Tradewind Embarks

John Baines was a sailor on the ship “Tradewind”. This ship was a trade ship as the name implied and was very fast as well. The crew of the Tradewind was growing restless because they had not seen port in a month. Captain Mohardy stood by the helm and kept checking his spyglass as he looked for land. A lookout stood vigilant in the crows nest, but the captain was getting as restless as the crew.

“Land!” Shouted Mr.Peeks. On the horizon was a land that was full of red and orange trees. It looked like a forest on fire and with every breeze the leaves swayed and it resembled dancing flames on a candle. The captain and crew were awestruck by this sight. They had never been through these seas and each sight was new and exciting. John leaned over the railing to get a better look. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The whole ride into port the crew stared in amazement at the strange red trees. The captain understood their fascination, but they would crash if the crew didn’t all do their jobs as they docked. “Alright men, ye can gawk later. All hands on deck. Get ready fer port!” Shouted the captain.

  The crew of the Tradewind landed in the port of Honeyside. A small town by located at the edge of the Autumn Forest. In this land it was autumn all the time. Farmers almost always had wonderful harvests, apples, honey and maple syrup were always fresh and apple trees and maple made up most of the forest. The sailors looked at the place in wonderment, or rather hadn’t stopped. John grabbed an apple from a tree and ate it, it was the best apple he had ever eaten. “Captain, before we leave, I bet if we pick all the apples we see, we could sell them for a huge profit with no cost” John said. Captain Mohardy smiled and patted John on the back. “That my boy, is why you have always been my favorite” He said in a gruff voice. “Come on lads! Lets see what other bounties this place has to offer.

The Tradewind was docked in port, but no one came to see the new arrivals and there were no other boats in port either. After the excitement of the new sights died down a little John began to notice the little things like the lack of humans or animals in the immediate area. “there has to be houses around here. Wouldn’t just build a dock in the middle of nowhere.” The captain said as the crew left the port and began walking down a dirt path that they hoped would lead to town.

The shake of trees and the sound of loud stomping startled the crew. Everyone drew their swords. The captain had two pistols and John had a handcrafted longsword. Not something a sailor normally carries around.

The village of Honeside came into view. the streets were empty and no one could be seen in the houses. “I don’t like this” one of the men said. Then soldiers in black armor stepped into view. they were coming from the surrounding forest and there numbers kept growing. “Ok lads, I say we make a hasty retreat. Three of you lads, John and I will back out slowly and try to buy the rest of you time to get the boat ready and maybe fill a box or two of those apples if you can manage” The captain said as everyone slowly backed up. “What about the village?” John asked. “They be dead boy, we are but simple sailors, not the navy. So unless you want to join the poor sods in their graves, I suggest you follow my plan” Captain Mohardy said.

Most of the crew ran back to the boat as fast as they could. The armored soldiers had noticed the sailors and were advancing. “Are you ready for this?” Asked the captain, the remaining crew nodded and had their weapons ready. Captain Mohardy fired both off both of his pistols at the closest soldier. One of the sailors also took a shot, then everyone switched to their swords. The bullets hit the first soldier and made him stagger. Two bounced off and one got into the neck opening between the helmet and the chest piece, but the soldier didn’t fall over. The Captain and remaining crew kept backing up and the soldiers advanced. When the first wave of black armored figures were close enough John lunged forward with his sword and stabbed his sword right through the eye hole of one of the soldiers helmets. This made the soldier stumble but not fall. “what are these things?” John removed his blade and gave the creature a kick. The force rattled the soldier and made its helmet fall off. The soldier’s head was just a bare skull under the helmet. “Skeletons, w-walking dead?” one of the crew said. “stick to the plan!” The captain replied.

A cool breeze blew through the autumn forest, birds chirped and the sun was shining. On any other day this would have been a beautiful sight, but the sound of swords clashing and screams disrupted an otherwise nice day. “Try to knock off their heads” John shouted as he gave a skeleton a clean slice. He chopped its head off, sending the skull tumbling through the air. Without the head the rest of the body mysteriously puffed into purple smoke and the black armor clattered to the ground. “Ya know I might have made this place one of my regular trade routes if it didn’t have skeleton monsters in it” The captain said. John smiled “you are getting picky in your old age” John replied.

The sailors fought and continued to back up as the skeleton soldiers advanced. Every minute more of the creatures were jumping into battle. The skeletons were slow, but their blades were sharp and it wasn’t easy getting around their armor. One of the crew stabbed through the neck opening in the armor, the sword got stuck in the armor as it clattered to the ground. The sailor went to retrieve his sword but was stabbed in the back by a skeleton. John tried to go help his crew mate but the captain stopped him. “Can’t risk it. Too many mate” He said.

Finally they reached the shore. The ship was ready to go and the crew even managed to get a few apples into crates. Swarms of skeletons rushed the port, so the captain and crew decided to make a mad dash to the boat. A loud bang sounded out as a cannon from the Tradewind fired out. The cannonball struck the land and skeletons flew everywhere. The captain ran on board and started yelling orders. John helped the remaining crew on and then jumped on at the last minute just as the Tradewind was setting off. Skeletons tried to cling to the side of the ship but were quickly scrapped off by the crew. They slashed with their swords and fired shots from their guns until the last skeleton was left far behind.

“That was fun…where next captain?” John Baines asked. “Aye, somewhere a little more lively perhaps” The captain replied.

Autumn Moon

Far away, out into space sits a large ball of rock that floats around our planet. It is called the moon. It is not magical or mysterious, it doesn’t even produce its own light. Yet, when I hear the word moon look at the moon my mind races with scenes of fantasy.

Joseph stared up at the full moon in the night sky. It was bigger than he had ever seen it and had an orange tint to it. Joseph was mesmerized by the sight of this glowing, light orange ball floating in the black sky, surrounded by millions of sparkling lights. A cool wind blew through the neighborhood and Joseph shivered. His mother told him there was going to be an autumn moon tonight and he rushed out to see it, forgetting his jacket.

Many of Joseph’s friends wouldn’t have cared about such a thing and many adults didn’t either. They couldn’t see the magic of it, they couldn’t see the mesmerizing beauty of a full moon. Whether its silver or light orange, it invokes a sense of wonderment and mystery. Moonlight shined down and the light bounced around through the fog of the cool autumn night. It was far from Halloween, but this was the kind of feeling Halloween always gave Joseph. The feeling that maybe when the lights go out and on a full moon anything is possible. The dull traffic and bright sunlight is gone and people are home, winding down for the night or resting in their beds. The world seems quiet and beautiful for a few simple moments.

Joseph wished people could see the world as he did, that they could see how much joy simple things could bring, The cool autumn air, a rainy day, a quiet foggy night,  or even a harvest moon.

Feedback update

 This is an update, this weeks story will still be posted.

I just wanted to say Thank you all for reading my stories. I have been writing short stories on and off for a few years now and love every story I wrote. My hope is that I can spread new ideas or at least distract someone from boredom for a short period of time. I didn't expect many views, but I have almost three thousand total views. which is crazy. in internet terms that might not be much, but when I can see that people from different countries read my stories or at least have clicked on my blog and that is so wonderful.

 I will continue to write as I have always done, but I encourage anyone who enjoys my stories to leave feedback. comments about a favorite story or feelings about a certain story. anyway, I just want to say thanks again to all of those who read my stories.

Stephen -

Felix and the Trick or treat

            On a cool autumn night a small black cat wearing a small black hat, sat on a fence. The cat had a collar, attached to the collar was a little black bowtie. Below the bowtie hung the nametag. “Felix” was engraved on the small metal oval hanging from the cat’s orange color. With the combination of the gentleman’s hat and bowtie, Felix looked like he was ready for a night on the town. More accurately his owners dressed him up for Halloween before letting him out for the night. Despite not dressing himself Felix still walked with a certain level of confidence and looked handsome in his little outfit.

            A full moon lit up the sky and stars sparkled like diamonds against black satin. The town of “Maple Hill” was small and rural. It was a safe town and most people knew their neighbors. On Halloween Parents felt safe enough to let their kids trick or treat without an adult, usually an older sibling would look after the younger ones, or a child would go with friends. Felix bounced a little as he walked. The crisp air and the smell of baked goods tickled his nose and gave him energy. The sound of crunching leaves mixed with the giggling of children and the low howl of the wind.

            As Felix enjoyed his night of strolling the town he saw an unfamiliar cat. He knew every cat in the neighborhood just as the humans knew at least the face of every person in town. This cat was a girl cat, she was all black and had piercing green eyes. She wasn’t dressed up and didn’t have a collar. Felix was enchanted and walked right up to the slender black cat. Felix’s yellow eyes, black fur and black and orange outfit looked great on Halloween night, but somehow this new cat seemed to fit the night even better.

            As he approached this cat, she turned to him and smiled. Which was strange because cats can’t really ‘smile’. Felix stopped and was more cautious when he approached. The Female cat patted Felix’s head. Then turned to leave. Felix was about to approach but before he could the black cat turned into a crow, black with emerald green eyes. The crow looked at Felix as he stumbled backward. Then without a word or even a caw, the crow took off silently into the night.

            Halloween is a special time of the year when people dress up, eat candy and just for a brief time just might believe magic is real. On Halloween it doesn’t matter if you are a human or a cat, if something looks strange, maybe give it a second look.

Pumpkin Coffee

It has been a while since I posted a true short story. So here it is. Autumn is here (sort of) and that always gets my creative mind flowing.
I recommend when you get to the part about Jon taking a sip of coffee, play this music. It is what I listened to when I wrote this. into the song at 3:19 it goes into this fast almost metal version. it can be jarring if you don't expect it and that is where i stopped. Just FYI. anyway, enjoy the story!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4HfzwgUbcw


   

It was the beginning of September and Jon rolled out of bed. It was the kind of morning were he didn’t even bother landing on his feet. Jon opened his eyes, let out an annoyed sigh that he was awake and then rolled his body to the edge of the bed, then let gravity take over. Jon fell to the ground in a heap of sheets and didn’t bother moving right away. He stayed there for about ten seconds before stirring.

The birds chirped happily outside and the air conditioner hummed quietly in the next room. Jon slowly got to his feet, picked his sheets off of the floor and then threw them against the wall. The sheets hit the wall and landed on the bed in a messy pile.

For the last four months it had been summer. Heat day in and day out. Jon hated it. He hated the heat and the only thing he hated more than summer, was the people who loved the summer. School and college were over and Jon had a job now. Summer meant nothing to him except scorching weather, sweating, and feeling nauseous every day he had to spend in the direct sunlight. His pale skin burned and he got heat stroke very easily. He had to wear a hat all the time and carry a water bottle. He was not made to live like this. He was made to live somewhere cloudy and cool. Where the rain refreshes your spirit and the occasional sunshine is welcomed and not scorned.

Jon ate breakfast and dressed for work. He moved sluggishly up to the door, slowly opened it, then suddenly a burst of cool air hit him. It wasn’t chilly autumn air, but it was the first relief he had in months. Jon took a deep breath in and suddenly his blood started to pump again. Instead of blood moving sluggishly through his veins, it woke right up and surged through him. delivery oxygen and all the wonderful brain chemicals that we all enjoy.

Jon smiled for the first time in months and walked happily to his car. The trees were still green, but there was a slight overcast and the air was almost too cold for his short-sleeved work shirt. He got into his car and sped off down the road. He listened to his calming “autumn mix” CD. He found that chilly weather always put him in the mood to listen to slow music. Jon drove down the road toward his work, but decided to make a stop. He pulled into the parking lot of his ‘local’ big business chain coffee shops and strode into the store with a renewed sense of purpose. The line consisted of men and women of different ages all dressed in nice work clothes with faces that fit better at a funeral than a coffee shop. Jon was the only one smiling and everyone kept their distance. Because surely anyone that’s happy is truly insane, surely. So Jon waits his turn, he looks at the board to pass the time but doesn’t bother reading it. He knows exactly what he wants, a fresh hot pumpkin coffee to kick off the season. This location would have the privilege of serving his first cup, the first of many cups.

When it was his turn, Jon walked up to the lady at the counter and said “one pumpkin coffee please” He said this with a smile as he stood tall. The woman, who looked to be in her twenties, gave a tired, vacant look as a reply. “It sucks having my favorite flavor be a seasonal one” Jon said nervously as the cashier stared at him. The girl eventually said “We don’t have pumpkin. It’s not even on the board. Who even serves…” The woman said in a condescending tone, but was interrupted when Jon slammed his hands down on the counter. “September is autumn! Don’t give me shit!” Jon said angrily then regained his senses and left. He was tired of being treated like a weirdo for ordering pumpkin drinks as soon as summer ended. If Beer were season you bet people would be even more fanatical than he was about pumpkin. Jon also knew from experience that companies put pumpkin flavors out immediately to start the season as soon as they can and make lots of money on their seasonal flavors. Jon knew it was to make money, but he didn’t care. If he got the flavor he wanted, he didn’t mind spending upwards of four bucks for a cup.

Luckily coffee shops plagued the streets and spread out like a virus, a delicious virus. Jon drove ten feet and pulled into the next coffee shop. He waited in line and ordered a coffee, his good mood had waned slightly. “one pumpkin coffee please” Jon said, sounding more like the coffee zombies behind him than he cared to. “Sure here you go, honey” Said the cashier. This cashier was a woman in her forties who knew the coffee shop front and back. She was always friendly and helpful. So much so that if they didn’t have pumpkin flavor, this woman would know when exactly they would get it. Jon might have had a crush on her for that very reason. “Bless you, you are a constant ray of light in the morning” Jon said to her. He wasn’t flirting. Jon and the Cashier knew each other because Jon always stopped in for coffee. The first coffee shop girl should have known him too, but people in their early twenties don’t know what customer service is or what it sounds like. Jon was twenty-six, but disliked working with anyone under thirty. People in Jon’s age ground and younger seemed to just do the bare minimum, which made dealing with them a chore.

Jon pushed aside his inner monologue and walked swiftly to the car with his prize in hand. “Oh the things I am going to do to you!” Jon said excitedly. The absurd statement made him laugh. The older gentleman walking passed Jon just shook his head.

Jon got into his car and took his first sip. Sweetness and spice hit his tongue and his brain lit up like a Jack-o-lantern. Little red, yellow and orange autumn leaves floated around Jon’s head as he swallowed his first sip, then put his head back and let out a long satisfied sigh. The leaves danced as if being swept around by a tiny breeze and the colors glowed faintly as the leaves moved. The world seemed perfect for a moment.

The world did not change, but Jon’s imagination took over. Through his left eye he saw the fantasy and the dreams, through his right was the reality. He drove down the street. Green trees turned gold, bushes lit up with red and orange like they were on fire. Leaves floated through the air, drifting lightly on delicate a delicate breeze. The world seemed right and the air was fresh. All at once Jon could see Halloween on the horizon, pumpkins dotted the landscape but soon transformed into Jack-o-lanterns as the night sky rose up, covering the morning sun. Jon continued to drive. He could see trick-or-treaters running along the neighborhood wearing costumes and giggling frantically as they chased each other. He saw a beautiful afternoon of thanksgiving with his family and football to watch as he fell into a turkey coma. He saw a line up of delicious food that only Fall could provide. He saw it all in front of him, ready for the best part of the year. It was all right there for the taking. It might have only been September first, but time passes quicker than people realize. Tomorrow there will be autumn leaves and the next day there will be pumpkin flavored everything, feasts, and laughing, family and cool weather. This is why Jon loved fall, this is why he loved pumpkin coffee, not just the taste but the feeling. It meant so much to him, it was insulting to think of it as only “seasonal”. Seasonal was such a sterile word, so plain. It didn’t ring out with the million images that buzzed through his mind as the caffeine surged through his veins.

Jon eventually arrived at work and the world returned to normal. The trees were green and the autumn pushed back. Jon stood by his old car, he was just a man, holding a coffee, going to work. Before Jon went into his office building he took one long swig of pumpkin coffee. Autumn was just over the horizon and Jon could see it so clearly.