Chris looked at Al and winked. Al smiled.
The same man turned to Al and asked, “Do you know who it was you saved?”
“Three little girls. That’s all I know.”
“One of them was Samara Sands. The president’s daughter. He is going to want to meet you. That girl is the most important thing in his life next to Rivertown and its people. He is going to be very pleased to hear what you and your friends have done today.”
They loaded the equipment Chris brought and headed home feeling tired and proud. The three men that came with Chris hung onto the bars in the back and did not complain. The sun was setting with an explosion of color, and the wind blew in their faces cooling their overheated bodies. The last few hours were an experience that would generate stories long into the future.
****
The following day Theo Sands came to meet and thank the man that rescued his daughter. He walked into the command tent and asked quite politely to see the person responsible for saving the most important things in his life.
The captain approached the president and noticed the difference in attitude. It was like talking to a different person. This man was smiling, and having a hard time containing himself. Tobias could not help but smile. “Mister Clark is at the community center. However…there is something you should know. The man you seek is the ‘Cyborg’ that worried you so much. Were you aware of that?”
The president's smile did not falter. “I suspected as much. After discussing the fire with some of the witnesses, I was told he accomplished things impossible for a normal human being. Someone actually sent me a picture of him carrying Samara from the school! My daughter made sure I saw it.”
“So, you are no longer concerned about his being a threat?”
“Goodness no. I have come to thank Mister Clark. When I have finished with that, I intend on sitting down with you and arranging a partnership between our two colonies. I believe we can help each other.”
For the first time in a long while, the captain was speechless.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A week later, the two settlements threw a party. It was a gathering a lot like Al’s dream. Only better. Four communities combined to become one for an evening of celebration. The shuttles and dune buggy brought everyone that wished to attend, as it was going to be an affair to remember.
When the daylight failed, strings of multi-colored lights lit Rivertown, and many of the homes placed tables and chairs outside their doors, serving food and drink to the revelers wandering the town. They decorated the town square with flickering torches and a grandstand placed strategically in the center.
Kira was introduced to a soccer ball and drafted into a game. The other team did not have a chance. She learned what it was like to be carried on the shoulders of her triumphant teammates and was voted ‘Most Valuable Player.’
Robot Nine was introduced to the townspeople and made quite an impression on the children. They followed him around while he rolled through the streets on his errands, and wondered how he managed to stay upright while balancing on a ball.
Falkor played with the children, disappearing from one place when the children got too close, and reappearing in another. The sound of their laughter filled the streets.
As in the dream, Al was surrounded by his old friends and a growing number of new ones. They stood on the outskirts of the town square testing the local wines and tasting samples of the special fare prepared for the occasion.
Al was surprised when they called him to the bandstand, and they revealed the results of the naming contest, held for the new village. It was a name that had rousing support from all four communities.
The gathering celebrated many things. The naming of the village, the harvest, the newcomers, the saving of lives in the fire, and of course—Al Clark. He was the guest of honor.
In the middle of the festive ceremony, by the light of the torches and surrounded by friends, he learned the results of the vote. The village, from this day forward, will be known as—Clarksville.
Finally, after all their struggles, Al’s people had—a place to call home.
The success of an independently published author is, in large part, due to the reviews generated by the readers. The feedback provided by a review of any kind improves the authors craft and provides exposure in a crowded market.
My mission is to instill in my readers the same feelings of wonder I experience after finishing an exceptional book. The smile on my face helps to etch it into memory.
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Jonathan G. Meyer
Thera Page 20
