Weekend Edition: Nathan Musser's The Lone Wolf, part 1
Fetterolf’s Fiction: Creative Writing Selections
Part of an ongoing series of creative writing selections from Ms. Fetterolf's creative writing class. Check back next weekend for another installment.
Related: Read Nathan Musser's The Lone Wolf, part 2
Related: Read Preston Brazzle's short story, The Explorer III.
Part of an ongoing series of creative writing selections from Ms. Fetterolf's creative writing class. Check back next weekend for another installment.
-THE LONE WOLF-
by Nathan Musser
Fenris, a child
kidnapped and raised to be a hardened assassin, is now a man, free from his
former master -- yet still an assassin. His next target jars him off his
current course and onto a path filled with many dangers, but also, hopefully,
redemption.
Part 1: Waves pounded against the rocky cliffs, throwing a continuous spray of
ocean water onto the ruined castle. The Norwegian castle had once been a tall,
proud structure, defying the wind and waves for centuries, but at last it had
given way and crumbled into a pile of rubble. However, some people still found
it interesting -- and it was good for Fenris that they did.
The assassin Fenris was crouched behind a rather large pile of bricks, his hard
blue eyes surveying the terrain. Having seen more than a few castles in his
life, he accurately presumed he was taking refuge behind the remains of the top
of a watchtower. Briefly, he wondered how something completely ruined could
still be beautiful, but then he shook his head. He was on a mission; he didn’t
have time for such thoughts.
The few security guards assigned to the castle didn’t know anyone
was present; they were playing a game of cards a few miles down the road at the
entrance booth. Fenris had studied their habits for the past few days, and he
knew they wouldn’t come back down to the castle ruins for another few hours. He
would be long gone by then, and so would his target.
His target was currently snapping pictures of the castle wall nearest the sea.
Fenris had gathered an extensive amount of information on her, nearly filling
an entire journal. Her name was Lauren Night, and she was an investigative
journalist. She had dirty-blonde hair and gray eyes, as well as a skinned knee,
and thus a limp, from a narrow escape. Fenris frowned and stared at his target.
The wound must have healed; she wasn’t limping anymore.
Two weeks ago, she had disappeared off the face of the earth, and
her publishing company had no idea where she’d run off to. That was when
Fenris’s current employer had called. This new employer, simply called “the
General,” was leader of an elusive underground organization called the Skull.
The Skull specialized in criminal activity of any kind, and the General had a
keen interest in taking over the world. When he contacted Fenris, the General had
claimed that Lauren had infiltrated the Skull, learned everything she possibly
could, and then escaped, planning to write everything down to publish and
expose the Skull’s dealings. When she had escaped, though, one of the guards
had managed to graze her knee with a bullet. The General had also informed him
that Lauren could have possibly learned the names of Skull spies, future plans
of the organization, and other tidbits of dangerous information. It was of top
priority to take her out, before she could make it back to the
publisher, and Fenris was happy to oblige. He was being paid quite a hefty sum
for this job, and it promised to be simple: a quick pull of the trigger, and
the photographing reporter would crumple to the ground, dead.
Carefully, Fenris rose to one knee and took aim with his rifle.
Although Lauren was facing the shoreline, away from him, Fenris could envision
where the midpoint between her eyes would be -- and the crosshairs of his rifle
were aimed at that exact spot.
Fenris pulled the trigger.
To be continued...
Related: Read Nathan Musser's The Lone Wolf, part 2
Related: Read Preston Brazzle's short story, The Explorer III.
