jeffbear

Entry Levels
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 2, complete
Word count (story only): 1354
[Friday morning, 17 November of 2017]


:: At work, Jules finds himself in charge of an unexpected new arrival, largely because he’s one of the few legal adults on site at the time.Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::


Back to part one
:: Thanks for reading! ::





“No worries, Ritter,” Jules cooed, looking directly at the baby as he tugged aside the fabric to check more of the baby’s skin. The tone was meant for the little one before him, while the words were meant for the woman behind him. “I’ll need a crib that can be used for co-sleeping while we’re in quarantine, if one can be brought in fast. If not, just a regular crib mattress and a couple of pool noodles will be better. Take the dresser or desk out if there’s no room for both in whatever bedroom you assign me. Preferably one on the first floor.”

He set his phone to record, and kept talking soothingly. When he’d checked the baby’s upper arms and armpits, he zipped the little one’s sleeper with sincere apologies. “Clean clothes and a bath will be here soon.”
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Touching Base
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1263
[Thursday evening, 16 November of 2017]


:: At the end of Jules’ first day, on the way back from a grocery run, he has a chat with Joshua Tull. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::




“I thought that you went to the grocery a few days ago? Your Dad sent the grocery text to the group chat, at least?” Joshua Tull said as he stepped up to help Jules load the first four of a dozen reusable bags into the basket on the Surrey. “How do you like the vehicle?” he added more lightly.

Jules tensed, then relaxed. “I needed to burn off some energy, and since my new boss dropped me off, I had to think of something else. So, I’m doing a grocery run.” The teen waved toward the parking lot. “I don’t see your usual vehicle.”
( Read more... )

Lunch Break
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 2
Word count (story only):
[Thursday morning, 16 November of 2017]


:: In the middle of Jules’ lunch break, several people hurry him off to meet with Ritter. The reason startles him. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::



Jules’ first day of work raced faster with every sharp stride. The shadows of wrapped, bare-root trees and shrubs and even the tall daylily plants in cheap black plastic nursery pots grew shorter with every trip between the planned file room with its electronic lock and the outdoor staging area where they should have been deposited. He tugged on the cuffs fo the now grimy new work gloves, then jogged back into the house to carry four more of the baby trees.

It was his last trip, as the other two people assigned to landscaping duty had loped along behind him with the last of the potted plants. That entailed the entire landscaping crew except for one young woman with the name of Mystic who’d been called into Ritter’s office seconds after the director had opened the door onto what should have been a completely empty workspace for the secured files.

The scent of damp earth and growing things that rushed out at them seemed even more jarring when mixed with the scent of fresh paint.
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A New Job
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 3 of 3, complete
Word count (story only): 1019
[Thursday morning, 16 November of 2017]


:: Jules is willing to put his best foot forward in the first day of his new job. His new boss surprises him. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::


Back to part two
:: Thanks for reading! ::




Jules pursed his lips. “Ma’am, that means that people, complete strangers, can get through the outer layer of security with impunity. You need a gate booth out here. They need to confirm people, from the mailman to delivery drivers to parents screaming that their kid is possessed by a demon and spitting fire, which now makes their little darling your problem.”

“You think…” Ritter shook her head. “You think that there are neighbors who would do that?”
( Read more... )

An Answer To Their Prayers
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1532
{To be dated}


:: Aida’s problems learning to harvest the glut of ripe fruit on Finn Skerry and a neighbor’s problem dovetail together perfectly. Part of the set of Finn Skerry stories in the Polychrome Heroics universe, written for the June 2026 Magpie Monday, from a prompt by mama_kestrel, with my thanks. ::




“You’re going to give yourself a concussion,” a Divehi-accented voice announced in English.

Aida, standing beneath a mango tree trying to use a stalk of bamboo to knock down a ripe mango, screamed and jerked back in surprise. The stick flailed, struck the mango squarely with a wet splat, and the fruit plummeted to spatter the sand a few inches from her sneakers.

She spun. “What on Earth? Where did you come from?” she demanded. She dropped the length of bamboo.
( Read more... )

A New Job
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 3
Word count (story only): 1109
[Thursday morning, 16 November of 2017]


:: Jules is willing to put his best foot forward in the first day of his new job. His new boss surprises him. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::




The knock on the door came at seven thirty one in the morning. Bennett frowned at the sound, patting the air when Blainn began to get up from the small table in the kitchen.

“I’ve got it, Dad!” Jules called, darting from the hallway to the front door at an angle that made him clip his hip against the low bookcase that acted as a staging area. He bounced, opening the door instead of merely looking through the peephole.

A woman in dull gray sweats stood on the porch, her white smile too bright to be anything but artificial. In the round pool of matte burnt umber skin, her bright hazel eyes seemed almost luminescent. “Jules Corbin? Hi. My name is Ritter. I don’t like my surname much, but Ritter is my legal given name, not a nickname.”
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Fuzzy Questions
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1088
[Thursday early morning, 16 November of 2017] (15)


:: The veterinarian’s report is interrupted by some very loud opinions from the four-legged attendees. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::




Loudmouth patted Jules’ wrist as she slipped in front of him to enter the house. “You’re doing really well taking care of stray kittens. Let’s go see what they need next. I’ll help,” she added in a whisper so low it felt like a tickle inside Jules’ ear.

He gulped, nodding. “Thanks,” he whispered.
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Calling In and Showing Up
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 2
Word count (story only): 1106
[Thursday early morning, 16 November of 2017] (15)


:: Jules finds the quietest corner of the house in order to make a difficult but necessary phone call. Part of the Lodestar story arc in the Polychrome Heroics universe. ::




In the corner of the basement which held the washer, dryer, the retractable clothesline, and an ironing board which was put up so seldom that someone had duck taped a small canister of household oil to one leg to make it easier to apply to the hinge, Jules pulled himself to sit on the idle dryer before taking a deep breath and dialing the embassy switchboard.

“Thalassian Embassy. The time is three eighteen in the morning, Pacific Standard Time,” a woman’s voice greeted. “How may I direct your call?”

“It’s Jules,” he began nervously. “I was supposed to be in by seven to work, but I can’t come in until maybe noon, maybe later. There’s a situation with two unusual stray cats, and one obviously needs a vet. I’m --”

The words all ran together as his voice fluttered nervously.
( Read more... )