Kendell & Luis - Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Catsandra settled near the entrance as Luis rested snug against the interior wall. The cat’s home was nothing more than a huge rock, at least at first glance. Jutting several feet above the ground, the strange formation resembled the bottom of a large tree that had been uprooted and pushed on its side. Parts of the rock were hollow, offering shelter to some of the forest’s inhabitants.

“How long have you lived here?” Luis asked.

“A long time,” Catsandra said, staring into the night. Light from the full moon helped illuminate the forest, some of the rays making their way inside. “Most of my life,” she added.”

“All by yourself?”

The cat bobbed her head. “I’ve never had family. None that I can remember, anyway.” Luis couldn’t imagine his life without Kendell, and he felt sorry for Catsandra despite the fact he hardly knew her. “That’s not really true,” she interrupted.

 “What?”

“Not having family.”

“So you do?”

“They’re all around me. The forest, I mean.” She pondered before continuing. “Still, it would be nice to know where I came from… who my parents were… if I had any siblings.”

Luis could relate. He knew his parents and siblings only briefly before being shipped off to another home. However, he did know them, and he loved his new family more than anything else in the world.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Where are my manners? Are you hungry?”

The dog hadn’t thought much about it given the day’s events. “I guess I could eat something.”

“What do you normally eat?”

“Dog food.”

“Obviously, but what type of food is that?”

Luis wasn’t sure how to respond. “I don't know what it is, but Kendell feeds it to me every day.”

“Have you ever eaten a mouse? I’m sure I can fetch you one.”

“Uh.” The thought of it disgusted Luis, but he didn’t want to insult Catsandra. “I don’t think I have.”

“They’re even easier to catch at night,” she said.

“Don’t bother,” Luis replied, sounding a little too desperate. “What I mean is that I’m not really that hungry.”

“Okay, but let me know if you change your mind.”

Luis nodded. “I will. Thanks.”

“I was thinking,” Catsandra said.

“About what?”

“Tomorrow. If you’re going to find Reagle, it might be wise to bring along some company.”

Catsandra seemed to be hinting at something, but Luis didn’t want to put her on the spot. “You think so?”

“There’s someone I know who might be able to help. His name is Barry.”

Though surprised with her response, Luis didn’t give any indication of it. “What does he do?”

“He can offer protection. As kind as these woods are to me, they can be very dangerous, too.”

“I understand.”

“He lives just a few minutes from here. We can visit in the morning before heading out.”

“We?”

“How else will you find him?”

“Of course,” Luis said, feeling somewhat embarrassed. A rustling in the woods distracted him.

“I saw you coming a mile away,” Catsandra said.

Moving into the light, Chuck appeared. “I’d like to go.” 

© Kevin Hopson 2015

Kendell & Luis - Chapter Two

Chapter Two

With his ears pinned back, Luis trembled like only a Chihuahua could. His feet left the ground, and the dog gazed down, the rough and unforgiving touch of something unknown lifting him higher and higher. Finally, an object came into view, but it was nothing like he had seen before.

“Hello,” the creature said.

Too nervous to bark, Luis whined in response, his survival instincts eventually kicking in. He attempted to howl but something else escaped his mouth.

“Please,” Luis said, shocking himself.

“I’m sorry,” the creature said. “I’ve scared you, haven’t I?”

Just like the prior word Luis spoke, this one was equally unexpected. “Yes.” He paused. “I… can… talk.”

Luis realized he was being held by a branch, several ends of the limb coiling around him like fingers. The face in the tree stared back at him.

“Sometimes curiosity gets the best of me,” the tree said. “I’m Oakley.”

The dog thought about what he wanted to say, and his mouth did the rest. “Luis.”

“Nice to meet you, Luis.” Oakley lowered him to the ground.

“Where am I?”

“The forest,” Oakley replied.

Luis hesitated. “Yes, but what forest?”

The tree shrugged. “It doesn’t have a name. It’s just a forest.”

Confused, Luis looked over his shoulder, skeptical of what he saw. “Where did the tunnel go?”

“The what?”

“I came through a tunnel. It’s how I got here.”

“There’s no tunnel in that direction,” Oakley said. “Just miles of woodlands.” He wavered for a moment. “I have to say, though, that you came out of nowhere. I didn’t notice you until you were nearly beside me.”

Movement in one of Oakley’s branches startled Luis, the tree seeming to sense the alarm on his face.

“That’s just Catsandra,” Oakley said. “She won’t harm you.”

An orange, gray, and white-striped cat jumped to the ground, the dry leaves crumbling beneath its weight. Catsandra eyed Luis with her glowing green irises, keeping a stern face and refusing to speak. Luis swallowed. If lucky, the four-pound Chihuahua was half the size of the full-grown cat, but even that was a generous assessment. Luis paid her no mind and turned back to Oakley.   

“I’m looking for a boy,” Luis said.

“A boy?” Oakley inquired. “A human?”

Luis nodded.

“Who is he?” 

“His name is Kendell.”

“And he’s your friend?”

“My best friend,” Luis replied.

Oakley breathed out, some of the nearby leaves moving from the gentle breeze. “Wow. It’s been ages since I last saw a human.”

Those words deflated Luis. “Then you haven’t seen him?”

“I’m afraid not. However, if you’re trying to find someone in these parts, Reagle has probably seen them.”

“Reagle?”

“Yes,” Oakley said. “He lives in the foothills.”

“And how do I get there?”

“North… in the direction you were already headed.”

“It’s a day’s hike,” Catsandra chimed in, speaking for the first time. Her voice was much kinder than Luis had anticipated. “You’re better off heading out in the morning.”

As Luis contemplated the cat’s advice, Oakley let out a scream. The dog jumped back, noticing a furry, brown animal biting into the tree’s bark.

“Chuck,” Oakley yelled. “How many times have I told you? Chew on Woody over there and not me.”

“Sorry,” the woodchuck said. “Sometimes I can’t tell you trees apart, especially this time of the day.”

“Hey,” a voice called out in the distance. Luis assumed it was Woody. “Why are you always picking on me?”

“Who’s Woody?” Luis asked.

“My cousin,” Oakley answered. “He’s a lot bigger than me, so he can afford to lose some bark.”

“I heard that,” Woody shouted.

Luis watched as the last traces of daylight crept through the trees.

“Evening will soon come,” Catsandra said. “You’re welcome to stay with me if you’d like.”

© Kevin Hopson 2015 

Kendell & Luis - A Children's Fantasy Story

I've considered doing this several times in the past, and now I'm happy to finally go through with it. Each week (maybe more frequently) I will be posting a new chapter of this story as a "free read" for everyone. It won't be finely tuned and heavily edited liked my other books. However, as long as you can deal with that fact, I'll continue to churn it out. Without further delay, here is the first chapter of Kendell & Luis.

Chapter One

Where’s Kendell?

With a leash hanging from both sides of his mouth, Luis looked up at the garage door. The orange Chihuahua fixed his gaze on the knob, waiting for the protruding metal piece to turn. Kendell almost always arrived on time, and Luis never ceased to be excited. Their walks together highlighted the dog’s day.

Continuing to grip the harness with his teeth, Luis let out a light whimper. Other than Kendell being a little late, something that occurred every now and then, there was no real reason for concern. However, the dog’s intuition told him otherwise. More times than not, Luis’ gut proved to be right and – for whatever reason – he feared the worst this day.

The metal clasp of the leash knocked against the hardwood floor as Luis relinquished his grip, gently resting it beside the door. He darted out of the kitchen, making his way down the hallway foyer toward the front of the house. Kendell rarely used the main entrance, but the built-in dog door allowed Luis to come and go freely during the day. Putting his head through the flap, he searched the cul-de-sac for any sign of the boy.

A chilly, autumn breeze blasted Luis in the face and trickled through his mane. The Chihuahua possessed a medium coat, which provided warmth in the winter time and a higher tolerance for heat during the summer. Extreme temperatures seldom bothered Luis, though. In fact, the sight in front of him stirred more anxiety than any weather phenomena could.

Pushing through the door, Luis examined the street from the front steps. The sky was gray and the cul-de-sac empty. Several of the neighbors had kids the same age as Kendell, and they were typically out playing this time of the day, yet the neighborhood was unusually quiet.

Luis trotted down the steps and across the driveway to a small patch of grass. He often did his business here but was more interested in the sidewalk adjacent to it. The walkway descended a small hill, disappearing into a tunnel that went beneath the nearby road. It’s the path he and Kendell took each day during their walk. Luis didn’t know why, but he felt an urge to go in that direction.

Kendell loved the playground on the other side of the tunnel, so perhaps he had chosen to go on his own. Luis picked up the pace, the steep slope forcing his tiny legs to move furiously. When he arrived at the bottom of the hill, Luis hesitated. The tunnel, with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and some of the overhead lights blown out, wasn’t as inviting without Kendell at his side.

“Luis,” a soft voice said, echoing in front of him.

Luis immediately recognized it. He could never mistake Kendell’s voice. Barking, the dog ran to the opposite end and exited the tunnel, but no one was there. The daylight around him began to fade. Luis looked back in the direction from which he came, the light appearing much brighter in the distance. Scared, Luis turned to head home, but something grabbed him before he could flee.

© Kevin Hopson 2015

Delivering Jacob now available in electronic, print and audio!

My novelette Delivering Jacob, which was released on October 13 by MuseItUp Publishing, is now available in all formats (eBook, print and audiobook). This story was inspired by personal tragedy and all proceeds will go to two charities... St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which is an organization that helps support parents who have experienced infant
loss.

Delivering Jacob Amazon Page

Debut Trailer for Vargrom: Modrad's Exile!

Here is the debut trailer for my upcoming fantasy novelette, Vargrom: Modrad's Exile. This is a spin-off from my fantasy novella, The Fire King. It's due out this winter by MuseItUp Publishing. I hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHZBfIHt3sg

Short Circuit - A Jacob Schmidt Flash Fiction Piece

Based on the character from my upcoming book, Delivering Jacob, here is a flash fiction piece titled Short Circuit.

Short Circuit

“Two-twenty-three to center,” Jacob said through the CB.

            “Go ahead, two-twenty-three,” a woman’s voice answered.

            “Ten-seventy-eight. Additional unit requested.”

Jacob glanced at the passenger seat. The boy stared out the front window, something he hadn’t stopped doing since Jacob picked him up.

“Location?” the woman asked.

“Lowe Street … just west of Flannigan.”

“Ten-four. Two-twenty-one en route.”

“Ten-four.”

Jacob rested the CB on its cradle and looked again at the boy. Probably the same age as his son, he appeared remarkably calm, considering the circumstances. Jacob chalked it up to shock.

            “You doing all right?” Jacob asked, but the boy didn’t flinch. Dumb question, he thought. What did he expect the kid to say? Jacob had found the boy wandering the streets a few blocks away from his house, which had been consumed, along with his parents, by a freak electrical fire just days before. “Daniel?”  

            “He’ll come for us,” Daniel said, speaking his first words in minutes.

            “Who will?”

            Daniel took a few seconds before responding. “No one.” His voice drifted off as he gawked out the side window.

            “You’re safe. No one’s going to harm you.”

            Daniel turned to face Jacob. Lamp posts along the street helped illuminate the interior of the car, but the boy’s face remained hidden in the shadows.

            “I’m sorry about your parents,” Jacob said.

            “They weren’t my parents.”

            “Not biological, but I’m sure they loved you like their own.”

            “You don’t understand.” Daniel looked away.

            Uncertain what to say, Jacob tried starting the car again, but the engine refused to turn over.

            “This doesn’t make sense,” Jacob said to himself. “It was fine earlier.”

Something in the rearview mirror caught his attention. Two street lamps, one on each side of the road, blew out simultaneously. A figure slowly moved into the remaining light. Jacob swiveled his head, gazing out the back window. Every time the shape began to materialize, the street lights flickered, eventually bursting. The popping sounds grew louder as the stranger neared, leaving a path of darkness behind.

“What the hell,” Jacob whispered. He clutched the CB and pressed the talk button. “Two-twenty-three to two-twenty-one. What’s your ETA?”

A voice came back, but it was too muffled to understand.

“Repeat, two-twenty-one.”

Nothing but static.

Jacob lowered the CB, fixing his eyes on the rearview mirror. The figure was roughly thirty yards from the car. He debated what to do, but time wasn’t a luxury, so Jacob quickly came to a decision. He opened the door, pushing a button along the panel. All four doors locked.

“Keep the car locked,” Jacob said to Daniel before closing the door.

He pulled the Glock 22 from his holster and held it out in front of him, making his way to the rear of the car.

“Hold it right there,” he ordered. 

The figure came to a stop, a face creeping into the light from the nearby street lamps that still worked. A bald male stood before him, but it was difficult to detect features or determine age. Jacob tingled all over. The hair on his head felt as if it stood on end. He couldn’t be sure if it was the crisp autumn breeze tickling the back of his neck or something else.

“Hands where I can see them,” Jacob said. The stranger didn’t move. “Hands on top of your head unless you want to get shot!”

Bulbs in the light posts situated between Jacob and the man sputtered and died. Jacob could no longer see him clearly in the fading glow. A silhouette sprung from the darkness. Jacob squeezed the trigger. His shot caught the man in the shoulder and forced him to the pavement.

A scream came from the vehicle. Jacob heard the doors unlock and Daniel appeared.

“Stay inside,” Jacob shouted.

The lights behind Jacob popped, turning the street even darker as Daniel circled around the front of the car. To his surprise, Daniel walked past him.

“What are you doing?” Still holding the gun in one hand, Jacob placed his other hand on Daniel’s shoulder, but a jolt of static electricity caused him to withdraw it.

Daniel kneeled by the stranger and spoke.

“Please don’t hurt my father.” 

Book Trailer for Delivering Jacob

Here's a trailer for my novelette, Delivering Jacob, which will be released by MuseItUp Publishing this fall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn3ZCo0hWek