Aloha;
This month we are featuring a new tale. It is a science fiction short story which steals a glimpse into the gray world of what is possible. We call it “Balance Retained” and it is part of a larger saga about our world. We hope that you enjoy it. Part one of the story begins here. (This copyrighted story is the intellectual property of J. A. Stubbs and he reserves all right to it.) Get the entire story now! At Amazon.com!
BALANCE RETAINED
© 2019 by J. A. Stubbs
A gentle night breeze swirled and sighed among trees recently awoken by Spring’s warmth. This secluded spot was a pleasant, wooded area; with a winding, once-paved road. Here the path was the only reminder of mankind’s domination of Earth. Birds and animals pursued the mating ritual, as they have since the world was young.
A pair of Bluejays claimed an abandoned nest in a tall tree by the roadside. The nest was over twelve feet above the ground. It rested in a network of branches which overhung the road. Inside the nest was a row of three small eggs. Over them perched the mother Jay. Beneath her, the eggs on either end of the row held normally developing bluejay embryos. In the middle egg:
The universe was a small place and his body almost filled it. He didn’t accept the idea that this was all there was. It seemed irrational for him to live in a reality of such limited possibilities. He was self aware, and aware of his thoughts but nothing else. So he pondered this strange existence and tried to guess at what it was. Sensation was briefly a novelty for him, but he soon adjusted to it.
His newly conscious mind first scanned his developing body. Then probed the intervening space between his body and the edge of the universe filled with nutrient. He repeatedly examined the smooth and continuous curve of existence which stretched around him. But he noted only that his body was changing. He felt the transition of the food around him as it became him.
He watched his body grow and develop, but he did not understand what he saw. Despite his curiosity he found no answers. So he stopped pondering questions and painted pictures of whirling shapes and shifting patterns with his imagination. Then he felt the predatory racial memories of his forbearers; stretching back to the dinosaurs; as his mind developed. And he understood that he was a hunter and that somewhere there must be prey.
When he realized this, his attention returned to the rim of understanding. He probed again and perceived the world beyond his shell. Hours passed before he understood it. But soon he realized that his ‘universe’ was small compared to the greater existence. A scan of the objects on either side of him revealed two developing lives like his own.
However, unlike himself, he found no consciousness animating them. This discovery turned in his mind for a while; until he discovered his mother. It took awhile, but he slowly and carefully scanned her adult form. He systematically noted the many differences between her and his own changing body. But even though he observed the differences, he did not understand many of them.
Once he knew of her presence it answered some questions, but created new ones. Then he scanned her mind. The mental level she thought on completely surprised him. So he searched for and explored her memory. He remembered with her recent life experiences as she saw them. Older reflections were more sporadic or had faded from her thoughts.
Read more of the story at A Word More About Balance Retained. Or get the entire tale now at Amazon.com! Go to the Science Fiction page, or the Reading Library, or return Home.
Respectfully Yours,
J. A. Stubbs, Editor-In-Chief
Forgotten Lore Publishing, llc