Ghost of Dalmos

It was hot in the savannah and I was on the wrong side of the forest where wild animals could easily devour a prey. I was uncomfortable inside my suit. It was a foolish outfit for the weather. Dreadful as if abandoned in a poorly ventilated room, to suffocate and die. My desire to get back home where my wife and son were waiting made me worriless about my outfit.

After walking alone in the bush for several hours and the sun had begun to retire from her duties, I was beginning to worry about the journey. It was taking too long to get to the next town. The paths were desolate and I feared that I had taken a wrong turn.

As I went past two or more bends, I stumbled on a large man. He looked bigger than ever with the trees around him. The man was as dark as the midnight. He had a little nose, strong square jaw and thin lips hidden under a heavy line of mustache. I imagined he laid his opponent low with a single punch and how it would hurt like a knife pierced a chicken. He was tough and rough. Men, who deal in violence, attract violence.

Causing commotion would mean I had only presented myself a meal out of which he would sniff life. I let go a yawn that took some time to mix with the air and took cover behind a fence made from wood. Temporarily I was safe because when the giant raised his ugly head and looked about, I thought he did not see me. He lowered his ugly head once again and munched through peanuts and wild grapes. Since he did not see me, I felt there was no danger and there was no need to fear. It was just coincidence for our path to cross. This act of providence was a pain too tough to swallow.

He was dressed in a coat that would not have had any blemish were it not for who he was. The poor soul would have been better in a shirt that is the size of an Olympic stadium. For once, I have seen a man that I could beat my chest and say I was better off. He was nowhere near decent. I was day and he was night. It is difficult to control a fool who thinks he is in paradise.

Sometimes, there are issues that require urgent attention than our mere appearance. He had his meal and stomach for it. The ration was a mountain. So high that it would take a great deal of work to see the other side.

He embraced nature and pleasured his good soul under her watchful eyes. The wandering clouds, the tall trees and the sweet movement of the evening breeze could only whet his appetite.

As I stared at him from a little opening, the monster rose to his feet and stretched. He was done with the meal and now it was time to move onto the next agenda. He faced the other side of the forest and began to walk away. My jaws dropped when I saw how much height the devil had to his advantage. His head almost reached the high heavens and the wandering clouds were within his reach. Have I become a victim of my own exaggerations?

After he had covered a huge distance, suddenly he paused and shot his fiery eyes at my direction as if he had sensed another tasty meal. In the forest, you never stress over mealtime thanks to nature's roundup of quick dinner ideas.

There was much to the balls in the sockets of his skull. Truly, his instinct did not betray him. A tasty meal was within his reach. Only separated by a mutual wall, which I thought would act as my defense against his aggression. Before I could blink, he growled and dashed to my corner. Running at full speed and the earth trembled as his feet descended on her bare chest. He took a mighty heave and unleashed a blow that smashed through the wall. He barely missed the target.

Frightened like a terrified lizard, I jumped out of hiding and raced across the farm. Before the tormentor could emit destructive powers that could have left a trail of waste, my pair of legs carried me to the old cottage on the farm. He could have snuff the life out of me, but the fireballs he threw could not humble my languishing soul for they fell around and ravaged the farm.

My legs were almost touching the back of my head and I could not count the number of times that they betrayed me as the monster chased. The building welcomed me unto her unholy interiors. Out of breath, I had nothing better to do than secured the door, which I doubt would serve her purpose once the monster invaded the place.

After I had fought gallantly to stabilize my breath, I looked around the room whose beauty was a deafening silence. There were images on the walls, inscriptions that I could hardly decipher, furniture begging for renovation, rickety tables covered in dust and cobwebs spread over them as pastures clothed with flocks. Out of the belly of the cold evening came a miserable rat, uncomfortable with my presence, squeaked and disappeared into a hole.

There were six or more doors before my large innocent eyes. As the monster advanced, I decided to hide in one of the rooms. As I reached out to the door next to me, one of the doors at the extreme opened as if providence had paraded a helping hand in my hour of need. The invitation was timely. Then I paused and glanced at the door. The offer seemed nice. It was a better option because I felt the farther I was from my pursuer, the higher my chance of survival.

Hiding in such a place that was a huge distance away from the monster would mean freedom from a predator whose filthy blows had begun to torment the rickety wooden door. Before he could find his way into the house, I fled to the extreme and shut the door behind me. As soon as I secured the door, rivers of joy sat on the throne of my heart.

After my eyes had travelled the length and breadth of the room, I was disgruntled. It was a creepy kind of place. Dreadful as the fortress of a murderer, whose belch could kill a dove. There was a clay pot on one end and it was oozing out smoke. As the smoke filled the room, it formed into a creature. Suspended in mid air, he flashed a menacing smile at me and disappeared through a little opening on the window. As a gentle breeze sat on the wings of the evening, the creature that I thought was gone emerged again from the evening shadows.

He landed a blow on my head and mixed with thin air once again. My head was hurting and a great deal of darkness wrapped itself around me. I yelled as if I had mistakenly crushed my thumb against the anvil.

As I fell on my knees, languishing with my hands on my head, someone coughed vehemently and cleared his throat. The fear of another blow descending on my head stung me with a dreadful sting. I jumped to my feet as if I had never fallen and glance at the direction that the commotion had come. I saw a horrible face on the wall. Sodus was the name of the present danger and his misadventure was a thorn in my flesh.

"What are you doing here?" the cold creature barked, thrusting forward.

I adjusted and took a few steps backward. It was reasonable to keep a huge distance that would not leave me reeling from another blow.

Before I could blink, he brought me to my knees. He came out of the wall and buried a slap on my face. I lost my balance and landed awkwardly with my back to the ground. Before I could regain my footing, he stood over me with clenched fists. He was cold. His fury sat on the wings of the evening. He was going to kill me if I do not act quickly.

His body language suggested that he viewed me as a worthless individual whose place was in the next world.

He was right. I was an intruder who feels he does not deserve to die. Another shot at life should suffice. Keep my loved ones in my warm hands once again, silence the doubters and announce me to the ever changing world.

I managed to sit on my elbow. I began to back step, going back the way I had come. The atmosphere was tense. But just as the creature was determined to take my life, I had the luxury of looking straight into his eyes. They could set a hundred legs on the run. Apart from his long tail that had enchanted spikes that were six inches long or more, he was horribly dressed and four arms stood out of his scaly body. Dressed in a purple garment and his head like an egg, his shoulders were almost reaching the head that sat on his neck.

Shivered as I fought back tears, I went on my knees and cried, "Please, don't kill me. Someone was after me!"

"Is that why you disturbed me?" He thundered again, revealing his dark side. He crossed his arms over his body and threw out another question, "Who is the fellow?" His raised eyebrow gave birth to furrow on his forehead. He was mean. He was dark. He was hell.

There was nothing refreshing about him and safety was not within my reach. "I have never met him before," I stuttered, shivering. "He's a troll. He is a large man! In fact, I don't know what to call him..."

He chewed his lower lip. He exhaled and thick smoke came out of his mouth and wrapped itself around the room.

My hearts of heart died within me when I saw how manipulative he was. He was able to control everything inside the room by the mere wave of the hand. All hope of survival had begun to fade. Fate sealed. My death was around the corner and I could do nothing. Then I resulted to what I had been doing all along. Weep as a baby denied food and see if my tears could atone and deliver me from the jaws of death. "Please don't kill me," I cried aloud with hands stretched out and palms up.

Now he was staring at me as if he was warning me to choose my next words carefully.

Disturbing footsteps began to approach us. Sodus flung a glance at the door to see who the interloper was. Not long after, he returned his gaze to me. He seemed to have decided to take me out of the equation so that he could have ample time to prepare for whoever was on the way. "Whatever the case may be," he spoke in a hurry. "My home is not a hideout. I don't welcome weak people!"

As he raised his hand to hit me, the creature on my trail smashed through the door and entered the room.

"Don't touch him, Sodus!" the giant growled. "He's mine!"

Red with rage, Sodus waved one of his hands at me. A wicked force carried me to one end of the room where I landed on heap of bones. Sodus swallowed hard and rode two or more steps closer to the frightening interloper. "Sam, how many times have I warned you never to break into my home?" Sodus spoke angrily to him. "See what you have done to my door. You ripped it apart. It's unfair, you know it." He glared his eyes. "How do you compensate me for this misdemeanor? How many times have I warned you not to do this?"

Sam let out a long sigh. He replied, "Almost a million times, Sodus. You know I always have a reason to come here. Your house is reminds me of a hunting ground!" he flashed an exaggerated smile at Sodus.

"Don't be a fool, Sam. Let this be the last time you will disturb me."

He giggled and rubbed his hands gleefully together. "It's all right! I won't disturb you again, Sodus," Sam assured. He pointed at me, "I chased that meal down here. He slipped off my hands in the field," Sam disclosed.

Sodus wore a frown and clenched his fist. He looked at me and turned to the fresh enemy. "Sam, there is something unique about our world. As great as we are, we cannot make things turn out the same way every day. Look at what you have done to my door. You destroyed it. Leave this meal as compensation for invading my privacy. I will forgive you."

Sam wore a frown and shook his head in disagreement. He said, "NO! I cannot let him go. Opportunity like this does not present itself every time. They come like the dutiful season that wrapped itself around the quiet hands of the earth."

"You are right. I know how painful it is to lose a good thing, especially when you want it so badly. But you have to accept your fate and leave my house," Sodus responded. "I will have him and forget that you ever visited my house today."

Sam groaned hard. He glanced at my direction and our eyes met. He coughed a bit and spat on the floor. "Sodus, I see you want to deny me my spoil. I have nothing against you. You are a man of peace. Please do not stand in my way. Let me have my meal. I cannot leave here without him."

"You are looking for trouble, Sam!" Sodus warned. "You invaded my privacy. Show some respect and leave!"

Sam was red with rage. He barked, "Then you leave me with no choice..."

Sodus charged him. He unleashed a blow that swept Sam off his feet. Before the big man could regain his footing, Sodus grabbed hold of him by the neck and suspended Sam in mid-air. As the big man battled to free himself from the devilish grip, Sodus smashed him against the walls, so much that part of the building collapsed and Sam was lost in the rubbles.

As Sam battled with the cruel hands of fate, Sodus roared, beating his chest vehemently. He pounced on the collapsed structure to fetch Sam and unleash his terror. He had barely removed four stones or more when a punch landed on his jaw. He elicited an agonized cry and fell like packs of cards.

The blow that Sam dispensed was not enough to make Sodus crack. Sam was out of the rubbles and had regained his footing. But before Sam could snatch a breath from the wings of the evening, Sodus turned to the clay pot on the extreme and made some incantations. The smoke emanating from the pot began to form into vile creatures. Devils that were about nine inches tall or more began to pour out of the pot. Chanting warfare songs, brandishing their weapons-swords, spears and short-handled battle-axes. The little devils attacked Sam.

As they punished the giant with their weapons, the big man smashed a number of the creatures with his feet. Running out of patience, he drew a wood from part of the collapsed house and began to use it on the little devils. As soon as the little men fell stone dead, they would form into smoke and disappeared back into the pot. Sodus, not satisfied, suspended himself in mid air and transformed into four giant wing creatures. Sam could not stomach the onslaught of the birds. They tormented his flesh with their talons, and their beaks wrote frustration on his face.

The giant was overwhelmed. Sensing danger, Sam began to retreat and soon was in full flight. As he ran very fast, his legs betrayed him and the earth received him. He picked himself up immediately and faced the exit with a good speed, as voices of triumph that almost brought down the apartment gave chased.

Immediately they disappeared into the darkness, I crawled into the next room and slammed the door behind me.

Quickly I threw myself on my feet and looked about. As I moved to the other side of the room to find my way, I stumbled and landed awkwardly on the floor. By the time I regained consciousness, I was in another world-a graveyard.

The sky was gloomy and the graveyard was bitterly cold. Before I could snatch a breath from the cruel hands of the night, a fiendish owl on a gravestone called my name with a kindly brogue and disappeared into an almond tree. The misadventure had begun to take its toll.

I started to walk quickly to the gate where I thought was exit from the graveyard and then looking back at intervals to make sure that no one was on my trail. I was scared Sodus or Sam would come back for me and I would stand no chance against any of them.

The nightingales were there. Fruit bats were having a field day. I was alone in their company. I saw shadows lurking. Each time I tried to focus, they would mix with the air.

Hallucination is filthy. I was high on the horse and rode so elegantly upon the plague on the cold night. The bug had bitten me, no doubt. It was winning while I was losing ground on my desire to reach my house. Memories live. If they are of torment and nightmare, they could easily serve as tonic for a lifetime.

On the other hand, may be the trees created the shade and the things my eyes saw were figment of my imagination. Such were things a man must ignore. Nobody conquers while he set his sight on things that do not exist. I threw the confusion behind and moved on. I was yet to come to terms with the realities around me when something grabbed hold of my right leg.

It did not occur to me that a challenge had come. I could get rid by gently shaking my leg off another twig. The more I tried to shake off the twig, the more difficult it became. Exhausted, I decided to check what was slowing me down.

When I looked closely and discovered it was a hand, my heart sank. The dreadful creature seemed to be happy I was lost in the belly of the grave. As I battled to free my poor soul from the evil grip, I lost my balance and found myself struggling to stay alive. The enemy began to pull me into the ground. While he pulled me away, my hands found a club that was not a burden to maneuver.

I did not spare him a breath. I laid the club five or more times on the cruel hand. The bones cracked and my freedom came like a rushing wind. I jumped to my feet and raced as if my survival depended upon how I could maneuver my legs.

Journeying to the unknown is as evil as a sorcerers spell. As misfortune stared at me in the face, I had nothing to worry other than the safety of my poor soul. An opened gate was ahead of me and I was few poles away from the exit when it slammed shut and a grievous whirlwind emerged from the ground and began to ruin the yard. The boisterous wind blew as if the world would perish under its feet. I would have walked into silence and be happy with the comfort in demise if not for one of the trees that I held for it prevented the wind from tearing my world apart.

The whirlwind left a trail of waste, trees uprooted and gravestones were turned, which of course, I expected would happen. I was shocked how I still found myself in one piece. There were no fractures and bruises. This can possibly be a miracle and an indication that my deliverance was near.

Now the air was still, and Lady Tranquility paraded herself. Before I could blink, the ground began to crack as if an earthquake was underway. I was yet to figure out what was going on when mythical creatures began to pour out of the ground. Zombies formed out of the ground, carrying swords, long spears and short-handled battle-axes with heads as big as the head of a four-fisted wrecking bull. I was dazed, not knowing what to do, the creatures stood like an army of enlightened pastors in a sanctuary praying fervently as if they were next to God. They began to approach me.

As I looked at every direction, pondering what to do, they brandished their weapons and made strange noises as if they wanted to emit destructive powers. My knees knocked ferociously together. As they approached me, I began to back step. I stumbled on a mango tree. Large hands emerged from the tree and grabbed hold of me. I fought gallantly to shake them off but lost. The tree opened its mouth and swallowed me. Lost again or should I say rescued from the highway to hell?