Category: Audio Fiction

Audio Fiction: Weaver Heads

Today’s Flash Fiction is “Weaver” originally published here on the original version of the hiddennode site, April 27, 2010. It was originally released in audio format on July 16, 2015, and is being republished due to the appearance of “Weaver Heads” on the jsamueldiehl.com site. The original version of the audio script appears below. The latest version of the text is available today here.

Weaver Heads

“Here again. Did it bring food, or is it food?” it hissed at Anselm. He tried to pick out what tree the serpent spoke from, but the countless sounds of the swamp distorted the source. The haruspex waded forward in the water, holding the offering pouch at arm’s length.

“I have what you seek, serpent. Do you have what was promised?” As his words echoed through the murk and fog of the swamp, he dropped the pouch. It barely made a splash.

Something fell behind him.  He spun and saw a piece of meat and bone half submerged. He stepped forward and lifted it from its hair and the man’s face stared back at him. Another splash from where he’d dropped the charm, and Anselm turned in time to see a muscular scaled tail pull up the pouch. He could hear the heated breath of the creature as it looked at his trade.

Branches shifted above him, and he asked, “How do I know this is a Weaver’s head and not some murdered fool?”

“How does it know you are not giving it a curse? Doubt again and it will take your head for trade! It is Augur Lucian, serpent hunter, slayer with God’s Charms. Did come to slay. Many rose and slayed him. It is lucky to have the entire head.” The creature left then, and Anselm didn’t move until he was certain it was gone.

He started his trek out of the swamp, but stopped to examine the trade. It was not the type of weaver he expected the snake to bring him, but then the snake worked in its own way. An augur’s mysticism would still work for the divining he needed. He just hoped whatever demons the snake had dealt with hadn’t damaged the brain of this Augur Lucian too much.

Creative Commons License
“Weaver Heads” by J Samuel Diehl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Sound effects used can be found at freesound.org :

Ending music is “Home Outbound,” by Anne Garner, from the album Long Journey Here, available at magnatune.com

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Episode 114 – Flash Fiction – “Weaver”

Today’s Flash Fiction is “Weaver” originally published here on the hiddennode April 27, 2010. Please enjoy this podcast version of the story. The story’s been touched up a bit since it’s original release.

Weaver Heads

“Here again. Did it bring food, or is it food?” it hissed at Anselm. He tried to pick out what tree the serpent spoke from, but the countless sounds of the swamp distorted the source. The haruspex waded forward in the water, holding the offering pouch at arm’s length.

“I have what you seek, serpent. Do you have what was promised?” As his words echoed through the murk and fog of the swamp, he dropped the pouch. It barely made a splash.

Something fell behind him.  He spun and saw a piece of meat and bone half submerged. He stepped forward and lifted it from its hair and the man’s face stared back at him. Another splash from where he’d dropped the charm, and Anselm turned in time to see a muscular scaled tail pull up the pouch. He could hear the heated breath of the creature as it looked at his trade.

Branches shifted above him, and he asked, “How do I know this is a Weaver’s head and not some murdered fool?”

“How does it know you are not giving it a curse? Doubt again and it will take your head for trade! It is Augur Lucian, serpent hunter, slayer with God’s Charms. Did come to slay. Many rose and slayed him. It is lucky to have the entire head.” The creature left then, and Anselm didn’t move until he was certain it was gone.

He started his trek out of the swamp, but stopped to examine the trade. It was not the type of weaver he expected the snake to bring him, but then the snake worked in its own way. An augur’s mysticism would still work for the divining he needed. He just hoped whatever demons the snake had dealt with hadn’t damaged the brain of this Augur Lucian too much.

Creative Commons License
“Weaver Heads” by J Samuel Diehl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Sound effects used can be found at freesound.org :

Ending music is “Home Outbound,” by Anne Garner, from the album Long Journey Here, available at magnatune.com

Download the episode here.

Episode 113 – Flash Fiction – “Raic”

Raic

Attention.

Attention.

All local dwellings are to be closed by twenty-two hundred hours. Curfew is in effect. Curfew is in effect.

Attention.

Attention.

All local dwellings are to be closed by twenty-two.

The shot shattered the speaker. I rolled my eyes at Kerin as he tucked the gun away.

“That’ll just bring them this way, and the guard will find that slinger.”

“I don’t really care,” Kerin said. “I just needed to think and he was pissing me off.” He slumped against the building, landing in a puddle and spraying the already soaked neon signs with more water. One sparked, flickered, then reignited in defiance.

I groaned, and tapped the side of the building, letting my mesh network connect to the local grid.

“You could have just asked. Already found the adjustable volume. Besides, I can still hear the speaker down the way.”

“Shut it, Geen. I’m thinking.”

This was getting useless. I tried to find the controls for the speaker at the other end of the alley. Less noise, more likely I’d hear if the guard was on their way. I’d bolt and leave his ass here if he wanted to mop in prison.

“So,” I asked, “What are you thinking of?”

Didn’t think he was going to reply until I saw the light start to change. The neon signs wavered and my own scopes flickered as he focused. I could see her then, her long coat sleek with the rain, the useless umbrella letting the rain soak into her hair. She was smiling this time; always a good sign. But she wasn’t looking at us. Just smiling and walking through the edge of the puddle Kerin sat in.

“Mate,” I started.

“I know. I just can’t keep her from forming in this rain. She always loved it.”

He looked at her with such reverence, deifying her, watching her so intently he was missing her warning. I knew her look though, and the warning flickers her hands were doing. Just a few snaps of her fingers on the hand holding the umbrella. I grabbed Kerin and yanked him up.

“Gene, knock it off. I know she’s not here, but we can.”

“Nothing. You’re so oblivious that Raic is giving you the hard warning sign and you’re not evening noticing. Gods, even from the grave she’s having me look after you.”

“What? I, oh shit.” He started off down the alley as the sirens could really be heard over the rain. I took one look back to the fading illusion.

“Thanks Raic. Not sure how I’ll pay it back this time but I owe you another one.”

“Raic” by J Samuel Diehl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Sound effects used can be found at freesound.org :

Ending music is “Home Outbound,” by Anne Garner, from the album Long Journey Here, available at magnatune.com

“Raic” was inspired by Fantasy Vs Sci-Fi, by Denimecho.

Download the episode here.