The Lost World of the Dead: the Cause

Written by: Anonymous

The Skellies are an ancient race that inhabit the world of the dead. They are purely, in their simplest form, a skeleton that now lives and breathes because they are imbued with the life and soul of a being that has passed on.

Prologue
Click. Clack. That was the resounding noise heard all around the dark alley. ring Yes, master? The slave Skelly, clad in his tan, ragged clothes, asked. Have you found him? His master asked. Yes, and now, I just have to kill him, and his little child. Good, good. Be sure it is done by 3 A.M. sharp. Oh, and spare the kid. I want to torture him later on. MUAHAHAHAHA! Okay, master. click Okay, now how am I going to make it into that window? The slave wondered to himself. Unknown to the slave, the man he was trying to kill was right behind him.

Now why would a slave like you be over here in this part of the world? Why arent you with your idiots that you call friends? The man asked. Like you dont know! The slave scoffed. I see you still have that same sense of humor as when you were a little boy, the man said as he jumped into the night sky with his knife in his left hand. And.... He didnt get any farther before the slave killed him. There was a big price on your head in the world of the dead. Now, it is all mine! HA! he ranted as he grabbed the mans knife. This should be proof. Now, what kind of knife is this? he wondered.

The next morning... Ahhhh, The mans 6-year-old son, Jacob, yawned. Dad! he yelled. Immediately knowing something was wrong, he ran out of his bedroom to the alley next to his house. Dad! He called. There was still no answer. Then, he saw him. His dad, lifeless, and bloody, on the ground. DADDY!!! He cried, How could they do this to him! Jacob ran back into the house. Mom! he yelled. Yes, Jacob? His mom, Elizabeth, answered. 3

Th- th- they killed Dad Jacob screamed. What! His mom exclaimed. How could they! He did nothing wrong! Under her breath, she muttered, he even killed our first son to keep the master from killing us. Why would the master kill him... Mom, Jacob said sadly, can we bury Dad? Sure Jacob, Elizabeth replied solemnly.

Ten years later... year 2153

Chapter 1

Have fun at school, Jacob, Elizabeth said. Okay, bye Mom! He exclaimed as he ran out the door to his speed bike. Its been 10 years since that terrible event happened. Oh, I hope hes not still angry, Elizabeth said to herself, I dont want what happened to his dad, to happen to him. Sienna City High School, the only high school within a 5,000 mile radius. Hey, Jake! his best friend, Fred, shouted, while running toward him at full speed. Sup, Fred! he shouted back. Dude, what are you going to do for that stupid science fair? Fred asked once he got to Jake. I dont know, Jake answered, but I think a homemade speed board would be sweet. 5

What! Are you serious? That, my friend, is a stupid idea. Unless you use, like, magnets or something. HA! Good luck finding those without borrowing a time machine to get back to 2005 or something! Fred exclaimed. Oh, well, maybe I will try. Bad idea, but whatever. Oh yeah, you got a better one? I actually do. Im going to make a hover suit that uses the same technology as the speed bike you rode here. Whatever. I gotta go to first period. See ya! As Jake headed to his locker, he noticed something weird hanging out of it. Dear Jacob, I am happy to tell you that if you dont go to the World of the dead, and then kill the Skelly who killed your father, then you will meet the same fate as him! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yours truly, Melovence, the evil. Jacob crumpled the note into a tiny ball and tightened a fist around it. Jacob was trying hard to hold back tears from his red, 6

stinging eyes to keep from embarrassing himself in front of everyone. Even with all of his efforts, one single teardrop ran down his cheek. He cursed under his breath as his best friend walked up to him. His friend saw Jacobs glowing red eyes and asked him, hey, man are you okay? Yeah Fred, I'm fine,, Jacob said quietly in response. Not being able to bear the pain any longer, he dashed out of school, hopped on his speed bike, and drove to his favorite alone spot, The Billards Place Or, at least, thats what he called it. He headed to the same place he went to every time to get away from people. At 3:00, he decided to go home. Later that day Jacobs mother received a phone call. Hello this is Sienna School District 2153, to listen to the message press 1, the voice was a computerized female voice, it was obvious because the voice was very monotone. Elizabeth, being the dangerous rule-breaker she was, pressed 1 following the fake voices commands like a dog. Hello this is Sienna High School calling to let you know that Jacob Kimberly was absent during 1st-8th period today in school. WHAT!!! Elizabeth screamed, throwing the phone clear into the other room, where it finally shattered against the wall. Oops, 7

note-to-self, current anger management lessons... not working, she said to herself. Elizabeth then started wondering to herself, Where could he have gone? What could he be doing? This is so unlike him. Elizabeth sighed, I guess Ill just ask him about it when he comes home. Hi mom! Jacob exclaimed, 10 seconds later. JACOB! WHERE WERE YOU!?! I WAS SO WORRIED! Elizabeth shouted at the top of her lungs, which made several neighbors peer into the window, and then they turned away when they realized it wasnt anything interesting. Mom, I dont want to talk about it. Here, read this. It will explain everything, he said sadly. What, Elizabeth said sadly, after reading it, why would he threaten you like this? What? Jacob asked, do you know this person? Havent you ever wondered what your father did for a living? What his job was? Why he was never here? Elizabeth asked. Well, yeah. But... Jacob said. Do you want to hear the story? Sure. Maybe then this will make sense. 8

Okay, a long time ago, when your father was 16, his dad was killed. He, then, got a note just like the one you got. HE went to the World of the Dead, then, he made a bet with a Skelly. If he wins a game of zam-skell, which is the way they fight duels in the world of the dead, then he gets to kill the Skelly. If he loses, he becomes one of his vast amount of workers. He lost, and so he went and did the Skellys bidding. But then, it was the year 2130, and the Skelly wanted a sacrifice. Our first son. That wretched Skelly said that if we didnt kill our first son, then he would kill us. Father killed him, and we were safe. In the year 2143, he messed up on one thing. He was hunting down an evil Skelly, when he allowed the Skelly to see him. The Skelly immediately recognized him, and freaked out. Your father ran out of there as fast as he could, but then that night, father was killed by another one of his masters slaves. His mom explained. So, he is trying to get me to do the same thing, Jacob realized, well, I wont do it! I wish it was that easy, Elizabeth mysteriously said, I really do.

Well what do you mean? Jacob asked, his mother could tell he was thinking hard, Jacob continued How could it not be as simple as just not doing what dad did? Im not going to tell you. I dont want to make you scared whenever you do something, Elizabeth answered. Aw! Come on Mom! Really! Will you please tell me? Jacob pleaded. Fine, Elizabeth said, Okay, so, that wretched good-fornothing is actually kind of smart. In an I-want-to-rule-the-universeand-make-everyone-obey-me kind of way. So, he will leave you worse notes. They will be even worse than this one. Be ready, he will come at you in every way possible. He will find a way to make you go to the World of the Dead. In everything you have to do, or want to, he will be there with some evil way trying to convince you to go. You cant give in. No matter what, you cant give in. Prepare yourself in every way possible. I will get someone to teach you how to fight. But, for now, you must promise me you wont step foot near that wretched planet. Okay? Yes Mom, Jacob promised.

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Good. Now, Its time to get ready for dinner. Go do your homework. Go to Freds house if you need to for the homework, but be back by 6 P.M. Yes Mom, Jacob replied, Ill try to get back without being killed, Jacob continued playfully. Not funny. Sorry, bye! Bye, Jacob. BE CAREFUL! Elizabeth yelled after him, but Jacob had already left.

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