The Beginning of the End – Forgotten

Here is the first snippet of Forgotten.

Read the original Forgotten post.

This lovely piece of work was written by my co-author friend, Ruby Miner, who has an e-mail list that I must ask her for the link so you guys can sign up.

Enjoy!

Also, if you like epic instrumentals, check this one out ; )

“You, young man, are impudent.” He growled, clenching and unclenching his massive fist.

Devon felt a small stab of fear, but he continued glaring at the massive figure hulking only a few feet away. “I’m not afraid of you,” he said.

“By this time, I hoped you would be.” The man sighed with mock sadness, “All this time, weren’t you afraid that your dear girl has been at risk?”

“Nothing you can do will stop me from protecting her,” Devon growled back. He winced at the wheezing sound he made.

Devon lunged at him, making a move to land a blow to his jaw, but the man only side-stepped in a quick way that was surprisingly fast for his weight and chuckled.

“It’s a sad thing, but what must be done will be done. No matter the cost. Unfortunately for you, my goons have her at this very moment. At my signal, she’ll be—”

“No!”

“Well, there is the possibility of you giving me the stone.”

“But—but you’ll shatter it! Or worse!”

“That is the unfortunate cost.”

He began raising his hand. Devon’s eyes widened. It was his signal to harm his daughter.

“Fine! Fine! I’ll do it,” he choked. Tears welled up in his eyes, and though he fought them back.

“Very well.” The man’s smile was wicked smile wickedly. He kept a firm grip on his shoulder as he added, “Now, where is it?”

Devon continued blinking back tears as he led the man down the hard-packed road. Waves crashed along the island’s shores, and they seemed to echo his sadness.

They walked down long avenues of coniferous trees and hills dotted with homes rolled along either side.

Devon tugged on his black cloak, drawing it closer around him against the autumn chill. And the sudden chill in his heart.

With each step, he heard the others echoing his own, a constant reminder that his world, his friends’ world, and his family’s world would never be safe from him.

They walked past a clearing and into a cluster of hard rocks. Climbing to the middle of the rocks, they stopped.

There was a large stone embedded into the center, round and crystal-clear.

He reached in and pulled it out quickly. It throbbed with both chill and warmth, connecting to his energy. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. The memories of this island, all of it, would be lost forever.

His daughter’s bright smile flashed through his vision, and the memory of her adventurous eyes seemed to pierce through him. The thought of losing her.

Gone.

He couldn’t lose her. He had to bend to the will of this despicable man.

He handed it over, carefully avoiding the man’s grubby fingertips. The stone seemed to grow dull in the new handler’s hands, and it seemed to cry for Devon.

“It’s mine. At last. Now, all the awful people I’ve known will have their judgment!” He raised the sparkling gem above his head and prepared to bring it down.

Devon closed his eyes, turning his whole back away as he heard the deafening shatter and then the tinkling of the gem as it slipped down the craggy edges of the rocks.

Already, he felt his mind reeling. Everything would be lost in just a few moments, but he had a last hope.

As the man’s resounding laughter bounced painfully into his head, he reached into the stone ruins and pulled out a large, shining object.

It was the heart of the stone, a perfectly rounded gem that dazzled his eyes. To his dismay, it was broken in half.

Just like his world would be very soon.

He stuffed it into his chest pocket before the ugly thug of a man saw anything.

He dropped to his knees, feeling the pain in his head growing until he felt an odd sort of numbness.

He tried to think of his daughter’s name.

But he couldn’t remember.

He stifled a sob.

Very soon, he wouldn’t even remember himself.

Click for the next entry in the Forgotten series.

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