While I’ve been writing my paranormal romance books, I have also been writing a science fiction novel. How much have I written? Not terribly much, just a couple chapters, but it pulls at me to write more!
I’m a huge fan of the Alien movies by Ridley Scott and James Cameron. Something about the creatures, whether it be how they gestate inside a living host or how they can fatally wound you with acid blood spray even as they’re dying, fascinates me. I love the atmosphere from the movies and have had dreams about HR Giger’s aliens – most of them scarier than anything ever seen on television.
This is how I came to start my science fiction book. I had a vivid dream once that stuck with me for years. I was on board a space station and part of a team searching for something. I still don’t know what we had been looking for, but it couldn’t have been good.
Here is an excerpt from the book and a written description of my dream…
I rounded the corner. The watery blue glow from the station warning lights drowned everything in an ocean of sirens. I could hear the Ops team on comms, but they were in other sections of the station. At certain times, Gladdus 12 was too big, and now was one of them.
Newstead was just a few rooms over, moving things, inspecting cabinets. Loud bangs echoed down the hall as he slammed doors shut. Nothing. I kept moving down the corridor. The med lab was on the right, the gurneys and tables, chairs and lamps all sparsely decorating the room behind the glass wall. I went inside.
The blue light only stretched so far into the room. The corners were dark. I switched on my headlamp and tightly re-gripped my rifle. I was scared. I knew what lurked within the station.
Then I saw it. A surgical tray on a stand. Normally it held standard tools: scalpels, scissors, and the like, but not today.
Today it held eyes.
I approached cautiously from around the right side, walking up to the tray and feeling myself tremble as I leaned in closer. A chill came over me, my skin breaking out in goosebumps, little hairs standing on end. I knew what I was looking at but fear caused my mind to rebel.
Eyes of all sizes, colors, and shapes were spread out for view as if a taxidermist was ready to assemble a new creation and was unsure which eye to use. It was as if these had been collected and were on display for viewing. Variations in pupil shape and size, irises of different colors, diamond shape eyes, dodecahedron eyes, round eyes: a collection it had been storing just for this moment.
In my heart, I knew it was taunting us. The killer on Gladdus12 was making a mockery of our fear. It wanted us to be scared. It wanted us to be unsettled and afraid. It wanted to murder us all, tear us limb from limb and leave us floating on this rock in space.
I could hear it breathing but knew it wasn’t in the room: slow and steady, raspy and heavy. Its intention could be felt. I knew our deaths were the only thing it was living for.
I hopped onto comms. “Newstead, come back.”
“Newstead here, go ahead.”
“You need to come to Med Lab.”
“On my way.”
I held the button down. I needed to grip something, tightly hang onto something tangible. I was staring at the eyes, repulsed by the display; yet, a morbid fascination kept me fixated on it.
“Get off the comms,” came Jones from the very far side of the station.
“Roger. Scott out,” I replied, a bit absentmindedly, and released the button. I couldn’t look away.
Newstead approached from the south, arriving in the med lab with his rifle ready to go. “What do you have for me?”
“Here.” I gestured to the tray.
He walked over and peered at the contents. “That’s definitely new.”
“It’s mocking us.”
“What makes you say that?”
“These are trophies.”
“Trophies? Like it’s keeping souvenirs?”
“Not exactly. It’s telling us that it’s killed dozens of other species, and we’re just another on its list.” I tried to breathe steadily, tried to keep my voice calm. Inside I was struggling.
“Big list.”
“Yes.”
After a moment, Newstead looked up at me. “Let’s continue checking the rooms.” He left and headed back south. I followed him, believing it was better to be with someone than to be on my own at this point.
My new book, Killer in Blue will be released in 2023.
While you’re waiting, grab my first two books, Beyond the Shadows and SpellCast from Darkness to get your reading fix!
Author Shanna Robillard 