Second chances by Cathy F Bolton

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SECOND CHANCES, Part 8
by Cathy F. Bolton

She felt pain as something sharp and protruding cut into her belly. Whatever it was, a rock or the bones of some old tree, it slid under her belt, caught her and left her dangling at the edge of the world.

It slipped, then held. She was afraid to breathe. Fate seemed to toy with her. She was aware of the warmth of the sun, the smell of the earth close to her face. A sharpness cut into her gut but she embraced the pain if it promised her life.

Time passed. Her mind raced as her body was held prisoner to the slightest move. She found irony in her situation. She once had it all, weath, fame, power. It meant nothing except that it gave her the ability to take a chance on a lone planet 22 yrs away from home. There was hope that a natural climate might give her only son, and others like him, a cure for a rare disease that came from life on the stations.

Despite the crash, most of the advance crew had survived and her son had been cured. She had done all in her power to keep her promise to the others that were following. She had wanted to prepare a place for them at New Pacificia.

Now, all that went before, all that she was and had hoped for, hung on the strength of a two inch nylon belt. With no way to help herself, she prayed. For her life. For a second chance.

The sound of voices reached her. Danziger voice, nervously calling to her. "Devon..Julia..Hang on!! " She almost laughted...then felt tears...she loved his voice suddenly..

Danziger braced himself on the trail and lowered Alonzo. Then Walman used Alonzo as a human rope as he reach down to where Devon lay. They felt she was in the greatest danger. With his arms around her and Alonzo holding on to him, they began a slow, punishing, haul backwards to the safety of the trail. Then they repeated the same rescue with Julia.

As Alonzo pulled Julia to firm ground, he untied her gag and kissed her. Tears left dusty trails down her cheeks. Her face was bloodly and bruised but she never looked more beautiful to him. "I thought I'd lost you." he told her "I never want to feel that way again."
She spoke his name, "Alonzo.." and she was overcome at the joy of seeing him, feeling him kissing her gently on the lips, the cheeks and the eyes. As he touched her face with his hand, she saw her ring on his finger and knew it had lead him to her somehow.

Danziger walked back to where Walman and Devon were sitting. Walman had untied her and Devon was rubbing the feeling back into her hands. He masked his relief that she was OK by saying, "You know Adair, I don't know how you expect me to get anything done on those machines when I have to spend all day wandering around looking for you. I'll bet you expect to be under way by tomorrow morning too."

Devon looked up at him, a sparkle of humor coming back into her eyes. In a voice husky with fatigue she said, "Danziger, for once, I'm in no hurry. Take as long as you like." She looked at everything before her with eyes reborn. Aware of life's fragility Having seen her own death, she gave silent thanks for a second chance to feel life's tenderness, it's joys and fears and even it's sorrows.

He reached to help her up, trying to cover a smile. "Well, it's getting dark and I still have work to do so let's get moving. Come on Walman, let's pry the love birds apart before the sun sets. This has been one hell of a day and I'm sure we're in for a hell of a story around the campfire tonight." He walked over to the young couple "That is, if some of us can stay awake." He looked down at a sleeping Julia wraped in Alonzo's arms. Her head was on his shouldar. Alonzo's eyes were closed and he rested his head against hers.

"Lovers!" he thought in disgust and bent to untie Julia's hands.

-The End-

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