Mortimer's Adventure

Named MoleSk'ine pronounced Mole-Ski-NUH, but the nuh is slightly subtle; almost dropping completely off and silent at the end. Which Mortimer thought was fitting since all the book did was cause him to be entangled in grave and dangerous peril.

The book promised a glorious prize at the end of its quest, but in each conclusion so far. All that was found was death and more death. Gruesome hideous death actually. Each of the other members, 20 to be exact, had all met with horrible fates. Stabbed, shot, beheaded, burned, eaten, blown-up, strangled, buried alive, crushed, decayed, dismembered, disemboweled (that one was the grossest, Mortimer actually threw up and fainted. The book laughed hysterically.) Where was I... ah yes, 20 members dead. Which number was I on, hold on a tic gotta go back and look? The count thus far is 12, disemboweled. Excellent; We start with the magic number 13, pulled a part, run over twice (the first time did not take), drowned, frozen, sawed in half. That was rather tedious, I should say. All the screaming and the begging. Ugh. The saw missed completely; well... you get the picture and if you do not allow your imagination to do the wondering, filling in the blanks where you will.

Huh... Drats! It has gone by so fast, we just finished with 17.

18 slipped and fell broke her neck, the poor dear. She was being chased by something Big in the dark with claws, teeth and a bad case of congestion, but to simply not look where you are going. That is simply poor manners if you ask me. Begging to get hurt. The book made a gruesome noise, like cracking of fingers in a stretch, as the cover and pages molded themselves into a devilish smile of delight.

The 19th victim, er, I mean hero and crusader was poisoned when he decided to drink from a brook of fresh water. He did ask the "All KNOWING and Mightily Dashing Book MoleSk'ine" and I may have said, "yes, he could drink from it; but I never said it would be good for him."

The 20th members cause of death has been determined to be Exsanguination. Pesky things those Vampires.

They have nests ALL OVER these woods.

Just coming here, we were bound to run into one or two at some point, but a nest. It would take extremely bad luck or a fantastic evil genius to find a whole nest. I for one am going with the bad luck.

Mortimer stood as stiff as a board and watched the book rattle on and continue its rant of all the deaths it had led the troupe to. The book spoke mostly to itself, as it toured through the gruesome tale it had wrought. It did however look, if Mortimer could call it looking, for he saw no eyes on the book anywhere, but the edge of the cover and pages that the book was using to speak from pointed Mortimer’s way and spoke at him. The book MoleSki'ne, was found and opened by one of the members of the 20, the first adventurer to die. The book had promised wonderful riches and fame, but a needful quest had to be sought out and completed first. A number needed to be met in order to solve the quest. The number was 20 and each member of the 20 had died, each and every adventurer.

Mortimer was an extra contestant. He was number 21.

Every time one of the members died, the book was picked up by a remaining member and carried. The little book was the map, the little book was the guide, the little black book was the key to the sought-after treasure. The little black book was an evil imp named MoleSki'ne and he had a quota to fill. 20 was his quota and anything after that, was a given freebie.

His and his alone.

"Well Mortimer," laughed MoleSki'ne "Alas, You've been fun, but your time has come."

"Okay," said Mortimer.

MoleSki'ne hovered and turned sideways to speak "What do you mean, Okay."

"Nothing," said Mortimer.

Mortimer picked up his pack and out of habit picked up the pack of his owner, Lord Nushin.

"What are you doing," asked MoleSki'ne?

"If I'm to die, I'm gonna die free. Choosing for myself how to go. Since all I have ever known is how to work. Then that is what I'll do. Work hard right to the end, knowing I did all I could do," replied Mortimer.

Mortimer slung his master’s pack over his own pack. Just as he done countless times before. He picked up the dropped sword, returned it to its scabbard, strapped it into place and picked up the other strewn items that his Master Nushin had dropped.

His Master was always a little sloppy, but Mortimer did not mind being diligent for him.

Mortimer smiled, with that thought.

Which would probably be his last smile.

"Why don't you come over here and grab ahold of me, we can go and get the riches I've promised," said MoleSki'ne. Like thumbing pages of a closed book, the pages ruffled, fluffed, and shuffled as spoken words emanated from between MoleSki’ne’s hard covers as they creaked and cracked. His hard spine bristled and crackled, arching like a cat’s back pointing Mortimer’s direction.

“I know my way back. I have been taught by my Master to mark a trail and to watch for natures guideposts in order to find my way home,” Mortimer defiantly spoke. “If you can’t kill me out right and I have to choose to grab a hold of you, from what you're trying to get me to do, then I choose to leave you here in the middle of this Horror.”

MoleSki'ne let a defiant scream of rage and protest. Spinning himself one way in the air and back the other way. Snarling under his breath and having a quiet conversation with himself.

Mortimer continued to pack and once he was sure that he had everything for his journey. He looked towards the way he must go. He paused, turning towards the direction where his Master had died and gave a silent prayer. Opening his eyes, he spun back towards the exit path and set out at once. Placing one hand on the hilt of the sword just in case.

"A CONTRACT WAS MADE AND A PRICE WAS... Agreed-Upon, the contract is Over the payment in Fulfillment" raged MoleSki’ne.

Mortimer turned to see what the ruckus was about, and a bright light sparked leaving behind a large bag hovering in the air. Gravity caught up to the bag dumping it with a hard thud onto the ground.

“What is this,” asked Mortimer skeptically? “

“This is the price for the end of the adventure,” MoleSki’ne said.

“What price? You said there would be treasure, fame and fortune to be had. At the end of the adventure. I figured you’ve lied about everything since everyone is dead,” replied Mortimer.

“I didn't exactly lie, per'se. There was all of that; But it was mine to be had, not yours. I bring in 20 and I would get 20,000 diamonds, plus treasure and fame. Yet, if but one did not take the bait and ultimately die, I would have to give up the 20,000 diamonds in trade for the exchange. That was the deal. Now come get your prize so I can leave,” MoleSki’ne growled.

"Is this some sort of trick, I touch the bag I die instead?” asked Mortimer.

"No trick,” said MoleSki’ne.

"Promise?” asked Mortimer

"Promise!” said an irritated MoleSki’ne.

Mortimer pondered the bag for a few moments and asked another question. "You wouldn-"

"BOY! I HAVE GIVEN YOU MY PROMISE. MY PROMISE AND MY WORD IS GOOD! I ANSWER TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY THEN YOU, AND HE EXPECTS WAGERS AND PROMISES TO BE KEPT!" screamed MoleSki'ne with frustration.

"Now be a good lad and PICK UP THE BAG," MoleSki’ne demanded through gritted pages.

Mortimer reached out to touch the bag, hesitated and stood back up.

"It is an awful long way to carry this back and the look of that bag, the way it hit the ground. I can tell it’s awfully heavy. Is there anything else you're leaving out of that pact that I should know," inquired Mortimer.

Mortimer was hoping that there would be a straight way through this maze. Carrying treasure out would be a burden he had not banked on.

"uh no, no, I don't think there is," said MoleSki'ne quietly. The book half turned away and rocked back and forth.

"Well. Since I haven't received the payment and since it’s too heavy, I'll leave it here,” muttered Mortimer.

MoleSki'ne lost it and started thrashing about losing bits of pages and I dare say spit from his temper tantrum.

Mortimer started his way back and moved up a small incline to an upper ridge. Hoisting himself and leveraging his body weight forward he traversed the ridge and made it to the top.

MoleSki'ne was already at the top of the ridge, hovering motionless above the ground, the sack of jewels sat next to him.

"I wasn't being completely forthright and honest,” said MoleSki’ne, “You've made your point. Will you take the payment?"

"Forthright about what? Honest about what," asked Mortimer?

"Logistics, and blah, blah, blah. The point is: YOU safe and Sound with your prize," said a defeated MoleSki’ne.

"Okay. Then. I'd like to go to-," began Mortimer.

"Just think it," rasped MoleSki'ne "hold the bag and we'll go there."

Mortimer bent down and reached for the bag, taking one last look at MoleSki'ne.

"I'm true to my WORD" emphasized MoleSki'ne.

Mortimer grabbed the bag tightly and thought hard of home. His family, his front room, his dog, the smells of home.

A bright light enveloped him, and his butt hit the hardwood floor hard. Mortimer blinked rapidly and often trying to orient himself to his newfound surroundings.

He was home.

"Satisfied," inquired MoleSki'ne?

"Very," replied Mortimer.

MoleSki'ne drifted away from Mortimer. "I hope we never see each other again!”

The little black book spun vertically in place and evaporated with a quick bright light and a tiny wisp of smoke.