Danger Bay Cyber-Story—Chapter 3

Edited by Boomer Jack Boardman

We continue our repackaged re-runs:

[Episode 7—The “Locals” Meet by Jay Merton (writing as Molly Halloran)]

[Episode 8—Yet Another Newbie Arrives! by Jay Merton (writing as Molly Halloran)]

[Episode 9—A Meeting of the Townspeople by Jay Merton (writing as Molly Halloran)]

As the crew of the Sparrow returned to the boat, Jay, Boomer & Ines lingered in front, and the Silverthorn’s & Medlar continued their conversation inside the café.

“Pop, I understand what you are saying about being ‘in harmony with the land’,” Sam Silverthorn said as he polished the pine countertop, “but we need the business this tour operation will bring with it.”

“I’m just afraid,” Hiram continued, “that we will damage our place here. The land, the bay and the Big Lake are not really ours, but belong to no man. We are here but a short time in the scheme of things.”

“If we continue to do nothing,” Sam persisted, “All we have accomplished to provide for ourselves and our children will disappear, and there will be no one here to appreciate this place.”

“Pop,” Hiram Jr. joining in said, “I really hate to side with Sammy, but he is right. You’ve worked for thirty years to build what we have, but the town is slowly dieing.”

“Fellers,” Lar, who until this point had just been listening, “I think we kin do this, we don’t hafta change much o’anything.”

“What about all the people who’ll be coming for the tours?” Hiram asked, “The road into town will have to be expanded, and where will they park?”

“Road’s fine,” Lar answered, “folks comin’ here ‘spect it to be rustic. An’ we have enough parkin’ behind our places prob’ly already. If not, there’s space behind th’ saloon an’ store. Them fellers would prob’ly be happy ta let em park there.”

“OK Lar,” Hiram smiled (he always smiles when he speaks with Lar), “Lets get everybody together tonight and talk some more. You may be right, but I’m still worried.”

Meanwhile, on the boardwalk:

“Feeling a little disoriented, are you?” Jay asked.

“Yes,” Ines replied, “I’m not sure if I’m really here, or…”

“It is difficult, at first,” Boomer offered, “but after a while you sort of get used to it. In the REAL WORLD time has passed. Here, time has no meaning—it’s whatever Molly writes it.”

“Spooky!”

“Indeed”

[Episode 8]:

Sarah found herself standing on the boardwalk outside “Cooper’s General Store

“Where am I?” She asked herself out loud, “What is this place and what am I doing here?”

To her left was a well-maintained, but obviously very old red pick-up truck. She looked out into the darkness and observed that she was obviously in a small town—across the road was a gas station and a café. There were a number of people going into the café, but before she could decide whether to walk over, a voice to her left startled her.

“Hello Sarah,” the voice greeted her by name, “Boomer and I’ve been wonderin’ if you’d get here before the meeting tonight.”

Startled, she turned towards the voice and saw two two-dimensional, familiar figures standing next to her…

“Grandad!” she exclaimed, “Hi! I guess I’m in Danger Bay, huh.”

“You are,” Boomer piped up, “and you have an important meeting to attend, since you are a business owner here.”

“You must be Boomer,” Sarah replied as she began to get her bearings, “Business owner?”

“Look there,” Jay answered smiling and pointing to the sign on the store.

“Cooper’s General Store,” she read aloud, “I guess I’d better get over there. I wonder what dog ordinances they have here.”

[Episode 9]:

When Sarah arrived at the Silverthorn Café, the meeting was already under way. As she entered she was nearly knocked over by an eldery man leaving the café saying something about the “village being overrun by those people.”

“We’ve heard the presentation by the folks from the Sparrow,” Shaddock Farkleberry the village mayor, standing next to his older brother, said, “any comments?”

“What got into Shadbush?” Hiram Silverthorn Jr. asked.

“I have an idea,” answered George Gamboge (standing next to Sarah), “but we don’t need to talk about it now.”

“What will this mean for us?” asked Hiram senior, “I’m concerned about the potential traffic in and out of town on tour days.”

“Maggie?” Shaddock asked, directing the concern to the Sparrow’s site manager.

“The Sparrow can accommodate fifty passengers,” Maggie replied, “plus the ten crew members. So at most there would be sixty cars arriving on tour days.”

“Five of the crew members,” Trigg Guudlender continued, “are rooming at my home—all those extra bedrooms have come in handy.”

“There’s room for fifteen or twenty cars behind my store,” offered Sarah, “That should help.”

“We probably won’t need much parking,” I said (in case you’ve forgotten Gentle Reader, I’m Molly, Captain of the Sparrow), “Most of our passengers will sign on for the cruises at Twin Harbors, and we will bus them up here.”

“There is a bigger issue here,” Gamboge piped up, “What do you want from us? These days whenever a business wants to locate in a town, they want all sorts of concessions—like tax breaks—and offer the world in economic benefits for the town.”

“A license to do business,” Maggie answered.

There was total silence in the café.