1. Jack's detail


    Date: 5/8/2017, Categories: Taboo, Author: Lanyx, Rating: 2, Source: LushStories

    The low quality gravelled mountain road forces Jack to drive at a frustratingly low speed. This landscape is devoid of life; all that can be seen in grey boulders and rocks. There are no other vehicles on this lonely road. Distance countdown markers provide the only bit of company. After four agonizing hours, he crosses the last ridge. Across the shallow valley, there’s finally some color! It looks like a white airliner; but an airport at this location? Jack’s brain gives up trying to figure out the answer. All Jack wants to do is to reach his destination. There is extra pressure on him, as his ‘destination’ asked him to pick up a trailer. He now understands why his hauling over 2000 pounds of diesel. The road winds its way across the valley, and the distance countdown is almost at zero. Jack then realizes that his destination could be that airliner. He tries not to think too hard, as he has a massive headache. His fingertips are tingling, and his breathing quite heavily. He wishes he could have lost more weight. The road ends at a chain-link gate. In front of him, there is a sight like no other. He is looking at the back of the airliner. Behind it, etched in the gravel, the evidence of its belly landing. A good portion of the main wing structure is missing. A stub supporting the engine remains though. He can make out that the engine is running, somehow powered by an external source. On top of the wing stub, there is a white metal chamber, which appears to be welded to the ...
    body. Attached to that ‘chamber’ are some metal stairs with three landings. Suddenly, a hatch opens in the chamber. Three women, in military uniform, emerge onto the top stair landing. They make their way down the stairs. A small tremor frightens Jack. Behind the aircraft, in the distance, he spots Ogñushka. The volcano is releasing plumes of smoke. ‘Ogñushka’ is a portmanteau of two native words, which roughly translate to English as ‘fire witch’. Legend has it that Ogñushka has an ‘episode’ every four weeks or so. Jack is mesmerized and stares at the distant cloud of smoke and ash. A knock on Jack’s car window makes him jump, and snaps him from his gaze. He looks at the person knocking. It is one of the women he saw coming down the stairs. He is taken aback by her looks. He is drawn in by her brunette hair, which is neatly tied into a bun. He also notices her stylish black-framed glasses, and her youthful beautiful face. Jack takes a deep breath; she is the first person he saw in the last six hours. Jack opens his window, and a young lady begins to speak, “Welcome to the Volcano Ogñushka Communications facility, Mr Kowalski. We have been expecting you. Please drive in.” As she finishes her sentence, a distant thud resonates in the valley. The sound of the eruption has reached them. He watches her for a reaction, but gets nothing, a clear indicator that there is no immediate danger. Her nametag simply reads ‘A. Montgomery’. Jack is guided to park in a makeshift garage by the ...
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