Morning all and welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Here I take the start of a story idea and work on it for fifteen minutes a day. I started with an old writing prompt that interested me, cleaned it up a bit to fit the basic outline of the story I want to write and then set aside fifteen minutes each week day to see it grow. Each morning’s writing starts with the last sentence of the day before. And so now we have the story of Kasca…
Day 39: No one was moving around.
No one was moving around. Kasca didn’t even see anyone lounging about. Thee was no one asleep in the solarium or even taking a nap in a chair in the back. No one was working in the so overstocked kitchen. When Kasca looked she didn’t even see any flies of maggots on the spoiled food.
In none of the working parts of the house was a single servant stirring. The semi public rooms such as the library, study, and family parlor were as empty as the receiving room downstairs.
It was with some trepidation that Kasca went into the bed chambers.
She started with the guest rooms. They were empty and opulent. However they looked as though they had not been occupied. They were furnished and ready for company but that company had not yet arrived. They were pristine in their waiting state.
All of the rooms she searched were empty.
Kasca left the master’s chamber for last. She had a bad feeling about what she would find. She slipped into the chamber. Kasca could feel her energy fading fast and knew she couldn’t delay. Already she could feel the tug back to her body. Still she had to know. She slipped into the cambers and found it was not like the others. Items were piled high. Expensive fabrics. The jewels and precious metals cut from the garments not take for easier transport and finally the bed chamber.
The overlord lay on the bed. He was tucked in as though sleeping. His sleep however was eternal. His face was mottled with broken pustules, yet he was still identifiable. He did not move. Had not moved in several days by Kasca’s estimation.
He ran from the disease. Whether he created it or not, it followed him to this place and it took him. Kasca stared at the body of the Overlord, uncertain what to think about it. She felt the pull back to her own body and let her sight fade knowing she stayed too long. Kasca retreated to the cottage on the Isle of the Sanctuary. Slowly she pulled her sight back into herself until she was just staring at a bowl full of water.
For a moment Kasca sat there, thoughts swirling darkly. Then she pushed to her feet. She swayed with the effort. Too much energy was expended. She stayed too long. Kasca sat back down and reached for the bread she left at the end of the table. She tore off a chunk and slowly ate it as she tried to order her thoughts.
The Overlord was dead. He caused such misery to so many, slaughtered so many of her people she thought there would be joy or even peace. Perhaps later she would feel at least the relief of his death. If there was any now, it remained buried under worries. The Overlord died by the disease. She knew it could be argued as a just result or even as a sign that he created the disease and was one of it’s victims.
To Kasca one thought rose to the surface.
‘He didn’t have an antidote.’
If anyone in any of the districts had the resources to create an antidote it would have been the Overlord.
Ten til Midnight 