Tomorrow's Paradise World: Colonize by Charles W. Armstrong Read Free Book Online Page B

increasing and they were starting to cough. He immediately grabbed the closest child and went over to the window and dropped her into Taerg’s waiting arms. When he returned with another child the father was waiting below. As he dropped the last child into a neighbor’s waiting arms below. He knew that time was running out for him. The fire was now in the room with him. He could feel the scorching heat from behind. The smoke was very thick and his eyes were watering. He waited for the neighbor to run off with the last child then he leaped through the window and landed in the arms of his friend Taerg. Coughing and with tears streaming down his face from the smoke he asked, “How could you be so strong? I’m an adult and you still caught me without dropping me.”
    “How could I drop my friend? That would be impolite.”
    Victor did not sleep that night. The pain from his injuries kept him awake. He was escorted to the healers the next morning. They put him in a room they had prepared. There were many small plants in pots placed on shelves. They gently laid him face down in a bed, while they treated his wounds. He thought that the plants might be to produce extra oxygen in the air for the smoke inhalation that he was still suffering from. These people knew some scientific things. How could they possibly know this?
    He slept the rest of that day and night happy that everyone was saved. They told him that his burns were not overly serious. His hands were burned probably from taking off his burning shirt. The back part of his shoulder and part of his back was burned as well. They had dressings on him and he was told that he had to have them changed every day for a week. After a week he would need some fresh air on them.
    The family that he had helped were immensely grateful. They had to stay at the father’s brother’s place until they could be re-established with another house on their fire damaged property. Two days later Victor and Taerg’s family were invited for a dinner at the neighbor’s brother’s house. Each child gave Victor and Taerg hugs. Even the mother and father embraced them both with tears of thanks in their eyes. Their oldest daughter Yenoh had spent the last two days making a very high quality shirt for Victor since his was burned and of no use. Victor felt guilty accepting it. This family had lost all of their possessions. Yet, he knew that he should receive it politely. A substantial fire was exceedingly difficult to put out with buckets of water from the well. Unfortunately, the whole house had burned to the ground. The only thing left standing was the stone chimney which they knocked over with long poles. Their garden was killed from the intense heat. Some of the nearby fruit trees were likewise killed. The numerous buckets of water that the neighbors threw all around the house prevented the fire from spreading to other yards and houses. It could have been a lot worse. Everyone was grateful that no one was killed from this freak lightning storm fire.
    Four days later, the village had a special feast in honor of Victor, Taerg, their quick thinking bravery and heroic acts.
    When they were called before the grand council of elders there was a different atmosphere in the room than when they met with them previously. A very old female spoke first this time. She warmly smiled at them both and said, “We have reviewed the directives of the ancients. We could not look at all of the directives in one week. It would take far longer than that to examine them carefully. It was unanimously agreed by all council members that our moon should not be colonized. However, we have no way of enforcing this directive.” Affectionately she continued, “Therefore, in view of the recent heroic, selfless acts performed by the both of you, we have agreed that an exception should be made in this case. You will be granted access to the Cavern of Lights for as long as you need to examine these directives, other historic