RAW - The
Extra-Terrestrial Link.
Chapters:
2. The
3. Surfing and Beyond.
4. Seduction?
5. Not Quite.
6. A Mutual Death.
7. A Kind Lady.
8. Each Man an
9. No Escape.
10. The Silver Screen.
11. Secret Recordings.
12. Why Me?
13. A Question of Belief….
14. Ordinary Pain.
15. Helene James.
16. The Ransom.
17. By the Campfire.
18. It’s All Out There.
19. Rachael
20. The Dreiaye.
21. Changes.
22. Airth.
(note on star gates)
1. “Lime St Station”:
The veteran, Arthur Lorrall, leaned on his walking stick and took a cigarette from the pack hidden in the side pocket of his patched navy jacket.
11th November - Remembrance Day:
Wearing his regimental tie, his shoes polished to a shine, revealing their own reflection of the railway station in which he stood.
An old lady sat on a plastic chair off to the right of him, dabbing her painted eyes with a paper tissue. The hem of her scruffy brown skirt hanging down and falling tattered around her worn out shoes. The orange scarf hanging loosely around her neck, was almost as bright as her oddly coloured hair.
Arthur moved towards her.
‘Do you have a light?’ he questioned.
At first, she took no notice of him, but as he asked her again politely, she looked up at him with defeated tear stained eyes and attempted to smile. She reached into the wretched looking leather handbag by her side and extracted a small, silver lighter. She handed it over to Arthur.
‘Thank you’ he said, and as he looked at the lighter he noticed it was ornately engraved with a rose and the letters L.P. ‘Are these your initials?’ he asked.
‘It was a gift from me to my husband, except he never saw it. He died in the war…’ She wiped another ripe tear away from her left cheek.
Arthur lit his cigarette and handed the lighter back to her, ‘His name?’ he added.
‘Leonard Palin, first Lieutenant, killed
‘Palin?’ uttered Arthur thoughtfully, ‘sounds familiar, maybe he was a friend of mine. Perhaps we trained together in the trenches for those several weeks at the beginning of that war. What has happened to you my dear? Can I buy you a drink?’
‘You think?’ she asked, a look of amazement appearing upon her face, ‘so long ago now, so much hardship since then. The call me Batty Betty, you know?’ she sighed, ‘I am a bit mad you see, sure you want to be seen with me?’
‘Sure do’ said the veteran, ‘look, maybe I can help you, lets move to the tables over there, and….., what do you say we have a drink?’
‘Mine’s a whiskey, make it a double’ she said without hesitation.
‘Oh! Right, come with me and I will go and get us some spirits’.
They moved off together, she stepping on her skirt hem as she shuffled, hunched, to a beckoning seat; he putting out his cigarette in a waiting ash tray before heading for the bar.
Returning with a little tray upon which balanced two glasses, his walking stick hooked over his arm, a small bottle of whiskey, some tonic, and his wallet alongside the receipt. He set the tray upon the table.
‘I like it neat, neat on the street, never sweet’ she rhymed.
He smiled and sat down opposite her, across the circular wooden table, picking up his wallet and putting it back into his waistcoat pocket.
‘Here to remember old friends?’ she questioned.
‘Yes, I’ll be part of the parade scheduled for2pm ’ he
replied.
‘I’ll just sit and watch’ she said, ‘might embarrass people if I walk and fall over like I tend to do. I’ll be doing some singing tho’ when the time is right’.
‘Good to hear it’ said the veteran ‘Leonard will be watching you, you know, he wouldn’t like to see you in a state’.
‘Pa, what would you know’ came her hasty retort and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat as if wanting to leave, but all the time eyeing the remains of the whiskey bottle on the table.
‘Did you not remarry then, after Leonard?’ he enquired.
‘Leonard, oh yes Leonard, I have a picture, would you like to see it?’ she asked. It was not that she didn’t answer his question; it was more that she hadn’t even noticed it. Once again she reached into her handbag and took out firstly, a delicate looking pair of reading glasses, placing them upon her nose, and secondly a small plastic wallet - glancing at it for a while before passing it across the table.
It was a wedding photo, a beautiful happy bride stood next to a handsome smiling young man, his arms around her waist; she holding a bouquet of fresh and colourful flowers.
‘I do remember him’ said the veteran after a while, ‘Leonard Palin – ha, used to say he was everyone’s pal, pal - Palin; had a sense of humour he did. Didn’t know him that well, comrades, brothers in arms – you miss him?’
‘Miss him? Leonard, oh Leonard…’ she picked up her glass and emptied it of its contents, ‘May I?’ she asked stretching a quivering hand towards what remained in the whiskey bottle.
‘Do you think you ought to have more dear? You seem a bit overwrought’ tried Arthur.
‘If that is the end of our drink, I’ll be seeing you then – my photo?’
Arthur sat there aghast, not really knowing what to do, as she stood up reaching across the table to take back her photograph, and without a second glance or a thank you, she left him and the table behind as she shuffling back to the plastic chair from whence she had come.
A young man sat at the table next to Arthur laughing at the immediate scene
‘She’s crackers that one’ he said, taking off his black baseball cap to reveal his spiked red, white and blue punk hairdo.
‘She’s had a tough time’ said the veteran.
‘Oh! No doubt she has old man, but ain’t we all? Ain’t we all?’
‘She lost someone in the war’ Arthur went on, feeling a familiar urge to defend the old from the young.
‘So did I old man, so did I. One granddad went and three of my uncles, my dad born to replace them. Still with us he is, just about,’ laughed the punk, all the time fidgeting with the earring in his left ear.
At that moment a waiter appeared with a plate of steak and chips and handed them to the man with the union jack hair. He began to eat.
‘Knives are always too blunt for steak here’ he complained as he battled with the rough meat.
‘Never ate here myself’ said the veteran, ‘any good?’
But the youth didn’t answer, his mobile phone blasted out the Sex Pistols version of ‘God Save the Queen’, and he swallowed down a mouthful of steak before answering his phone.
It didn’t take him too long to finish his meal, by the time he had, he had almost forgotten about the old man who sat there, still gazing at the people busying around him. The youth reached into his pocket and counted out his money to pay the bill, standing up ready to leave. As he glanced at the floor he noticed the old man’s shoes.
‘You know how to spit and shine shoes old man’ he commented.
‘We were taught to look respectable in the army’ the veteran replied glancing down at the young man’s muddy brown trainers as he spoke.
The young man laughed, ‘hey she is a looker’ he said, motioning his glance towards a young women waiting close to theLondon
‘Indeed…’ sighed Arthur with a smile.
‘Enjoy the parade old man’ called back the youth as he went on his way in the direction of the young woman who’d caught his eye.
‘Cheers’ said Arthur, glancing down at his watch,1:55pm . He
gathered up his walking stick and went on his way.
***
A cold breeze blew much needed air into the stifled railway station, Jessie stood alone within a crowd on the platform. Winter sunshine scattering brightly coloured rays through the glass panels of the station roof, through which she could see heavy clouds hanging like mountain ranges in the sky.
Would he come? She thought, as a loud speaker announced the approachingLondon
Above Jessie’s head, the clock on the wall clicked out its mechanical rhythm steadily, and noticing the fact that she was hearing that over and above the general noise of the station, told her she needed to calm down.
Gazing up at the large circular feature –1:57pm .
His train fromLondon
Nervous!
‘Yes, I’ll be part of the parade scheduled for
‘I’ll just sit and watch’ she said, ‘might embarrass people if I walk and fall over like I tend to do. I’ll be doing some singing tho’ when the time is right’.
‘Good to hear it’ said the veteran ‘Leonard will be watching you, you know, he wouldn’t like to see you in a state’.
‘Pa, what would you know’ came her hasty retort and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat as if wanting to leave, but all the time eyeing the remains of the whiskey bottle on the table.
‘Did you not remarry then, after Leonard?’ he enquired.
‘Leonard, oh yes Leonard, I have a picture, would you like to see it?’ she asked. It was not that she didn’t answer his question; it was more that she hadn’t even noticed it. Once again she reached into her handbag and took out firstly, a delicate looking pair of reading glasses, placing them upon her nose, and secondly a small plastic wallet - glancing at it for a while before passing it across the table.
It was a wedding photo, a beautiful happy bride stood next to a handsome smiling young man, his arms around her waist; she holding a bouquet of fresh and colourful flowers.
‘I do remember him’ said the veteran after a while, ‘Leonard Palin – ha, used to say he was everyone’s pal, pal - Palin; had a sense of humour he did. Didn’t know him that well, comrades, brothers in arms – you miss him?’
‘Miss him? Leonard, oh Leonard…’ she picked up her glass and emptied it of its contents, ‘May I?’ she asked stretching a quivering hand towards what remained in the whiskey bottle.
‘Do you think you ought to have more dear? You seem a bit overwrought’ tried Arthur.
‘If that is the end of our drink, I’ll be seeing you then – my photo?’
Arthur sat there aghast, not really knowing what to do, as she stood up reaching across the table to take back her photograph, and without a second glance or a thank you, she left him and the table behind as she shuffling back to the plastic chair from whence she had come.
A young man sat at the table next to Arthur laughing at the immediate scene
‘She’s crackers that one’ he said, taking off his black baseball cap to reveal his spiked red, white and blue punk hairdo.
‘She’s had a tough time’ said the veteran.
‘Oh! No doubt she has old man, but ain’t we all? Ain’t we all?’
‘She lost someone in the war’ Arthur went on, feeling a familiar urge to defend the old from the young.
‘So did I old man, so did I. One granddad went and three of my uncles, my dad born to replace them. Still with us he is, just about,’ laughed the punk, all the time fidgeting with the earring in his left ear.
At that moment a waiter appeared with a plate of steak and chips and handed them to the man with the union jack hair. He began to eat.
‘Knives are always too blunt for steak here’ he complained as he battled with the rough meat.
‘Never ate here myself’ said the veteran, ‘any good?’
But the youth didn’t answer, his mobile phone blasted out the Sex Pistols version of ‘God Save the Queen’, and he swallowed down a mouthful of steak before answering his phone.
It didn’t take him too long to finish his meal, by the time he had, he had almost forgotten about the old man who sat there, still gazing at the people busying around him. The youth reached into his pocket and counted out his money to pay the bill, standing up ready to leave. As he glanced at the floor he noticed the old man’s shoes.
‘You know how to spit and shine shoes old man’ he commented.
‘We were taught to look respectable in the army’ the veteran replied glancing down at the young man’s muddy brown trainers as he spoke.
The young man laughed, ‘hey she is a looker’ he said, motioning his glance towards a young women waiting close to the
‘Indeed…’ sighed Arthur with a smile.
‘Enjoy the parade old man’ called back the youth as he went on his way in the direction of the young woman who’d caught his eye.
‘Cheers’ said Arthur, glancing down at his watch,
***
A cold breeze blew much needed air into the stifled railway station, Jessie stood alone within a crowd on the platform. Winter sunshine scattering brightly coloured rays through the glass panels of the station roof, through which she could see heavy clouds hanging like mountain ranges in the sky.
Would he come? She thought, as a loud speaker announced the approaching
Above Jessie’s head, the clock on the wall clicked out its mechanical rhythm steadily, and noticing the fact that she was hearing that over and above the general noise of the station, told her she needed to calm down.
Gazing up at the large circular feature –
His train from
Nervous!
At thirty-five years old, her youthful grace she imagined must be fading
- did she still have what it takes?
A punk walked towards her and paused briefly as if about to speak, trying to capture her gaze. Jessie rebuffed him, looking down and away from him, so that he straightened his back a little and walked on. That gave her the boost she needed – sure she still has what it takes.
Drawing in a few deep breaths, Jessie straightened the collar of her blouse which was already straight, instinctively raising a nervous hand to her long golden hair in an effort to smooth it down against the gusts of the incoming train.
Danger - always an indulgence to her, and this was one of the most dangerous things she had ever chosen to do.
He was so famous, and her? Totally unknown.
She longed for the warmth of his body beside her own, even inside her own, alive, oh so alive. Would there be time for that? Would he have an interest? Wasn't that why she had come to the station, and arranged this meeting? Wasn't her desire all too clear? She’d tried to make it that obvious to him in her efforts to pull him in to this very station at this very moment, to be within her grasp.
The train drew to a noisy halt and after a few moments Jessie noticed Rudy Raw disembark, instantly recognizable, wearing jeans, brown leather boots, a dark blue flannel shirt and a cowboy hat which covered his shoulder length dark hair, passing shadows across his face, and adding to his overall appeal.
He looked cool, comfortable and attractive as Jessie had come to expect, and a thrill passed through her body as she realized that at last her time had come. Here he was, and moving closer to her by the second. Jessie stood where she was, frozen with an eerie expectation - needing him to walk straight up to her, the small hairs on the back of her neck reminding her fleetingly of their existence.
***
A punk walked towards her and paused briefly as if about to speak, trying to capture her gaze. Jessie rebuffed him, looking down and away from him, so that he straightened his back a little and walked on. That gave her the boost she needed – sure she still has what it takes.
Drawing in a few deep breaths, Jessie straightened the collar of her blouse which was already straight, instinctively raising a nervous hand to her long golden hair in an effort to smooth it down against the gusts of the incoming train.
Danger - always an indulgence to her, and this was one of the most dangerous things she had ever chosen to do.
He was so famous, and her? Totally unknown.
She longed for the warmth of his body beside her own, even inside her own, alive, oh so alive. Would there be time for that? Would he have an interest? Wasn't that why she had come to the station, and arranged this meeting? Wasn't her desire all too clear? She’d tried to make it that obvious to him in her efforts to pull him in to this very station at this very moment, to be within her grasp.
The train drew to a noisy halt and after a few moments Jessie noticed Rudy Raw disembark, instantly recognizable, wearing jeans, brown leather boots, a dark blue flannel shirt and a cowboy hat which covered his shoulder length dark hair, passing shadows across his face, and adding to his overall appeal.
He looked cool, comfortable and attractive as Jessie had come to expect, and a thrill passed through her body as she realized that at last her time had come. Here he was, and moving closer to her by the second. Jessie stood where she was, frozen with an eerie expectation - needing him to walk straight up to her, the small hairs on the back of her neck reminding her fleetingly of their existence.
***
Recognizing Jessie instantly from the photograph she had sent to him via
the web, Rudy smiled and moved from the train towards her. She was wearing a
short black skirt, which showed a little too much of her long, elegant legs.
Coupled with a white lace blouse, that teased rather than revealing too much,
her long hair falling gently beyond her shoulders and glistening in the
reflected winter sunlight.
He fancied her - too right.
His temperature rose when he first saw her, she smiled and he melted, he rarely felt nervous around women, but there was certainly something about her. He drew a deep breath, widening his shoulders as he walked with clear strides towards her, she would never be able to tell what he was feeling inside. He smiled at some passers-by to take his mind from his thoughts, briefly rubbing shoulders with a youth with a punk hairstyle as he walked by.
A group of teenagers standing upon the platform noticed Rudy straight away. ’Look! That’s Rudy Raw...’ one shouted and the girls charged upon him.
Jessie stepped back, out of the way. Motioning with a hand to the café by her right, as Rudy glanced over, smiling in a kind of apologetic way for the interruption.
He handled it well, he was used to it, loved the attention anyway. When he had kissed, cuddled and signed away their interest, he went looking for Jessie, and found her sat in a quiet corner of the station cafe, sipping coffee and smoking a hand rolled cigarette.
He fancied her - too right.
His temperature rose when he first saw her, she smiled and he melted, he rarely felt nervous around women, but there was certainly something about her. He drew a deep breath, widening his shoulders as he walked with clear strides towards her, she would never be able to tell what he was feeling inside. He smiled at some passers-by to take his mind from his thoughts, briefly rubbing shoulders with a youth with a punk hairstyle as he walked by.
A group of teenagers standing upon the platform noticed Rudy straight away. ’Look! That’s Rudy Raw...’ one shouted and the girls charged upon him.
Jessie stepped back, out of the way. Motioning with a hand to the café by her right, as Rudy glanced over, smiling in a kind of apologetic way for the interruption.
He handled it well, he was used to it, loved the attention anyway. When he had kissed, cuddled and signed away their interest, he went looking for Jessie, and found her sat in a quiet corner of the station cafe, sipping coffee and smoking a hand rolled cigarette.
***
I am in the process of formatting this as an e-book.
JoMitch.
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