FB4-89 "The Return Of Arkos"

"Half Man Half Snake." Janet and me stepped forward when something twitched in the back of my head. Something familiar ! What was happening ? I leaned my head forward in thought ...

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F U T U R E   B A R R I E R ( The 4th Novel ) Secret Technology, Unrequited Love, Absolute Vengeance © March 2021 - Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission  CHAPTER 89 - "THE RETURN OF ARKOS" [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER TO READ ] * * * This chapter is Rated: TEEN Slice Of Life (03-02-21) Already it is March ! Time marches on ... Not a whole lot happened this week. As you know we had our hard freeze a week back and while it definitely knocked out the power for a great many people, neither my electricity nor internet were affected. And then it was a hot day Sunday. I turned on the cold air - and it didn't work ! I thought maybe it was sleepy so I turned it back off for 5-minutes. Then back on. Aside from some weird thumping, nothing else happened. So I went to where the machinery is for it and had to move back a ton of snowflake decorations. Aside from collecting teddy bears I'm also a big time collector of anything and everything that has a snowflake in it. Sounded literally like pushing through a door filled with wind chimes of all kinds. And there it was. Snow ! It may have been hot outside but there was white thick snow and ice coating the air-pipe ! I asked Chris what to do. He said call maintenance, they'll fix it. So I did and sure enough Monday a guy came out and fixed it all up. Very nice ! I may never want to be a homeowner with that kind of service. What else ? Oh yeah I discovered "Star Trek Log" books online and for download as eBooks - and for free ! I grew up on this, especially the ones by James Blish who would take the original Star Trek episodes and write them out as short stories. As I was then and still am quite fond of Star Trek to find these where I can read them on my little eBookReader is a pleasure indeed ! I finally plonked down to get Little Nightmares ][ and while I managed to play all the way through it and get all the bonuses and see the true ending, IMHO it's not as good as the first one. The first Little Nightmares as you remember had an entire BONUS game featuring the boy in "The Depths." Unfortunately unless someone else says otherwise Little Nightmares ][ only has the boy's adventure. Although there are some pretty crazy scenes in the new game ! Enter the area where all the kids are acting up and you can see the following in order if you look closely. 1. A boy pissing in the soup. 2. Boy banging his head against the wall. 3. Boy shoving another boy's head in his food plate. 4. Girl squiriting BBQ sauce on floor, making farting sounds. 5. Classic food fight. *6. Boy dancing on stew pot full of stew. *7. Girl shoving boy's head in garbage bin. *8. Girl has boy's head locked in chair and pushes her hips in and out against him. *9. Boy tied up on his back with rope on top of plates. 10. Boy almost kills player by dropping heavy pot on his head. 11. Two hold down other girl and smear something brown on her lips. 12. Kids in back jumping rope to theme of "Little Nightmares." 13. Girl with half a head leaning against wall, chilling. 14. Boy hanging on to ceiling light about to fall. 15. 3-kid fight going on. Girl is straddled on top of boy and beating in his face. * means seen above. Past teacher Miss Longneck, you meet more rowdy kids. These are in the boy's bathroom and have Six (your G/F) all tied up and hanging right over the nasty urinals ! 16. Boy is wiggling his butt for all to see. 17. Last boy, testing strength of rope holding Six in the air. You go in and rescue her. So yeah I guess for downright naughtiness, Little Nightmares ][ has that ribbon of award. . . . That's about it for this week, and we now return to Future Barrier where Janet has picked out the next attraction to go to. . . . Janet craned her head around. It certainly was a very busy carnival. "Oh ! Definitely that !" and she pointed to the side. It was not a Fun House it was a House of Horrors, and standing outside was a carny once again with a directing stick and waving it all around. "That's right, folks. See the strange, the unusual, the incredible, I'll even go so far as to say MEH. Why within these hallowed doors you will see ..." He paused for effect, "A snake man ! Half man, half snake ! You'll see a skunk girl, half girl, half skunk ! Why you'll see the most incredible sights you'll ever find on this side of the planet !" "And it'll only cost you $2. Whaddya say ? Here, I'll even give you a sneak peak." He leaned his head over and yelled, "Morbid ! Come on out. Show these folks what it is you do !" This huge gentleman stepped out dressed in comical caveman clothes. He had in his hands a big piece of steel, the kind you use for structures in buildings. A little boy stepped forward. He leaned down to hand him the metal. "Here you go," he spoke in deep tones. "Try and bend that." He stood up, "One hundred dollars to the man or woman that can bend that piece of metal !" Well that's all it took, the thick bar was suddenly lifted from the kids hands and everybody on God's green Earth took a shot at bending the metal. Many cheated by having two people or more pull on it. One even stuck it under the steps of the House Of Horrors and tried to use that as a leverage, but sure enough it would not bend. "Hand it back to me." he directed in a stern voice. One guy was determined he could bend it and he did look pretty muscular himself, but it was no good. He finally handed it back to the strongman. He took it, turned his back for a second to walk back to the stage where everyone could see him better. Then he gripped each end of it with his hands and pushed down on it. The metal creaked and groaned and suddenly bent ! There were loud cheers and applause to this. Then a surge of people rushed forth, eager to get a ticket to see the show now. The carny was beside himself with glee. "That's right folks. No pushing. Plenty of space for everyone. Here you go. Here you go. Nossir I don't make change. Two dollars even, here's your ticket. Enjoy the show !" Then me and my troupe stepped forward. He locked his eyes on mine, "What about it kid ? Want to see the strange, the scary, and the unusual ?" I nodded. I counted out $8 from the remaining money for each of us. "Two dollars a ticket." he said. He reeled off 4-tickets from his spool and we each had them. "Hold on just a second. Just a second." He looked to his desk which suddenly showed a green light. "We don't want any crowding in there. Okay you're free to go. Enjoy the show !" We stepped in and as I remember Haunted Houses and the like of course they had all the light sources completely blacked out. We stumbled around like blind mice for a second when a very dim light shone directing us ahead. The first thing to see was pretty silly. "Man Eating Plant !" it said. It showed an average guy sit down and start to eat a salad with a heavy piece of plexiglass in front to protect him from the crowd. "Boo !" I said, but he only smiled. I was pretty sure he got that all day. I watched him for a second when he suddenly stood to point in the direction we were to go. The light that illuminated him went off and a new light shone. Tyr and Lilly were laughing like mad and ran way ahead of us. So it was just Janet and me again. The next exhibit I saw was: "Half Man Half Snake." We stepped forward when something twitched in the back of my head. Something familiar ! What was happening ? I leaned my head forward in thought where Janet came to console me, "What's wrong ?" "I know this." I said. I was certain of it. This snake-man, twice the size of me. I looked to him. While the face was familiar it was pretty obvious they had pasted a fake tail on to him. Then I finally remembered. "Arkos !" I said breathlessly. And it was not heard on deaf ears. It was indeed Arkos, apparently scooped up when the institution was dismantled and as he was clearly not human they thought he would be perfect for the sideshow. Arkos was wearing a fake snake's tail I guess so parents wouldn't complain of putting a real freak in the show. Arkos. The founder and ruler of the Arkos Institute from that time past. He had arrived via a spaceship and took it upon himself and his organization, especially Stefani, his right-hand goon, to kidnap any children that showed special powers. And I was included in that lot. But Stefani was gone now and all that remained was Arkos. Who looked a little like a shriveled up man with no hair and his forehead stapled over the rest of his head, I guess to compensate for the heavy gravity of our planet. But the real fear came when he quickly shucked out of the fabric and showed his REAL 3-barbed tail scooting forward to press his misshapen head against the glass. "Who is calling my name !?" he rasped angrily in his forked tongue and narrowed eyes. * * * I was speechless. "Dev !" he said, hissing at my own name. He bared his fangs cruelly but stopped himself. Instead of anger now he looked to with absolute pity. "Dev, boy. Sweet boy." he purred in a much different tone. "Free me, please. You know I don't belong here. I - I'll leave. I promise. I'll take my spaceship and go away. You'll never see me again." He looked over his shoulder, "Arkos as you know is finished - only please free me from this indignity !" While I held no true animosity to the fellow I do remember that I had arrived earlier to him in his laboratory fully sedated by the Tangerine drug, and heaven knows what he was going to do with me ! https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/dw817/1954633/ "What were you going to do with me ?" I asked him carefully. He leaned closer now so I could hear him through the thick plastic. He hissed, "Nothing, boy. Nothing at all. I was going to return you to the surface. To your parents. We were done with you, see ? I'm no monster. Please - release me - so I can leave this planet. That is all I want right now." I looked to see his prison which appeared to be one piece of thick plastic like a giant rectangle. "How ?" I asked him. He shimmied his tail and massive frame until he got to one part of the rectangle encasement. I had to carefully walk over the rope that restricted guests movement to see what he was talking about. Sure enough it was some type of locking mechanism for the hand. A series of concentric circles with a handgrip, clear and transparent so you could not see it from beyond the rope. "Turn this counter-clockwise and my prison will fall." I looked to him. I wanted to trust him. "Let me see the rest of the exhibit - in case more people I know are imprisoned." I told him. "I promise I'll return and give you my decision then." Arkos nodded his head in deep respect and shimmied his real tail back into the fake one. Then he wiggled to the back where a sleeping cot was and curled up against it. He waited for me to return. Janet was writing so furiously in her tablet now I thought certain she would break her pen. "Janet ?" I asked her, a little concerned. Suddenly she snapped her notebook closed with an audible click. "It's all good." she said and that was all she was going to tell me. We went to the next exhibit and there was Skunk ! Straight from the hospital. "Skunk !" I said and leaned against the plastic. She staggered forward, her pretty long white tail brushing up against a very thin and sexy outfit they gave her to wear for the public. For while Skunk was half girl half skunk, she was also quite beautiful to look at. It was clear though that she was seriously doped, drugged, and half-asleep. "Who ? Who is that ? I - I know you." she said in a sleepy voice and leaned her pretty face up against the plastic prison, smearing it with her lips and drool. "Skunk - I - " I was at a loss for words. https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/dw817/2116384/ "D - Dev. Dev is that you ?" she whispered breathlessly, pulling back for a moment. "Why ? Why are you in prison like that ?" "Me ?" She nodded weakly touching the plastic. "Yeah, they got you all locked up. Maybe I can get you free. I just - need - to sleep - first." She turned to stumble and then fell flat on her face. Tears came to my eyes now. To treat this wonderful girl the way they had was too much ! I stormed angrily over the rope now knowing exactly what to find and turned the locking mechanism counter-clockwise exactly as Arkos showed me. The rectangle of thick plastic fell away in a loud clatter of grooved plastic and in an instant I was there for Skunk. "You got free. Aren't you clever ..." she said turning slightly and then her eyes spun alarmingly and she fell unconscious. Janet was right there looking around left and right. She hissed, "Dev ! You're going to get us arrested ! I take it you know this - young - " and looked at her massive skunk's tail. "Girl." she concluded. I nodded. "Yes, she and many others were being held prisoner underground in this evil hospital." "Evil hospital ?" she repeated. "How is a hospital evil ?" I shook my head, "That doesn't matter. We know how to get her out. But we really should see the rest of the exhibit to make sure there isn't anyone else I know here being held against their will." So saying I went to the piece of plastic and turned it clockwise. The mechanism suddenly snapped in place imprisoning Skunk again. She only murmured sleepily. Now with a mission in mind I hurriedly checked out the rest of the exhibit. Fortunately no-one else from the hospital or Arkos Institute was there. Just the strong-guy and some silly bearded woman who was obviously wearing a fake beard. "Back we go." I told Janet. Janet nodded and we returned at first to Skunk. I released her imprisonment and stepping into her bare domicile slumped her over my back. Fortunately she was a light and delicate thing barely over 100 pounds. We then went back to Arkos. He quickly shimmied out of his fake tail and stood in the center of the encasement watching me carefully to see what I would do. I spoke loudly, "Arkos ! You promised to leave our planet after I free you, yes ?" "Absolutely." he hissed. I then went to the familiar mechanism and turned it the right way for unlocking. The four-walls fell and Arkos stood up straighter. He came wiggling up to me in high speed, his fangs bared - for the kill ! But I faced him with more bravery than I felt looking up at his terrible visage, "You're free, old man !" He pulled back reflectively for a moment. Then spoke, "I - I will leave now. I did promise." he said and making full use of his tail took a very rapid exit to the back of the exhibit indeed. After a moment I heard a door in the back open and close. "What now, Dev ?" Janet asked. "We can't go back to the entrance, nor the exit. Not with one of their prize exhibits in tow." I watched to where Arkos went. "We go there." We stepped over the rope and came to the back of the show with dim lights where there were 3-doors all looking alike. "The middle one." I said suddenly. Janet shrugged, we did so and suddenly we were outside, at the back of the carnival where no guests should be ! But what of Tyr and Lilly ? END OF CHAPTER 89 Return back HOME You are Earth Visitor #

Reviews

[wordman]

a great read for a gamer,lol i liked the boy pissing in the soup and momma slapped him away from the table,na i just added that part

[dw817]

Hi Wordman:

* The game is called "Little Nightmares 2" and in the "school" section features these very rowdy kids, or porcelain dolls, doing absolutely despicable things.

You even find one on a leash and you're supposed to bash in his skull. Inside though it is hollow. These rowdy students are like living pottery.

Although they appear to be regular human children until one gets damaged, then you see they are porcelain.

So, yeah, when the boy is peeing you have to wonder where it's coming from. Near as I can figure these "crackhead" kids house the souls of very naughty children indeed who may have died earlier.

There are also creatures called "Nomes" and while they look rather odd in the light wearing a long paper cone over their heads, in the shadows from a campfire you can see their silhouettes which are actually normal and regular children.

In fact in the 2nd game of Little Nightmares 1 there is a human boy who is the player and in the end of the game he gets transformed into one of the Nomes - thereby ending the game - and yes that is the correct ending for it.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/littlenightmares/images/5/5c/Nomes.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/450?cb=20170404162814

But the rude porcelain kids, they call come from the strange world of Little Nightmares 2.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/littlenightmares/images/c/c6/Male_Bully.png/revision/latest?cb=20201116173241

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/littlenightmares/images/0/04/Female_Bully.png/revision/latest?cb=20201116173150

I was looking ... not finding ... fan-fiction, good fan-fiction that is, not just 10-lines of text, for either Little Nightmares 1 or 2.

In not finding - I will search a little deeper later - I suppose that is something I can do is write up an entire book on the beginnings of Six and the ending where she is a bit like a God, like Neo from Matrix and Paul Atreides from DUNE.

Thanks for commenting !

[wordman]

do you create the game to play

[dw817]

I'm not understanding you, Wordman.

"Little Nightmares II" is a standard Windows PC game selling for about $40 on Steam.

I have written video-games in the past myself. I'm current working on a gaming engine called EVE which stands for "Everything Engine."

But it may be a good 6-7 months before I have the engine manageable and usable by our team of game developers at Sorcery.

If this is not what you mean, please reword, Wordman. I'll try to help.

[wordman]

that`s what i asked,do you design the games

[dw817]

Years ago I marketed several games and utility software through the Call A.P.P.L.E. magazine under the company name of Wickerware, Wordman.

Later for the Commodore Amiga I released Dragonhunt, a full-fledged and very enjoyable RPG under the company name of Pyramax Software.

I started work on "Tika's Quest" but then got involved in the IBM-pc working on "Scenario 1" a very robust RPG Maker.

I am happy to report that I did finish Scenario 2 for Windows 3.1 and it runs perfectly today - you must run an emulator, however to see it in action as Windows 10 will not run Windows 3.1 software.

But no I'm not responsible for Little Nightmares I or II. I have done some Pico-8 games in the past, as of a few years ago, but nothing really consequential that takes advantage of computer's true memory and speed.

It is my hope in working with Sorcery Inc that this will change and we will release something truly revolutionary with my programming and code and their business sense and the existing talented artists and musicians already working for us.

However, this will also not cut into my writing. Writing to me is paramount. I enjoy coding as much as the next game and application writer, but writing will always have a special place in my heart.

[wordman]

not much of a gamer my self,well maybe pac man

[dw817]

Free for download. Use "mameuifx32" (recommended) to play the original arcade Pac-Man found HERE:read moreFree for download. Use "mameuifx32" (recommended) to play the original arcade Pac-Man found HERE:

https://wowroms.com/en/roms/mame-0.139u1/pac-man-midway/5811.html

MameUIFX32 is excellent for players as they come stocked with game bending options for all games, including Pac-Man. For instance these are available for specifically, the Pac-Man arcade game you have in mind, Wordman.

+ Infinite Credits
+ Infinite Lives
+ Invincibility
+ Move manually
+ Enable speed hack
+ Finish this level now
+ Select starting level
+ Select ghost changeback speed
+ Ghosts are always edible
+ Ghosts enter all passages
+ Ghosts ignore tunnel slowdown
+ Sound test

MAME is definitely worth checking out if you want to bring back your original arcade games. With over 7,000 to play you'll always find something.

Temper it with your writing though. Plenty of time for video-games, only in our short lifetimes do we have the space and depth to write our stories.

[wordman]

thank`s,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[dw817]

Ubetcha ! :)

[Kari Rakitan]

Lol, what is that game rated?

How is a hospital evil? It's a business, businesses are for making money, and money is the root of all evil. It's a necessary evil, though.

[dw817]

Hi Kari:

The "Little Nightmares II" game for Windows PC is rated ESRB for ages 12 and up. Listed as "Strong horror." And yes, it is. Even old as I am your heart gets to pounding when you're trying to get away from the baddies.

* An evil hospital. Well the one I made is. You have normal hospital floors and then you have secret floors underground where "animals" are kept and examined.

But they are not animals. They are flesh & blood humans with animal traits and characteristics, like Skunk. Sometimes they are also there because they have unique abilities.

Like Blade who was a bit of an EMO girl who could cut through solid wood with a plastic knife. With a real knife she could cut through anything, so she was bound up in this hospital.

The hospital is sort of like a miniature version of Arkos from previous chapters.

https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/dw817/2100799/

Well in this evil hospital there are also two very bad men named Kint and Widd with homage to James Bond Mr. Wint And Mr. Kidd.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Wint_and_Mr._Kidd

These characters run a type of "sleep clinic" on the secret lower floors where they put troublesome people to sleep and literally on ice.

True suspended animation until such time they need to be interrogated or ... worse.

It is up to Dev and Tyr to rescue these people and their own parents as they too were chosen for this iced treatment.

https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/dw817/2114455/

While there is a grand escape with staff and the animal-kids running everywhere later, this hospital and its staff is more than qualifing for being evil in capturing and imprisoning people and children for their examination and experiments.

Thanks for commenting, Kari !