10

Lucy hands Jimmy a whiskey sour on the rocks before she lays out on her LA Dodgers beach towel. Jimmy sits directly on the warm and soft sand while he stares out toward the ocean, admiring the sun slowly set. Her polka dotted bikini shimmers in the sun’s final moments before it descends and sends the beach into darkness. Jimmy stares into Lucy’s eyes, as if he was standing on the edge of a cliff while staring into the infinite abyss of the universe. She smiles back at him with an endearing expression. The sun finally hides below the ocean while the zephyr gets stronger. A strong gust of wind blows right through them suddenly, and with it a stormy flood that seems to grasp Lucy and pull her into the ocean. Jimmy suddenly feels like his legs weigh a trillion pounds and is unable to move or react. He can only watch in horror as the ocean drags Lucy further into the ocean; she screams his name and for his help. He yells her name in hopeless desperation. 

Jimmy wakes up hyperventilating as he rubs his eyes. The murky weather blocks the sun but it still appears too bright for Jimmy’s liking. The breeze sends an unruly chill down his spine. The bitten arm is wrapped up in bandages and briefly relives the moment when that man-creature bit him.  He then realizes that he is moving and peeks his head up as he is lying down. 

“Good morning lad! Glad to see you up, I was afraid you wouldn’t make it there for a sec’. The poison from that man-creature is quite wicked, I have managed to slow down the spread but you need a true cure my friend. And for that we must go to The Perfecting Kingdom. It’s gone down hill since that new King took over but they still offer great access to medicine down at their marketplace.” Says the man with an interesting accent. 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Jimmy asks while rubbing the back of his head. 

“Oh a thousand apologies sir, how rude of me. The name is Rolyat. I live in the area, but I move around quite frequently. The kingdoms are always in need of a good bowman.” He says with a sly smile. His fiery red hair blends in nicely with the gloomy maroon sky. The subtle breeze blows Rolyat’s hair back and forth majestically. Alongside his long fiery red hair, he also has a long and respectable beard. “Alrighty lad, I don’t mean to be an arse, but I need you to hide under those blankets right to your side.”

“What? Why?” Jimmy protests. 

“Well frankly, the Perfecting Kingdom doesn’t like outsiders. They think outsiders are coming to take all of their jobs and precious resources. And the King recently announced that there's a huge caravan of outsiders coming to raid the kingdom. Everyone's a little too paranoid right now, so I gotta’ smuggle you in. Please just bear with me and keep silent as we enter.” Jimmy reluctantly agrees as they approach the entrance to the Perfecting Kingdom. 

Jimmy hides under the thick layer of blankets, laying down as if he were going to sleep. There is a short line to get into the kingdom. The line is moving steadily but then it suddenly stops abruptly. One of the border guards can be heard yelling at an individual to leave because they don’t want his kind inside. The individual is forcibly removed from the line by two guards as he screams for help. They have one pair of people to go before entering, appear to be a father and child. They step up to the guards as they hold up their clipboards and analyze them. The man speaks in a dialect unfamiliar to the guards. One guard whispers something to the other guard, both with extreme stern expressions. The guards step in and separate the man and the child with force. The little boy screams for his father, reaching out with his arms as far as he can. The father elbows one of the guards and tries to break away, but is stopped in his tracks by the other guards baton to his face. The boy yells what could be understood in any language, “Dad!” Jimmy can only watch through the little hole in the wagon where he lies. The boy is taken into the kingdom as the father is dragged away from the entrance while unconscious. 

The guard waves Rolyat over with his wagon. 

“Alright sir, what is your reason for wanting to enter the Perfecting Kingdom today?” The guard questions. 

“I am a traveling salesman, good sir. I have my products here in this very wagon.” Rolyat walks over to the wagon to present it to the guards. He reveals liquor and blankets. The guard waves him off as if it's unnecessary. 

“Do all traveling salesmen carry swords?” The other guard pesters with suspicion while gazing at the elongated steel hanging from Rolyat’s waist. 

“The roads are dangerous, one must be ready to defend themselves, laddy.” He retorts smoothly and with a smile no less. The guard pauses and stares at Rolyat with animosity. 

“Alright, on your way now.” The guards wave him through and they gain access into the notorious Perfecting Kingdom. 

Rolyat enters and heads to the marketplace plaza. The rectangle shaped bricks on the  road makes for a bumpy ride as Jimmy bounces up and down under the blankets. The alley opens up to a huge plaza, at the end of it stands a towering cathedral. It is painted in a rustic black and red with bricks on the side of it. It appears to be ancient or at the very least a few centuries old. The plaza has a cumbersome fountain in the middle of it with stoic statues prancing around in it. Statues depict a child in front of an intimidating monster, but yet she seems fearless. 

Rolyat wheels in his wagon into the marketplace plaza and into a small clinic. “We’re here laddy.” He uncovers Jimmy from under all of the rugged blankets. He exits the wagon with some assistance from Rolyat. 

“Wow, your friend looks like s**t Roly’.” A man in a white coat walks up to him. “What’s the problem?” 

“Thanks for seeing us on short notice doc’. He was bitten by one of those blood thirsty man creatures, but do you have more of that potion?” Rolyat asks. 

“Luckily for your friend I have a couple more doses left. It’ll cost you though.” 

“I don’t have the funds but I can run out to get you more of the needed ingredients to produce some more.” Rolyat and the doc’ shake hands and an agreement has been made. Jimmy takes the potion and he passes out shortly after. Rolyat closes the bedroom door to allow Jimmy to rest. 

Jimmy’s beard wakes him and forces him to get out of bed. He rubs his eyes as he opens the bedroom door. Rolyat had just gotten back from gathering more supplies for the Doc’. He removes his bow and arrows from his hold and places them onto the table. 

“Ey mate, you just now coming back from the dead?” Rolyat asks. Jimmy nods as he scratches his scalp with a great deal of enthusiasm. 

“Thank you for saving my a*s, totes appreciate what you did for me.” Jimmy states. 

“I just happened to be passing through when I heard a ruckus. Those man creatures have a lair around these parts, I have been searching for it but have had no luck thus far. They are sneaky b******s. I have a theory that they depend on this very kingdom for their supply of blood. I have found many bodies scattered outside of the kingdom, just sucked bloody dry. It's quite a sight I must say, what a terrible way to go I’d imagine. The damn governing party won’t do a thing to stop these local predators. They took over fairly recently but have done nothing to help the common folk. I have a request, you have some fight in you from what I observed. Your ignorance of your opponent is why you were outmatched by the man creature. I require your assistance to locate and destroy this local infestation. Will you please take up arms with me and ride into battle with undying glory?” 

Jimmy pauses and thinks for a moment. He stares toward the ceiling while rubbing his beard. “Well when you put it like that, how can I refuse? I owe you my life after all.” 

“Yes!” Rolyat yells as he reaches for his sword. He raises it high, extending his arm as high as it can go. “For glorious purpose!” Jimmy stares at him before reacting. 

“Right . . . for glorious purpose!” He stammers out the words like a man with an immaculate stutter, and while raising his omnipotent sword. Rolyat yells back with great excitement and clashes his sword against Jimmy’s.