Read Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike Online

Authors: Wesley Allison

Tags: #Children's Books, #Action & Adventure, #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Children's eBooks, #Science Fiction; Fantasy & Scary Stories

Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike (17 page)


Dad, that would be amazing
,”
said Astrid.
 “
You know with your engines and my new Astridium, we might be able to build a horizontally launched space plane
.


That would cost a lot of money to develop
,”
said Dr. Maxxim.


But if we could build it, it would bring in all kinds of government and corporate contracts
,”
Astrid replied.
 “
Even as a ferry to the International Space Station we could recoup our development costs.  There are already a dozen companies working on launch vehicles and spacecraft.  Should
n’
t Maxxim be in there too
?

Dr. Maxxim smiled.


I would need a lot of help on this
,”
he said.


I
t’
s only two months till summer vacation
,”
said Astrid.

That Saturday was the last day of March.  Joyland, Maxxim Cit
y’
s local amusement park opened.  Each year, the tow
n’
s kids and adults poured through the gates each weekend in March, April, and May; and then the park opened every day all summer long before going back to a weekend only schedule in September and then closing for winter in October.  This first day was crowded but Astrid and her friends made their traditional first day pilgrimage.  They rode the Screaming Pterodactyl and Texas Twister roller coasters, played miniature golf, and ate deep fried Twinkies.  Toby even won an extra large teddy bear for Astrid by knocking down all six milk bottles, something Astrid had long ago decided had been rigged so as not to ever happen.  All in all, it was a wonderful day, but Astrid did
n’
t enjoy it as much as she could have.  She still worried about Austin.

Though her mother kept her informed on Austi
n’
s improving condition, the fact that he was in a far away city meant that none of the gang could go visit him.  He did
n’
t return to Maxxim City until Friday April sixth.  The next morning his grandmother drove him to the Maxxim home, where he was greeted with shouts o
f“
surprise
!”
when he entered the front door.  Austin looked fully recovered.  The doctors in Phoenix had saved his hand.  While he was in the hospital, he had lost about ten pounds and did
n’
t seem quite as ungainly as he had before.

Astrid, Toby, Denise, the two Valeries, Christopher, all their parents and Tob
y’
s great aunt, as well as Austin and his grandmother ate cake and ice cream, sang songs, and played silly games until almost eleven.  Then Astrid called her friends together.


Come on out back
,”
she said, giving Mr. Brown a wink.
 “
I want to show you something
.

They went through the family room and out into the yard, the adults all following.  Sitting neatly in a row just in front of the swimming pools were seven hoverbikes.  The first was Astri
d’
s original orange, which she had modified to hold a second battery.  The other bikes looked nothing like hers.  They were sleek and ultra-modern and looked like they were ready for an air race.


There are seven of them
,”
said Astrid.
 “
One for each of us
.

The kids all whooped.


What do you think, Austin
?”
she asked.


The orange one is kind of old-fashioned
,”
he said.
 “
I guess that on
e’
s mine
.


Do
n’
t be silly
,”
she replied.
 “
Tha
t’
s mine.  Yours is the blue one
.


But tha
t’
s the coolest one
!”
he said, excitedly.


I picked each one out special for you
,”
continued Astrid.
 “
Denise, yours is yellow, of course
.


Of course
,”
said Denise.


Christophe
r’
s is green
.


Because my favorite color is green
,”
said Christopher.


Right.  Valeri
e…
I mean Regular Valerie, yours is purple, and Robot Valerie, yours is purple with a metallic stripe
.


The
y’
re beautiful
,”
said the two Valeries at the same time.


And Toby, yours is blac
k
…”


Because I do
n’
t have a favorite color
,”
Toby completed.


Because i
t’
s cool
,”
said Astrid.


And they all have matching helmets
,”
said Dr. Maxxim.
 “
Those are from me, and I do
n’
t want to see any of you kids riding without one
.

The seven friends ran to the hoverbikes, jumped on, and began putting on their helmets.


You also all need to sign these release forms
,”
said Mrs. Maxxim.


They can do that later
,”
said her husband.

She did
n’
t reply but did
n’
t look any too happy either.

Once she had her helmet firmly in place, Astrid pressed the power button and felt the hoverbike hum to life as it slowly lifted off the ground.  She could hear the sounds of the other bikes, along with peals of laughter from her friends.  Pulling back on the controls as she pressed her foot down on the throttle, she guided the hoverbike upward.  Looking behind her, she watched as one after the other, her friends followed her as she shot up into the sky.

 

The End

Watch for Astrid Maxxi
m’
s return i
n

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

Wesley Allison is a teacher and author living in Henderson, Nevada with his wife Victoria and his two grown children Becky and John.  For more information about the author and upcoming books visit the City of Amathar Blog at
http://wesleyallison.com
, the Author Wesley Allison page on Facebook, or follow @Wesley_Allison on Twitter.

 

Books by Wesley Allison

 

Princess of Amathar

Transported to the artificial world of Ecos, Earth man Alexander Ashton struggles to understand the society of his new friends the Amatharians. As he does so, he finds himself falling in love with their princess and being thrust into a millennium-long war with their mortal foes the reptilian Zoasians. Princess of Amathar is a sword-swinging novel of high adventure.

 

His Robot Girlfriend

Mike Smith's life was crap, living all alone, years after his wife had died and his children had grown up and moved away. Then he saw the commercial for the Daffodil. Far more than other robots, the Daffodil could become anything and everything he wanted it to be. Mike's life is about to change.

 

His Robot Wife

In His Robot Wife, the novella-length sequel to His Robot Girlfriend, it is the year 2037 and Mike has been married to his robot wife, Patience, for five years. Troubles are on the horizon though. Prop 22 promises to annul marriages between humans and robots. And Patience has
n’
t quite been herself. Is there something wrong, or does she just need a software upgrade?

 

Tesla’s Stepdaughters

In a world where men are almost extinct, someone is trying to kill history's greatest rock & roll band. Science Police Agent John Andrews must negotiate a complicated relationship with Ep!phanee, the band's lead singer; drummer Ruth De Molay, bassist Steffie Sin, and the redheaded clone lead guitarist Penny Dreadful, as he protects them and tries to discover who wants to kill the Ladybugs.

 

Senta and the Steel Dragon (Book 0): Brechalon

Brechalon is the novella-length prequel to The Voyage of the Minotaur and the books which follow in the story of Senta and the Steel Dragon. Meet the people who will change a world-- the Dechantagnes, wealthy siblings from a disgraced aristocratic family who plot their revenge; the imprisoned sorceress Zurfina; and Senta, the orphan girl who will one day rise to great fame and power.

 

Senta and the Steel Dragon (Book 1): The Voyage of the Minotaur

In a world of steam power and rifles, where magic has not yet been forgotten, an expedition sets out to establish a colony in a lost world. The Voyage of the Minotaur is a story of adventure and magic, religion and prejudice, steam engines and dinosaurs, angels and lizardmen, machine guns and wizards, sorceresses, bustles and corsets, steam-powered computers, hot air balloons, and dragons.

 

Senta and the Steel Dragon (Book 2): The Dark and Forbidding Land

Two years have passed since Senta, the sorceress Zurfina, and Bessemer the steel dragon arrived in the strange land of Birmisia. Now it is up to the settlers to build a home in this dark and forbidding land, ruled by terrifying dinosaurs and strange lizardmen. Ten year old Senta must discover which is the greater threat, a would-be wizard or the ever-increasing presence of the tyrannosaurus.

 

Senta and the Steel Dragon (Book 3): The Drache Girl

More than three years have passed since the colonists arrived in Birmisia, and Port Dechantagne is a thriving colony, with the railway line almost complete. Twelve year old sorceress's apprentice Senta Bly, Police Constable Saba Colbshallow, and former maid Yuah Dechantagne must deal with wizards, prejudice, steam carriages, boys riding dinosaurs, and the mysterious activities of the lizardmen.

 

Women of Power

The life of a superhero is tough. All American Girl fights supervillains, alien invaders, and terrorists as she tries to get product endorsements and a magazine deal. That's nothing compared to her private life though. She's only just broken up with her super boyfriend Perihelion when he's scooped up by Omega Woman, and now rival Skygirl has moved into her territory.

 

Blood Trade

Vegas is going to hell-- literally. Werewolves run through the streets and the vampires are taking over. Former army ranger/Goth tattoo model/private eye Xochitl McKenna doesn't like it either, especially when it comes between her and her clients. But are the vampires and werewolves the greatest threat, or is it something or someone much closer to her? Warning: Adult Content.

 

Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Elven Princess

Eaglethorpe Buxton is a famed adventurer and story-teller, friend to those in need of a friend and guardian to those in need of a guardian. He is a liar and braggart, not to be trusted, especially around pies. Who are we to believe? Buxton himself leads us through his world as he comes to the aid o
f…
a poor orphan? An elven princess? Who can guess with Eaglethorpe himself telling the tale?

 

Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Sorceress

Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller is back, this time to put on a play about a sorceress. When the sorceress, subject of his play arrives with fire in her eyes, Eaglethorpe must pretend to be his good friend Ellwood. Will he pull off this charade and survive? And what happens when the real Ellwood shows up? One can never tell, especially when Eaglethorpe tells the story.

 

 

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