Tag: short stories

Okay so I’m doing M’s prompts and going to try and do a full month as one long story with no planning. Today it is ‘Spotted speck’

The instructions are to simply write for ten minutes or so each day and that’s about it.  It’s certainly taking me longer than ten minutes but I will keep going with this for as long as I can and see where each days takes this.  Either that or Ill stop if no one is reading it because its either too long or too ridiculous.

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Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5   Part 6  Part 7   Part 8

Part 9 Part 10  Part 11 

Henry walked slowly towards the tree.  Drawn inexplicably and irresistibly, each step lighter than the one before and each one satisfying a growing desperation.  At first in had appeared a speck in the distance, a dark spot in this barren landscape of nothing and as he walked towards it the silver grey branches were revealed, reaching as high upwards as her roots did downwards into nothing and it called to him in hushed comforting tones.  He could hear the verdant green leaves rustling, joyous noise in this empty windless vacuum of solitude.

“Im coming” he whispered aloud.  For the briefest of moments he considered that he may just have seen another person but then again, perhaps not.  There was nothing to see here in the misty grey and he had wandered for so very long that his mind would often betray him with flashes of other worlds and disembodied voices.

That was a long time ago now though, and for as long as he could remember there was simply nothing.

“I’ve been waiting Henry” came soft welcoming words.  “It’s time.”

Henry’s pace quickened, the gnarled trunk and sprawling  branches towering high above him as he wandered below the dappled cover of her branches.  Light streamed through the lush green canopy, yet above there was no sun to be seen.  The golden rays were warm on his skin and he felt once more alive and awake.

“Where am I” Henry asked placing a hand on the trunk.  It was rough and warm to the touch, and he could feel life coursing through it.

“You’re home Henry, you have reached the end of your journey.” Came the response.  A voice sweet and light and full of hope.

“What happens now?”

“You will join us and return to the universe and be no more.”

Henry paused.

“Sounds a little final” he said sounding worried.

“Have no concerns” the tree replied, her soft words echoing inside his mind “it is your time Henry.”

“Doesn’t feel like my time though” he replied agitated.  “In fact I suddenly feel rather alive.”

As the words left his mouth the warm golden light flooding through the leaft canopy ceased and he was filled with an icy chill.

“Do not deny me” the tree ordered, her voice now sharp and harsh.  “You are mine and it is time Henry.”

Henry leapt back from the tree and turned to run, his heart pounding.  Fear replaced longing and he knew he needed to get as far away from where he was.  Before he could take a step he felt something wrap around his foot and he fell to the ground.

“Don’t struggle” insisted the voice in his head “it will soon be over.” Another branch reached down from the canopy above and wrapped itself around his chest.  It was tight and resist as much as me might he couldn’t free himself.

“I don’t want to go” he shouted as he was lifted up into the upper branches, but the more he struggled the more he was enveloped.

“Do not resist” she hissed, her voice now cruel and harsh.  Smaller branches slithered and wound themselves about him until he was completely encapsulated like a leafy green and grey cocoon.  The leaves rustled as she squeezed tight.

“Sssleep” she uttered deep into his head as he lay paralysed.  He felt the branches and boughs tighten, making it impossible to breathe and as he drifted into eternal blackness he heard a final satisfied “yesss” and just like that the consciousness that was Henry George ceased to existence.

A final rustle of leaves and tightening of branches around his limp body reduced what was left of his physical form to energy and the tree drank deep.  His life force coursing through her, electric blue pulsing from deepest root to hightest branch for the briefest of moments.

And then, she was again still.

Part 13 is here

Okay so I’m doing M’s prompts and going to try and do a full month as one long story with no planning. Today it is ‘Witchy Warts’

The instructions are to simply write for ten minutes or so each day and that’s about it.  It’s certainly taking me longer than ten minutes but I will keep going with this for as long as I can.

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Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5   Part 6  Part 7   Part 8

Part 9  Part 10

I woke early, at least I think it was early, and lay on my bed eyes closed listening to the silence.  This was the first time I had slept since I could remember, and right now I was completely at peace which, given the recent events, was something that I guessed would be most unlikely to last.

Opening my eyes I looked at the watch.  It was eight o’clock, later than I had expected.  It was hard to know whether I ought to be up though because time seemed to have to real meaning here.  I had seen no sun and had so far not even noticed whether there was day or night.  I think it had been light when we went looking for Periscope but thinking about it I was not certain.

I ought to get up I thought, it was already eight but Eight o’clock for me was all good and well but probably made not one bit of difference when each overlapping reality in the fracture was on its own time.

“Are you up Armitage?” Shouted Plumduff as she rapped on the room door.

“U-huh” I replied

“Downstairs in ten then” Plumduff shouted back and I heard her now familiar click-clack fade.

The room was simple, a single bed along one wall, a chair and small wooden single door wardrobe on the other.  I checked the wardrobe and being empty pulled on the previous days clothes and made the short walk back down to Plumduff’s office.

“Sleep well?” She asked.

“I think so” I replied.

“Good good, now we must be going.  You have everything?”

“Watch, wallet, ring” I said patting my pocket and then holding up my hand to show her the ring.  I pulled back my sleeve to reveal the watch.

“Excellent” Plumduff replied.  She stood up and walked over to the office door but instead of going through she closed it, mumbled something I couldn’t quite make out, and then reopened it.

Instead of the corridor beyond which I had only moments before walked down it opened to reveal a small walled courtyard.

“Shall we?” She said walking through as I followed.

Grey stone walls framed the paved courtyard on all four sides, a solitary wooden door with heavy iron hinges waited at the far end. Above the sky was dark and there were stars shining brightly. That answered that question at least.

“Was there no change of clothes?” Plumduff asked without turning around.

“No” I answered.  “I checked the wardrobe and there wasn’t anything.”

“I’ll have a word, you look a frightful state.”

I looked down at myself and she was right.  Not only did my shoes still show Periscope’s tidemark but my trousers and jacket were also stained to varying degrees.

“Now I need you to stay close today please” She continued. “We are going to pay a visit to a couple of witches and they are rather unpredictable.  Last time I was here there was a most unfortunate incident which resulted in Grenville spending a week as marrow afterwards.”

“Oh right I see” I replied.  “A marrow you say.”

“Indeed yes a marrow” Plumduff replied.  “He was a rather nice one as I recall –  a most plump and colourful specimen.  I won first prize at a farmer’s fair which I can assure you Grenville did not find one bit amusing.  I think I still have the winners rosette in my office.”

She smiled as we reached the heavy wooded door and she stood aside to allow me through.  “Be a dear would you” she said.

Pulling on the heavy metal handle it opened slowly and Plumduff walked through.

“Do close it afterwards” she instructed.  “Wouldn’t want the locals finding their way through to the office would we now.”

I did as instructed and turned to follow her as she headed away down a dark cobbled street.  Gone was the neon and steel and concrete and it was replaced by what appeared to be two story wood and plaster thatched buildings that lined the way.  Only a few lights burned behind small windows and an eerie stillness filled the night.

“Bunderburg” said Plumduff, her tone hushed.  “Pretty nasty place by most standards but if you want information then there is nowhere quite like it.  Many of the realities here exist in isolation but Bunderburg, for reasons we have been unable to completely understand, seems to exist simultaneously across many of them.”

“I see” I replied.  I didn’t but I was quickly getting used to the feeling and didn’t want to make a fuss.  “And we’re looking for a couple of witches are we?”

I was surprised that I asked with such nonchalance given that I knew the words coming out of my mouth were complete madness.  What had it been a couple of days since I turned up here?  Maybe it was weeks or months, but nonetheless it was all still most surreal.

“That we are my boy, if anyone knows what the device is and what it is for then it’s them.”

“And they’re your regular run of the mill cauldron stirring broom riding types of witches are they?”

“In a sense I guess they are yes.” Plumduff replied leading us down a darkened alley.  In the dim light I could just make out a door at the end of it.

“Well this is it” she continued, “and whatever you do don’t mention the warts.”

 

 

Part 12 is here (when ready)”

Okay so I’m doing M’s prompts and going to try and do a full month as one long story with no planning. Today it is ‘Pendulum of Prosperity’

The instructions are to simply write for ten minutes or so each day and that’s about it.  It’s certainly taking me longer than ten minutes but I will keep going with this for as long as I can.

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Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5   Part 6  Part 7   Part 8

Part 9

Back in Plumduff’s office I noticed that my moccasins now had a tide mark about half way up marking the depth of Periscope on the bedroom floor.  I uncrossed my legs preferring not to see and waited for her to speak.

She didn’t, instead concentrating quite intensely on the item we had retrieved.  She rolled it in her hands as if weighing it and then tapped it gently on the desk edge.  The perplexed look on her face told me that she had no idea how the thing might possibly work.

I waited a little longer until I simply could not and with the preamble of a little cough spoke.

“I know you suggested I accept things for what they are” I started as she held one end of the item up to her eye as if peering down a telescope.  “But it has been a terribly long day and I have quite a lot of questions as I sure you can imagine.”

“Because you’re dead, no, possibly, because you did a brave and gallant thing, hard to say.” came her reply without stopping her investigation of the cylinder.

“I’m sorry…” I mumbled confused.

She placed the item on the desk gently.  “Questions Armitage, you were going to ask questions.”

“Yes, right I was” I replied.

“Why am I here; is everyone here dead; is there any way out of here; why am I working with you, what happens next.  Those were your questions.”

“Were they?” I replied.

“I think you’ll find they were yes”.

Plumduff seemed very confident on this point, and whilst I thought they were good questions I wasn’t convinced.  She was, and that seemed to settle the matter.  I struggled for a moment matching the questions and answers together.

“I am sorry Armitage, I realise this must all be quite something to take in.” she said, getting out of her chair and coming around from the other side of the desk and sitting down in the leather wing back next to me.

“Do you have any tea?” I asked.

Plumduff ignored my question and placed a consoling hand on my arm.

“I know this is all a lot to take in, I really do.  When I first arrived it took everything I had to not lose my mind at the things I saw and were it not for Grenville I would surely have ended up taking a trip to see the tree.”

“Grenville?” I said.

“My partner.  A wonderful man, if a little too fond of whisky.  He would likely not be overly impressed with what I have put you through today I am sure.”

I nodded and she continued.  “I am less of a stickler for the rules than he is though”.  She had a twinkle in her eyes that said far more than her words were doing.

“Are you sure you don’t have any tea” I asked.

“The thing to remember Armitage is that as much as a mystery as the Fracture is we are certain of our purpose and we are called to duty.  We bring order to the chaos and are a force of stability in an ever changing world where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems.”

“And I am here why again?” I asked still none the wiser why any of this was happening.

“It seems, and please do not ask why because I do not know – though I have my own thoughts on the matter – that through sacrifice we are called and you made a sacrifice.  For many dead is dead Armitage, finished, done, but for you and I  death was only the beginning and you continue here for now.”

I knew there should be another ‘why’ but I held my tongue.

“As I said” Plumduff continued still holding my arm  “not all who arrive here the transition, and they move on again, but for those who carry over successfully there is a place and their place is here.”

“I see” I said, though mostly I didn’t.  A grandfather clock in the corner chimed as she continued.

“The Fracture is ever changing for most, and it seems that there are very few constants, but we are one.”

As the clock finished it’s fifth chime it seemed to trigger a thought in her.

“Do you still have the watch?”

I fumbled in my jacket pocket.  It was still there and I pulled it out.

“Put it on” she said rolling up her cardigan sleeve and showing me a similar one on her own arm.

“The Fracture is fluid Armitage, endless overlapping realities that will come and go and of which you will for the most part only see fragments, but the time on the watch and that clock in the corner are always a constant.”

She suddenly seemed far more serious as I fastened the silver clasp on my left wrist.  It was a quite unassuming time piece for the most, plain white face with black numbers, a silver case and a black strap.  A small window at the three o’clock position showed a date.

“Wherever and whenever you may find yourself” she said leaning it “the watch remains constant to this reality and you be wise to always wear it.

“Sure, okay” I answered.  She seemed very keen on the point and given what I had already been through it was a perfectly reasonable ask.

“Good boy” she answered getting up from her chair and straightening her dress.  “Now, how about a nice cup of tea.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 11 is here (when ready)”