Short Story- "The Visitor" by Craig Zimmerman

Deena had just nestled herself in front of the fireplace with a good book when she heard the knock at the door. Who in the world would be out in a storm like this she wondered. Deena looked through the peep-hole in the door to see a tiny old man standing there. 

Opening the door a crack, Deena looked at the man. "Can I help you?" she asked. The old man nodded "I have a message for you" Deena thought about letting the old man in, but she was all alone. "What is the message?" she asked shielding her eyes from the driving wind and snow.

 "In about two hours, the an avalanche will come down and bury your house and you with it if you stay" Deena stared at the man. He didn't look drunk or crazy and there was something oddly familiar about him. "How do you know this?" she asked him. "It does not matter how I know, what matters is that you listen."


Deena began to shut the door, but hesitated. What if this strange man knew something that she didn't? Deena held open the door and asked the man to come in.

"Would you like some coffee Mr. ?" Deena asked  "Baker the man supplied "George Baker" and yes coffee would be good" Deena handed the man a mug of coffee. For a moment, Mr. Baker stared at the fire.  |" I met your mother once" he said, "she was just a little girl at the time, but still you look much like her"

 Deena felt a chill go up her spine. "Who are you anyway? she demanded of the man. Mr. Baker pointed at her closet. "There is an old photograph of me in there" Deena rummaged through the closet until she found her photo albums. After rapidly flipping through the pages Deena focused on one particular picture. In the black and white photo, George Baker posed with a group of other men next to a felled Douglas Fir.


"Your Great-Grandfather and I were good friends. In fact, he saved my life one time and that is why I am here" Baker said. Deena shook her head. "This can't be possible" she said to herself.

Baker put his coffee cup on the kitchen table. "I have delivered my message and now I must be going" Deena rushed over to the old man and grabbed his arm. "Wait, I don't know what to do" she told him. George Baker patted her hand. "You know what to do" and then he opened the door and disappeared into the storm.

One hour later, Deena was safely inside a motel room in Enumclaw when word of the avalanche came on the news.

Short Story: "Competition" by Craig Zimmerman

After ten years in deep space, Major Michael Tanner was returning to earth. Tanner was excited, but worried too. None of his recent messages to earth had been answered. It could be that his equipment was faulty, but everything checked out fine.

Tanner decided to leave his large mother ship in orbit and to take a smaller pilot ship down to the surface. Tanner descended through the atmosphere slowly to spare the pilot ship any needless damage.

As the craft approached the surface, Tanner looked for lights or any Houston area landmarks. There was nothing. Tanner landed the craft and searched the view screens. There were no buildings, no people, not plants, no roads. A flat lifeless desert extended in every direction.

Tanner checked the radiation level outside and it read perfectly normal. Whatever caused this massive erasure of civilization did it cleanly.

Tanner spent the night in the ship and the next morning loaded up some food and water in a pack and went outside. Randomly, Tanner chose to head north. After walking several hours, he noticed something in the distance.

As Tanner got closer, He realized that the unknown object was a 7-11 mini-mart. Whatever weapon or natural disaster had wiped away everything else had left a convenience store.

Tanner entered the unlocked doors and was shocked to find a clerk behind the counter. "Can I help you sir?" the clerk asked brightly. Tanner hesitated for a moment wondering if this was some bizarre hallucination. |"I just have a question" Tanner replied.

"|Go ahead" the clerk said with a smile. Tanner pointed out the glass door at the barren landscape. "Where is everything?" The clerk looked out the window. "|I don't see anything unusual" he said. Tanner tried again."Have you seen any people recently?"Well business has been a little slow recently" the clerk admitted. 

Tanner gave up. "I hope business picks up" he told the clerk as he left.

Tanner returned to the pilot ship and decided to go back to the mother ship. He still had plenty of supplies left and he wanted to observe the earth from orbit for any changes.

About six months after his encounter with the 7-11 clerk, Tanner noticed some new activity in the vicinity of the convenience store. After landing, Tanner once again hiked to the location of the convenience store and was astonished to see an ARCO mini-mart and gas station being constructed.

Tanner once again entered the 7-11 and saw the same clerk he had encountered before standing behind the counter. This time the clerk looked upset. "Is there something wrong?" Tanner asked the man. The clerk pointed at the new ARCO mini-mart. "Once that thing is finished they are going to get all the business"

That same day, Tanner left for deep space and did not return.

Sad House

It isn't logical of course, but I wonder sometimes if an inanimate object can be sad. I visited my old neighborhood recently and I stopped at a house where I had spent many days growing up.

The house is now unoccupied and slightly rundown, but what is most disturbing is the silence. No longer is there children's laughter or any adult voices coming from the house. All is quiet. I lost touch with the friends that lived there years ago and I can only speculate what happened to the family. 

Still, the house remains. A sad reminder of good times long in the past.

Book Review- "Gone" by Michael Grant

Since the success of "The Giver"   and   "The Hunger Games" dystopian novels for young people are all the rage.

I am currently reading "Gone" by Michael Grant. One day in the fictional community of Perdido Beach, California. Everyone 15 years and older just disappears and a  wall of energy surrounds the community. Nothing can get in and nothing can get out. 

  In addition, strange mutations begin taking place in humans and animals.

The remaining population of children doesn't quite know what to do until "Caine" a  very mature and ruthless young man from a nearby private  school takes over ." Sam" the conflicted good guy eventually realizes that he has no choice but to fight Caine for control of The FAYZ ( Fallout Alley Youth Zone) which is what all the survivors call their new community.

I have enjoyed reading "Gone" although I find it hard to believe that 14 year olds  with no adults present could form a type of government within a week.

Leonard Nimoy

 In a recent interview before his death, Leonard Nimoy said that his favorite Star Trek episode was "Amock Time". I agree that Amock Time is one of the best episodes of the series, but my favorite "Spock" episode of the original Star Trek series would be "This Side of Paradise"

 While checking on the health of colonists trying to develop an alien planet, Spock comes under the influence of plant spores that cause him to lose his rigid control over his emotions. Spock eventually falls in love with one of the colonists (Jill Ireland) but Kirk comes along to spoil things.

 Kirk discovers that strong anger nullifies the power of the plant spores and he goads Spock into a fight. Just as the much stronger Spock is about to kill Kirk, the power of the spores is gone and Spock once again regains control of his emotions.


Leonard Nimoy's acting was terrific throughout this episode and I could almost feel the regret Spock has in choosing duty over love.

Book Review- "The Ghost of Dibble Hollow" by May Nickerson Wallace

After his mother inherits the family homestead. "Pug" Dibble Allen and the rest of the family decide to spend the summer at the old house.

 Pug soon learns of a feud between a neighbor and his family and encounters a ghost who is trying to end the feud. With the ghost's help, Pug works hard to unravel the mystery of missing money that started the trouble to begin with.

 I am not a big fan of mysteries, but I enjoyed this book. The characters are likable (even the ghost) and it is fun trying to follow the steps that lead to solving the mystery.