Tales From The Whisperer

WHERE HAS ALL THE LIGHT GONE (A Short Story) Thick white smoke from Bensen’s pipe clouded above his head as he read markings on the trees of Greelit Brion. He gumbled to himself both annoyed and bored. Greelit Brion was a small countryside of brick houses and sprawling gardens, smack surrounded by mountainsides and rolling plains, all of which were bright green in the middle of summer. The village Mayor had called for an expert handler, the matter was not said in the letter but was written in an apprehensive manner that the magistrate had ordered Bensen to proceed immediately to the village and divert his route, supposedly towards the king cities where he deemed he was much more needed. There were carts who hurried out of the village. Women and children in tow with worry in their faces, only then Bensen realized that the smoke from his pipe was gone and a faint smell of charcoal hung in the air. “What the hell” he said cleaning his pipe with a stick. He needed his smoke, his pipe it was in all its purpose was to keep him awake and alert. At the same time it numbed The mayor a stout man with a well groomed moustache greeted him immediately. “Good Day Mr. Bensen, I am Mayor Penley Rosenthir the Magistrate has wrote…” “You have a smoke?” he asked, the smile from the mayor’s lips faded “that’s the problem here on Mr, Bensen we aint got no light” Annoyed and not really paying attention, Bensen went on to search for the matches is his coat of hundred pockets, lighted it three times until it broke to no avail. “Perhaps I could explain it to you further in my office” Bensen followed and the smell of char became heavy. “how long has this been going on?” “two weeks” the Mayor answered tapping his heels on the floor “we can’t light them torches in the street, candles at night we can’t even cook for food we’ve been surviving on the reserves!” “and the previous handler?” “it all started when he died precisely two weeks from now” he answered fidgeting on a marble toy to ease his anxiety “ He was very old…we got his son until he too became sick like his father. Some people have started to leave those who got families in the king cities while those who do not have and those who cant afford to leave, stays here for as long as they can” Bensen groaned, stood up and spoke “give me your lighter if you please Mayor” The mayor gave it reluctantly. The streets have fallen silent, even the wind did not pass through Brion and the birdsongs have retreated eerily to the distant forests. Everything laid deathly still except for the thick waif of charcoal in the air. “Do you smell that?” he asked the mayor “it smells like someone had been roasting for a while” he tried each step with the lighter "and not the good kind of roast". “that is what the boy said” “here try to light it as we walk, to the boy’s house” Bensen bent down turning his eyes to the pavement, tiptoeing back and forth to the old walls in the village and into the doors like a hunting dog murmuring and agreeing with himself. While the mayor fidgeted pulling consistently on the lighter and looking back and forth at the handler. To the people hunched hidden in their windows they both looked like lunatics. They didnt know if to laugh or worry at their present state. There were faint markings on the doors similar to the ones in the trees, faint black footsteps trailing from door to door…small, hunched and playfully scattered at the streets, lampposts and Bensen assumed at the housetops and chimneys, all ,invisible to the mortal eye. “What could be small..” he asked himself “What could be small, green and has knacks for shiny things?” he murmured and then said “my congratulations mayor!... you’re not cursed…at least” “I…I don’t know if I should be relieved with that Mr. Bensen” he said fiedgetting with the lighter. “you should if you were, that means that the people are also cursed, curses are like infectious diseases they spread from one person to another and they bare marks and symptoms . We don’t want the Queen knowing that a handful of Brions have been spreading diseases in the King cities do we?” The mayor almost fainted to the ground “Now to the boy if you may” Rowly’ body was covered with sweat. An old spell book and a crystal bead were laid in his slowly rising and falling chest. Each breathe drew pain from his body taking a minute longer one after another. “turn him on his back” Bensen ordered The boy’s back was an ordinary pale except for the rashes that had spread all over his shoulders. But his lips were blue as well as his fingertips. “tell me what happened” “he came home sick after excavating for the well” “well? what well?” “we commissioned a well from the previous handler but he didn’t get to finish it Mr. Bensen, the boy thought he could have continued the work” The unfinished well was a giant hole in the ground laying at the farthest edge of Greelit Brion. It had eroded into itself from the summer rains and had trailed mud all around its surroundings. Here the smell of char had become so pungent, it made Bensen’s head roll. “try the lighter on” Click The Mayor smiled from ear to ear as a faint blue glow of flame emerged from the lighter. “keep it alight” Bensen said as he swung a silver rope from his coat pocket, tied it to a tree and rolled up his sleeves. “what…what are you doing?” “give me the lighter” The mayor handed it to him carefully, trying not to extinguish the gentle flame. “Should..should I go with you? Mr Bensen?” Bensen slid into the hole “do you want to Mayor?” “no..no I..I think I will stay here for the mean time” Bensen descended until finally reaching hard ground. The flame glowing brightly gave light to a small tunnel where faint noises can be heard. He was thrusted up, a wave nausea flooded his senses until his visions blurred his body shook and the hole finally exploded. Churning him up where he had begun. "goblins" he cursed The mayor ran "oh no..oh no Mr. Bensen! Mr. Bensen!" Bensen hauled himself up, shook his head and breathe deeply "goblins" he said to himself and the mayor "not orcs...goblins needs permission" He knew most goblins. He knew, but it did not occur to him that the health of these gardens, the wide well maintained plains and the absensce of critters and dark shades could have been contributed by a greenhand. Greenhands who were territorial, protective and hidden. "not one gardener among you" he said to the mayor "only one actually" the mayor answered "but i havent really gone much to maintaining this place, still holds though dont you think Mr. Bensen?" Bensen leapt once again searching for the silver chain in his hundred pockets. He pulled it out gave it to the Mayor to be tied once again to a tree and slid down. He murmured himself a spell hoping that the greenhand would give him access to his burrow and hoping at the same time that he knew him. “hello folks!” he said as he entered the mound and interrupted the family dinner. “Bensen!” said an old goblin “its been awhile” “Bartolomew Old friend!” “come come eat with us you’ve arrived at a perfect time” “Betty lovely as ever!” Betty smiled at the compliment “and this must be one your sons” “yes Michele and Iro” “Now if you don’t mind me asking Bart what do you know of the stolen fire above?” “Stolen fire? We did nothing of such thing” “People above cant light anything, torches candle wood anything and the Rowley boy is sick” “it’ll pass Bensen, they’ve trespassed the mound cracked the hard ceiling through and through. There is no water here I’ve already told the previous handler and he stopped it before he died” “must’ve forgotten to tell the kid” said Bensen “he was turning into an old fart which is understandable” Bartolomew his pointy ears hangin comfortably on the side of his face. “but a fire I’ve no stolen fires” “what about you kids?” he asked “I’ve seen prints in the house doors and walls which whoever one of you did it forgot to erase it” “We did nothing of the kind” said Michele “children” prompted Betty “be honest to Mr. Bensen” “it was Michelle!” Iroh shouted “he wanted to toy with the new handler so he took the village firelight!” “Michele!” echoed both his parents “I was only testing his abilities I’ve heard he wanted to be a new handler” “Michele people are going to starve if you don’t return the firelight” “fine” Michelle left the table and retuned with a glowing orb “Thank you Michele” “we’re very sorry Mr. Bensen” said Netty “aint your fault Netty, do you know what happens when the people above sees a goblin Michelle?” “they’ll call you and report to the Queen” “Very good” Bensen said “Keep to the forest Bart the trees are healthy and the grass is well fed by your hands the Queen will be happy with your work” “Thank you Bensen” said Bartolomew as he raised a cup to his friend Bensen emerged from the hole and found that the day had vanished to night. The mayor was still there shivering by the tree. “you’re alive!” he said as he ran towards him with arms raised. “alright alright” Bensen said trying to get out of the hug “do you want to see something beautiful Mayor?” “after all of what has happened yes” Bensen raised the orb from his hand, the mayor stood in awe as the orange glow reflected on his eyes. Bensen murmured something under his breath as the orb hovered and ascended into the sky finally erupting into pure showers of light. Immediately the torches were lit and the candles lighted inside the village houses. The people ran outside to see the shower and cheered. Bensen pulled a pipe once more from the many pockets inside his coat and struck fire from his match. He walked towards the inn with a thick cloud above his head, while he told the mayor to close the dig. He wrote three letters that night before going to bed, one a report, an admission for the Rowley boy and a request of reimbursement. A day more was spent in Brion feasting before finally heading to the King cities.