Cody Walton's Stories

Goodbye, Blue Sky

2008-05-08T21:26:35Z

It was quiet.

Some would say “too quiet”, but she didn’t go in for that kind of cliche.

A gentle breeze caressed her body and annoyingly pushed her hair into her eyes. The sun was out. Warm.

Here in this open field, far from the cacophony of TV newscasts and raid sirens, things were peaceful. And that’s how she wanted it. Nothing to do about it now except enjoy what time was left. She laid back on the thick grass and put her hands behind her head so she would watch the clouds. A bit of grass poked through her blouse and itched her back.

WHHOOOOOOOSH !!!!

The jets screamed overhead at near supersonic speed, headed toward the city. They left little ripples and plumes in the clouds as they plowed through. She sat up on her elbows and cocked her head to the side. Far far away she could barely make out the skyline, if she squinted hard enough.

If you didn’t think about the absolute devastation they bring, then the mushroom clouds are actually quite beautiful, in a way.

Goodbye, Blue Sky.

Antiquities

2008-05-07T21:31:00Z

From the 56th floor he surveyed the entire Manhattan skyline. Looking out the floor to celling windows all one could see were spires of chrome and glass. The corner office provided a view some men would kill for, and in fact some had.

In fact he had. No one but his old man had known the lengths he had gone to assure his success, and the old man was long dead. To the outside observer the firm of Kaufman & Keaton appeared to be a simple, albeit amazingly prosperous, antiquities dealer.

His secretary knocked and quietly opened the door.

“Mr. Kaufman? This package just arrived for you.”

“Set it on my desk”, he said without turning around. She left as quietly as she came. As soon as she was gone he spun around, eyes fixed on the small brown box. It bore no return address, but he knew its origin. Directly in the middle, on the top, was blood-red wax seal, about the size of a quarter, with a dragon stamped in it.

A devilish smile crept across his face.

“Finally”, he said.