pressed another button on her suit, which sent out a signal for the rest of them to follow. Checking the holo-display to make sure that the others were following, Eden then reached the spot where the rock had disappeared. Huh, funny. There was no sign of the rock or the portal.

“Where is it?” Beatrice asked breathlessly. That wasn’t good. If Beatrice wasn’t careful she could run out of oxygen. Not that it mattered anymore.

In response, Eden stretched out her hand. She didn’t feel anything, but jumped slightly when her hand from the wrist onward appeared to have been suddenly cut off. Yep. This was it. She let out a breath which she didn’t realize she was holding.

Oxygen down to 15%

Stepping forward, Eden poked her head in. There was a momentary flash of light which temporarily blinded her. When she could see again…there was nothing to see. Just…grey. Everywhere.

Is this what the old man wanted? To send us off into nothing so that we would die in peace? I’d go insane seeing nothing but grey every second of every day non-stop.

Eden stepped back into the real world. “What’s the matter?” Torn asked, looking confused as he looked at her and the portal, then back at her again. His voice dropped low. “Is it…is it worse back then?” he asked.

She shook her head, not understanding. She then described what she had seen in as few words as possible. They were silent, trying to understand. Why is it all grey? The old man promised buildings, cars, people, noise. Colour. Breathable air. That is nothing like he promised.

Oxygen down to 10%

She looked over at Reid and Torn and she could see the despair on their faces, reflecting her own. Why had he lied about it?

“Maybe…” Beatrice said, then trailed off.

“Maybe what?” Reid asked.

“Maybe the old man was telling the truth,” Beatrice said, sounding uncertain, like she was thinking out loud. “Maybe we will find all that he promised, but we have to go through that…grey…matter first, you know? Like, the grey matter’s the…threshold. Make any sense?”

Eden and the two boys all looked at each other. “A…little,” Torn said, voicing the three’s thoughts.

Oxygen down to 5%

“We have nothing to lose,” Reid said and boldly stepped through, completely disappearing.

Oxygen down to 4%

Taking a deep breath (which used up the rest of the oxygen), Eden stepped through.

---

So, I was thinking as I wrote this that it would be great for a sequel to another book I’ve started writing called Tick Tock which is a conspiracy/alien invasion/MAYBE thriller type story, and so that’s why I’ve ended it the way I did. Hope you enjoyed.

Now, as with the Tell The Story Challenges, I have to nominate three other bloggers for a story challenge (can be as long, or as short, as you want) and give them a picture to write a story around. So, the three nominees are:

John

A Guy Called Bloke

Crushed Caramel

And here’s the picture:

Have at it and I know you guys will write something really good. Just do your best.

COPYRIGHT

All novels and short stories on this blog are the works of @rue202 and Racheal’s Novels Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of the author is strictly not allowed. You may use excerpts and links or reblogs of this material provided that complete and clear credit is given to rue202 and Racheal’s Novels with clear directions to the original content.