The Equilibrium Zone (Part Two of Three) (547 hits)
Category: GeneralLabels: Fiction
Rating: 2 on 13 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Jack11058 (View user info) at 2005-01-03 14:48:17 EST
Part One : http://www.ubersite.com/m/55661
Part Two
The Storglaciaren
West of Nikolata, Sweden
Present Day
Marko stepped out again, his stride strengthened after his brief respite. After only two more miles of steady hiking he was deep into the equilibrium zone, the steady area of a glacier between the ablation zone, where the heat from the summer evaporated the ice, and the accumulation area, where snow and ice formed, adding new layers to the surface of the Storglaciaren. It would not be long now.
Twilight was coming.
After his discovery nearly a decade ago, when he had come off the glacier without his friend Bruce Jennings, but carrying the two things that would change his life (one of which he gave to the world and one of which he kept hidden away), others had journeyed to where the crevasse had so mysteriously formed. But even more strangely, they could not find the newly formed fissure. Marko himself had returned numerous times and always stopped in the same place, the place he knew was right. Each time it was the same. There was no crevasse, no tunnel. They told him he was confused, had gotten lost and turned around. But he never found the tunnel again.
This time would be different. He could feel it. The gentle thrumming from the thing in his right hand told him he was close. It was right. Suddenly it was there before him. The great fissure in the surface of the snow-covered ice, breaking the moulin and running to the rocks on the side of the mountain. He could even see the raw rock where the ledge had broken off, carrying him to the mouth of the tunnel and Bruce Jennings to his death. He had been here a dozen times since the first and the fissure had not been here. But he was not surprised. He looked down at his hand. Soft blue light shone through his clenched fingers, illuminating the delicate bones from within.
He stepped to the edge of the crack nearest the mountainside and looked down. The ledge was there, still resting precariously against the narrowed edges of the crevasse. The tunnel was there as well, azure light spilling from its mouth. Marko paused, remembering and resolute. He knew the delay would not change his mind. He just wanted to reflect for a moment before going down into the tunnel.
The humming in his hand took on a sense of urgency, and he thought of Lana. Cancer had taken her the year before, leaving a great hole in his life. He wondered if that was the reason the tunnel appeared again. Now that he had nothing left. His work had ceased to have meaning after she left him and there was no joy in his life. Yes, that was it. The tunnel waited for him, for him to be ready. After all, it had waited uncounted millennia for him to find it, surely it could wait a paltry decade for him to return.
He climbed down confidently onto the ledge. It held, as he knew it would. He ducked his head and walked into it, leaving the fully darkened sky behind. He didn't need his flashlight, for the glow was once again illuminating his way.
********************
University of Stockholm
Present Day
Edvard stifled a curse as he slopped the mop over yet another spill in the faculty eating area. The professors created more of a mess than the students. He hated when they left messes. Not because he was fastidious, or even all that clean. Edvard was simply lazy. He half-heartedly stepped on the mop, grinding the head into the sticky spot, then returned the dripping mop to the bucket. The stain was still there, but he had at least gone over it. Let the day shift finish it.
He paused, stretching and letting out a jaw-cracking yawn. Only one more section to go over and he could return to the janitor's room and smoke the joint nestled carefully in his breast pocket. Then, a nap on the rumpled couch. Life wasn't all that bad.
He moved down the hallway towards the archaeology department, the squeaking wheel on the mop bucket nothing more than background noise to the man who had been mopping these halls for twenty years. He did a quick once-over in the vestibule, not really doing much but spreading freshly-dampened dust around.
As he pushed through the swinging double doors leading into the department area hallway, he came up short. A soft blue glow was coming from the last room on the right, Professor Ericksen's laboratory. Maybe she was working late; Edvard hoped so-Ericksen was gorgeous. Tall, blonde and built like a Nordic queen. He always took a little extra time actually cleaning in her room, even polishing the glass case that contained her "Glacier Man". He doubted she noticed, but one never knew. He quickened his steps, looking forward to seeing her. Maybe she would be wearing the black skirt again.
As he neared Ericksen's office, he heard the sound of breaking glass coming from inside.
"Professor Ericksen?" Edvard called out hesitantly. There was no response. He pushed his bucket a little faster the last few steps to the door. As he pushed through, the blue glow intensified, becoming almost harsh.
The mop dropped from his hand, clattering to the floor and upending the bucket. Water spread over the floor and turned instantly to ice.
User Reviews
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2005-07-23 03:44:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You make me go to the closet to put my parka on.....then BAM!
<ihateyou>
:)
Submitted by CoffeeAndSmokes (user info) at 2005-03-16 15:45:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
publish!!!
Submitted by drfeggphd (user info) at 2005-02-08 20:27:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-01-05 08:59:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
!Muy Bien!
Somehow the above is more fun to type than "very good"
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2005-01-04 17:17:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You are good.
Really good.
This is superb.
So was Drawing in the Dark.
I like short sentences.
Submitted by engine13 (user info) at 2005-01-03 20:20:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yep, Good. . . Got nothing better to say.
Only one thing - Marko's wife's name changed from Lena to Lana, threw me off for a second.
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2005-01-03 18:58:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
thanks for reading and rating, all. part three out tomorrow afternoon sometime.
Submitted by omnifica (user info) at 2005-01-03 18:57:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
money
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-01-03 17:44:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Part 3?
-Dave
Submitted by kingphatcow (user info) at 2005-01-03 15:59:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-01-03 15:46:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
That was not one of those times.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-01-03 15:46:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ooooooh, cool.
...get it? Cool? I crack myself up sometimes.
Submitted by WillZone (user info) at 2005-01-03 15:38:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Equilibrium Zone is a cousin of mine.