The Empire State of Jade

Believe it or not, this is the first snipet of Jade I've written in 2K10. She is still in the front of my mind, but I've had trouble getting her on the page. Once again, this photo by Dan Felstead of Wood and Pixel Narratives has inspired my muse.

So, I'm proud to present ...

THE EMPIRE STATE OF JADE

Jade stood on the sidewalk and looked up at the towering sculpture in the sky. Since coming to Earth, she had spent all of her time in San Fransisco. But since Devan's death, she had been floundering, unsure of the direction of her mission.

When the "spaceship crisis" finally passed, and officials wrote it off as a "secret military project," Jade decided she needed to visit other areas of Earth before her time was us. New York was just one stop in her year-long track across North America; there was still other continents to explore.

Looking up at the enormity of the Empire State Building, Jade was overcome with emotions. The thick fog encircling the top portion of the building reminded her so much of home, she was suddenly overcome with a wave of homesickness. Although Jadacon was a planet in near desert conditions, the swirling sands surrounding all the buildings looked just like the moist fog hanging over New York. Of course, the fog was different from the over layering clock of smog that was always present over San Fransisco.

"I've only got two more years before my mission is over," thought Jade. "There is just so much more to see and learn."

As she walked the crowded streets, she was amazed at the differences in the people in this hustle-bustle town compared to the laid back life-style of San Fransiscans. Here, everyone was in a hurry, racing from one place to another. Cars, trucks and yellow cabs choked the roads with honking horns, screeching brakes and yelled obscenities.

As she got closer to the Empire State Building, Jade found a small park and sat down on a bench facing the soaring building. "Devan, I never thought I could miss a human so much." Sadness overwhelmed her as her mind drifted away from her ten-year mission and settled over an image of home.

Home - seemed like a million miles away, and I guess in a way, it really was.