Coffee Beans

Joseph walked into his kitchen, the room had a chill in the air. It was almost October and the summer had barely ended. The house took a turn from being hot and humid to cold and dry in a matter of hours. While the world slept the cold air of Fall slowly crept through the town like a rolling fog. Joseph shuffled through his kitchen in his green fuzzy slippers. Each step made a smooth shuffling sound as the plastic from the bottom of the slippers rubbed against the linoleum flooring.

 

            It was still early and Joseph hadn’t fully regained his senses. He shuffled like a zombie over to his freezer and removed a canister of coffee. He opened the canister and the fresh smell of ground coffee filled his nostrils. He started to feel more awake just by smelling the sweet caffeine in those dark ground up beans. Coffee was always a soothing comfort to Joseph and the warmth of each cup helped on cold autumn mornings.

 

            Joseph poured the coffee grounds into the pot and then added water, the splashing of the cold water into the coffee maker drifted into Joseph’s ears and traveled to his half awake mind. The splashing water was soothing and his day dreaming state took him to a place of pouring rain and warm coffee. Joseph snapped awake and remembered his mission, to brew a caffienated beverage. Joseph reached for the button and pressed it. There was a small click and a little green light went on. That small noise was strangely satisfying and a small shot of excitement went through him. This was not an unusual morning and he found it strange that he would get so excited for a process that he had accomplished hundreds of times.

 

            Joseph opened his cabinets where he kept his coffee mugs and pulled out a bright orange pumpkin shaped Jack-o-lantern mug with a silly grinning face on it. Joseph loved little things like playfully shaped coffee mugs, weird key chains, unusual hats and unique styles of glasses. His favorite coffee mugs were the ones that were related to Halloween, video games and cats.

 

            The coffee had finished brewing and sat in the pot warm and dark just waiting to be poured into a weird coffee mug. Joseph took his pumpkin mug and poured in the cream and sugar, then poured the coffee on top of it. The coffee, cream and sugar all mixed together as the dark liquid fell from the pot in an even flow.

 

            Joseph took a careful sip from the top of his pumpkin shaped mug. He had a habit of over filling his cup and the pumpkin mug was not practical to drink out of. Since the top of it curved inward, forcing the coffee drinker to use a different coffee drinking strategy just for that mug. Joseph didn’t mind little annoyances like a mug that was slightly harder to drink from. He felt that the little novelties that he collected were his few remaining expressions of self. He went to work, paid bills, did errands and chores like everyone else. For many it is hard to hold onto identity as an adult. Many work places treat the workers like a number that is only to be employed for as long as they are useful. Joseph couldn’t fix business politics or regulate laws to make the work place a better environment, he didn’t even complain about his job. Instead of complaining or acting out, he bought novelty coffee mugs. Occasionally Joseph felt sad about having to express himself through coffee mugs but many people did it and he hoped others like him found other ways to express themselves too.

 

            Joseph looked at his mug and realized he had drifted into a very deep inner monolog, so he shook his head and took a sip of his coffee. The chemical reaction in his brain lit up the nerves like lights on a twitch board. He wasn’t instantly awake but he felt like he was slowly coming out of his morning haze. If there was a world where no one had to wake up earlier than they wanted to, Joseph would still drink coffee. It would be a noon though and not seven in the morning.

 

            Joseph shuffled to his kitchen table, his green bathrobe draped around him like a very disheveled king and his fuzzy slippers slid and smacked against the kitchen flooring. Joseph sat down with a small groan and took another sip of his coffee. Three pairs of eyes stared at him from the kitchen chair next to him. It was an eerie sight but Joseph was used to it. Three cats with large eyes stared at Joseph expecting attention and food. One cat was all black with bright green eyes, another was a gray tabby who also had green eyes and the third was a calico with beautiful golden eyes.

 

            Joseph waved his hand at the cats dismissively. “Alright alright” he grumbled. The cats jumped off the chair, then quietly and quickly walked to their food dish. Each cat was very graceful as they walked to the food dish. Joseph couldn’t believe that these calm, well-behaved cats were the same cats that were running full speed through the house at two in the morning. Cats were an interesting species as they could be both clumsy, goofy, garbage eating monsters and then still retain a level of elegance and poise when they wanted to.

 

            Joseph’s wife Samantha came down the stairs from the bedroom, looking tired but beautiful as she always did. Joseph thought that Samantha must have been part cat as she had the same traits as their housecats. Samantha was elegant, affectionate, calm and knew how to appear dignified, but she also loved to eat sloppy foods, dance like a crazy person and just like a cat, if she didn’t like someone, they would know it. Joseph knew that Samantha had claws hidden somewhere within her slender pale fingers, he just hadn’t seen them yet.

 

            “Good morning” Samantha cooed at Joseph. “Good morning beautiful” Joseph cooed back. The sweetness of that moment could have provided enough sugar for both of their cups of coffee.

 

            Joseph poured a second cup of coffee. Samantha had a red mug with a gold colored design on it. It was pretty classy. Joseph always thought that the gold design looked like a French symbol or decoration, but he didn’t know enough about French markings to be sure.

 

            Samantha gave Joseph a kiss as she reached for her cup. As she leaned back from the kiss she brought the coffee cup up between them and took a long slow sip. “I love you” She whispered. “I love you too” Said Joseph. “I was talking to the coffee” Samantha said and stuck out her tongue. Samantha’s playfulness took Joseph by surprise and he couldn’t contain his wide goofy grin. Samantha was the only person that could make Joseph feel like he was back in highschool, a dorky sixteen year old with a crush on a beautiful classmate. Joseph was still a nerd but he was a happy nerd who married that beautiful crush of his.

 

            Samantha fed the cats who had been waiting patently by their dish. The three elegant garbage monsters attacked their dry cat food like it was prey in the savanna. After feeding the cats, Samantha moved onto her own breakfast. “Do you want anything sweetie?” Asked Samantha. “I can’t, I have to get to work” Joseph sighed. He spent a little too long savoring his morning and was a few minutes behind schedule. He ran upstairs and began to dress for work. Rain started to fall from the sky in small steady drops.  Joseph wished he didn’t have to work, he didn’t want to go out into the cold rain, away from his loving wife, warm house and silly cats. Joseph walked back downstairs and grabbed his umbrella, he checked his phone for the time then quickly went back into the kitchen to say good-bye to his wife.

 

            Joseph walked in and kissed Samantha, who was smiling as she was making breakfast. Joseph went for the door when he heard Samantha call from the kitchen “Hold it! When you checked your phone for the time did you not see the date as well?” Asked Samantha. Joseph looked at his phone again and the build in calendar said it was Saturday. “OH!” Joseph exclaimed in confusion, relief and surprise. Many different feelings and emotions were felt and expressed in only a brief second and through a short grunt of an exclamation.

 

            Joseph took off his shoes and coat and walked back into the kitchen. “I guess I’ll make some breakfast then” He said, still in disbelief that it was Saturday. Samantha placed a plate of French toast and fruit in front of Joseph “I took care of it” Samantha said with a smile. It was a smile that Joseph could stare at all day long.

 

            The went on with a casual pace, Joseph and Samantha listened to the rain pouring outside as they drank their warm coffees and ate breakfast together. The world wasn’t always a nice place to live but at that moment Joseph felt peace.

 

            Life doesn’t need to be any more complicated than you make it. Sometimes all you need is someone to love, a fresh cup of coffee and a little rain in the Fall.

Joseph Stephens and the Pumpkin spice

The crisp Fall air blew in from the north and collided with the warm air of summer. After weeks of warm weather the season finally started to show itself. Joseph Stephens was driving down the street in his bent up jalopy, the windows were down and he smelled a hint of wood smoke. Joseph thought two things, first was how much he loved wood smoke and how comforted he felt when he smelled it and secondly, it was early in the morning and someone not only woke up earlier than Joseph but had the energy and motivation to start a fire. Joseph didn’t like morning people but if some nut was awake and filling the air with the warm comforting smell of wood smoke, he would give them a pass.

Unforeseen circumstances dragged Joseph out of bed earlier than he would have like and though it wasn’t ideal having to bail his friend Jaye out of jail at seven in the morning, at least Joseph was able to enjoy the ride home. While driving the infamous green Jalopy, Joseph passed by his favorite coffee place, “Jerk Toff Jimbo’s Coffee and creamery”. Below the sign of a smiling cartoon Jimbo was a wooden sign in the shape of a pumpkin hanging from a metal pole with a chain on either side connecting the pole to the wooden sign. The sign read “Pumpkins back Bitches” in an elegant styled font that had been carved into the wood of the sign. Joseph knew that sign meant Jimbo’s was serving pumpkin coffee and other pumpkin flavored foods.

The morning was getting better and better and Joseph still had some money left even after posting Jaye’s bail. Luckily Jaye only got into weird trouble and the bail was set for five dollars and thirty-eight cents. The Police officer almost gave Joseph a reward for taking Jaye Williams away from there, but that would have been against the rules.

Joseph Stephens parked his car and as he slowed to a stop smoke came out from the back of his car. Joseph sighed then opened his car door and walked toward the coffee shop. As Joseph approached the brightly lit coffee shop a swarm of young single white girls flooded out of the shop talking loudly while staring at their phone. Joseph Stephens was almost run over by the gaggle of girls. The smell of pumpkin coffee floated through the air as the girls passed by. These girls were pumpkin spice armatures and made pumpkin lovers look bad. Joseph had been shaped into the person he was by Autumn. For many the love of pumpkin didn’t extend passed “OH MAH GOD BECKY, This is like SO good”. Joseph could write poetry about autumn and his love for pumpkin.

Joseph approached the coffee counter “I’d like two pumpkin coffees please” Joseph said. “would you like Creeeaaam and sugar?” Asked Jimbo with one raised eyebrow and smiling with a full row of white teeth. “Y-yeah” Joseph stammered, taken aback by how creepy Jimbo was. People often forgot that Jimbo molested post office workers in his free time, yet somehow he continued to get customers.

Joseph waited by a large support beam that was painted to look like a giant cup of coffee holding up the ceiling. “Heeeere you go sir” Said Mr. Jimbo. Joseph took his cup of piping hot pumpkin spice coffee and took a slow sip.

Joseph’s mind flooded with pictures of autumn, scenery, sights, smells, nostalgia and enjoyable times with friends who hadn’t been put in prison for Llama fighting. Buying an over priced pumpkin spice flavored caffeine drink was Joseph’s first tradition of fall. It was his way of welcoming in the new season and preparing himself for the good times ahead. The caffeine made Joseph feel more awake and the artificial flavors of pumpkin pie spices gave him the warm fuzzy schmood that he always loved.

Joseph walked to his car, feeling even happier than when he first left his poor old, beat up, green car. Smoke billowed from the back of Joseph’s car and Joseph sighed again but he wasn’t about to let the smoke ruin his mood. Joseph started his car and continued on his way home. The whole drive home he thought about the future and how this Autumn season would play out. The trees hadn’t started to change colors yet but the cool air and the pumpkin coffee made Joseph feel a little closer to autumn.

Joseph finally arrived home, he parked, opened his car door and took the two pumpkin coffees from their drink tray. He stood up and walked over to his trunk. Joseph continued sipping the one coffee and placed the second coffee on the hood of his car. Joseph then took out his keys and opened the trunk. Inside was Jaye Williams, who had been cooking a ham in  a makeshift grill that he cobbled together from coat hangers and lighter fluid. The ham was raw all the way through, except on the bottom where it had been burnt black. Thick black smoke billowed from the trunk and Jaye looked dead. “I got your coffee” Joseph said. Jaye didn’t respond. “Its pumpkin spice” Joseph added, his tone was bored and slightly annoyed. Jaye sprang up and jumped out of the trunk. Jaye didn’t want the silly inconvenience of being dead in a trunk to ruin his chance of having a pumpkin spice coffee in the beginning of the season.

Joseph closed his car doors and trunk while Jaye sipped his coffee, holding the cup like a squirrel holds an acorn. “alright, I’m going back to bed. I’ll see you later” Joseph said. “Yeah, later” Jaye said while he took small quick sips from his large to-go cup. “Are you heading home?” Joseph asked as the two men stood in Joseph’s front yard. “Oh yeah, of course” Jaye replied, still focused on his coffee.

Joseph looked annoyed as Jaye stood there and nibbled the plastic top to his coffee. “Get out of here ya freak!” Joseph shouted. Jaye sprang up in the air and started to scamper away as soon as he landed. Jaye ran off into the cool morning mist while he held his coffee with both hands and shuffled along the ground with his feet like a squirrel trying to cross the road. As Jaye disappeared into the distance Joseph thought about the upcoming season and was already planning for Halloween. As a crisp Fall breeze blew passed Joseph, he thought about how thankful he was for autumn, pumpkin spice coffee and that weird squirrel boy Jaye that he called his best friend. 

Nathan's last day

No one would forget the day Nathan left.

            Nathan worked diligently at his desk, intermittently looking up at the clock. It was the Friday afternoon of Nathan’s last day at work and he wanted to leave on a good impression. His work was not bad, nasty or degrading like some, but it consumed the majority of the day, often working eight to fourteen hours a day. Nathan didn’t mind the work or his co-workers but the lack of free time wasn’t his only issue. Nathan felt like a jazzy caterpillar excited to see what kind of butterfly he would eventually change into. Or more realistically, what kind of monstrous moth he would transform into, haunting the minds of all who gazed upon his terrible visage.  Nathan wanted to grow and become something more, but his co-workers and heads of the business were content being fat caterpillars. Not progressing further as individuals but instead plumping up on the ripest of leaves.

            Nathan’s caterpillar metaphor was probably inspired by his garden salad that he would take quick bites of in between furious typing. He felt as if he was typing the next grand novel, with the amount of work and pressure he was enduring to write the text. Instead the text belonged to a manual that no one would read except the servants of the big bosses. The information in the tome would then be transcribed and then broken down into easier to digest portions and then hand fed to the big bosses like feeding grapes to a king.

            The day dragged on and while Nathan had hoped that staying busy would hasten the day, the day moved with the speed of frozen peanut butter being defrosted by a lighter. The spirit of the last day at work hung over Nathan’s shoulder to interrupt his work and occasionally spill coffee on his desk and papers. Then the spirit would give a half hearted apology and walk off to talk to Brenda about how Nathan was “Being so weird and grumpy today”

            Nathan had the mind of a child and the intellect of a man beyond his years. He was a shining sparkle in the night sky with all of the majesty of a mentally ill dolphin. So it did not need to be said that his uniqueness was wasted on any job where the people around him were only one thing. Such mundane humans that never dreamed of greater things and if they ever did quickly squashed their thoughts with reality and other boring words and phrases.

            Nathan knew that this manual would not be the end of the project he worked on and that it wouldn’t even be the biggest blip on anyone’s radar but he wanted to leave knowing he did a great job one last time before he moved on.

            Time ticked down as the end of the day approached, One of Nathan’s co-workers Jeff Bobertson, walked up to Nathan’s desk with the grace of a stumbling cow as he let out a loud bored sigh. “whaaats happening man?” Asked Jeff, Nathan started to open his mouth but Jeff continued talking. “Right right, man can you believe this day? Its been so long and boring. Like my daughters dance recital or something” Jeff complained loudly. Nathan kept working without replying and Jeff just nodded. “right right, ok good talk man. Hey! Good luck with your last day huh?” Jeff said as he drummed his hands along Nathan’s desk.

            Nathan realized that after today he would not have to deal with the likes of Jeff Bobertson any longer, though worried that another equal annoyance would take his place in Nathan’s life. Nathan opened the top drawer of his desk and gentle caressed a claw hammer sitting neatly inside. The hammer was the only object in that drawer and it was placed so neatly and carefully as if it were a prized egg, so delicate and adored. “Not today old friend, not today” Nathan whispered as he ran his hands along the hammer lovingly.

            Nathan’s phone began to ring loudly, it was the theme song from a video game that only he and three other people played. “Hellloooo!” Nathan answered with a long drawn out voice. This was his silly voice and was enjoyed by all who knew him, unlike Jeff’s voice, who everyone hated because hes a dick. Screw Jeff.

            Nathan’s amazing and talented cousin Stephen had called to wish him a happy last day. “Its your last day! Are you going to go out swinging? Maybe play some loud fighting music as you take out a few co-workers who ate your potato salad that one day?” Stephen asked with the voice like velvet and a lisp like an awkward five year old. “No, probably not” Nathan replied with a chuckle. The two friends giggled like girls over talk of video games for the next fifteen minutes and would have done so for much longer if not for the clock finally striking midnight and Nathan’s day was finally over. It was literally the next day and his employers couldn’t hold him any longer. After a few more giggles and fond wishes the two friends hung up their phones.

            Nathan collected his things and began to walk out of his office. He said his farewells to a few people as he left, but was so tired he just wanted to leave as quietly as possible. “Hey Budddddy! You’re all done! Wanna go to the strip club or something?” Asked Jeff as he magically appeared from behind a copier machine. “What do you even do here Jeff?” Nathan finally asked after years of working in the same building. “Not much bro-syphilis. I’m the son of one of the big wigs. SO my dad makes me wear a tie and I have to hang around until he leaves. I just drink coffee and make awkward sexual advances on the secretaries and clerks who need the job too much to say anything” Jeff replied. “You know what Jeff, I WILL meet you for drink. Lets go to the strip bar all the way down town. Ya know the one with the hot strippers in the bad section of town? Meet me there in an hour” Nathan said with a wicked grin. “OH?! Awe-some. Man” I’ll see you then. Jeff slapped the nearby desk of Todd Wilkerjams. Who was abruptly startled and jumped back in his chair. Todd swore under his breath as Jeff slapped walls and doorframes on his way out of the office.

            Nathan sighed and was excited to go home, see his wife and get some sleep. For a brief second he hoped Jeff would be ok, but then decided he didn’t really care anymore and walked toward the front of the building.

            Nathan approached the exit to his work for the last time and as he neared the door he slowed his steps to appreciate the moment. A security guard named Stanley opened the door for Nathan and gave him a warm smile. “You’re free now, have a nice rest of your life” The security guard said fondly. “thank you Stanley” said Nathan with a smile. The two men stood there staring warmly at each other until Stanley motioned his head toward the exit and Nathan had a slight anxiety attack about how big the moment was. Now he was being hurried by Stanley the lovable security guard. If Stanley was lovable and he thought Nathan should leave, then disagreeing with that thought would make Nathan look like a jerk. Nathan didn’t know if he was ready for this moment as the reality of it all rushed through him like a tidal wave of uncertainty.

            Nathan slowly started to shuffle toward the door, nervously looking back as he began to leave. “Go already you freak!” Stanley yelled. This frightened Nathan who then in turn hissed loudly and scampered away out into the night.

            Nathan was finally free to set his own future and had the opportunity that few had. With a solid plan, a hard working enduring spirit, support from his wife and best cousin and the knowledge to get the job done, Nathan knew that things would be alright from that day forward.

            ALSO Jeff got stabbed in an alley outside of a strip bar by a drifter who wielded a dirty knife. LOL Bye!

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This was written with love and any persons, people or companies that this story might seem to resemble are pure fiction and not meant to insult any real people or places. Except Jeff, that dude is fictional but he's a dick.

Autumn Daydream

Heat beats on my home from the outside as the whirr of my air conditioner could be heard in the background. Its around this time every year that I lose my strength to the heat. I shamble through the end of the summer feeling drained from the heat and sun. I miss the cool breeze of autumn and the bright sunny days that aren’t blisteringly hot.

 

I grow tired of summer and though I know that Fall is on its way, I have a difficult time picturing it. I know that every year the first few days of crisp autumn air will be met with excitement and confusion. It always seems almost too cold at first but it is still a welcome temperature. I gain a burst of energy and I feel elated when the first cool breeze of Autumn rolls in. I feel surprise and joy equal to the first time I ever felt wonder of a crisp Fall day.

 

I feel like I am running out of words to describe how I feel. I love the Fall as if it were a two month long holiday. Halloween and Thanksgiving contribute to the festive feelings of Fall but it also has its own energy and joy. People go apple picking, pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, hay rides and corn stalk mazes, or maize mazes eheheheh. People DO things like the season is a holiday with its own traditions. Granted summer has the beach and generally spring is when people first start doing out door activities. I argue that spring and summer activities are based on the weather. Going to the beach, bike riding, running, flying a kite and going on picnics are things people already enjoy doing but just have to wait for the right weather and spring and summer weather is best for those activities. Autumn is more than good weather, it brings out a creative side in people. They decorate more, they do activities based around Autmn, not just Autumn weather. Some might enjoy outdoor activities in the spring but those same activities could be done in the Fall. In some places that have cherry blossoms or rare seasonal plants they might celebrate spring using those plants and that is what people do every year in Autumn.

 

I will admit I am in the Northeast side of North America, so these are traditions I see all around me and assume most people take part in. I don’t know what other parts of the country do or what other countries do. I don’t think I could every live in a country or a part of the United States that doesn’t have trees that change from green, yellow, orange and red. Every year the forested areas look like a beautiful painting, painted by the creator of the world.

 

Every year I feel this mix of tired sadness and hope for the Fall and every year I write about it in some way. I hope I always feel this way because Autumn is such a great time of the year that the day I stop being excited is the day I have died, either in my heart or in my head.

 

I sit here listening to soft music and the sound of my Air conditioner whirring softly in the background, only a little longer till the best time of the year. Happy Summer everyone and lets all have a good second half of the year.

Auburn Hills (Grave Wagon)

Note: Sorry for taking so long coming out with another story. I have Arix and the Magic bottle half written. Today I was struck with a twinge of Halloween spirit and decided to write this Autumn story and post it early for those who cannot wait for the Fall season. This is also going to be a look into this years stories in October.

The cold gentle wind blew through the town of Auburn Hill. Tree branches swayed in the breeze as if the trees were coming to life. Each branch held only the slightest amount of leaves as most of them had already fallen or blown away. The soft sound of a squeaky wheel echoed through the neighborhood. The sound came from the small wheel of a child’s wooden wagon being pulled down the sidewalk. A small child wearing a red coat and blue jeans walked quickly and happily down the dark street pulling his favorite wagon. Night was well underway and the streets were empty, save for this child.

 

            The low rumbling in the distance joined the echo of the child’s wooded red wagon wheel. A giant shadowy mass approach the town, the mass let out sounds like high pitched squeaking wheels in need of oil, rumbling of a heavy weight being dragged across the land and the low roar of a beast waking from slumber. The giant shadow grew closer and closer to the town and as it did the townspeople woke from their beds and turned on their lights. Men and women left their house in their pajamas and night gowns, all standing on their front lawns as they peered out into the night. The mass grew closer and the first thing that could be seen was a giant skull mounted onto the front of some kind of machine. The machine had wheels, was made of wood and metal and was adorned with skulls and bones. It was easily fifty feet tall and must have weighed over a ton. Panic struck through people of Auburn Hill, causing them to retreat back into their houses or take to their cars and drive off into the night. Some used their house phones to call the police, some drove to the police station but many retreated to their basements or left town entirely.

 

            The skull-adorned machine didn’t fit in the normally peaceful and quiet town of Auburn Hill but the towns folk were not surprised by its appearance. The world knew of the Grave Wagon, a ghastly machine that appeared in random towns across the world and would harvest an entire town down to its last and then disappear into the night. The Grave wagon’s squeaking gears and perpetual “chunk-a-chunk-a-chunk” noise was distinct and could be heard across the whole town. This was a sound that would be familiar to anyone who watched the news the day after Halloween. The Grave wagon only harvested towns in October and there was usually one video of the attack every year. Only video could be found the next day, never survivors. No one knew what was inside the machine, where it came from or who drove it. The only thing known about the Grave Wagon was the appearance, the sound and the fact that it wiped entire towns off of the map.

 

            Adults ran for their lives, drove away or loaded guns and hid in the basements of their house. The child with the little red wooden wagon was scooped up by his parents and put in a car. He looked out the back window of his parent’s car as he saw the Grave wagon roll into his neighborhood and as the parent’s car turned down the next street the large tank tread like wheels hit the first house on the block, knocking it over and crushing the wood and glass as if it were made of paper. Light from lit torches danced out from the eye sockets of the enormous skull on the front of the wagon. The child never got to see who or what carried the torches or what happened to his house and red wagon.

 

            As the boy and his parents fled from town in their sedan green glowing mist began to rise up from the ground all around them. Pavement split and noxious fumes boiled up from the cracks in the earth. The ground beneath the car began to shake apart so the father stepped on the gas. Shrieking and howling could be heard in the distance. It could have been the victims of the wagon or the demons that must have been harbored inside of the awful machine. The family sedan rocketed down the crumbling street as fear gripped the family. The houses of Auburn Hil began to shake and sway until they toppled over, debris flew into the road causing the father to jerk the steering wheel hard to avoid the glass, wood and metal. The family car spun put of control and crashed into a tree.

 

            The child awoke to his mothers voice calling to him. As he opened his eyes he saw his frantic mother pull him out of the back seat and lift the small boy over her shoulder. She ran for the woods as thick fog and screaming filled the air. The trees swayed in the wind as it blew harder and harder but it wasn’t just the wind that made the trees seem alive, some of the trees actually started to move and come alive. The trees grew awful faces that dripped glowing green ooze as their branch arms swiped at the mother. The little boy could hear his mother scream as she ran but couldn’t do anything to help.

 

            The Mother ran through the forest and slid down a hill covered in dead grass and dried crunchy leaves. As she slid the sound of the Grave Wagon grew louder and louder until finally it stopped. The screaming and howling stopped as did any sounds associated with the Wagon’s movements. The danger sounded like it was over but the mother was too stricken with fear to move.

 

            For the rest of the night the mother and son huddled together, jumping at every rustling and noise in the forest. The sun slowly rose up over the Auburn Hill and the mother knew the danger was over. She and her son were the first two people to survive the Grave Wagon’s attack.

 

            When the military arrived they found the mother and son and rushed them to the nearest hospital, all reports, and photos showed that no sign of Auburn Hills was left. The town of Auburn Hills was now a giant empty field of black ash. No trace of the town remained.

 

            That day burned itself into the boys mind and as he grew he always thought about the Grave Wagon, where did it come from? Who made it? Why was it wiping out towns? John Pharris was the boy who escaped Auburn Hill and then became the Man who would stop the Grave Wagon once and for all. But that is a different story for a different day.

Auburn Hills (Grave Wagon)

Note: Sorry for taking so long coming out with another story. I have Arix and the Magic bottle half written. Today I was struck with a twinge of Halloween spirit and decided to write this Autumn story and post it early for those who cannot wait for the Fall season. This is also going to be a look into this years stories in October.

The cold gentle wind blew through the town of Auburn Hill. Tree branches swayed in the breeze as if the trees were coming to life. Each branch held only the slightest amount of leaves as most of them had already fallen or blown away. The soft sound of a squeaky wheel echoed through the neighborhood. The sound came from the small wheel of a child’s wooden wagon being pulled down the sidewalk. A small child wearing a red coat and blue jeans walked quickly and happily down the dark street pulling his favorite wagon. Night was well underway and the streets were empty, save for this child.

 

            The low rumbling in the distance joined the echo of the child’s wooded red wagon wheel. A giant shadowy mass approach the town, the mass let out sounds like high pitched squeaking wheels in need of oil, rumbling of a heavy weight being dragged across the land and the low roar of a beast waking from slumber. The giant shadow grew closer and closer to the town and as it did the townspeople woke from their beds and turned on their lights. Men and women left their house in their pajamas and night gowns, all standing on their front lawns as they peered out into the night. The mass grew closer and the first thing that could be seen was a giant skull mounted onto the front of some kind of machine. The machine had wheels, was made of wood and metal and was adorned with skulls and bones. It was easily fifty feet tall and must have weighed over a ton. Panic struck through people of Auburn Hill, causing them to retreat back into their houses or take to their cars and drive off into the night. Some used their house phones to call the police, some drove to the police station but many retreated to their basements or left town entirely.

 

            The skull-adorned machine didn’t fit in the normally peaceful and quiet town of Auburn Hill but the towns folk were not surprised by its appearance. The world knew of the Grave Wagon, a ghastly machine that appeared in random towns across the world and would harvest an entire town down to its last and then disappear into the night. The Grave wagon’s squeaking gears and perpetual “chunk-a-chunk-a-chunk” noise was distinct and could be heard across the whole town. This was a sound that would be familiar to anyone who watched the news the day after Halloween. The Grave wagon only harvested towns in October and there was usually one video of the attack every year. Only video could be found the next day, never survivors. No one knew what was inside the machine, where it came from or who drove it. The only thing known about the Grave Wagon was the appearance, the sound and the fact that it wiped entire towns off of the map.

 

            Adults ran for their lives, drove away or loaded guns and hid in the basements of their house. The child with the little red wooden wagon was scooped up by his parents and put in a car. He looked out the back window of his parent’s car as he saw the Grave wagon roll into his neighborhood and as the parent’s car turned down the next street the large tank tread like wheels hit the first house on the block, knocking it over and crushing the wood and glass as if it were made of paper. Light from lit torches danced out from the eye sockets of the enormous skull on the front of the wagon. The child never got to see who or what carried the torches or what happened to his house and red wagon.

 

            As the boy and his parents fled from town in their sedan green glowing mist began to rise up from the ground all around them. Pavement split and noxious fumes boiled up from the cracks in the earth. The ground beneath the car began to shake apart so the father stepped on the gas. Shrieking and howling could be heard in the distance. It could have been the victims of the wagon or the demons that must have been harbored inside of the awful machine. The family sedan rocketed down the crumbling street as fear gripped the family. The houses of Auburn Hil began to shake and sway until they toppled over, debris flew into the road causing the father to jerk the steering wheel hard to avoid the glass, wood and metal. The family car spun put of control and crashed into a tree.

 

            The child awoke to his mothers voice calling to him. As he opened his eyes he saw his frantic mother pull him out of the back seat and lift the small boy over her shoulder. She ran for the woods as thick fog and screaming filled the air. The trees swayed in the wind as it blew harder and harder but it wasn’t just the wind that made the trees seem alive, some of the trees actually started to move and come alive. The trees grew awful faces that dripped glowing green ooze as their branch arms swiped at the mother. The little boy could hear his mother scream as she ran but couldn’t do anything to help.

 

            The Mother ran through the forest and slid down a hill covered in dead grass and dried crunchy leaves. As she slid the sound of the Grave Wagon grew louder and louder until finally it stopped. The screaming and howling stopped as did any sounds associated with the Wagon’s movements. The danger sounded like it was over but the mother was too stricken with fear to move.

 

            For the rest of the night the mother and son huddled together, jumping at every rustling and noise in the forest. The sun slowly rose up over the Auburn Hill and the mother knew the danger was over. She and her son were the first two people to survive the Grave Wagon’s attack.

 

            When the military arrived they found the mother and son and rushed them to the nearest hospital, all reports, and photos showed that no sign of Auburn Hills was left. The town of Auburn Hills was now a giant empty field of black ash. No trace of the town remained.

 

            That day burned itself into the boys mind and as he grew he always thought about the Grave Wagon, where did it come from? Who made it? Why was it wiping out towns? John Pharris was the boy who escaped Auburn Hill and then became the Man who would stop the Grave Wagon once and for all. But that is a different story for a different day.

Arix and the tomh of Mul'din

 

There once was an ancient tomb, a tomb darker than night and so abandoned that no human eye has seen it centuries. Arix the young adventurer pushed over a stone slab from outside the tomb. The slab fell inward creating a booming noise that echoed through the ancient tomb. Tomb had not been disturbed, felt sound or sunlight in centuries and Arix the adventuring youth introduced light and sound to the tomb in one motion. Light beamed in from the bright midday sun, banishing the darkness and causing small, nocturnal creatures to scurry away in fright.

 

            This was the lost tomb of Mul’din, a great and fierce king of old. Mul’din was kind to his people and brutal to the rest of the world. His armies were vast and he would dominate and destroy all who did not join his Kingdom. The Kingdom of Mul’din stretched over a quarter of the world and his riches stretched on as far as the eye could see. Mul’din didn’t just acquire treasure from conquering, he also sent out bands of pirates and raiders to loot and pillage in his name. Mul’din’s raiders would regularly harass and land that couldn’t be conquered and through his looting and conquering he had a treasury stuffed with rare items from around the world and more gold than anyone could count.

 

            Arix had spent years trying to find this lost tomb. While he explored other ruins and new lands he always kept an ear open for anything that related to Mul’din. Arix even spent a fair amount of the treasure he found in other tombs just for info about Mul’din’s tomb. Finding this tomb would give Arix recognition, opportunity to join the explorer’s guild and befriend famous adventurers and Arix also had the possibility of finding Mul’din’s treasure and being incredibly wealthy.

 

            Arix crept carefully through the tomb holding a blue gem that let out a soft light. The light was faint enough so that Arix wouldn’t be immediately spotted by predators but bright enough to see inside the pitch black tomb, the gem also sent light out further than a torch would. The gem was the size of a small apple and glowed through Arix’s hand. The sunlight from outside illuminated the first room, but the darkness won out as Arix walked deeper inside.

 

            The tomb was silent and every light step that Arix took sounded like heavy boots stomping on the stone. As Arix walked he heard a faint voice calling from deep within the tomb, the voice was followed by a purple fog that reflected the light of the blue gem. The fog floated through the tomb, in and out of only certain rooms. The fog started looking like a trail and Arix wanted to find its source. Arix’ curiosity got him into trouble more times than he could count and he knew that the strange voice and purple fog could be luring him into a trap. It was possible that Mul’din’s ghost was trying to tempt a greedy treasure hunter and lure him into an ambush. Arix had experience with the undead and was overly confident with his ability to get out of bad situations.

 

            The fog led Arix to a large room that was full of bottles, tables and small trinkets. As Arix entered the room torches lit themselves and the voice calling out grew louder. “Help please!” cried the voice. “Where are you?” asked Arix “I am trapped in this bottle, please open it!” The voice called out. Arix now knew the voice belonged to a mystical creature, as a mortal could not survive being trapped in a bottle and sealed in a tomb for centuries and would have to be shrunken down to even fit in a bottle in the first place.

 

            Arix followed the voice and looked through a table full of dusty bottle of different sizes. Finally Arix touched the right bottle and the small glass bottle glowed with purple light. “Please release me!” Cried the voice. “I want to know where Mul’din’s treasure is first, then I promise to release you” Arix said. The voice was silent for a few seconds then finally spoke. “Mul’din acquired mountains of gold but when he died he did not keep any of it. He loved his subjects so much that he told his royal advisor to give everything to the people of his kingdom. He did not see the point of storing it or burying it. He gave the largest portion to his sons but he told them to use his riches to make their own riches. He was a wise man. This tomb was built in his honor and while many of his prized possessions were buried with him, none of those possessions were gold or jewels” Explained the voice.

 

            Arix was disappointed but didn’t completely believe the voice. “How did you end up here? And how do I know you aren’t lying to me?” Asked Arix. “I wouldn’t lie and risk my first chance to be free in centuries. I am a djinn, a wish granting spirit who has been trapped in this bottle by the king. I do not care about the king and if he had gold I’d help you find it. This is my punishment for not being able to bring back his dead wife” Explained the Djinn.

 

            Arix figured that gaining the favor of a wish granting spirit might be even better than gold and so he opened the bottle. The bottle had a cork, which was covered in a cloth, and the cloth had ancient writing all over it. Arix twisted the cork and pulled open the bottle.

 

            Purple fog sprang forth from the bottle. It flooded out and filled the large room, then in a second it all was pulled toward a single point in front of Arix. The fog swirled around and the Djinn appeared before Arix. “Thank you so much, kind master” Said the Djinn. The Djinn was dark purple, had yellow eyes with no pupils, had a torso and head but his arms were partly transparent and his legs were missing, he was completely made up of purple fog from the waist down.

 

            “So I am your master now?”  Asked Arix. “Yes, you are. But before you start trying to make wishes, let me make a deal with you. If you do not like my deal, you can wish for any one thing” Said the Djinn. Arix was intrigued and figured it wouldn’t hurt to listen to the spirit. “What is your deal? I was hoping for a mountain of gold in this tomb, so your deal better be worth the time and money it took to find this place” Arix explained.

 

            “The deal is, you bring the bottle outside of this tomb and use your one wish to free me. Once I am free I will be able to join the wind and cloud spirits in the sky. I will never bother a single mortal and after being stuck under ground for so long I will probably never even want to leave the clouds again. In exchange for my freedom, I will leave all of my magic in the bottle in the form of a potion. This magic potion will cure any disease, ease all pain, emotional and physical and it will give you energy like a night of restful sleep” The Djinn explained.

 

            Arix liked the sound of this magic potion but was still cautious. “What is the downside, there is always a downside” Said Arix. The Djinn grinned “Well of course. I see you are no fool. All magic comes with a price. Even those who wield magic must suffer a burden of it. The potion will do just as I say it will but if you use it too much or become too reliant on the magic, then you will suffer from it. Mortals cannot handle magic in large amounts or consumed too frequently” Explained the Djinn.

 

            Arix figured that he was as careful as anyone and would only use the potion in dire situations. So Arix agreed and the Djinn led Arix out of the tomb. They talked as they walked through the dusty ruins and Arix felt more confident that the Djinn was telling the truth about all he said.

 

            Once they reached the exit, Arix took a step out into the fresh air and held the bottle open as he said “I wish you were free from this bottle and live peacefully in the clouds away from mortals” Arix wished for a very specific thing just in case the Djinn wasn’t as friendly as he seemed. Arix hoped that the phrasing would bind the Djinn to his word and force him to be peaceful. Arix didn’t want to be responsible for unleashing a terror on all humanity.

 

            “Thank you human!” Said the Djinn as he started to turn into purple fog. A thin blue chain appeared. The chain led from inside the bottle and was wrapped around the purple fog that struggled to break free. Finally the blue chain shattered into a thousand pieces and each piece puffed up into the air in a ball of smoke. The Djinn was finally free and shot up into the air as fast as he could “Remember my warning human!” called the voice of the Djinn as he disappeared from sight.

 

            Arix knew he would heed the Djinn’s warning and put the purple glass bottle into his adventuring bag. Arix might not have been rich and famous from the trip into Mul’din’s tomb, but he did gain a magic healing potion, which in his line of work was priceless.

 

            Arix also decided to not tell anyone that he found the tomb, not only was there no gold to share but owing a magical cure all potion and telling people about it would drastically decrease his life span.

 

            Arix began the long trek home, his head swimming with tales of ancient kings and a long lost time. Arix put the potion out of his thoughts and did not think about it again until the day he desperately needed it. But that is another story for another day.

Law'Runce Rock Eater

I wanted to get a present for my father for father’s day, but I couldn’t think of anything to buy. My dad is one of the rare people that don’t value things as much as he values gestures and quiet time. So I asked myself, what do you get someone who doesn’t want anything? The answer is, a gesture.

            In the ancient times, back before the invention of the cell phone, or even before cars, there lived a tribe of nomadic orcs who traveled across the land looking for fertile soil, peace and quiet. Orcs were a race of humanoid creatures, usually large with small tusks or large teeth. Orcs have skin of various shades of green, yellow and brown. Some orcs even had black skin and red eyes, these were the shadow orcs, who did not live in peace at all. Shadow orcs lived in the volcanic lands of Ash lands, where ash and soot from molten rocks covered the land and the inhabitants below.

            The nomad orcs were peaceful and were primary warriors and shamans who practiced magic and communed with nature. The leader of the nomad orcs was a large dark green orc named Law’Runce The Rock Eater. This Orc was the tallest orc in the tribe and though he was thinner than most orcs, he could wield an axe just as well as anyone.

            Law’Runce grew up with the name Runce, which meant quiet one. When he became an adult the Law was added to his name because of his belief in upholding the rules and laws of the land. Adding Law to ones name usually meant the adult orc would go on to be a leader or enforcer of laws.

            When Law’Runce became an adult and after he was given his ‘complete’ name, he set off into the world to learn of nature and other races. Law’Runce was more of a thinker than the other orcs of his village. He grew up in a settlement of forest orcs, who were all dark and light green. These orcs never wondered about the outside world, they kept to themselves and hunted for food in the deepest parts of the forest. Law’Runce wanted to know about the world so he left the orc forest village.

            Law traveled through the forestlands, over the dumpy hills, and completely avoided the Ash lands. Law’Runce arrived in a mountainous region covered in pine trees and green grass, further up the mountain was rocky terrain, pine trees and snow. This land was the Pine Valley. Lower Pine valley was the greener lower altitude part of the mountains and upper Pine Valley was all rocks and snowy forests.

            In the Pine Valley Law found quiet but he had not found answers. He saw many types of land and different animals but he had not seen a single orc or any other race of creature. Law’Runce began to build a shelter in the lower Pine Valley so that he could stay warm when night swept over the land. Law was chopping a tree with his axe when he heard a noise. He chopped his axe into the tree which made a sound, but then a few seconds later another chopping sound was heard, it was either a delayed echo or someone else was cutting down a tree. Law’s curiosity got the better of him and he raced toward the sound. He spied a dark yellow orc chopping down a tree. He was so happy to find another orc but he didn’t want to startle an orc armed with an axe. Law’runce grunted and the yellow orc stopped chopping, he saw Law and grunted back. “Who are you? I am Thok” Said the dark yellow orc. “I am Law’Runce” Said Law. The yellow orc seemed happy to hear Law’s name. A large toothy grin spread across Thok’s face. “Were you named correctly? Do you bring law?” Asked Thok. “I try” Said Law, not sure why Thok was asking.

            Thok ran over to Law’runce looking as excited as an orc could. “Law bringer, quiet one. These are things that our tribe could use. We are a tribe of Nomad orcs that travel all over the Pine Valley. We are at unrest. We need orc who can help us set rules. I and others don’t want unrest. Travel does not mean no rules.” Thok explained, as he held out his hands in a pleading gesture.

            Law didn’t want to get involved with a group of new orcs he had never met, but he did want to learn new cultures and his conscience told him that helping would be the right thing to do.

            Thok took Law’Runce to the Nomad settlement, as they approached Law could already hear arguing. Law walked into the settlement and no one noticed him because everyone was at the center of town bickering about what to do next and where to go next.

            A light green skinned female orc with purple hair threw an axe at a dark brown skin male orc who was shouting. The axe cut off the tip of his black Mohawk and stuck into the tree behind him. The shouting orc sat down, knowing that the female orc missed on purpose. Another orc started to shout “Axes should be reserved for enemies not used for talks” Said another light green orc, his hair was black and grew down to the middle of his back. “I reserve this axe for you!” Shouted the purple hair female orc as she lifted another axe above her head. Thok ran into the middle of the group and shouted, “Stop! I brought help! Law’Runce, he is here to help with laws” Thok pleaded with the group. A light yellow skinned female orc grabbed a rock and threw it at Thok’s head “We don’t need outsiders giving orders!” Said the light yellow orc. Thok looked discouraged by this.

            As the group of Orcs bickered Law looked around and saw huts in disrepair, children looking hungry and sitting by their parents as the parents did nothing more than yelling and throwing stones. Law’Runce was never the most outspoken orc but he could not stand to see children mistreated and entire villages of adults who can’t take care of their own homes. The forest orcs were peaceful and they might have been ignorant of the outside world but they knew how to maintain a village and live well.

            Law charged into the middle of the group, the injustice of neglectful orcs and the anger of foolish adults welled up in him from the core of his being. “HEY!!!” He shouted. His shout was so loud that it echoed through the entire Pine Valley. This was the lost shout of Mul’vani, who was the oldest and strongest orc in the forest tribe. He was a great shaman and when he died he called to the earth and shouted one last time. His shout shook every tree in the Great Forest and the land itself absorbed the power of the shout. Mul’vani communed with the spirits of the forest and he gave his powers to the forest itself. In exchange, the forest would channel the magic of the shout into all the Orcs who lived in the Great Forest.  The forest tribe of orcs were never taught how to use this shout but were only told that it would be released during important times. It was a shout so powerful that it could capture the hearts and minds of any who hear it.

            Law’Runce had never heard the Mul’vani shout in person until it burst out from his jaws.  The orcs of the Pine Valley didn’t know what the Mul’vani shout was and had no idea that a shout could ever be so loud or commanding. Law’runce had everyone’s full attention.  “I am new to this tribe but I already see problems. While you argue over where to travel next the place you live now rots. Your children go hungry because no one hunts, they learn only to fight each other and not to fight enemies. I have traveled a little but I have seen many lands and was raised in a great forest where everyone cared for each other. I have heard stories of Ashland Orcs, the shadow orcs from the volcano lands. They do nothing but fight, they don’t hunt they eat other orcs. Do you want to be like them? Do you want children to be like shadow orcs?! Or do you want them to learn hunting, kindness and shaman wisdom?” Law shouted to the group of wide eyed orcs.

            “He has point! And his tribe named him Law. Which mean he help with rules and order” Thok said, regaining his confidence. Most of the tribe began to think about the words of Law’Runce but a small percent of them were still bitter and angry from a day of fighting. “You promise big things but you from forest, you don’t know Pine Valley like we do!” Shouted a pale yellow male orc. The orc picked up a large rock and threw it at Law’Runce’s head. Law gritted his teeth in anger at the protest. Law didn’t want to rule the tribe he just wanted them to realize the harm they were doing to themselves and their children. The anger came back and Law lunged forward and caught the rock in his mouth. Law let out a might growl and chomped down on the stone shattering it into a thousand pieces. “Fools!” She shouted as rock fragments flew from his jaws. The crowd fell silent again.

            “Rock Eater! Rock Eater! Rock Eater!” Shouted the crowd. The Orc who threw the rock was pummeled into submission and no one else had a counter argument. Law’Runce was now known as Law’Runce the rock eater. His name was the quiet law bringer but his nickname Rock Eater was the show of force, strength and determination that orcs admired.

            After that point Law’Runce began helping the tribe of nomads set up rules that would be followed exactly. They assigned jobs for people to hunt for food, care for children, repair tents, guard the settlement, train others in combat, scout the land and even assigned jobs for when they had to uproot the settlement and travel. After a year of Law’runce being the rule making and the guiding force for the tribe, the Nomad orcs decided to make Law’Runce their War Chief. War Chief Law’Runce Rock Eater ruled the nomads for many years and helped them through difficult times. They relied on him and looked to him for aid. He was the strategist for battles and the peacemaker for disputes. He was always there to help others and helped so frequently that asking for help felt natural. No matter how hard the life in the Pine Valley was, Law’Runce was always there for his people and for his children.

Happy Fathers Day.

Fighting demons

 Jon thrash around on the floor, the shadows in his head scratched at his mind causing his body to writhe in torment. Everyone has demons, some are bigger and meaner than others and when your demons are the toughest demons around, then you have two choices die or become the new toughest thing around.

            Jon has had doubt since he was a small child, his personal demons were small but fierce. As Jon grew older he also grew stronger. The smaller demons that caused little things like doubt and anxiety were no match for his renewed strength and resolve. What Jon didn’t count on was that the shadows in his mind and his internal demons grew along with him. They had new sources of food and new ways to hurt him. They fed on his poor finances, loneliness and growing responsibilities. Every time Jon felt strong enough to get through the challenge in front of him there was always a second challenge waiting. Jon had been fighting his entire life, fighting challenges, inner demons and fighting to just stay alive. He was not above taking challenges head on, but a rest from fighting would be nice.

            On the outside Jon looked like a regular adult, handling his job and responsibilities but on the inside he was a savage warrior, struggling every day against larger and larger demons. He wished he could go back to the days when his demons only teased him about coming up with rent money. They seemed so daunting at the time, but now it seems like child’s play. Jon drew his spiritual sword and his shield of experience and would chop the heads off of dragons, demons and monsters as big as houses. The dragon’s head would always grow back, the demons would reappear from the shadows and the monsters would split into multiples. Every day he would fight against his doubt and fears, unrelenting, unwavering.

            Not every day was a victory, some days he would trample the opposition but most days he would not. He would fall and limp home bloodied and broken. He would have to rest quickly because the next day he would have to be stronger than before. The world insisted that when he fell broken to the ground, he needed to not just rest up to full strength, he needs to be double strength. Jon was used to fighting demons every day and as he grew stronger he also became better at hiding the fact that he was struggling at all. Anyone that knew Jon would be shocked if Jon told them of the war that raged on inside his head.

            To make matters worse, shadows of doubt would follow Jon to his sleep. Small imps that would normally be dispatched in seconds while he was awake, would follow him to his bed and taunt him as he tried to sleep. The imps knew they were no match for an adult Jon who had been fighting dragons all day, but if they disturbed his rest and tortured his dreams then he would be softened up for the fight against the dragons.

            When friends and co-workers saw his inner strength, when he showed them the steel in his soul and the determination in his eyes, they would be inspired and amazed. Jon had been complimented on occasion because of how strong he was. He didn’t see the strength because he was so tired from fighting all day. Jon did have that strength though, a strength he didn’t know he had. When times were their toughest, Jon would pull out that fighting spirit, the spirit of Jon that had been fighting dragons all day long, and he would pull the spirit into the real world. He wouldn’t be able to maintain the warriors spirit for long, but when it was unleashed all would take notice. If this fighting spirit was enough to fight demons all day, what chance did mere humans have?

Specter of the Forest

The forest was dark and thick with pine trees, each tree heavy with branches and pine needles. The blackness of night and the branches of the trees kept any light from entering the deep forest. Any creature that didn’t posses significant night vision would be left uselessly stumbling around in pitch black darkness of the inner forest. The moon was full and glowing brightly but only the birds that lived in the forest canopy could witness its beauty.

 

Something stirred deep in the forest, forest creatures scattered as it quickly moved through the dense woods. Despite the speed of the movement, the creature was making very little noise. The creature moved like a specter, as it would have to float and pass through solid trees to move so quickly and silently. The movement had direction and purpose. The creature was rushing to meet intruders who carelessly entered the forest uninvited. 

 

Loud stomping boots marched through the outer edge of the forest, moonbeams could still be seen through the trees and the woods were not so dense that a group of men could not march. These men were soldiers sent to find the specter of the woods, who they believed was a fugitive of the kingdom and not a ghost or spirit of any kind. The men marched deeper into the forest with their swords and armor. The soldiers carried attack dogs and metal spheres packed with gunpowder. These bombs would put the odds in their favor as many people and even kingdoms did not have access to gunpowder.

 

The forest grew darker as the soldiers traveled deeper into the woods. Since the soldiers didn’t have night vision they lit torches to light their way, this let them navigate the forest but it also made them stand out. Even one torch would be a great glowing beacon in such a dark forest, but ten men all carried torches and their presence was known to every living creature for miles.

 

            The captain of the soldiers stopped abruptly jolting all the men as they were also forced to stop. The captain, named Charles Godwyn, swung his torch around as he scanned the darkness for movement. A noise caught his attention but had escaped the notice of the other nine members of the group. The other soldiers looked in every direction to help the captain locate the noise. “It was probably a small animal or a bird” Said one of the soldiers. “It sounded like something took off from the ground, jumped or flew with such force that it disturbed the ground below it. So unless it was a giant owl or a jumping bear, then I think we are close to our fugitive” Explained the captain in a calm and quiet voice. “Are jumping bears real?” Asked one of the soldiers, sounding nervous. Charles smacked the soldier in the head and sighed “No, jumping bears aren’t real. Now focus. The fugitive must have a light source in order to travel at night” replied Charles the captain.

 

            Something rustled in the branches above the soldiers. Two of the soldiers in the back of the group fired an arrow up into the trees. The arrows both shot straight but only hit trees. The distinct noise of an arrow plunging into a tree made the captain sigh. The branches shook again but this time a small sack of powder was thrown to the ground from the tree tops.

 

The sack broke open on the floor and the powder turned to dust. The dust floated into the air and was pushed up higher and spread around as the soldiers tried to move away from it as quickly as they could. The movement and scuffling of feet from ten men forced the dust into the air and caused them to inhale some of it. The soldiers all stood and looked around. The powder didn’t explode or ignite, it appeared to be nothing more than a bag of dirt or sand. “Ten soldiers all distracted and surprised by a bag of sand” Charles said with another heavy sigh. He included himself in the number of men that were distracted, he was equally disappointed in himself. The soldiers had been carrying gunpowder bombs all day and were all aware of how dangerous the bombs could be, so when a porch of powder landed at their feet they reacted as if trying to escape a blast.

 

 

Glowing yellow eyes appeared from the darkness. The eyes looked down at the soldiers from above. Some kind of creature was staring at them while perched ten feet in the air on a tree branch. The forest canopy went up twenty feet or more, which left plenty of places to hide for anything that knew how to climb trees and leap across branches.

 

The captain gave a signal to the archers in the back and they each fired an arrow. Both arrows headed straight at the eyes but instead of hitting anything, the arrows passed through the glowing eyes and struck a tree with a loud thud. The eyes faded away as laughter began to echo through the forest. The laughter was maniacal and disturbing, the soldiers couldn’t tell if it was the laugh of a human or a hyena. Yellow eyes slowly faded into view on another tree branch but this time the eyes moved and appeared as though there were a creature walking along the branch. The eyes were higher up as well. The first set of eyes were low like a hunching human or an animal, the second pair of eyes would belong to someone standing between five and six feet tall. As the creature moved the glowing eyes left a trail of yellow light.

 

The men began to panic and one of them lit a bomb and threw it. Charles saw this and shouted “NO!” but it was too late, the bomb was air born. The bomb struck the tree and exploded. The sound of the explosion echoed through the otherwise silent forest for miles. The shockwave knocked the soldiers back and the blast destroyed several branches and ripped a chunk out of three surrounding trees. The soldiers were so close to the blast that chunks of wood pelted their armor and the light from the explosion temporarily blinded them.

 

When Charles came to his senses he noticed blood on his face and a dent in the side of his helmet caused by a flying high velocity chunk of wood. His men were slowly recovering and some were barely getting back on their feet. Charles walked over to check on his soldiers and saw one of them was dead. While all of the soldiers had been knocked back by the explosion or by chunks of wood one of the soldiers had been noticeably stabbed in the neck multiple times. The assailant would have had to strike precisely into the small gab between the helmet and the chest armor, which meant that if the creature or person they were tracking had killed a soldier they would have had to jump from the tree branches, escape the explosion, get next to a soldier, stab him on a very precise spot several times and leave before anyone noticed.

 

The soldiers grew more nervous at the skill of the criminal they were tracking. Then they heard its voice. “You were fools to come after me and bigger fools to track me at night!” the voice echoed through forest. “You are a wanted fugitive! You killed the prince of Gahlor and fled from justice. You have been credited to be agile and quick but no human could navigate through the dark forest as you have done this night. So if you are indeed Katharine Dohl then you need to come with us for the murder of the prince and now an imperial soldier!” Captain Charles called back. The voice laughed again, the laugh chilled their bones but the soldiers stood firm. “I was Katharine until I was driven from the land. I believe you and I remember things differently. I am now a ghost, a specter of the woods. I am a queen spider and you are all in my web. Now flee before you are consumed by my hatred!” Yelled the voice of Katharine. Her voice was only vaguely female, Her voice sounded otherworldly and threatening. “We can’t leave, I don’t care if we have to blow up the whole forest! The Prince must be avenged!” yelled the Captain.

 

Suddenly bright yellow eyes appeared in front of Captain Charles. It was a females face, she looked sad but her glowing yellow eyes and pale face still made him nervous. She looked undead with her paper white skin and scars across her face. “I avenged the victims of the Prince. The Prince was a monster and does not deserve to be avenged” Said the haunting face of Katharine. “Katharine? What happened to you?” Asked Captain Charles as the ghostly face of someone he used to know shook him to the core.   “I am not Katharine anymore, I am Delirium Doll, the stitched together girl, the undead witch of Gahlor, the specter of the woods and I am your death” Delirium snarled then vanished into the darkness. Before Charles could react another soldier screamed and blood splashed across the captain’s armor. A second soldier had been killed, this time stabbed through the throat. 

 

Charles was horrified by how bloodthirsty Katharine had become, she used to be a sweet girl who lived in the town just outside the castle. She studied medicine and plants with her father and wanted to help people, not hurt them. Charles thought about what she had said, about the Prince having victims and about that strange name, Delirium Doll. She said she was like a doll stitched together also her last name sounded like Doll.

“But why delirium?” Charles muttered, then he realized, the powder was a poison, altering the perception of the soldiers. They were delirious and seeing ghostly faces and glowing eyes. Katharine was killing them off slowly while they threw bombs at illusions. She could have killed everyone by now if she wanted to.

 

            “Men, retreat! We’ve been poisoned, your sight has been altered!” Charles shouted. The men all turned  and began to quickly march back the way they came, holding their shields up while they went. The situation was more complex than Charles first thought and even if Captain Charles Godwyn wanted to capture Katharine, he wouldn’t be able to while being poisoned in a dark unfamiliar forest.

 

            Katharine watched the soldiers retreat from the safety of the tree branches. She decided to spare the soldiers, men who were just doing their jobs. She had proven her might and coated the soldiers with so much toxic dust that anyone who goes near them will see ghosts for days. That was enough revenge for one day.

 

            The night slowly faded to morning as the soldiers marched back to the castle. Katharine Dohl, the Delirium Doll retreated to her forest hide out and Captain Charles headed home with a heavy heart and a head full of Delirium dust.