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    Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark
    Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark
    Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark
    Ebook98 pages1 hour

    Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark

    By Linda Acaster

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    About this ebook

    The Dark, it remains our greatest fear. The six stories in this collection of speculative fiction explore some of the terrors we might find lurking. Or worse, might find us.

    'The Lake' - a couple seek tranquillity at the site of a high caldera which seems protected by a duststorm. Despite no other vehicles, they’re not the only ones to have made the journey.

    'A Glimmer in the Night' returns to bygone days. A learned man takes a guide into unmapped lands, seeking treasure, seeking truth. Sometimes both lie hidden for a reason.

    'Our Tyke' - a ghost story such as might be recited in a pub – ‘The Three Bells’ as happens here – yet is based on a true events.

    'Doppelgänger' asks the age-old question ‘What would life be like if I were different?’ The problem comes when someone answers.

    'Harvester World TZ29-4' is a planet destined to save humanity, whatever humanity is. Or becomes.

    'Contribution to Mankind' - one man’s malevolence holds a group of petty criminals in thrall. A lone voice tries to make a difference and fails, yet succeeds where never intended.

    Dark tales for a dark night. Don’t look here for happy endings.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLinda Acaster
    Release dateNov 30, 2010
    ISBN9781452398983
    Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark
    Author

    Linda Acaster

    See LINKS to books below. Linda Acaster is an award-winning writer living in Yorkshire, England (UK), and the author of seven novels, a fiction-writer's resource, and over 100 articles & short stories ranging from Horror to Crime to Literary.

    Read more from Linda Acaster

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      Book preview

      Contribution To Mankind And Other Stories Of The Dark - Linda Acaster

      Contribution to Mankind

      and other stories of the Dark

      by

      Linda Acaster

      Copyright © 2010 Linda Acaster

      Updated Edition 2 © 2015 Linda Acaster

      For more information about the author and her books visit

      http://www.lindaacaster.com

      To hear about

      New Releases & ebook Discounts

      join the occasional Newsletter

      http://bit.ly/LAcasterNewsletter

      Smashwords License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

      Linda Acaster also asserts the moral right under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. All Rights reserved.

      Table of Contents

      About the Collection

      The Lake

      A Glimmer in the Night

      Our Tyke

      Doppelgänger

      Harvester World TZ29-4

      Contribution to Mankind

      Other Titles by the Author

      About the Collection

      Despite our well-lit modern lives, the dark remains our greatest fear. The thing that might, that does, exist within it. The six stories in this collection of speculative fiction explore some of the terrors we might find lurking. Or worse, might find us.

      In The Lake a couple seek tranquillity at the site of a high caldera which seems protected by a duststorm. Despite no other vehicles, they’re not the only ones to have made the journey.

      The tone of A Glimmer in the Night harks back to bygone days. A learned man takes a guide into unmapped lands, seeking treasure, seeking truth. Sometimes both lie hidden for a reason.

      In contrast, Our Tyke masquerades as a laidback ghost story such as might be recited in a pub – ‘The Three Bells’ as happens here – yet it is based on a true event conveyed in a radio interview. Names and locations have been changed to protect... the ghost.

      Set in the early 1960s when horizons were limited, Doppelgänger asks the age-old question ‘What would life be like if I were different?’ The problem comes when someone answers.

      A move to the future brings into view Harvester World TZ29-4, a planet destined to save humanity, whatever humanity is. Or becomes.

      One man’s malevolence holds captive a group of petty criminals in Contribution to Mankind. A lone voice tries to make a difference and fails, yet succeeds where he never intended.

      Dark tales for a dark night. Don’t look here for happy endings.

      Enjoy.

      The Lake

      ‘Not long now.’

      ‘Patrick, there is no lake shown up here.’

      The car jumped on the ruts, throwing Anne against the door. The map ended in the foot-well, the carefully made creases springing open to leave it blanketing her sandaled feet. She tried hard to keep her rising temper in check as she braced herself, as best she could, against the bucking dashboard. She saw Pat’s head turn as he glanced towards her, but she kept her gaze firmly on the white rock track in front of the bonnet, on the dust cloud which seemed to be building ahead of them as well as behind.

      ‘Sorry about that,’ Pat offered. ‘The road’s a lot worse than when I was up here with the geology group. More traffic by the looks of it. God, I hope this place isn’t filled with people trying to get away from the crowds. All we need is to find a McDonalds at the top!’

      He laughed, but Anne did not laugh with him. The feeling of queasiness was returning. She was hot, and the constant buffeting was giving her sunburn hell. It was hard to remember just why they had left the sardine-packed crowds on the beach for driving along this moonscape.

      ‘We came over this rise and it was just there, not shown on the map or anything,’ Pat had told her. ‘I wanted to explore then, but time was tight and I was out-voted. You’ll love it. It’s a really wild place, with a beauty all of its own. A serenity. Nature untouched. Not like this glitzy hell-hole. We could take the tent and a few provisions and have a couple of days alone.’ Pat had put his arm around her then, nuzzling below her ear. ‘Totally alone.’

      The reality was that they were being slowly shaken apart on a track never meant for a car, peering through a glaring white dust-cloud kicked up by the mountain wind. Somewhere to their very near right, her very near right, was a sheer drop which did not bear contemplating. And at any moment she was going to be sick.

      ‘Not long now.’

      Pat had been saying those same three words ever since they had left the junipers. It had been temperate there, the air filled with birdsong and the sweet scent of the trees. They had stopped by a crystal stream and bathed their feet. Anne had been happy to stay there, to find a spot amid the rocks and verdant grasses wide enough to pitch their tent, but Pat had been adamant about going on, about reaching the lake.

      ‘It had better be good,’ she muttered. ‘It had better be bloody brilliant.’

      Drawing the car to a halt on the incline, Pat jerked on the handbrake with a determination that caused the mechanism to grind. Without saying anything he opened the door and stepped out. Anne winced at the cloud of white particles which invaded the confines of the car. They reached across the driving seat like tendrils of smoke, and she wafted them away from her in disgust.

      The door closed with a snap. No longer buoyed by the stiff breeze, the dust settled, a coating of white, gossamer fine, over the steering wheel, the dashboard, over Patrick’s driving seat. She gazed at it, suspicious. It was oddly silver-bright for chalk dust. It looked minuscule, like talcum. She licked a finger and tentatively dabbed at Patrick’s headrest. Not talcum, not chalk dust, but coarse and granular.

      The door opened and another swirl of dust-laden air poured through the gap. Pat sat in, slamming the door after him.

      ‘We’re here!’ he cried, turning to her. ‘It’s just ahead. I knew we were close. What’s the matter?’

      Airborne dust particles were settling on him, drawn to the dust already clinging to his long curly hair, to the fine golden down on his forearms. His dark eyes gazed at her out of a face as white as the T-shirt covering his chest.

      He laughed. ‘Do I look like a panda?’ He rubbed at his face and his arms, creating a smaller cloud which rose to settle on him afresh.

      Not like a panda, no.

      Anne shook her head. ‘Patrick, I’m not going out there. Turn this thing around and drive back down. I’m not going.’

      ‘Stop worrying! The lake

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