Chapters 1, 2

 

 

The year is 2152.  The Confederate States of the Americas is an independent country, separate from the United States of America.  Or is it?  The South won the Civil War almost three hundred years ago, but an ongoing cold war continues uninterrupted.  The Confederacy continues to have slavery, which may contribute to having no middle class.  The cold war helps to create an environment where smuggling is the most lucrative business with only one exception: Blair's Pharmaceuticals.

 

Zodus Blair inherited a very profitable pharmaceutical business that makes life- saving medicines from genetically altered tobacco.  Zodus was born with a physical disability, and requires help with daily living, but his mind in normal, (kinda) and he is the perfect example of a person being his own worst enemy.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

            Zodus maneuvered his new one of a kind computerized wheelchair behind the huge antique oak desk that his father had left him.  He was busy going over the quarterly reports when the soft ding of the intercom interrupted his thoughts.

            “Yes Sassy, what is it?”

            “I’m terribly sorry to bother you sir, but mister Munford from the bank is here to see you.”

            “What does that old fool want?  Never mind, tell him he has exactly two minutes and not a second longer.”

            There was a short wait before a knock at the door announced the banker’s intention to come in.  The heavy wooden door swung open to reveal a heavy-set balding man in a cheap three-piece light blue suit with burgundy penny-loafer shoes and cream color socks. 

            Zodus leaned back and eyed the aged banker for a brief moment and then, holding true to form, he immediately tried to insult the person standing in front of him.  “Kiley, from the way you’re dressed, I would guess that the wife is visiting her sister in Charleston again."  No response came from the pudgy little man as he nervously fiddled with a button on his vest.  "I’m busy, so you’ve got two minutes---then get out.”

            The banker ignored the expected insult and smiled his understanding banker smile knowing that his friendly demeanor would agitate Zodus.  Kiley had learned long ago not to take the younger man personally; Zodus treated everyone like dirt.  Kiley thought that maybe it was because the young man had been born with a disability, or into a family with a great deal of money.  On the other hand, maybe Zodus was just naturally a jerk.  Kiley wiped a handkerchief across his sweat-covered forehead, causing his bushy gray eyebrows to appear as if the hair was growing the wrong way. 

            “I’m not here as a bank representative today."  Kiley stated.  "I’m here because the city council asked me to speak to you about your daddy’s house.”

            The air in the office became even more still and close than it already was while the banker waited for the turbulence that he knew was coming.  The uneasy little man glanced toward the closed windows wondering if the glass could withstand the eruption that was about to happen.  The young hot-tempered man sitting behind the desk answered his unasked question almost immediately.

            “Damn it Kiley, you know I don’t have time to deal with that mess now!  Tell Mayor Jessup and the rest of those maggots at city hall to back off or I’ll make their lives suck swamp water!  I’ll do something with that property when I’m damn good and ready---not before!”

            The red-faced banker could not stop the corners of his mouth from turning up slightly, and he gave a small inaudible sigh of relief; the explosion hadn’t been nearly as bad as expected.  Maybe Zodus was gaining some control of his temper, or maybe he realized that he was at fault and the city officials were trying to be understanding.  Even more likely, maybe Zodus just wasn’t in the mood to yell louder.  It didn’t much matter what the reason was, Kiley was happy for it, and relieved.  It wasn’t often that anyone could go up against Zodus and get away unscathed.  However, he realized that it was too soon to celebrate---he was still there. 

            With a smile implanted on his face and gentleness in his high-pitched voice, Kiley spoke in almost a singing manner.  “Now, now Zodus, let's try to stay calm.  I worry that when you get older, high blood pressure will be your worst enemy.  No one at city hall is out to give you a hard time; they just want you to clean that place up.  Try mowing the grass and see if that much will get them to leave you alone.”

            Zodus straightened up as a way of making himself look bigger and spoke through a tight jaw. 

            “Kiley, you of all people should know that the city wants to buy that property because of its historical value.  Nothing I do will cause them to back off and leave me alone; so don’t tell me to cut the grass or anything else.  The only thing that will get them off my back is for me to sell them what they want and the only thing that would ever get me back into their good graces is if I would just donate it to them.”

            The pudgy banker knew that Zodus spoke the truth because he was not only on the city council, but also a member of the local historical society.  Although he didn’t know what history the old house might be able to shed some light on, he was certain that it would be invaluable to whoever owned it.  Kiley knew that Zodus’s grandfather, Coop, who had worked for Border Patrol back in the 1960's, had built it.  The rumor he had heard was that Coop had married into old money and then had only one child.  That one child was Zodus’s father who had invested in pharmaceutical tobacco when it was still experimental.  As luck would have it, the new strain of tobacco was used to make medicine, and the old money made new money---lots of it.  Zodus's daddy had built an empire known worldwide as a fair and caring pharmaceutical industry.  Then, along came Zodus.

            All of this information flashed through Kiley’s mind in an instant but the only thing he said was, “You might be right.”

            Zodus looked at the red-faced banker briefly then said, “Your time is

up---get out.”

            Saying           no more Kiley turned and waddled toward the door glad to be given the chance to leave under his own power. 

            Zodus watched the door close quietly behind the banker then slumped back in his chair to ponder what he needed to do about his dad’s house.  He remembered how as a child he had spent his growing up years in that house with his mother.  Those were the good times he liked to remember, but then the memories turned to the days of uncertainty when his mother was living with an illness that the doctors were unsure of.  Taking a deep breath, Zodus remembered how pretty the flowers were at his mom's funeral and how he had seen his father cry for the first and last time.  It was after this, that he had no more memories of his father acting like a happy dad.  It was as if his dad's humanity had died too.  Zodus only allowed himself a few moments to remember these memories then he buried himself in his work.

           

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 2

 

 

            On his way home from the office Zodus allowed his mind drift back to his conversation with Kiley and wondered briefly about his father’s house.  Deep down he realized that someday he would be forced to deal with that problem and all of the memories that were associated with it.  However, it wasn’t going to be today, or tomorrow, or next week for that matter.  Zodus intended to devote all of his time and energy on a new drug that was currently being genetically engineered.  It was his understanding that this new drug might be the cure for old age, the number one killer of people worldwide.  The fountain of youth in a pill, thanks to a plant that had been blamed for killing multitudes of people in the previous century, was ironic.  Zodus nearly laughed aloud at the implications associated with this scenario and wondered what his grandfather would have thought of it.

            Zodus piloted his state-of-the-art, zero friction, hovercraft into his home area and shut off its nearly silent engine.  Looking into the garage section, he saw the antique1992 automobile that had belonged to his grandmother and wondered how the human species had survived such hardships.  He remembered reading in history books how there had been many wars fought over oil.  Zodus thought about how foolish that had been because two thirds of the earth's surface is covered with water and water is the best fuel ever discovered.  No pollution, no wars, and the emission vapor comes back as rain-water.  What could be better?

            Exiting his hovercraft onto the grass made him think of his first trip to the USA.  There were almost no plants in the cities and it looked as if it might be a cement world.  Zodus understood that the section of that country known as the Heartland had artificially enriched soil and the land produced an abundance of grain.  He was moving slowly toward the dome shaped house when his thoughts were shattered by a shrill female voice shouting his name.

            “Mistah Zodus, yo had best move a little faster, else yo kin eats a cold supper!  Don’t even think I might reheats it fo ya.  Jest cause yo ain’t in no hurry don’t mean I will wait.  If’n ya don’t eats it, I’ll throws it out!”

            Zodus looked up and saw the thorn in his life named Kanassa and wondered what his dad had been thinking when he fathered this child.  He knew that it wasn’t uncommon for the wealthy higher-class white men to have affairs with their younger black slave woman, but to father a child was almost unheard of and totally unnecessary.   Zodus couldn’t help thinking that maybe Kanassa was living proof that birth control wasn’t a 100% sure thing. 

            Zodus speeded up slightly so Kanassa wouldn’t yell again and went into the house being careful not to run over her flowers.  Going through the door, he could smell the food waiting for him in the dining area and knew that Kanassa had prepared yet another instant meal.  Zodus thought it sad that an entire way of life had been lost to the modern people due to their unwillingness to take the time to prepare a proper meal.  Everyone wanted everything to be instant; even the leather-like piece of meat, which lay in a lifeless puddle of brown gravy, on the disposable plate in front of him, was an instant turn-off. 

            Zodus sat in his chair at the star shaped table and stared at the unappetizing glob of goo that Kanassa had gone to so much trouble to prepare by adding hot water to it.  He felt as if the so-called "food" was looking back at him daring him to eat it.  With a sigh of compliance, he picked up the disposable flatware and mentally prepared himself for the culinary joke that was forthcoming.  He resigned himself to the fact that it was better to eat this stuff than to do without.  He also knew there were people that would gladly trade places with him.  With that in mind, Zodus began stuffing the tasteless morsels of food things into his mouth.

            Zodus was wiping his mouth on the recycled paper napkin when Kanassa entered the room with her tongue wagging in its usual way saying nothing important.  He listened to her babbling for a few seconds, and then spoke his mind.

            “Why don’t you just shut up for a while?”

            Kanassa made loose fists, placed them at her waist, and did her uppity head wobble thing.  Her eyebrows were raised so high, that tight skin caused the end of her nose to curve upward.

            “And just who does ya thinks you’re talkin’ to?  Yo had best be careful or I’ll leaves ya here ta take care of yo’self.  Our father gaves me my freedom in his will and I don’ts have to put up with yo’ bad manners.  Remember?”

            Unfortunately, Zodus did remember, but right now, he didn’t care.  Right now, he was just trying to keep his dinner down in the pit of his stomach where it belonged.  Kanassa's attitude wasn’t helping him with this endeavor, and the anger generated by her attitude seemed uncontrollable and never ending.  Zodus backed away from the table and turned facing away from her.  He wasn’t going to allow himself to say anything else to her and intended to roll away. 

            Kanassa wasn’t in the frame of mind to let him off that easy and stomped around the table to get in his face.  She started to say something but looked into Zodus's eyes and changed her mind.  She understood the look that she saw there, and knew only a fool would say more.  Keeping her thoughts, and words, to herself wasn’t an easy thing to do, but she guessed it might be better than the alternative.  She didn’t need any time to think it over; the decision had been instantly made.  Kanassa took a step back and turned sideways clearing a path for Zodus to leave the room unhampered by her presents.

            Zodus gave the object of his aggression a quick sideways glance as he rolled passed her not caring if he ran over her foot.  He had taken all of her attitude that he could deal with gracefully and knew that things would get ugly if allowed to continue.  Zodus wasn’t prone to violence against women, but in Kanassa's case, he would make an exception; and she knew it.  Zodus knew that he was sitting on, and in control of, a formidable weapon that would easily make him superior to almost anyone. 

            Zodus carefully navigated the heavy chair around his favorite pieces of furniture, and methodically banged into the things that Kanassa cared the most about.  He watched her leave the room with her nose slightly higher than normal and her mouth clamped tightly closed.  Zodus almost smiled because of the way Kanassa had stiffly marched from his view, and he could imagine what she was thinking.   He felt better in the knowledge that he had won yet another battle with the sibling he blamed for making his life more difficult than it needed to be.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Should I spend any more time on this work? I am on page 152 - maybe half complete. Thank you

Reviews

[THE BLACK SEAL]

i like the alternative history thing you have ging on here. the writing is engaging and you might do a little slimming down of a few submissions.
It is however original and it did keep me interested. so good work. it paints a nice picture