Floaters

  FLOATERS

  BERNETTE FORDE

  Copyright 2017 Bernette Forde

  All rights reserved

  ISBN-13:978-1537269931

  ISBN-10:1537269933

  Registration:

  Copyright House Limited

  Reg # 192743

  BM FORDE (2017) Floaters, 1st edn., London England

  Create Space

  Peoples Publishing

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names and characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously or permission has been given. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  To order bulk copies of this book, please email the author directly:

  bernetteforde@gmail.com or call +447448781779 London

  Dedication

  As always, To My Wonderful Husband

  Michael

  For: Ajai Arthur Tucker

  Contents:

  Acknowledgements 6

  Prologue 7

  Chapter 1 13

  Chapter 2 39

  Chapter 3 64

  Chapter 4 87

  Chapter 5 118

  Chapter 6 156

  Chapter 7 168

  Chapter 8 207

  Chapter 9 232

  Chapter 10 258

  About The Author 284

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to express my sincere gratitude to WritersLife.org for their inspiration with the writing of this project.

  To Catherine Horan for lending me her ear as well as the permission for the use of her name in this book.

  Also to Google for the permission for the use of the worde 'YouTube' throughout the book. (Ref:1-4901000014670) 121316

  Welcome To The Family:

  Marquis Thompson, Shaun Raziel Thompson, Raziel Shaun Thompson, Jailyne Ayana Thompson, Nicole Marie Lekhrajmal

  Also would like to thank Patricia and Becky Dixon for their continued support.

  To: Sarah, Benjamin and Anna Marie Forde.

  You guys are growing quickly.

  Prologue

  Bacteria - The Beginning

  Space dust particles have been over collecting in the galaxy for years. Usually, the dust would float towards a dying star, as if there is an invisible magnet. During its complicated, different stages of life, it will in time form a new star. The stars nearest to the dust, heats it, causing it to give off a brilliant shine.

  The cooked dust creates these new stars that shine with enormous twinkle. Once considered a nuisance is now an added feature and brilliant shine to the night sky.

  This is a regular occurrence, but at times, it gets to be too much for the terrestrial atmosphere. Over the years of aimless drifting, the particles fall to Earth.

  Eventually, they will just become a part of the earth's rock and sand. But not all space dust lands on the earths landscape. Some will end up in bodies of water.

  Given time, the dust will sink to the bottom of the ocean and not wash up on the beach. Scientists are never be able to understand why this happens, but it does. The cosmic dust particles that fall to Earth is approximately 10-6/m3 with each grain. Way beneath the hidden depths of the ocean floor, they will stay. Fathoms down, pass the mushy sand dunes and beyond where no man has ever gone before,

  In time they will flourish and evolve into a group of small bacterial size mechanisms. These mechanisms doesn't only mirror the size of bacteria, but also the behaviour of a bacterial colony. Yet, they were not bacterial. They made no sound, just moving about, busy absorbing unseen food which was allowing them to grow. They are ubiquitous and they seem to feed off each other's movement. Rubbing up against themselves in bundles. At times merging into one, then breaking apart again into two. Rapid growth seemed to be their modus operandi.

  Even though they were moving slow as if sneaking, creeping along in the silent eerie water. Bumping into each other and bouncing off into another.

  Until one day, when they have had their fill, the mechanisms burst open. With billions of tiny pinhead sized squares spilling out into the ocean. They had escaped their prison, just like a butterfly escaping a cocoon. Their swimming movements were slow. But it wasn't long before the billions of tiny mechanism made their way upwards.

  Their goal is to reach the top and they have miles and even fathoms to travel. Which, at their rate of speed, could take them between six weeks to six months to surface. They resembled a swarm of bees travelling together. But then they split up, travelling in different directions. Spreading outwards and upwards moving at one eighth of a mile per hour.

  Then by some unseen force, moved them in a different direction. They seemed to travel a path straight across as if following an invisible line. They had a pre-destination course already set out. Moving along at the same rate of speed they created a distance between themselves. They began to evolve into something, yet to take form.

  They had so far to travel with just a few weeks on their side. Later, after miles of travelling they began to separate and travel in different directions. Those same miles separating them from all the others. Each one had found their own destination and began to travel and unseen line.

  In a few weeks, they would have sucked up a lot of the oceans food source. This allowed them to grow and involved into a solid square with rounded corners. Emitting a brilliant shine like a diamond. With a smooth surface and a light mauve colour, they grew into a three-inch square. They had grown three inches in diameter. One could describe it as a perfectly formed squircle.

  Some had reached the ocean surface, bobbing along unnoticeable. Ship and planes passed them by while others somehow reached other bodies of water. They had reached rivers, and lakes and other body forms of water. Infestation took place in saline water, fresh water, and ground water. This also affected swamps, rivers, and lakes. Ice caps and glaciers only had a few.

  It was exactly the twelfth of March around midnight when they had surfaced just in time for spring. Spring was due around the twentieth of March. They had an eight-day life span before they could infect their intended host. This new host would be their surviving grace. They will face a battle for territory and power by absorbing hundreds, if not thousands of people.

  Chapter 1

  Monday, March 13th 2017

  Jimmy and Brett fishing

  Jimmy and Brett fished on the river banks near Jimmy's home almost every day in the springtime. They lived in the Texas Hill Country where their popular fishing spot was on the Guadalupe River. Jimmy and Brett's fished here for as long as he could remember. He didn't mind the thirty minute walk to the river. It is a quiet area, with only a camp resort near their spot just below the dam.

  They knew the trout season would soon end at the end of March. So this would be their last chance to get as much fish as they possibly could. Some sections of the river are subject to special regulations on catching certain trout. It didn't bother them that restrictions had been placed on the freshwater river. They often used a pole & line with artificial lures, but sometimes they'd use a large net.

  They were only allowed five largemouth and five smallmouth bass each. They can, however, bag up to twenty-five yellow bass. They're permitted to catch striped bass, carp, catfish, crappie, trout, gar and sunfish. Jimmy didn't want to miss this opportunity. It could be their last fishing trip for this season. Everyone in these parts knew the rules of fishing in the river, so most people preyed on it in trout season.

  Looking at his watch, he knew that it would be wishful thinking that Br
ett would soon come. He was sitting on the gate waiting for Brett to make an appearance. It felt like hours since he last talked to him. It was always the same with Brett. He had a mountain of chores because of his lazy parents. Brett had called him earlier that morning and told him to be ready to go fishing. Well, he was now ready and looks like Brett is going to be a no show. Jimmy prepared himself to travel to the river alone.

  Brett on the other hand was rushing around trying his best not to be late to meet with Jimmy. Brett's mom didn't want him to go, but he didn't want to stay in the house any longer than he had to. His mom done nothing but sat on the couch and watched reality TV shows all day long.

  She'd often shouted out to Brett to bring her this or bring her that which drove him nuts. The quicker he could get all his chores done and his mother out of the way, the better he felt.

  His dad, was usually in the barn passed out drunk or he would be pretending to work on the farm, but Brett knew better. They only had a few chickens and two cows that needed milking. The garden was generally dried up because his dad didn't water it enough.

  Both his parents were lazy and Brett's shouldn't have to run behind them picking up after them. He was only eleven and they treated him as a slave. Brett hated his life and couldn't wait to grow up and get the hell out of there. His only escape from his parents was when he went fishing with Jimmy.

  Fishing was what he looked forward to and enjoyed spending the time on the river. His mother didn't complain too much about his fishing for they always had something to eat. Plus, she didn't have to travel to the only local store in town for food.

  Brett did not have many friends in school and Jimmy was his only friend outside of school so he'd do anything for him. Jimmy was the one Brett was able to talk to about anything. In the summer, they would spend hours fishing and just talking about everything. The two boys have done this for as long as he could remember. But this is now March and trout season would be over soon so they had to catch as much fish as possible.

  He flung his giant net over his shoulder and gripped his fishing rods and walked to Jimmy's house. Jimmy was waiting for him at the end of his driveway throwing pebbles into the dirt filled road.

  “Gosh Brett, it's about time. You were taking forever,” Jimmy said. “I was going to leave without you!”

  “I am sorry, it was my mother. 'Brett, don't forget to do this and don't forget to do that,' He mimicked his mother. "She is literally driving me crazy. I didn't want to not do as she asked, for she might have interfered with our fishing today.

  “Well, you're here now, so lets go catch us some fish!”

  They ran the thirty minutes it took them to get to the river. They could see people already at the river but that didn't bother the boys. They were tourist and they were on the other side. Usually the tourist stayed in the River Cabins on that side of the river. It had become a tourist haven with the lodgings. People loved the river tubing, camping, RV sites and of course fishing.

  But, Brett and Jimmy had their very own special spot, away from all the tourist. Only the locals in the area knew about this spot, but it was only Jimmy and Brett who fished there. It was a little rougher downriver nearer the rocks, but the fish were more plentiful. Sometimes the fish literally jumped into their nets even though they would also fly fish. It was their special spot and they always went home with tons of fish in their baskets.

  After securing their location, they went about setting up their lines and nets. They cast their lines and jam the handles between the rocks so they can concentrate on the nets. Jimmy's net was larger than Brett's but for some reason, but it was Brett, who always caught the most fish. He'd would often say to Jimmy, 'Less is more' and Jimmy got tired of hearing it. Brett's net was filling up very quickly and he had to continuously empty it just as quick. On the other hand, Jimmy's net sat in the water for almost an hour before he had to empty it. But logically that don't make much sense to Jimmy. So it was easier for him to believe that Brett was just one lucky kid when it came to fishing.

  “Did you happen to bring anything to eat? Brett asks Jimmy. “I am starving!”

  “Not really, I was anxious to get out the house, but if I knew you was going to be late, I would have taken time out to make some sandwiches. The only thing I have is some chocolate covered raisins and chocolate chip cookies. I will share them with you.”

  “Oh geez man, that would give me the runs. No thank you, I will just have to wait until I get back home. I'm sure mom will have cooked something. We still have fish left from last week.”

  “Yeah, we do too, but I need more gar. We ran out and it's my dad's favourite.”

  “Its my mom's favourite too and my dad wouldn't know one way or another.”

  “What ya mean?”

  “You know him, always drunk and in the barn. Lord knows what he does in there.”

  “Couldn't you hide the bottle from him?”

  “He never has the bottle very long. Its empty soon after he gets it.”

  “Someone must be getting it for him. How else is he getting it. I have never seen your dad in town.”

  “I don't know. Maybe he has a stash out in that darn barn.”

  “When we get back, lets snoop around and see what he is up to.”

  “Ok.” Brett said shrugging.

  Jimmy stood up, putting his hands over his eyes squinting, “What's that over there?” he asked pointing in the water.

  Brett also stood and looked out over the river. “Not sure, but look at the shine on that!” The shine was unbelievable, to the point of almost blinding.

  “Looks like a box of some kind.”

  “Maybe a jewellery box?”

  “I am going to go get it and check it out more closer.”

  “Wait, let me take my camera out and film you.” Said Brett.

  “Why?”

  “I only just joined YouTube and I need videos to put on my account.”

  “OK, go ahead, I don't mind. But does your mom know you have a YouTube account?”

  “Nope! What she doesn't know won't hurt.”

  “My mom barely lets me on her computer.”

  “Well, dad's always in the barn and mom is always in front the tv, so I pretty much get away with the computer.” Pulling his camera out of his backpack, Brett positions himself to get Jimmy from a perfect angle.

  “OK, are you ready. I am pressing record now!”

  Getting his spare net with the long handle, Jimmy keeps looking at the camera with a wide grin on his face.

  'Hello folks, we have just found a box in the river and I am about to go get it. It is a weird looking box and we want a closer look. So lets go check it out.'

  Jimmy slips into the water up to his waist. With the net in his arms, he stretched out his arms and scoops the box up into the net. After laying the net down on the river bank, he gets on his knees, looking at the camera he says, 'Well folks, here it is!' leaning in closer he studies the box.

  “What is it?” Brett asks, looking through the camera lens, pointing at the object in the net. “It looks like a box with no corners! Its shining so bright too.”

  “What colour do you think that is?” Brett asks.

  “I'd say its white with a touch of mauve but some might say its a grayish violet and it has an unusual metallic surface.”

  Brett placed the camera down on the ground and faced it towards Jimmy making sure its still on record. Joining Jimmy, they both lay on the river bank studying the thing they had fished out the water.

  “What on earth is it Jimmy?” he asks.

  “Its a squircle!” Jimmy exclaims!

  “What's a squircle?”

  “A squircle is a shape between a square and a circle. I learned that in Miss Taylor's maths class.”

  “She never taught me about squircles when I was in her class.”

  “Its not a mandatory subject. I choose it because I want to be a scientist. Scientist should know all types of shapes and measurements for their studies.”

&n
bsp; “Blah...blah...blah, and what is the scientist Jimmy going to study” Brett wasn't really interested but thought he'd ask anyway.

  “I want to look into the theories and methods of physical or biological phenomena.”

  “Yeah, I really understood that.” Brett said sarcastically.

  Rolling his eyes, Jimmy tried to explain. “What that actually means is a remarkable development or event. I want to study anything that manifest itself. Like, lets say something physically impossible. Maybe this squircle could be my first real study.”

  “What does manifest mean”

  “It means to show itself in an unusual way. It's the existence of a person or thing or even nature. If something out of the ordinary happens, and it doesn't add up, then a scientist looks into why it happened. What made it do whatever it did.”

  “I am still not understanding Jimmy, and I am not even sure I want to know now.”

  “Ok, just forget it. Let's just get this thing home. Do you want to keep it at your house or shall I take it to my house?”

  “We can take it to my house, but I am sure my mom won't want me to have it. She hates me having anything that I might find of interests. My dad wouldn't be sober long enough to realize its existence.” Brett informed him.

  “OK, lets go to your house and give it a go. If she says no, then no worries, I will take it to mine. I think I'd like to study it more. See what it is made of. My mom won't mind. ”

  “Why don't we just take it yours anyway?”

  “Well, at least we would have asked your mom and she might just let you keep it. We could take turns. I want to be fair. We both found it, and it might be valuable.”

  Sighing, Brett agrees to ask his mom first.

  Carrying the Floater home in their net, they headed for home. Neither boys touched it because Jimmy wanted to inspect it first.