The following is my first foray into fantasy fiction (yes it was
begun BEFORE the Four Kingdoms). I began
it a little over two years ago, but ignored it for about a year. With some revision (and amazed awareness
that my style has improved since I wrote this), I humbly submit it to the world
to consider and review, if you will have me.
Please...be kind. All characters
and places are original and, I guess, mine.
July 16, 2001
Starting Anew 
In New York City, lawyer Galileo Mitchell exists as one man in a
million. He not only knows who he is,
but he knows where he is going, and it is exactly where he has planned. That is, until he heads to England for a
short meeting with his newest client.
From the moment he arrives, things begin to go askew....
....Mitchell turned at the farthermost
wall, the rose vines covering it not yet in bloom, and looked back at the
house. His heart skipped a beat, his
body falling down hard on the gravel.
He pulled himself into a sitting position, his left hand slipping back
into the flower bed. Thorns bit into his palm where he gripped the vine, trying
to hold onto his reality.
He stared in wonder around him, deciding
that, even if he were going insane, this was worth it.
The house, the gardens, everything
around him was emanating an almost tropical heat, and gold glitter seemed
omnipresent in the air. The flowers literally
dripped color, different shades of red and green and yellow blending as if
mixed together on a paint palette. The
statues rose higher, the black and white lines marking their edges so sharp as
to eliminate any shades of gray. And in
the distance, the once quiet manor teemed with life.
Creatures crawled over the battlements,
some looking his way, others more concerned with chasing friends, or enemies,
across the red shale. On one turret, he
saw Imogen watching him. She rested her
chin on one hand, her head tilted slightly.
When she realized he was looking at her, she sat up a little straighter,
and a smile lit upon her features. She
turned and disappeared into the house.
Mitchell turned away then, and gazed
across the manor's grounds. It was the
first time he saw anything not in sync with the rest of the picture. Way down among the farthest fields, patches
of gray mist and fog drifted across the thick greenery, the weather
inconsistent with the cloudless blue sky above. The shadows passed through the animals grazing there without
excitement, although one horse neighed softly and shook himself. Still, the gray seemed to be being prevented
from getting too close. Like waves
against a shore, the gray was rebuffed every time it tried to move nearer to
the manor.
He couldn’t take his eyes off of the
gray. Without being told, he knew
instinctively what it was....
This story is in progress, and is close to halfway
finished. So far, I've revised three
chapters of seven that I've written, and I expect to write about seven
more. Anyway, If the above teaser
intrigued you, try reading the story and tell
me what you think. Thanks!
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
In Progress....