For the Love of Temperance (The Adventures of Ichabod Temperance Book 3)

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Authors: Ichabod Temperance
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monster’s vision.
    Walking in its rollicking method, the contraption makes its way down the same thoroughfare that Miss Plumtartt and I had employed just a few days prior. That would be the wide Twentieth Street. Glowing trolley tracks illuminate the horror with an orange light from below as burning structures provide a yellow light from the sides. At the bottom of the hill, the monster then merely steps over the intervening blocks in a catty-corner maneuver. Sturdy brick buildings are kicked aside and trampled underfoot. The bars and saloons of the cobblestoned Morris Avenue burst into flame at the pass of the lavender ray. The beam is now steadily controlled, though, as opposed to swinging wildly as had been witnessed earlier. It is my impression that the cursed conqueror is being more careful in what he destroys. He spreads his wanton destruction in every direction but one. Steadily Northward and Eastward comes our foe. His path brings him nearly straight for us, I fear, but then I see where he has slightly adjusted his course. The pilot is on a collision course with the pride of this city’s iron-producing industry: the Sloss Furnaces, the first major ‘blast’ furnaces built in the South.
    The leviathan suspends the use of his metal scorching ray. He drives his coach to the towering edifices of the Sloss Furnace compound. The proud blast furnaces and accompanying buildings rival and surpass the Martian’s conveyance in height.
    “This city’s marauder has taken a fancy to the iron furnaces, Mr. Temperance, eh hem?”
    “Yes, Ma’am. Birmingham has all the necessary ingredients for the iron industry: coal, coke, and iron ore. The iron then becomes the basis for steel production. This is the foundation of our city’s blooming success. I wonder if this rascal has something in mind for the iron foundry?”
    The mechanical walker bounces its knee joints high around its panned head as it spins a few times.
    Is it doing some sort of victory dance?
    ---
    “I really would feel better about proceeding, if I was not distracted by the need to protect you, Miss Plumtartt.”
    “Your kind thoughts as to my security are appreciated, Mr. Temperance; however, I have no intention of letting someone else fight the battle for our planet on my behalf. Now then, how do you propose that we proceed at this juncture, eh hem?”
    ~sigh~ “As you wish, Miss Plumtartt. It seems that our foreign friend has settled down on the grounds of the Sloss Furnace facility. The fires of Birmingham have now largely burned themselves out. The remains of the dead city wither after her forceful cremation; the smoldering husk grows more quiet.”
    “I say, the Sloss facility, in contrast, roars with dynamic life and vibrates the air for blocks in all directions with her fevered vitality. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Temperance?”
    “Yes Ma’am, Miss Plumtartt, Ma’am. Well, I reckon if that Martian feller is up to something, it probably ain’t no good. I suppose we ought to go and see what he is cranking away at.”
    “Righto, a capital plan, Mr. Temperance. We shall, how do you like to say, ‘reconnoiter’ the situation?”
    “Rather, Miss Plumtartt. Good show.”
    I receive a dubious scowl.
    “Hey there, Mr. Bolt, how about you stick around here and take care of Clementine while Miss Plumtartt and I go see what this boogerbear is doing?”
    “Roof!”
    ---
    “Dang, this city is disquietingly quiet, ain’t it Ma’am.”
    “Quite so, Mr. Temperance, but chin up, we must prevail. We now enjoy the cover of darkness as you pick our path for a surreptitious arrival.”
    “There ain’t a creature a stirring nowheres, except for this monster that has taken up habitation at our city’s most prominent landmark. He is making a terrible racket. What’s more, he seems to have the whole plant running along at the greatest pace I have ever witnessed. From here we can see the rows of stacked coal ovens heating the water that is converted to steam.

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