Short Tales

Èist Beò {1}

Image done by Charlie-Bowater at deviantart. Painted on Twitch, available video on Youtube.

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"Reports stream in of people who have transformed into either raving lunatics, comatose vegetables or simply dead seemingly overnight, numbers now rising into the 5000s. This phenomena, called SADS or sudden arrhythmic death syndrome is deemed as impossible by scientists, at least not on a scale as grand as this or in just a period of three months. Tonight, however, we have an isolated case. This person claims to have experienced what causes these phenomena and survived unharmed. Mr. Jones Crawford is here tonight." The man mumbled and nodded, staring at the mic on his chest. The anchor looked nervously at the man, hoping he would say something to help the story along. She cleared her throat and pressed on, trying to squeeze what she could out of the now floundering story.

"Mr. Crawford, you say you've had firsthand experience of the phenomena, yes? Can you describe what happened? The public deserves to know, don't you think?" Jones' head had only lifted slightly when listening to the anchor speak about the 'phenomena'. She was pretty, but not as pretty as her. The anchor was right though, the world deserved to know about her.

"It was just once and I never got to stay like the others but it was incredible. Nothing in this world can match what is saw there."

"Where?" the anchor asked. Jones smiled and his head rose all the way for the first time.

"Tìr Aislingen, land of dreams. Home of Èist Beò."

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I woke to the sun streaming in through my window, sweat and general griminess. I rolled out of my bed and shut the blinds, not that it would stop the sweat but just because I could. I walked to bathroom, listening for the sound of the shower running, but heard nothing, which meant that I was firs-- Abby blew past me and flung open the door, leaving me literally breathless and laid out on the floor.

"Too slow, retard!" she said through the door. I flew up and banged on the door fuming.

"Abby! Let me in! I was here first!"

"Dad! The sociopath's attacking me"

"Ab--"

"Milo! Its too early for you to try and rub your psycho off on your sister!" my father shouted. He naturally didn't hear Abby though, because her voice was like angel dust and god farts.

I begrudgingly left the door, imagining Abby's smug smile behind the door. I made everyone's breakfast and by the time I was done Abby still wasn't done in the bathroom and my Dad was still sleeping. He worked as a delivery driver so he had to sleep in most of the day and go to work in the evenings. Since he wasn't around most days we had to solve our problems ourselves which led to...shit. Abby hummed as she sauntered down the stairs, the smug smile I was imagining bold on her face.

Good thing I conveniently forgot her food.

I dashed past her and up into the bathroom, savouring the warm water and bubbles. I sunk down into the bath and soaked, relieving the tension from dealing with Abby and resting my eyes.

You are in pain, child. Let me set you free.

I shot up from the bath and looked around the bathroom, half expecting Abby standing there with a knife. The room was empty but I could swear I heard someone speak to me. Ah fuck, I'm probably late.

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Has anyone else actually enjoyed a school bus? I did, atleast this morning. I had the best dream while I was sleeping out the bumpy bus ride. I was in a meadow and wrapped by warm winds. Violet petals soft as velvet coasted on the wind as damp grass of the greenest colour yielded under my feet. I wandered for god knows how long adoring the tapestry of colour that was the sky and the trees and flowers that adorned the earth, rivers cutting and carving through with deep blue. Songs and laughter echoed from behind the hills that rolled up from the ground, drawing me in to whatever could live in this place of wonder.

Women danced and loved, slept and sung with each other naked and unashamed, all of different colours and language but in complete harmony all the same. I wandered in closer until my eyes landed on her. She sat on a throne of wood and stone seperate and away from all the others, a crown of purple roses and dark hair that flowed away from her like the rivers in this place. Her eyes were hard but kind, looking over and past them towards me.

You are here. Will you stay? I would like a king.

Her words echoed through my mind as if she was speaking to me and me alone.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Many of your races have called me a many thing. My king may call me Èist Beò. Will you join me? Will you be my king?

"Ye--"

The bus jolted and came to a stop, pulling me back to reality. Was that just a dream? It felt so real. What was I thinking? Was I going to leave my family to shack up in the middle of a patch of grass with someone I barely know? I might despise my sister but I can't abandon her. My father wouldn't even be around to help her.

Very well.