Pandora’s Gate
Copyright ©
2016 by The Other Sean
This is the second part in an
experiment in epistolary fiction. The first part is here. We’ll see how it goes.
My dear nephew,
I’m sorry my last
letter ended so abruptly. I shall explain why after I’ve finished
what had been interrupted.
New Jutland is
mostly flat, much like its namesake on Earth, but it is far larger
and possesses hills and mountains at one end. Many people have moved
from Earth to Baltica and the other worlds, but even with the
children born here families must work for years to make the land
home. Much of the land remains wild and uncultivated.
Nyhavn is largest
city in New Jutland, and the site of a great natural harbor. It was
founded when I was still a boy, but it was a difficult process. I
mentioned the horned lizards, the great sea serpents, and the
pseudo-crocs. All of them and more faced the first settlers and the
work crews attempting to construct the docks and port facilities.
Dozens of people died before the creatures in the area were thinned
out enough for work to proceed in relative safety.
When my father got
the job with the railroad here, and we moved from Earth to Baltica,
Nyhavn was safe enough, but no man dared travel outside Nyhavn
without rifle or shotgun. Our train crews always carry a few in case
a situation arises.
Conditions have
since improved, but in the outlying farms and some of the more
far-flung settlements, a weapon is still a necessity. The
settlements are somewhat spread out, and there is often wild land
between them. It can take a man on foot a day to travel from one
town to its neighbor.
That is where the
railroad comes in. For land trips of any great distance, passengers
and freight move by rail. The roads are too poor for long trips by
automobile, though I hear rumors the Governor General is planning to
pave the road from Nyhaven to Langtbro. As for airships, they are
far too expensive – and too limited in freight capacity – to
carry the bulk of what the railroads carry. For trips across the
sea, though, they do have the advantage of not falling prey to sea
serpents.
I mentioned earlier
that New Jutland has mountains. Beyond them lay the German colony of
New Prussia. Given the past experiences of Denmark and our family,
a tight watch on that frontier is warranted. My father and his
parents, your great-grandparents, were driven from Slesvig, and I do
not wish to see a recurrence.
For the moment,
though, our relations with our German neighbors across the mountains
are little cause for alarm. The tension between Russia and the
German Empire, however, has caused stress for some in our Army. Last
night they demanded the railroad ship additional supplies and troops
from the base here at the Nyhavn to the frontier in the mountains.
That’s why the boss called me in.
I had more to say
about the early days of New Jutland. However, the last few days have
been quite long, and I must rest. Give my love to Elizabeth. I hope
you are both doing well over there in America.
Your uncle,
Viggo
My dear nephew,
I hope this letter
finds you and Elizabeth well. Things remain hectic here.
We’ve been more running extra trains for the Army. Yesterday involved
moving a trainload of horses and soldiers. The cars we used for
the horses stank by the time we got them back to the yard at Nyhavn.
I am glad my job does not involve cleaning them. The evening
newspaper says the Germany-Russia situation is settling down –
perhaps this means the end to the extra trains. I shall write you
more later. Until then, stay well.
Your uncle,
Viggo
Dear Uncle Viggo,
Elizabeth and I are
both well, and thank you for your letters. We like hearing about
Baltica and New Jutland. Mom never told us very much about them,
even though I know she lived there with you and our grandparents for
a while. Please tell us more. You never finished explaining why you
call it Pandora’s Gate.
Yours truly,
John
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