It suddenly occurs to me that maybe your prompts are hinting at new developments with the new job... clearly you had to get up at daybreak for your last public works shift, but a moral quandary? :)
Daybreak Weathered limestone went from the dirty white of ancient bone to the softer yellow of melting butter as the sun rose above the horizon and began the lengthy job of warming everything up after the chill of the night. Wiry grass relaxed slightly as the heat struck it, and patinas of frost quickly melted away and left behind tiny puddles of water. The reddish-brown leaves of trees unfurled slightly, stretching to receive sunlight and start the daily task of photosynthesis. A few birds: scrawny, stretched out things with tattered feathers and bulging eyes took flight and swooped around on wings three times the length of their bodies hunting for insects also woken by the dawn. Squat yellow buildings seemed pulled from the limestone landscape huddled together in clusters, and on one of them flesh rotted and deliquesced. Here clouds of insects rose, touched by sunlight, and the birds homed in, delighted, for a breakfast fit for vulture-kings. The whole landscape seemed to vibrate for a few moments, the land shuddering as though touched unexpectedly by an icy finger, then empty air bent in two. Light refracted away and around causing strange mirages to appear briefly and pinwheel through the air. Then an iron-coloured sphere appeared a metre above the ground. It held in place, doing nothing, then shimmered and Lord Derby was evulsed from London to Carcosa through it. Seven heartbeats later Samual dropped to the ground next to him, and the sphere collapsed in on itself, disappearing a blast of heat. "My lord?" said Samual. He stared at the landscape of Carcosa. "I wasn't aware I was accompanying you." "Nor was I," said Lord Derby. He stood up. "But I won't say I'm not glad of the company. Since we only have one way to make a gate to return we have little choice but to continue together, but rest assured that I shall speak to the Magisters about this on our return." "Thank-you, milord," said Samual. There was a look of determination on his face that was covering up fear; partly he was feeling extremely lost and uncertain, and partly he was worrying about what the Lords Martial, his masters, would say when they found out. They would be unlikely to care that the Magisters had made a mistake, and would chastise him for not having taken precautions. He shivered, and then glanced quickly at Lord Derby to check that he'd not seen it. "This is familiar," said Lord Derby as he looked around. "This is where the demon brought me, and I wonder if that's coincidence? Confound it, if I'd known I wouldn't be alone I'd have brought David along." "David, milord?" "David Suture. He's a forensic magician and a good one. I could definitely use someone who could theorise about the magical aspects of this matter." "I'm sorry, milord." There was a pause. "Don't be," said Lord Derby, just a touch more gently. "This isn't a criticism of you, Samual, this is my frustration at what feels like a lack of organisation." "Thank-you, milord." Lord Derby appraised Samual again. "Hmm," he said. "Well, let's go up and look at the remains of the demon then."
Greg - heh. That was inspired by my finding a cell phone on the beach one morning. Surrounded by empty beer cans. And there were a few notifications on the lock screen when I checked to see if there was any way of id'ing the owner that made me think even less of said owner.
Anyway, I didn't toss it in the trash and pretend I never found it.
Not that I, uh, was at all tempted to do so.
Moving on!
Woo, they've finally made it to Carcosa. On purpose, this time. And 'they', too! I'm happy to see Samual along for the ride, even if he isn't :)
2 comments:
It suddenly occurs to me that maybe your prompts are hinting at new developments with the new job... clearly you had to get up at daybreak for your last public works shift, but a moral quandary? :)
Daybreak
Weathered limestone went from the dirty white of ancient bone to the softer yellow of melting butter as the sun rose above the horizon and began the lengthy job of warming everything up after the chill of the night. Wiry grass relaxed slightly as the heat struck it, and patinas of frost quickly melted away and left behind tiny puddles of water. The reddish-brown leaves of trees unfurled slightly, stretching to receive sunlight and start the daily task of photosynthesis. A few birds: scrawny, stretched out things with tattered feathers and bulging eyes took flight and swooped around on wings three times the length of their bodies hunting for insects also woken by the dawn.
Squat yellow buildings seemed pulled from the limestone landscape huddled together in clusters, and on one of them flesh rotted and deliquesced. Here clouds of insects rose, touched by sunlight, and the birds homed in, delighted, for a breakfast fit for vulture-kings.
The whole landscape seemed to vibrate for a few moments, the land shuddering as though touched unexpectedly by an icy finger, then empty air bent in two. Light refracted away and around causing strange mirages to appear briefly and pinwheel through the air. Then an iron-coloured sphere appeared a metre above the ground. It held in place, doing nothing, then shimmered and Lord Derby was evulsed from London to Carcosa through it.
Seven heartbeats later Samual dropped to the ground next to him, and the sphere collapsed in on itself, disappearing a blast of heat.
"My lord?" said Samual. He stared at the landscape of Carcosa. "I wasn't aware I was accompanying you."
"Nor was I," said Lord Derby. He stood up. "But I won't say I'm not glad of the company. Since we only have one way to make a gate to return we have little choice but to continue together, but rest assured that I shall speak to the Magisters about this on our return."
"Thank-you, milord," said Samual. There was a look of determination on his face that was covering up fear; partly he was feeling extremely lost and uncertain, and partly he was worrying about what the Lords Martial, his masters, would say when they found out. They would be unlikely to care that the Magisters had made a mistake, and would chastise him for not having taken precautions. He shivered, and then glanced quickly at Lord Derby to check that he'd not seen it.
"This is familiar," said Lord Derby as he looked around. "This is where the demon brought me, and I wonder if that's coincidence? Confound it, if I'd known I wouldn't be alone I'd have brought David along."
"David, milord?"
"David Suture. He's a forensic magician and a good one. I could definitely use someone who could theorise about the magical aspects of this matter."
"I'm sorry, milord."
There was a pause. "Don't be," said Lord Derby, just a touch more gently. "This isn't a criticism of you, Samual, this is my frustration at what feels like a lack of organisation."
"Thank-you, milord."
Lord Derby appraised Samual again. "Hmm," he said. "Well, let's go up and look at the remains of the demon then."
Greg - heh. That was inspired by my finding a cell phone on the beach one morning. Surrounded by empty beer cans. And there were a few notifications on the lock screen when I checked to see if there was any way of id'ing the owner that made me think even less of said owner.
Anyway, I didn't toss it in the trash and pretend I never found it.
Not that I, uh, was at all tempted to do so.
Moving on!
Woo, they've finally made it to Carcosa. On purpose, this time. And 'they', too! I'm happy to see Samual along for the ride, even if he isn't :)
Post a Comment