Never Ending Story
Each month, we will be bringing you a new chapter in a story. For the next few months, enjoy the writings of Caroline Reiser! - Editor
The Chronicles of Leonardo Dorcha and Kalli Leijona
by Caroline Reiser
This is Woodworks own soap-opera, of a type. Less bad acting, more fantasy action. There is the part about there being no scripts, cameras, or…well anything to do with filming. But to make up for this small loss, there are some nice changes to the classic literature style…
Episode 1
The thunder shook the ground like an earthquake. It was less than a mile away, and coming on fast. Though no rain had started yet, it could be seen off in the distance, sweeping quickly over the vast land.
That land showed the signs of the coming storm just as much as the sky showed it. The normally pensive stream was now a pugnacious river. Where once you would have heard birds in the trees and animals on the hunt, there was nothing. A quiet foreboding hung in the air between each lightning strike and thundering roar.
Another sound was soon heard on the mountain path. A rapid, quiet patting, that of children’s feet on a wooden floor. Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter. A single man came running up the path. He stopped for a moment, catching his breath.
Leonardo looked warily over his shoulder at the ominous clouds. The arriving storm would be there in less than an hour, even before the sun rose, while Leonardo cowered under a few twigs trying to keep warm, if he even had time to get under any cover.
He shook his head, almost tired, and picked up his pace. It would not do to be caught in this storm. Not tonight. Not when he was so close.
Close to what? Leonardo asked himself. To the quarry for which I’ve been searching well over a year? To the answer to the mystery that has been cursed upon my life?
But it didn’t really matter. He would never get there in time, not like this with the storm on his tail. Tat had probably thought up the storm just to spite him. And when he was so close. But it didn’t matter.
Ya, just keep telling yourself that, Leonardo rebuked sarcastically. It would always matter, and he knew it.
The icy wind whispered chilling words down his spine, making hism shiver. Pulling the overcoat’s high collar tighter around his neck, Leonardo began to sprint at full speed down the road which had already become clean of any firm spot.
Just a little further…to what?
To the answer. I must get to the answer! If only it would stop raining and he could run fast enough. If only Tat got held up. If only something.
And then he was lying on the ground, sputtering mud out of his mouth while trying to get something other than it down his lungs. Gasping, Leonardo tried to push himself back upright.
And then there was a hand. Years later Leonardo would still remember exactly what that hand looked like.
It was white. A soft, almost glowing, white. The nails shone where the mud was not, and not a hangnail grew among them. A single band of silver, or what looked like it, embedded with tinny diamonds, circled the longest finger on the left hand. The middle -finger on the left hand.
Something about that hand offered something, and Leonardo took it without thought of the past year.
“Come on. If we don’t get to higher ground, this storm will inundate us with the rest of the forest!” The owner of the hand shouted in Leonardo’s ear. It was only then that he realized the storm was acting like it had reached its peak. The wind howled like a wolf to the moon, and the rain came down as if it were no more than the sea.
But there’s no time for this! An impatient part of Leonardo’s mind screamed furiously. I have to get there before Tat!
An image of where ‘there’ was flashed before Leonardo’s eyes. He had been there before, and could see every detail in the carved rock.
“I have to go!” Leonardo cried back in the ear that was there by his mouth.
“Are you insane?” The voice called back. “This storm will kill anyone who even thinks to stay out in it. It’ll stop everyone and everything within a couple miles. Wherever you have to go, you can wait or you risk, no, you make sure of, death!”
“I have to go!” Leonardo cried again, this time desperate. This person had a hold on him, for whatever reason it was, he or she had a hold on him. And if he or she did not approve of his staying in the storm, then he would do anything in his power to get out of it.
“You have to come with me!” The person yelled decisively. And with that the person took hold of Leonardo’s arm and led him through the gale of water.
He never did understand later how the person could have gotten them through all that chaos, but they did. And when Leonardo could finally see again, what he saw amazed him.
Here, in this middle of no where place, someone lived in a homey little cottage. They had entered through a well build door that kept the storm out to find the fire burning welcomingly, and something smelling so good, it made Leonardo’s starved stomach growl.
Leonardo stood for a moment, dazed. And then he noticed the person.
There she was with her lovely wan completion, her black hair dripping everywhere, threatening to drown them all.
“I don’t believe it,” Leonardo whispered, truly shocked. “It’s you!”
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