Short Story.
I am interested in this project, and appreciate your consideration. Below is a sample from a science fiction short story of mine.
“I'd be surprised if she doesn't kid tonight,” John said, “But she will do it in the middle of the night, when no one is looking.” Brenna nodded, and John's leaf green eyes turned to the goat. He smiled and ran a wrinkled hand gently over the doe's swollen sides.
The floor bucked abruptly, pitching Brenna onto her knees, her long braid slapping her thin shoulders. The goats in the pen cried out, and the ship jumped again, jolting Brenna into the stable wall. The floor was silent for several seconds before the eruption of wild noise, the goats 'maaaing' from the across the fields, the roosters crowing madly, and people calling to each other.
Kneeling on the soft dirt, Brenna looked at John. “Are you okay?” she asked. He nodded.
“What was that?”
His kind eyes were troubled. “I'm not sure,” he said, “Best that you go find out. I'll tend to the madness.” The lean girl rose, chewing on her lip, and ran from the stable.
She passed the fences and trees at a run, slowing only when she found the metal bulkhead. Brenna slid a hand along the wall as she ran, her fingertips touching the carved lines leading her to the nearest deck ladder. Third from the top is Meeting Hall, home to happiness and holidays, she recited silently to herself. It was a childish ditty, but it had helped her learn the ship's decks as a toddler.
Brenna vaulted onto the ladder and made her way up the narrow space to the next deck, where everyone would undoubtedly be gathering. There were trees on this deck as well, a thick forest that thinned considerably to her right. She dashed off again, slipping between maturing apple trees toward a large burnished gray building peeking out around the corner. She was not alone. Dozens of other people, clothed in the same jumpsuits, dyed a pale rainbow of colors. Brenna's was a light beige, to signify that she was a Keeper of Animals. Or rather, an apprentice Keeper. At twenty-two standard years she still had a cycle or two left in her apprenticeship.
The doors of the metal building were open, and Brenna slid into the bright light, blinking at the crowd inside. The building was one of the biggest on the ship, with seating around the edges and a wide empty floor for dancing. For more somber holidays, benches were dragged out of storage and crisscrossed the floor. The din was deafening, with hundreds of people asking the same questions.
“Brenna!” called a bright voice. Jess skipped to her side, her blue eyes round with their constant look of surprise, and her frizzy black hair dancing as she moved.
“Do you have any stories for me?” asked Jess, “You know, back Home they had these things called earth-shakes. It was because of the land hitting itself. We could almost pretend to be planetside.” Brenna smiled at her young friend's eagerness, pushing some strands of fawn brown hair back behind her ear. Jess spied Daniel coming through the door and waved him over. He laid a hand on Jess's shoulder, his dark skin gleaming with sweat.
“Are you two alright?” he asked, waiting for their nods, “I just came from the lower deck infirmary. They sent most of us up here to see if anyone was injured. What was that shaking?” The girls shrugged as one, and an old woman's voice cut through the din.
“This happened once when I was a little one. We were all fine then, and we'll be fine now.” She scratched her bulbous nose, listening to a reply that was too quiet for Brenna to hear.
“Some sort of space junk, most likely,” the elder said, “We aren't the only thing out here, you know.” A hush stole over the crowd, and Brenna leaned up on her toes to get a look at the people walking onto the raised stage area. One was a priest, clothed in robes of undyed goat hair, his long blond hair braided into intricate circles across the back of his head. The shorter man was in the bright orange of a Council member. His short, upturned nose and small eyes reminded Brenna strongly of the spotted sow that didn't like to be touched. She was pretty sure his name was Calder, having seen him officiating during holiday events.
