Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Look, I know you don’t want to see me right now, but I really need to tell you something!” Brent pounded on his parent’s front door, but still they ignored him. It was the day after Old Irt’s visit, and Brent hadn’t slept well at all the night before.

Finally Brent’s parents gave some sort of hint they were actually home. “Get the cruck out of here, Brent!” They weren’t pleased to see him. Cruck is one of the most offensive things you can say on Proth.

“Listen, Ma. Pa. It’s about the Barren Badlands!”

Seconds later the door was swung open by Brent’s mother. “What do you mean it’s about the Barren Badlands! You freaking swore to never go back there after what happened last time!”

“I’m sorry, Ma! I am going back. I’m going with Old Irt!”

“Oh, not that old hoot! I forbid it. No questions asked!”

“Ma, I’m going with or without your permission! You know it isn’t far from here! I’ll be back late tomorrow night!”

A look of consideration covered her face at this. “Hmm. No, I can’t risk it.”

“Well, Ma, to be honest I didn’t know you cared about me that much.”

“What? I don’t give a cruck about what happens to you. But if you die, your father and I are responsible for Old Irt! Get that through your thick head, Brent!”

A hurt look spread across Brent’s face. He backed up slowly, shaking his head as he went. His voice was shaky as he spoke. “You can expect me gone at noon tomorrow…”

“You’ll regret this!!” Brent could here his mother’s voice echo through his head as he began to walk home. He kicked up dust as he walked. It was true that all Proth people were very similar to his parents. They all acted somewhat the same...selfish, grim, just all around bad. But Brent didn’t understand why this couldn’t change. Yes, why was change so hard to come by?

Finally Brent returned home, and he instantly collapsed to the couch, alone to his thoughts. He closed his eyes, and saw nothing but darkness. That second, the image of an unknown creature came into form: a creature with brown hair and green eyes. He just scanned the image for a minute, looking it up from head to toe. He couldn’t quite make out what the mysterious creature was. He figured it was a Proth person, but he didn’t know who. Then it hit him. Brent opened his eyes in terror. He screamed, absolute horror overcoming him. The scream echoed for miles throughout Proth. This was far worse than the Barren Badlands. Worse than anything he’d ever experienced before. This was an alternate species. In other words, the answer to all his questions. The atrocious image could not escape him. Brent forced his body into motion, carrying himself into a corner of his home. The image burned and ached in his brain, and what seemed like weeks went by, until Brent heard an uncanny knock on the door. His brain was spinning, but he pulled himself to the door, and pulled it open to see Old Irt standing there in all his glory. A sword was equipped to his side, and he looked as if ready for a bloody battle.

“Brent! What are you doing?! You never showed! It’s almost midnight! Have you changed your mind?”

Brent opened his mouth, but then closed it, his eyes welling up with tears. Old Irt shook his head. “What’s wrong, boyo?”

Brent felt his ears and nose turn red. His voice was hoarse, and it cracked as he slowly spoke. “I...I saw something!!” He let a tear fall. “It looked to be a living being. Hideous as it was, I can’t get over how similar its features are to ours, just different colored skin. Irty, it might have been just a nightmare. But I know what I saw and...and I never want to see it again!”

Old Irt’s eyes widened. He grabbed Brent’s shirt, speaking slowly and in wonder. “Brent! You...you saw a different species? Where...where did you see this?! Oh my, this is unreal. Brent...do you remember when you were very young and I told you I will not die when my life is still without purpose? This has been my purpose, Brent. I’ve wanted to discover for myself, and for the lost souls of Proth, that we are not alone in this...this...whatever this is.”

“Oh Irty, I can’t explain it to you. It wasn’t anywhere, it just popped up in my mind, in the void of darkness, and it scared me so much. I’ve never seen anything like it...never seen anything that had even a possibility of being an alternate species. That’s why it scared me so much.”

Old Irt took a deep breath. “Well, why don’t you go get your Mogwort. We need to go see Rillous. Right now.”

Brent’s Mogwort was named Moggy. Moggy, like all other Mogworts, are very strongly structured creatures, loyal to its owner. They can be ridden, but they are also keen in battle upon command. “C’mon, Mogs. We’re going for a ride.”

Old Irt sat on the front of Moggy’s back, and Brent got on further down. And so they rode through the night, the constantly drifting sky dark and unclear.

“Irty...Irty can I talk to you?” Brent shivered in the cold as he spoke.

“Aren’t you already, young Brent?”Old Irt said.

“Well...it’s just that...I feel...I feel that I’m lost in confusion. Blind in the darkness, if you know what I mean. Remember when you found me out there when I was a baby, alone in the Barren Badlands? Or maybe it was I who found you. I don’t know which. You yourself were alone and confused out there, for whatever reason, yet you still escaped from your demise by giving life a chance. By rushing over to me to prevent the Riborg from ripping me to pieces. Basically, Irty, I feel lost right now. I need your help again.”

Moggy’s feet pounded the dusty floor. Old Irt took a deep breath. “Listen, Brent. You’re never going to understand everything in life. You may discover something new, yet still the world goes on without batting an eye. There will always be something more to find out, always something grander and bigger to delve deeper within. I can’t give you those answers, but what I can tell you, young one, is this. Never underestimate the world as you know it...but that is not all. Not even close. No, young Brent. Never underestimate the infinite expanse of the universe, as one would call it, which will always be out there to give you hope.”

The cool, refreshing nighttime air made Brent shiver from head to toe. “How will I know where to start, Irty?”

“Because you’re Brent Wharwood, and you know. Because I know that you can and I know that you will. Because you know the right path, and the path is soon to be revealed to Proth as well. Revealed to them...from you, young Brent.”

“What are you talking about, Irty? I don’t know the path. I don’t know how to escape this!”

“No matter what you say...you do.”

They rode in silence for a while. After they had been riding for close to an hour, a torn, blood-stained sign came into view. “Welcome to the Barren Badlands,” it read. They were out of Prine.

“Let’s stop right here. We need rest before working our way through the Badlands to reach Rillous.” Old Irt said.

Brent collapsed off of Moggy and onto the hard ground. “Boy, I’m beat.” he said with a yawn. “Where are the five star sleeping arrangements, Irty?”

Old Irt hopped off Moggy as well. “You’re looking at it.” he said with a snort.

“So, Irty, I think we were right over there when you saved my life all those years ago.” Brent said, pointing to a lone tree in the barren wasteland.

Old Irt lay down on the ground beside Brent. “Yes, that was my spot. That tree was mine through my life, and I knew nothing but that until you offered me a place in the community. In many ways, you saved me just as much as I saved you. Oh ya, and I believe you were bawling your eyes out in the dirt while I took on the beast. If we happen to run into a Riborg again this time, you’re taking care of it yourself.” Old Irt gave Brent a smile. “I’m kidding. I might join in after it’s ripped your brains out.”

Brent chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you’re with me here, Irty. Wouldn’t ask for anyone else.” He paused in thought.

Old Irt gave a sigh. On that note, Brent...you need sleep. Goodnight, m’boy.”

“Goodnight, Irty.” Brent turned to his side, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground. Eventually his mind drifted away from his surrounding and he fell into a deep sleep.

Scavenging, watery skies rushed the night to a close, and before you’d know it the sky turned from a dark blue to a light blue. Old Irt’s back made a loud cracking noise as he stretched to start off the day.

Old Irt and Brent got going right away in the morning without breakfast. “Ok...so as you know, Brent, Rillous is in control of everything that happens in Proth, so give him respect. He can see things others simply can’t, so if we tell him what we know he might be able to find something out that we never could.”

“Yeah, yeah, Irty...you’ve told me a million times. Calm down, it’ll be fine.” Brent said.

They trekked over mucky hills and grassy slopes, gritting their teeth as they endured the weariness which obviously comes from strenuous movement such as this. They walked with Old Irt leading the way until suddenly he stopped in his tracks at the top of a hill. Brent collided into Old Irt at the sudden stop, sending them both to the ground. “Brent...shhh..look.” Old Irt began quietly. “That must be a pack of about 20 Riborgs. You can see Rillous’ little home right behind them.”

“But how are we going to get arou-”

“Shut up! We’ll work something out, okay!” Old Irt said, perturbed.

“We could go around?” Brent suggested. “Then we could get to Rillous from behind his house.”

Old Irt pondered this for a second. “You know, that ain’t bad. Let’s try that.”

They slowly began to make a half circle leading to Rillous’ back door. Brent could hear his heart beating faster and faster as he went. He crept slowly behind Old Irt, examining the Riborgs. They were huge, with menacingly large teeth and a dark brown tint to their fur. Their mouths looked big enough to fit Brent’s whole body inside it in one bite. A shiver worked its way up Brent’s spine, chilling him down to the very marrow of his bones.

Finally they reached the home and walked along the side of it, headed towards the back. Old Irt turned the corner to the backyard, and instantly a single Riborg slashed at him, creating a huge gash on his right cheek. Blood poured out in enormous capacity, dripping slowly upon his toes. Brent backed off, frightened. He quickly grabbed Old Irt and dragged him towards the front of the house. Several Riborgs caught sight of them immediately and charged. Brent gritted his teeth and pulled Old Irt through the front door, then entered himself, slamming the door just as the Riborgs were about to rip him to pieces.

Rillous was sitting at his table, and he looked up appalled. He had a small mustache above his lips, and curly brown hair covered his head. “Who might you be, lads?” He said.

Brent gasped, out of breath. “I’m Brent Wharwood. This is my friend...he’s just called Old Irt. We came here to ask you a few questions.”

Brent sat Old Irt down at the nearest chair. He also caught sight of Rillous staring at Old Irt’s wound. “He was attacked by one of the Riborgs around here.”

“I see.” Rillous said.

Brent examined Rillous quickly. He had flaming red hair, and his pale face looked depressed and somewhat disjointed.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about, lads?” Rillous stood to get a drink of water as he spoke.

“Well, actually Old Irt wanted to do most of the talking. Let me see if he is able.” Brent looked over the wound. It was pretty bad. The Riborg’s claws had driven directly through the whole right half of his face. “Can you talk, Irty?”

Old Irt mumbled something, using only the left side of his mouth. Brent couldn’t quite make out what was said. “Could you say it again, Irty. I’m sorry.”

“I want to talk. I need...to...do this.” Old Irt said through the intense pain.

“Ok, Irty, whenever you’re ready.”

Old Irt cleared his throat and winced. He spoke slowly. “Ok. What Brent and I believe is...well, what Brent and I know is...is that there is alternate life out there.” He motioned to the sky. “Brent...he saw an example of this in a dream. An alternate species, apart from ourselves. Just...just think about the possibility! Size...and...time are both illusions. Figments...of our imagination! Don’t you even try to deny it! We are big compared to something, and we are also gigantic. We are small compared to something, and we are also miniscule. And who’s to say there isn’t something even larger or smaller than those things! Who’s to say there isn’t a whole world smaller or bigger than ours! You...you can’t deny it, Rillous! You can’t!”

Then Rillous pulled out a gun and shot Old Irt in the chest.

Brent told himself it wasn’t real. That this was also a figment of his imagination. He felt sick to the stomach, and he jarred his brain to believe it to be false.

By then Rillous had already turned the muzzle in Brent’s direction. “Stand up, now! Get out of my house, and take your old friend’s disgusting body with you. I rule Proth, and thus I rule the world. Nothing is more powerful than me, because there is nothing else out there! I would suggest you forget everything that happened here if you yourself want to survive! And guess what, Brent? I just blasted your friend back to his imaginary world where he belongs! I don’t have time for idiots like you on my planet!”

Rillous ordered all of his Riborgs to gather somewhere else, then sent Brent on his way. As soon as he escaped the house, Brent wept hard into his arm and ran as fast as he could over the hills and down again. Amidst his running, his legs gave way and he collapsed into the ground, his tears puddling up in the solid ground. He closed his eyes , entering back into a void of darkness.

Brent was shaking from head to toe. His mind was numb, and he felt nothing. Not even anger or intense sorrow. The only thing he felt was dead.

Old Irt was gone. Brent lay there on the burning ground as a universal sensation took over him. “Where had Irty gone? Was he truly gone forever?”

Brent escaped from the darkness within his mind hours later, sweat trickling down his forehead. He stood, touching his hands to his face. They were cold. Instantly his eyes welled up in tears, and he sprinted from the Barren Badlands. He found Moggy, hopped on her back, and fell asleep amidst the long ride home.

He woke upon arriving home, and he ambled on in, completely exhausted. But he had made a decision that night. A decision for himself, for Old Irt, and for all of Proth. Yes, he had made a decision to dedicate every ounce of his time to discover what lies beyond Proth. To find out if there really was a universe bigger than the mind can comprehend.

The morning came quick, but the image of the other species kept coming back to haunt him. He knew he would never forget it. But he chose to use the image as an inspiration to delve deeper into exploration.

Right then Brent heard a feeble sounding knock on the door. He swung it open to see his two friends, Zach Smittle and Tillpum Malcolm. “Hi Till.” He nodded acknowledgingly. “Hi Zach. What are you guys doing here?”

Zach wore curly brown hair accompanied by a huge nose on his blue face. Till had dark, and I mean dark, black hair and he was athletically built. “Um...sorry about Irt. Heard about that this morning…” Till said cautiously.

Brent close his eyes and bit his slip to hold back tears. “It’s fine, guys.” He wanted to change the subject. “Did you want to do something?”

Zach spoke this time. “Actually, yes, Brent.” He pulled something nervously from his back pocket.

“What is that?” Brent asked.

“A binpball.” Zach gave a shrug. The small ball was brown in color and looked bouncy. “You haven’t played with us in a while...I was thinking, maybe, you’d like to. I guess it could be said that you haven’t exactly been very active the past couple years. You used to want to hang out and play with us all the time, but now that you’ve stopped to do, well, whatever it is you do…”

Brent raised his eyebrows. He placed a hand on Zach’s shoulder. “Fellas...I’d love to play with you sometime.”

He didn’t really, he only wanted to make his old friends happy. They weren’t.

“Ah, come on, Brent, why can’t you play now! What are you doing that’s so important!” Till said.

“I’m going down to Irty’s old place. How about this: I’ll go do what I need to do, then I’ll get to you guys first thing after! Ok?”

His friends just looked at the ground, disappointed.

“Whatever, man.” Zach said as they turned to leave.

Brent gave a shrug, then went inside to get ready to go see Irty’s old house. It was true, he wanted to have a look around.

Brent walked down the dirty road to Old Irt’s home, or what used to be that. He stood outside, memories flooding back to him. Closing his eyes, he creaked the door open, dust falling to the floor as he did this. Inside, Brent saw nothing but books and old papers. He sat down in a chair and picked up one of Old Irt’s books. The first page was blank, all except for something Old Irt had written inside it.

The past does not matter. What happened to me was extraordinary. What matters now is what I do and how I choose to expand the knowledge of the universe and all that dwell within.

Brent looked up. He wasn’t at all surprised. He knew Old Irt for who he was and how he lived. This was no different. But then he saw something strange on the wall. It was a weird suit of some sort. Brent stood and walked up to it. He looked it up and down, nothing popping out at him. Then he saw it. In bold, black letters on the leggings of the suit, it read “This scuba gear is property of Mr. Owen Irt Hurst.”

Brent’s brain flooded with questions. “Ok, so this is Irty’s suit. Well, what is it? Scuba?”

A white tag was sticking out from in the suit and Brent snatched it. It was in Old Irt’s handwriting. “To whom this may concern: This suit is property of the Planet Earth.”

Reviews

[Derek29]

This is very good, for now. Continue your new future adventures. Astounding! One day you will probably surely be one of the better writers, of your selected field. Reminder: Focus. On Entertainment! Some of the top notch writing. Good work. A+. Solid.

[Stars and Whales]

Thanks so much!

[Pickletheplacid]

Zane,
I"m kinda half reading this, it doesn't engage me fully.

This is my take, and I could very easily be very wrong; everyone is entitled to their own opinion!

In one liner format:

The story line has no direction, I"m not engaged with the substance or progression. Stop trying to explain or comment about the planet Proth or Prine. whatever, it's not important.

Balance the foreground of the story vs the characters within the story.. you've chosen a sci-fi, future world theme which requires a huge amount of art and experience to pull off.

I suggest you first write something basic about a personal occurrence you had. You need to forgo writing harsh renationalisation. Your writing needs heart felt foundation.

I love your perseverance for people to review your work, (although I'm over it) you need to understand writing is a refinement skill. things don't happen instantly and if you have any assumptions of success and visions of grander then STOP and park that s**t right there.

You come across as an impatient writer, one that is totally reliant on the reader. You need to change that perspective.

Write well and the readers will follow.

I would strongly urge you to understand basic writing methodologies. I don't see much of this in your writing. Frame work, projections, principles of writing and the code of conduct are no where to be seen within your stories.

I've been harsh with you only because you have persistently asked me to review and i see you have potential to be a much greater writer.

Please remember I am only one voice, right or very wrong... keep writing!

[SoberBunny]

Eeee, it's like a sci-fi version of 'Horton Hears a Who!' I love it. :) It would be nice to know what a mogwort looks like and how the heck Rillous is supposed to rule the planet from a dump in the badlands (and why the heck he didn't actually make Brent take away the body because clearly he wasn't a fan). But other than that, I love the character and his desire for change in a world where change isn't a thing. Definitely hits home. I too, wasn't expecting Irt to be Owen or for him to even get shot. So great job keeping your readers on their toes. :)

I do agree with Sabrina though, publishing this is going to take a lot of work. But I think it has massive potential and your narrating voice is going to carry it far. Awesome work!

Lauren

[Stars and Whales]

lol! i didn't think of that, you're right! Thanks for the review.

[SoberBunny]

No problem :)

[Dak]

this story is amazing so far. i wasn't expecting at all for old Irt to be Owen. really surprised me. your idea for this book really has me looking forward to upcoming chapters, and i trust youll take it to great places. can't wait to read more

-Dak

[Stars and Whales]

Thanks Dak! That really inspires me to keep going! Appreciate it.

[Double T]

This is a great chapter. Keep up the good work :)

[Stars and Whales]

Thanks Double T!

[Sabrina]

I really liked your book so far. I like that your writing style provides a kind of witty banter to the reader. You should update the story some more. One more thing though, and I hope this does not come across as too harsh. You asked a question in the beginning about whether or not you think your book is publishable in the future. I have not, myself, published a book but I know it to be a long and difficult process. If you want to keep going with the story you are going to have to have a pretty clear idea of where the plot is going in your head, and you are going to have to put in the time and effort. I don't say this to doubt your commitment as a writer, only to hope to inform you about what (might) come ahead. For example, I am currently writing a story that is 30 pages or so long, but I haven't published it on this site because it is a rough draft and I am not at an editing stage where I need reviews. But I know that ahead I will need to read my story over and over again and fix every little thing. So when you ask if the story is publishable, I would say it has the potential to be. What comes next is all up to you.
I would also like to offer a quick apology for how long this review got (It sorta got away from me) And would like to reinstate how much I enjoyed your story.
Just Keep Writing! -Sabrina

[Stars and Whales]

No worries at all! I appreciate whatever feedback you can give, and you gave some good advice! Thank you.

[Max]

Well, I have read the prologue, the first chapter, and now this one. This chapter awesome! Do let me know when you post the next one, or update any of it. It is very well constructed.

[Lucas C. M.]

It was interesting. Quite interesting. Chapter 3 will be as good I hope.

[George Peck]

I love the story and I'm getting more and more involved with this story I can't wait for more. Yes there is some fixes in punctuation you need but that I wouldn't worry about until you got the whole story done, that way you don't loose you story ideal. Thank you for sharing your story I love it so far and can't wait to read more.

[Stars and Whales]

Thank you! I appreciate that!

[wordman]

sounds like the makings of a fine book