Jump to content
Existing user? Sign In

Sign In



Sign Up

The Story of Gouron


Recommended Posts

Chapter 1

     My hands lay limp at my sides pulled down by the burdensome weight of my bow. The weapon I knew so well was now independent of me; something I never expected to encounter. I dragged my feet weakly across the cracked pavement which was getting filled with water from the pouring rain. I felt like even my coat might not defend me from this weather, but it held on for now. The moon was clouded by the storm leaving the sky pitch black. A weak light flickered from the window of one of the many abandoned or collapsed houses that stood beside the road. That's where I was heading. It was my home, if you could call it that. I stepped on the crooked porch of the dying structure, afraid once again that it might break from under my feet. This once lively neighborhood was left to level with the earth by humanity, as all things eventually are, and I was rotting with it. I got inside where the roof struggled to protect me from the rain, but luckily there weren't any leaks where I slept. My sleeping bag was spared. 

     The house was kind of cozy, more than it was before, but that was probably a result of me adapting. It was a single room cottage with a kitchen crammed forcefully against a part of the wall which was extruded outward shaping the room into an "L". An old chipped dining table stood beside the kitchen leaving little room for freedom. The table was marked with burns and scratches, signs of age. 1 chair accompanied the table. The other two fed the fire a few days ago when things weren't so well. Lastly, I had a corner for myself right near the fireplace where I settled with my sleeping bag. And yes, there was a fireplace in case you doubted yourself when you read that. Not everything was as bad.

     I set my bow down right beside where I slept and placed my empty quiver next to it. I always slept with my weapon. I had to. The storage cabinet disappointed me with a can of expired salmon. It was the last thing in there. Not even a piece of bread remained. Looks like Salmon was all I would be having for dinner tonight. I ate it, with the usual extreme satisfaction after having starved all day, and doubted the accuracy of expiration dates. The empty can went into my metal scrap box which I melt down every week into metal blocks to use for weapons later. People on the move are sometimes in urgent need of a sharp object regardless of quality, so I provide. There was a small town 15 miles south. It was a relatively popular travelling checkpoint for those taking the trip from the Capital down to the border, so a few coins fell in my pocket occasionally. Tomorrow however, I would have to skip my usual weekly trip. Something had happened today. Something that would bind me to my torn up shack for the next few days. I barely carried by bow back home. That's how weak I was. And my wound, well, it wasn't getting any better.

     It was dark, so I couldn't really blame myself. They had night vision optics and way stronger weapons than me. Even during the day my skills likely wouldn't bring me a successful outcome against them. I checked my side again, noticing that my shirt, which I had tied as a bandage, became redder with blood. What sparked a minor panic in me however was the unnatural color of that blood. It was strangely dark and almost sickly. Poison. I hadn't suspected it, but now it made sense. That's why everything felt so much heavier when I was walking. It was wearing me down. My body was devoting all of its attention to the new and unknown threat, unfortunately with little success. I had no money, and my last can of food just went down into my stomach. A doctor was not on my empty list of options, and my mind was so blurred that I had nothing else to add to it. I just hoped that sleep would mend me sufficiently by tomorrow that I could make a rational decision. I blew out the candle flame which danced at the entrance, leaving only the dim embers of the fireplace as a source of heat and light. I got down onto the hard floor and crawled under my thick warm sheep skin and closed my eyes into a blissful slumber. 

     5 minutes didn't pass when I found myself rudely awoken by a strange rhythmic banging on the window. The rain was pouring twice as hard now, and the fire had died entirely. I was engulfed in darkness. I grabbed for my bow instinctively but only felt the cold hard floor. It was missing, along with my quiver. My heart expressed increasing fear, and my mind urged me to hide under the covers like a frightened child, but sadly, those times were over. Now, my life depended on me, and hiding would mean giving up. I still had hope I would survive. As I tried to stand, the pain in my side amplified profoundly, sending me back down to the ground. I gasped as the glass from my window shattered suddenly. The wind immediately flew in like a torrent, sucking the warmth from my home. It was cold, dark, and wet. I tried to stand up again, this time with more success, and then I heard a voice. Its ghastly whispering was indecipherable, but chilled right through to the bone. Then it gradually got louder. My eyes darted around the room in trepidation. A strong wave of wind burst in through the window knocking down my metal candle stand. I jumped. I couldn't take the suspense any longer. Either someone was there or someone wasn't. 

"Who's there!? Answer me now coward! If it is my life you seek, take it! There is no need to put on such a scene!" I shouted confidently. I was good at hiding my inner fear.

     The whispering ceased. Nothing happened for the next 5 minutes. Then the wind ceased as well. I began to notice as I stood there for a while that everything around me was slowly fading; the colors, the room itself, and even the smell of wood from the fireplace. Everything was going dark.

     I woke up, struggling to breathe. It was just another nightmare. I looked down at my wound to see that it had spread like a plague. The exposed flesh was crusted with a diseased black coating, which progressed through my skin. That's when I also noticed that I was laying in a puddle. I had been bleeding badly all this time, and a sizable pool of blood formed under me. I was beginning to feel dizzy and nauseous. My vision was indeed fading. The dream wasn't for nothing. I was dying, alone, with no one around me. I couldn't shout, because I was amidst desolation. I couldn't get up, because I would only collapse back down. The hope that I had kindled was blown out with the wind. 

     The sun's rays beamed through my broken window. It was the dawn of a new day, and ironically, the end of mine. I looked beside me where my weapon should be, but to my surprise, found it missing. The dream didn't lie about that either. Did I push it away in my sleep, or sleep walk with it somewhere? No, there was no way. I couldn't even get up. There was no possible way I could have taken it anywhere. I wasn't alone. Someone was there with me. Someone who had the opportunity to kill me but didn't take it. Perhaps I still had a chance, or perhaps they robbed me and left, in which case, there was no chance at all.

===============================================================================================================

Hey everyone. Let me know what you thought of this start. I know there was no omo in this chapter, but I hope to include it somehow eventually. I just wanted to start writing something a part from my 2 interactives so I just sat down and let my idea flow onto the page, or, webpage I suppose. Anyways, hope to hear some opinions!

Oh and oops, this isnt supposed to be in interactive stories 🤦‍♂️ Anyone know how to move it?

Edited by ShadowPhantom (see edit history)
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...