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    Corporal Xasl
    Corporal Xasl
    Corporal Xasl
    Ebook43 pages39 minutes

    Corporal Xasl

    By Talee

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Like his father before him, Xasl struggled to make a living doing odd labor jobs moving from city to city as the seasons changed. His wife left him years past when a man with a more stable income offered to take her in. Xasl could not really blame her for leaving him, it was hard when there were no credits for food, and even the shelters sometimes turned him away leaving him to sleep in alleys where one had to keep an eye open all the time.
    Today marked three weeks since he had last found work enough to eat a real meal. He could not even remember which city he was in now. When he saw a muscular woman opening the door to an office he did not recognize, he pushed himself to his feet and made his way over to ask her if she had anything he could do to earn enough credits for a meal. When he arrived, she greeted him warmly and gave him a hot caf and a sweetbread. Then she spoke to him about a long term job with the military which apparently had a shortage of people with his particular skills.
    Weak and confused as he was, Xasl barely remembered to ask where the job was before he pressed his palm to the enlistment document and became Private Xasl. Tomorrow he would be shipped off to training, and the recruiter called a service that took him to a low end bed and breakfast where he could get cleaned up and rested up for the trip. Xasl could barely believe his luck, she had also given him a credit voucher for three meals. No matter what the future held, he would eat and rest well today.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTalee
    Release dateFeb 17, 2016
    ISBN9781311377227
    Corporal Xasl
    Author

    Talee

    A dedicated reader and writer, I have always loved a good character. Heroic magicians, iconic warriors, and everyday people who overcome adversity are what I seek in both my reading and my writing. Some of my favorite books are Andre Norton's Witch World series, Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders, and Christopher Stasheff's Warlock series. I like to take characters that are believable and show how they overcome long odds to succeed, or simply adapt to their environment to accomplish happiness for themselves and others.For me, writing is just like reading, I may know how the story is going to eventually end, but the joy is in the journey that unfolds day by day.

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      Book preview

      Corporal Xasl - Talee

      Corporal Xasl

      (A Power Colors Short Tale)

      Talee

      This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously

      Copyright 2016 by Talee

      First Edition: February 2016

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Acknowledgements

      Thanks to all those who have supported my efforts by reading my books and especially those who provided reviews encouraging others to read my books. I write for you, and am happy that you find my works entertaining.

      This book is dedicated to all who struggle to find their way in the world. Remember great things happen in everyone’s life, the key is to make the most of them when they come.

      Corporal Xasl

      Xasl picked up his tool bag and shifted the backpack with his extra set of work clothes and boots to a more comfortable position on his shoulders. Another day at the day labor pickup point and once again no work. Today marked three weeks since his last full day’s work.

      He had run out of credits two days ago and was really beginning to feel the pinch of hunger. Yesterday, he had been able to talk a small clothing shop owner into letting him repair a couple of display racks for enough credits to buy a small salad and a cup of caf. But if he didn’t find work soon, he might have to consider selling his tools just to eat.

      Xasl felt the crisp breeze of fall and headed for the nearest shelter, he already knew they would turn him away. Single men were always the last to get a bed in most towns and he knew this town was no different. He remembered a couple of years ago being here with his wife and they got the last bed ahead of three single men.

      That was just a couple days before a man they had met on the construction site convinced her to leave Xasl and move in with him. It was hard to blame her for saying yes. The man was a permanent employee and had been with the company for 3 years. Longer than Xasl had ever held a job. Like his father before him, Xasl was just one set of tools better off than the permanently homeless. Most years he had lodging more often than he didn’t, but still it was a hard life for a pretty young wife. Especially when there were times like this with just enough food to avoid starvation.

      Of course he could beg and probably get enough credits to eat a meal or two per day. But he had been raised by a man

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