Logiblas

By Oren Hammerquist

"Logiblas" tells the story of a missionary caught in a place where superstition is reality. He makes the mistake of thinking these pieces of folklore are simply nothing more than local color. In fact, he finds out the hard way that these tales relate real dangers when one, the Logiblas, tries to kill him. They are not folktales, but superstitions. Superstitions are faith with teeth. This Novelette runs approximately 15,000 words, or about 60 printed pages in a pocket book. Though a price of $.99 is suggested, I invite everyone to download the free sample, which is 100% of the book. If you like what you read and wish to support the author, come back and buy. All I ask is that you take the time to read this and share it. Did you download it in PDF? Email it to a friend. Consider this a Shareware story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oren Hammerquist
• Release date: Nov 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463794623

Oren Hammerquist

Oren Hammerquist's work has recently appeared in the Fabula Argentea eZine available for free online, in the Soldier Story anthology available at Amazon in print or digital copy, and in eRomance Magazine, available for subscription at Barnes and Noble, or as back issues on the publisher's site. Oren has been in the Army for seven years, and served in Afghanistan. He is originally from the Seattle area, and is married with three children. In his spare time, Oren is completing his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and paralegal studies.http://www.orenhammerquist.com/#!bio/ct47

Book preview

Logiblas

by Oren Hammerquist

(c) Copyright 2018 by Oren Hammerquist

Published via Smashwords

This novelette runs approximately 15,000 words, or about 65 printed pages.

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You are invited to read this work free of charge, share it with your friends, and generally do anything that improves my fanbase. If you chose at a later time to purchase the book—or wait until it appears in print—I will be proud too have your patronage.

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank Jonpierre Meyer, to whom I am indebted for this story. That is another story completely, true but less interesting, which occurred in a guard tower in Afghanistan. I will relate this after the fictional story for those interested.

Note to the Reader

Though you may purchase this ebook, I invite you to read it for free. Moreover, I invite you to share it with your friends free of charge. If, after reading, you wish to make a small donation to the author, you may fin this title on most online retailers. This is done through Smashwords. This story will be bound in a collection in the future if you wish to purchase a hard copy. So far, you may only purchase it digitally unless you print the PDF.

Table of Contents

(This is used to aid navigation only. These sections have no relation to the story.)

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The Story Behind the Story

The the sky blended almost without horizon into the ocean. The island seemed a blot of green paint in the middle of this single blue canvas. He came here to teach the locals about God, but before he left, the island would teach him a lesson: superstition is faith with teeth. But in those first hours approaching by sea — because there was no airstrip on the tiny island — he knew there must be a mistake. Had God already blessed the island and forgotten to tell the churches? Missionary work was supposed to be a chance to bring relief, faith, and hope to a starving people. Trinidad and Tobago showed itself paradise from the sea. Who could be in need in paradise?

His answer came the moment he stepped on the dock. The natives seemed, indeed, dirt poor. Perhaps the homes were of simple, poor construction because hurricanes crossed the island several times a year. Simple and poor meant easy and cheap to replace. This wasn’t supposed to be a third world country.

His contact — ironically to the missionary, a man named Christian — met him at the docks. The man’s English seemed too perfect, too trained, and almost forced. Good afternoon, Reverend Matthew Tripp. I hope your journey was a pleasant one.

Though the boat smelled like fish — as a fishing boat should — and the waves tried and failed to synchronize with his stomach, he could offer no complaint. Well, anything is better than coming in the belly of a whale, right?

The smile did not falter, but the eyes became worried. Christian seemed to take this literally. They stopped walking, and Matthew felt the man’s gaze into the sea sought more than a look at a sapphire color.

Like Jonah? Matthew offered.

Ah, yes, said Christian. The worry in his eyes vanished. Jonah was also a missionary of a kind wasn’t he, Reverend Matthew Tripp?

That’s one way of putting it, said Matthew. He was a prophet, but I suppose we both come to bring God.

We welcome you, Reverend Matthew Tripp, said Christian, and hope your voyage was more pleasant than being in the belly of a whale.

It seems we both came ashore smelling like fish, said Matthew.

Christian added a nod to his perpetual smile. Many people smell like fish here, Reverend Matthew Tripp. It means only that they work with fish. No one will judge you for smelling like fish.

I suppose that makes good sense, said Matthew.

Just then, a car which might be the same age as Matthew, but was likely closer to his father’s age, came to a halt. The driver kept the engine running despite the objections of the cylinders. Several sounded like they had ceased firing all together. And not recently. A man with a serious face stepped out and offered a hand to Christian. Though Christian looked like a man who might greet tourists to the island, this new man looked almost skeletal. He locked eyes with Matthew and did not look away until Christian looked at him. His way of rising with deliberate slowness gave the illusion of great height. Though when he finally stood at full height next to Christian, this proved an illusion.