Adventure
Old Enough; Through the Eyes of a Stranger
After kicking off his boots Hank rubbed his calloused feet, despite them being swollen and blistered with open sores he'd come to feel comfortable enough in these parts to catch some shut eye. Perhaps here he would find some time to heal. He tossed his knapsack on the ground, then pushing through dried thicket with one gloved hand, he settled in a shady spot. He was hungry enough to catch a mouse; his mind wandered to the little girl May and her popping by this very place several times with a piece of bread or an apple. He hated himself for wishing her there just cause his stomach ached, he knew darned well kids like her should not be wandering about on their own near the edges of train tracks, much less familiarizing themselves with the likes of homeless, jobless and down on their luck men like himself. He knew he could be trustworthy, however God knows that most train jumpers aren't.
By ROCK aka Andrea Polla (Simmons)2 years ago in Chapters
Whispers of the Wild River
Whispers of the Wild River Raia grew up along the Great River, as its sinuous path wound into the valley like a shining ribbon of blue. Her village, hugged round by green hills, relied on the river for everything. The fishermen, farmers, and pilots guiding boats through the tricky currents lived by the rhythms of its tides. Raia was born into the Tide Pilots, one of the oldest lines of people who knew the water intimately, understood its humors, and sensed danger before it arrived.
By Imtiyaz Ali2 years ago in Chapters
Sleeping Diary
I always carried my diary beside my bed, not for the usual reason of writing down incidents of the day, but for something far more frivolous. I entitled it "Sleeping Diary." It all started on one lazy Sunday afternoon when my mom began recounting stories of her dreams during childhood, funny sleep habits, and those half-awake moments she forgot by morning. She suggested I write down whatever I could remember the next morning as about my own dreams or sleep adventures, and thus my little project was born.
By Usman Zafar2 years ago in Chapters
Ten Years Gone...
NOTE: I wrote this ten years ago. Since then, I had two husbands pass away and moved four times. Now I'm deep into middle age and more settled in myself; I'm in a much better place mentally. But the world...hasn't changed. In light of current U.S. and world events and the recent election it's wild how it's still relevant. I could have written this yesterday. I saved it in an email draft, and came across while cleaning out old messages.
By Lynn Jordan2 years ago in Chapters
Part One: The Birth of a Shadowhunter
"Tears of Shadows" Part One: The Birth of a Shadow Hunter Chapter One: Night of Tragedy The Quiet Village In the small village of Harumashi, everyone lived peacefully amidst the green fields and mountains that embraced the village. Rin Saiga, a sixteen-year-old boy, spent his evenings with his little sister Mai, ten years old, telling her epic stories about knights facing monsters and saving the weak.
By Kaido Saphira2 years ago in Chapters
Chapter Four: Traces of the Past
Chapter 4: Traces of the Past After a night full of events and training, Ryoma began to feel the weight of unanswered questions. Why is the Crimson Sword so important? Why is the shadow of Owari haunting him? Why has his family been the guardians of this sword for generations? These questions did not leave his mind as he sat in his dark room surrounded by the deadly silence of the village.
By Kaido Saphira2 years ago in Chapters
Chapter 3: Hemari - Guardian of the Sword
After the night of the Shadows' battle with the village, Ryoma sat by a dim fire at the edge of the forest, the marks of the battle still evident on his face and clothes. He couldn't stop thinking about the mysterious spirit that had appeared to him earlier, "Crimson Dawn", and the significance of the sword he held. In this thin darkness, Ryoma sensed someone approaching.
By Kaido Saphira2 years ago in Chapters
Chapter Two: Shadow in the Night
Chapter Two: Shadow in the Night As the threats began to loom, the atmosphere of Kaizen Village became tense and anxious. People whispered about the presence of strangers hovering around the village's borders, while Ryoma felt a heavy pressure in his chest whenever he thought about his words with the Crimson Dawn. He had become the bearer of the Crimson Dawn Sword, and he now knew that this sword carried with it a huge responsibility that exceeded his current capabilities.
By Kaido Saphira2 years ago in Chapters
An unknown truth hidden in the reverse flow of the river
The day Rani disappeared, the river was flowing in the reverse direction. This strange incident created a stir in the entire village. Rani was the most beautiful and playful girl in the village. Her hair was black, wavy, like the shadow of the night, and her eyes were deep, as if there was some secret hidden in them. Everyone in the village was impressed by her soft-spokenness and mischievous antics. But that day when the river started flowing in the reverse direction, people were surprised and then someone screamed and gave the news - "Rani has disappeared!" There was chaos in the village. Some said, "This is a bad time," while others considered it a sign of some divine power. People believed that the reverse flow of the river and the disappearance of Rani was the play of some invisible power. The elders of the village said that they had never seen anything like this in their lives. They were worried whether this incident was a sign of some big trouble. Rani's parents were distraught and went out in search of her all over the village. They questioned everyone, but no one knew anything. It seemed as if she had dissolved into thin air and disappeared somewhere. Then an old woman, who lived near the hills outside the village and whom everyone knew as 'Junglewali Dadi', came to the village and announced, "The mystery of Rani's disappearance lies near that reverse flowing river. I can feel the movement of her soul." Some people in the village found the jungle grandmother's words mysterious, but they knew that she had some strange power. The grandmother suggested that they should start the search for Rani by going to the river bank. Following her advice, Rani's parents and some villagers started walking towards the river with her. As they approached the river, the atmosphere became even more strange. There was a chill in the air, and a deep silence spread all around. The river was flowing in the opposite direction, as if some unknown force had taken control of it. When everyone reached the river, suddenly the grandmother closed her eyes and went into meditation. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and said, "This river will take us to Rani. But for this we have to go with the opposite flow of the river." The villagers were confused by what the grandmother said, but they had no other option. They started walking in the opposite direction along the river. As they moved forward, the forest became denser and more mysterious. There was a strange smell in the air, like the fragrance of an unknown flower or the moisture of an old ruin. The night was falling, and then they saw an old and ruined temple on the bank of the river. The grandmother indicated to the villagers that this was the place where the queen could be found. It was pitch dark inside the temple and strange shapes were drawn on its walls. Some kind of strange energy was felt in those shapes. The grandmother lit a lamp in front of the temple and started muttering some mantras. The sound of her chanting started echoing in the forest, as if some magical waves were spreading in all four directions. Suddenly a faint light shone from inside the temple and a faint image of the queen appeared. There was a strange calmness on her face, but some hidden pain was visible in her eyes. The villagers were shocked, they had never seen such an incident. The image of the queen said in a low voice, "I am trapped here because of the reverse flow of this mysterious river. This temple is the place of an evil power that has bound me." The grandmother asked the queen, "How can you be freed, daughter?" The queen replied, "A special ritual has to be performed to calm the evil power of this temple. It will involve consecrating a holy water in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. This holy water will be taken from the place where the reverse flow of the river begins. But be careful, this place is full of dangers and only a strong willed person can bring this water." Grandmother and some villagers reached the beginning of the reverse flow of the river. As soon as they reached there, they saw a shining source of water, which seemed to symbolize some mystery. They filled the water in a vessel and cautiously returned to the temple. When they reached the temple, Rani's image was still there, but her figure was slowly blurring. Grandmother started performing Abhishek with water and offered it in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. A strange energy spread all around, and at the touch of that energy, Rani's image started turning into reality. In a few moments, Rani appeared inside the temple, but this time she was real, not a blurred image. The villagers were overjoyed. Rani softly said, "I was trapped in the bondage of this evil power, and you all freed me. This temple is no longer the same, because its powers are now gone." Rani's parents hugged her and the villagers started singing songs of joy. They thanked the grandmother, whose amazing powers and courage had led to Rani's return. Rani turned and looked at the river, which was now flowing in its normal course. It was a wonderful experience for the village, which taught them that sometimes things we cannot see are also real. After that day, the people of the village were filled with reverence for the river and the forest grandmother, because for them this day was nothing less than a miracle.
By Devender Singh2 years ago in Chapters
