The Waste (VI)

Paris slept poorly, and woke many times. Though, when he woke, he knew not whether it was hours that had passed, or minutes.  Adjusting to sleeping during the day, when his normal routine would have him awake, and walking, not sitting for many miles, was challenging. After many hours of sleeplessness, Paris had finally sunk […]

The Waste (V)

Lucius and Ignatius were seasoned hands when it came to setting up their camp.  They easily retrieved their tent from what seemed to be a disorganized pile of sacks, bags, and boxes.  Paris regarded the size of the bag with dubious curiosity, but from the too-small-seeming package they unfolded, little by little an unexplainably large piece of […]

The Waste (IV)

“A story?” Paris blurted incredulously. “How, may I ask, is a story payment for transportation?” “It is not a matter of how, but why.” “Why then?” “The intricacies of the transaction may, in time be revealed to you, traveler.  At this point you must simply decide whether this is a cost that you wish to pay.” […]

The Waste (III)

Paris lay still, and the noises persisted. When he first heard the sounds, his back had been to the road.  As the volume of the sounds grew louder, and the rhythm remained steady, Paris knew that his realm of dreams had not seeped into his wasteland reality.  He shifted, and twisted in his bedroll, to […]

Open Heart Cataclysm (XIX)

Tristan rose, unhurriedly, from his kneeling position.  He turned, and made his way back to the bathroom.  He moved in a confidently, curiously relaxed manner. When he returned to his prior position, facing the mirror, he brought his hand up and regarded the object pinched between his fingers. It was several inches long, made of […]

Open Heart Anguish (XVII)

“You followed me?” she stammered. His answer was devoid of emotion. “That’s correct, I did follow you.” “You can’t be serious.  This must be a joke.” “If I was acting a prankster, and my admission of tailing you when you left the house but a simple, roguish trick, this entire scene would be far more […]

Eron’s Void

Eron sat, placidly, palms down, atop the rough pine, at the long, cheap, unfinished, wooden workbench. In some considerations, in a different setting, and under alternative light, the bench may have been a table.   But here, it was not. Eron tilted his head to the left, and glanced at the few dozen, closely-packed people, positioned […]