Fiction By Keith Kisser
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The Machine of the World
A Gothic Fairy Tale
As the world succumbs to a slow death, choking on mushrooms and poison,
a young servant girl is caught up in the last attempts by human hands
to wrest power away from cruel nature, to thwart fate and the destiny
of all living things.
***
Frederick Von Tartarus, King of Ruhleheim made a deal for immortality
but not longevity. 1500 years later, his mummified corpse keeps his
descendents up at night, murmuring through the elaborate system of
speaking horns that extend into every corner of the castle. The current
crown prince, Laslo, and his twin sister, Lydia decide that they are
tired of suffering the whims of their ancestor, and concoct a plan
to rid themselves of the king once and for all: they will have three
physicians examine the king. Knowing full well that three professionals
will never agree on anything, their conflicting prognoses will so befuddle
Parliament that they will have to turn over the throne to Laslo.
Inez Vespertine, Lady’s Maid to Princess Lydia, overhears this
scheme. To get her out of the way, the royal twins send her to visit
their cousin, the Marquise, who lives deep within the Ergot Forest,
a vast swatch of poisonous fungus that is overtaking the world and
threatening the borders of Ruhleheim. But when Inez returns not just
alive and well but with a scheme of her own, the conniving twins are
befuddled. Who will survive to rule a dying world?
Read it now!
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