Monster Of Monsters #1 Part One: Mortem's Opening Read online

  Monster of Monsters

  #1

  Part One

  Mortem's Opening

  Text Copyright © 2017 by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  Cover Art Copyright © 2017

  Ebook Edition

  Smashwords Edition

  www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

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  Start One Of These Series

  by Kristie Lynn Higgins

  www.KristieLynnHiggins.com

  Chapter One

  The Trials And Joys Of Life

  A young girl wearing a school uniform sat by herself under the shelter and shield of a great oak tree. The sounds of other children could be heard in the distance, but they nor she could see one another behind her woody fort. She ignored their laughter that bid her to join them on the playground, and she also ignored their conversations that talked of worlds she could never belong to. The girl had found peace that was very rare to her, and she was enjoying the few minutes she had left before she would have to join the other children and learn.

  She sat alone on a small blanket next to a spiderweb that she could easily touch if she stretched out her hand, and she watched as the wind gently rocked the web. The morning dew that clung to its glistening threads, fell off as sparkling droplets to the grass with each soft gust that blew their way. A brown spider the size of a quarter made its home there, and it didn't seem bothered by the wind or her presence.

  "Would you like some cheese?" she offered the spider after she broke off a small piece of her breakfast.

  It stared at her for a few seconds as if curious of her as much as the young girl was curious of it, and then it shook its head.

  "What about a cracker?" the young girl questioned as she broke off a piece, and the spider shook its head again. "What would you like to eat? I'm not sure I know what you eat. We haven't learned about your kind yet."

  The young girl spent as much time as she could alone. The other children could be cruel, and she found that she was happier alone. The young girl also found that if she looked hard enough she could find little wonders of the created world. They were hidden, but all around her.

  The young girl held the cracker out as if expecting the spider to answer her, and then she pulled back the piece of cracker and cheese and ate them herself. She started to ask the spider another question when the spider turned its attention to four older girls as they walked by on a path that had a clear view of her shelter and shield. The young girl noticed them and leaned up against the tree, so not to be noticed by the older girls.

  "I heard Karen will be devoured next," one of them said.

  "Karen..? Which clan is claiming her?" the oldest girl who was eight questioned.

  "The White Crane Clan wishes to devour her and claim her as one of their own," the first girl replied. "Her birth clan will most likely allow the White Crane to claim her, and Karen will be adopted."

  "The White Crane is a strong clan," the oldest girl stated. "Karen is blessed."

  "Yes, she's blessed," the other three girls repeated.

  The first girl noticed the girl sitting under the oak who was trying to hide from them, so she motioned from the path and asked, "Who is that?"

  "Never mind her," the oldest girl replied.

  "Who is she?" the first girl repeated. "I would really like to know."

  The oldest girl became angry and replied, "I will not speak her name."

  The second oldest girl sighed, and then she said, "Her name is Kein."

  The fourth member of their group inquired, "What's the big deal? Just who is Kein?" She asked the oldest girl, "Is she a rival of yours?"

  "That toddler!" the oldest girl yelled. "She's worse than a rival. She's a nobody at our school. She is ruining the purity of our people." The oldest girl turned and motioned for the others as she said, "Come on, I don't want to waste any more time talking about her."

  The second oldest girl glanced at Kein once more before joining the other three girls who had started back across the path, and Kein breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to the spider and said, "It's okay. They're gone. We can go back to our picnic."

  Kein picked up a small round fruit and offered it to the creature, "Ms. Spider, would you like a grape?"

  She looked at Kein with her eight eyes and then shook her head.

  "I wish I knew what you ate," Kein spoke, but before she could say anything else, a voice above her called out.

  "What are you doing down there?"

  Kein looked up into the oak tree and saw a boy who was six and slightly older than her, hanging upside down from a branch.

  He smiled at her, then released the branch with his legs, flipped, and landed on his feet.

  "I am of the Brown Bear Clan, and I am Bruno," he introduced himself, and then he said, "I heard you talking..." The boy questioned, "Who were you talking to?"

  She looked around as if she couldn't believe the boy, who was a year older than herself, was talking to her.

  "Did you hear me?" the boy questioned.

  "I'm only playing," Kein replied, not sure what else to say.

  "Is that how you are supposed to speak to someone who is older than you?" a second boy, who was eight, questioned her as he walked up to them.

  Kein blushed, then she turned to the first boy, and repeated, "I am playing, Senior Bruno."

  "And they say you couldn't learn anything, but I see that they were mistaken," the second boy spoke, then cleared his throat, and said, "I am of the Gray Wolf Clan, and I am Friedrich."

  She nodded her head to him in greeting.

  "What is your name?" Bruno asked her.

  "My name is..." Kein started.

  "You are supposed to start out by telling me your clan's name," Bruno interrupted. "You must have heard the headmistress tell us she is from the Fire Bird Clan. It is the first lesson we learn when we come to this school."

  "She can't do that," Friedrich told him. "No clan or house wants her. They say that she's cursed," he stated, and then he explained, "They say that a monster killed her sire and dame, and they also say that that monster cursed her and left her alive to curse any clan or house that would claim her, so none have."

  "Is that why you are over here playing by yourself?" Bruno questioned her. He walked around the blanket she sat on, then he noticed the web, and said, "I see who you were talking to or more like what. You were playing with this spider."

  "Isn't she pretty?" Kein stated. "I find that I really like their kind."

  "Nasty thing," Friedrich spoke up. "We should get rid of it."

  "Don't hurt her," Kein begged.

  He ignored her and told Bruno, "Doesn't it remind you of a Kumovon?"

  "It does," Friedrich answered. "We should kill it."

  "No, don't hurt her," Kein begged.

  Bruno picked up a stick as he said, "I'll smash it."

  Kein quickly got to her feet, cupped her hands around the spider, and gently took her off the web.

  "She's touching it! She's touching the nasty
thing!" Friedrich yelled. "Make her put it down!"

  "Let go of it!" Bruno yelled. "Let go of it!"

  "No," Kein said. "You're not hurting her."

  She tried to run away, but the eight-year-old tackled her to the ground. Kein held on to the spider and didn't let go of her, and she hit the ground hard, knocking the wind from her.

  "Get the spider!" Friedrich yelled.

  "Let me have the spider," Bruno demanded.

  Kein managed to say, "No!"

  "Let me have the spider or you'll get hurt."

  "No!"

  Bruno glanced at the stick he held, dropped it, then went over to the girl, and stomped on her hands as he yelled, "Let go of it or I'll smash your hands."

  She didn't say anything but held on to the spider. Bruno kept stomping on her hands until he grew tired. He was about to start on her again when the other boy moved.

  Friedrich stood up as he heard the school clock chiming and said, "Come on. We'll be late for class, and you know what happens if we're late."

  Bruno stomped on her hand one last time and then ran after Friedrich who hurried for his class.

  "Don't worry..." Kein spoke a few seconds later as she sat up. She peered at her cupped hands that were starting to show the abuse Bruno inflicted on them, and she said, "You're safe now. They're gone. You can go back to your web and..."

  She opened her hands and found that the spider was dead. She had been unable to save her, and the spider's blood was all over her hands. Kein wanted to cry, but she held it in, crying never did her any good.

  "I'm sorry, Ms. Spider," she spoke in a whisper. "I'm sorry I sat next to your web. I'm sorry I was talking to you. I'm sorry that no one likes me."

  Kein took her hand and dug a hole for her, and then gently set the spider in her grave. She piled the dirt on top of her friend, picked a nearby flower, placed it on top, then Kein grabbed her lunch box, stood, and ran into the woods that surrounded the school. She ran and ran as the school bell's chime fell silent in the distance. Kein kept running till she couldn't run anymore, then slowed down, and walked. The woods were dense and little light filtered through the leaves of the oaks and maples. She continued walking until she came upon a very old structure that had long ago fallen into pieces, and she climbed on top of one of its marble pillars that laid stretched out like a log. Kein balanced herself, walked across it, then dropped down to the ground, and took a step to return to the school, but the ground beneath her gave way. She fell a few feet and rolled down a hill into a sandy cave. The area was dark, but she was still able to see in the area very well. Kein stood, brushed the sand off her skirt and shirt of her school uniform, and noticed she had tumbled down into some sort of structure. She glanced behind herself and saw that she could climb back up the hill if she wanted to get out, but Kein decided to explore. She walked around the area and then entered the tiny structure. Spiderwebs small and great covered the walls, and Kein was about to leave when one of the larger webs parted as if by magic, revealing a small tunnel. She entered the tunnel and followed it till it emptied into a large cavern where she found a huge platform the size of a football arena. Kein walked up to it and started to explore the area when she noticed movement in its center. Someone was there with her, and whoever they were, they were lying among some rubble as if they were hurt. Kein's heart pounded in her chest, and she thought about leaving, but she felt that that person needed her help, so instead of running away, she took a couple of steps towards the rubble that was about fifteen feet from her.

  "So a little morsel has stumbled across my lair," a lady said as if she was very weak.

  Kein paused when she was spoken to, and then she took two more steps towards the lady.

  "That is it, little morsel, come closer," the lady spoke.

  Kein paused when a large spider the size of her hand ran across her shoe, and then she looked all around and saw that the cavern was full of spiders. The rest of them were still, and they all seemed to be looking at her.

  The lady in the darkness moved and grunted as if she was in pain, and then she said, "Come here so I can..."

  "Are you hurt?" Kein questioned as she took three more steps towards the lady.

  "That is a good little morsel. Now stay right there and do not run," the lady spoke as she tried to stand up.

  "You are hurt," Kein said. "Is there a way that I can help you?"

  The lady laughed and said, "You..? I think not."

  Kein continued toward her as the lady in the shadow again tried to raise to her legs.

  The lady breathed heavily as she spoke, "You are either a brave little morsel or a foolish one or maybe a blind and deaf little morsel."

  "I can hear and see fine," Kein stated. "I just can't see you yet. You're still hidden by all that rubble. Did it fall on you?"

  "No, I was injured in another way. I am here because I find it more comfortable to lie on these large rocks than the floor," the lady replied, and then she asked, "Is anyone with you?"

  "No," Kein replied. "I am alone. I am very alone."

  "Good, come closer..." the lady started as she waved her on. "I am too weak to come to you."

  "Are you really hurt?" Kein questioned again.

  "I am badly hurt," the lady answered.

  "How did you get hurt?"

  "You could say there was someone who wanted to punish me, so they banished me here, but not before making sure I was unable to leave," the lady answered, then looked her over, and said, "I believe you are big enough."

  "Big enough for what?"

  "I believe you are large enough to fulfill my requirements so that I can finally leave this place," the lady replied, and then she said, "Now come to me, little morsel."

  Kein continued less afraid until she stood before the lady, then the lady managed to stand on her legs, and Kein looked up at her, and her expression turned to one of petrified wonder as she started, "You're..."

  "I know," the lady interrupted with a small grin on her face, and she nearly fell down because of her weakened condition, but she managed to stay standing. "You should be terrified by my mere presence."

  "You're..." Kein repeated as her heart pounded in her chest again, and her mouth widened in what appeared to be the preview of a shrill-filled scream.

  The lady said, "You must be very surprised to see one as myself here. You must also be very frightened."

  Kein didn't know what to do first. She wanted to run, but she also wanted to express the awe and shock of the unexpected enchantment she discovered in the darkness and uttered again, "You're..."

  "I know," the lady stated as she placed a hand on her own chest as if the girl had given her a compliment. "This must be your first time seeing one such as me, so you must want to scream. You can... No one will hear you down here, so go ahead." The lady slightly bent and urged her on by waving to her as if patting her head, "Scream... It will make you feel better." The lady straightened and then added, "There is nothing that I hate more than a stiff morsel."

  "You're... You're so pretty," Kein finally managed to exclaim with a smile on her face in which no scream followed except for a small one that was more of a shriek of pure happiness. The shrill-filled preview the lady had witnessed before was only of her delight and amazement. Kein immediately moved, unable to stand still any longer and ran around the injured lady as if seeing a majestic beast for the first time up close. She wanted to reach out and touch her, but Kein knew the lady was no animal. The lady was more like a great queen.

  Kein slowed her running to a concerned walk as she got a better view of the lady's form, and then she said, "I see now. Your leg's hurt."

  "Are you right in the head?" the lady questioned her. "Do you know what I am?"

  "I don't, but you are pretty," Kein replied, and then she said, "You remind me of..."

  "I do not care," the lady interrupted. "You see what I am. Are you not going to run away?"

  "Why would I run? You're hurt, and you need my help even if you say I can't do anythi
ng for you." Kein insisted, "I might be small, but I can help you." She remembered her lunch box, so she moved a few feet away, placed it on a rock, and opened it as she said, "You must be hungry. Do you want the rest of my breakfast?" Kein removed the purple fruit and stated, "I still have grapes." She walked back to the lady, lifted the grapes, and said, "They're good."

  "Do you not know that I am going to devour you?"

  Kein's expression changed to one of confusion as she said, "I don't think I understand."

  "I will cause you pain," the lady said. "Do you understand that?"

  Kein frowned as she lowered the grapes and said, "Oh... I thought we could be friends."

  "Are you not afraid of me?" the lady questioned.

  "No," Kein replied. "I just thought we could be friends and that we could help each other."

  The lady started to seize the little girl when the large spider returned and crawled up the little girl's leg. The lady waited for the little girl to shriek, but instead, she bent and picked up the spider.

  "Is he your friend?" Kein asked. "He seems to like you a lot."

  "And yet he crawled up your leg," the lady spoke, then glanced around the area at the rest of the spiders that made their home there, and then the lady said, "The spiders do seem to have an unusual reaction to you. I have never seen them this still before."

  "I like spiders," Kein spoke. "But they don't seem to like cheese or crackers."

  The lady looked her over, and then she said, "You are not as big as I thought you were. Here... Give me those things you call grapes."

  She lifted them up, the lady took them from her, and then she tried one of the grapes.

  "Not what I am used to eating, but I guess I could eat these instead of you."

  "I'll bring more food the next time I come," Kein stated.

  "Why would you return? I might not devour you now, but you will get bigger."

  Kein stared at her again as if she wasn't sure what the lady was talking about, but then this idea entered her young mind, and she nodded, agreeing with the lady, "I will get bigger, and I'll keep coming till I am bigger, then you can devour me." She thought about it some more and then added, "Maybe I can bring you other things to eat."