Eris Reddoch wrote: > Mira Hasta-Rur wrote: > > >> Jac turns the van to the left onto a side road and the road winds > >> down toward the sea. He slows and pulls the van off to the side > >> of the road as he crests a hill and points. > >> > >> "That's our destination." he says pointing at a cluster of > >> buildings surrounding a small cove. The buildings are all one and > >> two story, and have colorful roofs of reds, greens and yellows. > >> Beyond the buildings you can see a small harbor with several > >> boats moored next to a stone quay. > > > > "Oh, how lovely," Mira replies. The scene tugs at fond memories and > > she smiles with pleasure. > > > >> "Is it an island?" Jac asks pointing again, "Look there." > >> > >> Mira sees that where Jac is pointing the road they are on passes > >> over a stone bridge and then goes through a small open field > >> before entering the town. It does look like the village is on > >> either an island or a small peninsula and the road crosses over a > >> bayou or narrow straight before reaching the village. > > > > "I do believe you are right, Jac. It is an island!" > > > >> Pulling the van back onto the road, Jac says brightly, "This > >> should be interesting." > >> > >> The van winds down toward the water, and then takes a very sharp > >> turn down toward the stone bridge. The narrow road moves down > >> along a rock cliff face. On the van's right the road drops away > >> in a steep cliff...surf breaks on rocks far below. On the van's > >> left there is the stone face of a cliff rising a 50 meters, or > >> more above the road. Mira is looking out of the ocean as the var > >> moves around a tight bend, when suddenly there is the blear of a > >> horn. > >> > >> "Waaaa!" Jac snaps out suddenly as he slams on brakes. Mira snaps > >> her head around and sees a small sports car partially on your > >> side of the road. Jac throws out his hand to restrain Mira from > >> falling forward as the car brakes hard. The small sports car > >> darts back onto its side of the road and rapidly races up the > >> road away from you. > >> > >> Jac's knuckles are white on the wheel as he struggles to keep the > >> van from fishtailing and swinging off the road either into the > >> stone wall or over the cliff. He brings the van to a halt > >> finally, and lets out a deep "Huff!" > >> > >> His eyes flash as he turns to look back, "That was close. The > >> damn fool! Racing his car like that on a road like this!" > > > > Mira placates Jac, "You did very well keeping control of the van, > > my love." > > > > She's all too aware that if she'd been in a little sports car she'd > > have been barreling along too, "It could have been worse... it > > could have been Jez driving that car..." > > > "Did you get a tag number..." Jac starts, then stops and takes a > breath. > > > She grins up at him, waiting for his reaction. > > > Then he chuckles, "Yes, it's a good thing Jez wasn't driving." > > "We won't let this ruin our get away." Jac says as he backs the van > up and continues down the road. > > At the foot of the cliff the road straightens out for a couple of > hundred meters before it rises up crossing the stone bridge. On this > side of the stone bridge there is a large stone gate, probably built > in the old days to guard the bridge and protect the village. The gate > is open, and as Jac slowly drives through you see that it looks like > the gate hasn't been closed in a very, very, long time. The bridge is > narrow, barely wide enough for the van, clearly two way traffic > isn't possible. > > As the van follows the road across the field into the village you see > a figure seated on a large rock looking out to sea. There is an easel > with a canvas on it next to the figure on the rock. The figure turns > at the sound of the slowly approaching van, and you see it is a young > woman. She waves then turns back to her contemplation of the ocean. > > When you follow the direction of her visage, you see the sun is > setting over water toward the west and is streaking the sea with > beautiful reds and oranges. High up in the sky there are puffy > clouds, white on top and streaked in reds and oranges as they extend > down toward the sea. > > There are a pair of large stone pillars flanking the road and > anchoring a low stone wall that appears to surround the village. A > large brass sign on one of the pillars proclaims this the town of > Brantstone on Sea. > > Inside the walled village Jac drives through the winding cobbled > streets toward the small harbor. He parks the van next to an old two > story building with a roof of bright red tile. A sign here tells you > that this is Hotel Alcazar. There are four cars parked on a gravel > filled area outside the main building of the hotel, and you can see > lights and hear sounds from a smaller building that looks like it was > added on to the hotel at some later date. There is a picture of a > bird with a fish in its mouth hanging outside the door. There is also > writing on that sign, but from where you are you can't read it. > > "This looks like the place." Jac says, opening the door and letting > in the smells of sea water and sea weed and the sounds of sea birds > which you can see circling over the little harbor to your left. Jac comes around the van and opens the door for Mira, "I think the entrance to the hotel is over here, and the door over there with the bird and fish is the door to the local public house. Which one would you like to try, *first*, m'lady?" Eris AKU GM
