by Lee Taylor
The building that I was led to matched perfectly in with the drab and rundown surroundings. Floor after floor of broken windows, most were boarded up with thin sheets of chipboard.
“Mind your step,” It said to me. Its dry, croaky voice barely concealed what I thought was a snigger. I turned to look at the creature as it chortled, and fell about fifteen feet into a pool of stagnant water. I had managed to breathe in a few fluid ounces of the foul substance as I gasped. It looked like I had fallen clean through the first floor and the basement, and was now under the building. And my wow… can I just say… it stank!
I told you to stay your tongue child! Arktos grumbled.
“Yeah, well you should have told me to hold my breath... thanks for the input. Ass.” I shakily stood up, swabbing the putrid water from face with my sodden jumper.
“You know what? For someone showing me a safe passage you kind of suck!” I said, wiping my palms. The old man cackled and wheezed.
“I have merely done as requested; look forward to the chamber, there you will find my master.” The things voice was barely a whisper, shadows surged from the dark expanse behind him, and in a blur the body broke into darkened pieces, becoming ethereal and retreated to the confines.
“What no yellow brick road to follow?” There was no reply.
“Great.” As androgynous as it was I stomped through the water, not trying to be quiet or careful. I was already soaked and stank to high heaven and really wasn’t in the mood for any more aggro.
Just as the old man had said however, it had led to a chamber, encroached with a large oak door that seemed to be untouched by the damp. As soon as I approached the door, the cliché that it was creaked and began to open. I was suddenly flooded with music, sounds, and smells that had my stomach turning over in bitter anguish.
“Ah, welcome Mr. Edwards, can I take your clothes so that you feel more comfortable?” A voice asked with a distinctive, English accent. I froze and had to go over what was asked.
“Umm... No, Thanks anyway.”
The figure was facing away from me, flicking through channels on a television set.
“You must forgive my poor manners; I have a wager on a race, and if it goes in my favour I will be quids in!” The figure waved his hand in the air, a signal I assumed was meant for me to join him.
“So... Uh... You know why I’m here I take it?” I asked on approach. As I did, I could see his features, and his face had several silvery scars pock-marking him. He had a pair of meadow, green eyes, and his hair looked pretty greasy. His bangs hung over parts of his face, and the length of it looked like it reached down to his shoulders, but he had most of it suspended in some kind of top knot with golden strands, lighter than other parts.
“Yes, yes of course... Oh come on... That is pathetic, did you see that?” The man asked. The noises got louder as there was an apparent commotion, and his horse broke into the lead.
“Do it, come on... Yes, yes! GET IN THERE!” The man grabbed hold of me and I nearly phased. Arktos lurched inside of me, and I pushed the man away, stepping back from his grip.
“No need to get so touchy... that was a bloody good race wasn’t it?” The figure said. His smile stretched from ear to ear. His eyes gleamed as he tried to pull off an innocent expression.
“Sure.” I shrugged. I didn’t have a clue; I never really enjoyed watching horses run for sport; in fact, in the last couple of months I have been spending a lot of time and effort trying not to look at them as if they were a Whopper Meal. My stomach turned over again, and I could hear it growl, splitting the silence in the room. The figure must have heard it too as he reached beside him, picking up a greasy pizza box and thrust it at me.
“No wonder you are so cranky boy, come sit, eat.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I am okay for the moment.”
“Seriously? You’re not even a little bit hungry? Not even in the slightest? I cannot even tempt you for a morsel or scrap of this most delicious and scrumptious snack?” Again his brows shot up and he picked up a slice of Pizza.
“I suppose you believe it’s poisoned? Or filled with razor blades? Well, let me tell you something... this is without doubt the best pizza in the area... Maybe even the country, and if you will not allow it to tickle your pallet then I certainly shall.” He took a bite and mulled it over for moment... till his face began to change colour and he dropped onto the floor, scattering the slices around his parlour. His face turned red, and he heaved till it changed shades of purple. I didn’t know what to do. I leant down beside him and began trying to pat him on the back till he stopped wriggling. His face blanching and he stopped trying to breathe.
I was completely taken back and in shock... I didn’t know what the hell was going on, or what I could say. My stomach grumbled again, and he sat bolt upright and burst into hysterical laughter.
“You should have seen the look on your face it was priceless,” The man said. Standing, he left the discarded remnants of food on the floor. My face reddened and I clenched my fists; my knuckles popped from the strain.
“Who the hell are you anyway?” I spat, my eyes began to glow, and I could feel my body beginning to change in a flustered outrage.
“Patience,” he said. Picking up an opened beer he swallowed a mouthful and glared at me expectantly.
“I have no god-damn patience to give you, butt munch.” My body began to shake as the change gripped me.
“No, my dear boy, my name is patience.” He sat back down and stretched into a relaxed pose.
“You know what, I really don’t care! I can tell that this visit will be a waste of time anyway.” I turned and began heading toward the chambers door.
“You came here in the hopes I would show you a way to the other realm, right? I can’t tell you where it is, but I can tell you where it is going to be in two weeks,” Patience said, and I froze with my back turned to him, slowly pivoting on my heels to face him.
I sighed and tried to forcibly make myself relax.
“What do you mean you don’t know where it is now?”
“It is a variable in nature, and my good friend Gertrude has informed me where it will be on the 29th of February. Does that not interest you?” The smirk on Patience’s face made my blood boil. Arktos had become silent, so I spoke quietly through gritted teeth.
“Where?”
Patience guffawed and slapped his leg as he rocked back in his seat with laughter.
“You must do something for me first.”
He was probably the most over dramatic person I had met to date. I was pretty sure that I was the only human company he had had for a while, and I totally understood why. The man was intolerable. When I was first sent here I had asked Lycaon why he didn’t want to accompany me. Now I knew.
I lulled over what Patience had in store, honestly I couldn’t begin to imagine. Arktos had become unnervingly quiet, and I found myself studying my surroundings more intently. Something seemed wrong.
“Are you trying to slow me down?” I asked. My tone was bitter, and I spat the words at Patience like a verbal slap.
“What me? Whatever would make you think that?” Patience tried to keep a straight face, but the corner of his lips began to curl up.
“You know what? I stand by my previous statement.” I turned to leave again, but Patience’s goon was standing there, and his eyes were glowing a malevolent shade of emerald.
“Great and what do you want?” I snapped. Truthfully he startled me, but I wasn’t in the mood to show anymore weakness.
Ursine run you fool! Arktos’s voice bellowed in my head. It shook me where I stood, and right before I could move, I felt a brief pinch on my lower back, freezing me in my tracks.
“I have inhabited this corpse for long enough.” The beggar smiled. Its lips began to crack, wriggling black tendrils spewed forth from his mouth, peeling back his face, showing the old man’s bleached skull beneath. Slowly but surely the once old man began to pace toward me. Its face undulating wit
h hundreds of black tentacles.
Lee, a proud Cree, was born in Canada and now currently resides in Dorset in the United Kingdom along with his beautiful wife and three children. Writing has been Lee’s passion from a very young age, and at just 24 years old, Lee has a very long career in-front of him.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Bound
Smashwords Edition
Acknowledgements
untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Firefly & Wisp Publishing
Book II
Lee, a proud Cree, was