Eldorado (36 page)
“Maybe we could join them. I could still get a good price for the house in Vancouver. We could use the money to set ourselves up out here. Fix up a house, invest in a good fence – there’s safety in numbers, so our presence would probably help with security. Cultivate enough land to be more or less self-sufficient. We could even donate some money to start the school. The community should be willing to contribute something toward keeping it running. After all, we’d be teaching their kids…”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” said Carrie, snuggling against him. “It would be like a dream come true.”
Richard gazed across to the other side of the fire. Danny and Lacy were playing with Zonk. Lacy threw a ball for Zonk, who promptly did nothing – just sat staring up at her. She raised her palms as if to say: “Well?”, but Zonk didn’t move. Finally Lacy went and retrieved the ball herself.
“I see Zonk is teaching Lacy to fetch,” said Carrie.
“Obviously she doesn’t know Zonk very well.”
“I hate to tell you,” said Carrie, “but I think Danny and Lacy are in luuuuv.”
Richard laughed. “I can’t believe the change that’s come over Danny since he met her. It’s like he’s a new person – or really more of an old person – he’s his old self again. It may just be puppy love, they’re very young…”
He poked at the fire with a nearby branch.
“I, on the other hand,” he continued. Carrie lifted her head and looked at him, raising one eyebrow.
“I,” said Richard, “am old.”
“You’re hardly old,” said Carrie. “What are you – twenty three?”
He smiled over at her. “Maybe I’m not that old – but I’m old enough to know what I want.” He leaned back and pulled Carrie closer to him.
Suddenly, far in the distance below them, a blinding line of light shot vertically into the sky. When it reached its apogee, it exploded in a huge shower of coloured plumes.
“What was that?” said Carrie, though not concerned enough to change position.
“That? It’s the fireworks marking ‘First Annual Innovation Day’. Remember? They were so upset that I wasn’t going to be around to be part of it?”
“Oh yeah – I thought you were joking at first.”
“Remember the theme for this inaugural year?” said Richard “‘Man’s Triumph Over Nature’?”
“Man’s Triumph Over Nature…” said Carrie.
“Yep,” said Richard.
At almost the same instant, they both burst out laughing.
“What a stupid concept!” wailed Carrie, barely able to speak she was laughing so hard. As if to punctuate her statement, at that moment, another flash lit up the sky, and the boom of the firework echoed faintly in the distance.
“Fireworks look nice, though…” said Richard. And they both fell into renewed spasms of laughter.
About the Author
Jay Allan Storey is a writer, musician, international traveler and all-round student of the world. He is the author of a novel,
ELDORADO
, a novella,
CHOPPER MUSIC
, and a number of short stories.
He is currently working on a second novel, a second novella, and various smaller projects.
Jay is married and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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