| General Fiction posted July 5, 2020 |
  |
The return of Erica of Marylebone
Erica - part I
by giraffmang
Previously - Erica, an eternal warrior who embodies those who have come before her (Cleopatra, Hau Mulan, Joan of Orleans, Boudicea among others), resides on Platform 1 of Marylebone Station where she protects the modern world from an ancient and evil threat. When we left her last, she had defeated a Harbinger of Darkness (see Erica of Marylebone in the book Anthology) through a combination of mystical sorcery and warrior's might.
Erica - part I
Erica sipped her always hot coffee from the plain Styrofoam cup. The heat permeated the fingerless gloves and gave a nice tingly feeling. Leaning back against the station wall, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to centre herself. The early-morning commotion had subsided, and Marylebone Station settled back into its mid-morning doldrums. Erica enjoyed this time of day the most. The platforms were at their quietest, with the guards thinner on the ground, meaning less hassle for her and the other homeless folk who took up residence during the daylight hours. She didn’t consider herself homeless, though, Marylebone was her home for the here and now.
When Erica opened her eyes, she experienced a millisecond of absolute quiet – a moment between moments when past, present and future blurred together and she was at one with the universe.
A stiff breeze blew against her bare face, bringing her back. Shivering, she pulled the woolly blanket tighter around her shoulders and cast a furtive glance along each platform, but there was nothing to be seen. Just a normal gust of wind. She sighed and took another sip of coffee.
The sounds of jeering and laughter drew her attention toward the station entrance where a small group of teenagers, who should have been in school, jostled each other in gleeful exuberance. They parted and in strode a huge man, well over six-foot-tall, with flowing hair halfway to his arse. Muscles rippled on his torso as he walked; an enormous battle-axe tethered to his back.
“Erica!” the man bellowed. “Erica of Marylebone!” His voice reverberated around the station.
Erica tried to blend into the wall behind her.
The teenagers, particularly the girls, pulled out their mobile phones and started taking pictures of the object of their glee.
The man reached behind him and grasped the axe handle. “Begone, Imps, before I smite thee!”
“Oh no, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Erica muttered, shedding the blanket, and rising to her feet. “Over here!”
Looking around, the man spotted Erica near the door of ‘Hotel Chocolat’, and turned away from the gaggle of school kids, who continued to take pictures. With large, powerful strides, and a steely look of determination, he made his way down the concourse in her direction. He stopped in front of her diminutive figure and gave her an incredulous look. “Thou are not Erica of Marylebone. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica looked up into the newcomer’s grey eyes, not impressed with what she saw. “And you are?”
Raising his chin, he thrust out his chest, made his pectoral muscles twitch and, proud and loud, stated, “I am U-Tor, eternal champion and warrior. I am--”
Erica cut him off with a wave of her hand and raised voice, “Neither subtle nor humble.”
U-Tor lowered his gaze, trying to intimidate Erica with his sheer size. “I have no need of either. I am a warrior and a champion of Time and Place. I am--”
“Attracting attention.” Erica bent and retrieved her discarded blanket. “Here.” She reached up and slung the blanket around U-Tor’s shoulders. “Sit down.”
U-Tor laughed. “I take no orders from a woman. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica took a step toward the big man, reached a hand up onto his shoulder and applied pressure. “Sit... Now.”
U-Tor sat down in the middle of the concourse.
Erica hung her head and sighed. “Against the wall.”
The axe clanged as U-Tor shuffled over against the wall. He tried in vain to pull the blanket around his massive frame.
Erica picked up her coffee, which began to steam, and took a sip. She held it in both hands relishing the warmth. “I am Erica of Marylebone.”
U-Tor chewed on his bottom lip. “Hmm… I thought thee would be bigger.”
“Yeah, and I would have expected an eternal champion to be… smarter,” she murmured.
U-Tor slapped a meaty hand on Erica’s shoulder, causing her to spill a bit of coffee on the concourse, and laughed. “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
“Just Erica is fine.” She took another sip of coffee.
“What is that strange concoction thou drink?” U-Tor inhaled the roasted scent.
“Coffee.” She offered the cup to U-Tor.
U-Tor accepted the offering and took a large gulp. He spluttered and spat the contents of his mouth out. “Disgusting!”
Erica smiled. “It’s an acquired taste.”
An uneasy silence fell over the pair as Erica continued to scan the platforms for signs of disturbance in the ether. Her guise of a homeless girl drew little attention and granted her a choice vantage point. However, her visitor was another matter altogether. She regarded him with curiosity, sparing furtive glances in his direction every so often. He was somewhat appealing in a brutish kind of way – not like modern men. The long blond hair, grey eyes and freakishly large body mass reminded her of the posters she’d seen advertising a wrestling exhibition dotted around the station. The attire, however, would need to be addressed.
“You haven’t been here long, have you?” she inquired.
“No,” he replied. “In fact, I have just arrived. It is an odd place, no doubt. There are strange metal beasts roaming outside which nestle small men in their bellies. The people dress in a bizarre manner and carry no weapons. It is an unnatural sight.”
Erica smiled. “Where have you come from?”
“Ah, a truly wondrous place. Overflowing with full-bosomed women, ale and fighting. Dragons and griffins filled the air, and the ground echoed with the sounds of thundering hooves.” A faraway look entered U-Tor’s eyes. “A shame to be called away. But when the Lords command… thou know?”
Erica rolled her eyes. “Indeed. But why now?”
The big man’s laugh echoed down the concourse. “Hast thou not seen the signs? The Harbingers?”
A wry smile crossed Erica’s face. “They’re not so bad.”
“But they are only underlings. Their masters--” U-Tor shuddered.
Erica cut him off again. “Will be defeated, too.”
U-Tor laughed, slapped Erica on the shoulder and said, “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
A rumble shook the ground, followed by a high-pitched screech and floods of steam. U-Tor leapt to his feet, shrugged off the blanket and reached for his axe. “Erica, quick… they are upon us!”
Story of the Month contest entry
Previously - Erica, an eternal warrior who embodies those who have come before her (Cleopatra, Hau Mulan, Joan of Orleans, Boudicea among others), resides on Platform 1 of Marylebone Station where she protects the modern world from an ancient and evil threat. When we left her last, she had defeated a Harbinger of Darkness (see Erica of Marylebone in the book Anthology) through a combination of mystical sorcery and warrior's might.
Erica - part I
Erica sipped her always hot coffee from the plain Styrofoam cup. The heat permeated the fingerless gloves and gave a nice tingly feeling. Leaning back against the station wall, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to centre herself. The early-morning commotion had subsided, and Marylebone Station settled back into its mid-morning doldrums. Erica enjoyed this time of day the most. The platforms were at their quietest, with the guards thinner on the ground, meaning less hassle for her and the other homeless folk who took up residence during the daylight hours. She didn’t consider herself homeless, though, Marylebone was her home for the here and now.
When Erica opened her eyes, she experienced a millisecond of absolute quiet – a moment between moments when past, present and future blurred together and she was at one with the universe.
A stiff breeze blew against her bare face, bringing her back. Shivering, she pulled the woolly blanket tighter around her shoulders and cast a furtive glance along each platform, but there was nothing to be seen. Just a normal gust of wind. She sighed and took another sip of coffee.
The sounds of jeering and laughter drew her attention toward the station entrance where a small group of teenagers, who should have been in school, jostled each other in gleeful exuberance. They parted and in strode a huge man, well over six-foot-tall, with flowing hair halfway to his arse. Muscles rippled on his torso as he walked; an enormous battle-axe tethered to his back.
“Erica!” the man bellowed. “Erica of Marylebone!” His voice reverberated around the station.
Erica tried to blend into the wall behind her.
The teenagers, particularly the girls, pulled out their mobile phones and started taking pictures of the object of their glee.
The man reached behind him and grasped the axe handle. “Begone, Imps, before I smite thee!”
“Oh no, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Erica muttered, shedding the blanket, and rising to her feet. “Over here!”
Looking around, the man spotted Erica near the door of ‘Hotel Chocolat’, and turned away from the gaggle of school kids, who continued to take pictures. With large, powerful strides, and a steely look of determination, he made his way down the concourse in her direction. He stopped in front of her diminutive figure and gave her an incredulous look. “Thou are not Erica of Marylebone. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica looked up into the newcomer’s grey eyes, not impressed with what she saw. “And you are?”
Raising his chin, he thrust out his chest, made his pectoral muscles twitch and, proud and loud, stated, “I am U-Tor, eternal champion and warrior. I am--”
Erica cut him off with a wave of her hand and raised voice, “Neither subtle nor humble.”
U-Tor lowered his gaze, trying to intimidate Erica with his sheer size. “I have no need of either. I am a warrior and a champion of Time and Place. I am--”
“Attracting attention.” Erica bent and retrieved her discarded blanket. “Here.” She reached up and slung the blanket around U-Tor’s shoulders. “Sit down.”
U-Tor laughed. “I take no orders from a woman. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica took a step toward the big man, reached a hand up onto his shoulder and applied pressure. “Sit... Now.”
U-Tor sat down in the middle of the concourse.
Erica hung her head and sighed. “Against the wall.”
The axe clanged as U-Tor shuffled over against the wall. He tried in vain to pull the blanket around his massive frame.
Erica picked up her coffee, which began to steam, and took a sip. She held it in both hands relishing the warmth. “I am Erica of Marylebone.”
U-Tor chewed on his bottom lip. “Hmm… I thought thee would be bigger.”
“Yeah, and I would have expected an eternal champion to be… smarter,” she murmured.
U-Tor slapped a meaty hand on Erica’s shoulder, causing her to spill a bit of coffee on the concourse, and laughed. “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
“Just Erica is fine.” She took another sip of coffee.
“What is that strange concoction thou drink?” U-Tor inhaled the roasted scent.
“Coffee.” She offered the cup to U-Tor.
U-Tor accepted the offering and took a large gulp. He spluttered and spat the contents of his mouth out. “Disgusting!”
Erica smiled. “It’s an acquired taste.”
An uneasy silence fell over the pair as Erica continued to scan the platforms for signs of disturbance in the ether. Her guise of a homeless girl drew little attention and granted her a choice vantage point. However, her visitor was another matter altogether. She regarded him with curiosity, sparing furtive glances in his direction every so often. He was somewhat appealing in a brutish kind of way – not like modern men. The long blond hair, grey eyes and freakishly large body mass reminded her of the posters she’d seen advertising a wrestling exhibition dotted around the station. The attire, however, would need to be addressed.
“You haven’t been here long, have you?” she inquired.
“No,” he replied. “In fact, I have just arrived. It is an odd place, no doubt. There are strange metal beasts roaming outside which nestle small men in their bellies. The people dress in a bizarre manner and carry no weapons. It is an unnatural sight.”
Erica smiled. “Where have you come from?”
“Ah, a truly wondrous place. Overflowing with full-bosomed women, ale and fighting. Dragons and griffins filled the air, and the ground echoed with the sounds of thundering hooves.” A faraway look entered U-Tor’s eyes. “A shame to be called away. But when the Lords command… thou know?”
Erica rolled her eyes. “Indeed. But why now?”
The big man’s laugh echoed down the concourse. “Hast thou not seen the signs? The Harbingers?”
A wry smile crossed Erica’s face. “They’re not so bad.”
“But they are only underlings. Their masters--” U-Tor shuddered.
Erica cut him off again. “Will be defeated, too.”
U-Tor laughed, slapped Erica on the shoulder and said, “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
A rumble shook the ground, followed by a high-pitched screech and floods of steam. U-Tor leapt to his feet, shrugged off the blanket and reached for his axe. “Erica, quick… they are upon us!”
Erica - part I
Erica sipped her always hot coffee from the plain Styrofoam cup. The heat permeated the fingerless gloves and gave a nice tingly feeling. Leaning back against the station wall, she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to centre herself. The early-morning commotion had subsided, and Marylebone Station settled back into its mid-morning doldrums. Erica enjoyed this time of day the most. The platforms were at their quietest, with the guards thinner on the ground, meaning less hassle for her and the other homeless folk who took up residence during the daylight hours. She didn’t consider herself homeless, though, Marylebone was her home for the here and now.
When Erica opened her eyes, she experienced a millisecond of absolute quiet – a moment between moments when past, present and future blurred together and she was at one with the universe.
A stiff breeze blew against her bare face, bringing her back. Shivering, she pulled the woolly blanket tighter around her shoulders and cast a furtive glance along each platform, but there was nothing to be seen. Just a normal gust of wind. She sighed and took another sip of coffee.
The sounds of jeering and laughter drew her attention toward the station entrance where a small group of teenagers, who should have been in school, jostled each other in gleeful exuberance. They parted and in strode a huge man, well over six-foot-tall, with flowing hair halfway to his arse. Muscles rippled on his torso as he walked; an enormous battle-axe tethered to his back.
“Erica!” the man bellowed. “Erica of Marylebone!” His voice reverberated around the station.
Erica tried to blend into the wall behind her.
The teenagers, particularly the girls, pulled out their mobile phones and started taking pictures of the object of their glee.
The man reached behind him and grasped the axe handle. “Begone, Imps, before I smite thee!”
“Oh no, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Erica muttered, shedding the blanket, and rising to her feet. “Over here!”
Looking around, the man spotted Erica near the door of ‘Hotel Chocolat’, and turned away from the gaggle of school kids, who continued to take pictures. With large, powerful strides, and a steely look of determination, he made his way down the concourse in her direction. He stopped in front of her diminutive figure and gave her an incredulous look. “Thou are not Erica of Marylebone. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica looked up into the newcomer’s grey eyes, not impressed with what she saw. “And you are?”
Raising his chin, he thrust out his chest, made his pectoral muscles twitch and, proud and loud, stated, “I am U-Tor, eternal champion and warrior. I am--”
Erica cut him off with a wave of her hand and raised voice, “Neither subtle nor humble.”
U-Tor lowered his gaze, trying to intimidate Erica with his sheer size. “I have no need of either. I am a warrior and a champion of Time and Place. I am--”
“Attracting attention.” Erica bent and retrieved her discarded blanket. “Here.” She reached up and slung the blanket around U-Tor’s shoulders. “Sit down.”
U-Tor laughed. “I take no orders from a woman. Where is the warrior I seek?”
Erica took a step toward the big man, reached a hand up onto his shoulder and applied pressure. “Sit... Now.”
U-Tor sat down in the middle of the concourse.
Erica hung her head and sighed. “Against the wall.”
The axe clanged as U-Tor shuffled over against the wall. He tried in vain to pull the blanket around his massive frame.
Erica picked up her coffee, which began to steam, and took a sip. She held it in both hands relishing the warmth. “I am Erica of Marylebone.”
U-Tor chewed on his bottom lip. “Hmm… I thought thee would be bigger.”
“Yeah, and I would have expected an eternal champion to be… smarter,” she murmured.
U-Tor slapped a meaty hand on Erica’s shoulder, causing her to spill a bit of coffee on the concourse, and laughed. “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
“Just Erica is fine.” She took another sip of coffee.
“What is that strange concoction thou drink?” U-Tor inhaled the roasted scent.
“Coffee.” She offered the cup to U-Tor.
U-Tor accepted the offering and took a large gulp. He spluttered and spat the contents of his mouth out. “Disgusting!”
Erica smiled. “It’s an acquired taste.”
An uneasy silence fell over the pair as Erica continued to scan the platforms for signs of disturbance in the ether. Her guise of a homeless girl drew little attention and granted her a choice vantage point. However, her visitor was another matter altogether. She regarded him with curiosity, sparing furtive glances in his direction every so often. He was somewhat appealing in a brutish kind of way – not like modern men. The long blond hair, grey eyes and freakishly large body mass reminded her of the posters she’d seen advertising a wrestling exhibition dotted around the station. The attire, however, would need to be addressed.
“You haven’t been here long, have you?” she inquired.
“No,” he replied. “In fact, I have just arrived. It is an odd place, no doubt. There are strange metal beasts roaming outside which nestle small men in their bellies. The people dress in a bizarre manner and carry no weapons. It is an unnatural sight.”
Erica smiled. “Where have you come from?”
“Ah, a truly wondrous place. Overflowing with full-bosomed women, ale and fighting. Dragons and griffins filled the air, and the ground echoed with the sounds of thundering hooves.” A faraway look entered U-Tor’s eyes. “A shame to be called away. But when the Lords command… thou know?”
Erica rolled her eyes. “Indeed. But why now?”
The big man’s laugh echoed down the concourse. “Hast thou not seen the signs? The Harbingers?”
A wry smile crossed Erica’s face. “They’re not so bad.”
“But they are only underlings. Their masters--” U-Tor shuddered.
Erica cut him off again. “Will be defeated, too.”
U-Tor laughed, slapped Erica on the shoulder and said, “I like thee, Erica of Marylebone.”
A rumble shook the ground, followed by a high-pitched screech and floods of steam. U-Tor leapt to his feet, shrugged off the blanket and reached for his axe. “Erica, quick… they are upon us!”
 Recognized |
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Erica first appeared in Erica of Marylebone which can be found in my portfolio in the book entitled 'Anthology', if anyone is interested. lol
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