Sunday, September 19, 2010

After the Original Horatio Story (draft)

The streamtrain pulled to a sluggish stop at the Brokeridge Flats train station. Billows of steam pushed out into the throngs of waiting passengers on the platform as Horatio and Sarah descended the small stepladders down from the train carriage, "Church mentioned something about a temple," Sarah said, eyeing the platform, "do you know what he was talking about?"

Horatio paused momentarily, his fingers caressing his unshaven chin, "I would stake my life he means the Temple of the Unending Life," the two began to walk towards the station's exit, "It's the only likely candidate. The temple was forged from the side wall of a volcano hundreds of years ago by a group of rogue priests searching for eternal life - the Gods' Gift, they called it. I would bet that is where Crook has taken the goblet."

A small shudder wracked the station, knocking a few older passengers off balance, "And it looks like we're running out of time. The early tremors have begun." Horatio's gaze turned icy as he walked towards the information desk, "Excuse me, but how long ago did these tremors start?"
"Oh, prob'ly a day or so ago," said the man at the desk, "Gov'ment says t'ain't nothin' to be frettin' on, just one o' them old volcano's shaken its weight around. Should be headin' back to sleep sometime soon, I reckon."
"Not likely," Horatio said under his breath, "thank you." The began to walk with purpose towards the exit.
"Wait a moment," Sarah said, a confused tone to her voice, "I didn't know there were this many volcano's this side of the continent - didn't you say you went through one in the tunnels of fire and ice, too?"
"Yes," Horatio said, stones in his voice, "it seems unusual, but the government keeps quiet about how many actual active, or post-active, volcanos there are on the continental United States. They don't want to scare anybody away, so they tell everyone they're all dormant. It's nothing but lies."

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