“Vanishing Point” is a story with a plot that’s only half thought up. The only thing that I’m sure of is that the story starts, as our beloved Cussler’s do, with a mystery of the past.
It opens in the somewhat romanticized Egypt of the 1920s, where a group of intrepid Egyptologists have made the very unanticipated discovery of the century: while digging for Egyptian antiquities, they find the Ark of the Covenant. But before they can share their discovery with the world, tragedy strikes and no one in the archeology team is ever heard from again. Their discovery is swallowed up by the desert, along with the truth about their fate.
I’m not sure about the rest of the story and how I’m going to tie this in with modern day NUMA, but I think with a little help from fellow CC fanfic writers, I can get there.
I'm open to ideas, feel free to share them with me. Who knows, if I like it, I'll let you contribute, since two minds are better than one.
Subplots are welcome, just as long as the main plot of the story doesn’t get lost on rabbit trails! ;)
Vanishing Point
March 12, 1929
South of Saqarra, Egypt
It felt like the wind-driven sand was everywhere. It abraded every visible surface, whether flesh or metal or fabric. But most of all, it wore away at his sanity. With nothing to see through the plane’s dust-coated windshield but featureless desert, Roland Sharpe was thrilled beyond words when he finally spotted the European excavation team.
Roland circled the plane around the dig site twice. Several khaki-garbed Westerners squinted into the sun and waved at him. From the air, he got a clear view of a wide, roughly rectangular pit where many Middle Eastern laborers were working, removing large bucketfuls of sand. A cluster of white tents and a string of camels were nearby.
He brought the plane to rather jerky landing several hundred yards from the site and when the roiling dust cloud had settled, he climbed down from the cockpit and was greeted warmly by fellow Brit and expedition leader, Dr. Cameron Whittlers.
As the scientist came huffing and puffing across the sand towards him, Roland couldn’t help but laugh. Overweight, red-faced, and white-bearded, Cameron resembled Santa Claus more than the renowned Egyptologist he was.
Whittlers bumped the pilot’s hand enthusiastically, his round face nearly split in two by an enormous grin.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming, old chap.”
“Birdie gave me a bit of trouble,” Sharpe said wearily, motioning back toward the C3R Stearman bi-plane he’d named after an ex-lover.
“Ah, well, if God had meant for men to fly, He’d have given Iccarus a cloudy day.”
Sharpe took the good-natured snub with a smile and replied in suit.
“Cameron, if God meant for men to dig in the sand, he’d have given them shovels for hands.”
Dr. Whittlers’ thunderous laughter boomed in the whisper quiet dessert, and he slapped the young pilot on the shoulder. Leaning close, Cameron said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I think you’ll see just what God thinks of this expedition when you see what we’re digging for.”
“It had better be worth my time, Doctor.” Roland said in mock sternness.
Cameron shook his head and waved his friend towards the encampment.
“Well, come along, I want to introduce you to the team.”
_*_
((soon to be edited. I'm restructuring the begining of my story, so bear with me))
Is waiting for the revision. w:
The description of the sand abrading every surface is a good one, but then moving it into abrading the mind was wonderful. I can almost see the temporary insanity in the eyes of the pilot squinting through the windstorm.
The reference of men, flight and Iccarus is also wonderful.
I like the beginning of this story - keep it going.
:blink: Wow...it's been a while. Well, a lot has happened since I was around last. Life got a little crazy... :wacko: , then a lot crazy, but I'm out of high school now. I have a mother who, bless her heart, is working and going back to school (both full time). I have a boyfriend (:wub: whose company I can't seem to live without) and I have a job AND college starts in August...BUT I did promise to finish this story and I thought it was only right that I pick it up again. The signed, first edition copy of Valhalla Rising (*squee!*) I recieved as a graduation present reminded me of the story I'd neglected. So I am back, if anyone will have me, and I shall do my best to work on this story.
snor: Cygnus
Welcome back Cygnus!!! w: Have you rewritten the first few posts of the story? Somehow they are missing from the rest that I wrote. Wow, you must have been going crazy getting your life in order after graduating high school!!! Hope everything wil calm down now for you. :lol: