1 comment

Fantasy

What a fucking day Greg says to himself as he walks into his mother’s basement. Greg falls onto his bed exhausted. “And I’m going to lose an hour of sleep, fuck my life” Greg says aloud as he puts his alarm clock an hour ahead. Almost instantly after laying down Greg falls asleep.

“FUCK!” Greg screams realizing his alarm clock never rang, Greg scrambles to get ready for work. “MA! Can you make me a sandwich im late for work” Greg screams from the basement. Greg reaches the basement door and tries to open the door, with complete failure Greg tries again what the hell he thinks to himself. “Mom this isn’t funny I know I said I wouldn’t be late again open the door” Greg acclaims. “I will break this door down if you don’t open it” Greg says angrily. Running down the stairs Greg grabs his old baseball bat this will do Greg thinks. After The first few swings the door starts to chip and breakthrough. He notices rough dirt come out of the newly made holes. Instead of breaking the rest of the door Greg decides to punch out the dirt with the bat.

After About an hour Greg finally notices gains being made. He makes a bigger hole into the door to try to make more ground. Greg kicks out the last of the dirt in front of the door. What the hell Greg says to himself as he opens the door and gets hit with a wave on intense heat. The first thing Greg sees is a small stream of water on the then-before road. Greg looks behind to see a 5 story wall of dirt. Noticing different layers of erosion in the dirt Greg thinks how fucking long was I asleep.

Greg Returns to his basement to grab anything he can. Noticing that he is thirsty he grabs his empty Yeti cup and runs to the small stream of water. “STOP” he hears someone yell as he is about to fill his cup. Trying to locate the voice he looks up and sees a woman running down a dirt ramp that meets the road. “Who are you” they both shout. “Who am I” Greg asks. “Yes, where did you come from” The Mysterious Woman proclaims. Greg points to the basement and says “My name is Greg and I woke up not to long ago in their, who the hell are you?” “I am The Fierce France Freya princess of the Freya Clan. Now tell me what kind of wears are those?” The Princess exclaims. “My what?” Greg asks puzzled. “Your wears what is on your back heathen?” The Princess says angrily. “My clothes? They are from my room.” Greg says wearily. “Guards!” The Princess shouts as Greg faints.

With the sting of a headache, Greg awakes in a bathtub naked. He looks around trying to figure out where he is, with no recollection he hears a door open around the corner. Princess France appears with some fresh garments. Greg stands. “You should put these on would want to embarrass yourself” Princes France says. “Where are we” Greg questions. “We are in the kingdom.” France says as she looks out of her window overlooking the kingdom. “How did we get here?” Greg continues to question. “I had the guards pick you up as your body became weak, we thought you were dead for the longest”. “Where did you say you came from again” France wonders. “Lebanon, Pennsylvania” Greg Answers. “Lebanon? I’ve never heard of such a place. Nevertheless follow me and we will give you a feast”. France says as she exits hastily.

As they enter the great hall Greg notices paintings and paintings of prominent looking men. “Who are they” Greg questions. “These are my ancestors all the Kings of Freya Clan. Here is my Father the current King of the Freya Clan, Michael the Mighty is what they call him. You will meet him soon.” France says certainly. Colossal purple and red doors stand in front of them guarding the dining room. “Now arriving Princess Freya and company” The guard announces.

“Welcome daughter, who might have you brought before me” The King inquires. Rapidly Princess Freya responds “This is a boy from Lebanon”. The King stops her “Lebanon? What is this place?” Greg injects “it’s in the United States” “I have heard of this place only in stories of old” The King exclaims. “Old stories? What year is it” Greg asks. “Boy what time do you think it is? But before you answer sit and eat you look weak” The King says. Greg reaches for the turkey leg and a pile of weird look fruit. “Its 2020? What year do you think it is?” Greg questions. “My boy the books of history would say that this is the year 4834”. Greg becomes hysterical and thinks what the fuck. “Eat and become yourself again, then we will go to the libraries” The King orders Greg.

Greg feeling fully restored, quickly questions about the library “How much information is in there?” “I don’t know I’ve never been inside, the rules deny women any passage into such places. It is forbidden” France responds. “Really? In such a time the woman are still treated like second class citizens?” Greg bounces back. “It is not so much as we are second to man, it is that the men will fight the wars and the women are spies. If a woman is captured by the Grounders, they will gain all of our secrets”. “The Grounders?” Greg questions puzzled. “Yes I found you at our meeting point with them, they are a devious people they live in the walls like where you came from”. France answers. “Father, Greg is ready to visit the library”. France proclaims. “Excellent, we shall go at once!” The King readies.

Together they get to the stairwell, which opens up to be much more. The King presses the stone bricks in what seems to be a pattern, finishing with pulling on the stairwell rail. “With haste” The King orders. Greg Scurries behind the King. A small passage is behind the wall how does this man fit within these walls Greg thinks to himself. With many twist and turns in this dimly lit path there finally seems to be bright light coming from underneath of a door. The door creaks while revealing a dimly lit yet magnificent auditorium filled with shelves and shelves of books. “You might take that this fur wear with you, it can get chilly in here”. The King explains. Greg grabs the nearest fur coat that resembles a bear’s fur. “You said 2020 before no? It should be around here somewhere”. “Yes sir” Greg answers, amazed by all the knowledge around him.

“Ah here it is, the disappearance of 2020” The King openly says. “The disaster?” Greg questions worried. “Yes, now let’s see what happened. It appears that once a thing called the saving of daylight happened a third of the population of your kingdom Lebanon vanished.” The King tells the story. A third of the population? Greg wonders. “Then we must go find them at once! If I woke up right now then they must have as well.” Greg orders the King. “You may be right young Greg but you are in no place to make commands. They may be already taken by the grounders.” The King responds. “My responsibility is to my people and to keep them safe, and to only make dealings with the Grounders when absolutely necessary”. The King says. “I have seen enough Sir, I would like to be with the Princess if that is okay with you”. Greg answers.

As soon as the King lets Greg leave, Greg rushes to find France to tell her the news from the Library. Found in her quarters Greg sees the young Princess freshly bathed in gold silked robes tending to her hair. In complete awe Greg is stumbled when France says “Are you just going to stand there or are you going to brush my hair”. “Yes ma’am”. Greg answers. Puzzled France responds “I’m sorry I thought you were my handmaiden”. “Well I may be no handmaiden, but I do bring news from the library”. Greg rebuttals. “And what may that be”. France is quick. “It appears that in my time Lebanon lost a third of its population when daylight savings hit, and I think that they may have ended up here with me”. Greg responds. “Do you know how many that may be? And if they end up where I found you the Grounders will grab them up and put them in cages confused”. France questions. “I know of a way to sneak out that’s how I found you but it is nearly dark we should rest”. France says. “And where will I sleep?” Greg is suspicious.” “You will have a bed in the room over”. France blushes and turns away. “Leave now and get some rest” France orders.

Feeling anxious Greg finds it troubling to sleep. How could there be a third of the population missing? Where could they be? We have to find them. With his own Window he overlooks the kingdom and notices a fire in the distance. He rushes to France’s quarters and wakes her. “Princess you must wake up, there is a fire in the distance it could be my people!” Dazzled France wakes from her slumber “What is it” “My people they are out there”. Greg answers “Let me dress and we will leave at once”. France says. Wearing what seems to be a combat dress France attaches a holster to her leg and inserts a knife. “Come with me” France tells Greg.

France Leading Greg throughout the Castle almost gets stopped by the guards multiple times. “And where do you think you’re going young lady” a voice comes from the shadows. “Nowhere Mother just showing Greg around the Kingdom”. Freya responds. From the shadows appears a very intelligent yet proper Woman, she has similar wears as France the same style combat dress with many more tools peeking out. “I do not have to tell you to be careful now do I? The woman asks. “No mother but you should meet Greg he is quite interesting”. Freya showing Greg. “Well mister Greg, I am Queen of the Kingdom, Head Mistress of the Spies, and Mother to Princess France, I am none other than The Swift Sierra”. The Queen addresses. “I must take my leave now and meet your father, I have just returned from seeing a Grounder party with a bunch of strange people”. “That must be my people” Greg interjects. “Are they okay? Was anyone hurt?” Greg asks. “They looked dismayed, and oblivious to what was happening to them.” The Queen answers. She quickly disappears back into the shadows. ”France she saw them, your mother saw them!” Greg gratefully says. “Well now I am afraid we can do nothing and must come to terms with the grounders. We must go with my Mother and meet with the King.” France says disappointed yet eager.

Trying to follow France and the Queen, Greg Becomes tired and cannot keep up. “Greg come we don’t have much time” France encourages. “It’s not much further come on.” Back into the Great Hall Greg is met with King Michael, Queen Sierra, Princess France, Military looking men and some advisors. “Ah welcome young Greg, It seems my beautiful Queen has found your people. But it appears that the Grounders have taken them captive.” The King explains. “How will we get them free?” Greg asks. “This may have to be small battle” One of the military men says. “No we must be civil, we want no harm to the people of Lebanon”. One of the advisors says. “Or we could just sneak in there and free them like we would if our own was captured.” The Queen proclaims. “Father what is your choice.” Asks France. “This is what we will do, we will send a messenger requesting the safe transfer of young Greg’s people. But as this happens, we will send a cohort to stand by one league away. All while the Queen and her choice of spies sneak in and set as many as they can free. General get your men ready, Allen send your messenger, Sierra who will you chose?” The King acclaims “It will be myself and our daughter she has to show me she is ready”. Queen Sierra explains. “Very well, As the Queen and Princess make their way to the Grounder camp Greg is to wait with me”. The King says.

Greg already anxious, is ordered by the King to stay in the Castle. Hearing birds chirping is the only sound in the air. By the window in Greg’s room he can see the cohort mobilizing, instructed to be a league Greg worries that the distance is too great. France and the Queen have quite the speed advantage on the Messenger and the cohort they should be there soon Greg thinks to himself. The King enters the room. “Greg technology from your time has much advanced but has been reserved for the Castle. Take this” The King hands Greg a tracker combined with an oracle. “Now you no longer have to worry, they will accomplish the mission before the messenger reaches the Grounders”. The King says with certainty. “I have only sent the messenger and the cohort to calm the minds of my advisor and General.” The King explains. “As you can see they are swift and quiet, a specialty that the spies work for years on”. The King says. “I just don’t understand why this all has happened” Greg questions. “Now that my boy is the question for the gods.” The king acclaims. “Ah they have reached the first cage, they will free your people young Greg”. The King says confidently. “General send the transfer wagons the Queen has freed them”. The King talks into some sort of communication device.

“There is only about 100 of them here Michael” The Queen tells the King. “They must have them in different locations, we must redirect attention and come back with the freed ones” The King orders.

“Get them Housing throughout our walls. We must find the Rest.” The King orders. Where could the Grounders be hiding thousands and thousands of people the King thinks to himself. “They must have used these few as a distraction to gain knowledge of our tactics. Where is the Messenger? Why has he not returned with communication of the Grounders?” The King Questions. “He has been sighted just outside the gates my Lord” The advisors explains. “Bring him before me at once!” the King Orders.

Opening the doors to the Great Hall “The Messenger arrives” a guard announces. “Boy what is the news of the transfer request to the Grounders” The King asks. The messenger kneels “My Lord, they said they would release all captives under one condition… They want Greg”.

 


March 29, 2020 10:02

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

1 comment

Aishath Saimon
17:19 Apr 10, 2020

Great story! it has a unique story line.

Reply

Show 0 replies

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.