Greenhaus Part 1: A Storm Brews (11 page)

Whoosh.
Home, though it felt anything like that. He wondered if he would ever feel comfortable here again, or if he would he always suffer the feeling of being watched and followed, like his father did.
Paranoia must run in our blood.

His eyes were now open and he knew things he wished he did not. With little appetite and in no mood to force himself to eat, he finished only half of his evening rations before retiring for the night. The glass, egg
shaped sleeping chamber was small and hung between his kitchenette and bathroom. Eight feet in diameter at its widest and considerably smaller at the top, his bed sat atop storage bins and was called the weary bodied Jacob. The storage below was empty, but Jacob’s mind was full. As he pulled the white cloth curtain closed that surrounds the interior of the pod, he wondered when Jasper did the same thing the night prior, if he had any idea it was the last time he ever would.

***

The next morning it was hard to pull his tired bones from the bed. Jacob’s energy was sapped and he briefly thought about using the intercom to call off, his supervisors would have surely understood. Instead, he put on a fresh orange Nu-Skin, and began his day just like he thought Jasper would want him to do.

The paperwork lay next to him in his bed, another reason Jacob had to press on. Even though the events of the previous day planted some doubts in his head, the likelihood of something sinister happening among the higher ups in E
ngineering was the same as it happening in any other department. Plus he knew the higher ups in Engineering well enough to make this decision whereas a transfer somewhere else would place him under complete strangers.

Having failed to fully regain his appe
tite after a night of restless sleep, Jacob was only able to finish his leftover rations from the night before, putting him a full ration ahead, which offset the cost of his pod travel the day prior. Today, he opted for the same, too weak to walk, too tired to care about the gredits spent.

He arrived looking haggardly and broken, not unusual for those in his line of work, but odd for Jacob, normally fresh faced and chipper. After exiting the pod, he trudged along, his rubber 2nd Feet slapping the walking t
read and glass floors the rest of the way.

The sensor at the final doors into decon, would not allow him through, instead of wh
oosh,
Jacob received a jolting
BZZZZ
, the circle around the door lit up red instead of its usual green. Thinking maybe his weary mind caused some procedural error, he inserted his arm into the manual wand, but got the same denial code on the screen, a bold ACCESS DENIED flashed across his profile.

It was not long before the Vice Commissioner of New St. Louis, also the head of the Engineering and Jacob
’s most superior boss, arrived decked out in the silver Nu-Skin all VCs wore. Second in command, only to Commissioner Law, Doyle Carpenter informed Jacob of the news. “Your shifts are covered for the next week, son. You need some time off, I know you and Jasper were close and I...”

Jacob interrupted and tried to use the same cover he was using with everyone else, “
I’m okay Mr. Carpenter. We weren’t close anyway, just an old friend of my dad’s. To me, a coworker, nothing more, nothing less. I’ll miss him, but there is demand to be filled.”

“
Ok?” Doyle questioned while adjusting his thick, black rimmed glasses. “Pfftt. You’re okay my ass. You look like death warmed over. Or that you haven’t eaten your rations in a couple of days. And I have on good authority you have taken two pods since leaving yesterday, after taking none in all you’re years working here.”

“
I was just tired.”

“
I’m not some sucker Med Tech that just met you Jacob Niles. I was your father’s boss too, ya know. I distinctly remember you tagging along plenty, admiring the two of them almost equally.” Mr. Carpenter’s voice rose and his tone turned from sympathetic to stern, making him more imposing that his already bearish build did naturally. “Now listen Jacob, you
are
taking the week off and that is final!” He finished his piece and crossed his larger than normal arms, waiting for Jacob to turn around and leave, but instead he received an unexpected reply.

“
I’m fine, really,” Jacob pleaded, seeing his initial ruse would not work with Mr. Carpenter, he tried another tactic. “I think working might help me, take my mind off of everything else.”

Doyle threw his hands up and messed his gray ha
ir. He could not speak this more plainly, but he gave it one more try. “Well, here’s the skinny kid, your pops and Jasper grew up under me. I know how close they were, maybe better than you. I put the stop code on your EPC personally, and this matter is not up for discussion,” Doyle said, rebuffing Jacob’s protests. “This is how it’s going down. You are taking the week off. Period. You are human, just like the rest of us,” he said as he threw one of his heavy arms over Jacob’s shoulder and walked him back toward the ever spinning walking tread. “You need rest or some time away, or just like your father, work is gonna be the death of you. Now go home, take the time off. Take a trip or something, I will call you if Jasper improves,” he said as he winked at Jacob, before cupping his hand to Jacob’s ear and whispering in the faintest voice, “We all know we can be seen, but now you know we can be heard too. But what they don’t know is that we can hear them too. And that we are also watching.”

Though shocked and confused at the message, the wink and the whisper was enough to let him know something was up. Jacob got the hint, albeit slower than Mr. Carpenter would have liked, but nonetheless, he ceded the argument. And for any who might be watch
ing or listening he added, “I think I might do that boss. I have been wanting to take a trip for awhile now,” he began. “And I think I know just the place.” Jacob reached into his Nu-Skin, retrieving his application, handing it to Mr. Carpenter while saying only half joking, “I think I should get this out of my hands, before I change my mind.”

“
Ah, yes, I didn’t want to ask about this given the circumstances,” Mr. Carpenter sympathized, “But the deadline was approaching. I’m glad you’ve chosen to join us, here and only here you will reach your full potential.”

With that pressing matter behind him, Jacob thought ahead. He always knew he was watched, or at least he
could be
watched almost anywhere he went in the ‘Haus. The few exceptions were restrooms, sleeping eggs, decontamination rooms, and department headquarters.
I wonder what happens behind those walls.
The fact people were eavesdropping on conversations was new to him and caused him to raise his suspicions even more. Every Wiper, every Med Tech, everyone in Engineering, Recycling, and all the other departments were in his scope
.
Paranoia is the only way to stay alive.

I always wanted to be just like my father, now I am in so many ways. His quirks now make sense.
Mr. Carpenter walked with him before stopping and standing face-to-face, his hands on Jacob’s shoulders before he finished their conversation while gently consoling him, “Jacob, we are glad to have you, but we need your head right. Take all the time you need to clear it.” Then Doyle looked both ways before he leaned in, whispered to him once again, “Stay safe.” And when he pulled away, he patted him on the shoulder and winked one final time before walking away.

www.bryanreckelhoff.com

Q:
I’m assuming since this is labeled ‘Part 1’ there will be more of the story?

A:
That is a correct assumption; however I would urge you not to make any assumptions, as we all know what happens when assumptions are made. I don’t need any help making an ass of myself.

Q:
That’s good, because if this is how your stories typically end, I would probably not read anything else by you.

A:
This is a Q and A, there is a separate place for complaints, either ask a question or get up off the mike please.

Q:
Ok, then I will ask the obvious follow up to that, where is this place to leave said complaints?

A:
Well, I would really prefer that you just tell me it’s an amazing story, that I’m an awesome writer and totally cool dude, but I suppose it’s only fair to allow you to have your own opinion. Whether you want to tell me how awesome it is, how crappy it is, or anything in between, the place is the same. Amazon reviews are great for writers like me that are just starting out. They help us get discovered (or tell us we need to put more work into our craft), but either way the feedback is invaluable. So please, if you liked the story, please give a review on Amazon, it would help me out a bunch.

Q:
How can I find out more about you and your writing?

A:
There are several ways to follow me and my writing. You can literally follow me. But I move around a lot and it might require a huge time commitment on your part. An easier way is to visit my website at
www.bryanreckelhoff.com
or find me on
face book. You can shoot me an email at
[email protected]
. I also have a roost at my place f
or carrier pigeons, ravens, or hawks, depending on your delivery bird of choice, but sorry no stables if you want to send it on the Pony Express.

The website is a work in progress, but I do try to answer emails as they come in so for a quick response, that
is the best way to contact me. Like most writers, I love engaging any way I can with my readers, so don’t hesitate to drop me a few lines in an email. Also, if you are an aspiring writer and have any questions about self publishing, I will do my best to help.

Q:
Are you working on any other projects outside the Greenhaus series?

A:
Am I ever!!! There are several ways to follow me and my writing. I’m getting that déjà vu feeling again. Actually it’s not déjà vu, we already answered this in the previous question, so try to keep up, eh?  Some of the other projects I’m working on include aliens and dimension travel, werewolves and vampires (along with a bunch of other cryptic races), anthropomorphic dog people, a near apocalypse story (what happens just before it goes down) to name a few.

Q:
When can I expect Part 2 to come out?

A:
I wish I could answer that the release date is set in stone. It’s written, is currently being edited, but still lacks a cover. At the latest, I’d hope to have it finished by the end of April, but check back regularly on my website for updates.

Q:
Do you have any goals or expectations for your debut novella?

A:
Yes, to get as many people to read it as possible. I have no idea what a good number would be, so I will refrain from saying something insanely high or low. I would, however, like to get the book into the hands of Lebron James and get him to give it a read, so anyone with a hookup there; don’t be shy about forwarding a copy his way.

This might be the hardest part of the entire process, thinking of all those that have helped out along the way. Not sure where to start, but before I do, I want to issue an apology to those I inadvertently omit.

To my wife,
Michelle: You are my first, my last, and my everything. I thanked her at the beginning, but she has done so much, it bears another mention. I don’t know where I’d be without her, but my guess is probably under a bridge somewhere begging for change. You gave me a reason to be a better person at a time in my life when I was just content being alive. Thank you for standing by me, supporting me in so many ways at all times and in all my endeavors, whether it is writing, real estate, or just my passion for all the sports I play and watch. Without the freedom to just be me, I don’t think I’d be in the proper mindset to write and create.

To my Mom and Dad, I see some of each of you in myself. Thank you for bringing me into the world and fostering my creativity from such a young age. All the shopping trips th
at took twice as long to read every label finally paid off Mom!!! I couldn’t ask for better parents.

A special thanks to Tony Walsh of Hauss Designs for nailing the cover. It
turned out better than I envisioned when we talked about the concept. I know you put a ton of work into making it just right and I appreciate everything you did both on the cover and the website.

To my wonderful editor, Liz Taylor, I can
’t thank you enough either. I know at times you had your work cut out for you, but you did a marvelous job cleaning up the pile of words you were handed. It reads so much better now after you applied your magic touch.

To all of my family and friends, thank you for listening to all the dumb ideas, characters, plots, etc, that I can never seem to
shut up about. It really is part of the process for me, to speak the ideas initially, to plant the seeds in my head so they have a chance to grow. I couldn’t do it without you or your encouragement. Some of you have been captive audiences, whether at work or at social functions and I am sure there are times you wanted to run, but you didn’t. You stayed and you listened. You encouraged me to continue writing and for that I thank you. Andy and Jon Mattox, Mike Ludwig, Thomas Lewis, Dan and Elisa Scan-zalez, all longtime friends, have been incredibly good to me through the years.

To my siblings: Brad, Jenny, Kenny, and
Angie, you already know the deal, but I had to mention you specifically and say that I am so proud of each and every one of you and the lives you have built for yourselves. To all my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents you all mean the world to me and have provided the inspiration for many of my characters. Aisy, Jada, Olivia, Sophia, Desi, Emily, Chloe, and Stella, you are the princesses of my world and I love you all more than words can say. To my adopted families’, those I do not have blood relations with, thank you for accepting me and all my faults as one of your own and proving that blood is not always thicker than water. Mary (and the entire O’ Toole clan)and John Mattox Sr. are tops at the list along with Mary Ann and Ed Scanlon.

A special m
ention to my Superfriends from Department 412, Andy and Maria Taylor, Liz Taylor, Russell and Tracey Morrissey, Leanna Valenti, Brian Basden, James Miller, Gina Wyland, Julie, Emily, and Kelly Bucheit, Molly and Glennon O’ Leary, Kristen Rehagen, Chris ‘Flash’ Fenter, Steve McBride and all the others that spent time riding in vans or killing our down time listening to me ramble about all of this, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Not only for listening, but for the constant encouragement. I am dead serious when I say I couldn’t have done it without all of you and your support.

To my beta readers…
wow, just wow. I don’t know how I got so lucky to be surrounded by so many awesome people that have given of themselves the one resource that we can’t recycle, TIME. It means the world to me that you would give up your precious time to read through my stories, to help me polish them into something readable. It’s pretty simple, I don’t possess the ability to write, revise, and edit my writing to get it to the final form for public consumption. You do that for me. You trim the rough edges and make it pretty and for that I will be forever grateful. Of course my wife was the first, but a big thanks goes to Amie and Andy Adrian, Jon Britt, Travis Mohrman, Eren Celeboglu, Corey Weicht, and Betty Ponzer for all of your help.

I also can
’t do this without mentioning all the other writers out there that have helped me. Hugh Howey has provided inspiration and advice at every step along the way, mainly through my stalking of his web hang outs, blog entries, and facebook posts. (But seriously folks, if you ever get the chance to meet him, do it. He is such a down-to-Earth, genuinely nice person.) Travis Mohrman and Eren Celeboglu have been huge helps as well, as their FB chat windows will attest.

Lastly I have to thank the r
eaders out there. Much like the classic ‘Tree falling in the woods’ scenario, these are just words on a page without anyone to read them. So thank you all for loving to read. For spending time that you can never get back and walking into this world I have created. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. You have my word that I will continue working on my craft, to improve my writing for as long as I’m able.

I hope to see you all at the end of my next story!

One last, final acknowledgement to my unborn daughter; I found out you were coming into the world on Thanksgiving 2013 and I will be forever thankful for the gift that is your life. The day we learned we’d be having a little girl also happened to be the same day I published this, my first novella, Greenhaus Part 1: A Storm Brews. It’s been a long journey to get here and while I’m excited to finally get my writing out into the world, it pales in comparison to how excited I am waiting for your arrival.