A Future Fairy Tale by Robert Plamondon
Norton Creek Press, October 2016. 12 pages.
Suggested retail price, Kindle: $0.99.
ONCE UPON A TIME there was a lad named Jack. Jack lived with his mother on Sinclair. They were very poor, for Jack’s father had been killed in a Morversarn raid. His mother had to work very hard to keep them both fed.
One day his mother said, “Jack, I want you to take your father’s space suit to the market and sell it, or we will have no money to buy food.”
“But Mother,” said Jack, “if I sell Father’s space suit, what will I wear when I’m old enough to join the High Militia? How will I become a citizen?”
“If you don’t sell the suit we will starve,” she replied, “and then you’ll never join the High Militia either.”
So Jack bundled up the space suit and walked to the market, where goods from many worlds were bought and sold. There were fish from Myckhaven, brandy from Barigost, machines from Goa, fierce Great Belt mercenaries ready for hire, even (if you knew where to ask, and were very rich) Terran aphrodisiacs and maps to fabled Grenaduve.
Jack went from booth to booth, but could find no one who was interested in his father’s space suit.
“Outdated,” said one.
“Too much wear,” said another.
“There are bullet holes in it,” said a third.
Jack tried and tried, but no one would buy his father’s space suit. Finally, late that evening, he turned to leave. “Now my mother will starve,” he said, “and it’s all my fault.”
“Perhaps I can help,” said a voice. Jack looked up and beheld a fat man with fair hair, wearing worn and faded finery of many garish colors. Jack knew at once that the man was a Goan, and put a hand protectively on his wallet (though in truth there was no money in it).
“I have need of a space suit,” continued the Goan, “and I am willing to pay you well…”
Read the Exciting Conclusion!
Will Jack trade his father’s space suit for magic software? What will become of Jack and his poor mother? There’s only one way to find out!
Available only on Kindle.
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