Once there was Darkness

Chapter 45

Part 1

Kol was sitting on the bed reading as he waited for Kessa to join him. He smiled sweetly as she walked into the room. “What’s wrong?” He asked as he held his arm open for her.

“I don’t feel right.” She stated weakly. He kissed her forehead but she was already asleep.

When he woke, she was still sound asleep. ‘Let her rest.’ He thought. A sweet kiss on the forehead brought her to life. “I’m so cold.” Her face felt normal to him but her hands were cold. Before he was finished planting a kiss on her cold hands, she was asleep.

Kol found her note on his pillow. He smiled as he held it to his heart. All her notes lived in his night table. After he put it away, he started changing.

Max burst into their chambers falling in a pile before Kol. “Max.”

“I beg for your help, my king.”

Kol got down facing Max. He pushed up on Max’s shoulders, “what?”

Tears were streaming down Max’s face. “Make her stop. Order her to stop.”

“Show me.”

The men ran to the barracks. Marcus was alone. He sadly shook his head, pointing to a door in the back of the room. Kessa was leaned up against the wall in the darkest corner, struggling to breathe. Her mouth was wide open, eyes closed, skin cold to the touch, yet she was sweating. Her face. Kol’s heart stopped. Her face was hot. What were these noises she was making; strange gurgling sounds. Wisps of hissing.

“Get Rajaf. Meet us back at our quarters.”

Max ran from the room. Kessa whimpered as Kol picked her limp body up.

Kol watched from the foot of the bed as Rajaf tried to figure out what was wrong with his daughter.

“Max,” she shuttered, “I’m so cold.”

Kol was cut to the bone. ‘Max.’ He thought hurt and angry.

Max was standing by the door out of sight. He stepped next to Kol. “I am the last person she spoke to.” He whispered. “I was trying to get her to call it a day. She almost passed out twice.”

Kol turned to face Max. “What?” He asked hurting for a totally different reason.

Rajaf cleared his throat; pulling their attention to him. “I need to know everything.”

Kol started, “two nights ago she said she was tired. She was asleep before her head hit my shoulder. Last night, she reported that she was cold. Her hands were. When I got up, she didn’t. I left her asleep.”

Max finished, “General Marcus, the Queen and myself, had a meeting at the barracks. The first time since I’ve known her that she has been late for anything. Then twice; at different points, she passed out. After the first time, I all but begged her to be done. But she wouldn’t hear of it. After the second time, I came and got the king.”

Frego asked, “has she eaten anything?” It was the first time Kol noticed his son was in the room.

“She picked but ate nothing of substance.” Max offered.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her eat anything. She has requested a lot of juice.” Kol thought out loud.

Frego asked again, “is anyone at the barracks sick?”

“Several. General Marcus for one. He did eat lunch but said he was tired and his head hurt.”

The Snake and The Rabbit

Run! Jack run.

Again there was silence from Jack.

“If you keep silent,” said the innkeeper, “I will talk. These fine gentlemen would like the real story, not my version.”

“All right,” Jack whimpered. “See, trouble I have for a long time. Mum was good bout gettin’ me out. Last time, I needed money or they’s gonna kill me. I not know where it came but mum gave me what I needed.”

“How much was that?” Inspector Hopkins asked.

“Nigh on L3,000.”

“That is a lot of money.”

“Have we been chasing the dragon?” I asked.

Jack rolled his eyes.

“That explains why the furniture is lacking in this house. She sold it all to support your habit.” I scolded.  

Holmes turned and looked at Jack. I had never seen his eyes so full of hatred and loathing. “Run,” he hissed.

Jack left the room in such a hurry that he knocked the chair over on his way out.

Holmes and I went back to the little cottage. I felt as if I should never get that smell out of my nose. Holmes was mournfully quiet. I knew he was in deep thought so I did not trouble him with all the questions rolling around in my brain. After several hours, I found Holmes sitting on the same block that Mrs. Brookstead has used to stand on to hang herself.

“Holmes, are you alright?”

There was a long pause from my friend. “I shall never be alright again.” He drew a deep breath. “This case Watson; this case. It grows darker instead of clearer.”

“Would you allow me to give you a sleeping draft? You need rest.”

“How can I sleep?” He put his face in his hand.

“What good will you be if you do not?”

Inspector Hopkins came in so we withdrew to the study; it took some time for the draft to work. In the meantime, we toyed with those questions he had asked Jack Brookstead.

“Why did Mrs. Brookstead hang herself here?” Asked Inspector Hopkins.

“This is the home of the person she had wronged.” Holmes answered then took a long draw from his pipe.

“But why not hang herself in that mess she left in her on home?”

“Penance,” I offered. “Perhaps she felt that her house would be searched first with her son being a criminal and all.

“Who is The Lady that lives here?”

Holmes offer no answer.

“The landlord refers to her as The Lady. Nothing more.” I spoke.

“Son Jack gets into trouble,” Holmes spoke through a cloud of smoke. “Mother, Mrs. Brookstead sells her secret knowledge of The Lady to someone for at least L3,000 to get Jack out of trouble. Mother realizes she has done The Lady a horrible injustice; one that might cost her her life. Something must have been delivered to Mrs. Brookstead to confirm her suspicions.”

“Or to push her over the edge of guilt,” I offered.

“Mr. Holmes, what did Mrs. Brookstead deliver to you?” Inspector Hopkins asked.

I looked at Holmes. It seemed to me that the sleeping draft was starting to take effect. The pipe slid out of his hand, his head fell forward, and finally his body slouched over in the chair. I rushed to his side and with the aid of the good inspector, we put him to bed.

The Snake and The Rabbit

Waste not. Want not: whoohoo!

This poem is being written in stages to highlight the things I do toward frugal living.

WHOOHOO!
Bringing value to you.

I always look for that sales row.
Trying to help my piggy bank grow.

Don’t buy it if I don’t need it.
On that impulse urge, I’m gonna sit.
Waste not. Want not: nuts.

Never wear blue to Wal-Mart

Today, I ran into Wal-Mart on my lunch break. A lady stops me to ask where a product was. I whip out my phone. ‘Sound effects please- whippeest’. Open the Wal- Mart app and find the products she was looking for. She apologized for disturbing me. “I just saw your blue shirt and thought you worked here.” 😃 Never wear blue to Wal-Mart.

Once there was Darkness

Chapter 44

Part 2

Two years after Kessa had left, the tension with King Bram and the Shadow People was at an impasse. War had arrived. Kol and his army stood ready outside the wall. King Brum and his army was a stones throw away.

A thing came walking up the aisle created by the space separating the two great armies. This thing was followed by a rider. The thing stopped between Kol and Brum. It was a manmade beast. A person climbed out of the beast. A small man.

“Basea,” Bram shouted. “What is the meaning of this?”

With defiance, he refused to speak. The rider drew a sword. He shook his fist at the rider before addressing Brum. “All I wanted was to marry your daughter. We loved each other. But you found me unfit and forced her to marry someone else. I swore my revenge. So I built this to bring you to your knees.”

Brum jumped from his horse. “You killed how many of my people, for what?”

“Do your worst.” Basea boldly boasted.

Brum pushed him into the mass of Shadow People. “Oh, we will.” His entire army turned and left.

Kol and Max rode up to the rider. “Thank you.” Kol finally spoke.

As the rider lowered the hood of the cloak, Max couldn’t contain his joy. “Kessa!”

She bowed her head toward Max out of respect before turning her glare at Kol, “I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Mecca.” She turned her horse and rode away.

Kol was standing on the beach. Frego, Violet and his grandson were by his side. His hair was white now. He was a shell of his former self. This was his final act as king. Final, painful act. Rajaf was dead. His icorda was floating in the ocean for all to see. A ship full of strangers had just docked with their white flag blowing gently in the breeze. The strangers lined the dock. Only one approached the royal family.

From above everyone’s head, a flaming arrow flew from the bell tower striking the icorda.

They watched as the icorda with Rajaf’s body burnt into the water.

The stranger finally spoke, “where is your queen?”

“I have no queen.” Kol answered.

“Where is Lady Kessa?” At that moment, Kessa was standing beside the stranger bow in hand. He removed his hood showing everyone his snow white hair and piercing blue eyes. Just like Kessa. “This isn’t right. This isn’t God’s plan for you.” He pointed at Kol, “you are supposed to be his queen.”

Kessa thrust her bow at this stranger, “free will.” She hissed and walked away down the beach.

Kol woke with a start. He was covered in sweat. Kessa wasn’t beside him. When he lit the candle, it was Max that answered. “Where is Kessa?”

“She is at her house my king.”

Kol ran from the palace, up the mountain to her house. His chest was on fire as he threw open the door screaming her name. He went from room to room screaming for her. Nothing. He went back outside to find Max at the door. “You said she was here.”

“She was.”

Kessa came limping from the other side of the house. “I’m here.” Beth was following her.

Kol picked her up, hugging her. His heart was still racing. His skin covered in sweat.

“What’s wrong? I mean, I like it when you’re shirtless and covered in sweat. But not like this.”

He tried to smile. “Max, I’m sorry.”

He bowed and left.

“Kes, I love you.”

“Kol, I love you. Don’t forget that.”

“Feel free to give me flowers anytime.”

Miracles

This moth was in the yard this morning.

Miracles

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, Christian or not that said they don’t believe in miracles? Miracles are things from the Bible. They don’t exist in todays world. Today everything is luck or coincidence. All things must have an explanation.

I believe in modern day miracles. Yesterday, I saw two. Within seconds of each other.

From the far corner of my yard, I can see a fur piece down the road. As I looked up; a child (a young boy) blew through a stop sign on a dirt bike a split second in front of a car. I saw he was a young boy after he pulled off the road and took his helmet off.

Now, I said two miracles. Yes. Two. One that the driver was able to slow down. And this child didn’t get killed.

Luck? Coincidence? I say God was watching over both driver and rider.

The Snake and The Rabbit

Do you know Jack?

Max grabbed him by the shoulders, “Jack did you do this? Is this some kind of sick joke?”

Holmes focused our attentions back to the task at hand. He tore back the covers from the bed. In the middle was a spot of blood.

“I think you will find when you examine the body, there will be a wound on the left elbow.” Holmes turned to our young visitor. “And who might you be?”

“I’d ask you the same bloody question?” He struggled against the innkeeper.

“I am Sherlock Holmes; this is my friend and colleague Doctor Watson. I believe you know the innkeeper and this is Inspector Hopkins of Scotland Yard.”

“I be Jack Brookstead.”

“I am very sorry to have to inform you of this, in this situation Mr. Brookstead; however, your mother has committed suicide.” Holmes reported dryly. “I have lots of questions to ask you Mr. Brookstead. You can answer them here, or I can encourage Inspector Hopkins to give you a more suitable venue in which to talk.”  

Max released his captive but placed himself in the doorway preventing any sudden escape. Jack looked wild eyed back and forth between the three of us.

“What be your questions?”

There was a chair beside the bed. Holmes moved it over for Jack to sit in. He sat down with curious caution.

“Jack?” Holmes questioned with the tone of his voice. “Your mother apparently hung herself. Why do you think she would have done that?”

“Sure I know not.” Jack turned his nose to the ceiling.

“We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. I had much rather do it the easy way.” Holmes walked over to the window with this hands clasped behind his back. Jack said not a word. “It is apparent that your mother hung herself in the backyard of a neighbor’s house. Adhered to her chest was a note written in red.” Holmes took the piece of paper from his pocket and held it up to the wall. “As you can see Jack, they were written by the same person. Judas, Jack, why is Judas important? The phrases in this room are pleading. She is begging someone to forgive her of something. What did she do Jack? What was so unforgivable? Who did she betray? What has happened to the person that she betrayed? Why did she feel compelled to betray in the first place? What are you hiding Jack?” With each question Holmes asked his voice became more elevated. Which was not his style at all. With the last word Jack, he hissed it out. “Would you like for me to read you the story of Judas, Jack? The night stand will no doubt produce a copy of the Bible.”

The Snake and The Rabbit