FIRST PAGE RECAP
Hezikiah Ananias Dare's home was underground in Limbo Town, with the other lost descendants of the Roanoke Colony who lived in the tunnels beneath New York. In his studies of witchcraft and day-to-day duties directing the zombie farmhands who grew Limbo Town's food, he thought little of the world above… until the day Limbo Town was invaded. When Melmoth, the twisted immortal who had bred his inhuman blood into Limbo Town's ancestors and drawn them underground, came to harvest his descendants as slaves, Hezikiah Dare was sent to labor in the mines of the Red Planet, but escaped and found his way to the lost ruins once ruled by the shape-shifting sorcerer kings of aboriginal Mars. Imbued by mysterious alien glyphs with greatly increased magical powers over the vibrations of matter and energy, Hezikiah escapes back to Earth with help of Frankenstein, eventually partnering in mischief with his cousin, Klarion the Witch-boy. Aided by his familiar, one of the Spiders of Mars, Hezikiah the Witch-Boy seeks adventure both above and below the surface of Earth… and beyond.
IVY TOWN, NEW YORK - THE PRESENT
Having had a few adventures outside of Limbo Town, Hezikiah decides that he must find a permanent place to live in Blue Rafters. Hearing of its many odd occurrences, he decides on a place called Ivy Town. He has a peculiar sensation the day he sets out, and it’s not just the excitement of finding a new home. Something menacing starts following him as he leaves New York City. The closer he gets to Ivy Town, the more he can feel its strange properties. All the while, the presence of some evil lingers somewhere not far behind. Hezikiah makes no change in his behavior that might alert this evil to the fact that it is being monitored.
Hezikiah has now spent a few days in Ivy Town, and still, the presence is near. He goes to the university to see a display of ancient artifacts, wondering if perhaps any of them have strange properties influencing the altered nature of the town. While there, he discovers the evil that follows him is a well dressed man appearing to be in his mid thirties. He has black hair to his chin, a neat mustache, and dark soulless eyes.
Hezikiah wanders around the exhibit for a while, aware that the man continues to follow. Hezikiah exits casually and walks out amongst the college students. He notices a young man sitting nearby, in which he senses a much greater amount of power than any normal human would have. He strolls up to the young man, thinking that he might entangle both individuals and draw some attention away from himself.
Hezikiah says to the student, “I sense in you special powers. The man approaching my back has powers as well. I think he means me harm. I must know who he is and what he wants. Will you help me?”
The student replies with a confused face, “Uhhh.”
“Good” responds Hezikiah.
“What?” says the student with greater confusion.
“Just play along” Hezikiah tells him.
The man approaches and says to Hezikiah “Hello young man. I saw you inside at the exhibit. Do you study such things at the school here?”
“No, but my friend does.” Hezikiah points to the student.
The man responds, “Well, I have a collection of old artifacts such as these, but I must admit that I don’t know much about them. I simply collect them because they look interesting. Would the two of you be interested in looking at my objects and telling me what you know of them? I would pay you for your time of course.”
The student doesn’t know what to think of Hezikiah, but can tell that this man is in fact quite evil. Deciding that he too wants to know what this man is after, the student stands up, “Yes, we would be happy to” he replies. “We are free for the rest of the afternoon, if you would like to go now.”
The man responds, “That would be grand. I don’t live here in town but my chauffer can drive us and return you when we are done.”
They arrive at the man’s house, all three so occupied by the situation that none have yet asked each other’s names. After a few moments inside, four large men appear and grab the two young men by the arms. Hezikiah quickly looks to the student and says, “Don’t try to fight, there are too many,” hinting that he has a plan.
The student is sharp and understands immediately. He feigns a slight struggle, knowing that he could easily overpower all four of the men. They are taken to a metal cage in what appears to be a dungeon designed for torture under the house. The four men are sent away and the evil man steps up to the cage.
“Forgive me, I have been so impolite. My name is Gilles de Rais (zseel-du-ray, like Zsa Zsa Gabor), what are your names?”
“Alexander Kostas” the student says impatiently.
“Hezikiah Ananias Dare”
Gilles de Rais’s eyes widen and Hezikiah hears his heart pick up speed. A maniacal joy visibly washes over de Rais. “I knew there was something familiar about your face. You will be a treat. I presume you are a grandchild of the English colonist Ananias Dare. If you taste anything like his daughter did……well…..she was something special.”
Continued in Hezikiah the Witch-Boy #2
No comments:
Post a Comment