Elmo's Sojourn by Walt Trizna

Elmo, a retired scientist, enjoys tinkering in his basement. One day, he suddenly travels to a distant planet, and experiences a host of adventures.


Where did you get your inspiration? 

I belong to a writer’s group, The Wordwrights, and have for years.  Some time ago, a member arrived telling us of a project.  She wrote children’s books and had the assignment to begin a story with the lines, “I have a problem, a big problem.”

My mind instantly went to work and I wrote Cellar Science.  Then, I wanted to know what happened to Elmo, so I expanded the work.  Characters morphed from bad to good and result was Elmo’s Sojourn.

Elmo is not done.  I am working on a prequel where a young Elmo tries his had at a time machine.  The title of this work is Elmo’s Prison.  

For more Walt please visit here.

Wonderful I love excerpts!! More, more!!!!  
EXERPT FROM ELMO’S SOJOURN BY WALT TRIZNA

Night fell. Lights began to dot the landscape. In the darkness, the door to the nearby structure opened and a tall, gray-skinned figure approached Elmo and his eye-roving friend. Elmo‘s first reaction was to run. But where would he go? He knew nothing of his surroundings and, after all, this adventure was meant to learn about alien life. The approaching creature was clad in a flowing, blue robe-like garment. As it came closer, Elmo‘s traveling companion began to execute flips and emit sounds similar to the purring of a cat. Suddenly Elmo realized what he thought was the dominant life form was actually a pet.

As the strange being approached, Elmo appreciated its height, which was well over seven feet, and its regal bearing. The head of the creature was very large, larger than his seven-foot plus height would require, and completely hairless. Its ears were mere holes in the sides of the head, the nose being a simple hole also. Its eyes were the most amazing aspect of its face. They were huge, elliptical and able to rotate on their center. The eye movement of this planet‘s inhabitants was strange indeed. The being who now stood before Elmo and the fire hydrant shaped creature smiled and patted the creature‘s head, causing its purring to increase and leading Elmo to believe he had brought the little fellow back home.

The tall gray-skinned figure did not seem at all surprised at Elmo‘s arrival. Receiving visitors from other worlds must be a common occurrence here, thought Elmo. There are so many questions I want to ask. But how do I communicate?

Thoughts raced through his mind, and Elmo soon found himself unable to concentrate. That was when the breakthrough occurred. As his mind went blank, Elmo‘s head was suddenly filled with thoughts that were not his own. His emotions went from shock to disbelief to understanding. These beings communicated by thought transference! When his mind was full of his own thoughts, there was no room for the thoughts of another. He must clear his mind to receive the thoughts of this being. Instead of alternating between thinking and listening, they alternated between thinking and making their minds a blank slate. When his mind had been racing, he noticed the alien wince and wrinkle his brow; now he knew why.

―I am Valmid and this is the planet Roth, third planet from our sun,‖ it said. ―Thank you for returning Zytex. He has been with our family for many years and I was sad at the prospect of losing the little fellow.‖ Zytex‘s eye wandered around his head as he purred incessantly, taking in Valmid and Elmo.

―You must meet my wife,‖ thought Valmid, and with that he turned towards his home. He next emitted a sound that reminded Elmo of a high-pitched turbine, interrupted by a clicking noise. Out of the house came a figure even taller than Valmid but obviously female.