Joely Sue Burkhart

I was going to start a Maya Fantasy short story for this week’s snippet, but I decided to show the story I’m currently working on for a speculative Gothic Romance anthology.  I’m busting my fanny in hopes of finishing this thing by the July 31st deadline.  The story is supposed to include more modern speculative elements, but still hark back to the great gothics.  This is my attempt at “alien goth.”  First draft only.

Spires of Secrecy

Amee Fallon took one last breath of warm air and raced down the shuttle’s ramp. Frigid wind screeched across the launchpad, slicing her to the bone. The shuttle groaned in the unceasing gale. No wonder the landing had been so rough.

She huddled against a low wall and scanned the landing area. Empty. Barely peeking over the wall, she gasped and choked on air so cold her teeth ached.  Her nostrils felt freeze dried. Wind whipped tears from her eyes that froze into ice trails on her cheeks.

Massive black spires stabbed the sky, gnarled by millennia of winds and weather. Two parallel lines marched toward higher structures deeper in the alien city. Ice blanketed the ground and striped the black rock.

Not a sign of life anywhere.

Ducking back down, she cursed the fashionable—and not very warm—coat she’d selected as part of her disguise. Anger churned her stomach. So Dr. Linkyn didn’t want anyone snooping around his precious dig. Surely the egotistical xenoarcheologist could have sent someone to meet her before she added to the body count on this horrible planet. Besides, death by exposure wasn’t his M.O.

Maybe a long boring stint on a cruiser bound for the latest colony in the Ito quadrant wouldn’t have been so bad. No one in their right mind would choose to live on this ice cube. Another mark against the famed and presumably insane man who’d lived here nearly ten years.

Stay and freeze before proving he was the murderer; or walk and hope she found some shelter in the twisted alien ruins. Her teeth chattered so hard her head rattled, and she knew her body temperature was dipping rapidly.

She wouldn’t last much longer.

Before she died, she wanted to nail the bastard who’d already killed at least five people.

Leaving her bag on the ground, she tucked her face deeper into her ridiculously frivolous red coat and began walking toward the alien ruins.

5 Stars from Ecataromance:

Wow! Let me say that first off, this story was fantastic! Joely Sue Burkhart has woven an intricate tale of love, loss, curses and sacrifice. Chanda’s pain and rage are made abundantly clear and only with Jalan’s strength and love does she discover what she needs to heal. The world of Keldar is a strange and barren one, and is at times confusing to read about but still so fascinating. I truly enjoyed Survive My Fire as it easily drew forth my emotions. Chanda’s pain, her devotion, and her anger, especially as the dragon, were intense and appropriate. Yet Jalan’s emotions were just as strong. Although stoic, he truly felt love and heartache for Chanda and the sacrifice he had to make. I’m blown away by the way this author desribes their feelings and brings to life this desolate world.

Read the entire review here.  Thank you, Trang!