01 - The Price of Talent Read Online Free Page B
Author: Peter Whittlesey
some food in you.”
Surprisingly, I was quite hungry. I peeked out of the covers long enough to see she was carrying a plate with some soup, bread and cheese on it.
“Well, I suppose you’re right, I am a bit hungry.” I said, as I started to pull myself out of the covers.
I was halfway out of the covers when I realized, quite horrifyingly, that I was not clothed. Worse, the girl holding the platter of food was giggling at me. I was suddenly very glad I did not throw the covers off past my waist. It did explain however, the ease with which I used the chamber pot in my previously incapacitated state.
“It’s ok, I saw your dongle when they brought you in. I was told to go to my room, but I didn’t listen.”
“Wait… What?” I said lamely, again.
“Here’s your food! I’m gonna go eat something better for dinner. BYE!” She said as she handed me my food and skipped out of the room.
If I wasn’t so hungry I would have been embarrassed, and I probably would have examined more closely her use of the word ‘dongle’. Regardless, I tucked in and devoured my food. Unfortunately, this gave me extreme indigestion. Apparently if you don’t eat for a long time, then gorge yourself, your system gets angry; or at least mine did. With nothing on, and not knowing where I was, I did the only thing I could. I befouled the apparently decorative chamber pot a second time.
Later that evening I was awoken again by the young lady. She was less than enthused by the chamber pot situation. At least that’s what I read her wrinkled nose and narrowed eyes to mean.
“I brought you some clothes. As much fun as it is to see your fiddly bits, my father insists that you get dressed if you’re awake. Something about inappropriateness or something. Like I don’t see these things all the time when I volunteer down at the Hospital. Yet somehow it’s ok when I am doing charity medical work, but when we actually take in a patient because the hospital won’t take them, OH NO, that’s inappropriate…”
“Wait, what do you mean the hospital wouldn’t take me?”
“Oh, they collected you, patched you up, and put you in a ward bed. But that sword of yours kept appearing. They said they put it in storage 3 times, but it kept appearing by your side. Freaked them out. They said you must be a mage and were going to throw you out on the street or turn you in to the church; there was much debate over this. But I intervened and convinced my dad to take you in. After all, it’s not like you have anywhere to go or anything…”
“I live in a farm outside of town. My parents have lived there for years. Why not just send me home?”
“Oh god, you really don’t know do you… My dad said something about not telling you too much at a time. But what the hell, you deserve to know.”
“Know what?”
“Your farm is gone. They found you in a giant hole in the ground. The other nurses said there were chunks of broken wood all over the countryside. You were the only person around.”
“No. That makes no sense, I was there, my parents were there and… Well, we were all there.”
The pause was because I realized that telling this girl that we were being attacked by an inquisitor squad over alleged magic use was probably not the best idea given the circumstances.
“They said you and that sword were the only things not blown to smithereens within an acre of your parents’ farm. But then I didn’t hike all that way out there, so who knows.”
“My parents, my farm, everything is gone?”
“Ummmm… Yeah? Sorry, that’s really insensitive of me… Sorry about your loss! I’ll check in with you later.” And with that she flounced out the door.
My headache was now back in force. A serious pounding, throbbing
Surprisingly, I was quite hungry. I peeked out of the covers long enough to see she was carrying a plate with some soup, bread and cheese on it.
“Well, I suppose you’re right, I am a bit hungry.” I said, as I started to pull myself out of the covers.
I was halfway out of the covers when I realized, quite horrifyingly, that I was not clothed. Worse, the girl holding the platter of food was giggling at me. I was suddenly very glad I did not throw the covers off past my waist. It did explain however, the ease with which I used the chamber pot in my previously incapacitated state.
“It’s ok, I saw your dongle when they brought you in. I was told to go to my room, but I didn’t listen.”
“Wait… What?” I said lamely, again.
“Here’s your food! I’m gonna go eat something better for dinner. BYE!” She said as she handed me my food and skipped out of the room.
If I wasn’t so hungry I would have been embarrassed, and I probably would have examined more closely her use of the word ‘dongle’. Regardless, I tucked in and devoured my food. Unfortunately, this gave me extreme indigestion. Apparently if you don’t eat for a long time, then gorge yourself, your system gets angry; or at least mine did. With nothing on, and not knowing where I was, I did the only thing I could. I befouled the apparently decorative chamber pot a second time.
Later that evening I was awoken again by the young lady. She was less than enthused by the chamber pot situation. At least that’s what I read her wrinkled nose and narrowed eyes to mean.
“I brought you some clothes. As much fun as it is to see your fiddly bits, my father insists that you get dressed if you’re awake. Something about inappropriateness or something. Like I don’t see these things all the time when I volunteer down at the Hospital. Yet somehow it’s ok when I am doing charity medical work, but when we actually take in a patient because the hospital won’t take them, OH NO, that’s inappropriate…”
“Wait, what do you mean the hospital wouldn’t take me?”
“Oh, they collected you, patched you up, and put you in a ward bed. But that sword of yours kept appearing. They said they put it in storage 3 times, but it kept appearing by your side. Freaked them out. They said you must be a mage and were going to throw you out on the street or turn you in to the church; there was much debate over this. But I intervened and convinced my dad to take you in. After all, it’s not like you have anywhere to go or anything…”
“I live in a farm outside of town. My parents have lived there for years. Why not just send me home?”
“Oh god, you really don’t know do you… My dad said something about not telling you too much at a time. But what the hell, you deserve to know.”
“Know what?”
“Your farm is gone. They found you in a giant hole in the ground. The other nurses said there were chunks of broken wood all over the countryside. You were the only person around.”
“No. That makes no sense, I was there, my parents were there and… Well, we were all there.”
The pause was because I realized that telling this girl that we were being attacked by an inquisitor squad over alleged magic use was probably not the best idea given the circumstances.
“They said you and that sword were the only things not blown to smithereens within an acre of your parents’ farm. But then I didn’t hike all that way out there, so who knows.”
“My parents, my farm, everything is gone?”
“Ummmm… Yeah? Sorry, that’s really insensitive of me… Sorry about your loss! I’ll check in with you later.” And with that she flounced out the door.
My headache was now back in force. A serious pounding, throbbing
Readers choose
D H Sidebottom
Stephanie Morris
Petra Hammesfahr
Breanna Hayse
Jeanne Harrell
Dora Levy Mossanen
Heather Brewer
Ali Sparkes
Mark Wheaton