Here is Patrick C. winner of the Gateway Creative Writing Competition 2017 accepting his trophy . Patrick's story was voted number one by his fellow writing peers last Friday . Kevin O'B came runner in what was a stiff competition . Congratulations to all the wonderful stories and writers involved and to the winners . Have a look at Patrick's winning story below :
Captain James L Riddick’s Journey to Zoltan the Forbidden
Planet
It was the year 3025 the American space station Nassau was
launching their latest space craft. The
commander of the American space station Nassau Commander Bruce Bernstein was
launching the hi tech, fastest, best weapons to do battle in attack and
defence. They had been working secretly
on this craft for 30 years. The
Commanders daughter Cornel Janice Hoffman and her husband secretary of defence
Bill Hoffman were in charge of the craft and team of astronauts. At this time Earth had been under pressure
from Other Planets and Species trying to become dominant and destroying
humanity and become rulers of the Galaxy.
The most feared Planet known as the forbidden Planet was Zoltan, because
anybody who entered never returned so no one has ever came back to tell what
it’s like. As they the launch got
underway they were told to avoid anywhere or distance of a thousand miles from
the forbidden Planet. The high powered craft
got off like the speed of a ray light.
Everything was going right all of a sudden one of the engines started to
stop they lost contact with the space station.
They were saying the only place they could have made an emergency
landing was Zoltan and they did they landed on the Planet this was the last
contact they had with the craft.
The Commander didn’t give up hope because he knew one man
who could probably find the team of the craft and bring them back alive. This was Captain Lames L Riddick who was
retired three years he was seventy five, and had a commendable record of
bravery and experience in Nassau history.
Captain Riddick was fishing on a small boat on a lake in Mississippi
where he lived with his Golden Labrador dog Busker. He never married because he couldn’t be sure
if he would return from battle he was a kind hearted man. He had a gambling and
alcohol problem and when he’s running out of his retirement money he would
compete in street fighting which he never lost.
The captain had a partner who done his cooking and cleaning whom he had
a deep affection, her name is Justina a retired dance teacher from Italy.
A space craft came down and hovered on the lake they asked
Riddick to get on board the commander explained to Riddick what happened would
he help to bring back his daughter and their crew. Captain Riddick told that he wold try and
bring them back but would go alone.
Explaining once he seen and killed some species he said they have powers
of super strength and can fire lasers from their eyes saying their called
Marmites seven feet tall with fur and tails and they understand human
language. They don’t like anything to do
humans I will go and try rescue the crew.
In a real hurry Riddick said goodbye to his dog and Justina. He put his Nassau space suit on probably for
the last time took off into space at full speed.
Riddick entered the forbidden Planet surprised he even got
to land. Amazed by the scenery was
something like a jungle on Earth. He
thought the Planet about the size of the Amazon jungle with giant plants and
trees looked like they eat plants and small creatures that look like cabbages
and rabbits. As he was walking through
he came across two marmites talking in their language sounded really loud and
fast. They spotted him stared running
towards him firing lasers. Riddick had a
steel gadget that was like a boomerang within seconds quietly killed them
instantly. He heard noises coming from a
distance like a valley. He seen all the
crew tied against trees it looked like they were being sacrificed like ritual. There was thousands of Marmites at the
sacrifice. Riddick planted bombs all
over setting them to explode giving himself ten minutes. Making his way towards the crew he used his
gadgets to kill the marmites this was the only way he could. It was like Riddick was invisible they
couldn’t stop him, eventually he freed the crew. Riddick they said is that you no time to talk
replied Riddick we’ve about five minutes to get back to the craft. They were chased by thousands of Marmites. A lot of the crew didn’t make it far Riddick
made sure the commanders daughter made it to the craft unfortunately her
husband didn’t make it, as they took off the bombs exploded killing thousands
of Marmites. They reached Earth safely
Riddick you did it how can we thank you.
I never believed to come back, the Marmites will want revenge there is
more to come. Call the president tell
him, he could have an intergalactic battle on his hands. I am happy it’s no longer feared as the
forbidden Planed.
Patrick Clifford
