"Beatle" Race
“Faster Mnlik, they are gaining on us!”
“Keep your party hat on dear, they have forgotten to raise the landing gear on their “Beatle”.”
Mnlik allowed himself a self-satisfied smile, while closing the right wing pod slightly to deflect them away from the cliffs. The Hihangers would not be happy if their city rest time was disturbed in any way. He need to maximise the downdraft and use the sweeping air currents through the gorge, to increase his advantage before Bloddk, realised his mistake and raised the legs. Bloddk would not win this year, Mnlik decided, his jovial headgear from the festivities belying his determination.
Ever since the early transmissions from Earth all those millennia ago and the “Fab Four” had been popularised into local culture, the planet had changed. A change for the better he thought. In the old days, it was all work and no play. Public and even private displays of emotion were frowned upon. Not anymore, he grinned. The images, filtered through the space-time warp, were grainy, but enough data had arrived to let them know that they were not alone. The priests were wrong, there was life elsewhere after all. From what they could gather, they were humanoid like themselves and maybe “The one who had arrived” to tell them about immortality was also wrong… laughing and finding things funny was probably ok, and just maybe, winning a Beatle race would not consign your soul to hlekka for eternity. Their minds were opening, it felt good.
“What are you smiling at, Mnlik?” questioned Frontalia, twisting her head to keep their pursuers in sight. “You know if you lose concentration in this gorge, we won’t make it ahead of them and there are rumours that the river snappers are back to their old tricks, so don’t get too close to the acid.
“Relax darling, I was just thinking about how we carved their faces over the vector shields on our craft. They honour life forms, light years away, whom we will never meet. What matters though, is that the carvings remind us not to go back to the old ways.”
They flew on in silence, both deep in thought, the race almost forgotten. In the background a song from Earth soothed their minds- ”...on and on, across the universe…”
"Beatle" Race belongs to the following groups:
Airbrush Art, Alien Worlds/Landscapes, Fantasy Art and Sci FiAvailable for sale as Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
Jewd, about 1 year ago
Great stuff Tom…love the misty quality and those mauve tones are beautiful….
FabiaN, about 1 year ago
great work tom!
Anne van Alkemade
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about 1 year ago
Where’s that book, Tom. I want it for Christmas for me!!!! (and maybe one for my brother and one for …
Heather Rivet..., about 1 year ago
great one Tom
MtnMan, about 1 year ago
This is so unique.
Anne van Alkemade
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about 1 year ago
oh I get it – they’re BEETLES
LOL
izzymary2, about 1 year ago
Fantastic Tom great story
DigitalMagic, about 1 year ago
A fine tale Tom :-) . . . if only they knew, huh?
Weirdly wonderful pic . . . also love the detail in your backgrounds!
Brian Towers, about 1 year ago
What a fantasically creative mind you have Sir Tom. But then to have the skill to bring your ideas to life in image and word makes your gifts exceptional. Wonerful piece of art and well worth the hours you must have spent on it.
Tom Godfrey, about 1 year ago
Thanks friends you guys are very kind. Anne the book will be out for next Christmas :) Actually I am thinking of doing a short stories with illustrations book. The self publish kind. Yeh digital magic -one day all will be revealed :) and Brian, you keep me going with your ultra supportive comments -many thanks buddy.
Freda Surgenor, about 1 year ago
how clever you are Tom
BySilent, about 1 year ago
Fantastic work…. your unique style is always a joy to view
Helen Bascom, about 1 year ago
I love the stories as much as the images! Great work
Cliff Vestergaard, about 1 year ago
COOL ! something new Tom . Your work is pure magic .
xoxroth, 12 months ago
Just had a look through your portfolio..you have some amazing works there.. especially and including this one…(M)
Jeff Burns, 12 months ago
amazing image
TABI22, 12 months ago
wow this is soooo neat! love it!
Jewd, 12 months ago
good on you Tom for making the front page..more power to you…
Jewd, 12 months ago
By the way….Love the light coming out of your third eye in your new photo…cool
peter mciver, 11 months ago
Haha! I love everything about this. Just two things missing though; paul and george. ; )
Hagen, 11 months ago
This is great!
Lucindawind, 11 months ago
your work is always amazing !
ozjami, 9 months ago
That is freaking cool !!!
Tom Godfrey in reply to ozjami’s comment, 9 months ago
Thanks oz, Glad ya like it.
Jack Fisher, 9 months ago
Absolutely Brilliant Tom !
Say hello to them for me too !
Tom Godfrey in reply to Jack Fisher’s comment, 9 months ago
thanks Jack. I will send your regards :)
atomikboy, 8 months ago
awesome….missed this one!!!!
Tom Godfrey in reply to atomikboy’s comment, 8 months ago
Thanks atomikboy
AlienVisitor, 6 months ago
Hey Tom looks like I’m in good company with the featured section of “Space 2008 &Beyond”
always get a laugh from your space art.
AV
Tom Godfrey in reply to AlienVisitor’s comment, 6 months ago
Thanks AV and I’m just stunned with the beauty of your creations. I’m happy to be placed alongside you -Sci Fi rules yeh :)