Far from Pesadilla Island, Alexander P. Huntington gripped a leather case as he wove his way along the crowded sidewalk. Vehicles rolled by, filling the air with their noise and fumes. He bumped shoulders with a pedestrian who suddenly stopped to take a picture of a storefront.
If there’s one thing I can count on in the City, it’s the tourists. He rolled his eyes. They’re everywhere.
A few more strides brought him to the front of a little coffee shop, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Its awning provided a respite from the glaring sun as he peeked through a window.
Good. There’s a table. He opened the door and went in.
“Hi, Mr. Huntington,” the barista greeted him. “The usual?”
“Yes, please.” He gave a curt nod and handed her a twenty. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks.” She quickly rang it up. “Working on any interesting articles today?”
“Nope. Just the novel.” He went to the empty table, set his leather case on top, and removed the laptop from it. Pulling out a chair, he sat down with his back to the window. Once the computer was powered up, he scanned the headlines while waiting for his order. He paused on one about Pesadilla Island and shuddered as he read. Why would anyone risk living there?
Before long, the barista brought his coffee and biscotti. He closed the browser, picked up the biscotti, and dunked it in the coffee. After taking a bite, he set it aside. Cracking his knuckles, he began to type.
Words filled the screen as his fingers raced across the keys. He dove into the story, tuning out the world around him until …
A hand slapped the table in front of him with a heavy thud.
He looked up.
A man wearing a grey trench coat had taken the other seat at the table and sat watching him.
“Excuse me,” Alex said, “but what do you think you’re doing?” And why wear a coat when it’s in the nineties?
“Simply joining you for a cup of coffee, Mr. Huntington,” the man replied. “How’s the novel coming?”
Alex’s fingers stilled. “Have we met?”
“Not exactly.”
Alex stared into the man’s storm-cloud colored eyes, and a strange sensation washed over him. He felt as though the old man was probing the recesses of his mind. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t look away. The man lowered his gaze, and the sensation passed.
“Who are you?” Alex asked.
A smile formed behind the man’s long beard and bushy eyebrows. “The answer to your question would take far too long to explain. However, I will tell you my name is Bromley. Let it suffice you to know I’ve taken a special interest in you. Since you unknowingly performed a favor for me a while back, I’ve decided to give you a gift. It can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you use it.” Bromley pointed his finger at Alex’s laptop, and a spark flashed between the two.
“Hey!” Alex grabbed the computer and inspected it. He glared at Bromley. “I don’t know what you just did, but if you caused any damage to my laptop, I’ll …"
Bromley raised his hand, and Alex’s words died on his lips. “It has suffered no harm. I’ll be on my way.”
Alex watched the strange man leave. It wasn’t until the coffee shop door clanged shut that he returned his attention to the laptop. Now where was I? Oh yes, I wanted to describe the lifeforms my character discovered on the new planet—the haritropes. They should be small, about the size of a rabbit, with reddish fur. I’ll give them rounded ears, whiskers, and bushy tails. He resumed typing.
***
Bromley crossed the street and slipped into the shadow of a recessed doorway where he could still see Alex through the coffee shop window. Another cloaked figure joined him.
“Did you complete the assignment?” The new arrival asked.
“Yes, it is done, Caldwell, and I expect to see results any moment.”
Just as Bromley finished speaking, a multitude of small, chinchilla-like animals appeared out of nowhere. Cars screeched to a halt, horns blared, and people screamed. Bromley chuckled.
“I had not anticipated such a large demonstration of the ability you gave Mr. Huntington.” Caldwell’s eyes widened. “The Council won’t appreciate it.”
“Let them fume. I tried to warn them. Even for an experienced wizard like myself, magic can prove difficult to control. Give it to a mortal to dabble with? The results will be unpredictable. Fortunately, the creatures appear benign.” Bromley watched as a nearby woman stooped to pet one.
Before long, others began to pet and cuddle the critters. Children begged their parents for permission to keep one, drivers got out from their vehicles for a closer look, and cell phones clicked as people took pictures.
Sirens blared in the distance, but the streets grew too congested for the emergency crews to get through. Inside the coffee shop, Alex continued to type away, oblivious to the havoc his creatures caused.
“Bromley, we must put a stop to this,” Caldwell said. “All the commotion hasn’t even alerted Mr. Huntington to the fact his characters can now come into existence.”
Bromley’s eyes sparked for a split-second. Afterwards, he could read the words on Alex’s computer screen. “But we mustn’t spoil the adventure yet. Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting—Alex has changed the creatures’ description.”
The once-cute critters suddenly developed long, sharp fangs and turned on the bystanders. More screams ensued as people sought to fend them off by any means possible. Briefcases became shields and purses collided with the furry bodies. Those who had picked one up wrestled to get free of it, but the animals used their paws to keep a tenacious grip.
Bromley’s shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his laughter.
“This isn’t funny,” Caldwell hissed. “Do something to stop the madness.”
“It’s out of my control, Caldwell. The magic’s been released. Only Alex can put an end to the situation, and he’s too absorbed in his story to realize anything’s amiss.”
“Go tell him.”
“I believe it was you who told me I must not interfere under any circumstance.” To Bromley’s further amusement, Caldwell ground his teeth.
A news helicopter hovered overhead as police arrived on the scene.
Bromley returned his attention to the laptop. Alex highlighted the entire section concerning the haritropes and pressed the backspace key.
The aggressive animals vanished.
“Great, just great.” Caldwell flung up his hands in exasperation.
“I thought you wanted them gone,” Bromley snickered.
“I did, but Mr. Huntington never even noticed his fictional beings actually existed. All the chaos was a complete waste. He’s likely to wreak more havoc next time.”
“Oh, don’t worry. He’ll learn of it soon enough.” Bromley pointed to the chopper. “With so many photos of the creatures, they’ll appear all over the news. If I were you, I’d be more concerned about what Alex will intentionally do once he realizes his laptop’s new ability rather than what his ignorance could lead to.”
“Once he’s aware of it, we can control him.”
“If you say so.” Bromley shrugged. “Anyway, I’m anxious to hear the explanations given for the appearance of these creatures. Too many witnesses for an easy cover-up.”
Caldwell’s thick, dark eyebrows bristled. “You better watch yourself, Bromley, and hope people don’t guess too close to the truth.”
“I’ve done nothing more or less than what the Council demanded. The rest is out of my hands.” Bromley touched the brim of his hat and walked away.
***
Alex stretched before he shut down the laptop and packed it up. It wasn’t until he left a small tip on the table, grabbed his bags and coffee cup, and turned toward the door that he finally perceived something big had happened. He strolled to the window where other customers had gathered to watch the events outside.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Alex asked a petite blonde.
“Oh, you missed it,” she exclaimed. “All of these cute little creatures appeared out of nowhere. Then they grew fangs and turned on people, and now they’re gone, poof, just like that.” The lady snapped her fingers.
The back of Alex’s neck tingled. “What did they look like?”
After the woman described them, Alex found it difficult to breathe. They couldn’t be the haritropes, could they? It sounds just like them, but how would it be possible? He caught a glimpse of a grey trench coat just before the wearer turned a corner. What did you do to my computer, old man?
Alex raced out the door in an attempt to catch up with Bromley, but the crowded sidewalks made it difficult to maneuver. By the time he reached the corner, Bromley wasn’t anywhere in sight. Alex reluctantly gave up the search and walked to his apartment. He turned on the TV, and images of creatures just like the haritropes he envisioned filled the screen. He flipped through one channel after another in disbelief. Every major news station had coverage of the event, and the more Alex saw, the more convinced he became that his fictional creatures had actually existed until the moment he deleted them.
I wonder if other beings I create will come to life. Alex stared at his laptop, and a smile crept across his face. If so, the possibilities are endless.
If there’s one thing I can count on in the City, it’s the tourists. He rolled his eyes. They’re everywhere.
A few more strides brought him to the front of a little coffee shop, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Its awning provided a respite from the glaring sun as he peeked through a window.
Good. There’s a table. He opened the door and went in.
“Hi, Mr. Huntington,” the barista greeted him. “The usual?”
“Yes, please.” He gave a curt nod and handed her a twenty. “Keep the change.”
“Thanks.” She quickly rang it up. “Working on any interesting articles today?”
“Nope. Just the novel.” He went to the empty table, set his leather case on top, and removed the laptop from it. Pulling out a chair, he sat down with his back to the window. Once the computer was powered up, he scanned the headlines while waiting for his order. He paused on one about Pesadilla Island and shuddered as he read. Why would anyone risk living there?
Before long, the barista brought his coffee and biscotti. He closed the browser, picked up the biscotti, and dunked it in the coffee. After taking a bite, he set it aside. Cracking his knuckles, he began to type.
Words filled the screen as his fingers raced across the keys. He dove into the story, tuning out the world around him until …
A hand slapped the table in front of him with a heavy thud.
He looked up.
A man wearing a grey trench coat had taken the other seat at the table and sat watching him.
“Excuse me,” Alex said, “but what do you think you’re doing?” And why wear a coat when it’s in the nineties?
“Simply joining you for a cup of coffee, Mr. Huntington,” the man replied. “How’s the novel coming?”
Alex’s fingers stilled. “Have we met?”
“Not exactly.”
Alex stared into the man’s storm-cloud colored eyes, and a strange sensation washed over him. He felt as though the old man was probing the recesses of his mind. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t look away. The man lowered his gaze, and the sensation passed.
“Who are you?” Alex asked.
A smile formed behind the man’s long beard and bushy eyebrows. “The answer to your question would take far too long to explain. However, I will tell you my name is Bromley. Let it suffice you to know I’ve taken a special interest in you. Since you unknowingly performed a favor for me a while back, I’ve decided to give you a gift. It can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you use it.” Bromley pointed his finger at Alex’s laptop, and a spark flashed between the two.
“Hey!” Alex grabbed the computer and inspected it. He glared at Bromley. “I don’t know what you just did, but if you caused any damage to my laptop, I’ll …"
Bromley raised his hand, and Alex’s words died on his lips. “It has suffered no harm. I’ll be on my way.”
Alex watched the strange man leave. It wasn’t until the coffee shop door clanged shut that he returned his attention to the laptop. Now where was I? Oh yes, I wanted to describe the lifeforms my character discovered on the new planet—the haritropes. They should be small, about the size of a rabbit, with reddish fur. I’ll give them rounded ears, whiskers, and bushy tails. He resumed typing.
***
Bromley crossed the street and slipped into the shadow of a recessed doorway where he could still see Alex through the coffee shop window. Another cloaked figure joined him.
“Did you complete the assignment?” The new arrival asked.
“Yes, it is done, Caldwell, and I expect to see results any moment.”
Just as Bromley finished speaking, a multitude of small, chinchilla-like animals appeared out of nowhere. Cars screeched to a halt, horns blared, and people screamed. Bromley chuckled.
“I had not anticipated such a large demonstration of the ability you gave Mr. Huntington.” Caldwell’s eyes widened. “The Council won’t appreciate it.”
“Let them fume. I tried to warn them. Even for an experienced wizard like myself, magic can prove difficult to control. Give it to a mortal to dabble with? The results will be unpredictable. Fortunately, the creatures appear benign.” Bromley watched as a nearby woman stooped to pet one.
Before long, others began to pet and cuddle the critters. Children begged their parents for permission to keep one, drivers got out from their vehicles for a closer look, and cell phones clicked as people took pictures.
Sirens blared in the distance, but the streets grew too congested for the emergency crews to get through. Inside the coffee shop, Alex continued to type away, oblivious to the havoc his creatures caused.
“Bromley, we must put a stop to this,” Caldwell said. “All the commotion hasn’t even alerted Mr. Huntington to the fact his characters can now come into existence.”
Bromley’s eyes sparked for a split-second. Afterwards, he could read the words on Alex’s computer screen. “But we mustn’t spoil the adventure yet. Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting—Alex has changed the creatures’ description.”
The once-cute critters suddenly developed long, sharp fangs and turned on the bystanders. More screams ensued as people sought to fend them off by any means possible. Briefcases became shields and purses collided with the furry bodies. Those who had picked one up wrestled to get free of it, but the animals used their paws to keep a tenacious grip.
Bromley’s shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his laughter.
“This isn’t funny,” Caldwell hissed. “Do something to stop the madness.”
“It’s out of my control, Caldwell. The magic’s been released. Only Alex can put an end to the situation, and he’s too absorbed in his story to realize anything’s amiss.”
“Go tell him.”
“I believe it was you who told me I must not interfere under any circumstance.” To Bromley’s further amusement, Caldwell ground his teeth.
A news helicopter hovered overhead as police arrived on the scene.
Bromley returned his attention to the laptop. Alex highlighted the entire section concerning the haritropes and pressed the backspace key.
The aggressive animals vanished.
“Great, just great.” Caldwell flung up his hands in exasperation.
“I thought you wanted them gone,” Bromley snickered.
“I did, but Mr. Huntington never even noticed his fictional beings actually existed. All the chaos was a complete waste. He’s likely to wreak more havoc next time.”
“Oh, don’t worry. He’ll learn of it soon enough.” Bromley pointed to the chopper. “With so many photos of the creatures, they’ll appear all over the news. If I were you, I’d be more concerned about what Alex will intentionally do once he realizes his laptop’s new ability rather than what his ignorance could lead to.”
“Once he’s aware of it, we can control him.”
“If you say so.” Bromley shrugged. “Anyway, I’m anxious to hear the explanations given for the appearance of these creatures. Too many witnesses for an easy cover-up.”
Caldwell’s thick, dark eyebrows bristled. “You better watch yourself, Bromley, and hope people don’t guess too close to the truth.”
“I’ve done nothing more or less than what the Council demanded. The rest is out of my hands.” Bromley touched the brim of his hat and walked away.
***
Alex stretched before he shut down the laptop and packed it up. It wasn’t until he left a small tip on the table, grabbed his bags and coffee cup, and turned toward the door that he finally perceived something big had happened. He strolled to the window where other customers had gathered to watch the events outside.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Alex asked a petite blonde.
“Oh, you missed it,” she exclaimed. “All of these cute little creatures appeared out of nowhere. Then they grew fangs and turned on people, and now they’re gone, poof, just like that.” The lady snapped her fingers.
The back of Alex’s neck tingled. “What did they look like?”
After the woman described them, Alex found it difficult to breathe. They couldn’t be the haritropes, could they? It sounds just like them, but how would it be possible? He caught a glimpse of a grey trench coat just before the wearer turned a corner. What did you do to my computer, old man?
Alex raced out the door in an attempt to catch up with Bromley, but the crowded sidewalks made it difficult to maneuver. By the time he reached the corner, Bromley wasn’t anywhere in sight. Alex reluctantly gave up the search and walked to his apartment. He turned on the TV, and images of creatures just like the haritropes he envisioned filled the screen. He flipped through one channel after another in disbelief. Every major news station had coverage of the event, and the more Alex saw, the more convinced he became that his fictional creatures had actually existed until the moment he deleted them.
I wonder if other beings I create will come to life. Alex stared at his laptop, and a smile crept across his face. If so, the possibilities are endless.
**Want to know more? Alex's story continues in Dream Chasers: The Crystal Saga. Available in paperback and Kindle on July 26, 2017.**
© Copyright 2015 E. J. Willis
Haritrope illustration by E. J. Willis © Copyright 2015
Haritrope illustration by E. J. Willis © Copyright 2015
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