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+---- Thread: *Chapter 7: Island Secrets (/showthread.php?tid=51170)
*Chapter 7: Island Secrets - lock180 - 05-09-2024
Catch Up on Previous Chapters:
CH 1 CH 2 CH 3 CH 4 CH5 CH 6
Graders Split 60/40 for @lock180/@homercrates
The Book of Zen
Chapter 7: Island Secrets
![[Image: xC9Z9TO.png]](https://i.imgur.com/xC9Z9TO.png)
ILLUSTRATED BY: Thor Dangerson
It probably should have worried Zenzeroni that he was being led into what seemed like a creepy dungeon with a strange man but if that was on Zenzeorni’s mind he wasn’t showing it.
The staircase spiraled down and down and down and down for what must have been hundreds of feet with nothing but torchlight from the walls and the creepy man’s lantern lighting the way. At long last Zenzeroni made it to flat ground as the staircase changed into a mined out tunnel still eerily lit by torchlight.
Periodically Zenzeroni would turn around to look at the man who would give him a nod to continue moving forward. Having no choice but to do so, Zenzeroni pushes forward and rounds a corner to see, a few hundred feet ahead, the tunnel opens up. Excited, Zenzeroni makes his way toward the opening moving too fast for the old man behind him to keep up.
The man grumbles his annoyance but allows Zenzeroni to move forward on his own and as he reaches the opening he can’t believe what he sees.
Layed out before him in a large underground cavern is what can only be described as an underground village. Front and center is a large lagoon with 3 old pirate ships docked and anchored. How they got there was a question in itself as on one side was what appeared to be a dockfront with a large shop, repair station, and a large tavern. Meanwhile on the other side of the cavern was a large jagged rock wall towering toward the cavern ceiling.
The cavern was entirely lit by artificial torch light and there must have been a few dozen workers? Milling about on the docks and boardwalk bridges performing various tasks. At the tavern, there are 7 or 8 drunk men sitting at a pair of tables playing cards.
Zenzeroni, who had just watched “A Clue for Scooby Doo” (which is a great episode btw would highly recommend you go watch it) felt like he was in the tv show itself only 10 times better. Zenzeroni feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to face the old man who had brought him here in the first place.
“Welcome to the real Disappointment Island, you disappointed?” He chuckles to himself.
Zenzeroni vehemently shakes his head no “This is the coolest thing ever!” Zenzeroni goes to run toward the group of drunks at the tavern when the hand on his shoulder grips him tightly preventing him from moving forward.
“You’ve got a lot of learning to do kid. Don’t leave my side or you will regret it.” The man sternly warns Zenzeroni.
“Yes sir.” Zenzeroni says only taking the man half seriously.
“The name’s One Eyed Larry but you can call me One Eyed Larry.” One Eyed Larry extends his hand and grabs one of Zenzeroni’s arms and shakes it.
“Why do they call you that?” Zenzeroni asks.
One Eyed Larry pauses for a second eyeing Zenzeroni with his one good eye but seeing no ill intent shifts to a softer demeanor. “Let’s go get you something to eat and drink.”
“Thank goodness I'm so thirsty!” Zenzeroni once more goes to skip over to the tavern and once more One Eyed Larry grabs hold of his shoulder and doesn’t let go, instead opting to gently guide him toward the tavern leading Zenzeroni slightly in front of him.
One Eyed Larry guides Zenzeroni through the men and few women working on the ships and nearby docks as they transport boxes, work on repairs, and do other miscellaneous busy work. Whatever station One Eyed Larry has it must be an important one as everyone makes a wide birth around him as he walks by them. Some don’t make eye contact while others give a subtle nod of acknowledgement but all seem to show him a respect that only comes from someone who isn’t to be messed with.
Reaching the tavern One Eyed Larry signals to the bartender for two drinks and the bartender immediately gets to work. He then sits Zenzeroni down at an unoccupied table and looks at him sternly “Don’t. Move.”
Zenzeroni nods his head only paying half attention while still taking in his surroundings.
“Get some water for the kid.” One Eyed Larry tells the bartender. The bartender looks at Zenzeroni confused for a second before continuing his work handing over two large pints of beer to One Eyed Larry.
One Eyed Larry pats Zenzeroni on the back before downing one pint with two gulps and walking over to the drunk card game going on at the front table with the other. As he approaches the whole table goes quiet except for one man who is even more drunk than the rest “AND THEN, AND THEN….YOU GUYS WILL NEVER GUESS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT….” The rest of the group just looks behind the man as One Eyed Larry looks down on him with the face of an angry giant. “COME ON GUS” the man nudges the guy next to him “GUESS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT” The man slurs to Gus. Gus points his eyes toward One Eyed Larry and the drunk man finally gets the message.
Zenzeroni watches as the man slowly turns around and seeing One Eyed Larry standing menacingly behind him slowly smiles. “Oh hey capin did’t see yu ther. Care fur a drink?” The man lifts his half empty pint up towards One Eyed Larry. One Eyed Larry looks down at the man then slowly moves his eye across the rest of the table before making it back to the man in front of him.
“Yeah, I’ll take a swig.” He says and with one swift movement that shouldn’t be possible for a man of his age, One Eyed Larry grabs the pint and swings it across the face of the drunk man sending him sprawling onto the hardwood plank floor. He then drinks the rest of the man’s beer and downs his own pint.
“We have a guest I expect you to be on your best behavior.” One Eyed Larry says to the drunk man who only groans in response from the safety of the wood floor.
The bartender hands Zenzeroni a glass of water with a cute orange straw and decorative umbrella in it as Zenzeroni watches in amazement at the authority of One Eyed Larry.
Zenzeroni takes a sip of his water as One Eyed Larry continues to bark out orders “Globby get your ass up and gather the rest of the gang. We need to have an all hands meeting” One Eyed Larry says to the man that the drunk guy had called Gus.
Gus, or Globby, goes to grab his pint but One Eyed Larry scoops it up before he can get a hand on it “All hands meeting. NOW!”
Zenzeroni watches Globby Gus stumble onto his feet and over to a bell at the side of the tavern. With one swing of the rope, it connects with the bell and the sound rings out throughout the cavern.
Whatever was about to happen, Zenzeroni had a front row seat to the most interesting thing to ever happen to him.
RE: Chapter 7: Island Secrets - jreed12 - 05-09-2024
ONE EYED LARRY!