alittleweird-blog

[alittleweird-blog]

Three or four years ago, I was tasked by an instructor to write a story based on the above picture.

At the time I was unaware of what the photo was from originally, but I now know that is a depiction of the events in “The Cask of Amontillado”. 

Anyways, here is what I came up with.

“Stephen was sent out on a job by the boss, which wasn’t unusual for him except this time it was literally underground, as opposed to the typical operation he would be given.

Stephen worked for a crooked man, transporting unknown objects that were most likely illegal. Stephen’s requirements for the high paying position was that he never ask questions about what he was delivering, he was not to tell anyone about where he went, and he couldn’t quit  without extenuating circumstance.He had seen a lot of money in his time, and he got about twenty five percent of every sale the boss made. He got so much because he was the only employee his boss had. Stephen had no clue why his boss had such a small work force but he knew he wasn’t allowed to ask questions. Hence the reason Stephen did not know his boss’s name.

The job Stephen was sent for that night was strange in many ways, he was given a small, wooden box with an intricate engraving on the top and an address. Typically, Stephen would have been handling an envelope with too much packaging to tell what was inside. Not that Stephen would try to figure it out, he would never go against any of the rules his boss gave him. As he was told at the beginning of his career, he did not ask any questions and headed out for the address.

The streets of New York at night were something that a typical person would be terrified of, but Stephen was used to it at this point. There were bad men and women outside at this time, the ones without a place to go, or the ones who feel the asphalt is more of interest than their homes and families. Stephen always pretended not to see those people, or the drugs and alcohol abuse around him. He just zoned out and imagined how the delivery would go.

Stephen always put his whole self into the job because he had nothing else to care about. When he was not on a job he was with those in the streets without families. Not that he couldn’t afford someplace to live, but something about the nighttime made Stephen feel less lonely and he wanted to be invested in it. He had no family, for they all had passed away and he was an only child. Stephen also had no companions because he didn’t speak. He couldn’t.

His boss knew that there was a chance Stephen would say something to someone about his sketchy job so, he solved it the only way he could. He made sure Stephen couldn’t tell anyone; you can’t speak without a tongue. 

Stephen took note of his surroundings in accordance to the address and found his way to the correct cross streets. He was right outside a narrow alleyway, near an apartment complex. He knew that the address wasn’t for an apartment because it didn’t have a number the way that they did. It said he was to go to box, -34. He was confused by this because he knew nothing that was negative would be on this street but the address said this street specifically. He was quick and realized in order to get to a negative address he would need to go underground, and that he did.

Stephen found a nearby sewage door and crawled inside with ease as he was only ninety pounds. He stepped down the ladder into a pile of trash and dirty water, getting the bottom of his pant leg wet.

He landed, got his bearings about him and realized he was without a light. This would prove difficult for him because it was pitch black underneath the street.

Stephen sighed and kept on, keeping his hands against the dingy walls to keep himself in the right direction and from tripping. After a while he saw a flash of light, with no idea where it came from, he kept going and saw it again, closer and held for longer this time.

He moaned into the void and waited for a response, when there wasn’t one he kept walking. The light didn’t appear again for a while until Stephens hands felt bars instead of the brick he had felt before. He reached into the bars and felt nothing there but he still couldn’t see. Then, the light shown again and this time Stephen could see that it was a long hall of bars. Stephen attempted to ignore the shiver that shot through his spine.

He went into the direction of the light thinking it might be the customer trying to help Stephen find him. When the light went off, and then shown again, it wasn’t in the cell, it was in front of him and this time there was a figure. The light kept shining for a few moments and Stephen saw a man with a shaggy beard, and lanky arms that bent at odd angles, a strange hat on top of his head. One that a jester would wear. He saw red face makeup all over the man’s face. It was as if the jester had painted his face previously and someone tried to wipe it away ineffectively. The jester smiled as the light went out, wrinkling the paint. Stephen didn’t think much of it and walked further towards the cell and the jester, assuming he was the customer. 

When the light went on again the jester was right in front of Stephen. He could smell the rotten breath of the manic man standing before him and he shivered with the cold that had come out of nowhere.  Silently, Stephen waited for a reaction from the jester, hoping this would be over soon.

“Are you my delivery boy?” the man said in a cracking voice, looking the panicked Stephen up and down.

Stephen nodded in response and waited for the chilling man to hand over the money or say something else. 

The jester tore the box from Stephen’s hand and traced a finger over the engraving that Stephen now saw was a strange elephant balancing on a ball like in a circus. He looked back up at the odd jester and hesitantly moaned to get his attention. Without the ability to speak, Stephen was worried the jester wouldn’t get the message he was trying to send about needing to receive the money. 

The jester opened up the box and, to Stephens confusion, it was empty. 

Stephen got worried that the boss might have forgotten to put what the jester wanted into the box.

 He looked up at the jester to see him smiling again, then laughing, “It’s the perfect fit,” as he reached out for Stephen.

The boss would never have more than one employee, and he was now forced to hire someone else.”

Thank you so much for reading!

[alittleweird-blog]

I have never been the best at introductions. When acclimating to a new person I tend to flail my limbs wildly and ask strange questions, only resulting in discomfort radiating from the person who I have just met. Many times I have questioned whether I could become, simply, quirky. I know now, that I will forever be plain weird and I should be proud of that. Sometime I will go into the strangeness that I speak of, but for now you just get a kind of vague overview.

That being said, I would like to welcome you to my work-in-progress writing portfolio. I am an aspiring investigative/travel journalist, in search of a career where I can put my passions to work. I have written several essays with a journalistic flair. Those that I am proud of will find their way onto this blog.

I also have an affinity for constructing abstract shorts stories, for which I have received few small awards for and I intend to one day become a published creative writer. I have found that short-form is my real strong suit; I once attempted to write a full length novel, completed said novel, hated it, and never got around to editing it. Maybe one day. 

Thank you for sticking through my, as expected, awkward introduction to this blog. I hope you stick through for some actual content!