word list Prompt #478 - Word List

[Renee Stevens]

Use the following words in a story – roses, bacon, a frog, balloons, and new sneakers.

[JamesSavik]

The Gemini Soldiers Find Homes 

 

All across the Alliance the twins were adopted by families on a hundred worlds. 

 

As some would say in future years, that's when they became real boys.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Patricia Ireland of Lone Star's Social Services banked the aircar over the ranch and said, "Take a look at your new home boys. This is the Johnston's Station. It goes from the foothills of those mountains all the way to the Rio Grande de Plata."

 

When the Gemini soldier kids entered "the system", Ireland was like everyone else. She had seen both the open and confidential files on the kids and she had her doubts. It took working with them. Of all the kids that she had worked with, the Gemini twins were the easiest. You had to be careful because they never complained but, when they said something, it was worth listening to carefully. They were so smart it was a little scary.    

 

She cocked her head to see the twins with their nose to the aircars glass. The two boys were so excited that the aircar might have been able to fly without its anti-grav plates engaged.

 

It wasn't the biggest station on Lone Star but it was impressive. The foothills of the snow capped Chianti Mountains were covered in thick, towering evergreens that gave way to lush green plains of the river valley. Hundreds of cattle dotted the fields which were crossed with a dozen brooks fed by glacial melt from the mountains.

 

Terri asked, "Why does the water in those streams look so white?"

 

His brother Kerri replied, "I'm not exactly sure why but it's common with glacial run off. I read up on the mountains and there are six glaciers in this range. That one's named Merute Helada..."

 

Terri said, "Icy Death? You're kidding."

 

Miss Ireland said, "No, he's not kidding. Those glaciers have been something of a death trap to even experienced climbers. This planet was pretty cold before the terraformers started working on it. They raised the average global temperature and it has really taken a bite out of the planets many glaciers. Rather than melting over hundreds of years, the tempo has been drastically increased and has made them very unstable."

 

She lined up the aircar on an approach vector to the landing apron and set the autopilot. "I know you guys like physical challenges but I suggest leaving exploring glaciers off your itinerary."

 

Terri's head was swiveling like a search radar and he said, "Looks like there's plenty of other things to explore."

 

The little aircar sat down with a gentle thump and the hatches popped open.

 

Mr. and Mrs Johnson and their daughter Kara were approaching from the house. There were big smiles on everyone's faces but the boys. They stepped out of the car and looked around bewildered. 

 

Mr. Johnson approached and said, "What's the matter boys?"

 

Kerry asked, "What is that noise?"

 

Mr. Johnson looked baffled for a moment and then he figured it out, "Oh, those are tree frogs. They make quite a racket this time of year but you get to where you hardly even notice them. Come on inside."

 

They followed the Johnson's into the kitchen of the house that smelled of bacon and roses. There were balloons and a sign that said, "Welcome home Kerri and Terri!", a cake and several gift boxes."

 

Mrs. Johnson served up glasses of iced tea and cake while the boys were handed their first box. 

 

As the boys opened the boxes Mr. Johnson said, "You'll need these sneakers, It's two kilometers walk to get anywhere on this station. That's just the easy trips. It certainly keeps you in shape."

 

Mrs. Johnson and Kara held two other identical boxes conspiratorially and little Kara said, "You're really going to like these."

 

They put the boxes down on the floor and invited the boys to come over and open them.

 

Keri and Terri approached the boxes and took the lid off to see two yellow puppy faces looking up at them. 

 

The two boys were so shocked they both fell on their behinds and looked terribly distressed.

 

Kerri said almost in a panic, "Are they... baby Pagathars?"

 

The adults were frozen by the boys reaction to the puppies and then Miss Ireland remembered her briefing. The Gemini soldiers were forced to fight and kill vicious genetically engineered creatures that were shaped like dogs but would never be confused with a pet.

 

She said, "No guys, these aren't Pagathars. They are dogs. They are only distantly related to Pagathars."

 

Both boys were shaking and it was clear to everyone in the room that whatever a Pagathar was, the boys were scared to death of them.

 

One by one the puppies hopped out of their box and waddled over to the boys. One licked Terri and the other literally smiled at Kerri.

 

Terri reached down and stroked the puppies fur and said, "Some Pagathar you are. You only tasted me."

 

Kerri's puppy hopped into his lap, sniffed a couple of times and sat signaling his approval with happy wags of his tail. 

 

Kerri said, "This is all so different but, I think we're going to like it here."

 

Edited February 24, 2016 by jamessavik

[JohnAR]

The Meta contribution: "Time" https://www.gayauthors.org/story/johnar/metaprompts/58

(no cute puppies included)