Harrows

A Chapter by Not Colin

a clip from Chapter: Harrows of Endfall

Milo walked in the shadows of the snowy night, avoiding the odd-looking lights that illuminated the streets at the bends of metal arrows. He was not supposed to be out of bed at this time, but something had called him to escape his small, old home. A sort of clamor had occurred, just down the street from where Milo lived, a sort of clamor that rarely occurred in his town. Milo lived in Salem, the third-most well-known town in Pæraleth. Salem was the town that housed the Prime Minister, and a great number of Parliament members.

He stood now under a bridge, protected from the falling snow, where he was able to observe the event. Lying up against the riverside was something large; Milo couldn’t quite tell what it was. More people, citizens of Salem, were appearing from the darkness now, approaching the thing. They must have heard the noise too. Milo’s thoughts were buzzing gently around in his mind, perhaps aiming for a place to find their answers. He then stood back a bit in his place under the bridge, for now people were showing up quite near, and he would easily be scolded at for being here at this time of night. A shout came from someone nearby, and then it became apparent to Milo what the thing on the riverside was.

It was the body of a man, dead. A cry came from a woman in the street, “Who did this!” Milo’s stomach turned. He was interested, however, so he continued to observe from under the bridge. Who is it? Who had done this? One man, wearing all black and a large hat, which Milo quickly identified as a Parliament member, raced up to the body. He lifted the man’s face up into the light for a moment, and then gently set it back down.

He turned back to the group of people and said, “Doctor Wayne.” The group was silent, as was Milo. “Get me Mr. Alwin,” said the man in the hat, “This must be addressed.” Milo knew of Doctor Wayne, one of the more popular people in the town, although Milo didn’t know him well; He hadn’t really ever seen him. Milo’s father, who was also a doctor, had worked with Wayne.

Milo turned from his small hiding spot, taking a last look at Doctor Wayne and the group of people, and then began to crawl out from under the bridge on the opposite side. Once he was out, he ran. Home was where he was headed, for he feared his father might be out due to the noise. However, his father might not get angry at him for leaving in the night when he discovers the reason these people were out there. He and Wayne were quite good friends. Milo feared how his father would take it, and realizing this, a sudden sadness came upon him. Death is nothing of good nature; it is the harrowing edge of life.

Milo came up onto the street and slowed to a stop under a lit area. He stood, panting. He looked up to see the light above him; a flame, captured in glass, suspended by twisted metal. From birth, Milo always thought these things were odd-looking. His face was shown in the light, previously a shadow. He had an ordinary pallor, a face not too odd, and dark hair. He squinted his eyes, for the light was too bright. He looked away, refocusing his eyes on the city he stood outside. Salem �"his city. His father had told him before that his grandfather, Walden Parker, had been the one to purchase the city after it was built. Walden then moved to Wonder City, the business capital of Pæraleth. Milo slightly remembered visiting there one time.

Milo was young, around eight. He and his father stood outside the largest building in the world, the Pelagicus, on a large, glass stairway. The stairway handles and the rims of the stairs were all shaped in gold metal. The Pelagicus was the same, bodied in glass, and had a structure outlined in gold. It was magnificent. All around, people of all sorts; business people, visitors and citizens, or highly respected politicians from Salem, walked about the entrance area. Walden walked down the stairs to greet his family, and then they were shown inside. “I’m glad you’re here, Milo,” he had said, “I have been waiting to show you some things here. I think you’ll find this place interesting.” Milo smiled.

“Yes,” started Milo’s father, “he does have that great curious mind!” His father waved a finger at Milo’s head, motioning to his brain. His gloves touched Milo’s skin and it felt warm. Milo simply smiled again and continued to follow them through the entranceway. Once inside, Milo could distinctly remember his eyes widening until they couldn’t anymore. From the outside, looking through the glass you would see a large, empty, bright white room. It was nothing too interesting, he thought. However, on the inside, the lobby of the Pelagicus was filled with great machines of all sorts. The room swelled with a mysterious joy, as the machines were all working, making something. Milo loved machines of all sorts. He marveled the idea of creating something that would then create even more. Machines, to Milo, were the future.

Milo’s grandfather had passed away a few years ago. The rights to the city had then been given away to the Parliament. Walden didn’t actually do much for Salem, but for clean up its streets.

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