Arkcher Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 [wow. This was going to be just a short segment of a story, just a few pages long, but I've been able to make it MUCH longer than I expected. so I'd estimate this to take about five updates worth of content. Going in a bit of a different direction with this story, so let me know what you think. but I can tell you right now its probably not quite as historically accurate as the common non-fiction story. Im just using a real kind of scenario.] Late 1349 Eric Packub, one of two carpenters in a small isolated village in western Europe, had finished another woodwork project. For about three days he had been working on a bedframe, and he proudly stepped back and looked over his work. He couldn't help but smile, it was nothing extraordinary, but he could see it serving its purpose well. "Ralph! I've finished it. Come give me a hand." Eric called to his assistant, his voice ringing through the small workshop he spent so much time in. After a few seconds, the lad emerged from behind a doorway, standing tall at age 18. "Come, lets take this to the back room." Wordlessly, the two hoisted the frame up, tilted it to the side and carried it out and in to a storage room. Eric glanced back at Ralph, and noticed a rather malaised countenance. "Are you alright, Ralph?" "Yeah, I'm... simply concerned. Mother has told me that my younger sister has come down very ill." "Hmm. Uh, Victoria, am I right?" "Yes, sir." "If memory serves right, she's a good friend of my younger sister as well, Elizabeth?" "That sounds right, yes..." The two lowered the bed frame down, looking down on it. "Well, I hope this doesn't get spread around too much." The two reflected on past events, recalling disease affecting their humble town's population. "Ah, I... wonder what time it is..." Eric looked out the nearest window and saw the sun close to setting. "Wow, I need to head out. See you tomorrow, Ralph. Thanks for your help." With that, the two left the workshop, and Eric strode enthusiastically toward his cottage just down the road. He had only just moved out to a home of his own, being age 23 or so. Being one of two carpenters in town, he expected to have a lot of business and work to do, but... well, with that few workers, there weren't many other people to serve. Eric turned just around his cottage to his small field behind his home, growing various vegetables. He felt it necessary to keep a store of food, especially with winter fast approaching. Eric knelt down by some of his garden, feeling the vegetation peeking out from the frost-covered soil. He could only pray that his garden could survive the two days left before he could extract his food. Unsure if they would survive, he stood up, and retired to his bed for the night, wearied from recent happenings. He still lived alone, but anxiously awaited the time when he could find a fiancée, but... He didn't have the means or time to travel, and this small town had limited choices, so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Yeah Arkcher!!! I love when you post stories!!!!!!!! Another great one!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted October 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 The next day started off as expected. There was a thin coat of snow on the ground, with small flurries still floating about the grey skies and leafless trees. Eric checked his garden once more, and headed for his workshop. Ralph was nowhere to be seen. His late arrival would be acceptable, though, with his family sick... Eric worked alone for several hours, often taking breaks to throw scrap wood in to the present oven and warm himself up, the wind chill from the windows got to him. Shivering, he heard a knock at the door. Relieved, he called out "Come on in, Ralph." The door slowly opened, but not to reveal his assistant, rather Eric's younger brother. "Jacob? what are you doing out in this weather?" "Mother sent me for you. She wants to see you very soon." Not expecting this, Eric stood up, and looked about his workshop. He shouldnt be gone for very long, his mother knows well that he should be working right now... "Alright. Lets go." Trudging through the frosted dirt road, the two were reminded of the waning quality of their shoes, their feet became frigid with the chilling weather and puddles found along the road that they failed to step around. But in short time, their large cabin soon came in view around the trees. A smokestack rose high overhead, their fireplace actively being used. Emerging through the door, Eric's mother anxiously hurried them inside and closed the door behind them. "Hello. ... What's... going on?" Eric questioned, looking around to see nothing out of the ordinary. "Eric, your father and Elizabeth are both terribly ill. I don’t know what to do…” “Well, I’m certainly not a doctor…” Eric thought aloud, looking over the room once more expecting to see his family. “They’re upstairs…” His mother looked more distraught than she would over something simple as sickness. “… is.. there something I should know?” She nodded, grimacing. “Jacob, stay down here for a moment…” She motioned for Eric to follow, and he acted accordingly as they both went upstairs. In the spare bedroom were two beds, occupied by a small body and a large body. “… They’re both very ill.” Eric didn’t speak. “… but what scares me the most is that I think…” Tears formed in her eyes. Eric looked at her, concerned. “I think it’s the black plague!” She lowered her voice to a fast whisper, and covered her mouth as if uttering something blasphemous by speaking. Eric’s eyes widened, certainly taken aback by this, but also reminded of Ralph and his family. Looking more distressed, Eric’s mother threw her arms around him and sobbed quietly, muffled by his embrace. Not wanting to draw attention to them, Eric led her out of the room and in to an unoccupied one. “Don’t worry, we have an apothecary in town. We’ll let them know. They can heal them!” Eric spoke, trying to get his mother’s attention. She looked up hopefully, apparently that had slipped her mind. [Potential oh noes! Potential hurrah! WHAT WILL HAPPEN o: ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted October 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 [o: What is this? It is posting two updates before Horatio could get on and mod one of them! This is blasphemy! This is madness! THIS IS CAKETOWN] Eric found himself looking out at his small garden later that night. He directed the doctors toward his family, only hoping he could heal them. The doctor had a strange attire. They insisted that if they would treat his family, they must do so in a specific outfit, sporting a bird mask and a beak protruding from the front, containing many herbs and spices to ward off the plague or filter it out of the air. It religiously symbolized something, but Eric didn’t stick around to find out what. He concernedly looked over his crops, mainly consisting of beets. Nobody he knew liked beets. They were very cheap, however, about the only thing he could afford to grow. A select few of them had wilted leaves sticking up from the ground. The few that remained wouldn’t be sweet, but they would have to suffice as food nonetheless. Eric sighed, now realizing just how cold it was outside. He turned around and walked toward the front door, but a voice behind him caught his attention. He turned around, and his little brother Jacob was calling after him while running toward him. “Jacob! What is it now?” Eric knelt down to the oncoming lad as he approached, only to see tears shining about his reddened face. “Eric! Eh… eliz.. Elizabeth…” Jacob stuttered between sniffling. “Mother says.. that Elizabeth died.” Jacob lost control over himself and began crying, and hugged his elder brother. Eric was some 21 years old, and accordingly had enough experience to make him emotionally strong, but… This, and the foreseeable future events may just wear him down… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Kat - Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Hooray stories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted October 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 [yeah, so, I have the whole story written out by now, but the ending i have right now doesnt really solve anything so I might rewrite it sometime.] The next morning, the weather was slightly warmer. Eric couldn’t keep himself from worrying over his small crops, as they were vital to the seasonal supply of food, which never turned out very well in their town. Despite this, he found himself alone in the workshop once more, faced with a task he was not used to. He was the only one who could do it… but he couldn’t bring himself to make a casket for his younger sister. With every stroke of the handsaw, as it wore through the lumber, each cut brought back another memory of him with his family. He never realized how much he had loved his sister until now, but… it was too late. At such a young age, too… Eric shook his head after a long moment, and cleared his mind to concentrate on his work. Forcing the thoughts from his head, he continued cutting the wood in to the shape of a lass. He looked down at it, feeling that it was of finer quality than he had anticipated. It was sufficient for a youth great as Elizabeth. Struggling to keep focus, he carried the casket and lid out to a four-horse carriage he had rented, and placed it in the back, and slowly rode toward his family’s house, his heart aching. Rocked from side to side by the uneven roads, he looked up at the sky. He was never one for being religious, but the thought of a plague had brought him new ideas. Was God there? He could be, and this is a punishment of sorts for immoral conduct which was certainly no scarcity. Or perhaps God was not there, and this is a simple course of nature… Pondering for only a short moment longer, he dismounted the stopped carriage and approached his family’s house. He raised a hand to open the door, but before he could, it slowly opened out of his way. And inside stood the mournful mother, and her youngest child Jacob, who accordingly looked rather sorrowful. Eric did his best to keep an orderly conduct, while he couldn’t keep himself from showing emotion, he didn’t want to lose control or sight of his objective. He wanted this to pass quickly and painlessly. “Eric…” “It’s alright, Mother.” The two of them drew closer and hugged once more. “No, Eric…” She continued, “… its Father, as well.” --- Against his better judgement to have proper ceremonies for both members of his family, Eric had not choice but to take care of his younger sister and his own father at the same time. He opened the door to his workshop once more, now revealing Ralph, Eric’s assistant. Ralph was already working hard on what was unmistakably a casket as well. Larger than what Eric had made in the past. Tears dripped from Ralph’s face on to the unfinished project, which looked the right size for a toddler. Wordlessly, the two made eye contact, feeling each others pain. Eric didn’t hesitate, he gathered some lumber and started on the hardest bit of work he had done in all his life… Again, every cut with the hand saw brought back memories. His father had always been there for him. Eric, strong and immovable as he was, looked up to his father and always turned to his insightful views for direction and guidance. He was no longer there for him. Or for Mother. Oh, what she must feel about all of this… After what seemed to be an eternity of sawing and nailing a large casket together, Eric looked down at his work. He was not smiling this time. It was nothing extraordinary, but he could see it serving its purpose well. “… I’m sorry, Eric.” The teary-eyed Ralph came up behind his mentor, and with a hand on his shoulder looked at both finished works. “I’m heading out north to the cemetery. I can take you and… … along with me…” Eric’s voice trembled for a moment, but he caught himself. His father never wavered, always stood strong and moral, immovable, and knew the time and place for everything. Now, It was Eric’s turn to fulfill that role. His family needed him, now more than ever. Eric felt worse about himself, now in the cemetery, about how he didn’t have the means to take a pastor or priest with him to give a proper burial. Regardless, he solemnly performed the burial, looking at the new graves fondly. He sighed, and looked off to the side at Ralph, who was doing the same thing. Neither of the two bore their usual cheery countenance, something that they weren’t used to seeing. They depended on the other to keep them happy, have some positive input when the other was going through a hard time. “We should head back to town.” Eric announced, before he got too sentimental. Wordlessly, the two got back in to the stagecoach rode back in to town, but to an unpleasant sight. Five or six of the towns citizens were wandering about the streets, as if searching for something. As Eric approached, the townsfolk hurried around his carriage, almost all at once despairingly requesting caskets for their passed family members as well. This was not looking well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted October 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 [Potentially the last post! .. i told you it was short.] The same thing happened over two more days. Eric would check on his crops one more time, hoping dearly they would last. They were due out late today. He didn’t dare hurry the process, treating these beets as if they were fragile, sentient… He caught himself again. He had work to do, and stood up and walked away from his cottage once more. Two more caskets left, and undoubtably the queue would rise up this day. Over a short period of time as two days, he had already repeated the process of making caskets, taking a sorrowed family and their deceased north for a few hours as they were buried. Riding back with one family who generally stayed out of everyones way, back where they wouldn’t be disturbed, they were devastated by three of their family’s passing. Eric glanced behind himself, at the wagon the horses were pulling, and the few remaining of the family quietly rode together, enjoying each others company which may not last much longer. Eric felt their pain. His family was not doing well either. … This reminded him, that not a few days ago he was often visited by Jacob, his brother, but recently he hasn’t heard from Jacob or his mother. With two from his family gone already by means of this plague, he could only hope that it would not affect them any longer. Eric pulled the reins, slowed the steeds and let the accompanying family off, wishing them well. Not sticking around much longer, he turned himself around and rode off faster than usual toward his mother’s home… The fireplace was producing a smokestack as usual. Things looked well… While Eric was here, he decided to stop in and greet them, just check on them… Hoping that this may raise his spirits somewhat, he walked up the small porch and knocked on the door. He could hear a hushed voice inside, but no movement. He knocked again, before reaching for the door and opening it. Eric’s eyes widened, the furniture and household items were knocked over and messy, leaving a large clearing in the one room lower floor, which bore two people… Eric’s mother, kneeling down by Jacob who was sprawled about, face up. Eric said nothing, but loudly stepped toward her to let his presence be known. He stepped back upon seeing his brother- He was twitching and shaking violently, with a thick black liquid manifest from his mouth, nose, ears and eyes. Eric covered his mouth, mainly in shock but in hopes of not breathing the violently contaminated air. His surprised eyes turned toward his mother, who was leaning over her son, and looked up at the elder of two, looking aghast. She was crying uncontrollably, but with multiple inflammations and infections on her own body, most bearing a signature dark purple and black color, and traces of her own blood were visible around her mouth. Neither she or Jacob would live to see another daylight. With mixed emotions, Eric continued staring with his breath withheld, now realizing this was the last time he would see either of them alive. He could not comfort them. He could not hug them. He could not do anything to help them in the least without giving himself the same grim demise. He didn’t know what to do. Should he? He has the chance to keep himself alive, for however long it may be, but it would save him this physical pain which would accompany this emotional pain. Unsure if it was the right thing to do, Eric turned around, and walked out the door, giving his family their last moment together. The rest of the town needed Eric and Ralph. He boarded the stagecoach once more, and solemnly rode back toward his cottage, his haven from this world of increasing grief. Eric had one last hope of getting his mind off of all this… As he slowly rode through the muddy dirt road, he passed one particular man. Rodney, the town’s entertainer, stood tall, smiling, briskly walking along. “That’s all of them, Mr. Packub!” Eric looked down at Rodney as they crossed. That’s all of them? Rodney was usually one for keeping peoples spirits high with humor, the occasional mischievous prank that kept everyone amused. Not amused in the least, Eric rode on, giving Rodney’s appearance little thought. Perhaps he meant to say that it was over… the plague had passed? No more burials, dead families to take care of? That’s all of the people that were to be affected by this terrible event? Eric’s cottage came in to view, with his crops behind it. The stagecoach stopped along side the road near his home, and Eric strode to his beets and vegetable garden. Awestruck, Eric scanned the field for any sign of his food. Every single vegetable had been extracted and taken. Having stood strong and immovable all this time, Eric Packub fell to his knees, and let it all out. Rage, Sorrow, Grief, Fury, It all came out in one long crying shout, Eric, the one who had kept himself in line and stable, the one who had worked endless hours on caskets for half of the town’s population, now dead, He was the one who worked so hard and kept going despite the barrage of deceased family and friends, And this is the payment he gets for all of this?! He… now understood just what was meant by the haunting words, “That’s all of them, Mr. Packub.” His store of food and raiment was gone. Eric leaned forward, catching himself with his hands before falling to the ground, continuing his wails of despair… [This is as far as i've written, lacking any further inspiration on what to happen next. so until further notice, this story is OVER with a very not-happy ending.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 [Potentially the last post!.. i told you it was short.] [This is as far as i've written, lacking any further inspiration on what to happen next. so until further notice, this story is OVER with a very not-happy ending.] [ NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesus Posted October 20, 2007 Report Share Posted October 20, 2007 [why did teh veggies get stoled?] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted October 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 [why did teh veggies get stoled?] ['cause Rodney is an arse, and probably intended this to be a silly prank but knowing him it was probably taken too far, and that was all that Eric needed to just lose it.] [though I wont lie about it, All this story was for is so I could write about those two last scenes. just thought of it as a pretty fun thing to write about, despite how depressing it may be, so... yeah, just some of the highlighted scenes were essentially all this story was written for. but who knows, i might continue it. right now I have no plan to do so, however.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted December 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2007 Twenty-four year old Eric Packub stood in a slouched position in the middle of the still-muddy roads of his hometown. Large portions of his clothes were missing, and appeared to have been forcefully ripped out. This gave little protection against the harsh cold, wind chill, and moderate rain that descended across the plains of europe, but exposed Eric's muscular body, which was painfully stricken with buboes, all bearing an all-too-familiar dark purple color. Eric's worn shoes were essentially useless. They served no real purpose, being worn so bad that the holes in which did little protection, and let in freezing cold water in to his numbed feet. Eric, himself, felt essentially useless. His wood shop was the only real thing left of him or anything he had done or stood for. He spent so much of his time perfecting furnishings and building various items, It led to him being the only person to turn to when the black plague struck his small hometown, killing so many of its inhabitants, he was the only one to give proper burials and produce caskets. Having handled so many infected corpses, He found himself living the last few hours of his life, limping down the streets with one person in mind. Rodney, a particular man in the town was often pulling pranks and telling jokes, all in good humor, but... this past time he had taken it one step too far. Eric couldnt rid the thought that Rodney was responsible for his miserable state now. Eric's crops and food storage had been raided and stolen, cleaned out. He wouldnt need it now, he realized, but not much else mattered to him at that time. A sharp pain grew on his side, another monstrous tumor appeared, which painfully rubbed against Eric's clothing, causing him to writhe involuntarily until he brought himself to rip off the surrounding portion of clothes. Soaked with rain water and unbearably cold, Eric struggled to move on, and try to... perhaps, carry on this plague to the one who wronged him. No... The puddles in the road made it difficult to see the terrain he traversed. His leg sunk knee-deep in a muddy hole of sorts, causing him to twist uncomfortably and land on his back, the loud crack of bones echoing through the scenery. Eric let out a final cry of pain, rain still coming down hard. He couldnt do anything now. Flat on his back with his right shin submerged in the rocky, muddy road, he laid and panted, feeling nausiated as he finally expelled blood from his mouth, unable to keep himself breathing steadily. Harsh cold... Rain from all directions... Black Plague itself, tearing at his inside... Open wound in dirty water... Eric Packub finally succumbed to the harsh elements of his condition, and lost all will to move on. [i felt back for not concluding anything. And this really isnt a very conclusive.. conclusion, but now the story is actually done. =D Feedback is always awesome.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Posted December 26, 2007 Report Share Posted December 26, 2007 As always... fantastic story. So sorry to see your stories come to a conclusion. *waits for the next one* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted December 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2007 [i doubt the symptoms of the black plague were exactly this, I think the tumorous buboes only showed up in specific places. That, and I rather merged the three subcategories, having similar symptoms but different ways of being passed/spread around. And completely threw out the idea that about 20% of the people with said plague actually survived. I should have also mentioned that people in this yet unnamed town were considered fortunate to have Eric around, while such a drastic portion of Europes population was taken out by that plague, only the richer folks or.. fortunate ones were granted caskets, and most others were taken out in mass-burials, literally throwing some fifty plague-dead bodies in to a big hole and leaving them. But I dont think I could bring myself to make this any more depressing than it already is. =D] [Also, I tried to incorporate symbolism and wee little hidden messages or metaphors in there. Let me know if you see any, 'cause this would be the first time I've done something like that.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topazia Posted December 27, 2007 Report Share Posted December 27, 2007 o.o that was awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Posted December 27, 2007 Report Share Posted December 27, 2007 [i doubt the symptoms of the black plague were exactly this, I think the tumorous buboes only showed up in specific places. That, and I rather merged the three subcategories, having similar symptoms but different ways of being passed/spread around.And completely threw out the idea that about 20% of the people with said plague actually survived. I should have also mentioned that people in this yet unnamed town were considered fortunate to have Eric around, while such a drastic portion of Europes population was taken out by that plague, only the richer folks or.. fortunate ones were granted caskets, and most others were taken out in mass-burials, literally throwing some fifty plague-dead bodies in to a big hole and leaving them. But I dont think I could bring myself to make this any more depressing than it already is. =D] [Also, I tried to incorporate symbolism and wee little hidden messages or metaphors in there. Let me know if you see any, 'cause this would be the first time I've done something like that.] I'll wait for someone else to mention and see if I am right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted December 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Also, seeing MK and Glowy-boy post the little shorts stories, reminds me of how when this story was posted, it was intended to be one like that and I was going to throw in some other cool story segments that never really got finished, but... this one was too long to be a simple few paragraphs. so At some point, i'm gonna make a topic full'a little short stories like those. They'll be shorter than this one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horatio Posted December 28, 2007 Report Share Posted December 28, 2007 Also, seeing MK and Glowy-boy post the little shorts stories, reminds me of how when this story was posted, it was intended to be one like that and I was going to throw in some other cool story segments that never really got finished, but... this one was too long to be a simple few paragraphs. so At some point, i'm gonna make a topic full'a little short stories like those. They'll be shorter than this one though. I love these short and long stories! You all are so creative and have phenomenal imaginations! WOOT !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowurm Posted December 29, 2007 Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Also, seeing MK and Glowy-boy post the little shorts stories, reminds me of how when this story was posted, it was intended to be one like that and I was going to throw in some other cool story segments that never really got finished, but... this one was too long to be a simple few paragraphs. so At some point, i'm gonna make a topic full'a little short stories like those. They'll be shorter than this one though. I'd love to see the kind of rlyrly short stories you'd write. Because you've got wit. Or some kind of similarly good-tasting personality trait that can make people laugh uncontrollably if they are shown too much of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted December 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 ... kind of rlyrly ... ... im sorry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkcher Posted December 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2007 Oh wait, disregard my previous post. What I meant to say was Horatio is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowurm Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 ... kind of rlyrly ... ... im sorry? kind of really really. So. I would love to see the kind of really really short stories you'd write. I was being an idiot, is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowurm Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 Oh wait, disregard my previous post.What I meant to say was Horatio is awesome. Oh, whoops. Didn't read this. -ph41l- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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