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65: Internalization
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The resort was a meticulously manicured community on a twenty-thousand acre tract, at the outskirts of town. It was set into densely forested hills at the top of a stratified mesa rising from the Pacific shore on a steep escarpment.
Evelyn stared out the cab’s windows in awe as they wound their way along the quiet drive to the front of a grand and historic mansion that served as the resort’s inn. “Andrew, this place is incredible,” she breathed.
Beside her, he beamed, thrilled to have stumbled on something that impressed her. “Do you like it? The inn offers excellent food and cocktails in any one of several house restaurants. The staff also arranges boating adventures, equestrian and bicycle trail rides. There’s golfing of course, and a shooting club. There’s even a bowling alley.”
“With all that to explore, perhaps we should have arranged to stay longer than part of a day.”
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World of Tomorrow 67: The Blue Yonder
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World of Tomorrow 68: Reflections
The Blue Yonder swayed with the rolling waves as Andrew and Evelyn reached the swim platform and pulled themselves back aboard. Holding the railing, she got her feet under her and stood. At the ship’s bow, Blink had set up a folding chair. With his fishing line thrown into the water and the rod tucked into his folded arms, he dozed in the warm sunshine, his feet propped on the bow railing. “And you were worried he might swim over to the cave.” Andrew glanced down his straight nose at her, flashing a devilish smile. “No,” she corrected softly, reticent to wake their captain. Though the sun was warm, gooseflesh erupted over her skin. “I was worried he’d know what we’d been doing. None of this convinces me otherwise.” Reaching into the back of the boat, Andrew lifted a towel, one of two Blink had left there for them. Unfolding it, he wrapped it about Evelyn’s should
World of Tomorrow 69: Northward Bound
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World of Tomorrow 70: The Brown Derby
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World of Tomorrow 71: Lucky Charm
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World of Tomorrow 72: Meddling 2
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World of Tomorrow 73: Revisited
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World of Tomorrow 139: Epilogue
“Stop, Peter!” Sarah exclaimed, whirling to face behind her. She shot her brother an angry glare. “Peter, for pity’s sake, don’t throw dirt clods at your sister,” Andrew called over his shoulder, shifting his swaddled, sleeping son from his right shoulder to his left as they walked the long, tree-lined drive that led to the James’ estate, perched with its back on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Gulls rode the ocean updrafts in the afternoon sun above the glistening water, occasionally diving when something of interest caught their eye. On the opposite side of the tree-lined drive, his wife’s tiny orchard of glossy-leaved oranges in full bloom left a sweet scent drifting over the drive on the warm, salty breeze off the sea. Not far away, Evelyn's gated garden was growing lush with upright stalks of corn, twined in the loving arms of pole beans with the wide leaves of squash spreading in a carpet at their feet along the ground in one row. In another, her tomatoes were already d
World of Tomorrow 138: Sound and Fury
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World of Tomorrow 134: As Luck Would Have It
Wednesday morning in St. Louis dawned dark and gloomy and only marginally better than it had been upon their arrival early afternoon on Monday. When Evelyn emerged from the bedroom into the drawing room where he and the constantly-moving Will waited, Andrew flicked the newspaper he’d been reading down and smiled. They’d all slept poorly—again. They’d all woken late—again—and after their enjoyable brunch yesterday, both men were eager to see what other offerings were available in the East Lounge’s dining area. “Well?” she asked, her red-tinged and particle-irritated eyes roving the drawing room’s lush furnishings, immediately spotting the unmistakable coating of fine black powder and ash. “Are we trapped inside again today? It seems faintly better.” Will snorted. “By comparison to yesterday, being buried in black sand would seem better.” Andrew chuckled, setting aside the St. Louis Star-Times he’d been reading. He rifled through a stack of newspapers o
World of Tomorrow 133: Black Tuesday
The hotel’s ballroom was a gently baroque style. Its elegant space was replete with all manner of luxuries one would expect of a high-profile hotel, no matter where one might visit in the world—custom paneled with artfully etched-mirror and plaster walls, gold-leafed accents and intricate crown moldings. Above the near-magical dancefloor, which was lit from below, hung in the decorative ceiling, a ponderous crystal chandelier lit the warm wooden dancefloor beneath it. Along the periphery, undulating balconies supported by Corinthian pilasters gave an air of classicism to the space, but one not overly staid. These generous galleries provided seating for those who had only come for a meal, to watch the dancing or to listen to the orchestra. They’d dressed for a late dinner, but though the orchestra played, their music broadcast exactly as Evelyn had always dreamed of experiencing, she and Andrew hadn’t danced. In fact, they hadn’t stayed much longer than
World of Tomorrow 132: Miserable Monday
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World of Tomorrow 131: Arrival
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