Lissa Dobbs's Blog: Shadow Walkers of Grevared, page 9

Note to Self…Get a Bigger Pot

[image error]Howdy and hello! I took a break for a couple of weeks to get adjusted to a new day job. It’s not my dream job, but at least I have a somewhat ‘normal’ schedule now. Woohoo!

With fall finally here (Someone please tell Mother Nature. It’s still really hot!), it’s the time of year I usually do a LOT of cooking. First and foremost is the yearly batch of chili. My son loves the stuff and can go through it in a matter of days. Last year I made three batches, which I think came to about thirty pounds, so this year I thought I’d just get ahead of the game and make thirty pounds from the get go. It was a good idea in theory, at least until I realized that I no longer had the giant stock pot I’d always made large batches in. (It had an accident a few years ago, and I replaced it with a smaller one. Not sure why I can’t remember that from year to year.)

So, here I am cooking meat like a madwoman and scooping it into the pot. I’d done about half of it when I realized the pot I had was nearly full. I still had to add the tomatoes, peppers, and other ingredients, so I needed a little room for those. Not to mention stirring. Oops. Fortunately, I had another pot that was almost the same size. Eleven hours and thirty pounds of meat later, the freezer is full of chili, and my son should be set through the winter months. But I think a giant stock pot is going on my Christmas list for this year, just to make things easier next fall.

Best wishes!

http://www.lissadobbs.com

Venues Where You Can Sell Your Book

Source: Venues Where You Can Sell Your Book

The Fool

[image error]I have a wide variety of interests, though they’re all related. One of the things I love is the imagery and symbolism of the tarot. As a folklore and mythology junkie, I love exploring the various symbols found in world religions and belief structures.

The tarot is full of symbolism, as anyone well-versed in the system will tell you. The beginning of the journey is the Fool, often numbered 0 or 22. In many ways the fool is like the maiden seen in fairy tales. He is innocent and naïve, and he just flat out doesn’t have a clue about life or anything around him. He can be reckless and irresponsible, and, in literature, he is often seen hanging out by the well of the village.

The fool is the zero of the tarot, the one that comes before the beginning or after the end. He is pictured standing on a cliff with a dog biting his heels. He isn’t aware that he is about to tumble into the abyss, and it’s doubtful that he’d care if he did know.

The fool can grow into many things. He can become the knight and the hero, and he can become the father. If he refuses to grow, he can become the trickster, a person who is so self-absorbed that he is cruel to others.

We find the fool in just about everything that we read or watch. In Star Wars, he is Luke Skywalker, who must leave his home and claim his destiny, losing some of his selfishness along the way. In The Lord of the Rings, he is Frodo, who has to leave the comforts he has cultivated for himself and step into the world outside of Hobbiton. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he is Huck, and in the legends of King Arthur he is Percival and Gawain, both of whom are innocent and unknowing until they have gone on their quests.

In the story “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp” from The Arabian Knights, Aladdin is the fool. He is lazy and unfocused, and this causes his father’s death and his mother’s grief. One day he is approached by an evil magician, who claims to be his uncle. This man takes Aladdin to a cave and orders him to bring out a lamp. The magician becomes angry when Aladdin refuses to hand the lamp to him and locks the boy in the cave. Aladdin rubs the lamp and frees the genie, who gives Aladdin everything he could ever want, including the Princess for a wife. Aladdin believes that his life will be nothing but peace and contentment, but the magician and his brother aren’t finished with Aladdin. The magician steals the palace with the Princess inside of it, and the magician’s younger brother convinces the Princess that she needs a Roc’s egg in the great hall of the palace. This request angers the genie, and Aladdin is forced to act on his own before he is allowed his life of peace.

Still, Aladdin never really learns the value of hard work or fending for himself. He is always dependent on the generosity of the genie to survive.

The fool can show us the way to the divine. In many of his aspects he is like the child – full of unharnessed potential – but in the fool’s case it is time for him to choose a path. He can’t wander in the meadow forever. There are stories, like the one about Aladdin, where the fool can maintain his foolishness and survive by sheer dumb luck, but most of the stories require that the fool grow up. He must choose a road and walk it, learning a trade or going into service to others. And this is where we can learn from him. We all have to find a way to support ourselves, and, sometimes, we are forced into careers that we don’t enjoy. But we have to go to work anyway. The fool can teach us to view this as a necessary stepping-stone, and, when combined with the child, he can help us find a way to change our career and lifestyle without losing everything in the process.

The fool is also seen as beginning. He can be the first step on a path, or the first step that comes after the trial of rebirth. Either way, he is full of optimism. He doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘can’t.’ When the child encourages us to go with a new concept, the fool can help us take that first step toward a new goal. He can encourage us to climb the mountains to the divine or our goals, and he can help us get through the trials as we carry our Rings to Mount Doom.

Traditionally, the fool replaced the king in sacrificial ceremonies, and he was the scapegoat for all human folly. He was not a positive symbol, rather, he demonstrated how easy it is for humans to fail. He spoke of human ignorance and the refusal to become wise.

Meditation on the fool can show us where we are being stupid. It can show us how our actions affect others, and it can point the way to wisdom. He can also provide optimism when we are lacking in it, but his optimism is born of ignorance rather than knowledge. He can show us the foolishness of our thoughts and the ignorance of outdated beliefs, but he cannot change these things for us. He can also show us where we are refusing responsibility and failing miserably. On the positive side, he can show us how to pick up and move forward rather than spinning our wheels in a hopeless endeavor.

While the fool, in modern times, is considered a harmless figure, this was not always the case, and it is important that we remember this. The fool can help us begin a new journey, and he can show us where we are stagnating, but he must be used with caution and understanding. And we must constantly remember that the fool has no wisdom or experience from which to draw. He lives by instinct alone.

 

 

 

 

Fairies in Folklore

[image error]Even though we live in a world where belief in fairies is considered quaint at best, they still capture our imaginations. From Disney’s Tinkerbell movies to the elves in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings to creatures in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, magical beings still have the ability to draw us in and hold us captive. But what are these elusive creatures so prevalent in our folklore and literature? There is no simple definition.

The word ‘fairy’, or ‘faery’, calls to mind tiny beings with an ambient glow, iridescent wings, and a trail of fairy dust, but the word actually encompasses a much wider range of creatures.

The most well-known body of fairy lore comes from Ireland. Here, the Fair Folk are descendants of the Tuatha de Danann, a race of god-like beings who arrived in a cloud of mist from islands to the west. They had mastered the use of magic, which helped them defeat the Firbolg in the first battle of Mag Tuireadh and the Fomorians in the second battle of the same name. However, while their dealings with the Firbolg were fairly straight-forward, this was not the case with the Fomorians.

The Cath Maige Tuired, The Second Battle of Mag Tuired, speaks of the Tuatha de Danann’s dealings with the Formorians, including trade and interbreeding. When the Tuatha de Danann were later defeated by the Milesians, they moved into underground hills and formed vast kingdoms where they lived peaceably unless harassed by humans.

While Ireland has the largest collection of fairy lore, the Little People are not restricted to the shores of the Emerald Isle; they are found in some form or another in cultures around the world.

In general, fairies are divided into two main groups: the aristocracy and the peasantry. The aristocracy, said to be descended from the Tuatha de Danann in Ireland, are tall and beautiful with power that far outstrips that of humans. Called the Daoine Sidhe and the Seelie Court, among other things, they live in their kingdoms and tend their cattle. When provoked, however, they react violently. Their arrows cause paralysis and death, and their touch can sicken and kill people and animals. They will damage crops and cattle, the same ones they help propagate when left alone.

The peasantry are more solitary and live in the wilds of nature. They are nature spirits who occupy the dark places of the world. One such place is the taiga forest, which stretches for thousands of miles across Russia. This is a cold place filled with wolves that howl in the night and elk who roam the frozen paths. It is also home to the lesby.

Descriptions of the lesby vary. Some accounts say they are tree-like in size and appearance, while others state they are tiny creatures that can scuttle by unnoticed. Like most fairies, they can change their shape at will, though their natural form is said to be human-like in form with leaf-colored hair and the horns and hooves of a goat.

In Zulu culture, there is a tiny creature known as the abatwa. This being is said to be a hunter who is small enough to hide under a blade of grass and live in an ant hill. They are self-conscious about their size, so if one comes across an abatwa while hunting, it is polite to tell him he was spotted from a good distance away. To insult an abatwa is a death sentence, much like insulting the fairies from Ireland.

If we move on to the folklore of Spain, Portugal, South America, and the Philippines, we find the duende. This creature ranges in size from eighteen inches to three to four feet tall and inhabits houses. While they are neither wholly good nor entirely evil, the duende is a trickster who enjoys tormenting humans. They will steal and destroy property when angered, and their tricks are anything but humorous. They will also torment villages when the mood strikes them.

From Native American folklore, we have Coyote, who might be more accurately considered a god. This spirit is seen as a nature spirit among other things and is known for his trickster attitude. While he’s credited with giving man artwork and fire, he is often portrayed in his more malevolent form. In this form, his tricks come close to being evil, and it’s said he caused misery and sickness to come into the world.

In Italy, there is the Monaciello. This creature is said to resemble a tiny monk similar in appearance to a leprechaun. These creatures supposedly guard wine and treasure. While the typical friar’s clothing is brown, the Monaciello’s is bright red. He lives in houses and takes pleasure in pinching the residents and stealing their clothing. Should the human resident take the Monaciello’s hat, he will be able to claim part of the creature’s treasure in exchange for its return.

On the more malevolent end of the spectrum is the Orculli, also from Italy. These creatures are masters at shape-changing and most identifiable by their stench. They are also cannibalistic and stories tell of them grabbing humans for a snack.

The list of fairy species is enough to fill several volumes, and many have been written, but, in general, they are creatures of magic who are very much connected to the natural world. As man has moved into these natural places, the Fair Folk have been pushed away, as they have no love of industrialization and the trappings of modern life. However, they live on in our stories and imaginations and have a special place in our hearts.

 

FURTHER READING

Appenzeller, Tim. The Enchanted World: Dwarfs. Time-Life Books, 1985.

Appenzeller, Tim. The Enchanted World: Fairies and Elves. Time-Life Books, 1985.

Arrowsmith, Nancy, and George Moorse. A Field Guide to the Little People. Simon and Schuster, 1977.

Bulfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch’s Mythology. New York: Dell Publishing, Co., 1959.

Campbell, Joseph. The Masks of God: Oriental Mythology. New York: Penguin Compass, 1991.

Cole, Joanna. Best Loved Folktales of the World. New York: Anchor Books, 1982.

Hollander, Lee M, trans. The Poetic Edda. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1962.

 

 

Muhulda Urswyk – The Truth Behind the Bile

[image error]I froze. Breeding? My sister was putting something into people that could breed? What the hell? I couldn’t feel anything but my heart pounding in my chest, couldn’t hear anything but the blood in my ears. My eyes were hot, feverish, and something inside me twisted. I let go of Elbert and rose to stand before the window. I pointed toward the door that led into the surgery room and nodded once.

Elbert waddled toward the door at a crouch then rose with his hand on the knob. He nodded toward me, and I took a deep breath before knocking on the glass. Matilda turned, and her mouth dropped open. The creature in her hands wriggled and landed on the floor with what I imagined was a splat. It didn’t move again. At that moment, Elbert snatched the door open and ran into the room. A golden nimbus surrounded him as he called on the Varunastra. It manifested as a sword that gleamed and flickered as if all the lightning in the world was contained within it. My sister screamed, and I raced in after Elbert.

“Muhulda, what are you doing here?” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder. “I can’t believe you would just barge in here.”

“Matilda, what the hell are you putting in those people?”

Matilda looked down at the creature in the floor. I’d been right about the splat, and a puddle of ichor seeped from a gash in its head. I couldn’t see eyes or a mouth, just the tentacles that would shoot from the hosts’ mouths. For the first time in years, Matilda looked frightened. “You can’t be here, Mully. You have to go.”

I shook my head. “Those things have been after me for two days now, Mattie, I’m not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.” I waved my hand at the thing on the floor. “Is this what you wanted me to be a part of?”

Matilda glanced over at Rupert, her face pale. “Is she the one you’ve been testing control on?” Her face turned red, and I took a step backwards. I knew my sister; she was about to explode. “Rupert Hollister, do you mean to tell me that you’ve been testing control of these things on my sister? My twin sister?”

Rupert stood, his angular face a mask of fury. “Who else?” He laid his screwdriver on the table beside his patient and wiped his hands on a bloody towel. “You’re constantly calling her a bane to your existence. You never have anything positive to say.” He shrugged. “She seemed the perfect candidate.”

Matilda screamed and dove toward Rupert. He grabbed the screwdriver and raised it to defend himself, but Elbert seized Matilda and held her back. Rupert snarled and gave all of us a dismissive wave before turning back to his patient. “I’ve got to finish up with him. You can have your tantrum later. Now, get me another of the ba’soray so I can finish up.”

Matilda’s eyes flashed, but I pulled her back toward me and shook my head. For once, she listened. Elbert, on the other hand, didn’t.

“No,” he said. “This stops now.”

Rupert sighed but continued working. “And who the hell are you, some scruffy ragamuffin, to tell me what to do?”

“Elbert Keckilpenny. Shadow Walker.” He shrugged. “I’d give you a calling card, but I’m fresh out.”

I could see Rupert rolling his eyes, even though he wasn’t facing me. “Shadow Walkers have no authority here. You know that.”

“Actually, we do,” Elbert replied. He seemed to grow, both in stature and authority. All sense of humor was gone, and even his clothing seemed to be a bit less tattered. “Rupert Hollister, step away from your patient. You are under arrest for infecting humans with parasitic demons.”

Rupert turned, his face crimson. He snarled once and dove for Elbert, screwdriver raised. Elbert stepped backwards and twisted the Varunastra to deflect the blow. This only angered Rupert, and he attacked again. This time, Elbert grabbed his arm and twisted until he was on his knees. Elbert wrestled Rupert’s arms behind him and pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt. He clamped them on Rupert’s wrists then hauled him to his feet.

“What else does that guy need to survive?” Elbert asked Matilda.

Matilda stared at the patient on the bed, eyes wide and face white. She moved closer to the table and examined the incisions. “Nothing. He’ll be fine.” She turned to Elbert. “You can’t take him. I won’t allow it.” There was a hint of her usual haughtiness, but her voice was mostly flat.

“Madam, you don’t have a choice. You and your husband have violated the law, and you will be held accountable.” He nodded toward Rupert. “You can come with me quietly, or you can be bound like your husband.”

Matilda’s face paled even more, and my heart went out to her. I could imagine my sister in prison, her fashionable clothes and fancy home out of her reach. I admit, there was a part of me that relished the idea, the part that had been downtrodden for most of our lives. I could just imagine my parents’ distress at their darling being hauled through the streets of Sangeron, disgraced.

“No.” Matilda was getting a hold of herself now, and that selfish superiority she flaunted was coming to the fore. “We’re paid well for our research, and I won’t give that up. I’ve worked too hard, put up with too much, to get where I am now. I will not be disgraced in this town. Not now. Not ever.” She waved her hand at me. “She’s disgrace enough.”

“Hey.”

Matilda whirled on me, her upper lip curled. “Oh, shut up! You know it’s true. Stop chasing dreams and do something practical with your life.” Before I could respond, she was on me. She clawed at my face like she had when we were kids, and she pulled at my hair. I pushed back, but Matilda’s fury gave her strength. She held me down by my throat and reached for the ba’soray on the floor beside us. She shoved the creature at my face, and I gagged at its stench. It wiggled, and I realized that it wasn’t as dead as I’d thought.

“Open your mouth.”

I clamped my lips shut and turned my face away, but Matilda pushed down on my throat. I gasped, and she shoved the creature into my mouth. It squirmed against the roof of my mouth and the back of my throat. I gagged, but Matilda covered my mouth. Bile rose and shot from my nose, and Matilda jumped back as vomit splattered the front of her dress. Elbert reached for her, but she was too fast. She moved with a grace I’d never had was almost to the door when light flared behind my eyes. Pain like I’d never experienced sliced through my soul. Fire burned in my blood and along my nerves. My fingers flamed, and those flames reached for my sister. They wrapped her in blue luminescence and pulled her back toward Elbert. Matilda screamed and beat at the flames, and, though Elbert tried to help, there was nothing he could do.

The stench of burning flesh joined the chemical and demon odors already permeating the room. This time I vomited in full, but the ba’soray didn’t come back up. For a moment, tentacles shot from my throat, then they, too, burned with blue fire. I looked up at Elbert, hoping he could explain, but he was trying to help Matilda and keep an eye on Rupert.

I rose on trembling legs and walked to where my sister lay moaning. I knelt at her side, but her eyes were too burned to open. Guilt coursed through me, and a voice I couldn’t comprehend spoke in the recesses of my mind. I reached for my twin but stopped before I touched her, afraid I would cause more pain.

Others entered the room, and I heard voices around me. I looked up to see Enforcers and others in regular clothes gathered around. The Enforcers took Matilda, and I heard Elbert tell them she needed medical attention. The others took Rupert, him screaming and cursing the entire way. When they were gone, Elbert came over to me and placed his hand on my arm. I looked up, lost, confused, and he led me out of the building and into the snow outside.

Darkness swallowed me, as much within as without. I shivered as sweat dried on my body, then a fire ignited within me, and I warmed.

“Are you all right?” Elbert asked.

I shook my head. “Of course not. I just set my sister on fire.” I stared through eyes that refused to see. “How did I set my sister on fire?”

“She did put a ba’soray inside you.” Elbert’s voice was quiet.

“That’s no excuse,” I retorted. “And why the hell didn’t you stop her? What am I supposed to do with a demon inside me?”

Elbert shook his head. “The ba’soray was almost dead. It didn’t survive.”

I waved my hand at the clinic. “Then what was all the blue fire. Where did that come from?”

Elbert scratched the back of his head, and I could see wrinkles around his eyes, signs of age that I hadn’t noticed before. “Muhulda, you got your wish. You’re a Shadow Walker now.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what god chose you, but you’ll come to understand in time.” He put his hand on my shoulder, but I slapped it away.

“I don’t want this!” I screamed. “None of it. I will never be part of people like you. Ever.” I pointed to my chest. “I will get rid of this if it’s the last thing I do, and I will let everyone in Sangeron and beyond know just what kind of people you are.” I panted for a moment to catch my breath. “I just attacked my sister. My twin sister!” The fact that she had been trying to kill me—and had caused the death of several others—meant nothing. “Nothing will ever change that. We’ll never look alike again. Ever! And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Elbert sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “No, there isn’t. I can’t change it. You can petition the god and ask him to leave, to let you go. You might even be able to force him out.” He paused for a moment. “But this is what our lives are like. We seek out people doing what Rupert was doing, and we take care of things like the ba’soray. Sometimes, things go wrong, and we can’t fix them, but it’s never intentional.” His eyes glistened. “There are many dead because the Shadow Walkers weren’t fast enough, smart enough.” He squared his shoulders. “But there are even more alive because we were.” He looked toward the building. “All you know about us is rumor and innuendo. Don’t refuse the call until you know what it’s all about.”

I didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t. “I’ll never be one of you. Ever.” I turned and walked away from Elbert. I thought I’d known anger. I thought I’d known despair. But what I’d known was nothing like what I knew now. Nothing.

I headed for home, a story forming in my mind. I would tell the world about the evil of the Shadow Walkers, about how they harmed the innocent—not that my sister was—and took away people’s lives. When I was through with them, they would be lucky if they weren’t hunted in the streets. So I vowed. So I worked to deliver.

Muhulda Urswyk – The Truth Behind the Bile

[image error]I shook my head. “I have to work, Elbert. It’ll have to wait.”

Elbert shook his head then looked past me. “Barkeep. I think your serving girl is a bit under the weather. She’s as pale as the snow outside.”

Bramwell turned from where he’d been washing glasses and looked at me. He scowled then asked, “What’s wrong with you, girl? You’re as white as death.”

I shrugged and shook off Elbert’s hand. “I’m fine, Bramwell.” I stood, but my legs shook, and my head spun. I fell back onto the stool. My stomach lurched, and I was sure I was going to vomit all over the floor.

“Go home, Muhulda,” Bramwell said. “I’ll take care of this lot.” He didn’t sound happy.

I nodded and stumbled to the back room to get my coat. Elbert was waiting for me by the door, and we stepped out into the cold. I leaned against the building and let the tears flow, while Elbert stood by and watched for the ba’soray inside to come out.

“Muhulda, what’s wrong?” he asked. I could hear the concern in his voice.

I shook my head, determined not to let this defeat me. “Come on,” I replied. “I know where we’re going.”

 

*****

 

An hour later we stood in front of a warehouse-sized building in Barhope, a professional district next to Woolhope. It wasn’t an area of town I frequented, as much to stay away from my sister and her condescension as anything else, but I knew where to find Rupert’s office. “In there,” I pointed.

“How do you know that?”

“This is my brother-in-law’s office. He implants biotics.” I turned to Elbert. “That’s one thing I noticed. All those who came after me had them.” I pointed again. “This is the only place in Sangeron to get them. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.”

“All right,” Elbert said. “Head home, and I’ll get these taken care of.”

I shook my head. “If those things came from here, then I want to know why. You’re stuck with me.” The knot of fury was back. I couldn’t suspect Matilda, but Rupert was another story. He’d always been a self-serving son of a bitch from the low end of the social ladder, and I was pretty sure my parents had given him the money to open his office. Either that, or Matilda had. But Matilda wasn’t so much the giving type unless there was something in it for her.

“All right, but stay behind me, and don’t do anything stupid.” I wondered if he realized just how stupid that line sounded.

I growled at him but didn’t respond. Instead, I marched up to the door, a glass piece with my brother-in-law’s name in gold letters across it, and snatched it. Of course, it was locked this late at night, but I didn’t care. I banged on the door and yelled for Rupert to open the door. Elbert grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back.

“Nothing stupid,” he hissed. “You want to bring the Enforcers? They actually monitor this part of town.”

I swung to hit him, the anger than had been building within me exploding beyond my ability to control, but Elbert dodged and grabbed my arm. He put me on my knees in the snow, his hand over my mouth. I fought for a moment, then the rage drained and left me barely able to move. “I’m okay,” I said, but it wasn’t true.

Elbert didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled a set of picks from his pocket and went to work on the lock. A moment later, he had the door open. He motioned for me to be quiet and led the way inside.

The office was dark and smelled of chemicals. There was an underlying scent that crept into my nose and lodged in my throat. It was familiar, yet not.

A spot of deeper darkness past the desk indicated the doorway to the other part of the building. I moved in that direction with Elbert close behind me. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder to try to get in front of me, but I snatched away from him and continued. This was my sister’s place, after all, and I had more right to be here than he did.

The door led to a long hallway. I searched for a switch in hopes of finding incandescent lamps, and I wasn’t disappointed. Light flared along the corridor to show me a metal floor free of rust. The walls were wood and polished to a shine, something I saw little of in Sangeron, and only served to show me that my sister took an active hand in the place. I just couldn’t see Rupert as the type to care about polishing a wall. Doors lined the passage, all of them open maws that threatened hidden dangers.

“Muhulda, stop.” It came out as a hiss, barely heard, but I stopped and turned to face Elbert.

“What?”

Elbert moved close, too close, so that I alone could hear him. “You aren’t a Shadow Walker,” he said. “You have no idea how to fight these things.”

I shrugged. “So? Make me one?”

He arched his brow and looked at me like I was the dumbest person in the Xaggarene Empire. “I can’t. Only the gods choose Shadow Walkers.”

I humphed and turned away. “Fine. But you’ve never been here before.”

Elbert moved in front of me and looked back with a grin devoid of humor. “Then direct from the back.”

I crossed by arms and followed behind him, sullen and angry. We moved through the hallway and into another area of the warehouse, a place I’d never been before. Of course, if I was honest, I’d never been past the front office, but he didn’t need to know that.

The room in front of us had the same metal floor as the rest of the building, but the walls in here were metal as well. Tables sat in rows, each with a machine of some sort attached at the top. The machines were connected to a larger machine on the far side of the room, and all of them beeped softly. Each table was covered with a pad and sheet, and I assumed this was where Rupert put his patients after their surgeries.

The smell was stronger here, and I sniffed as I tried to identify it. Elbert heard and turned to me. “It’s demon,” he whispered. “Demon and death.”

I didn’t reply. There was no need.

We moved on through the room, and it was then I noticed a large window on the opposite side. I looked through it and gasped. Rupert stood on the other side with a tray of tools laid out beside him. A naked man laid on the table with some kind of cup over his mouth. A machine like the ones in this room beeped over his head, and three incandescent lamps hung over the table. Rupert’s face was covered, and the coat he wore was splattered with blood. He took a mechanical arm from the table next to him and began attaching it to the stump of the man’s right arm. His real arm lay on the floor, blood oozing from it. I gagged, and Elbert grabbed my shoulder.

I forced myself to watch as Rupert continued to operate. It was only when Matilda entered, dressed in a white coat with her hair pulled back in a tail that I did it voluntarily. She said something to Rupert, but I couldn’t hear through the glass. He pointed, and she moved to a cage hidden in the shadows on the far side of the room. When she returned, it was with a small, wriggling creature that looked like a worm with several heads.

I gasped, and Elbert put his hand on my arm to keep me quiet. He pulled me down so we were crouching below the window, out of sight.

“That’s a ba’soray,” he whispered, as if I hadn’t already figured that out.

“What do we do?”

“We don’t do anything. I go in there and deal with the threat.”

He started to rise, but I grabbed his arm. “That’s my sister in there.” I peeked up over the bottom of the window. “Granted, it’s my twittershit crazy sister, but she’s still my twin.”

“I know. I’ll be careful, but these things can’t be let loose in the world. There aren’t enough of us to stop them if they start breeding.”

New Releases!

Howdy, all!

I finally got off my duff and released a couple of stories I’ve been sitting on for a while.

[image error]Jerrung and the Kwaad Cavern

This is a chapter book for ages 6-8 and follows the adventures of a young dwarf named Jerrung. Jerrung’s friends have their own adventures, which can be read for free on my website at http://www.lissadobbs.com.

At almost eight years old, Jerrung is sure he’s old enough to be a warrior, to have a real sword. His parents, on the other hand, disagree. They think he’s just a child.

But when Jerrung’s sister is kidnapped by the Kwaad, Jerrung knows his time has come. Jerrung isn’t going to wait for the rest of the village to make plans. He and his friends head into the mountains to rescue the prisoners.

Can the dwarves find their way through the tunnels before the Kwaad find them?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074VC2721

 

Windows to the Soul

[image error]This is a short story.

True horror isn’t found on the silver screen or in the pages of books. True horror is found in the mind, in the depths of the soul, the places where light is a distant memory.

​So Amy discovers in the halls of the nursing home where her mother works, and, later, in the eyes of her peers. Horror follows her everywhere until she learns the truth…eyes are truly the windows to the soul.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074WHZJSJ

 

In other news, for the next month, I’m offering free chapter and short story edits, up to 2,500 words. If you have a story you need critiqued or edited, just use the contact form on my Contact the Author page or the contact form on my website at http://www.lissadobbs.com/editorialservices.

 

Best wishes!

Muhulda Urswyk – The Truth Behind the Bile

[image error]I stepped out into the cold and shivered. Snow blew around me in whirlwinds that blocked my vision, and the fall was so thick it appeared to be night. I headed toward the main street at sort of a limping run, anxious to get home and light a fire. I suppose, in retrospect, that I should’ve paid more attention to where I was going, but the snow was so thick that it was hard to see, and I was turned around with no idea where I was. It wasn’t like I wasn’t familiar with Sangeron. I was. But in the white out, I couldn’t see, and familiar landmarks became strange creatures lurking in the gloom. Even the streetlamps were darkened by the snow, and shop windows only gave the faintest of light.

I stumbled and nearly fell, but someone grabbed my arm and kept me on my feet. I squinted into the darkness but couldn’t tell who it was that had hold of me. I snatched my arm away and took off running. I tripped over something in the street and landed hard. I felt the warmth of blood on my knee, but I wasn’t concerned about that. Someone had grabbed me, and I needed to get away.

“Muhulda!”

The voice barely cut through the wind. It was a deep voice, one I thought I knew, but I still didn’t care. My only thought was to get home, if I could figure out where home was.

“Muhulda!”

I slid in the snow and stopped. I turned, ready to fight. But there was no need. The person chasing me in the snowstorm was my brother-in-law, Rupert. He came toward me, his hand holding his top hat to his head. His scarf blew out behind him, and his coat tails twisted in the wind. A grimace plastered across his face, not softened in the least by the snowflakes in his black beard.

“What the hell are you running for?” He stopped and scowled at me. “I’ve been chasing you for four blocks. Where are you going?”

I looked around, frantic, and forced myself to breathe. “I was heading home. I got lost in the storm.” I pulled my coat more closely around me and shivered. I wished I’d taken time this morning for a scarf and hat, but it hadn’t seemed necessary. I knew better. Sangeron in the cold months was always unpredictable.

“You’re going in the opposite direction from that place you call home,” Rupert replied. He looked at my ragged coat and blowing hair and lifted his nose just a fraction higher. I knew he was comparing me to Matilda, everyone always did. “And you never showed up today.”

I stomped my feet to stay warm and stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

Rupert stomped his feet and brushed snow from his coat and beard. “Matilda said you were starting work at my office today. Did she not come by your…home…this morning?”

I brushed my hair back and shook some snow off my clothes. “Yes, she came by. Yes, she mentioned a job at your office. No, I didn’t want it. I want no part of biotics.” The snow was slowing, and I was able to see where I was. “Now, it’s cold, and I’ve had one hell of a day, so I’m going home. You have a good evening.”

“Why must you always be so difficult?” Rupert sniffed. “This is a good opportunity for you, and, regardless of your opinion, adding biotics to people is good money.”

I shrugged and gave him my best ‘I don’t give a damn’ smile. “Sorry. I have my own life to live. Have a good night.” I didn’t give him a chance to say more.

 

*****

 

My flat was warm and cozy. After a warm bath and a cup of tea, I was feeling a bit more secure. I still had to go to the Steam Whisper later that night, snow or no snow, but, for now, I could relax and sleep. At least, that’s what I thought.

Thoughts of the ba’soray demons and what Elbert had told me raced through my mind. I could see the thoughts, almost like they were twitterflies in the forest, converging on me and scattering when I tried to catch them. Doubts filled my heart and settled into my gut like some of Madam Cora’s cookie experiments, and Elbert’s words kept coming back to me. Someone wanted me dead, and the only person I knew was my sister. My twin sister. Sure, she thought I was a failure. Sure, she disapproved of my choices. But did she disapprove enough to kill me? All of a sudden, I wasn’t sure.

“Stop this,” I told myself.

But ‘myself’ didn’t want to listen. The light ceased to shine, and it was time to go to work before I had a chance to sleep.

 

*****

The Steam Whisper was quiet. One of our most loyal customers, a man who claimed to work in trade from E’ma Thalas, sat in the back corner nursing a Nutty Fluffy. He came every night, regardless of the weather, to sit alone and brood. His bowler hat sat on the table beside him, and his coat was thrown over the back of the chair. A clean, white shirt buttoned high on his neck, and his hair and beard where clean and neatly cut. While his appearance stated that he was just who he said he was, Bramwell and I often wondered if it was true. After all, the Steam Whisper wasn’t in Woolhope. It was down in Black Hallow, not the worst of neighborhoods, but not somewhere you’d expect to see a prosperous businessman.

“Was wonderin’ if’n you’d make it tonight.” Bramwell leaned against the bar, his pudgy chin quivering when he talked.

I shrugged and pulled my coat closer around me. The snow was now halfway to my knees, and the short skirt I wore did nothing to ward off the chill. Though the brazier was burning, the warmth didn’t reach too far from it, and I shivered. “Yeah. I made it.” I scowled at him. “Though why you think I need to wear this outfit is beyond me. Most of these guys can’t see straight after their first drink, so why bother?”

Bramwell chuckled and slapped the bar. “Well, I can see just fine.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the room. “I can see we’re hopping tonight.”

Bramwell sighed and picked up his rag. He gave the bar a couple of half-hearted swipes then gave up the pretense. “The snow’s getting’ kinda thick, and most folks won’t wander out in it if’n there’s no need.” He glanced over at our lone patron then back to me. “I suppose you can head on home if you’d like. I doubt there’ll be enough coin to pay you tonight anyway.”

I sighed. “Bram, you know I have to work.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself, but you’ll be workin’ for free unless more folks come in.”

I pulled my scarf up over my face and thought about it for a moment. It wasn’t a long walk home, and the coin I’d lose really wasn’t that much.

My musing was interrupted by a frigid blast from the door. I turned to see Elbert enter on the heels of three others, some just like the ones I’d dealt with the night before. So much for going home. With these three, there’d be plenty of work and coin.

The men ambled over to the table next to our patron and plopped down. The man gave them a look like he’d scraped them off the bottom of his boot then turned his attention back to his drink. The four ignored him and laughed at some joke one of them, probably Elbert, had told.

I sighed again and took off my coat. I handed it to Bramwell to put in the back room and approached the table. I raised an eyebrow at Elbert, asking if these were some I needed to be careful about, and he nodded. “What can I get for you?”

“How about ten minutes in the back room?” This one was tall and broad with deep green hair and a metal plate on one side of his head. His beard and mustache were ragged, and it looked like bits of his dinner were still lodged in them.

“Sorry, sweetcheeks. Ten minutes ain’t long enough.” I winked at the others at the table then asked again, “What kind of drinks can I get for you?”

“We’ll take Nutty Fluffies all around, and the guys will each have a hit of Bleeding Grim,” Elbert replied.

“All righty, then.” I turned and made my way back to the bar to give Bramwell the order and stood there while he prepared the drinks. I felt someone behind me and turned, all my senses on alert.

“These are more of the ba’soray,” Elbert whispered. “The nest must be huge. If you can get out of here, go.”

“I can’t,” I hissed. “The minute you people came in here, I was stuck.”

Elbert cursed under his breath. “Fine. I’ll get them stoned and out of here as quick as I can. Hopefully, I won’t have to kill them and can find the nest.”

“I could always leave and let them follow me,” I suggested.

Elbert shook his head. “That won’t find the nest. I have to get to whoever is sending them out to stop them.”

I shrugged. “All right. I’ll stay here until you guys leave.” I glanced back toward the table. “The three of them seem a little brighter than the others.”

“They’re recently infected. The ba’soray haven’t had time to damage their brains.”

“Could whoever is sending them out be getting people infected?” I asked. “I mean, can they be controlled that way?”

Elbert thought for a moment then blew out a frustrated breath. “Yeah. They can be. If that’s the case, then there isn’t an actual nest. Someone’s got a bunch of these things in a cage somewhere and is putting them into people.”

“Sounds like fun. How will you find them?”

“In a city this size, I might not.”

“Oh, goodie. That’s all I need.”

Elbert started to say more, but Bramwell placed the drinks and hits on the counter. I loaded my tray and headed to the table with Elbert behind me.

“Here you go, guys,” I said. It took all my effort to keep the smile on my face. My hands shook, and I felt the beginnings of pure fury begin in my guts. Who the hell was sending these things after me? What did they want? But I didn’t know, and the only person who could help me was a Shadow Walker I’d just met.

“Sure you won’t join us?” This one had dark brown hair and eyes that shown yellow. His left hand was mechanical and whirred as he picked up his drink. I watched it with disgusted fascination and shook my head. I could understand replacing a limb that was lost in an accident, but to voluntarily remove a part of the body and replace it with machine was something I couldn’t comprehend. It was…creepy…unnatural, and the idea that my twin sister did this to people was almost more than I could stomach.

I froze and looked over at Elbert. He’d taken one sip of his Nutty Fluffy and pushed away the glass. The other three at the table had already downed theirs, each of them adding the hit of Bleeding Grim to the drink. My eyes widened as realization hit me. Elbert jumped to his feet and grabbed my arm, I’m assuming because my face drained of color. It felt like it did.

Elbert steered me to the bar and plopped me on a stool. “What is it?” he whispered.

“I think I know who has the ba’soray.” Tears formed in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Technology in Grevared

[image error]We live in a technological world full of smart phones, computers, and things some of us will probably never understand. For the most part, this technology has gone from point A to point B, not necessarily in a straight line, but moving forward nonetheless.

I was a kid during the reign of Atari and Commodore 64, and the only computer language I ever knew was Basic. Now, my phone has more capabilities than my first computer, and I’m lucky to figure out how to make a blog post. (And it only works half the time.)

Science fiction, fantasy, and steampunk all have their versions of technology, too. Some of it is beyond our wildest dreams, while other parts take us back to the middle ages. Regardless of which genre we’re reading, though, there are those who expect the technology to progress the same way it did in our world.

Grevared doesn’t really work that way, not entirely. For example, I had a reader ask me the other day why a tavern owner used oil lamps if the society had things like steam locomotives and Cold Boxes (refrigerators). There’s a simple answer for that. All electricity in Grevared is run on generators, which are expensive to own and operate. Families and business owners who use electricity must decide what they will use it on, and most choose a Cold Box or something similar rather than light, which can be obtained through other means. No one has installed power lines that carry electricity from place to place because they haven’t thought of it yet. Why not? When our world figured it out fairly quickly? Well…it isn’t our world.

[image error]Resources on Grevared are most definitely finite. The pieces of land exist in a void space, and you can walk off the edge of the world. These resources must be guarded carefully if the world is to survive, so, while they are willing to create some technological luxuries, there are many others that would destroy their world were they to come into being.

However, that isn’t to say that technology aided by magic doesn’t happen. There are creatures called animated corpses that are purely technological, at least in a sense. A small copper chip attached to wires is run through the nervous system and allows the creature to move and follow basic orders. The chip can be removed and read by a machine. Technological, right? Not entirely. There’s a good bit of magic that goes into making the process work. The same is true of the seventh hell demon prison, Brimstone Thunderwatch. There are technological aspects to the prison itself, but there’s just as much magic keeping these creatures confined. Even the mechanical bugs that deliver messages have a magical element to their operation.

So, while Grevared does have steam trains and bionic implants, their technology as we think about it isn’t on the same level with that in our world, and their needs and desires make it unlikely that it ever will be. Even in the Xaggarene Empire, the most technologically advanced of the lands, power lines aren’t likely to become popular. Too much of their technology is dependent on magic.

Best wishes!

Lissa Dobbs

http://www.lissadobbs.com

 

Muhulda Urswyk – The Truth Behind the Bile

[image error]We walked down the street in silence. Snow continued to fall, little whirlwinds picking at hair and clothing, and, before long, the streets of Sangeron were covered in more than a dusting of white. Around us, the society ladies with their fancy ruffs and their parasols scurried by, oblivious of everything but getting home before their hairdos were affected by the snow.

We turned down a side street filled with small shops. The storefronts were a bit more weathered, and the metal on the upper floors was a bit more rusted than out on the main street. The garbage bins were emptied a little less often, and more bits of trash blew in the wind. It wasn’t a poor area, not one of the ones where citizens slept in the streets and robberies were common, but it wasn’t a place my sister would ever frequent, either.

Madam Cora’s was a small tea room that saw few visitors. It was the place I normally patroned, though it was further away from the park than the café I’d visited earlier. For a moment, I wished I had just come to Madam Cora’s. It would’ve made it harder for Elbert to find me, and I wouldn’t have had to listen to the sneers of the other women.

“A tea room?” he asked.

I nodded and smiled. “One of my favorite places. The Steam Whisper isn’t open yet.”

We entered the tea room, and the weight I’d been carrying lifted off my shoulders. A tiny bell tinkled when we closed the door, and Madam Cora came into the dining room with a tea towel in her hand. She was a slight woman, less than five feet tall, with wide shoulders and hips and a tuft of hair on her chin. Elbert’s eyes widened, and I chuckled at his surprise.

“A dwarf? In Sangeron?”

Madam Cora arched a bushy, brown eyebrow at him, and I nearly fell to the floor laughing. Part of me felt sorry for him because he was somewhat right. While the Xaggarene Empire wasn’t known for its tolerance, there were still plenty of elves and angels within its borders. Dwarves, on the other hand, were known for not leaving The Kingdom of Emerell. They were an insular group that had no love of outsiders.

“Ye’ve a problem with dwarfs?”

Elbert shook his head. “No, ma’am. I’ve spent a good bit of time in The Kingdom of Emerell, and I’ve always found the dwarven folk to be quite hospitable.”

Madam Cora nodded as if she approved then turned back to me. “How’re you doing, Muhulda, dear? What can I get for you?”

“Some tea and cakes would be great,” I replied. “Seeing as how someone took me away from my breakfast.” I shot Elbert a look he couldn’t misinterpret.

“All right,” Madam Cora replied. “You two have a seat, and I’ll be back in a minute.”

We made our way to a table and settled down under an incandescent lamp. Elbert leaned forward, and I suddenly realized he was much younger than I had thought he was, much closer to my own age. What I’d assumed were wrinkles were, in fact, small scars. His eyes were a deep purply-yellow, as odd a color as I’d ever seen. His clothes looked like he’d pulled them out of a garbage bin, a weird mixture of sleeveless shirt tied in the front and trousers that looked like they were missing their lower half. His weapons were no joke, though. Knives ringed his belt and stuck from the top of his boots, and a chain with a heavy, spiked ball on the end hung at his side.

“What do you want from me?” I asked. “You’ve been following me around since last night.”

Elbert shook his head. “I’ve been following the ba’soray around for several days now, and it’s getting a little old.”

“Are those the demons with all the tongues?”

Elbert nodded. “I was sent because a nest of them was discovered near the dock.”

“But I thought most of the demons were in Moirena.”

“Most of them are, but these are more like animals than demons. They’re parasites without a lot of intelligence, in case you haven’t noticed. You can train a spitmoller easier than you can these things, and even the other demons try to eliminate them.”

“Where did they come from?” I wanted to know.

Elbert shrugged. “No idea. That’s why I spent most of yesterday evening drinking with them.”

“I don’t get it,” I admitted. “If they’re so unintelligent, how can they wander around drinking Melon Peckers and hitting Bleeding Grim?”

Madam Cora came with our food at that moment, and Elbert waited until she had gone to say more. He dug into the cakes she had brought like he hadn’t eaten in days.

“They have to be controlled by someone,” he said around a mouthful of cake. “The humans are hosts. That’s how they move around.” He took another bite. “That’s why I was with them last night. I was trying to get a lead on where they were going and who was controlling them.”

“Then maybe killing them wasn’t the brightest idea you ever had.”

He took a sip of tea and shrugged. “Maybe not, but you don’t want one getting its hands on you.” He gave me a smile. “It was a choice. I think, the right one.”

My tea and cakes remained untouched on the table in front of me. I picked up the cup and took a sip, grimacing because the tea was cool. “Well, I thank you for that, but what does any of this have to do with me?”

He scarfed down the last of his cake and eyed mine. I pushed it across the table and leaned back, waiting for him to get to the point.

“I asked you earlier why those things were after you.”

“And I told you earlier that I don’t know. I’ve never heard of them.” I leaned up and propped my arms on the table. “I serve drinks to a bunch of lowlifes and try to keep my sister out of my life. That’s the best I’ve got.”

“Friends? Lovers? Anyone who could haver a tie with these things?”

I shook my head. “Not unless it’s Bramwell. He’s the only person I ever see besides my sister.”

“And what am I, dear?” Madam Cora asked. “Some ghighet you stop by and feed?”

Neither one of us had noticed her approaching the table.

“No, Madam Cora. I just meant that I don’t socialize a lot.”

She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Well. Would you like more tea?”

“Yes, please,” Elbert replied. He gave her a smile that melted the frown off her face and made my heart skip a beat.

Madam Cora shuffled back to the kitchen, and I turned back to Elbert. “Why would they want me? What do they usually hunt?”

“That’s the thing,” Elbert replied. “There’s no type that they prefer. They’ll go after whoever or whatever they’re sent after. So, who would want you eaten by a bunch of demons? Any enemies? Pissed off anyone lately?”

“Only my sister.”

“Would she do something like this?”

Fury bloomed in my chest like a blood stain on clothing. “How dare you.” I rose to my feet. “She may be a selfish, self-righteous, annoying bitch, but she wouldn’t hurt me. She’d be too worried about it damaging the family name.”

“Anyone else?” Elbert acted like accusing my sister of trying to kill me was nothing.

I plopped back into my seat and banged my hands on the table. “No.”

Elbert leaned forward and tried to place his hand over mine. I snatched it away. He sighed and leaned back just as Madam Cora placed a plate of cakes and a pot of tea on the table. Elbert helped himself and waited, as if I had more information and was hiding it.

“Tell me,” I said. “What’s the sword do? It came out of nowhere and disappeared.”

Elbert continued to eat, and I wondered when he’d eaten last. His bright red hair and tufty little beard were mussed from the fight, and I could see faded scars on his face and arms. He shrugged and took a sip of tea. “It’s the Varunastra of Varuna. It’s a magical weapon that can take any form. I’m partial to the sword, so that’s what it becomes most of the time.”

I leaned forward then, my interest piqued. “What else does it do?” If I could find out about the Shadow Walkers’ weapons, I could sell the story to the highest bidder, maybe even get a job at one of the newspapers, and get the hell out of the Steam Whisper.

Elbert set his tea down and looked at me with a strange expression on his face. “It does what it needs to do, and that’s all I can tell you.” He rose to his feet. “I’m going to see if I can track down the ba’soray. I suggest you stay inside as much as possible and give a lot of thought as to who wants you dead.” He laid some coin on the table and headed for the door.

I, too, rose and glanced at the coin on the table. It was more than enough to cover our cost, and I thought Madam Cora would appreciate the extra. I wanted to ask more, but he was gone before I could get the words out. Still, I had enough to get started on a good story, and I still had several hours before time for my shift at the Steam Whisper.