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    Nail: A Short Story
    Nail: A Short Story
    Nail: A Short Story
    Ebook47 pages35 minutes

    Nail: A Short Story

    By Kell Inkston

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    About this ebook

    With generations long passed since the events of Paper, a hero stumbles onto something which threatens to turn everything that he and his people have ever known onto its head: signs of another human settlement.
    As Ralic the Fifteenth searches for signs as to why this abandoned town has such strong indications of human life, but none to be found anywhere, the answers come quickly and at dangerous speed. Just as he comes to understand the significance of this secretive place, Ralic is captured by its people and is taken to the true town, the one deep underground, where the people spend their entire lives in labor.
    He awakens deep in a chasm filled with industry and ingenuity, but also with disease and fear. He soon realizes that his captors are not evil, but simply mistaken; labeling him a "spirit" that has come to deceive them. Just as he makes headway in teaching them about the world above and securing their trust, he comes face to face with the real reason that these people are trapped down here. There's something else down in these tunnels with them; a creature that Ralic long dreamed of, but never wanted to meet – the crafty Overlord from the days of old, alive and as poisonous as ever.

    In the sequel to Paper see the power of truth as the Overlord turns the people against Ralic to have him executed. It's down to him and some unlikely villagers to save the town in this fast-paced short story which steps over and between genres.

    Looking for the prequel, Paper? Just search for "Paper - A Short Story".

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKell Inkston
    Release dateJul 31, 2016
    ISBN9781370711758
    Nail: A Short Story
    Author

    Kell Inkston

    Born in an extra-dimensional pocket of space that was probably filled with good books, Kell emerged one long Summer to begin its quest to become a writer of renown and a voice of reason in a world that needs more writers of renown and voices of reason- what a laudable goal.Kell is certainly a something-or-other that believes that all those that can read should do so often, as education is the key to an efficient and peaceful society. So if you can read this, keep doing that- good job.You can sign up to this entity's spam-free mailing list and receive updates as well as free fictional goodies - humans love those, right? Sign up here: http://bit.ly/1M4NT9iIt's also rumored bellowing "Inkston" from a rooftop or using the legendary #keepitkell may grant you a reply were you in need of council or aid, but should those fail, try going to kellinkston.com or shooting Kell an email.Find Kell's:Amazon storefront: http://amzn.to/1RT7NJHFacebook: http://on.fb.me/1Gfn4TUTwitter: http://bit.ly/1hOJKhREmail: kellr.inkston@gmail.com

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      Book preview

      Nail - Kell Inkston

      Nail

      Nail

      Kell Inkston

      Chapter 1

      A bright haired, fur-dressed man of about twenty years steps into a clearing. In front of him lies great walls of metal and wood. He glances down to the piece of paper holding the directions and description for only a second before he slides it back into his page-holder. It’s just as the woman described. A silent city of metal— one that has no doors.

      The boy, Ralic the Fifteenth, steps up and knocks— no answer. He clears his throat.

      Hello! … no answer. Ralic draws a deep, powerful breath. HELLO IN THERE! … but still he receives no answer. He raises a brow and taps his foot as he overlooks the great wall a moment. He then turns away and starts in a circle.

      Ralic makes a lap around the walls, taking about five minutes as he scans for any place he could scale to enter. Eventually he comes all the way around, spotting nothing, and just decides to use his rope. After notching the lasso and about twenty minutes of consistent failure and effort, the rope catches something on the other side. "Yes!" He exclaims loudly as he tugs the line tight and begins his ascent. He manages to haul his self over the wall in only half a minute’s time, allowing him to rise and peek over. Along the lookout rafters there’s not a soul to be found.

      Ralic gathers up his rope on the other side and returns it to his pack before he begins to explore. There’s an eeriness to this place that he can’t quite put his finger on. Outside the walls the birds sing cheerfully, and the forest sways with life; but behind these metal-girded walls, it's like there’s something that defies all of it, somewhere in here. Ralic wonders if he should go get some more men— he wonders if, were he to go down and look through the houses, he might not leave. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath; he remembers the beauty of his home in Qetaine, and opens his eyes again with renewed determination. He’s certain he’ll be known as 'Ralic the Fifteenth— the one that entered the depths of the dark fortress and returned unscathed'. He does like the sound of it, though it doesn’t really roll off the tongue the way he wishes it would. Regardless of titles, he’s certain he’ll manage.

      He descends the guard planks into the city center— not a person or sound anywhere in the main square. Ralic knocks on various doors, breaks into various houses— but time and again, the result’s the same. Each time he opens a new door, his sense of dread mounts higher. Somehow, he knows he’s being watched; his gut feeling is rarely off point. Halfway through the search of the

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