Category Archives: Suspence

Desert Horde on horseback

Night of the Barbarian – part three-

by VJ Miller, Sr.

CHOICES? Remain in this world and know you’ll earn a slow, unrewarding, tormented fate. Or, roll the dice on a reality of adventure and possible early death – if that life truly exists.

If you missed Part One or Two

Weeks have passed and Barney is home to convalesce.  His days and nights are filled with trips to and from the Dreamworld. Ronal is learning how to converse in the barbaric world and relearns the use of his sword. Barney is getting stronger with each passing day.

Jenny has come for her regular visits after work and on weekends. She goes happily about doing the cleaning and washing.

“Are you sure you’re ready to go back to work tomorrow?”

I’ve been out nearly two months. Disability payment only go so far y’know.”

“You know I’ll help- any way I can.”

“I’m aware of that and we’ve been over this many times. I’ve got to get back to work and concentrate on other things. The boredom gets old.”

She sits next to him and places a hand on his knee. “The dreams still bothering you?”

“They’re so damn vivid. I could swear I was actually there.”

“It’s that overactive imagination of yours. You should stop reading those adventure books.”

He toys with the amulet in his fingers. “I haven’t read any other thing than the newspaper since I came home.” Continue reading Night of the Barbarian – part three-

Ancient Arab Market

Night of the Barbarian – part one –

by VJ Miller, Sr.

A near-death experience thrusts a mousy little executive into an ancient desert world where he occupies the body of a brain-dead  barbarian felled by a Mongol-type Warlord. Is this only a dream or has he crossed over into another reality. Can he make the sacrifice to stay in the barbarian’s world.

 

Morning at an Ancient Middle Eastern Bazaar.

The sun shines brightly on several rows of tables, tents and tapestries displaying pottery, utensils and various animals and slaves for sale.

Shouldering his way through the crowd is, Ronal, 28, 6’6” powerfully built with potent arms and legs. His long black hair is held back by a leather strap around his forehead. He is bare-chested wearing goat-skin pants and leather sandals. His chiseled features and cold grey eyes could scare a man to death.

He looks over the various goods and trinkets among the venders. Seeing nothing to his liking he is about to leave the market when he passes the tent of a fortune teller. He is halted by the alluring voice of a middle-aged woman in all her finery

“Care to have your fortune told to you, young man?”

Ronal pauses at the sound of her soothing voice. Turns his body to her and is gruff.

“I need know witch-woman to conjure up for me what I make for myself.”

“Your future ends in two days, but it can begin again with this.” She holds up a wood carved amulet, two heads in profile back-to-back. One looks similar to Ronal and the other appears to be a short-haired sickly man. It dangles from an oiled leather strap. Continue reading Night of the Barbarian – part one –