Saturday, February 04, 2023

A Taste of the Madness Vol. 1

 

I've created a six story collection that I've titled A Taste of the Madness Vol. 1. Why volume 1? Because this is a special collection that will only be available for a limited time, and the good news is that if you're a Kindle Unlimited member, you can read it for free! After a bit of time, this collection will disappear, and I will release A Taste of the Madness Vol. 2, which will again be free for Kindle Unlimited members. I think you can see where this process is going.

So, if you'd like to read six of my stories for either $2.99 or for free, please visit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTV39CCB and download your copy today. But remember, this collection is only available for a limited time!



Friday, February 03, 2023

It's time to play some Ephemeris!

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

Looking for a new RPG to play? Have you tried Ephemeris yet? No???

Head over to DriveThruRPG and you can download a starter bundle for just $7. Go to: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/64002 and start playing right away.

If you’d like to completely dive into the game, you can get the Complete Ephemeris Bundle for just $35.45. Head over to https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/364674 and download everything today.

The year is 2185. The human race has gone to the stars, and found that they’re not alone. Local space is teeming with civilizations, some hostile, some friendly, and some indifferent. This is the universe of Ephemeris.

Ephemeris is a game of galactic trade and galactic conquest; of inter-species conflict and cooperation. Ephemeris is a science fiction role playing game. Here you will be able to take on the role of your favorite alien species and your favorite class. You will be able to trade, fight, negotiate, conquer, whatever you’d like to do with your fellow players. You can play the role of an Althani Trader, or maybe an Arbonix Cyber Wizard, or maybe even a Human Nanist. You can create a party made up entirely of one species and set out to upset the trade routes of a rival species. Or maybe you want to create a party with a variety of species that preys upon the trading routes of the various civilizations. Or maybe you want to explore the ancient ruins on long dead planets, ruins that clearly show that there were other species roaming the spaceways in the past…but where are they now? You can fight in great wars, negotiate grand peace treaties, and explore sections of the galaxy that no sentient has ever explored. Or maybe your party has joined with one of the interplanetary corporations; corporations whose motives are never entirely clear. These are just some of the possibilities open to you.
The universe of Ephemeris is yours to do with as you please. What you now hold in your hands are the basic guidelines for the games. Here you’ll find the races, classes, abilities, skills, weapons, and ships that allow you to create your own Ephemeris universe.

Now, step inside for the greatest science fiction adventure you’ve ever been on…

Sunday, January 29, 2023

There's still time to save 25%

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

Many of our titles are still available from Smashwords for 25% off. You can download novels, collections, anthologies, RPGs, RPG supplements, even a few short stories. So, head over to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium and you can start reading many of our great titles in just a few minutes.

 

Saturday, January 28, 2023

There's still time to save 50% at Smashwords

 

My novels and short story collections are still on sale for 50% off at Smashwords. So, what are you waiting for? Head over to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine and order today.

Friday, January 27, 2023

When did you last visit The Divided States of America?

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

Has it been a while since you've visited The Divided States of America? Or maybe you've never visited...

Imagine an America that has been divided by political turmoil and civil war...not really hard to imagine anymore. Check out the stories in this series of stories. Many are disturbing, some are optimistic, but all of them will have you thinking that we should be able to create a better future for ourselves...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HLWYBT9

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/28436

DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse.php?keywords=The+Divided+States+of+America&x=0&y=0&author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto=

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Smashwords 25% off sale

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

For the next month, you can save 25% off of a wide variety of our titles. Novels, anthologies, short story collections, RPGS, RPG supplements, even a few short stories...they're all available for 25% off.

Head over to https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium and order today.

 

Important websites

 

In case you're new to my writing and editing, or in case you just need a refresher, here are some important websites to learn more about my work...

My website: http://www.jalanerwine.com

My Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/J-Alan-Erwine/author/B0035AMA0A

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jalanerwine

DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse/pub/16618/J-Alan-Erwine

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jaerwine

Gumroad: https://jalanerwine.gumroad.com/

 

Friday, January 13, 2023

E-book a month

 For just $2 a month, you can receive an e-book delivered to your e-mail. This could be a short story collection or novel I've written. Or it could be an RPG I've created, or maybe even an anthology that I've edited. So, what are you waiting for? Subscribe today at https://jalanerwine.gumroad.com/l/bsdkq

 

Saturday, January 07, 2023

The Nomadic Delirium Press Core Rulebook Bundle

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

We’ve made all of our core rulebooks available in one bundle at DriveThruRPG. For just $10, you get Rocks on the Other Side, The Battle for Turtle Island, Ephemeris, and The Ephemeris RPG Rule Changes. You can pickup three games for just $10…that’s a hard deal to beat. Head over to https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/422488 and order today.

 

Friday, January 06, 2023

Smashwords sale

 

To celebrate the new year, my novels and short story collections are available for 50% off through Smashwords. This sale will last for the next month.

And to make things even more fun, I've added a few short stories to the sale that you can download for free. All I ask is that if you enjoy the stories, please review them, since reviews are the best way for an author to grow their audience.

Hope you enjoy the downloads. I'm looking forward to releasing several new titles in the new year.


Sunday, January 01, 2023

75% off sale

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

Happy New Year from everyone at Nomadic Delirium Press. To help you start out the new year, we're offering 75% off of all of our RPG titles at DriveThruRPG. You can download and play any of our games...Ephemeris, The Battle for Turtle Island, or Rocks on the Other Side for the next week at the huge discount of 75% off, so head over to https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/2805 and download everything you'd like and start playing today.

 


New Year, New Sale

 

Now that we've arrived in 2023, you get an opportunity to save 50% off of my work at DriveThruFiction for the first week of the new year.

This includes novels, short story collections, and even individual short stories, which you can download for just 50 cents.

So, head over to DriveThruFiction and start reading today.


Saturday, December 24, 2022

I've updated my Amazon page

Many of you use Amazon's Author Central to follow author's you like, and I know a few of you even keep track of my page. Well, I've updated it, so go ahead and check it out at https://www.amazon.com/author/jalanerwine.

And while we're talking about pages to visit, please feel free to visit my Patreon page as well at https://www.patreon.com/jalanerwine

Hope you all have a great holiday season!

 

Friday, December 23, 2022

Meet the Twisted Tree

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

Last week we introduced you to the Walking Tree from the Rocks on the Other Side RPG. This week, we introduce you to its evil cousin, a tree that will do everything it can to kill everyone...

TWISTED TREE

INT: 20

CS: 16

CHA: 10

STR: 28

AGIL: 12

END: 26

AB: +37 (+26 hand to hand combat skill, +6 Str, +1 mutation, +4 bark)

DB: +34 (-1 Agil, +1 mutation, +10 bark, +24 level

Health: 10d8+50

Type of Att: Limbs X2, Hurled fruit X2

Damage: 3d10+6/1d6 + contamination

Skills: Animal Handling 10, Appraise 5, Bluff 9, Concentration 18, Direction Sense 16, Etiquette 4, Gather Information 12, Herbalism 10, Hide 8, Interrogation 6, Intimidate 12, Listen 14, Negotiation 8, Search 3, Sense Motive 10, Spot 5, Tracking 11

Special Abilities: Hold, stun

Experience: 1750

Description: The twisted tree is a horrible mutation of a normal tree. Unlike the walking tree, the twisted tree is angry about its mutation, and they want to mutate the rest of the world. A twisted tree is normally about the size of a fruit tree, but its trunk and branches are twisted and full of knots and are often oozing sap. Twisted trees love to fight, and they will look to attack anything that they think they can destroy or mutate. In combat, the twisted tree attacks with two limbs trying to strike opponents. At the same time, it hurls radioactive fruit at other opponents. Although the fruit doesn’t do much damage, getting hit by it or by the branches will require a character to make a check against a severe radiation exposure.

Twisted trees are often not encountered alone. They don’t associate with other trees, but they are able to exert a mild mind control over other contaminated creatures. When encountered, there is a 50% chance that they will be encountered with other contaminated creatures. These creatures could be mutated animals, mutated ants, giant centipedes, giant spiders, giant flying spiders, strangle vines, mutated wasps, or even skeletons or zombies. These creatures will fight to the death to protect the twisted tree.

Twisted trees are highly susceptible to fire based attacks, and suffer triple damage from any attacks using fire.

Order your copy of the game today at:

DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/417789

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1184819

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSP4RHZ

Friday, December 16, 2022

Meet the Walking Tree

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

It’s time to meet another creature you might meet in the Rocks on the Other Side game, the Walking Tree

WALKING TREE

INT: 22

CS: 20

CHA: 20

STR: 28

AGIL: 10

END: 28

AB: +41 (+30 hand to hand combat skill, +6 Str, +1 mutation, +4 bark)

DB: +34 (-1 Agil, +1 mutation, +10 bark, +24 level

Health: 12d8+72

Type of Att: Limbs X2

Damage: 4d10+6

Skills: Animal Handling 10, Appraise 5, Bluff 9, Concentration 18, Diplomacy 8, Direction Sense 16, Etiquette 4, Gather Information 12, Herbalism 20, Hide 8, Interrogation 6, Intimidate 12, Listen 14, Negotiation 8, Search 3, Sense Motive 10, Spot 5, Tracking 11

Special Abilities: Hold, stun

Experience: 2200

Description: The nuclear mutations caused some trees to gain sentience and the ability to move. These trees normally won’t be aggressive, preferring to tend to other plants and animals in an effort to restore the Earth to what it used to be. However, if attacked, or if they see someone damaging the planet, they will fight. It is important to note, however, that they will not attack characters that they see attacking mutated plants or animals, because they see these as an abomination, and they want to rid the world of them.

If forced into combat, the walking tree will try to attack with two of its limbs. If their attack roll beats the character’s defense roll by 10, the tree has stunned the character for a number of rounds equal to the difference between the attack and defense rolls. If the tree’s attack roll exceeds a character’s defense roll by 15, the tree has grabbed the character and immobilized them. If this stops the attacks, the tree will then lecture the character on its mistakes and then set it free. If combat continues, then on the next round the tree will raise the character high into the air and drop it, causing 4d10 damage. There is no risk of contamination from an attack by a walking tree.

Walking trees are highly susceptible to fire based attacks, and suffer triple damage from any attacks using fire. However, if the walking tree survives the attack, the characters have made a lifetime enemy, and the tree will plot their downfall until they or it die.

Order your copy of the game today at:

DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/417789

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1184819

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSP4RHZ

 

Save 50% on downloads

 

Now through January 1st, you can save 50% off of many of my titles during Smashwords' End of the Year Sale. This includes novels and short story collections...and I've even added a few individual short stories for free...

So, what are you waiting for, head over to Smashwords and start reading today.


Sunday, December 11, 2022

33% off Rocks on the Other Side

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

For just one week, you can save 33% off the download price of the Rocks on the Other Side RPG at DriveThruRPG. You can download it today and start playing for just $6.69. Go to https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/417789 and start playing today!

 

Friday, December 09, 2022

Meet the Intellifungus

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

It's time to learn about a new creature that you might encounter in the Rocks on the Other Side game...the Intellifungus. They can be dangerous, they can be helpful...you can never be quite sure...

INTELLIFUNGUS

INT: 14

CS: 11

CHA: 9

STR: 17

AGIL: 12

END: 24

AB: +9 (+7 hand to hand combat skill,+1 Str, +1 mutation)

DB: +11 (+1 mutation, +2 fungal quality, +8 level bonus)

Health: 4d8+16

Type of Att: 2 spore punches

Damage: 1d6+1 and spores

Skills: Appraise 3, Balance 2, Bluff 4, Climb 5, Concentration 2, Diplomacy 3, Direction Sense 9, Gather Information 2, Herbalism 5, Hide 10, Interrogation 2, Intimidate 8, Jump 2, Listen 4, Move Silently 11, Negotiation 2, Search 6, Sense Motive 3, Spot 4, Stealth 9, Tracking 7

Special Abilities: Spores

Experience: 700

Description: Some fungal colonies gained sentience from their exposure to the radiations of the war. Each individual colony that gained sentience now forms one creature, and these creatures can differ greatly in size and shape just as normal colonies of fungus can. The biggest difference is that these colonies will generally try to imitate the bipedal mannerisms of humans or the quadrupedal mannerisms of animals. Intellifungus are very smart and can even rival many humans on intelligence, and just like humans, intellifungus can differ greatly in the way they lead their lives. Some can be openly hostile to humans, while others can be friendly with humans, and still others might just want to be left alone. Intellifungus can be found living alone, or like-minded fungi might choose to live together.

If an intellifungus engages in combat, they will strike with two pods that resemble arms. Each hit will do 2-7 points of damage, but there is also a chance that they can infect the victim with spores. Each time a character is hit, they must make an endurance check against a score of 14. If they fail the roll, they have become infected. One week after the infection, they must make another endurance check against a score of 16. If this roll is failed, the character permanently loses two points of endurance. After two weeks, the character must make another endurance check (with their new endurance score) against a score of 18. If they fail this check, they devolve into a fungus, with a 1in 6 chance of becoming an intellifungus. If the character succeeds on the second or third roll, their immune system has beaten back the fungus and they are normal again, although if they failed the second roll, they have still lost their endurance points. Anyone with 20 points in medicine can treat and heal a character infected with spores but this treatment must happen before the two weeks are up.

Although an intellifungus can engage in hand to hand combat, their preferred method of fighting is to release a 20’ sphere of spores. Anyone within this sphere must make an endurance check against a score of 12 or they become infected with spores. As with the physical attacks, infected characters must make a second check after one week against a score of 14, and a third check after two weeks against a score of 16. Failing the second check will cause a loss of two endurance points, and failing the third check will cause the character to devolve just as the physical attacks will.

As intellifungus are evolved from regular fungus, they seem to have adapted to the radiation that caused their mutation, and as a result, there is no danger of contamination from coming in contact with an intellifungus.

At this time, intellifungus do not form civilizations, nor do they use tools, but evolution can always change that.

Order from DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/417789

Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1184819

Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNCL6LGV

Monday, December 05, 2022

Meet the Jabbering Mutant

 


From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

One of the worst fates that can befall any creature in the Rocks on the Other Side universe is to mutate into a Jabbering Mutant. Let us introduce you to this creature...

JABBERING MUTANT

INT: 4

CS: 12

CHA: 2

STR: 20

AGIL: 18

END: 28

AB: +3 (+2 str, +1 mutation)

DB: +18 (+1 Agil, +2 mutation, +10 level, +5 amorphous)

Health: 5d8+30

Type of Att: mutant strike

Damage: 3d10+6

Skills: varies

Special Abilities: amorphous, contamination, confusion

Experience: 900

Description: When a person, animal, or plant suffers the most severe mutation that doesn’t actually kill them, they become a Jabbering mutant. These creatures don’t actually have a shape, because their shape constantly changes as the poor creatures continually mutate, thus they can have multiple limbs at one time, multiple faces, multiple of anything that the creature originally had.

When a Jabbering mutant attacks, and they always will because they are not very smart and very angry at the form they now take, they will strike with whatever limbs they currently have. At the start of the encounter the game master rolls 1d6 and this determines how many attacks the creature gets each round. Every fifth round of combat, a 1d6 is rolled again, as the creature will have mutated.

The Jabbering mutant is constantly making annoying noises that can cause confusion. Every round, each character must make a common sense check against a score of 12. They roll 1d20 and modify this with their common sense modifier. If the roll is not 12 or higher, they are confused and cannot take any action for 1d6 rounds.

Finally, every hit from a Jabbering mutant runs the risk of a severe radiation exposure and characters must roll on the appropriate table to determine if they have become contaminated.

Order your copy of Rocks on the Other Side today:

DriveThruRPG 

Smashwords 

Amazon 

 

Sunday, December 04, 2022

Support is always appreciated

 

Please keep in mind that your support on Patreon is always appreciated. Thanks

patreon.com/jalanerwine

 

Friday, December 02, 2022

25% off Rocks on the Other Side

 


Exclusively from Gumroad, you can download Rocks on the Other Side for 25% off. Go to https://jalanerwine.gumroad.com/l/rocksontheotherside and download your copy today and start playing the game immediately.


Sunday, November 27, 2022

The hardcover is now available

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

The hardcover version of our new post-apocalyptic RPG, Rocks on the Other Side is now available from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMSP4RHZ

Friday, November 25, 2022

Rocks on the Other Side is here!

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

The year was 2032. It will always be remembered as the year that the leaders of the world truly lost their minds. That was the year that they unleashed the massive nuclear arsenals they had been stockpiling. That was the year they tried to wipe out all life on Earth because of petty differences, differences that could have easily been overlooked if they would have just had open minds, but let’s face it, how often did the leaders of the world ever actually have open minds?

Now, two years later, civilization is gone, most of life on Earth is gone, but there are still pockets of humanity that try to eke out an existence. Some of the Earth’s flora and fauna have also survived the nuclear holocaust. Unfortunately, now everyone is trying to survive, and that means that everyone else must be viewed as a potential enemy. Even worse, nuclear mutations have created horrible lifeforms. Some used to be human, some were animals, and some were plants, but now they’re horribly deformed, and incredibly dangerous. Not to mention the fact that there are pockets of radiation all over the world that threaten life that comes anywhere close to it.

And, of course, there’s no longer a need to worry about global climate change since the world is stuck in a perpetual nuclear winter, killing more and more of the life on Earth.

Radiation everywhere, almost constant cold and snow, mutated people, animals, and plants…this is the world that waits for you in Rocks on the Other Side. Do you dare venture into this world and try to survive?

Order from DriveThruRPG 

Order from Smashwords 

Order from Amazon 

A hardback version will be available very soon!!!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale at DriveThruFiction

 


Now is your chance to save 33% on my titles at DriveThruFiction. Even though all of the items don't show sale prices, when you click on them, you should be able to see the discount. This will even allow you to download individual stories for just 66 cents, so head over to https://www.drivethrufiction.com/blackfriday.php?manufacturers_id=16618, and order today.

Sunday, October 09, 2022

Solar Federation Bundle

 

The first four stories in my Solar Federation series are all available in one bundle from DriveThruFiction, and that bundle is now priced at just $2.

So, please feel free to order today at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/362962, and please feel free to share this link, or any other links to my work, all over the web.


Friday, September 30, 2022

Ephemeris sale

 

Explore the galaxy as your favorite species and character class. Trade, fight, negotiate, or do whatever is right for your characters with the core rules and all supplements on sale for 30% off.  Order today from DriveThruRPG at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/2805

Saturday, September 03, 2022

Expanding the sale

 

I've had some people ask why my individual short stories aren't available in the Smashwords sale, and the simple answer is that Smashwords won't allow titles to be listed for less than 99 cents, which is where my stories are already listed. But, I figured that if there is some interest, I could expand the sale to DriveThruFiction, and you would be able to download novels, collections, and even short stories for 33% off....so, yes, if you head to DriveThruFiction, you can now download individual short stories for just 66 cents each.

How can you pass up an opportunity like that?


Friday, September 02, 2022

Have you stocked up yet?

 

There's still time to save 33% on my e-books. You can stock up on my novels and my short story collections by going to Smashwords and ordering today.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead...go order...


Sunday, August 28, 2022

If you'd like to help out...

 Remember, if you enjoy my writing, you can always support me on Patreon. The monthly donations are low, and you can get my new stories and books as they're released.

Thanks!!!


Friday, August 26, 2022

50% off e-book sale

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

For the next month, you can save 50% off of many of our e-books at Smashwords. Save on novels, collections, anthologies, RPGs, and RPG supplements. Anything that's normally $1.99 or more is marked down by 50%...so order today and start enjoying some of the great works our writers have created for you...

Order today at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/nomadicdelirium

 Many of these titles were written by me or edited by me.


Saturday, August 20, 2022

E-book sale

 

Now through Sep. 19th, you can save one third off of my e-books at Smashwords. This does not include my individual stories, but it does include my novels and my short story collections.

So, head over to Smashwords and start reading right away!

Friday, August 19, 2022

Rocks on the Other Side update

 

My next RPG, Rocks on the Other Side, is now with play testers. Once they get back to me with what works and what doesn't work, I will start on the final revisions.

I'm really excited to get this game into the hands of gamers!


Friday, July 22, 2022

Rocks on the Other Side rough draft

 

I've just finished the rough draft of the new post-apocalyptic RPG that I've been working on for a while. The game will be called Rocks on the Other Side.

Now I'm going to let the game sit for a bit, and then I'll spend a couple of months working on revisions. After that, it will be off to play testers to see what works and what doesn't work. After that, it will be time to write up the final draft and get it out to all of the gamers out there.

Keep an eye on this blog for updates.


Monday, July 18, 2022

Christmas in July

 

It's time for the annual Christmas in July sale at DriveThruFiction. You can save 25% off of short stories, novels, and my various short story collections. To start downloading now, go to DriveThruFiction.


Sunday, July 17, 2022

There's still time to save

 

It's very hot outside, so why not stay inside and download some science fiction? You still have the rest of July to save 50% on many of my titles at Smashwords. You can download novels or short story collections, and spend a cool day inside exploring the darker recesses of my mind...if you dare...


Friday, July 01, 2022

July Summer/Winter Sale

 

It's time for Smashwords' annual July Summer/Winter sale, and this means you can save up to 50% off of a number of my titles.

Go to Smashwords today and download and start reading. I think you'll enjoy my work...even if some of it is a little dark and twisted...but then so am I...


Friday, May 27, 2022

Have you stocked up yet?

 

There's still time to download many of my titles for 50% off from DriveThruFiction. You can download stories for just 50 cents each, including all of my "Solar Federation" stories. You can also download collections and novels starting at $1.50.

So, what are you waiting for?

Head to DriveThruFiction today...


Sunday, May 22, 2022

Half off sale


 For one week only, the majority of my titles are available for half off from DriveThruFiction. Download them today at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse/pub/16618

Short stories for as little as 50 cents, and novels and collections for as little as $1! What are you waiting for?

Monday, May 09, 2022

Divided States of America Sale

 

From the Nomadic Delirium Press blog:

For one week only, you can save 25% on all Divided States of America titles at DriveThruFiction. This includes all of the individually published stories, as well as the first anthology. So, order your stories today at https://www.drivethrufiction.com/browse/pub/2805/

 

Friday, May 06, 2022

An Excerpt from "Return to the Wastelands?"

 

The day he surrendered to Captain Bryan Howard was supposed to be the best day of young Robert Jenkins’ life, and maybe it was, but something never felt quite right to him.

The young Captain, who had also once been a member of the Rose Clan, had taken him back to a mobile unit, and Robert couldn’t believe everything he saw. Wherever he looked, there were soldiers, and these weren’t like the gang members he was used to seeing; these people were heavily armed. Robert had seen a few military style weapons in the Wastelands, but nothing like what these people were carrying, and even though he got a few weird looks, everyone was nice to him once Captain Howard explained his situation.

“Go ahead,” Captain Howard had said, pointing at what he had called a tub that was now filled with steaming water and bubbles. Robert didn’t understand.

“You’ve never had a bath, have you?” the Captain asked.

“I’ve heard of them,” Robert said, “But, I’ve never seen anything like this…what am I supposed to do?”

“You take your clothes off, and you get in and soak. There’s more soap there and a wash cloth. You clean yourself, and then you get out and dry off, and there’s some clean clothes over there that you can put on.”

The idea of a clean body and clean clothes was odd to him. He’d taken numerous showers, but most of them had been very cold, so he’d gotten out as fast as he could, and he’d often washed his clothes in a sink before, but Robert could actually smell a fragrance coming from the clothes that were sitting next to the toilet.

“You can stay in as long as you want,” the Captain said with a smile.

Robert suddenly felt his stomach turn and he started to tremble. “Where will you be?” he cautiously asked.

“Outside,” the Captain said with sudden seriousness. “Look, kid, I know what you’ve been through. You’re safe here. No one is going to do what those people did to you.” With that, the Captain turned and left the bathroom. Robert eyed the tub. He stuck his hand in to the water and was thrilled by the feel of the hot soapy water on his skin. With a genuine smile, he quickly took his clothes off and got in the tub. He had no idea how long he was actually in the bath. He was sure it was at least half an hour, and maybe even an hour, but it was the best feeling he could ever remember…well, not as good of a feeling as kissing Leslie, but it still felt good, and for possibly the first time in his life, he was genuinely clean.

 Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X27VJ3N

Order from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1140435 

Order from DriveThruFiction: https://www.drivethrufiction.com/product/392330/Return-to-the-Wastelands