The Girl and the Pendulum (An Original Story – Part 12)
Part Twelve
“Zenith made old cameras,” she said, nodding at his camera beside him on the sofa. “And other devices. New Dynamics is unfamiliar to me.”
Cassandra’s attention turned back to the silver teardrop pendulum. Her hand reached over, and with a tap, changed its trajectory. The sand slowly changed shape and form as the pendulum sliced it.
“Have you received any packages in the last few months?”
“Yes.”
Cattrell raised an eyebrow.
“Cat food.”
Cattrell smiled, shaking his head. It began to swing. He studied the sand as it formed an eye, a vertical one.
“Mr. Cattrell, may I ask you a question?”
Cattrell broke from his gaze at the sand, taken off-guard. “Of course.”
“Why are you really here?”
Cattrell paused. “I’m usually hired to find missing people.”
She considered that for a moment. “And?”
“You’re not missing.”
“Yes. True.”
That old trick didn’t work. She never gave pause. “But this time I’ve been hired to find a missing thing.”
The pendulum kept pulling his eyes back, to that tray of golden sand, revealing to him another eye, a larger eye, the Eye of Horus. “And?”
“And?” Cattrell repeated, confused.
“Are you okay Mr. Cattrell? You’re flush.” She gazed at him with those penetrating eyes. “Why are you here?
He looked away. “I believe someone is using your address without your knowing.”
Cassandra placed a hand to stop the pendulum in mid-swing. “A criminal?”
“Perhaps.” Cattrell stood. “I hope I haven’t wasted your time.”
“Not at all. I’m happy you told me.”
“May I take your picture for my case research?”
“Of course.”
Click. Rrrr.
He handed her a business card. “Here’s my number. Can you call me if you see anything -- suspicious?”
“Yes, Mr. Cattrell.”
Cassandra led him to the door. He stepped onto the porch. The day was long gone, but left behind in the western sky were red and gold trails not unlike those etched in the sand by the pendulum.
“Mr. Cattrell, what is the missing object, if I may ask?”
“A zero. Surrounded by ones.”
The look that he expected from her, following his mysterious response, perplexed him.
Read from the beginning:
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven
Read the next chapter:
Part Thirteen
"The Girl and the Pendulum" is an 18-part future-noir science fiction story about a a private investigator's search for a missing android. How can a man who searches for missing women find lost artificial intelligence? I welcome feedback on this story about a man and his difficult case in a post-war, post collapse world. Stay tuned, as I also will begin publishing my 300,000 word epic novel "The Messiah" on Steemit in 2017.
Facebook page: (https://facebook.com/michaeladamparis/)
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Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
All images used with their respective creative commons licensing.
Image Credits: 422694 | taz123 | STUX | geralt
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I happened to put my post in steemtrail right after you ;) I started to read and realized that I missed the last one and had to go back--I am equal parts intrigued and impressed by this story and your writing. I'm sure I've said this before, but if not- you are truly gifted.
I've just finished putting the first novel of my series through, the post I put in steemtrail is a complete list of chapters along with a series summary (I'm seriously awful at that-no matter how nice my friends are about it, hah, how do you sum up a series that will be five books at somewhere near five hundred pages apiece in a couple of paragraphs? It continues to elude me)
I know you're a busy guy, and I honestly don't expect you to read it, but in case you find yourself waiting between classes with nothing to do and find yourself curious, I'm going to put the link here ;) There is also a link inside the post to the first of my new real world blogging series-that is mostly pictures with quick captions, you might enjoy it :)
https://steemit.com/writing/@dreemit/the-allies-of-old-book-one-reborn-chapter-list-the-series-summary-and-details-concerning-the-release-of-book-two-renewal
You're awesome dreemit! It's good that you gave me the index of chapters... I will read your novel as well and post my thoughts. You are very kind with your words.... and I do appreciate them! Love the art btw!
If you are going to undertake that, I must warn you that my chapters are significantly longer than yours. Also, in many ways Reborn is the setup for the series, meaning a great deal of character building, particularly in the first half. Be sure and read the prologue first.
Oh and if you are talking about the painting, I commissioned the multi-talented, brilliant @therealpaul to paint that for me, it's a depiction of the prologue. I highly recommend you introduce yourself to that great man, tell him I sent you ;) He'll recognize your name as I just recommended you to him as well.