Valley of Light: A Loop Serial Story

[Scroll down for Part 1]

In the April 13 edition of The Loop newspaper, we invited readers to use their creativity and join in on adding to our serial story, “Valley of Light.” Part 1 is written to give you a running start.

We are hoping for your imaginative ideas, where the story can take unexpected and interesting turns.

There is still time. Send us what you have and let us decide!

Rules:

You must give us your name in your submission and the submission must be no longer than 500 words.

It can be dropped off at The Loop newspaper office at 206 S. Green St. in Downtown Tehachapi or sent to: [email protected].

The writing will become the property of The Loop newspaper and will not be used in any other publication or for profit of any kind.

Here is part 1:

Valley of Light: A Loop Serial Story

by the Tehachapi Community

The valley, surrounded by mountains and hillsides, sits high above the desert to the east and above a large fertile valley to the west. A vibrant community lives here. Mysteries live here.

There is a mystery of lights in the night skies. Julia stands at her kitchen sink looking out the window into the darkness. She watches a small red dot first zoom across the sky, then stop suddenly and hover for over a minute. Then it moves at an impossible speed totally out of sight before she can blink her eyes.

Lylah lays in her bed most nights, watching bright white light pulse from the top of Bear Mountain. It sometimes runs back and forth from left to right, and then back to pulsing.

Her husband Bill, a grumpy disbeliever, changed his mind the night he sat on their deck fighting insomnia. He watched as a bright white ball of light tumbled down the hillside, breaking into a myriad of tiny rolling dancing lights near his property, and then passed right by the deck.

The desert has its own mysteries to the east, but it is oldtimer, desert rat Ralph Rigata who swears that the Indian petroglyph pictures in local mountain caves move at night, rearranging themselves and their stories on the rock cave walls.

Steve leaves for work at 7 a.m. each morning. His wife Becky kisses him goodbye without knowing exactly where he is going or what he is working on. His work is secret. He works for the government. He returns at 6 p.m. every evening.

Where does he go?

What secrets does he keep?

There are schools and churches and businesses ... teaching, shopping, cooking, lawns to mow, gardens to weed. Regular vibrant lives being lived in this town. But around the edges are mysteries.

Should they be left alone or explored?

If explored, what will change?

Anything?

Everything?

From local news today:

“News of two hikers on the Pacific Coast Trail have rattled this community today.

After one of the hikers stumbled, spraining his ankle, the two ran behind schedule and continued their hike toward town in darkness last night.

At a rather precarious turn on the trail, one hiker has been found dead and the other refuses or can’t speak to give details of the tragedy.

Details, if any, are not being shared with local police as the FBI made an incredibly fast appearance at the scene and is also setting up a command station in town.

We will report as more information is available.”

For Part 2 click HERE