Audio Read-along:
"Damn the man," Jerard Krochetus muttered, his bright blue eye glaring into the depths of his coffee tin. It was empty, and last night's gin had swallowed his last dime.
Grumbling, he tossed the container onto the counter and grabbed the half-empty gin bottle. Might as well.
He took a swig and tipped a jar of button mushrooms into a bubbling cauldron inside his cabin. Steam rose, filling the air with a sweet, earthy aroma. He closed his eyes, shoving a toadstool into his mouth and chewing quickly. Tears welled up, and he pinched his nose, forcing it down before ladling a cup from the cauldron, ready to embrace bliss.
It was a crude form of pain management, but it worked. Warmth spread from his fingertips to his heart, loosening the knots of pain accumulated from long years in magical service. His stiff back eased, and he exhaled slowly, the air fluttering through his grey beard.
Jerard lay in his porch hammock, relishing the void: no pain, no sadness, no whirlwind of thoughts. The wood around him was calm.
Too calm. His eyes snapped open, but he remained motionless. The usual symphony of birds was silent. No wind whispered through the leaves—nothing stirred. It was uncanny, unsettling. Rising slowly, he stumbled off into the trees to investigate.
As he wandered, the shadows deepened, and his sense of forboding grew. Hours seemed to pass in a blink, and suddenly, Jerard awoke on the forest's edge, his mind a blank slate. The only remnants of the day were a stabbing headache and a chilling emptiness where his memories should have been. As he sat up, leaves rustled ominously under him, the forest seemingly whispering secrets he no longer knew.
He didn't have time to ruminate. At that moment, he spotted a commotion nearby—townspeople were streaming out of their homes, yelling and arguing. Their faces were etched with concern and fear, mirroring the unease gnawing at his gut. Picking himself off the ground, Jerard headed into town, hoping his dread was nothing more than a drunk's regret.
He was hindered by the terrain, which was thick with brush. The sun had already set, and twilight deepened into night, shrouding everything in shadows. It was hard to see. He tripped spectacularly in the dark, but the thick carpet of vegetation on the forest floor cushioned his fall.
This was stupid. Pulling out his battered wand, he uttered an incantation, and light bloomed out from the tip. He took a look around, trying to get his bearings.
The sudden glow revealed a gruesome sight—a corpse, bloated and oozing, staring up at him with lifeless eyes. Jerard recoiled, dropping his wand in shock. He hastily picked it up and, with trembling hands, held it high to pierce the darkness.
The corpse's hand was unnaturally positioned, pointing towards a hollow tree. Trembling, Jerard approached and found a whispering echo emanating from within: 'Return what was taken.' The voice, spectral yet familiar, sent shivers down his spine. As he turned to flee, the forest seemed to close in around him, branches twisting into sinister shapes. Someone or something wanted Jerard to pay for past sins.
Ok, I'm sold - this is SUCH an exciting start and looks right up my alley! Love Jerard's character and the setting is so vivid in my mind - I am very much looking forward to escaping here after work!
I enjoyed this so much! Great story well told. Thanks for the fun Salena!