Tag: Arturo

Gate Crasher

Glad you could join us for the next inhospitable episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 162
Photo credit: Rasheed Bydousi

Having no weapon, Barry pulled a torch from the ground, and joined Clifton to take up positions slightly ahead of Ambassador Arturo and Prince Elliot. The dark shapes became three Knights surrounding a massive Stinger whose tail dragged behind him on the ground.

The crowd backed away leaving a moat of safety around the new arrivals. The Knights stopped a defensible distance from the Prince, pinning the prisoner down with the butt ends of their slicers.

Continue reading “Gate Crasher”

Honored Guests

Glad you could join us for the next official episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 161
Photo credit: Mark Berkery

As the sun touched the horizon, they followed the dry staccato of an ancient cough and found the venerable leader of Freelands’ wasp community plucking dinner from a stalk of grass.

“Honored One,” Elliot called, “please forgive us for interrupting your meal. Thank you for inviting us to continue our conversation about creating an alliance between the Freelands, Bog, and Fen.”

“Elliot?” the creaky old wasp squinted at him. “Elliot! It’s good to see you and your friends, young sir. We didn’t expect you until tomorrow. Here, join me — have a bite to eat.” He held out a wiggling morsel that Barry’s tongue found almost before the invitation was extended.

Continue reading “Honored Guests”

A Question of Justice

Glad you could join us for the next philosophical episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 160
Photo credit: Brisbaneinsects.com

They fairly ran through the Bowls of Death meadow, but even if they had flown through it, Elliot couldn’t have shut out visions of the terror Cassandra endured there at the rebel Spike’s bidding. So why did his thoughts take an unbidden fork in the road?

My love is alive today because Arturo killed Spike. I believe with all my heart that he deserved to die — but was it justice?

Might it have been better to incarcerate him for the rest of his life? Maybe they could have put him to work repairing all the damage he’d done. Maybe it would have brought the families whose lives he’d ruined a sense of satisfaction to see him serving their needs.

Entering the Freelands, Elliot witnessed rebuilding everywhere he looked.

It wouldn’t have undone the deaths he caused, but is it really better that he isn’t here to help set things right? Families mourn, and then they have to repair Spike’s devastation.

What might Cassandra think?

But right now, he needed to speak with someone else.

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

Hopes and Dreams

Glad you could join us for the next progressive episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 142
Photo credit: Brian Vickers

Clifton’s eyes went wide. “The Assassin?”

He cringed and chewed his lip while Vernon told his harrowing tale of escape and endurance. Sunset shadows crept into the bower while they listened.

“Aunt Lilian— the Queen and King Arnie need to hear about this,” Clifton said. “Somebody should help those people.”

Continue reading “Hopes and Dreams”

The Verdict and Breakfast, Too

Glad you could join us for the next liberating episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 112
Photo credit: naturefit.cz

“Arturo, son of Miguel and Valeria, regarding the charges that you are responsible for the return of the rebels and the devastation they spread throughout our people’s homes in the Freelands, we find it is possible the rebels would not have come back if they had achieved their goal to begin with. Therefore, we find you are inextricably connected to the massacre.”

Arturo closed his eyes.

Continue reading “The Verdict and Breakfast, Too”

Thinking Outside the Box

Glad you could join us for the next verified episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 111
Photo credit: Maxime Courty

Leaving his post at the Box’s door, the guard became the ancient wasp’s support, speaking quietly into his ear as he led the speaker to the platform to deliver the verdict.

Arturo’s whisper shook. “What do you think he’s saying to the old one?”

Elliot’s attention snapped back from the unanswered question still hanging in the air. “No matter what it is,” he assured Arturo, “you have our support. We can ask Queen Lilian to—” A concussive blast of coughing cut Elliot off.

Continue reading “Thinking Outside the Box”

Thinking Inside the Box

Glad you could join us for the next proposed episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 110
Image credit: topolka

“Spike’s dead?” Waiting behind bars, Elliot tried to take in everything Cassandra had been through since her abduction.

“Yep,” Cassandra confirmed, “drowned to be slowly digested. Can you imagine? I had no idea plants could do that.”

Her sense of wonder amazed Elliot. “But it was almost you! You must have been terrified.” He hung his head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”

Continue reading “Thinking Inside the Box”

Breakfast Is Not Served

Glad you could join us for the next unjustified episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 109
Photo credit: Mad Max

“Hey! Watch it, up there! Prisoner down below!” The indignant cry exploded from the Hole as Elliot clung to its edge, grabbing for anything secure to keep from slipping into the abyss.

Time stopped.

“Cassandra?” he ventured.

“Elliot…? Is it really you?”

“You there!” yelled the guard zipping back to his post from a brief trip to the bushes. “Step away from the Hole. Who are you and what is your business here?”

Drawing up to his full height and dignity, Elliot countered, “I might ask you the same thing.”

Cassandra’s advice drifted up from the depths. “I wouldn’t, Elliot.”

Continue reading “Breakfast Is Not Served”

Arturo

Glad you could join us for the next trying episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 108
Photo credit: wallpaperswide.com

The further they went, the thicker the droning streams of wasps that passed overhead, all hastening in the same direction.

“Where is everyone going?” Cassandra asked her escort.

He looked grim. “To your friend’s reckoning.”

“Reckoning? What do you think he’s done?”

“Quiet!” the leader called over his shoulder.

“But we don’t even know why we’re here!” she shouted.

Continue reading “Arturo”

Confronting Apocritans

Glad you could join us for the next rebellious episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

Elliot 107
Photo credit: RMorg.org
Sometimes you must go back to catch up. She who is unnamed.

“How could anyone be so barbaric?” Cassandra and Arturo had helped his family cleanse their nest, and were once more on their way to Fen.

Arturo shrugged. “Spike was angry and bitter. It’s no excuse, but all he wanted to do was cause as much pain as he felt. D’Arc — well, he’s cold evil. He actually enjoys terrorizing and killing. When the leaders of a group are like that, they get two kinds of followers: people who feel the same way they do, and people who are afraid they’ll be the next victims.”

“They’re bullies,” Cassandra insisted. “We need to stand up to them.”

“That’s what my parents did. Look how that turned out.”

Continue reading “Confronting Apocritans”