New Project chapter 1 & 2

Note: This is a new project I am working on. I am about a quarter of the way through my first draft but would like to see what people think so far.

Feel free to comment

Chapter 1

"Lamentable indeed that thou earnest not sooner! I have eaten of the furnace of Hades. Nevertheless, as I reverence the entry here of Thine Augustness my lovely elder brother, I wish to return. Moreover I will discuss it particularly with the Deities of Hades.Look not at me!" – The Kojiki: Volume 1

“Do you agree to the ante?” The cloaked figure stopped shuffling the cards and looked across the table at his opponent.

The man stared back fidgeting uneasily; his cotton uniform rubbed against his sweaty skin making him itch.

The figure allowed his hood to drop further over his face hiding his features within the dark shadow behind the heavy black material.

Nervously the man wiped away a bead of sweat that tickled his cheek and nodded. “I.I.I agree t.t.t.to the terms.” He stuttered.

Without a reply the hooded figure began to deal, his hands moved at a speed his opponent thought to be impossible. The cards slid effortlessly across the surface of the polished table stopping in front of the man inches from the table edge.

The figure picked up the five cards he had dealt himself, the sleeves of his cloak fell back revealing a pair of pale hands, his long thin fingers stretched out over the cards gently caressing the smooth backs. From within the shadows of his hood he intently watched the man fan out his own cards.

“The game starts with you.” His voice made the man cringe the same way he used to when his teachers chalked scratched on the chalk board.

Looking at his cards the man shivered as the temperature in the room seemed to drop, he arranged the cards in his hand placing two face down on the table. “I’ll take two.” His voice had lost its nervous edge as his confidence in the game took control.

Placing two of his own cards face down next to his opponents the cloaked figured dealt again from the top of the deck, adding two cards to the mans hand before adding two to his own.

Starring at his cards the man began to grin, slowly he placed his cards face up on the table “Full house, Aces and tens. Beat that.”

“Pity.”

“Yeah, now when do I get my prize?”

“You don’t!” The figures voice echoed around the dark room. “It’s a pity you didn't have this card.” The figure placed the Ace of spades on the table.

“So you have the last Ace, it still doesn't beat a full house”

The figure slowly lowered the remaining cards to the table laying them in a neat row next to the Ace. “I think I will claim my prize now.”

Stunned the man looked at the cards placed in front of him, “That’s impossible.”

Next to the ace lay the two, three, four and five of spades.

The figure pushed away from the table his chair caught in a deep crack and fell backwards crashing loudly onto the stone floor; standing at his full height he leaned across the table pulled his hood back from his head revealing his face for the first time.

The man reached down groping the floor for his rifle, remembering to late that he had left it in his room, he opened his mouth to shout a warning to the rest of his squad, air rushed out silently.

Pulling his hood back over his head the figure watched the man drop to the floor lifeless “You will make a fine addition.”

Chapter 2

The corpses of doomed men fall,

the gods' dwellings are reddened with crimson blood;

sunshine becomes black the next summer,

all weather is vicious; do you understand yet, or what more? – Poetic Edda, Voluspa

“Damn, this is to high” Bryan dared a look over the side of the carriage to the floor below, the last time he had looked over Fran had been visible smiling and waving back up at him, this time Fran’s normally unmistakable build had become a black dot no different to the other black dots that scurried around reminding him of the ants in the ant farm he had owned as a child.

“You better hold on tight mate.”

“Why did I let you talk me into sitting in the front?”

Following Steve’s example Bryan gripped his harness as the clicking of the chain stopped, the carriage seemed to hang as it reached the top of the hill, teasing him with the drop that was soon to follow.

Steve turned to face him and winked.

The carriage tipped forward giving Bryan a full view of the steep drop; his pride forgotten he opened his mouth and screamed. Wind whistled past his ears, stealing the air from his lungs and cutting his scream short as the carriage raced down the hill forcing him back into his seat as it rushed towards the loop that loomed up from the track in front of him, closing his eyes he tried to imagine himself back on the ground holding a cold beer.

“You can open your eyes now”

Opening his eyes Bryan looked into Steve’s smile, the sparkle of his polished white teeth almost blinding as they reflected the light of the hot sun.

With a hiss the hydraulics locks that held the shoulder harness in place disengaged and the harness slowly rose into the air. Bryan Peeled his hands from the padded handles, his white knuckles tingling as blood started to flow back into his fingers. “I’m never doing that again.”

Brian stepped carefully from the carriage his legs wobbling beneath him, “I need to sit down.”

“You look white as a ghost man.” Steve turned chuckling to himself as he disappeared down the exit steps.

Wiggling his fingers Bryan slowly followed, he slid his hand over the banister enjoying the feel of the cold metal that soothed his hot skin. “I’m not going on the next ride.” He shouted watching Steve’s tight corn rolls disappear round another bend.

Muttering under his breath about never going on a roller-coaster again Bryan turned the corner he had watched Steve turn earlier, he looked up from the ground in time to avoid bouncing off Fran’s barrel of a chest, “Jesus did no one tell you’ It’s a bad idea to stand in the middle of a walkway?”

“Sorry mate, Steve showed up with out you and said you were looking ill, I came to check you were OK.”

Bryan felt his ears start to warm up and knew they would be turning red. “Sorry didn't mean to snap, that coaster just shook me up that’s all.”

“No worries, Steve said he’ll meet us by that water ride he wants to go on.”

Bryan walked along side Fran his feet moving just short of a jog as he tried to keep up with his long stride. A smile spread across his face as the memory of when they had first met flashed into his mind.

Steve had been the first to bring up the subject of Fran up “The General” he had called him. Bryan remembered listening to his friends as they shared rumors of Fran that got more exaggerated the more beer they had consumed; it had even been suggest he had been involved in violence at football matches.

Looking up at the tall figure that had started to pull away ahead of him Bryan smiled again, all the rumors had mostly been false; over time he had learned that Fran’s march like walk was what had earned him his nickname.

“Hey, watch were your going!”

Bryan jumped, the harsh voice snatching him away from his thoughts.

“This was my best shirt you clumsy prick!”

Brown water fizzed and dripped from the chin of the man who owned the harsh voice, Bryan looked down at the stain that had started to spread across the expensive looking white T-shirt.

“Sorry, I didn't see you.”

“Sorry isn't going to replace my ruined shirt is it?”

Stepping back Bryan retreated from the advancing man vaguely aware of the metal barrier that blocked his escape and the crowd that had started to gather around them, the mans eyes appeared to bulge from his bald head as he continued to close the gap Bryan had managed to put between them, grinding his teeth the man raised a clenched first into the air.

“Move!”

Stopping in his tracks the man scanned the crowd looking for the disembodied voice, Bryan pressed against the metal railing the bars cold on his back and followed the mans gaze watching as the crowd began to part. Fran marched through the middle of the growing gap shoving aside the people who hadn't been quick enough to obey his command.

Brushing past the last line of spectators Fran stepped into the open space between Bryan and the man, “What’s the problem?”

“This is.” Lifting his T-shirt the man showed the dark stain to a blank faced Fran. “It’ll never come out and he owes me for this”. The man pointed at Bryan who had edged closer to the crowd.

Turning to face the man Fran straitened his back and puffed out his chest standing to his full height “Bet it’s easier to get out than blood.”

The man appeared to shrink as he stepped back and fumbled with his shirt, “Yeah I guess.” He mumbled looking away from Fran.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“The stain will come out its fine.” Spotting the gap in the crowd still open from Fran’s entrance the man turned on his heels and ran, quickly disappearing into the theme park.

Fran waited for the crowd to thin as they realised the fun was over and no blood would be spilled before walking to Bryan’s side “What was that all about?”

“I walked into him, guess I spilled his drink.”

“You’re sound though, yeah?”

“Yeah I’m fine.”

“We’d best find Steve, he’ll be wondering where we've got to.” Bryan followed letting Fran lead the way.

They found Steve looking up at a large Viking head that had been made to look as if it had been cut into the side of a cliff “This is it” he made no effort to disguise the excitement in his voice.

“You’re like a big kid sometimes” Fran said giving him a playful nudge.

“So are you two coming on then? The queues short so we don’t have to wait.”

“I’ll wait if that’s alright.” Bryan mumbled and waited for Steve to demand a reason for his reluctance to go on the ride, he felt lucky he’d got away without having to explain why he had been late with Fran and was sure he wouldn't get lucky twice.

“I’m up for it.” Fran grabbed Steve’s arm pulling him away before he had time to question Bryan and dragged him towards the line of Viking long boats waiting for there next passengers. “We’d better get inline before everyone else beats us to it.” Looking over his shoulder he gave Bryan a knowing nod and dragged Steve through the zigzag of metal railings that made up the queue.