K-Hunter cont.

Ezekiel Pierce loved the sea. His dream had been to travel the world as a merchant or as a navy man. However, his father had done everything possible to destroy any dream of the sea. He never really understood why. There was some vague mentioning of a dear friend who had died abroad. Almost 20 years ago. Ezekiel knew that because he was almost 20 years old.

Watching the sailors load and unload their cargo, he wondered if today he would be brave enough to stow aboard a ship. Other than fiction, the young man had no real knowledge of ships and sailing. His father had destroyed or gotten rid of all books about the sea as he found them. Luckily, Ezekiel knew a young woman who loved the sea almost as much as he did. Her name was Josephine Brentwood.

He glanced at his pocket watch and nearly jumped out of his skin. He was late and his father was going to kill him. Turning his back on the docks, Ezekiel took off running. In his haste to find a way back to the main roads, he found himself in a dark alley.

"Wots a pretty boy like you doin down ere?" A voice asked, causing him to stop.

"I'm just looking for the main road." The young man said, turning to leave.

"How much is that worth to ya?" A second man appeared behind him.

"Look, I don't mean to cause trouble..." Ezekiel said, trying to keep an eye on both men.

"Oh we intend to cause trouble." The first man pulled a knife.

Suddenly, the second man crumbled to the ground. There was a blur that jumped over the top of the  young man. The figure dodged the man's knife and knocked him down with one blow. Scott pocketed the man's knife and turned around.

"Thank you sir, you have saved my life." Ezekiel said, holding out a hand.

Scott looked at the hand and grasped it slowly.

"It was nothing," he replied in even tones.

"My mother would disagree." The young man smiled. "There must be some way I can repay you."

"Perhaps..."

"Well, if you think of something you need or anything you want," he pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled an address on it. "Come to this address and ask for Ezekiel Pierce."

Scott accepted the paper with a small bow.

"Oh, my dear chap!" The young man exclaimed. "I just realized I don't know your name."

"It's Scott," the man replied. "Scott Hunter."

"Yes father, I'm telling the truth!" Ezekiel said exasperatedly.

"So you were rescued by an ape man from the jungles of Africa," the older man laughed. "And you gave him our address? Can he even read?"

"You don't need to make fun of me." He grumbled.

"Dearest husband!" A woman's voice called.

"Yes my dear?" The man called back.

Lady Elaine marched into the room.

"There is a man at the door claiming that our son invited him." She said.

"Yes I did." Ezekiel ran to the door.

"Wait a moment!" His father ran after him.

They reached the front door to find no one there.

"He was there!" Lady Elaine said.

"And I still am," a voice growled.

They turned to find him leaning against the house. Scott had cleaned up and wore slacks and a rough vest over a white shirt. The Lord and his Lady stared at him for a moment, like he was some sort of animal.

"You must be the man who rescued my son," the man held out a hand. "I owe you a debt."

"Yes you do." He took the man's hand. "I know your sons name M'lord but I am unaware of yours."

"I am Lord Darien Pierce." He gestured to his wife. "And this is the Lady Elaine."

None of them saw his eyes flash at their names. Scott's animal side begged to howl in triumph. He managed to twist a wolffish smirk into a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you both," he bowed.

"I suppose we should invite you in for tea," Lady Elaine said.

As the four of them sat in the parlor, Ezekiel could almost sense a strange tension in the air.

"So, what do you do with your time, sir?" Scott asked.

"Oh various dull and trivial things..."

"He used to own a shipping company," Ezekiel said as an automatic reaction.

"That was 20 years ago!" Darien growled.

"Really? Why did you get out of it?" He asked, not noticing the out burst.

There was an awkward silence.

"There was a terrible..." Lady Elaine went quiet.

"A very old friend of ours..."

"Wasn't his name Bill or something?" The young man asked.

"What my son is indelicately trying to draw out is the reason why I have discouraged his desire to join the navy." Darien said, glancing at him with annoyance.

"You've never given me a strait answer about it."

"Not to seem intrusive, but what exactly did happen?" Scott asked.

"He has to know sometime." Lady Elaine said quietly.

"Very well..." Darien said. "My-our- dear friend William Chase... He adored travel but had never had the time or money to go. One day, he and I devised a plan to accompany one of my shipments to Brazil."

He cut off, tearing up. Elaine placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We stopped at an island in the Bahamas. It was a beautiful, densely tropical place. Then everything went wrong." He regained his composure. "The natives attacked, killing and dragging off several of the crew... Including Bill."

Elaine stared out into the cool night on the back balcony. The memories of 20 years ago still stung. However, she contemplated, Darien seemed still as choked up about as the day it happened. And she had been married to Bill for heavens sakes!

Suddenly she was aware of a figure in the shadows. She turned sharply.

"Sorry if I startled you, m'lady." Scott said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to thank you for inviting a stray sea dog into your home," he bowed slightly. "I know it's not easy, seeing as I'm a complete stranger."

"Yes. I'm sorry we were not able to make you feel more welcome in our home," Elaine replied. "However, my husband will repay you handsomely for your troubles."

"He shall try, but I don't think such a debt can be repaid." His eyes flashed briefly. "I have a gift for the lady of the house."

He held out a crystalline flower. The tropical petals were vibrant in color. Elaine carefully accepted the delicate piece. The flower was as intricate as a real one but as hard as steel.

"I can't accept a gift like this!" She protested.

"It's tradition." Scott replied. "You'll offend me if you don't take it."

"Alright."

"M'lady, I bid you good night and farewell for now." He bowed again.

"You know, Scott, something about you doesn't seem very strange at all," Elaine said almost to herself.

K-Hunter

Bill woke on the beach. His head was pounding. He slowly pushed himself up off the sand. The ship was gone and the sun was going down. The pain in his head confused him as he tried to work out the sound his mouth was making. His eyes blurred and he realize he was crying.

The thick jungle swayed with the whispers of ghosts and demons. Wind hadn't raced through the trees for a week now. The air was thick and heavy. It smothered any hope of relief. A hunter seemed to slip through the air like a fish, his skin glistening with sweat. His prey hid in the shade panting. The creature's hooves were cloven and looked something like a deer with goat horns.

The locals called the island the ghostland. Partly because no one knew exactly where it was. Simply because the island was only encountered in deep fog. Ships did their best to never land there because members of the crew would go missing and others would go mad. Eerie howls and shrieks echoed around in the night. Made by ghosts, it was claimed.

If the hunter had known any of this, he had long forgotten it. All he knew now was the hunt. He sat on a large stone, shaping a two foot, freshly harvested  horn. The hunter couldn't remember what the shape was but he remembered that it cut and slashed. He knew that he wanted to use one. For what, he didn't know other than the image of a man that caused him to burn with hatred.

After he had shaped the horn to an extreme edge, he took it to the boiling pools. He dipped the horn to an inch below where his hand rested. The clear boiling liquid soaked into the horn, hardening it. Being careful not to splash the unknown liquid, he pulled the horn out.

The hunter raised the horn above his head. He bared his teeth animalisticly as it glinted in the moonlight. It was time.

Captain Jensen stared at the receding island with distaste. He felt dirty for even having to stop there. At least he hadn't lost any of his crew. At least the count had been right. For all he knew, someone could have been replaced.

Toby glanced at Scott nervously. He was nervous because he was sure that wasn't Scott. Sure he wore the same clothes but he seemed a little shorter and more muscular. Toby also hadn't been able to get a good look at his face.

"Are you alright Scott?" He asked.

"Hmmm." The hunter grunted back.

The older sailor looked around to make sure no one was watching.

"Now Scott, seeing as we're bunk mates, I trust you completely," Toby looked around again. "However, I think you may have switched places with something on the island."

The hunter glared at him through the rope in his hands.

"But don't worry, I won't tell a soul." The man said quickly. "Knowing would just make me feel better."

The hunter thought a moment and set the rope down. As Toby had thought, that wasn't Scott. He gulped nervously, seeing a glint of malice in his eye.

"So, I'll call you Scott so no one gets suspicious, but have you got a name of your own?"

"Scott." The hunter growled darkly.

"Ok." Toby said. "Now, do you know anything about working on a ship?"

The hunter growled indecisively.

"Right, so stay close to me and I'll teach you."

The cool fog of England was a stark contrast to the heavy heat of the island. Toby nearly melted with relief as he realized he had made it home alive. He glanced at Scott. The man still didn't say much but the way he looked at the England port... Toby knew he would get off here and vanish into the crowds.

"Well, Scott," he held out his hand and pulled it back. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

The hunter bowed his head respectfully.

"Here." Toby pulled off his striped scarf. "It gets cold in England."

Scott accepted the scarf. He bowed his head again and walked towards the gangplank. Toby waved, almost happy to see the back of him.

Page 2:  http://aspiralofmadness.blogspot.com/2015/06/k-hunter-cont.html

Metallic Locket- Interpretive Stories

 Metallic Locket

K-

Kya didn't like sneaking about her father's room. She didn't like the secrets either. That's why it bothered her so much to sneak into her father's room just to look at the secret object. A metallic locket. Sounds ordinary enough, except when you realize there was practically nothing metallic in Felra.

   The young girl fished the thin chain from behind the mirror. The delicate silver heart at the end of the chain sparkled in the light. She stared at it for a moment. Carefully, she slipped her fingernails in the thin crack on the edge of the heart. The small lock it opened, revealing the picture inside. Suddenly Kya realized she wasn't alone. Clumsily, she tried to hide the locket and glanced up to her father. He is aqualine features look down at her sadly. His sharp ears even seem to droop a little. Kya looked down, tears sting her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Papa." She sniffled.

"Its alright," the wood elf said as he sat down next to her.

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Who is she?" Kya asked, opening the lock it again.

Her father gently brushed her wild hair from her heart shaped face. He blinked tears back and his voice caught.

"She was your mother." He whispered.

Kya looked at the picture with new interest. The woman had wild curly hair and large brown eyes. She looked kind of like someone who would garden.

"What happened to her?"

"She wasn't well," he said quietly. "I did my best to save her. But her season was over."

Kya felt a pang of sadness. She supposed it would happen more if she had known her. Her eyes wander to the picture and she noticed something she hadn't noticed before. Her mother's ears were rounded.

"She was human?"

"Yes." Her father replied.

They remain silent for a few more moments. She offered the locket back to her father.

"No. It's yours now," he said.

She let her father place the silver chain around her neck. Neither spoke because neither of them knew what to say. The feeling in the room was almost tangible. It was a quiet holy feeling. As if there was a presence they didn't want to chase away.

Kya rubbed the locket between her fingers. Her father gently put his hands over hers. His slender fingers pointed at the intricate carving on the case.

"Decision, determine, destiny." He said each word slowly.

A chill ran down her spine.



S-






















Brian opened the shop doors. The little bells dangling on the door handle jingled and a little head popped over the counter.

"How may I help you?" The little old man smiled.

"Just looking for now, thanks." Brian replied. He looked through the glass counter at all the fine jewelry.

"One thousand, two thousand dollars. Ouch! These are not cheap." He said to himself.

He went over to a spinning display in the center of the store. Checking the price tags he saw that they were way too cheap. Brian sighed. The little old man appeared next to him.

"What is the occasion?" he asked and startled Brian.

Brian took a deep breath to calm his racing heart from the scare. "It's my wife and mine's first anniversary. I wanted to take her somewhere special but my job won't permit it. I thought I could get her something really nice instead. Do you have anything that isn't too expensive?" The old man stood there for a bit rubbing his chin in thought then a big smile came across his face. 

"I think I have just what you are looking for." He said.

He went back over to his main counter and pulled out a small wooden box. "Ah, here we go." He open the box and pulled out a chain with a locket attached. The metallic sheen made it look brand new. "Don't be deceived, my friend, this locket is a lot older than you think." He handed it to Brian.

The detail of it was gorgeous with fine carved swirls as if every line was placed precisely where is needed to be. As he had began to open it the old man snatched it from his hands. "Ah ah! Can not spoil the surprise now can we?" He said shaking his pointer finger left to right.

"How much?" Brian asked.

"This is a pretty special piece my friends almost priceless... But for you... two hundred dollars. Brian looked at the man then down at the locket. When he held it it felt so perfect. He looked back at the little man.

"You got yourself a deal." He reached out his hand and they shook on it.

As Brian was leaving the store the old man followed behind as far as the store doors and waved with a big grin on his face. "Don't forget to let her open the locket!" He hollered. Brian waved back in acknowledgement.

  

*    *    *

Cindy stood in front of the mirror just finished what makeup she had left. She heard a knock on the bedroom door.

"Honey can I come in?" Brian's voice was heard on the other side.

"Yes just putting on my earrings." She replied.

He came in and stood right next to her looking at her through the mirror. "Wow! You look beautiful tonight." He wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks, I'm ready to go now, you did make a dinner reservation right?" She asked.

"Yes I did."

"Alright let me just grab my jacket..."

"Here Cindy, before we go..." Brian pulled out a small present. "Happy anniversary, Honey." He handed her the gift, she then opened it to reveal the spiral locket. 

"Oh Brian, it's perfect." She leaned in close and kissed him on the lips. She look back down at the locket and opened it. Bright lights beamed from the locket, it was so bright it blinded everything around it. When the lights subsided Cindy and Brian were gone. The locket fell to the ground closed.

The door creaked open. The footsteps could be heard getting closer to the locket. A hand reach down and picked up the locket and brought it to their face. The little old man laughed.

"Well, my friend, you have taken her somewhere special." He grinned and slid the locket into pocket then left the room.

Let the Madness BEGIN!

We are Kelsar Smitchen and we desire to unleash the madness from our minds. 

For almost 25 years our thoughts have been gathering and now it is time to set it free! 

We will be writing Interpretive Stories where a descriptive noun is said and we write what comes to our mind.

We will be also writing other stories of whatever strikes our fancy.

We may at times write those stories called Fan-Fiction. For whenever the occasion arises and we don't obtain the ending we desire or we yearn for more.  

Enjoy...