A little break

NaNo, huge birthday celebration organizations and a bunch of stuff is seeing me not post FF today or next week. - the frist I've miss all year - so I hope you forgive me...

Hideaway

Prompt: . A woman whose husband is killed during a tour of duty decides to turn her home into a boarding house.

Heidi glanced for the dozenth time at the time piece on the dash of her vehicle and finally satisfied that it was time to go, folded the crisp page she’d ben idly re- reading in half and stowed it inside her voluminous handbag. The gloming mist had begun to settle around the streets, giving even the most mundane static object an ominous outline. Heidis mind wandered recalling the misty valleys where she had grown up. The mist had always seemed a stranger amongst the man made environment with tonights being all the more poignant.

Shifting shadows lurked at the edges of the streets and in doorways. With little doubt she’d placed herself in obvious danger, Heidi breathed deeply to calm her ragged breath and pounding heart. Out of habit, her fingers sought the solace of the paper advertisement ; rewarded with the evening of her nerves.

Her heels clicked loudly on the flagstones in the empty street as she stepped out of her flitter-car. Its silent security locking system initiated as soon as she was several feet from the drivers seat; though she had no doubt in this neighbourhood its advanced system could be easily negotiated and within moments, she let stranded. A rare smile crossed her face; picturing the poor unfortunate who attempted to steal her vehicle. Slight modifications to the electrical system by her gifted mechanic husband saw any prospective thieves electrocuted or severely burnt around the torso and swearing away from their immediate past occupation; should they be fortunate enough to be able to do so. Her smile turned downward into sadness. Carl had been clever, but perhaps too clever for his own good. A gifted mechanic was a sought after and well paid role; especially if they had an adventurous spirit.

Heidi slowed momentarily as she entered the dimly lit doorway and with a deep breath pushed her way inside. She’d suspected her husband had been involved with the armed corp in far greater or more secret things than he’d ever let on. However a new wife, desperate to resettle on her home planet would make herself believe any of his stories if it resulted in the promised end product. She chided herself again for allowing her naivety and gullibility to take advantage of her better judgement. A normal mechanic, even if he was an experienced deep spacer, could never have jumped the migration cues the way they had. Nor could they, as her finger felt again for the piece of paper, have afforded such a large down deposit on an established home in a such a respectable suburb.

Heidi allowed her eyes to adjust to the low light of the bar area; unsure of who she was searching for. A blond head raised her interest from the glass in front of her and the women stared at one another; acknowledging the loss each held in their eyes. The other mistaking Heidis reluctance to join her as a recent and therefore solitary wounding, went back to her liquor in silence. Heidi flicked her purse mirror open and peered at the thin face staring back at her. Did she have that look? The one which haunted her suburbs now the war had not gone as planned.

The last piece of communication from the department, though stoic in its final condolences and stirringly nationalistic in its pride of the supreme sacrifice her husband had given, had left her cold and empty.

It wasn't as if she were alone. there were many other war widows living in her suburb. You got to know the look, the vacant, lost gaze as they went through the motions, shopping, picking children up from school, watching dully at their little athletes or dancers during afternoon classes. The resolved look that knew their husband would never walk in from work or come home from leave, never again join the little family for an outing nor ever to hold her again.

Heidi adjusting her red lipstick she gave the reflection a pout and an old fashioned Hollywood style air kiss. She needed the confidence to meet her mysterious caller.

A stocky, heavily muscled man appeared at her elbow as soon as put her mirror away. “Heidi.” more of a statement of fact rather than a question, she nodded and began pulling out her identification tag. He simply shook his head and motioned her to follow him through the gyrating crowd of dancers and socialisers. She caught a flash of irritation over his face as he ploughed through the loud music and people.

After turning their home into a lodging house for migrating families whilst they found more permanent accommodation, Heidi had learnt to appreciate the diversity of beings, their customs and their discordant music.

Her journey lead into a tiny back room filled with stale smoke and the unmistakable odor of unwashed bodies and urine. A door swung behind her and a second man quickly bolted it. The first turned and assessed Heidi carefully.

“Carl….. he was a good bloke. Heidi. I don’t ned to tell ya that though.”

Her lips turned upwards, but the smile didn’t meet her eyes. “Why am I here?”

“ I promised to deliver a few things to you.. from Carl. I know he wanted you to have an easier life. Are you sure about your boarding home? That was a beautiful house.”

“I don’t think I want to know how you know so much about me. “ Heidi glared at him.

Returning her resentful stare, he continued,smoothing her ego; “I liked your new advertisement. “Heidis Hideaway Resort” - gives it a rustic feeling. I know Carl would like it.”

Heidi dropped her eyes and shrugged. “I guess so. But to answer your question, yes; the boarding house keeps me sane, keeps me with a purpose. I feel I am making a difference to others; well now that….”

They stared at one another and hastily tore their eyes away, Heidi unwilling to put into words the grief she felt at being alone and having to undertake business decisions without her husbands assistance.

He turned and fiddled with some electrical gadgetry behind a desk. “I need to destroy this the moment you see it. You aren’t to come back here or to find me to ask me any questions. Is that understood?”

She nodded her head

“I just need to set the anti taping device - even here you can’t be too careful.” several small blue metallic beetles began their reconnaissance of the room, sparking miniature static bolts of electricity about their bodies, ensuring any recordings made by unwelcome evesdropper were unreadable.

He set a small screen in front of her and waved his I.D and fingerprint over the pad. He nodded gently to Heidi and stood to the back of the room beside the second silent guard.

Tears spring to Heidis eyes as the form of her husband materialized in a three D hologram in front of the screen.

It waved in his signature cheery welcome. “Heidi, I couldn’t leave it the way you think it was left. You need the truth. You’re a strong lass and deserve it. Firstly, you need to know that I have and always will love you… and at least where I am .. I am alive.”

Having met in the armed corp on an outer reaches mission, Heidi had understood the dangers and responsibilities crew members of rescue ships undertook. It had been this lust for adventure which had first brought them together and until now she’d believed the extra pay had originated from.

For several mins he outlined the rouse the Armed Corp had constructed; culminating in his death on duty. Something had gone wrong on his last mission and although true, a great number of ship mates had been killed, Carls comatosed body had been forced to go into a compression life chamber and gradually released into Earths gravity and atmosphere. The atmosphere on her native planet was much denser than that of Earth. Spaceborn, Carl had never set foot planet side; but had been undergoing the experimental and lengthy process of integration so that once his tour had finished, they would be able to set up a life together.

The three D figure zoomed in so that just his head and shoulders were visible. Carl looked out grimly toward where he guessed Heidi might be. “They thought it best…. with me dead to you.” his voice cracked a little. “ I may as well be... Its too much strain on the body, I can’t undergo compression to the extents I have done in the past ever again.” Carls eyes wandered away momentarily and then focused to were she was standing. “Neither can you; not after the testing you went through to get re-entry. I’m so sorry Heidi, it was meant to be the last one, we are meant to be together. And now I’m dead to you.”

“Heidi, you understand what he is saying don’t you?”

She turned towards him with tears in her eyes, nodded and shifted her focus back to stare at Carl .“He can never come here, never go deep space again. He’s stuck on Earth and I; here.”