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Toxic Trinkets

    • 294 posts
    May 15, 2017 5:58 PM PDT

        “So what is it?”
        “I’m not sure. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”
        “Where’d you get it?”
        “From that urn over in the corner there.”
        “Ewww… You’re disgusting.”
        “How so? It’s not like it was full of guts or anything. Perhaps a little dusty that’s all.”
        “Exactly my point. Reaching your hand into the dusty remains of the dead. I say it again. You’re disgusting.”
        The heat of embarrassment pulsed in Randy’s young face. He turned his head away but couldn’t help but wonder what other treasures lay hidden in the discarded items of the deceased. “I’m just curious that’s all.” he finally mustered in his defense.
        Trisha strained to resist the temptation to tease him further. It was her nature to do so and her name as well. She was “Trish the Tormentor”, at least that’s what her friends called her and perhaps a few of her enemies also; the ones that remained in the world of the living that is.
        “I think it’s magic.” Randy said, a sudden trembling in his voice.
        “Magic? What makes you say that?”
        “It’s starting to get warm in my hand.”
        “Probably your own warmth reflecting back on you.” Trish assumed with nonchalance.
        “No, I don’t think so.”
        “Huh?”
        “Because it’s starting to glow now too.” Randy dropped the trinket onto the cold stone floor at his feet and stepped back cautiously.
        Trisha was about to comment but changed her mind when the light coming from the object began to expand to illuminate the entire room. She grabbed Randy by the arm and pulled him back a few more steps just in case.
        A sound like that of a rushing yet hollow wind filled their ears. It was eerie.
        Randy felt shivers run down his spine almost immediately. He wanted to bolt, but Trisha seemed to be holding her ground, so he decided not to abandon her just yet.
        A faint wisp of ethereal smoke permeated the air casting nondescript shadows on the walls. The light wavered, pulsing brighter then dimmer, then brighter again.
        “Wow!” Trisha joked, unnerved by the revelation of a thousand hidden cobwebs that she could now clearly see lining the room. “This place could use a little cleaning.”
        “Ya, maybe we should check into a place with better accommodations.” Randy added, hoping that Trisha would change her mind about staying any longer than necessary.
        A shadowy figure appeared within the haze of smoke and light. It stepped toward the two intruders. “Too late.” Randy whispered.
    Spooky didn’t adequately describe the voice that echoed from within the ethereal haze.
       “Who disturbs my rest?” the voice demanded.
        Trisha nudged Randy in the side with the back of her hand prompting him to answer.
       “I’m sorry…” came Randy’s somewhat inaudible, mousy reply.
       “Why have you desecrated me thus?” the shadowy figure demanded, louder and much more aggressive than his first address.
       “I don’t… know…?” Randy answered with even less volume than his first reply, if that was even possible.
       “Now wait a second here.” Trisha said, finding a courage that Randy did not possess. “Where do you get off scaring my friend for a simple mistake of curiosity?” she accused.
       The intensity of the light abruptly diminished. Randy thought it might dissipate altogether by the way it looked. “That’s telling him.” he was quite proud of Trisha and the way she stood up for him, although he still had thoughts about running away and leaving her to face the thing all by herself.
       Trisha felt quite smug about herself at the moment, but it was short lived.
       Only a massive head appeared, and of that, only the face truly stood out. The light exploded with a blinding brilliance and the huge face bellowed, its mouth open wide, bashing the two in an horrendous tongue lashing. “This is the sacred tomb of Lord Byron the Grim. Those that disrespect this hallowed ground will suffer the wrath of the dead.”
       The light, along with the ethereal misty haze vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The warning was clear and was followed by a hissing sound indicating the release of a vile noxious fume from somewhere within the chamber.
    “Now we have to leave.” Trisha urged. “Hurry!” she added, catching a whiff of the toxic gas.
       The surge of pain that followed sent Randy scrambling for the door, but not before curiosity prompted him to take one more gander back at the trinket laying on the tomb floor. He could see a shiny glint of gold reflected along one of its myriad surfaces. He wanted to grab the piece before they left this place for good, but knew by the iron grip Trisha now held on his forearm that such an idea was impossible.
       She’d saved his life once more and knew, somehow, that it would not be the last time. Randy was always far too curious for his own good. She was going to have to keep a closer watch on him for the sake of both of them. She also knew, by the look in his eye, that they would be returning to this place some day in the future.
       The wheels were already spinning in Randy’s mind. He’d heard of the infusions that skilled crafters could create. He wondered if perhaps they had one to counter the affects of poisonous toxins. The idea of a gold trinket laying idle on a cold stone floor just didn’t sit right in his mind. The idea of an entire tomb left to be picked over by just any, old, would-be robber or glory seeker that might come along didn’t sit well either. He and Trisha had found the hidden tomb first. Why shouldn’t they be the first to discover its secrets.
       “So Trisha, Do you know any able-bodied friends who might like to join us on an adventure?”
       She knew where he was going with this. The sly grin on his face explained everything. “Well,” she said, pondering her many friends and acquaintances. “let me think about that…”
    Randy wasn’t the only one unable to reign in an over-abundance of curiosity

    • 624 posts
    May 15, 2017 7:22 PM PDT

    One more treat, bravo.  Thank you Klumpedge.  Though every time I hear Lord Byron I think George Gordon, not 'the Grim'.  Great read.

    • 73 posts
    May 15, 2017 7:23 PM PDT

    Thanks for the story!

    Yep.  I seriously champion this idea as I outlined in a long-winded post in another thread.  I don't like the idea of potion-type infusions for long-term protection.  I would much prefer this trinket style.

    • 213 posts
    May 15, 2017 9:37 PM PDT

    Curiosity is my problem too most of the time hehe

    • 2886 posts
    May 16, 2017 5:33 AM PDT

    Klump back at it again! Good job

    • 110 posts
    May 17, 2017 2:22 PM PDT

    Great story.  Hope you do more of these!