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    World's End
    World's End
    World's End
    Ebook59 pages52 minutes

    World's End

    By Zak Orvil

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    About this ebook

    Haunted by guilt, Meno Ring embarks on a treacherous journey to the mysterious, life-altering Outland, hoping the forested island will give him what he can't give himself: oblivion.

    At the cluster of old buildings known as World's End, he hires two sisters to guide him into the forest. But as they travel deeper into the Outland, Meno realizes that the sisters may have secrets and motives of their own that may upset his plans. As things grow more dangerous and unnatural, Meno must confront his grief as he seeks to escape it. Will he change his mind about surviving his journey? Will the three of them make it through the Outland alive?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherFiercely Independent Press
    Release dateNov 24, 2024
    ISBN9781965133071
    World's End
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      Book preview

      World's End - Zak Orvil

      Meno

      MENO RING STEPPED OFF of the boat and onto the dock. He felt the world sway around him after the ten-hour trip from the mainland to the island known as Outland. The island’s safe zone, located along its only cove and reaching just two hundred feet inland, lacked space for an airstrip. The buildings of World’s End lined up one against the other along the shore. Meno grasped the railing with one hand and shaded his eyes with the other. Dirty clapboard buildings shimmered at dock’s end.

      Had the boat to yourself, the porter said as he dropped Meno’s bag on the dock. You’ll have the trail to yourself as well. Too hot for most folks this time of year.

      Meno fished a coin out of his pocket and handed it to the man. I prefer the heat, he lied.

      You’ll have plenty of that then. The porter didn’t give him a second glance as he got back on the boat.

      Yeah, I can see that, Meno muttered under his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief and picked up his bag. As he walked down the long dock, he heard the boat depart.

      When he stepped on to land, he saw no road or sidewalk. White sand, dotted with pale grass, reached the doors. He followed the sign to the tourist office.

      The office was dimly lit and empty of people. The furniture appeared rough, handcrafted. A desk sat off to the side. He walked up to it.

      Hello? He called out. He looked around the ceiling. No cameras.

      The front door banged behind him.

      Mr. Ring? Sorry I didn’t meet you at the boat. They must have had a headwind. It came early. The woman had the palest skin he had ever seen and long blond hair tied back in a braid. She had more muscles than he had, even in his youth. She walked right up to him and grabbed his bag. We have a room ready for you tonight. We’ll start out first thing in the morning.

      It’s not even noon. I hoped we could start today.

      You’ve had a long trip. It’s better you rest and get acclimated to the heat before we start. She turned and walked out the door without waiting for his reply.

      Meno followed.

      They walked back past the dock. Halfway down the shore, they stopped at a door he would never have been able to pick out from all the others. She held the door open for him and he stepped into a dim hallway, so narrow two could not pass, but one would have to back up to a doorway to let the other by.

      Straight to the end. That’s us.

      He walked the length of the hallway and pushed open the door at the end. The room beyond felt as claustrophobic as the path there.

      The woman stepped in behind him, flipped on the lights, and closed the door. She handed him his bag. Your room is upstairs. There’s a shower and a light lunch in the fridge up there. We’ll have dinner at five thirty in the dining room, which is directly below your room. Enjoy the view, but don’t leave this apartment. It’s easy to get lost around here.

      She turned and left the way they came.

      Meno looked around. More handmade furniture crowded the room. Closed doors flanked either side. Ahead, a doorway led to what must be the dining room. Near the doorway, a spiral staircase led upwards.

      He glanced into the dining room before heading upstairs. The table had chairs to seat a dozen people, although he imagined they would bump elbows. The room was dark. A heavy drape hung from the opposite wall.

      He climbed the stairs and realized he was tired. Sweat trickled down his back. While it was cooler inside than outside, the building did not appear to have air conditioning. By the time he entered his room, he was unbuttoning his shirt and looking forward to the shower.

      The small room had only a single bed and a small table. He wondered where all those dinner guests stayed. When it was cooler, did they head out right after a hearty meal? Did the two other doors downstairs lead to more guest rooms?

      The fridge doubled as

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