The Warden of Wayward Souls :: Chapter XVII
Aug 21, 2015 16:31:03 GMT -5
Sadistic and Judge like this
Post by Stormm on Aug 21, 2015 16:31:03 GMT -5
It was the first time he'd ever stepped foot there, and it was as daunting as his mind had ever thought it to be, if not more. The sky burned of reds, oranges, and yellows; that of which he'd never witnessed before. It was as if, in just that spot on the globe, the atmosphere was at war with itself. Despite all of the tales that has been spun of the fabled Hangtown, Justin felt welcomed, even if the air surrounding him invited feelings of unease, and sent shivers up and down his spine, as it should.
He had just arrived, but the familiarity of it all was astonishing. Even as nature played havoc on the skies and the very air he breathed, it was as if he'd been there before, many times before. There were expectations of everything unimaginable, and perhaps under different circumstances, that's what he would have been welcomed with. But on that day, he was welcomed, as if he was already a part of the myth; like Hangtown had been waiting for his arrival.
Despite his unusually posh attire, for Hangtown anyway, nobody seemed to bat an eyelash at him. The children still ran in the street, trundling their hoops, and the rest of the town's hustle and bustle (if you could call it that) pressed on per the norm. His presence did not go completely unnoticed, however, as a magician in a lavish top hat had followed the Force of Nature into town. He had been spotted on the outskirts, passing the traveling faire that seemed to be more of a fixture of Hangtown than a temporary escape, and seemed to stalk him.
The man in the top hat had a full on entourage in his escapades, including his partner, a barely clothed mannequin with a pink wig with whom he spoke regularly, asking questions, and seemingly getting a response. Justin didn't quite understand the gimmick, but the magician really did put on a spectacle when trying to draw a crowd. There was something odd about that mannequin, though, despite the lack of any character at all. Maybe it was the pink hair, trying to stand out, and make up for the lack of, anything really. Chances were, it was just a distraction.
A herd of small animals seemed to follow the magician about as well, which to really think about it, wasn't all that magical. The only part of his act that caught Justin's eye, despite his hat, was the rabbit's foot that hung around his neck that he couldn't stop rubbing.
However, there were aspects of the magician and his lifeless partner that others fancied. Two ragamuffins had been fixated on the golden belt buckles that both he and the mannequin wore. They had done everything they could to grab them, but they weren't fast enough to snatch them, strong enough to take them, or smart enough to acquire them. When all else failed, they turned to the sharp dressed man who had just arrived in town, and asked him to buy them for them. When the Force of Nature refused to do such a thing, they took it upon themselves to follow him around, calling him names, and blaming him for their failures.
Leave it to children to spew such venom that lacked any potency at all.
Justin wasn't an unreasonable man, however, as he offered to help feed the two rag clad boys and escort them home, even if the urge to feed them to the wolves had all but consumed him. They of course accepted, reluctantly, and continued to argue amongst themselves about the golden belt buckles they probably would never acquire while following him about.
Accompanied by the burning sky, the three made their way about town, leaving the magician and his band of misfits in their wake. Something about them, though, made Justin realize that it wouldn't be the last he's seen of them.
From the side show, it was only fitting that the freak show came next. A man pointing to the moon, which shared the sky with the setting sun, all clad in aluminum bits and metal scraps came running at the Force of Nature and his raggedy followers. The language he spoke, nothing of this earth, which made sense as he claimed to be from the stars.
He was a fun a distraction for the immature boys, but was nothing but a nuisance for Mr. Michaels. It was still unclear why he was even in Hangtown, even to him, but he had taken the road less traveled, and found the hidden path to the town that only those who were born there, as well as a very select few, would ever say they've seen.
The space man wore thin rather quickly, though, and it didn't take long before the dirt children started to kick at his shoddy suit of armor. The Force of Nature was ready to be rid of them all, so he pushed aside the man from the cosmos, and pressed on.
Guttersnipe one and guttersnipe two were quickly back at each other's throats about their failures of obtaining the shiny belt buckles, something that, from the sound of things, they had been dreaming about for years, but the magician and his misfits had never made their way into town from the faire, until that day. Of course, after a few flailing punches shared back and forth, their attention soon turned back to Justin, as it was easier to blame him than it would be to choke back the fact they didn't have what it took to claim them for themselves.
The incessant moaning had definitely gotten to Justin's last nerve, and dove for the first sign of food that he could find. A man under an awning selling large helpings of chips and melted cheese, a delicacy you wouldn't expect to find in the backwoods atmosphere of Hangtown, was where the three of them ended up. He wore a mask, which seemed to intimidate the children, despite the picture of the man without his facial cover being on full display. It was of no mind to the Force of Nature, who at that point had one goal; to get the dodge out of Hell without incident.
The masked food peddler resisted the patronage up front, perhaps due to the dirt covered youths following a man who dressed above those in town, or maybe because he sensed that Justin felt above the rabble he had willing walked among. He couldn't help it if it were mostly true, but he was there anyway, so he was no different than them, despite his fancy cloth or difference in opinions.
It wasn't until after the metal scrap space man came and purchased sustenance from him, and whispered into his ear, that he provided the younglings the food they so desperately desired. It wouldn't be enough for them, though, as nothing would fill the void in their guts that they will always feel. An emptiness they'll never supply, not as long as those golden belt buckles were firmly around the waists of the magician and his mannequin.
Perhaps the Force of Nature would return someday, and with the burning clouds as his ally, would take those belt buckles, and dangle them in front of the ragamuffins as penance for what they had put him through that day. Their importance was of no matter, but to claim them for his own, because nobody else would want him to have them, was good enough reason to want them.
With stomachs full of cheese and chip, Justin had sent the boys on their way, their nuisance quelled for a time, and continued to press on.
Still unsure of what he was doing there, and if he needed to be looking for something in particular was still a mystery for him, but Hangtown seemed to have a way of knowing what everyone was doing, and why. As if his conscience had asked the boondocks for assistance, it obliged, and three shadows appeared before the Force of Nature, and he knew.
NEX ADDO
He had just arrived, but the familiarity of it all was astonishing. Even as nature played havoc on the skies and the very air he breathed, it was as if he'd been there before, many times before. There were expectations of everything unimaginable, and perhaps under different circumstances, that's what he would have been welcomed with. But on that day, he was welcomed, as if he was already a part of the myth; like Hangtown had been waiting for his arrival.
Despite his unusually posh attire, for Hangtown anyway, nobody seemed to bat an eyelash at him. The children still ran in the street, trundling their hoops, and the rest of the town's hustle and bustle (if you could call it that) pressed on per the norm. His presence did not go completely unnoticed, however, as a magician in a lavish top hat had followed the Force of Nature into town. He had been spotted on the outskirts, passing the traveling faire that seemed to be more of a fixture of Hangtown than a temporary escape, and seemed to stalk him.
The man in the top hat had a full on entourage in his escapades, including his partner, a barely clothed mannequin with a pink wig with whom he spoke regularly, asking questions, and seemingly getting a response. Justin didn't quite understand the gimmick, but the magician really did put on a spectacle when trying to draw a crowd. There was something odd about that mannequin, though, despite the lack of any character at all. Maybe it was the pink hair, trying to stand out, and make up for the lack of, anything really. Chances were, it was just a distraction.
A herd of small animals seemed to follow the magician about as well, which to really think about it, wasn't all that magical. The only part of his act that caught Justin's eye, despite his hat, was the rabbit's foot that hung around his neck that he couldn't stop rubbing.
However, there were aspects of the magician and his lifeless partner that others fancied. Two ragamuffins had been fixated on the golden belt buckles that both he and the mannequin wore. They had done everything they could to grab them, but they weren't fast enough to snatch them, strong enough to take them, or smart enough to acquire them. When all else failed, they turned to the sharp dressed man who had just arrived in town, and asked him to buy them for them. When the Force of Nature refused to do such a thing, they took it upon themselves to follow him around, calling him names, and blaming him for their failures.
Leave it to children to spew such venom that lacked any potency at all.
Justin wasn't an unreasonable man, however, as he offered to help feed the two rag clad boys and escort them home, even if the urge to feed them to the wolves had all but consumed him. They of course accepted, reluctantly, and continued to argue amongst themselves about the golden belt buckles they probably would never acquire while following him about.
Accompanied by the burning sky, the three made their way about town, leaving the magician and his band of misfits in their wake. Something about them, though, made Justin realize that it wouldn't be the last he's seen of them.
From the side show, it was only fitting that the freak show came next. A man pointing to the moon, which shared the sky with the setting sun, all clad in aluminum bits and metal scraps came running at the Force of Nature and his raggedy followers. The language he spoke, nothing of this earth, which made sense as he claimed to be from the stars.
He was a fun a distraction for the immature boys, but was nothing but a nuisance for Mr. Michaels. It was still unclear why he was even in Hangtown, even to him, but he had taken the road less traveled, and found the hidden path to the town that only those who were born there, as well as a very select few, would ever say they've seen.
The space man wore thin rather quickly, though, and it didn't take long before the dirt children started to kick at his shoddy suit of armor. The Force of Nature was ready to be rid of them all, so he pushed aside the man from the cosmos, and pressed on.
Guttersnipe one and guttersnipe two were quickly back at each other's throats about their failures of obtaining the shiny belt buckles, something that, from the sound of things, they had been dreaming about for years, but the magician and his misfits had never made their way into town from the faire, until that day. Of course, after a few flailing punches shared back and forth, their attention soon turned back to Justin, as it was easier to blame him than it would be to choke back the fact they didn't have what it took to claim them for themselves.
The incessant moaning had definitely gotten to Justin's last nerve, and dove for the first sign of food that he could find. A man under an awning selling large helpings of chips and melted cheese, a delicacy you wouldn't expect to find in the backwoods atmosphere of Hangtown, was where the three of them ended up. He wore a mask, which seemed to intimidate the children, despite the picture of the man without his facial cover being on full display. It was of no mind to the Force of Nature, who at that point had one goal; to get the dodge out of Hell without incident.
The masked food peddler resisted the patronage up front, perhaps due to the dirt covered youths following a man who dressed above those in town, or maybe because he sensed that Justin felt above the rabble he had willing walked among. He couldn't help it if it were mostly true, but he was there anyway, so he was no different than them, despite his fancy cloth or difference in opinions.
It wasn't until after the metal scrap space man came and purchased sustenance from him, and whispered into his ear, that he provided the younglings the food they so desperately desired. It wouldn't be enough for them, though, as nothing would fill the void in their guts that they will always feel. An emptiness they'll never supply, not as long as those golden belt buckles were firmly around the waists of the magician and his mannequin.
Perhaps the Force of Nature would return someday, and with the burning clouds as his ally, would take those belt buckles, and dangle them in front of the ragamuffins as penance for what they had put him through that day. Their importance was of no matter, but to claim them for his own, because nobody else would want him to have them, was good enough reason to want them.
With stomachs full of cheese and chip, Justin had sent the boys on their way, their nuisance quelled for a time, and continued to press on.
Still unsure of what he was doing there, and if he needed to be looking for something in particular was still a mystery for him, but Hangtown seemed to have a way of knowing what everyone was doing, and why. As if his conscience had asked the boondocks for assistance, it obliged, and three shadows appeared before the Force of Nature, and he knew.
NEX ADDO
