Tending the Stone for the Lock IV

By aaforringer on February 12, 2017 • ( 0 )

4th part of the weekly story. (First Part) The inspiration for this came from an off hand comment I made on Facebook, and since people seemed interested I decided to follow through. Happy Reading.

(1st Part) (2nd Part) (3rd Part) (4th Part) (5th Part) (6th Part) (7th Part) (8th Part) (9th Part)(Part 10) (Part 11)

The had driven three hours to hotel they stayed in last night. Mrs. Emily had been quiet almost the entire way with only an occasional comment about the road or the gas station they had to stop at. She had insisted that Brodie carry the blue bag up to her room and then she ordered room service for the both of them, he had returned to his room to freshen up and then returned before the food arrived. He had never had fish prepared the way they served it here and he was very hesitant at first but he was hungry. It was far better than the fish sticks he was used to and the rye bread wrapped around the fish and ham mixture.

“How do you like your Kalakukko?”

Brodie looked up from his meal. “Very good.”

A few more bites of food and Mrs. Emily was finished with her plain fish dinner which was much simpler than Brodie’s. Brodie watched as she sipped her water and then dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “Brodie tell me what you saw after I came out of the field today.”

Brodie took a sip of water and started talking. “Well not much just that weird truck with that guy in the passenger seat. ”

“Tell me about the truck please?” Mrs. Emily said folding her napkin carefully onto her plate.

‘The truck it was a Toyota red, ” Brodie said thoughtfully. “It had that really weird hood ornament.”

Mrs. Emily said helpfully. “The raven.”

“Yeah the raven, boy that thing was big, almost life-size, I mean from the raven’s I have seen in California I don’t know the size of the ravens here. ”

“Did you know that the raven was was the eyes of the Father God Odin?”

“Odin? Father of Thor, the Thunder God.”

“I am impressed you know your mythology.”

“Not really I accidentally saw the Thor movie one time when I was trying to see a documentary and I missed the start time and I did not have my car at the time and my sister was going to pick me up but she was not coming for two hours and all I had was a gift card for the theatre and I had forgotten the book I was reading. ” Brodie let his voice fade off as he saw Mrs. Emily smiling at him, smiling at him like his teachers used to when he told a story too long. “But I don’t know much more about Odin than that.”

“That is okay it is really not required at this time for you to know anything about mythology.”

Brodie was beginning to get uncomfortable with the way Mrs. Emily was talking so he tried to change the subject. “Mrs. Emily have you taken your medication this evening?”

“Yes Brodie, the low blood pressure and the arthritis medication.”

“Okay, and I will put down in your physical therapy journal your,” Brodie searched for a word. “calisthenics in field this afternoon as your completed physical activity.”

“Very good Brodie.” Mrs. Emily stated simply.

Emily opened the bowling ball bag and brought the wood covered book out and placed it on the table. Emily double checked the drapes and triple checked the deadbolt on the door. To read the book Emily had to undo a series of latches, fasteners and slides.

The exterior of the book was more like a puzzle box then a real cover, it had been made by the previous High Pilgrim, a very strange woman who talked in a lot of strange wood metaphors. Emily still puzzled over his sayings from time to time, the one she remembered as the most obtuse was “when a palm tree is left alone the palms often fall on the side of rising moon.” Emily shook her head, the woman was brilliant and had gotten them so far in this task, she patted the book affectionate remembering Veronica its creator. She moved the last slide on the book and opened it up moving aside the cover and began to look thru the tome for the pages covering the next destination in their trip. Flipping pages she found the sheets she was looking for and started to pour over the information.

Emily had daydreamed about their next destination for years. In 1983 a sing songwriter had made the prediction but it was not until 1991 the route opened up and she knew then that she thought this task would be accomplished in her lifetime. She mused she was not even sure that her mission would need to be completed in her lifetime. The whole magic thing was not the most reliable practice, it had its rules and ways of operating but it was not a car that you gassed up when it went to E or changed the tires when the tread got low. The mystical world was nebulous and unsure but her part in it had always been stable and solid.

Align the stones when they lost focus. That was her job, her task in life, her mission. Emily yawned and looked at her watch realizing how late it was, she closed the book and placed it back in her the bag. She readied herself for bed and looked out the window one last time that is when she saw them. They were standing on the roof of the parking garage across the street next to the red pickup truck. The raven was gone but she knew if she looked enough she would find it lurking. She got her telescope out of her bag and saw that both men had their arms crossed both of them staring at the building. Confirmation, they were both wearing the rings on their right hand. Only a duo, she hoped they were on the plane before it became a trio. She wondered if Brodie would willing to try caviar and borscht.

(1st Part) (2nd Part) (3rd Part) (4th Part) (5th Part) (6th Part) (7th Part) (8th Part) (9th Part)(Part 10) (Part 11)

Not crazy about the title, any suggestions will be duly considered.

The problem I have discovered with this type of writing is if I commit to something in the story there is no taking it back I just have to go with is and write my way out of it.

If you would like to read my last weekly story, A Disinclined Purveyor of Sequential Art her it is. (Written in 2013, the same year my wife left me, so I was a different person back then, and I hope I have learned a lot about writing since then.)

If you want to see one of my complete books try Disconnect in the Outfitters Universe.

My Response: The prophecy stated that in 60 years if the Stones were not properly aligned then the world would fall under the sway of the demon king for 1000 years. 1956 21 year old Emily the chosen one starts the quest. She arranges half the Stones around the planet, but then falls in love and life happens. Now it is 59 years later, Emily’s husband of 58 years passed away and one of the monks has found Emily and reminds her that she is the chosen one and needs to complete her task. Anyone interested?