The jailer eyes me with clear suspicion. Kym had suggested a haircut and a shave to avoid recognition, but I worry it may not have been enough. The chubby man sitting at the desk looks from me to the papers sitting before him. His eyes move over the words, darting back up to me forContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 12 EPILOGUE/FINALE”
Tag Archives: Nana
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 11
The sun lowers and eventually hides beneath the horizon. The picturesque eponymous surroundings come to life as we draw near the end of our journey. With every mile, Nana’s body becomes that much warmer. It does not become uncomfortable, but I do wonder why. I think to ask, but with how limited her speech hasContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 11”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 10
We ride most of the morning and into the afternoon. The leaves around us rustle in the wind, back to their natural greens. Few fellow travelers pass us by, but those who do offer a polite greeting and a friendly smile. A warm welcome compared to our latest run-in with strangers to say the least.Continue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 10”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 9
A rooster crows somewhere outside. The sudden sound rouses me from my slumber. The house is quiet, and the room is dark. The candles on the walls still hold little wax pillars that drip down to the base. Blown out, despite the lack of an open window, or a window at all. In the cornerContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 9”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 8
Through the dark void shines a light. A pinpoint at first, far into the eternity. With every step it grows, the pinpoint becoming a dot on a page, a fly, a child’s fist. Once its illuminance is big enough, a woman stands in the center of it. A cat’s eye, white and bright and hopeful.Continue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 8”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 7
In the waning dusk, the Everglow Wood shows the world why it has been named such. As the sun lowers itself for sleep, the leaves come alive. The greenery illuminates a periwinkle, the host of trees lighting the path that winds through them. Up above, between the gaps of the glorious canopy, the sky turnsContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 7”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 6
On the outskirts of the looming forest sits a building, just off the road. A path ventures from the main vein, leading up to the steps of the porch. Two-tiered and wooden, its four windows watch the road like unblinking eyes. The chimney lets loose a stream of smoke. Save for the sign sitting outContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 6”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 5
“I don’t know whether to laugh or vomit,” a voice wakes me. Max, sitting up and watching from his bed, sends a humored disbelief my way. The candles on the dresser are relit, and Max slides back into his boots. Nana still has her arm around me, right where she left it, and her eyesContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 5”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 4
True to the stablewoman’s word, as we round the hill, a cluster of buildings comes into view. The galloping horses slow as we draw near and pass under a great wooden sign declaring the area as Fiona’s Rest. Small houses line the street, giving way to a strip of commerce. Though most have closed theirContinue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 4”
Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 2
The boards creak as we head up the stairs and into the hall. Doors line the walls on either side, each a private place to catch one’s forty winks. The space between each door gets wider the further down we go, the room requiring extra space for an additional bed or, as we progress, more.Continue reading “Rokkoh and the Old Woman, Chapter 2”
Tyler Gohde 