One of my hobbies is writing short stories.  Usually about my boyhood growing up in San Francisco and a few of my military experiences.  A couple or so have been published.

The thread about the schoolchildren seeing those UFOs reminded me of my one attempt to write a sci-fi story.  It's quite short.

Captain Tillman's Birthday

Captain Joseph Tillman was making his final pass in his FA-18 at the target range at Fallon Naval Air Station.

He was thinking, “Today’s my birthday and Mary is baking my favorite chocolate cake.  As soon as I land and refuel it’s back to Miramar and a four day pass.”

All of a sudden the FA-18 began to shake and become uncontrollable.

Captain Tillman woke up in a small room.  It was bare except for the chair he was sitting in.

The door opened.  “Captain Tillman?” a voice asked?

“Yeah, I’m Captain Tillman.  Who the hell are you?”

“Oh my!  I’m sorry.  I’m Mister Farqua.  There’s been an accident.  Please wait here captain and I’ll be back shortly.”  Mister Farqua left the room and left the door open.

Captain Tillman look out the door and saw a huge office with perhaps 100 men an women all punching their fingers at something embedded in the tops of their desks.  They all seemed very intent on what they were doing.

Then Captain Tillman heard someone coming down the corridor.  He stepped out and saw Mister Farqua escorting someone down the hallway.  They were chatting about something.  The man walking with Mister Farqua seemed disturbed and was speaking in a raised voice.

“What the hell am I doing here?  How dd I get here?"

“All in good time Captain Tillman.”

As they got closer Captain Tillman stepped out of the room and confronted the pair.  He looked at the man next to Mister Farqua and thought he was looking at himself in a mirror.

“Who the hell are you and what kind of flightsuit is that you’re wearing?”

“I’m Captain Tillman.  Who the hell are you?”

“Bulls***!  I’m Captain Tillman!”

“Oh my,” said Mister Farqua.  “Captain Tillman, come with me.  Captain Tillman go back in the room and sit down until I come for you.”

Captain Tillman went back into the room and sat down.  His head was buzzing.  He didn’t know where he was or what was coming.

Fifteen minutes later Mister Farqua came into the room and said, “Captain Tillman, come with me.  They went into a small room where a young woman was sitting at a console.  In the corner of the room was a small booth.

“Captain Tillman, go into that booth and sit down in the chair.”

Captain Tillman sat down in the chair and waited.  After a minute or two he felt a buzzing and became light headed.

As Captain Tillman rolled out to line up with the tank on the range he felt a slight shudder of the aircraft.  He thought it was probably nothing.  He lined up on the tank and fire his remaining rockets.  A direct hit!

Captain Tillman’s thought went back to his birthday and Mary.  “I’m a lucky guy,” he thought.  “I’m a bigamist married to two lovely women.  My FA-18 and Mary.  I can’t wait for that chocolate cake.”

Captain Tillman rolled out to line up with the bunker on the range he felt a slight shudder of the aircraft.  He thought it was probably nothing.  He lined up with the bunker on the range and fired his laser gun.  A direct hit!

Captain Tillman’s thought went back to his birthday and Anya.  “I’m a lucky guy,” he thought.  “I’m a bigamist married to two lovely women.  My GXT-235 and Anya.  I can’t wait for that coconut cream pie.”

Mister Farqua was standing next to Maria at the console.  “Maria,” he said, “That’s the second time you’ve done this.  And this time both men met each other.  Once more and I’ll have to let you go from Universal Time Central.  Is everything back to normal now?

“Yes sir,” said Maria, “All 18,492 Captain Tillman’s are back in their proper universes and time periods.  

Noel

 

 

Well done!  I did not anticipate the story ending in that fashion.

Nice work, Mr. Noel.

Love it! Great short story Noel. Thanks.