Been a while since I have posted anything new. As some of you may now I post stories each week on Google +, part of an ongoing event every Saturday with other writers there. Any genre is possible. And if you are on G+ they are posted in a Collection called something like SaturdayScenes 2018.
This week I decided to post stories that take place in other lands. Each one is a flash tale, or a bit longer, based on a picture. Lately I have been doing a lot of those and hopefully this year I will publish an anthology of around 22 of these stories. But with these stories I considered stories that take place on spaceships or another planet, but I wanted other lands here, not in space.
The first takes place in Africa and was written many, many months ago. The last takes place in Japan and was written not that long ago. The others are in-between. I revised them all today so they will be a bit longer and, easier-hopefully-to read. In case you have read them before. They are 3,069 words long totally. They are historical, general fiction and science fiction. Two take place in Africa, one around Norway but more North, one in the Middle east three or four centuries ago and is part of my Dark Castle series-which are posted on G+, and the last one in Japan. One takes place during the War of Roses or one of them.
So without further adieu here is story one:
The Tower
The boy and girl, tall and lanky, even though in their early teens, walked toward the end of the hills. For now they were called Esiankiki and Loiyan, but that would change as they grew.
Both felt not right for the mountains they were leaving were strange to them. Not at all like the Savanna. They feet ached from the hard rough surfaces they had walked on.
They stood the beginning of one side of the part of the Savanna where they came from. The trees they knew still grew here and some of the animals they killed or competed with came here too. The air felt warm as it should. The scents of grass, the droppings of lions, and desert air all grew as they walked closer to the natural border. Loiyan thought he heard the cough of a lion far in the distance, but little of any other sounds.
It would be good to get back to the foods they knew, bread made from the grains they had grown with.
Before going home though both had wanted to see the Tower. It looked manmade shape under many and many years of grime, but very few stories passed down to the next generation told of it. No one knew when it had been built or why. To worship the Red god or the Black one maybe. Loiyan thought it was something the evil Red god would like. Esiankiki wasn’t sure. It had different levels, each one with what looked like walls that swooped up to a sharp point. The oi-boni had never restricted the Masai from going there but he had given warnings, as far as they knew no one had climbed to the top-fear maybe or that it was just different?
Both had some honey to eat so they did not worry about food. Water might be a problem later. It took them two hours or more to get to the tower. Up close it looked both man made and natural. Neither knew how that could be but each agreed on that.
Loiyan placed the palm of his hand on it: rough like the huge rocks they had just climbed over but warm. Esiankiki placed her ear to it. She thought she heard something but so faint she couldn’t be sure: she said that she didn’t like the roughness against her ear’s skin. She pulled Loiyan back when he wanted to taste it with his tongue. Too rough for that she said.
Around the other side they saw a way in, or up. What could be very old steps, worn smooth by feet and weather. With very careful steps they went up. The first level had a place to walk but they couldn’t see over the edge of the wall even as tall as they were. The same with the second level. As far as they could find there was no way in, and no places to sacrifice offerings mixed with grass. Maybe that was on the top. But once they reached as far as they could go still nothing. The inside of the walls looked and felt smooth. The bottom had smelled of age and something neither one liked. But up here only air. They saw lions and tall grass further on, for the walls had grown shorter on the way up.
No blacken areas with very old ash so no sacrifices up here either. So what was this used for? To watch the lions, to see if any enemies were coming? The People did sometimes fight.
They examed the walls carefully for long minutes. Loiyan found lines in the inner wall like a doorway, The People used curtains over doorways, but they knew others had wood and metal doors, some with metal and what was called glass. They both had been to cities, ridden in cars and a train. They had seen a helicopter land. That had been noisy, worse than a very large pride of lions Loiyan had been trapped in when very small. All of the beasts roaring at once had deafen him. The helicopter’s noise had been louder than a big rain storm with lightning and thunder. But if this was a door he nor Esiankiki had seen any way to open it. He tried to slide his fingernails into the cracks but something stopped them. Esiankiki noticed the indentations near waist level on one level, but they didn’t seem to do anything. Loiyan who had the hearing of a warrior thought he heard clicks from inside when he pressed then indentations, but nothing happened. Both felt tiny vibrations in the door but they did nothing. Esiankiki thought she tasted in the air something like what flavors the air when lightning strikes. The space in-between the lines grew warmer but only a little. That made no sense.
After a while they gave up and walked down. Back at the bottom they saw more lines in the tower but they were shaped wrong for a doorway for any person. And they all went into the ground. So they knew the Tower went deeper like a huge rock. These doors looked like something that slid out maybe. Esiankiki stated that she wasn’t sure why she thought of that. Loiyan thought it would be something larger than a hut if so. With a final shrug-that the People had picked up from the shorter white visitors-they left and finally headed home. The People or someone else had lived in the Tower many many ages ago, they were now sure of but who? And how did they get the doors to open? They would never know. Maybe The People had climbed those steps and but they came away with more questions that could not be answered so they either forgot them or decided not to bother others with unanswerable questions. Maybe when Loiyan became a warrior he would ask and come back with others who knew more than he did. For now though they would just go home, it had been too long since they had seen family.
end
The Last Viking
The Viking looked over the side of his ship. The mountains rose out of the ocean, higher than he would want to climb anymore. The day looked cloudy and cold even though he was viking and therefore used to cold. While not as deep as in some places the water here was still deep enough to hide monsters, or even an angry whale.
Askell glanced along his longship. The wood looked aged, it had nicks, claw marks, and blacken areas. That last fire they barely got out in time. He supposed he could get one of the new style of ships with multiple masts but he, and his crew, were too old to change that much.
He stroked his grey beard, looked down.
"To port now!” He shouted
Something scraped the hull as the longship turned too slowly.
So this ocean was not deep, those rocks were hard to see. Movement under the water, Oh oh, something huge lived down there.
It neared the surface and before he could cry out for them to raise oars, three of them hit it. It thrashed, caused water to splash into the longboat. Cold water that soaked their footwear. The oars didn’t break, thank Odin.
He snarled, spat bile out. Nothing would sink them in this cruise.
Once the water settled again he ordered them to head for the distant bit of land. It had what looked like a strip of land they could beach the longship. Further in lay the base of a tall cliff They might be able to build housing right next to the cliff and have fish, birds and seals and maybe even smaller whales to eating and to use for tools and clothes.
He looked around. No one would be chasing them this far, but if they did they would pay for that with their blood, for his crew still kept their weapons sharp.
Askell double checked the depth and for any other movements. He would have to be on his toes to make sure nothing else hindered them.
end
Congratulations
Jacob snarled, he wouldn’t let them smash him into the mud. He shoved against one man the same age as himself. That worthy went “ufff” as another two bodies jumped on top of the others. Some of them let out exclamations too. His lighter brown skin could easily be identified among their black skin. They all were from around here while he came from somewhere different.
He twisted his body one way then another, kept his legs moving so they couldn’t be grabbed. He sneezed: someone wore an awful cologne. Probably Kensu.
Someone used both hands to shove him harder, forced his face toward the mud patch on the parade ground. The whole area was plain dirt, not even grass. Mud holes were not rare even though most of it was dry dirt. Light metal bleachers filled one side. But they would be of no advantage to Jacob, nor would the various light and speaker poles around the area.
Jacob surged his back upward to flip off whoever was on his back. It didn’t work. He thought it was time to start punching and jabbing. A second thought, no one used fists, hands or feet as weapons. They all depended on brute strength, and their weight, to get his face into the mud.
Their grunts and heavy breathing filled his ears, but no name calling or obcentaites, which surprised him. He managed to get his feet and hands on the ground: one hand and knee splashed the mud around. He shoved upward and managed to stand as his attackers fell off. However his victory lasted one-second for someone tackled him and rolled with him toward the mud. Kerrich, he thought for. Sweat matted his hair, the clothes of those that touched him were clammy with it. He spat out the mud in his mouth-at least they used fresh water and mostly clean dirt.
Again he tried to get his hands under him so he could shove off the ground, but two more joined in the, what was still called, a dog pile. His face inched closer to the mud. No! These guys weighed a lot even though he had proven himself the better, stronger fighter.
With a snarl he surged upward, but only moved an inch, more poundage landed on him. He could smell the mud, at least it seemed to be just water and dirt. Before he could take a breath his face smashed down into the mud. It filled his mouth when he breathed in, splashed up his cheeks, got in his ears and hair. A roar of victory followed that and with a suddenness that surprised him all of the weight vanished.
He jumped up, turned to face them. Eight young men stood in badly formed semi-circle. Their formation instructor would not be happy with that a part of his mind said.
Half of them looked unsure, would he attack them?
The leader stepped forward but only so close.
He said, “Congratulations, you will be the first cadet to become Captain.”
Jacob blinked, they knew that?
“We honor you with our traditions.”
He nodded, for he knew of this one where they congratulated another cadet to raise in rank, but never expected to have it done to him. They had never really excepted him.
He spat though, to get the taste of the mud out of his mouth.
Jon-Wel said, “The commissary has a new batch of Mars Malt beer. You can wash out your mouth with a bottle. I will buy the first one.”
Jacob didn’t know if that was part of the tradition or because Jacob didn’t usually have much money unlike them. But…
He smiled, “I would be happy to wash the mud out that way,”
Some of the men looked relieved.
The leader nodded and motioned toward the store.
Jacob thought, He may never be one of them, but he had their respect and well wishes, that was good.
end
The Way Stop Castle
Jounn turned in his saddle to face his friend Brock. He felt glad they had stopped. The horses hoofs had been stirring the sand dust. It made his mouth dry when he breathed it in, not to mention making him cough.
“There is the castle I told you about.”
After he spoke he looked back down from the small dune they both had stopped on. Night covered the desert which is what they wanted. It cooled quickly here after the sun went down. But the dark made it better not to be seen.
The castle, a ruled by a neutral Duke far from England, sat on a hill. The neutrality though will probably have to change to one or the other roses, he thought. The structure looked gray tall and narrow with a full moon behind it. A village in front of it. Guards walked the wall. The gate looked still open even this late.
Brock said, “That wall, most be a good ten feet hight and what? Three feet thick. It would hold an army for a while. If one came here at all.”
“I am not fearful of armies, but of sudden changes of neutral Dukes. Or of an assassin.”
“You think they would really send one after us?”
Jounn shrugged, “They have done it before. During the last bit of fighting, which I can barely recall, my cousin was challenged to a duel by someone who turned out to be en expert swordsman. After the duel the man disappeared but left a rose. I have heard of that all my life with warnings to be watchful.”
“But if you don’t trust the Duke, why stay here?”
“We are not staying here. We present ourselves and the Duke gives us a suite of rooms. He knows me so will not think it strange that I would come here. We say we need to mediate over the conflict so we need to stay in the rooms without being disturbed. Once settled we change to less conspicuous clothes, bathe and be rid of traveling odors then head down to the stables. In my last two visits I learned that there is a back gate through the wall. It is small but a horse can get through. We get our horses and leave that way. Even if a guard sees us and if he should report it the Duke would be still able to say that he gave us rooms and then we left without even a proper thank you or good bye. That he knows not when, or where we went. Or even if we left the castle. We could be hiding among the vassals and others that live here.”
“Do you think that will work?”
“I believe it will, but we still need to be on our toes and watch. We will be able to get supplies for a long trek through the desert, but we hide our trail and head South, which might further confuse anyone that is sent after us.”
“Well, that plan is better than no plan, or just running.”
“As I said we will watch and keep our hands close to our swords and daggers. If he portrays us we will sell our lives dearly. If he is still neutral than we go as I said and leave him with an excuse.”
His friend nodded and said, “Than we should make sure we have no roses on us then he can say he did not realize we had chosen sides.”
Jounn nodded, picked off a brooch off of his chest, while his friend ripped off a fastener on his cloak, and started his horse down the dune.
end
Way of the Samurai
“You are late.”
“I know, Father, I have no excuse,” even though I did-saying good bye and finding my round hat had not been easy. I had tied my waist long hair into one braid. My long dress would be help against the cold. I wore a lighter outfit under it, if it warmed. I suspect that my Father had on something under his armor. His helmet with the grimace face hid his face as it should. He wore his two favorite swords and I am sure a third. He stood between the posts of the gate as the sun sank. He looked magnificent.
He grunted and nodded once.
Our road led between two tall strands of bamboo over a rough surface. No one had come this way in years so they had not kept it up. The wind blew leaves around.
Father was a hard man, but a tough, experienced, brave and honorable warrior. He showed his love in training me well so I would be able to defend myself and in teaching me honor. I have only the one sword though. I am not a Samurai so can not wear the armor but I am not sure I would want to.
The air smelled strongly of bamboo and growing things. Maybe we should take some of the shoots to eat later, but Father is ready to leave now.
I sighted, I have already defended myself. That group of three thieves had shown surprise when their heads rolled to the ground. The last one had been a fair fighter-he lasted five swings. And months later, the first man I had killed for trying to dishonor me-he had been someone important. Later when questioned Father acted like he didn’t know who had killed him.
Now we go-to somewhere else. He has not told me where but I trust him. Maybe it was to protect me, or because he was tired of this place and just wanted to go to some place new, or he knew of something bad coming to this area soon. He would train me more in the way of the Samurai as we go. Maybe I would be able to make my own armor by the times we get there-if I decided to wear some.
I am glad I had brought two skins of water and two bags of nuts and cooked rice, they would last if we found nothing else to eat later and didn’t collect the shoots here. He would have something on under his armor too.
I kept my eyes on him and did not turn for one last look.
end
Showing posts with label castles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label castles. Show all posts
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Four SaturdayScenes tales-one for Mother's Day May 13
May 13 Happy Mother’s Day for those who are mothers, even to those from countries that celebrate it on other dates, or who don’t celebrate it at all. You are all needed and appreciated. I found one story that deals with motherhood. It is a mini Urban Fantasy story with an older mage.
Three of these stories are the general fiction tales I promised I would do and one is the motherhood story I just referenced.
I start with that one. The second story is one I have posted before. I think the next two are new to here. The third one is from my “My Stories Inspired by Pictures” collection. Many people liked it but even if you don’t check out that collection. Currently 16 stories of adventure, fun, weird Western, fantasy and science fiction. The last story here was suppose to be kinda of humorous. 3,549 words total
Snow Duchess
Boy, it was cold. As I get older the more cold it became. Even walking among a forest of large trees didn’t help much with the wind. At least the sky looked blue instead of gray.
I needed to meet with her though. She had called, said she wanted help. The Snow Duchess had helped me with the local yeti and layer when I was trapped in a very bad snow storm.
For those two reasons, and because I’m a nice guy, I found myself traipsing through the snow, ice and wind of the back country of Canada. Did I say it was cold? My eyebrows’ color changed to white when my sweat froze.
I wore thermals, thick pants and a shirt along with a fur parka made for this weather but still-cold. I could have tricked some warmth around me, but I didn’t know what she wanted. I might need all of my strength.
The only sounds were my snowshoes crunching the surface of the snow. That would mean I might be able to hear a bear or a family of wolves run through it toward me.
After a short rest I still breathed hard. As I said, I am old. The air smelled cold and I tasted it when I sucked in a large lungful of air.
I figured she was in trouble but I hoped she didn’t want to get pregnant again. Last time Tony did the honors but it didn’t work out well. First of all he evidently had problems because of how cold she is-physically that is. Second and third were reasons he didn’t want to talk about. And neither did she. And finally I just don’t have sex with any woman who bats their eyelashes at me. That goes especially with producing a child I would not know, nor be able to have, at least, some influence on their raising.
I came out of a line of trees and saw a large snow covered clearing. It could be a meadow in summer. I could make out the trees on the other side. There at midpoint stood three figures. A young woman, a large husky and a smaller dog I couldn’t be sure of.
The woman was too young to be the Snow Duchess. In fact she looked to be significantly under twenty. I blinked for she looked about the same number of years from when I left Tony here. So he had gotten her pregnant after all.
Even though modestly covered all the way she wore less than I did, which meant that the snow and wind did not bother her. She was pretty even from this distance-more so than her mother who was on the lower end of pretty. I wondered if something had happened to her mother and that it had been this woman who called me.
I sent out a probe of energy. Yeah, she had the same reading as her mother, almost that is. But wait that husky. I blinked again, no wonder it was so big. I already knew she could become any snow creature she wanted to, which is how she gotten me out of that storm.
The dog looked at me, eye to eye. Ohhh, she wanted my help to pass on the power and authority to her daughter. I nodded, I could do that. It meant that I would have to go out there though. She chuckled.
With a sigh, I walked out to where they stood and officiated the correct ceremony which consisted of mostly the saying of certain vows and laying a hand on both at the same time to transfer the power. Even though a different type of power than I had and more of it, I knew how to do it safely. Safely to me that is. I touched them both, the Snow Duchess produced enough cold to go through my glove on that hand. I had problems concentrating and when I allowed the power in nothing happened. Her head spun my way and I think she growled. I glared back at her. One failing did not mean a total failure, but I realized that this had to be done now. She was sacrificing her position and most of her power for her daughter, not only for her retirement
I managed to get it right the second time and the ceremony worked. Afterwards I realized that some of it had stayed with me. I wasn’t sure how it would effect me. Make me stronger? Make me younger again, more able to handle the cold-I would appreciate that last more than anything.
The young woman smiled, said thanks and promised to help me when I needed it. I knew she meant couple of large things.
I smiled and left to get back to someplace warm.
end
Mind Blob
I sat in the small chair they allowed me, next to my bed. No padding under my rear, or on the arms or back, so no occupant could chew on it. I wouldn’t do that, just the thought dry stuffing filled with sweat and grim made his mouth go dry. However soon after I was placed her I had heard that some in here have done. I was dressed even though a bit warm in here. Voices and steps outside in the hallway drew my attention, but it wasn’t time yet. Then I will out of this room with its light blue and pink wallpaper.
That dream came again last night. I wish I knew where my subconscious came up with the idea: a dark blob, with uneven sides, with thicker sections here and there, and some missing spaces. Almost like a solid fog at night. It’s taller than I am and wider than my bed is long. It’s not a nightmare because I’m not afraid since it just sits there double my reach away. I have had that dream almost every night for the last three months. At first I was scared; woke up sweating, even though the air is cool, with a half yell, but it doesn’t do anything. I just watch it. Its shape changes a bit in every dream, but as I can figure out that’s just my subconscious adding a dimension to it. I think I know what the blacker areas are but not the empty spots. Areas of my life not effected by it? That would be good. I had to fight my reaction to it for eight months but it looks like I have it at bay. If it touches me, I get confused and usually freeze without knowing what to do next, sometimes I set out to do something that doesn’t need doing.
A glance at the clock showed that I better get ready; my wife is coming, with our two kids, to pick me up and take me home. It will be nice to get away from the odors in here. They try to keep them down but vomit, piss and cleaning fluids are always in the background.
It’s been a rough eight months, especially on Tammy. I’m glad she is still there. My recovery would be rougher without her.
I hear other patients walking up and down the hallway outside. I never did that, but I can see why some would. I had breakfast already, which I won’t miss. I hope we can go out to dinner tonight to celebrate, but Judy probably will want to stay home and get used to us being together again. That would be fine, maybe I can talk her into ordering pizza delivery. The food here is enough and eatable, but it’s not all that good.
After a few minutes I again make sure my few things are really packed and ready. Finally Doctor Jim comes to the door and tells me my wife is here. I shake his hand, thank him for his help. He tells me I helped myself and that he just directed me.
He takes me out to the lounge. There they are. I couldn’t help myself, I rush to Judy and hug her. Her body feels so good in my arms, her hands on my back are even better because of what they mean. I saw her only last week, but this is different. I hug my two kids. My eight year old daughter isn’t too sure about me.
I say, “I’m sorry for scaring you, I didn’t mean to. It didn’t have anything to do with you: I have a problem.”
She said, “I know mommy explained that you have a black blob in your head that makes you see things differently and confuses your thinking. It’s not your fault that it decided to hurt you.”
I blink at that, first in surprise, second because of tears. I look up at Judy, mouth “Thank you.”
But at the same time I realize that was my dream. Maybe she had mentioned her explanation to me and I had forgotten it, but my subconscious hadn’t. Or maybe I had spoken of it at one point.
I stood, grabbed my small suitcase and we walk out to the car. Judy tensed, said, “You didn’t harm any of us, but you scared us. If you had harmed one of us, I wouldn’t be here.”
I nodded, “I understand and agree, if my blob ever made me hurt one of you, you should stay away. But now we know the signs of it moving my way and can deal with it before it touches me.”
She relaxed as if she hadn’t been sure of my response yet she still had to say it. She nodded, took my hand and, said, “Lets have pizza for dinner tonight at home.”
I smiled.
The end
Jimmy, shoulder length brown hair flowing, ran along the cobblestone street. His feet slipped in-between the cracks but he ignored that for his friend might be hurt bad. At least though he didn’t have to run all the way to the old stone wall that surrounded the village. And its Inns, houses, churches that had been built around the castle. Sweat ran down his underarms, and matted his hair on his forehead even though it had turned night.
He looked backwards, saw the full moon just behind the castle where he had been playing in with John a few seconds ago. The castle sat on a small hill and looked tall and narrow, and ripe for playing in, for a couple of fourteen year old boys.
It had come up while the searched and played in that castle. It had cooled more now. He and John had been glad they both wore light jackets over their long sleeved flannel shirts and denim pants. Now though bile came up when he thought about how badly hurt John could be. He never did respond to Jimmy’s calls.
The few electric lights someone had installed helped him find his way in the low light. Once at the right building, an Inn he thought, he tried to skid to a stop but instead stumbled. Somehow, with gritted teeth, he managed to keep himself from falling. He turned to the door, and opened it. This building smelled of rotten wood, while the castle had an odor of old rocks, decay and a used outhouse chamber.
His uncle sat at a table they had brought with them. The floor was smooth at least made from rough wood worn smooth through years of usage. Multiple stains colored the floor in places. Some would be blood, he and John had thought earlier.
A lamp shone on the papers his uncle was studying, even though there were two other lights that let people see where they were going and to make sure no one hid in the shadows, he thought.
He hurried to his uncle, who looked up at him.
Jimmy said, “Uncle Harry, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but it’s John. He was playing and he fell.”
His uncle looked surprised and concerned. “Where did he fall and how far?”
“I don’t know how far but it was in that small chamber in the castle. You know the one they used as a bathroom. He leaned over to look down through the toilet hole, with his flashlight. I don’t know he was so curious but he climbed down a larger hole. He slipped and dropped inside that chamber under it. I heard him land and cry out. He didn’t say anything when I shouted at him. So I ran here.”
Jimmy paused to catch his breath and his uncle said, “I know of another way in, but if he is hurt badly I am not sure what we can do here. Our infirmary isn’t designed for bad injuries. We would have to take him to the next larger village.”
“Maybe he won’t be hurt badly.”
“We will see.”
His uncle stood, grabbed two flashlights and rushed out, Jimmy followed.
They rushed down the street. They stooped at a portion of the hill under the castle. Jimmy could smell old wood, plant decay and the ancient stones. Harry handed a light to Jimmy and then shown his own bright LED light on the stone foundation. He finally nodded and said something Jimmy didn’t catch, it might have been a bad word. He moved over a bit and again shone the light around. Jimmy felt clammy as the cooling night made the sweat cold. His heart still beat hard but not as bad as it had. He helped his uncle brush dirt away from a weird crack. After Harry put his hand up to say enough, he brushed his mouth-coughed. Oops, there had been dirt and tiny bits of the stone on his hand and was now in his mouth.
Uncle Harry managed to reach into a crack and pull back. A door squeaked loudly and the stone the door was made from made a gritty sound as it rolled across the dirt still there.
His uncle said, “Those that lived here liked to have this chamber cleaned out every now and then so they made a door here where slaves could get in and haul out what this was filled with.”
Jimmy wondered for a second what that could be but then it hit him and he said, “Ohhh.”
Yikes, by the smell of the inside this place had been used as its original purpose for a decade.
Uncle Harry aimed his light inside and motion for Jimmy. He thought for a second then realized what his uncle wanted. Jimmy turned on his light and made sure it shone inside.
Jimmy heard a groan. He stepped into the doorway and moved his light back and forth.
“Not so fast Jimmy. Move the beam slowly.”
He did and saw a shadow off to one side toward the back. Jimmy almost rushed in, but his uncle stopped him.
“Watch where you step, and call him to see if he is okay.”
Jimmy flicked the light downward and made sure he stepped only on stone. He called for John. He thought he saw his friend on a small raised platform. Maybe to help with the cleaning or to make the foundation stronger for they were in part of the foundation for the castle.
John said, “I’m okay, I think, but my arm hurts and I bruised my other side.”
Jimmy said, “Come on out. Uncle Harry found a door-but watch your step. Some of this stuff is fresh.”
“What stuff? Oh! Yecch.”
A moment later Jimmy saw someone move, drop to the floor, then carefully walk over to the door. Even before he got there though Jimmy could smell him.
“Yecch, you have some of that on you. You must have landed in a pile of it. We need to clean you off.”
John said, “But my arm and side hurt and I am getting a headache.”
Jimmy’s uncle waved his hand in front of his face and said, “You’re right, that is portent. I know of a place come on.”
He led the way to another part of the castle. This time to a small hole in the foundation stone. It held water and had an old bucket next to it.
“Here we can use this to soak him and to clean him. John you are going to get cold but maybe that will teach you not to play in places like this. Yecch. But it could have been worse. The chamber next to it is filled with very old water. We don’t know how deep it is but it smells like it has old dead fish in it. A garbage dump that got filled with rain water maybe. You could have drowned in smelly old water if you had fallen into that one.”
Jimmy said, “I know, we smelled that water. We wanted no part of it.”
“Good!”
The spent the next ten minutes filling the bucket and splashing John with until they were sure he was clean. The stink stayed though, either it had caught in their sinuses or John badly needed to change cloths and leave these outside, of the walls, Jimmy thought. Then Uncle Harry took led John to an old house that was used as the infirmity. The Professor there had some medical experience since he had been an EMT for a short time. He examined John thought no bones were broken but that the next day a trip to a hospital was in order to make sure and to see about fixing that sprained arm. He gave John some pain relievers he thought would last through the night but it would still hurt.
Jimmy wanted to cheer because his friend was okay, but also determined that he would never do anything as stupid as John had done.
End
Hinglefingle’s Lesson
Tommy Hinglefingle sat on a large rock, today he became single. His seat felt hard and rough but he didn’t care. A tear formed in one eye.
He didn’t notice Jeff Kerkerfell rush up to him from behind. The newcomer slipped around the rock seat, Tommy saw him just as Kergerfell rang his bell.
Tommy hit the ground, stayed there long enough to realize he tasted blood and that one hand rested on a thorny weed.
Once back up, he raised his fists and said, “What was that for?”
“You messed around with my girlfriend.”“Me? You stole her from me...I should punch you twice.”
Jeff waved his hand as if to dismiss what Tommy said.
“Don’t change the subject, you messed with Emily.”
“Not recently...of course I messed with her when we were together...what are you going to do punch all her old boyfriends?”
Kerkerfell said, “You were more than a boyfriend, she married you...and she still thinks of you.”
“What? We haven’t spoken in months.”
Kerkerfell shook his head hard, “Don’t try to sell me. She has been distant the last few days and she changes the subject when I talk of us.”
Hinglefingle said, “Maybe she just wants to be single.”
Kerkerfell said, “She has mentioned your name you in our discussions of late, she wore a ring last night on her left hand when she gave me a quick good night kiss. I knew then that you had to be messing with her behind my back.
Hinglefingle paced, put his hands in his pocket, jingled his keys, stopped himself. He turned back to Kerkerfell.
“Are you playing a game here? She let you take her from me and filed for divorce...and no matter what you believe I haven’t even seen her in ages much less messed with her.”
Kerkerfell said, “Listen to me, you can tell I’m not playing a game! She really has talked about you and is wearing a ring.”
“Maybe Hizzorlone gave her one. She seems to like him.”
“No, she talks about you not him.”
“But...”
Kerkerfell interrupted, “She still wears that small bell you gave her too. And it was a wedding ring not an engagement ring. Call her and see for yourself. You will see I was right to sock you.”
Hinglefingle pulled out his cell phone said, “She would have called me today of all days if this was true,” and punched in a number.
A moment later he said, “Damn, the battery is dead.”
Kerkerfell said, “Maybe that is why she hasn’t called you, she can’t get through...She’s probably at Dell’s party, you should go talk to her.”
Hinglefingle paced again, rolled his eyes and said, “Okay, I’ll go see her mingle at the party...I’ll get this straightened out one way or another.”
Kerkerfell said, “If you haven’t messed with her I’ll apologize for punching you...but go find out.”
Hinglefingle started off, stopped turned back and said, “I’ll give you a dingle afterwards.”
He thought, and if this is a game, I won’t call, I’ll give him two punches.
After he got in his car he added, maybe it is true, I didn’t tell Kerkerfell that she tried to call me four times last night, if she really is wearing that ring she must have changed her mind which would mean today the divorce would be off instead of final...maybe something good can happen to me after all.”
The End
Three of these stories are the general fiction tales I promised I would do and one is the motherhood story I just referenced.
I start with that one. The second story is one I have posted before. I think the next two are new to here. The third one is from my “My Stories Inspired by Pictures” collection. Many people liked it but even if you don’t check out that collection. Currently 16 stories of adventure, fun, weird Western, fantasy and science fiction. The last story here was suppose to be kinda of humorous. 3,549 words total
Snow Duchess
Boy, it was cold. As I get older the more cold it became. Even walking among a forest of large trees didn’t help much with the wind. At least the sky looked blue instead of gray.
I needed to meet with her though. She had called, said she wanted help. The Snow Duchess had helped me with the local yeti and layer when I was trapped in a very bad snow storm.
For those two reasons, and because I’m a nice guy, I found myself traipsing through the snow, ice and wind of the back country of Canada. Did I say it was cold? My eyebrows’ color changed to white when my sweat froze.
I wore thermals, thick pants and a shirt along with a fur parka made for this weather but still-cold. I could have tricked some warmth around me, but I didn’t know what she wanted. I might need all of my strength.
The only sounds were my snowshoes crunching the surface of the snow. That would mean I might be able to hear a bear or a family of wolves run through it toward me.
After a short rest I still breathed hard. As I said, I am old. The air smelled cold and I tasted it when I sucked in a large lungful of air.
I figured she was in trouble but I hoped she didn’t want to get pregnant again. Last time Tony did the honors but it didn’t work out well. First of all he evidently had problems because of how cold she is-physically that is. Second and third were reasons he didn’t want to talk about. And neither did she. And finally I just don’t have sex with any woman who bats their eyelashes at me. That goes especially with producing a child I would not know, nor be able to have, at least, some influence on their raising.
I came out of a line of trees and saw a large snow covered clearing. It could be a meadow in summer. I could make out the trees on the other side. There at midpoint stood three figures. A young woman, a large husky and a smaller dog I couldn’t be sure of.
The woman was too young to be the Snow Duchess. In fact she looked to be significantly under twenty. I blinked for she looked about the same number of years from when I left Tony here. So he had gotten her pregnant after all.
Even though modestly covered all the way she wore less than I did, which meant that the snow and wind did not bother her. She was pretty even from this distance-more so than her mother who was on the lower end of pretty. I wondered if something had happened to her mother and that it had been this woman who called me.
I sent out a probe of energy. Yeah, she had the same reading as her mother, almost that is. But wait that husky. I blinked again, no wonder it was so big. I already knew she could become any snow creature she wanted to, which is how she gotten me out of that storm.
The dog looked at me, eye to eye. Ohhh, she wanted my help to pass on the power and authority to her daughter. I nodded, I could do that. It meant that I would have to go out there though. She chuckled.
With a sigh, I walked out to where they stood and officiated the correct ceremony which consisted of mostly the saying of certain vows and laying a hand on both at the same time to transfer the power. Even though a different type of power than I had and more of it, I knew how to do it safely. Safely to me that is. I touched them both, the Snow Duchess produced enough cold to go through my glove on that hand. I had problems concentrating and when I allowed the power in nothing happened. Her head spun my way and I think she growled. I glared back at her. One failing did not mean a total failure, but I realized that this had to be done now. She was sacrificing her position and most of her power for her daughter, not only for her retirement
I managed to get it right the second time and the ceremony worked. Afterwards I realized that some of it had stayed with me. I wasn’t sure how it would effect me. Make me stronger? Make me younger again, more able to handle the cold-I would appreciate that last more than anything.
The young woman smiled, said thanks and promised to help me when I needed it. I knew she meant couple of large things.
I smiled and left to get back to someplace warm.
end
Mind Blob
I sat in the small chair they allowed me, next to my bed. No padding under my rear, or on the arms or back, so no occupant could chew on it. I wouldn’t do that, just the thought dry stuffing filled with sweat and grim made his mouth go dry. However soon after I was placed her I had heard that some in here have done. I was dressed even though a bit warm in here. Voices and steps outside in the hallway drew my attention, but it wasn’t time yet. Then I will out of this room with its light blue and pink wallpaper.
That dream came again last night. I wish I knew where my subconscious came up with the idea: a dark blob, with uneven sides, with thicker sections here and there, and some missing spaces. Almost like a solid fog at night. It’s taller than I am and wider than my bed is long. It’s not a nightmare because I’m not afraid since it just sits there double my reach away. I have had that dream almost every night for the last three months. At first I was scared; woke up sweating, even though the air is cool, with a half yell, but it doesn’t do anything. I just watch it. Its shape changes a bit in every dream, but as I can figure out that’s just my subconscious adding a dimension to it. I think I know what the blacker areas are but not the empty spots. Areas of my life not effected by it? That would be good. I had to fight my reaction to it for eight months but it looks like I have it at bay. If it touches me, I get confused and usually freeze without knowing what to do next, sometimes I set out to do something that doesn’t need doing.
A glance at the clock showed that I better get ready; my wife is coming, with our two kids, to pick me up and take me home. It will be nice to get away from the odors in here. They try to keep them down but vomit, piss and cleaning fluids are always in the background.
It’s been a rough eight months, especially on Tammy. I’m glad she is still there. My recovery would be rougher without her.
I hear other patients walking up and down the hallway outside. I never did that, but I can see why some would. I had breakfast already, which I won’t miss. I hope we can go out to dinner tonight to celebrate, but Judy probably will want to stay home and get used to us being together again. That would be fine, maybe I can talk her into ordering pizza delivery. The food here is enough and eatable, but it’s not all that good.
After a few minutes I again make sure my few things are really packed and ready. Finally Doctor Jim comes to the door and tells me my wife is here. I shake his hand, thank him for his help. He tells me I helped myself and that he just directed me.
He takes me out to the lounge. There they are. I couldn’t help myself, I rush to Judy and hug her. Her body feels so good in my arms, her hands on my back are even better because of what they mean. I saw her only last week, but this is different. I hug my two kids. My eight year old daughter isn’t too sure about me.
I say, “I’m sorry for scaring you, I didn’t mean to. It didn’t have anything to do with you: I have a problem.”
She said, “I know mommy explained that you have a black blob in your head that makes you see things differently and confuses your thinking. It’s not your fault that it decided to hurt you.”
I blink at that, first in surprise, second because of tears. I look up at Judy, mouth “Thank you.”
But at the same time I realize that was my dream. Maybe she had mentioned her explanation to me and I had forgotten it, but my subconscious hadn’t. Or maybe I had spoken of it at one point.
I stood, grabbed my small suitcase and we walk out to the car. Judy tensed, said, “You didn’t harm any of us, but you scared us. If you had harmed one of us, I wouldn’t be here.”
I nodded, “I understand and agree, if my blob ever made me hurt one of you, you should stay away. But now we know the signs of it moving my way and can deal with it before it touches me.”
She relaxed as if she hadn’t been sure of my response yet she still had to say it. She nodded, took my hand and, said, “Lets have pizza for dinner tonight at home.”
I smiled.
The end
Jimmy, shoulder length brown hair flowing, ran along the cobblestone street. His feet slipped in-between the cracks but he ignored that for his friend might be hurt bad. At least though he didn’t have to run all the way to the old stone wall that surrounded the village. And its Inns, houses, churches that had been built around the castle. Sweat ran down his underarms, and matted his hair on his forehead even though it had turned night.
He looked backwards, saw the full moon just behind the castle where he had been playing in with John a few seconds ago. The castle sat on a small hill and looked tall and narrow, and ripe for playing in, for a couple of fourteen year old boys.
It had come up while the searched and played in that castle. It had cooled more now. He and John had been glad they both wore light jackets over their long sleeved flannel shirts and denim pants. Now though bile came up when he thought about how badly hurt John could be. He never did respond to Jimmy’s calls.
The few electric lights someone had installed helped him find his way in the low light. Once at the right building, an Inn he thought, he tried to skid to a stop but instead stumbled. Somehow, with gritted teeth, he managed to keep himself from falling. He turned to the door, and opened it. This building smelled of rotten wood, while the castle had an odor of old rocks, decay and a used outhouse chamber.
His uncle sat at a table they had brought with them. The floor was smooth at least made from rough wood worn smooth through years of usage. Multiple stains colored the floor in places. Some would be blood, he and John had thought earlier.
A lamp shone on the papers his uncle was studying, even though there were two other lights that let people see where they were going and to make sure no one hid in the shadows, he thought.
He hurried to his uncle, who looked up at him.
Jimmy said, “Uncle Harry, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but it’s John. He was playing and he fell.”
His uncle looked surprised and concerned. “Where did he fall and how far?”
“I don’t know how far but it was in that small chamber in the castle. You know the one they used as a bathroom. He leaned over to look down through the toilet hole, with his flashlight. I don’t know he was so curious but he climbed down a larger hole. He slipped and dropped inside that chamber under it. I heard him land and cry out. He didn’t say anything when I shouted at him. So I ran here.”
Jimmy paused to catch his breath and his uncle said, “I know of another way in, but if he is hurt badly I am not sure what we can do here. Our infirmary isn’t designed for bad injuries. We would have to take him to the next larger village.”
“Maybe he won’t be hurt badly.”
“We will see.”
His uncle stood, grabbed two flashlights and rushed out, Jimmy followed.
They rushed down the street. They stooped at a portion of the hill under the castle. Jimmy could smell old wood, plant decay and the ancient stones. Harry handed a light to Jimmy and then shown his own bright LED light on the stone foundation. He finally nodded and said something Jimmy didn’t catch, it might have been a bad word. He moved over a bit and again shone the light around. Jimmy felt clammy as the cooling night made the sweat cold. His heart still beat hard but not as bad as it had. He helped his uncle brush dirt away from a weird crack. After Harry put his hand up to say enough, he brushed his mouth-coughed. Oops, there had been dirt and tiny bits of the stone on his hand and was now in his mouth.
Uncle Harry managed to reach into a crack and pull back. A door squeaked loudly and the stone the door was made from made a gritty sound as it rolled across the dirt still there.
His uncle said, “Those that lived here liked to have this chamber cleaned out every now and then so they made a door here where slaves could get in and haul out what this was filled with.”
Jimmy wondered for a second what that could be but then it hit him and he said, “Ohhh.”
Yikes, by the smell of the inside this place had been used as its original purpose for a decade.
Uncle Harry aimed his light inside and motion for Jimmy. He thought for a second then realized what his uncle wanted. Jimmy turned on his light and made sure it shone inside.
Jimmy heard a groan. He stepped into the doorway and moved his light back and forth.
“Not so fast Jimmy. Move the beam slowly.”
He did and saw a shadow off to one side toward the back. Jimmy almost rushed in, but his uncle stopped him.
“Watch where you step, and call him to see if he is okay.”
Jimmy flicked the light downward and made sure he stepped only on stone. He called for John. He thought he saw his friend on a small raised platform. Maybe to help with the cleaning or to make the foundation stronger for they were in part of the foundation for the castle.
John said, “I’m okay, I think, but my arm hurts and I bruised my other side.”
Jimmy said, “Come on out. Uncle Harry found a door-but watch your step. Some of this stuff is fresh.”
“What stuff? Oh! Yecch.”
A moment later Jimmy saw someone move, drop to the floor, then carefully walk over to the door. Even before he got there though Jimmy could smell him.
“Yecch, you have some of that on you. You must have landed in a pile of it. We need to clean you off.”
John said, “But my arm and side hurt and I am getting a headache.”
Jimmy’s uncle waved his hand in front of his face and said, “You’re right, that is portent. I know of a place come on.”
He led the way to another part of the castle. This time to a small hole in the foundation stone. It held water and had an old bucket next to it.
“Here we can use this to soak him and to clean him. John you are going to get cold but maybe that will teach you not to play in places like this. Yecch. But it could have been worse. The chamber next to it is filled with very old water. We don’t know how deep it is but it smells like it has old dead fish in it. A garbage dump that got filled with rain water maybe. You could have drowned in smelly old water if you had fallen into that one.”
Jimmy said, “I know, we smelled that water. We wanted no part of it.”
“Good!”
The spent the next ten minutes filling the bucket and splashing John with until they were sure he was clean. The stink stayed though, either it had caught in their sinuses or John badly needed to change cloths and leave these outside, of the walls, Jimmy thought. Then Uncle Harry took led John to an old house that was used as the infirmity. The Professor there had some medical experience since he had been an EMT for a short time. He examined John thought no bones were broken but that the next day a trip to a hospital was in order to make sure and to see about fixing that sprained arm. He gave John some pain relievers he thought would last through the night but it would still hurt.
Jimmy wanted to cheer because his friend was okay, but also determined that he would never do anything as stupid as John had done.
End
Hinglefingle’s Lesson
Tommy Hinglefingle sat on a large rock, today he became single. His seat felt hard and rough but he didn’t care. A tear formed in one eye.
He didn’t notice Jeff Kerkerfell rush up to him from behind. The newcomer slipped around the rock seat, Tommy saw him just as Kergerfell rang his bell.
Tommy hit the ground, stayed there long enough to realize he tasted blood and that one hand rested on a thorny weed.
Once back up, he raised his fists and said, “What was that for?”
“You messed around with my girlfriend.”“Me? You stole her from me...I should punch you twice.”
Jeff waved his hand as if to dismiss what Tommy said.
“Don’t change the subject, you messed with Emily.”
“Not recently...of course I messed with her when we were together...what are you going to do punch all her old boyfriends?”
Kerkerfell said, “You were more than a boyfriend, she married you...and she still thinks of you.”
“What? We haven’t spoken in months.”
Kerkerfell shook his head hard, “Don’t try to sell me. She has been distant the last few days and she changes the subject when I talk of us.”
Hinglefingle said, “Maybe she just wants to be single.”
Kerkerfell said, “She has mentioned your name you in our discussions of late, she wore a ring last night on her left hand when she gave me a quick good night kiss. I knew then that you had to be messing with her behind my back.
Hinglefingle paced, put his hands in his pocket, jingled his keys, stopped himself. He turned back to Kerkerfell.
“Are you playing a game here? She let you take her from me and filed for divorce...and no matter what you believe I haven’t even seen her in ages much less messed with her.”
Kerkerfell said, “Listen to me, you can tell I’m not playing a game! She really has talked about you and is wearing a ring.”
“Maybe Hizzorlone gave her one. She seems to like him.”
“No, she talks about you not him.”
“But...”
Kerkerfell interrupted, “She still wears that small bell you gave her too. And it was a wedding ring not an engagement ring. Call her and see for yourself. You will see I was right to sock you.”
Hinglefingle pulled out his cell phone said, “She would have called me today of all days if this was true,” and punched in a number.
A moment later he said, “Damn, the battery is dead.”
Kerkerfell said, “Maybe that is why she hasn’t called you, she can’t get through...She’s probably at Dell’s party, you should go talk to her.”
Hinglefingle paced again, rolled his eyes and said, “Okay, I’ll go see her mingle at the party...I’ll get this straightened out one way or another.”
Kerkerfell said, “If you haven’t messed with her I’ll apologize for punching you...but go find out.”
Hinglefingle started off, stopped turned back and said, “I’ll give you a dingle afterwards.”
He thought, and if this is a game, I won’t call, I’ll give him two punches.
After he got in his car he added, maybe it is true, I didn’t tell Kerkerfell that she tried to call me four times last night, if she really is wearing that ring she must have changed her mind which would mean today the divorce would be off instead of final...maybe something good can happen to me after all.”
The End
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