The villagers waited out the impossibly long pause in Allamar’s speech. The sun bore down on patient brows, its insistence drawing beads of perspiration from calm onlookers. After long seconds of intense stillness, breath barely noted among the close-pressed villagers, Allamar reached towards his own chest. The crowd drew in a tiny collective breath, as […]
Tag: story
Retail Calamity
We have all heard of the phrase “retail therapy,” correct? The minute segment of the populace who haven’t heard of this phrase, please take a few seconds away from reading this, to google the meaning. I don’t find shopping in the retail world particularly therapeutic. When I find myself in immediate need of an item, […]
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 (I)
THUMP! THUMP! Whoooooosh. Ssssss. THUMP! THUMP! Whoooooosh. Ssssss. THUMP! THUMP! Whoooooosh. Ssssss. THUMP! THUMP! Whoooooosh. Ssssss. Paris’s footfalls rapidly struck the dusty, dirt road. Stomped into the air, gritty brown particles rose in small puffs around the spots struck by his feet, hung in the desert air for a long breath, then returned to the […]
Open Heart Epilogue (XXII)
Tristan headed for the eastern edge of the small town. Casually, lightly, and easily, he glided across the stone paving of the street. He meandered in, out, and around clusters of townsfolk. He swung around two merchants engaged in a heated argument near an overturned cart. He smiled, when a young girl with a basket […]
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 Fragmentation (XVIII)
As if struck by an intense arctic chill, time slowed to a desperate crawl, with each nanosecond feeling like prolonged seconds, or excruciatingly exaggerated minutes. The curious, planet like orb, slowly descended through the stale air of the bathroom. It floated towards the counter with the speed of a slowly descending soap bubble. The black […]
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 […]