Artificial Love

Available through Kerlak Publishing

Riley toyed with the lift valve absent-mindedly as the ferry hovered silently over the loading dock.  Thick cables stretched eight hundred feet downward to the transport platform where the third train of the day edged forward, allowing cars to be disconnected and stored as needed for the trip across Bottomless Gorge.  At this height, he couldn’t hear the sounds below, but his mind filled in the grinding screech of steel on steel, the hard thunk of switching levers being pulled to direct each boxcar to its travel position, and the ever present hiss of pressurized hot water escaping the confines of its pipes.

“There’s no way we’ll finish before shift end,” said Riley as he gauged the slow progress below.  Billows of white smoke poured from the train’s stack, like tiny cotton tufts floating along the edge of the canyon.

“Probably not,” replied Larry, “and Momma Wutherton don’t pay no overtime either.”

Riley chuckled at the maternal image of Wutherton Transit.  It fit, in many ways, since the company controlled so much of their lives.  Ever since the Harvesters picked him up from his father’s farm, Wutherton had housed him, fed him, trained him, and even provided a wife, Penny, so he could start a family.  He had always wanted a family, but the thought of having children with her, of even trying to have children with her, made the prospect of working late seem attractive.  His chuckle faded to a sigh as he envisioned the stony silence, the cold chill in the house, and the inevitable, disapproving look that said, “Riley Owens, you are an absolute failure of a man!”

“Dang, Riley!  You still down about that woman?”

Riley spun away from the mesh platform and walked back into the control room.  “She makes me feel like a cow turd someone just stepped in – not only am I a piece of crap, but I’ve gone and ruined someone else’s day as well.”

Larry followed close behind.  “Then give her to me, ’cause she’s one fine looking female.”

“Yeah, she looks good alright, but there’s more to life than a pretty face and full body.”

“You sure you’re a guy?”  Larry never saw the glove that smacked him in the face.

Two hours later, after the train had been safely conveyed across, the two friends coptered down to the ground.  The blades rhythmically chopped the air, providing a steady, soporific, background as they floated slowly downward, like dandelion seeds hanging lazily in the air.  As he surveyed the Wutherton compound below, the tension in Riley’s chest eased momentarily.  Momma had made quite an investment in the eastern edge of Bottomless Gorge.  Not only did Wutherton provide ferry services across for people and trains, they also had a very nice sanitarium that stayed busy year round.  Several scenic overviews jutted out from the wide walkway running the length of the property.  Tourists, whether seeking the thrill of an adventure on the river so far below, or the rejuvenating effects of the famous spa, always left singing the company’s praises.

Riley and Larry guided the one man copters to the designated landing area behind the stables.  A lift balloon would return them to the airship tomorrow morning.

“How ’bout some grub?” suggested Riley as they walked toward the horses, anything to delay the inevitable awaiting for him at home.  He could hear his horse, Mellow, stirring at the sound of his voice.  The horse, at least, was glad to see him.

Larry shook his head, “Nah, Marie would get her feelings hurt. She always has something tasty fixed when I get in.”

Riley gave a half-smile.  “That’s a good wife you’ve got there Larry.”

“She feeds me good,” agreed Larry as he opened the stall for his horse, “and she’s always willing, if you know what I mean.  But she’s not much of a looker.”

“There’s more to life than–.”

“A pretty face, blah, blah.  I know, I know, but you don’t know how good you got it buddy.”  Larry spun up onto his horse’s back and grinned at his friend, “Look, Riley, you just gotta figure out how to make her act like you want.  In the meantime, just think about how she looks.  That should get you by for awhile.” …

Read the rest of “Artificial Love” in Dreams of Steam, available directly from Kerlak, or Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

2 Responses to “Artificial Love”

  1. [...] Emilie P. Bushput together an entertaining session entitled, Dr. Amazing’s Traveling Steampunk Literature Show, where I, and several other authors, had the opportunity to read a bit of our work.  I read from my steampunk short story, Artificial Love. [...]

  2. [...] Take a look at Kerlak Publishing’s latest anthology, Dreams of Steam.  It contains my latest short story, Artificial Love. [...]

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