THE TOWERS FAMILY SAGA
        Episode 79
The first electric light
flickered to life inside
the iron walls of the unit.
It wasn't the harsh glare
of a boardroom bulb, but
a warm, amber glow that
softened the industrial
edges of the metal frame.
Robert stood by the main
breaker, his hand still
resting on the switch.
"Steady as a rock," he
muttered to the room.
Minnie was hanging a small
framed photo of the family
near the entrance door.
"It’s starting to feel
less like a project and
more like a home, Rob."
A low rumble echoed from
the canyon floor below.
A fleet of motorcycles,
engines purring like big
cats, wound up the trail.
It was a group of local
riders, their leather
vests dusty from the trip.
"We heard there’s a new
post on the ridge," the
leader said, dismounting.
Virginia stepped forward,
her eyes scanning the men
with a calm, steady gaze.
"Welcome to Boom Lake,"
she said, gesturing to
the open library hatch.
The bikers didn't look
for tech or secret maps.
They wanted to see the
blueprints for the next
industrial container.
"We heard you're making
portable shops," one said.
Robert felt the gears of
his new life clicking.
The saga was shifting into
the hands of the people.
Shirley was already using
her tablet to show them
the 3D models of the unit.
"It folds out in four
minutes," she explained.
The radical honesty of
the design was winning.
It was simple, it was
strong, and it was real.
Dorothy and Barbara were
distributing the first
manuals for the build.
The Towers weren't just
the owners of the ridge.
They were the teachers of
a new way to live dry.
The man from the FDC was
nowhere to be seen, but
Robert kept his eyes on
the distant horizon line.
The peace was a fragile
glass, but it was clear.
Minnie leaned her head
against the iron door.
"The desert is listening,"
she whispered to Robert.
The Arizona night was
full of soft engine hums.
The air was very sweet.
The family was a bridge.

  My books and screenplays:
 www.boomlakeproductions.com
    Turquoise Software
    solartoys@yahoo.com