Eyes were closed, shielded from what was upon them. However, that laughter broke that protection. They jolted into action, opening their eyes when they heard that voice again. Once again, they're destined to be in the same scenario. It was black, pitch black. There was barely a difference between their eyes being closed or open. The only thing that had any light or color was their own appearance. They turned left and right, but it was still just the same ignoring midnight. But they've been here before, and they know where to go. They took a deep breath before sprinting forward. The only sound that emanated through the black empty space was their heavy breathing and their feet tapping on the watery-ground with each step. With each running step, it felt like no progress was being made. But at this point, they had nothing to lose.
"Just show yourself already!”
At that point, they were seething, desperate to see something, anything. But there, in the distance, two eyes whose color resembled the heathers outside radiated through the endless shadows. And they were getting closer. They continued onward, faster and faster before it was too late to see the gaping mouth of mortal danger began to form through the darkness.
6:30 AM. Those digits rang through the room as it slapped Comet back to consciousness.
"So much for fighting"
Comet groaned, dragging themselves out of bed to stop the alarm. Taking a glance through their window, it was still dark with only the small cracks of a rising sun just around the corner. It would be healthier to just go back to bed and wait for the bright star to waltz to their house, but they dreaded the thought of their next meeting with that...beast. Plus, it wouldn't be that bad to start the day early.
Getting ready for the day was more sluggish than ever. Feeling like a goodra in its swampy habitat. But with a shower and some brushed teeth, at least they'd feel like a less gooey goodra. With each step concocting the horrid screeches of wooden stairs, Comet pitter-pattered down to the reach for a glass of milk and a cereal box for a simple breakfast.
6 AM grew to 9 AM as the indigo and turquoise sky delved into a refreshing pink and sun-kissed orange, as the sun began to peek out of the mountains. Comet was too focused on their Gameboy to care about minor things like the morning. However, that focus would be cut short as a man whose hair was veiled with identical colorful green hair, albeit longer, approached the same room.
"Hey kiddo, you're up early. Guess you finally changed your mind on the challenge eh?", He had an uplifting smile, but it was no use as the only response he got was the scowl of his child. His smile disappeared.
"I know you're not as excited to go compared to the other kids, but I know how your friends want you to join. Plus, it might help you explore more than just this farm."
Comet could only roll their eyes before facing their attention back to their console.
"Say, why don't I take you to the lab myself?"
"What?"
"The way to the lab is a long way from here, I can come along with you and I can even tell you my days during my gym challenge! "
"Nope.", Comet sprint into their room to grab their bag only to quickly scurry to the front door.
"Are you sure, bud?"
"Positive.", they shut the door. They turned around only to see a yellow flying creature.
"Oh, hi abr-"
Comet's remark was cut short by their quick disappearance, which soon led their father to shriek in horror.
In a flash, the once murky forest scenery transformed into a lab with a swinging blinding light like it was a sick magic trick for shits and giggles. They frantically looked around. Shelves filled row to row with fossils and planted plants of all kinds. An aipom swung isle to isle like the lab was its own playroom. Along with that, Comet could identify two people in the room; a little girl with an orange hijab and peach dress and a scrawny teen with two shirts whose skull logo matched their earrings and a metallic right arm.
"What took you so long, star-kid?”
"I was- abra- Was that your abra?", they immediately stumbled on their words like a dancer without any instructions.
"Maybe, maybe not, but maybe you were taking too long!" the girl huffed as she crossed her arms.
"But there's barely anyone here."
"Well, maybe they already got their pokemon already because you were taking too long!"
"No they didn't! He hasn't been here all day?" the teen intervened
She glared daggers at her cousin, "But still!"
"Weren't you supposed to be checking outside?"
"I got bored! Plus, Comet was more important. It's nearly 10!"
He didn't say anything else but pointed to the door. Peach sighed as exaggerated as she could. Her feet dragged her out of the door but still had the effort to stare back at them both.
Pecan stared back at her before turning back to Comet, "Sorry about Peachy"
"How long have you two been here?"
"8 AM probably, maybe 7, either way, pops should've been here an hour ago at least."
"So, you're telling me this trip was a waste?"
"I didn't say that! You know how he is."
Comet's eyes did a full circle, but their eyes darted back to the window once the two could hear Peach banging on the window the get their attention. Although the fragile invisible barrier left Peach silent through the walls, Pecan and Comet could see her mouthing something while pointing upward. At that time, the two can hear a faint noise. In fact, it sounded like…screaming. But before they could fully identify it, the ceiling crumbled to pieces as a light-pink fast force brought it to the cold ground. Peach immediately kicked the door open before charging towards the desk.
"Uncle Cherry! Are you ok!"
"Pops… wake up"
Other than crumbles of the ceiling and potted plants falling to their demise, it was silent, especially from the man who just dropped right in front of Comet.
"...Is he dead?"
Silence still lingered. But out of nowhere, a tall stick of a man with fluffy pink hair and a matching boa, along with cartoonish glasses, sprung up like a kid on a trampoline.
"Morning kiddos, you guys are early!"
"…It's 10, you're late" Pecan pointed at the clock that was hanging adjacent to the door.
Even with their opaque glasses, the man looked confused by the teen's remark before facing their attention to a clearly broken watch. He soon looked at the room’s clock and then back at him.
"Huh, I guess it is… WELP, it's better late than never!"
"So, where's our starters?"
"Don't got 'em"
"Whaddya mean you don't got them?"
Brushing the debris off his shirt and hair, the man yanked out his pockets and searched endlessly through what seems to be a boa full of infinite space, "None, zilch, zero."
"Then, where are they?"
"That's the thing. It's a scavenger hunt!"
All three of them looked confused, "Excuse me?"
"There's only three of them, so it shouldn't be that hard. Besides, the first one is here as we speak."
All three of the challengers looked at each other in sheer disbelief before observing the lab up, down, sideways, behind, under and over. But all the professor did was waggle his index finger back forth while clicking his tongue before his lunge towards his pink boa and receiving a small piece of paper.
"bright as the morning sun, but timid as a pichu, the only way you're going to find this pokemon is to look past the naked eye."
The riddle riddled in the challengers' minds. Peach pondered, "If we have to look past the naked eye, then it must be invisible"
"Do we have paint" Comet asked
"Nope, only oil"
"We can use that"
"Why do we need paint?"
"So we can see it, duh?"
Pecan ignored the younger two's bickering as he looked through the nicks and cranny on each wall corner and edge until they felt a bump.
"Huh?"
He glanced down at his feet where Pecan saw an underground burrow through the off-white tiles. Transforming his right hand into a small shovel, big enough for the trail, the teen began to chip off the run-down floor tiles and dug. Piles and piles of dirt began to pile up, but still, there was nothing. Pecan sighed, "maybe it was just a drilbur or something."
He dug up one more pile and there, a small orange orb of a head looked up when finding its earthy protection was no longer there. Pecan yelped, instantly alerting the group and the snake. His dad gasped, "GRAB IT GOTHNUT BEFORE IT GETS AWAY!"
Pecan changed the shovel into a mechanical claw as it extended to follow the now fleeing pokemon. For a few seconds, Pecan stood there patiently, waiting for his hand to retrieve back the creature. And just like a patient fisher, he finally grabbed it. Reeling back his claw hand only to see an orange, black and white snake, swirling around like a morpeko in their electro ball through the grasp of the claw.
"Chill out, lil snake dude"
Pecan calmed down the spinning snake or at least attempted to. But then, the snake stopped just to stare directly at the emo dressed teenager. It was concerning for a bit. But, the older kid was somewhat relieved by the lack of retaliation. But the snake continued to stare and stare and stare. It was to the point that it was becoming alarming to Pecan, deciding to look away from the scornful stare. And good thing he did as he finally took note of the silver liquid that was beginning to drip on the white floor. Pecan screamed in horror as he retreated his melting hand before any more damage could be done, but leaving the snake to the hands of gravity.
"DAD! HELP!!"
Pecan caught it with their hand. But with the scales feeling other than the scorching sand, the critter hopped out of one hand to another like a bouncy ball.
"YOU GOTTA GRAB HOLD OF IT FOR DEAR LIFE LIKE A GYM BADGE OF HONOR THAT A WHITE CHILD IS TRYING TO GET RID OF, PECK"
"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN"
"GRAB IT!!!!"
Pecan was juggling the ferocious snake back and forth, hand to interchangeable tools, trying to find a conductor that would be easy to the touch. But alas, nothing would work. Peach's head raced with thoughts to help her cousin until one particular idea jumped.
"BLANKET! BLANKET" she cupped her hand into a cone-like a speakerphone
Comet was taken aback by this remark. But, with one quick look at Pecan's morphing hand, they realized what she was implying.
"BLANKET, GOTH, BLANKET"
Even through his panic, he could understand what the group was saying. As the snake was in the air, just like Pecan's fate, he morphed his right hand into a blanket, letting the critter have a soft landing. And for Pecan: a sort of glove.
"Congrats, bucko! Got yourself a cizzlar... with only a few casualties'' the pink-haired guy walked up to his son and picked him up by the afro like a white guy picking up a fish for a photo.
"Please don't tell me I have to catch the other two."
"Hopefully not" The professor turned to the younger two, pointing at them, "That's for you two to do!"
While Comet was shocked, Peach beamed in enthusiasm, nearly jumping, "Where!"
"Slow down your mudsdales, Peachy," his hand blocked her, "the next two aren't too far off. In fact, the next one is just outdoors!"
"Then let's go!"
"But what about the pokeballs and dex?" Comet nudged Peach's shoulder
"Please don't let it be another scavenger hunt" Pecan was still on the ground, more deflated than a balloon.
"No need!" Out of nowhere, the professor had three bags while an orange floating rotom-phone floats around him. "Catch"
Three bags lunge at the three challengers. While Comet and Peach swiftly caught theirs with ease, Pecan was taken aback as his attention towards his new pokemon would be postponed by a bag to the face. The orange rectangle took its time to judge the three in silence as it soon floated to Comet, "This lil' buddy is gonna help you through your adventure!”
"Is that it?" Comet asked as they cupped their hands for the small electronic
"I believe so!"
"Then come on!" Peach grabbed both Comet and Pecan by the end of their shirts, trying to drag them out of the door with as much strength as she could gather.
"We're gonna! We're gonna!" Pecan reassured her as he placed his cooling buddy on his shoulder before taking his time to brush off any dirt he had and got up on his feet. Comet didn't try to fight back with Peach as they just followed.
As the three were being dragged out of the door, Comet stopped mid-exit, "What about the riddles, professor Chirisach!?"
He gasped as if the thought finally came back like a hard-hitting baseball, "Here!" he galloped up towards the door before it finally closed. The two sheets of paper slid through the tiny openings of the door, letting the wind guide their paths now. If it weren't for Pecan's comparable height, those pieces of paper would've been anyone's grabs.
"What they say!"
He reeled back both of the riddles to his face, "One says Hidden with their tails, the beast will roar with pride."
"And the other?"
"You will fear the one who brought down tons before you, but it's up for you to trust that it won't take you too."
"Sounds a bit counter-intuitive don't ya think?"
Pecan shrugged, "Hey, at least it's not my problem."
The only thing stopping them now is the mile worth of a Nile, the reeds, and themselves from the challenges that await them now.
A new story by Devin DeMarco entitled “Payt0n Trent, Son of God” narrated by guest actor Lorien Reese.
Short Bio:
“Devin DeMarco is from a small town in upstate New York that you’ve never heard of. Or maybe you have. She doesn’t know your life. Anyway, she recently earned her MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University. She also writes fiction that’s sometimes really…
This is another throw back to a classic tale. I can’t help, but keep in the realm of the Arthurian Legends, but The Red Dragon of Wales comes from William Elliot Griffis and is part of a larger collection of fairy tales.
Also, available on the Judah Mahay App, iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher Radio.
Our first story “Blue Room” is from the highly acclaimed author Jason Sanford.
Short Bio:
Jason Sanford is an award-winning author of short stories, essays, and articles and an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. A finalist for the Nebula Award, Jason has published more than a dozen stories in the British SF magazine Interzone, which also devoted a special issue…
Here is an introduction to Aroph Short Stories. For the next nine weeks a new story will appear every Friday, available from the Judah Mahay App, iTunes, or your favorite RSS feed. We will feature new and upcoming writers as well as classics all that take science to plausible extremes or reality to the magical. Please review and enjoy the stories. Thank you.
