NEW DAY - Chapter 17 - PG-13

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Penina Spinka
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Location: Sun City Arizona, USA

NEW DAY - Chapter 17 - PG-13

Post by Penina Spinka »

This is the final chapter of NEW DAY. I hope you enjoy it and will send me your thoughts on the last part of the story. Thank you for reading.

New Day (2645)

Chapter 17


There was the sound of rattling dishes and silver, and the buzz of conversation at the IHOP. It was 1:00, p.m., and according to Sam’s schedule, breakfast time. Sam sipped at his cappuccino and took another bite of his pancake. He found it difficult to keep his eyes off Francis. “I want to hear more about your concluding chapter,” he said. “I hope you tied up all the loose ends. You don’t want to leave questions in your readers’ minds. You had the war going on by the river, right? The Persians didn’t reach Babylon?”

Francis gave half a laugh and Sam caught his thought. With Sam’s blood in him, Francis could hear him as well as he could hear Francis. So, we’re back to that again - the author and the agent at the House of Pancakes?

It worked, didn’t it?

“Even though the first half of the army stopped the ships and took them, the fighting went on for several more days. There were skirmishes and acts of heroism on both sides, but because we intercepted them before they could reach the city, there was no doubt about the outcome. Some of the Persian fighters dressed in the uniforms of killed Babylonians. They got through to the city, but any strangers were incarcerated on my orders until I could question them. I could tell when someone was lying. If they couldn’t be identified, they were killed. We left a contingent of officers behind to defend the city. It would have been quite different if the city didn’t get its warning and actually had to withstand a siege, but it never got that far.”

“The hero and his friends saved the day. Perfect. I wonder who should play Radu.” He blotted his lips. “Who’s hot right now? Eric Banna?” Sam seemed to consider his choice. “Let’s see - curly hair, good looking, strong and decisive. Yes. He’d be a perfect you.” Sam’s eyes laughed at Francis’s questioning lowered brow. “Too bad Alex McLaughlin is busy filming his new show right now, but he’d be great as Miceas. Rachel McAdams could play Serali. How about you and me? You can be Francis telling the story and I’ll be Sam, listening while we walk all over Greenwich Village between acts, go to the play and lie in my bed talking. I can act. You do come show on film, don’t you?”

Francis lifted both hands as if to ward off a cross in the old vampire movies. “Keep us out of it. That kind of publicity is the last thing we need.” He gave Sam a piercing look. “Your heartbeat is steady. You’re joking. Aren’t you?”

“Of course I am.” Sam’s grin was self-effacing. “It would have been fun, though. Let’s get back to my real questions, all right? As far as the war machines, I was kind of hoping you would talk about trebuchets, those giant war machines like catapults that could throw a car. It would have made a better battle scene, but all you mentioned was one tower and a few battering rams.”

“You put war machines into a web search, but you didn’t read all the links. Trebuchets were medieval. They were used about two millennia after the war in the story. You on the wrong side of one of those things in a French castle in 1100 Common Era. Catapults were popular in Roman times. The Greeks and the Chinese used them too, but they aren’t in this story. In the first war between Persia and Babylon, the tower was cutting- edge technology, along with iron-tipped battering rams. I saw bronze-tipped rams long before, but iron was harder. The Persians and Medes might actually have succeeded, but to use a modern expression, our side turned the tables. We seized the invaders’ ships at night, on the river, before they were ready to fight.

As I advised them, our officers had the horses and the chariots removed from the ships and ready to supply the rest of Babylon’s army when they caught up. The northern horses belonged to Babylon in the first place. Marduk also confiscated the ships to increase his own navy. All in all, except for the confrontation weakening our enemies and making them wait, Babylonia went on as before for several more centuries. That particular war has been forgotten, except by me.”

“Have you thought of becoming a history professor?” Sam whispered.

“A few times, but I couldn’t teach what wasn’t known. I was a professor of languages at Oxford while you were on the London stage in 1919. There was nearly a scandal. Now, what else would you like to know?”

Sam sputtered and reached for his glass of water. “Did you swallow something the wrong way,” Francis asked. “Take a few deep breaths.”

“I’ll be fine.” Sam shook his head and touched his napkin to his lips. “Let’s get back to the main characters. What were Miceas and Serali doing while they waited for you?”

“That shouldn’t be hard to guess. Today, it would be called a honeymoon.”

The change in Sam’s coloring was nearly imperceptible under his dark skin, but Francis knew. Sam riposted by angling his fingers as if to line up a frame within a camera. “Let me see. How would the director want to show this? Some close-ups of the happy couple, then a wide shot to take in the oasis and sweeping music, maybe some drums. I wish I could have been there.” He lowered his voice again. “I know; I was. And Radu felt no jealousy at all?”

Francis blinked. “I never said that, but he was somewhat busy trying to save lives at the time. Did you expect him not to be jealous? That’s asking a lot.”

Sam took Francis’s hand. “Sorry. Serali loved Radu too. She said so. She must have.”

“True, but it wasn’t the same. She was no longer his alone. Radu knew it had to be that way, but it still hurt to have to give her up. Over the millennia, their story repeated itself over and over, with variations.”

“Sam tried not to frown. He had been responsible for hurting Francis, and would again. He was doing it again, no matter how much he didn’t want to. He asked his next question. “What happened when Radu brought them back to the Babylon?”

“Miceas guessed that a lot of people might blame him for the war in an indirect way since he dispensed those copper and silver bracelets in the first place. The rumor of the cursed ornaments surfaced for a while, but the connection was never completely understood. He wanted to do some good with the rest of his life, to provide well for Serali and their growing family. I agreed to accept him into my School of Medicine. He had some skills we were able to develop. He applied himself and became quite a fine doctor.”

“I don’t think I told you - Mick was a medic in the Second World War. His family didn’t have the money to send him to medical school during the Great Depression, but he did get to be a healer. Those days meant a lot to him.”

“I’m not surprised. He has a knack for it. When he’s done being a private investigator, he might go to medical school again. He still wants to help people. He took over the school when I went to live in Phoenicia and presided over it until his final illness many years later. When I left Babylon, I had lived there more than 30 years.

It was too long to remain in one place, but Marduk was dead. I had a hankering to learn the Phoenician language and the new writing system I first saw on the bracelets. It was much easier to learn than symbols or picture writing. Each letter represented a sound. There was some argument over who invented the phonetic alphabet first, the Israelites or the Phoenicians. I studied in Phoenicia where it was quieter and the people were more accepting of foreigners. I returned to Babylon when Serali was a widow in her 60s.” Francis smiled. “That is when I told her everything.”

“How did she take it?”

“She wanted to be skeptical, but she couldn’t help but believe. The hardest part for Serali was accepting she once was my brother, not my sister. My appearance did the most to convince her that all the rest must be true. When she was four, I seemed quite old to her. When she married, I appeared as old as her father. When I returned to her, her youngest sons appeared older than me. She introduced me to them as an old friend, but she could hardly say I was Radu. They knew me as a close family friend before I left Babylon, but they did not make the connection.” Francis sighed and shook his head. “Serali was still beautiful to me, but she didn’t have much longer to live. I had her for five more years and was with her when she died to ease her pain.”

Sam allowed him his private memories. He did not like to think of his own death, no matter how many times it had happened. It was harder on Francis in some ways than on him, to watch him age and die in every one of his lives. “Let’s change the subject then. After Radu brought Miceas and Serali to Babylon, you said they married. In those days, did a couple just decide they were married, or was there a ceremony and a party?”

“The common folk made a visit to Ishtar’s temple to ask for children. Their families would invite neighbors for a small celebration, but Serali was the king’s niece. Upper classes were different, marrying for alliances or property. I told Marduk how much help Serali had been to me in Nineveh, without details, of course. The king made the wedding himself, at the summer palace in Ekbatana.

Lady Undassa asked Ishtar to bless the happy couple. Apparently, the goddess already looked favorably on their union since Serali had her first son seven months later. Everyone of note at the court came, the officials, Serali’s parents and family, all the priestesses of Ishtar and me. The celebration festival went on for four days. Marduk gave them two houses for a marriage gift, one in Ekbatana and one in Babylon. I wish I could say Miceas and Serali invited me for dinner, but that would have been awkward.”

Sam took Francis’s hand under the table. “And now, here we are. Does life ever get boring for you?”

You’re getting away from the story. This is not Interview with the Vampire.

I didn’t know it was translated into Romanian. “We’re almost done,” Sam said aloud. “Would you care to answer the question? I’m not recording your answers.”

It was impossible to be serious at Sam’s tone, but Francis replied thoughtfully. “Life can’t be boring when you are alive somewhere in the world or will be again. How can it be boring? You’re different every time, but I always know your soul will be waiting for me to find you again.” His voice faded, but the words remained.

The waitress cleared Sam’s dishes. He pointed to his empty cup. “Another, please.” When she was gone, they gazed at each for a few moments, fixing the moment in time. “We’ll visit,” Sam said. “I want to see my homeland. Maybe I won’t be alone.” Francis nodded, understanding that Sam had to live out his life. When his second cappuccino arrived, Sam asked about Esok. “Did he go to Haggai right away?”

“He stayed with me in Babylon for about a year. He wanted to watch all the executions. Esok was bloodthirsty for a human; I certainly didn’t like to watch them. When I asked why he was so fascinated by the killings, he told me he hoped to catch a glimpse of his old riverboat captain. He finally spotted him being marched among other prisoners into the king’s fiery furnace.

“After their first few meals of prisoners, the lions became too fat and lazy to do any good for weeks. Some prisoners were staked in the way Vlad the Impaler made famous.” Sam whistled softly. “I couldn’t stand to watch those executions. They brought back painful memories of my encounter with a stake in Nineveh. The beheading knives needed constant sharpening. Bronze doesn’t hold an edge like iron. Even iron would have worn down with that kind of use, but iron was rare in those days, so they lit the fires.”

“The English and the French settlers thought our Mohawk warriors and women were savages. I’m glad I didn’t live in Babylon then,” Sam said with a shudder. He caught himself. “Well, I’m glad I don’t remember it. Tell me more about Esok.” Did Radu drink his blood again?

Francis gave him a reminiscent smile, reached across the table to touch Sammik’s hand, and thought out the rest.

# #

During the battle, there were a lot of injuries. I worked with my team of doctors day and night, patching up wounds, trying to save limbs and stop infection. With so much blood, you’d think I’d manage to keep fed, but there were always too many people watching. I had a field hospital set up. I had worked all night. When the sun rose, I finally went to my own tent to escape the sun and get some sleep. I left orders to the other doctors and their helpers not to disturb me. I had just taken off my boots when I heard someone knock on the wooden plaque of my tent wall.

“Who’s there?” I shouted, annoyed that my orders were being ignored. Being thirsty and tired put me in a bad mood. I hoped it was some underling I could tell to go away.

“It’s me, Master Radu.” I knew his voice. While I was deciding how to answer, Esok let himself in anyway and came over to me. “I think I have something you want,” he said.

I looked at him in surprise. “What could you mean, Esok?” I asked.

He lifted his wrist to present his arm and gave me that sly smile of his. “If you’ll take it from me, that is.”

I reached for his hand to bring him down beside me on the army cot. “Now that you mention it, a drink would be very welcome. I accept,” I said, and I did.

# #

Sam laughed. “Would Josef believe me if I told him he was once your servant?”

“It’s best you don’t. He’s in awe of you and what you can do, but he likes to think he’s superior to humans. Josef is very powerful in his own right and a community leader in Los Angeles. Being reminded of his past life as my servant would humiliate him.”

“He’d never harm me,” Sam pointed out.

For an instant, Francis looked like a vampire is supposed to look - pale as ash, his eyes drained of color and the points of his fangs showing. Only Sam noticed. The next moment, he resumed his human appearance. “Of course, Josef wouldn’t harm you. He knows what I’d do to him, but don’t bring it up. We don’t want to be unkind.”

“Never,” Sam agreed. He swallowed the last of his cappuccino and checked his watch. “Before I drive you to the airport, I think we have enough time for another goodbye. He lowered his voice, “…if you’ll take it from me, that is.” He couldn’t hold back a smirk at using Esok’s very words.

Francis blinked several times. When he met Sam’s gaze, his eyes glittered with unshed emotion. “I would welcome another goodbye from you. No one better,” he said.

The End
Read Sam stories by Penina My index: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewforum.php?f=560
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LadyAilith
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Re: NEW DAY - Chapter 17 - PG-13

Post by LadyAilith »

Thank you so much for sharing such a great story! I loved reading about Radu, Sam, and company. Will there be another story?
LadyAilith :rose:
Penina Spinka
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Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:10 pm
Location: Sun City Arizona, USA

Re: NEW DAY - Chapter 17 - PG-13

Post by Penina Spinka »

Thank you for your kind words. As I think you know, my latest Sam/Francis story BECOMING is being posted now. I don't recall how much of it is in here. www.fanfiction.net has most of it. I'm writing Chapter 31 now, but you can read as much as I have posted about Sam and Francis' first life in ancient times in http://llolnetwork.ning.com/. That's Long Legs O'Loughlin. Look in Penina Spinka's s studio. I hope you can find it easily and will enjoy it. BECOMING is based on what Francis told Sam about their first life together in NEW DAY's first chapter. In writing it, I'm discovering many more details. Their early story does not infringe on WB's copyright, so I can try to sell it if it is good enough. I'm eager for feedback, so please send your thoughts.
All good wishes, Penina
Read Sam stories by Penina My index: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewforum.php?f=560
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