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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Horror
- Subject: Creatures & Monsters
- Published: 05/03/2020
The Satyr's Folly
Born 1976, M, from Whitechapel, AustraliaThe mournful wailing was heard amidships before the break of dawn. The Satyr’s Folly split the sea in search of land, wealth, and the accolades attached, yet it was short on food, grog, and morale. Still, the Captain was convinced that nothing would stop her. The Bosun dispatched Dalziel Kelly to investigate—the boy was quick and, moreover, expendable. ‘There’s a good man,’ were the words that he used. Good man. There’s a good man. The search was impeded by rough sea and meager light, yet the lad persisted—spurred on by fear of the lash. The ship spoke its creaking, salted words, and Dalziel felt a handless push toward the hold. He watched himself disappear into that darkened hatch with a remove birthed of sheer terror. He wasn’t there at all—he was still asleep, or, better yet, he was back home, far from the tyranny of the sea. A good man. You’re a good man. There’s a good man.
She was right, there and no mistake. The long spidery arms wrapped in ashen flesh, the black hair that hung like wet algae, and the cracked lips over anemone teeth were hard to refute. She crawled over, crab-like and pregnant with malevolent promise. The boy’s mutinous knees dumped him on the damp wooden boards and he could smell her. Corrupt. Pungent. Evil. She cried out like a mother deprived of her young and Dalziel Kelly felt all hope extinguished. Her black eyes found his and he saw the dispassionate expanse of the heavens. Good man. Be a good man, for God’s sake.
The thing’s life unfurled before the eyes of the lad and he saw its ancient beginnings. It was there at the start when a world of more ocean than land gave rise to gods of the abyss that craved eternity. As earth pushed up and water receded, the Kings and Queens of the sea were exiled. Alone. Forsaken. Furious. ‘Escort me through the world of men and I will grant you what you desire. Rum. Pork. Gold. Name your price.’ Good. A man of goodness. What is goodness? A dead thing corroded by the salt of the deep?
The Bosun voiced his rage at Dalziel’s findings or lack thereof. He fetched the blood-encrusted Cat and rolled up his sleeves as all hands gathered on deck. Good men are refined by pain. The sunken eyes of sailors watched, as did the black eyes from the shadows. They felt rising warmth in their guts, not natural fever-heat, but blistering, boiling fire from the bowels of the world. One by one, they gave themselves to the sea and the things that lived there. Not one remained now, but two. The knavish pair cared not for rum, nor pork, nor gold, nor the goodness of men. They desired the fealty of the damned.
Captain Dalziel of the Satyr’s Folly and his ghastly bride, pale of hue, and sharp of tooth, took to the sea in search of souls. Goodness didn’t enter into it.
The Satyr's Folly(Jason James Parker)
The mournful wailing was heard amidships before the break of dawn. The Satyr’s Folly split the sea in search of land, wealth, and the accolades attached, yet it was short on food, grog, and morale. Still, the Captain was convinced that nothing would stop her. The Bosun dispatched Dalziel Kelly to investigate—the boy was quick and, moreover, expendable. ‘There’s a good man,’ were the words that he used. Good man. There’s a good man. The search was impeded by rough sea and meager light, yet the lad persisted—spurred on by fear of the lash. The ship spoke its creaking, salted words, and Dalziel felt a handless push toward the hold. He watched himself disappear into that darkened hatch with a remove birthed of sheer terror. He wasn’t there at all—he was still asleep, or, better yet, he was back home, far from the tyranny of the sea. A good man. You’re a good man. There’s a good man.
She was right, there and no mistake. The long spidery arms wrapped in ashen flesh, the black hair that hung like wet algae, and the cracked lips over anemone teeth were hard to refute. She crawled over, crab-like and pregnant with malevolent promise. The boy’s mutinous knees dumped him on the damp wooden boards and he could smell her. Corrupt. Pungent. Evil. She cried out like a mother deprived of her young and Dalziel Kelly felt all hope extinguished. Her black eyes found his and he saw the dispassionate expanse of the heavens. Good man. Be a good man, for God’s sake.
The thing’s life unfurled before the eyes of the lad and he saw its ancient beginnings. It was there at the start when a world of more ocean than land gave rise to gods of the abyss that craved eternity. As earth pushed up and water receded, the Kings and Queens of the sea were exiled. Alone. Forsaken. Furious. ‘Escort me through the world of men and I will grant you what you desire. Rum. Pork. Gold. Name your price.’ Good. A man of goodness. What is goodness? A dead thing corroded by the salt of the deep?
The Bosun voiced his rage at Dalziel’s findings or lack thereof. He fetched the blood-encrusted Cat and rolled up his sleeves as all hands gathered on deck. Good men are refined by pain. The sunken eyes of sailors watched, as did the black eyes from the shadows. They felt rising warmth in their guts, not natural fever-heat, but blistering, boiling fire from the bowels of the world. One by one, they gave themselves to the sea and the things that lived there. Not one remained now, but two. The knavish pair cared not for rum, nor pork, nor gold, nor the goodness of men. They desired the fealty of the damned.
Captain Dalziel of the Satyr’s Folly and his ghastly bride, pale of hue, and sharp of tooth, took to the sea in search of souls. Goodness didn’t enter into it.
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
12/03/2020Thanks for reading, Gordon. Basically, it adds up to: boy meets monster; boy abandons goodness and sets off to traverse the seven seas with said monster. As a 'Righty', I enjoy abstraction and metaphor. : )
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Jane Lockyer Willis
11/30/2020I think that Darlington sums up your work beautifully, Jason. To see, to sculp, to pant, to photograph.
Yes, that's you, and your great talent for description.
These are the phrases I picked out : 'gods of the abyss that craved eternity,' 'malevolent promise,'
the use of single words for effect: Alone. Forsaken. Furious.
You are good at using figures of association, and metaphors: A poet really. Jane :)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
12/02/2020Thank you very much, Jane. I was toying with economy here if I remember correctly. All I can see now are the mistakes (commas' gathering where there should be none! : )
Thank you so much for your encouraging and thoughtful words. : )
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Darlington Chukwunyere
05/13/2020You always make me see rather than read. Permit me to call you a sculptor, a painter, and a photographer, Jason. I enjoyed the viewing.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
05/14/2020Thank you so much, Darlington. That's a fantastic compliment. As writers we're constantly striving to show and not tell the reader aren't we? I'm so glad it's worked here. : )
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
05/06/2020Aloha Jason,
Great Title. Great Story. I have only one question: "How do you sleep at night?"
Your nightmares must be epic.
Smiles, Kevin of the Pollyana plot lines.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
05/06/2020Thank you, Kevin (The Satyr's Folly is what I would call my restaurant--if I ever opened one)
In answer to your question, I take some time falling asleep (too busy dreaming up beasties. lol)
P.S. I thoroughly enjoy your Pollyanna plotlines. : )
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Aziz
05/05/2020How rich is your vocabulary Jason. The way you use your words and the meaning they engulf is impressive. You make some words vivid and more creative.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
05/05/2020Thank you very much, Aziz. Coming from a writer as thoughtful and intelligent as yourself, that's high praise indeed. : )
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kanishka Roy
05/04/2020The title in itself makes me wonder ......there's a story I don't know. And your stories are always unthinkable.
You make love with your words, and we all love to watch.
Beautifully eerie!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Jason James Parker
05/04/2020Thanks Kanishka. You're right about the title; it's one I've been carrying with me for long time (and it gets dropped into all sorts of scenarios--I'm sure it could germinate a tale of its own). Thank you for your very kind words and for reading my scribble. : )
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