This is a work in progress!! It's based on a short story I wrote in 2005. The original intent of this project was to further my learning of html. Eventually I was over taken by the desire to make a whole and complete story. I hope you like what I have so far and if you do, check back soon, there's more on the way! Thank you for your time. - Mark

A Boys Fate

this is a bleak future title

A young teenage boy, walks down the street. A blaring news bulletin appears to his left.

does he listen? (A) or walk by? (B)














































































































































A

He listens to the news bulletin, it tells of the 300 casualties in the latest standoff between the Earth Collective and the Grue Opposition. Then, a girl walks up beside him.

she's slightly older than him. Her beauty takes his breath, she says
"I wish I was old enough already! I can't wait to join the Earth Collective forces and do my fair share to stop those evil Grue!".
She turns to him, and say's "I'm Etlis, what's your name ?"
the boys cheeks flush a bright red, "I..."
she giggles quietely
"I'm Tovin"
"Ha! you're blushing!, It's really cute." as she smiles
"I know, I.. I've just never met anyone so beautiful before."
"you're not so bad looking yourself!" she replies
his cheeks get warm
"My parents already pre-enlisted me and I can't wait.. so are your parents going to pre-enlist you?" she asks"
"My parents are gone, they were unable to make it out during the evacuation of sector ONE ONE THREE EIGHT"
"You mean that outlying area that was taken over during a surprise invasion?"" how'd you survive ?
"I was in a different part of town, undergoing brainwave entrainment. Suddenly halfway through the procedure the operation was halted. The roads were put on lockdown and due to the incoming invasion, the area on the other side of the lockdown was treated with prevent-fail.""
under her breath "scorched-earth, they use to call it"
the boy looks down with glassy eyes, "The ashes rained on us for weeks."
Etlis looks to the sky, "Those damn Grue! They will try to take everything from us."
"hey, I have to go now, my dads waiting for me but here's my house designation, come by around 9.. we can continue our conversation then"




























































































































































B

as he walks by the noisey hologram and the crowd that is growing around it, he sees one of the sectors last remaining trees peeking up over the concrete skyline. It's what he's been looking forward to after such a long day of intellectual programming at the local indoctracenter. Finally to wind down in flora park, sure it's only the size of a small bedroom but atleast it's there.. He closes his eyes as a breeze passes through the leaves of the tree, he exhales satisfyingly as if letting the weight of the world off his chest.
"Hi!"