Okay Fuzzies and non Fuzzies, here is my first short story part one I guess... Yes there are small oddities but I tried to keep it focused on one character, and yes I am always improving, please let me know how it is. I do have hints as to what is going on, but I kind of am experimenting with a new writing style I never have before and I like it.
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Douglas Samuels blinked as he looked at the city map, then up at the street sign and back down at the map. “Okay… I know I should be close by… but, I cannot seem to find the hotel… and where the heck is Lutra drive?” The young man began to unfold and fold the map, trying to reach the map’s list of roads for the city. “I just hope I am not late for the convention.” He muttered to himself.
“Talking to oneself is a sign of insanity.” A voice spoke beside Douglas, he looked to his side in confusion and blinked, was that… “Nice Costume, I am guessing you are lost looking for that hotel as well?” The figure that spoke looked to be about ten, dressed as an Otter wearing the outfit of some kind of Naval Officer, his head was bare at the moment, but the subdued ribbons and metals were all to say his costume was of a respected officer or Admiral even? “I am guessing you are some kind of naval Otter?”
The Otter blinked and looked back. “Astute observation, and you, you must be an explorer, or a very lost tourist.” This elated a laugh from Douglas. As he looked at what was a classic romantic Victorian Explorer of old, from the mustard yellow clothing and boots to the pith helmet with goggles and leather gloves, he had a satchel and to complete the look was a hiking backpack on his back. If only the Cab had not dropped him off at the wrong spot in the first place.
“You could say a little of both.” He returned to the map. “Now, well, this is confusing I am here in this area, but I don’t see any Lutra Drive.”
He blinked as an Otter head popped up between him and the map. “Ah… here we are.” He pointed to a small street he thought he didn’t see before. “I take it that circle is where you are goin?”
“Uh, well, yeah.” Was all Douglas replied looking a little nervous and confused at the exchange “It’s the Hotel, Science Fiction Fantasy Con, I am a little late I am afraid.”
“Ah no matter, you can follow me. Now if only the city had an electric line… or a steam powered tram like London, we could get there faster.” The otter mumbled as he took out what looked to be a compass and a sextant and after fiddling with both began to head towards the Hotel.
Douglas decided that the sextant was just for show and the compass was how he would navigate, but with a city… “UH… you want the map or,” He trailed off in his question with the Otter waved him off… the costume was really real he decided as he thought he saw one of the ears perked but it must be the shadows from the tall high rises.
“Nah, nah… I know where we are, and map orientation… Just follow me if you don’t want to get lost.” He then took off at a brisk walk and refused to answer any more questions, so Douglas began to think of what kind of back story he should create with this costume he had created. He adjusted the Pith helmet and picked up his pace to keep the Otter sailor in his sights. He couldn’t help but think of how this was an odd turn of events.
However as he continued to walk and follow this Otter he kept feeling like he was being watched from the shadows, as he continued he remember being told that cities were called metal jungles and for once he found his choice of dress a sense of irony, he was a jungle explorer for her Majesty the Queen Victoria of England for new Lands to bring out of savagery and here he was exploring the metal Jungles of the former colonies of America. He blinked and shook his head; wow his imagination was really running wild tonight or rather today. He blinked and saw an old fashioned lamp pole and thought that his brother mentioned something about them being using to run electric trolleys, when he almost heard the ding ding of a trolley bell and almost in shock jumped against a building and blinked as he thought he saw his image shimmer in the mirror almost like he was seeing another person looking back and he panicked a little, wildly looking for his little guide as he stuffed his map of the city back into the satchel, confused as to how empty the streets seemed here suddenly.
He spotted him turning a corner down the road and he raced to catch up, he turned the corner and froze unable to really see, yet seeing a sight that was almost whimsical before it faded to another empty street, but for a moment he thought he had seen a zeppelin tied to the mast of one of the sky scrapers, only it turned out to be a cloud going behind a half complete skyscraper, he blinked as he thought he smelt something akin to steam and oils but it was gone. The Naval officer was looking at his compass, but not moving, without thinking he moved up behind him, did he seem taller to him? He was not sure but spoke. “How do you like New York? A wonder they call it a metal Jungle.”
The Admiral, somehow he knew he was an admiral, only smirked. “I prefer either a nice airship or War Ship off Africa or India, but New York is nice, though the buildings do feel like caverns in a mountain.” This comment made Douglas pause, but asked another question. “Can I ask the name of the company I am keeping at this moment in my journey?”
He wasn’t sure but he thought he caught the small sign of a smirk. “You can just call me Admiral, and don’t worry we are halfway to the hotel. Where are you staying again?” The question took Douglas off kilter a little.
“Uh, the Royal Airship…” Douglas paused and blinked, “No, it’s the Royal Hilton…” he was shaking his head. “This is odd…”
“Not really, just a bit of jarring, It will soon pass, be thankful I found you and not some roving gang, I don’t think you would have survived an encounter with them, tribes in the metal jungle are worse than some of the native tribes in Africa I have come to see.”
Before Douglas could answer they were on the move again and this time he was seeing something odd. “When, thought?”
“Oh, I think they never bothered to tear them out, Good thing; they might be able to put in another steam Tram. Why New York got rid of them in the first place I wouldn’t know.”
Douglas sighed and decided to work on his character again, and decided on a few rewrites, he decided for one thing instead of being fully British he was an exchanged American in the program, using British Steam might to get into areas until the US could get their own airships running across the Atlantic. He growled a little as he remember that there was still a trial of the German Saboteurs that took out their airship production plants on the east coast. He looked up as he heard the sounds of propellers and saw a British fighter Plane in front of another Giant Airship, and then he gasped as he stumbled and found himself falling forward, he felt his head hit the pavement and his mind went blank.
“Wake up!!! Come on you’re going to miss the second part of the convention.” Douglas groaned as he blinked opened in confusion, the dream from last night felt so real, he thought he could vaguely feel a tail but it was fading away. He opened his eyes and saw his younger brother by a year smiling as he had been shaking him. “Come on… help me into my Sky Admiral Costume.” He whined as he moved to the closet. Douglas only blinked as he got up and quickly helped his brother into the costume. “Why you had to pick an Otter as well, you will be hot down there.”
“So what? It will be just like the Jungles of Africa?” Douglas stopped at that comment but only for a moment and continued to help him, mainly by putting the head on and making sure that seems were not visible. He then moved and put on his own Victorian Steam Punk Explorers outfit. For some reason he still felt like his mind was in a fog, like he was missing something, but he couldn’t put his paw on it. He shook his head, “great, thinking like my brother and his friends.” He looked up and tilted his head at what he thought were dark circles under his eyes but shrugged it off and put on his pith helmet and then put the green goggles over his eyes, not needing glasses helped his look and the goggles would hid how his eyes looked. He smiled and took his hiking staff from the closet and with his brother exited the room and headed towards the Convention rooms to see what goodies would be in store for them to purchase and send back home to the company of this unique world. Douglas only smiled at his imagination’s power.
