The Haunted Guillotine- Chapter One

"It's said he 'as two fangs that shoot out poison," 1

"Bullshit," the other soldier countered. 2

"Didn't you ever wonder why they call 'im 'Snake'?" his friend replied, "I've seen 'im shapeshift, too. Turned right into a 'uge black snake, he did."3

The loud voices of the men echoed down the long stone hallway leading from their room, and into a huge throne room. Snake was sitting there on a rough stone chair, idling away time by listening to the gossip of the soldiers. As a matter of fact, Snake could shapeshift, and did have fangs. However, they did not shoot out poison. 4

Snake only wished that they did. 5

He didn't mind these rumors being spread about him. After all, he mused, these rumors would only strengthen the power of fear that he had over the soldiers.6

Snake stood up from the chair and stretched luxuriously. He might as well go torture the Princess some more.7

These days are so uneventful, he thought, gliding languidly down a corridor, One simply doesn't know how to stave off the boredom.8

He paused outside of the wooden door of the torture room. He vaguely hoped that the prisoners- there were three, including the princess- would be spreading rumors about him too. However, after a moment of listening at the door, he realized unhappily that they weren't.9

With a sigh, he turned the door handle.10

Yes, one must do what they can to stay entertained.11

Snake shut the door behind him, and then smiled widely at the cowering prisoners.12

************13

Miles and miles away, Akio swung his spade in a long arc, to have it land on the hard, pressed soil. Cursing silently, he wrenched it up, to try it again. Planting would be impossible if he couldn't loosen the soil up; and living would be impossible if he couldn't plant his crop. 14

The spade fell once more on the impenitrable soil. 15

Groaning in annoyance, Akio swiped the sweat from his tanned brow with a calloused hand. He straightened up, and sheilded his brown eyes from the sun's glare.16

It was a beautiful day, with barely a cloud in the sky. The noon day sun hung low over the farm lands, casting no shadows. 17

It was the sort of day that could cause a hardworking farmer to pass out.18

Hoping for a little rain to break apart the hard soil, Akio scoured the sky for clouds. However, the great expanse was cloud free, but far away, the man could see a black dot. 19

Akio squinted. The black dot was getting bigger. For a moment, he did not understand why this was. But then he realized- the dot was flying towards him.