Yesteryear Fiction

A Riddled Inheritance
By Nicholas Slade


As I entered my Aunt’s study, I marveled at her vast collection. Every bookcase was crammed with books, the walls were covered in tribal masks, and the room was filled with ancient urns, spears, swords, bows – just about anything you could imagine. She had degrees in archaeology, anthropology, and sociology and spent most of her life traveling the world looking for lost treasures. She was an adventurer, you see. I say was, because she unfortunately passed away three weeks ago today. After the funeral, the family lawyer stated that I was allowed to take one item from her vast collection as a keepsake. With that in mind, I entered her study.

The amount of treasures was a sight to behold, but all it did was remind me of how boring and mundane my life really was. I scanned the room, looking for something that stood out amongst this grand assortment of treasures, but what caught my eye was something that seemed rather ordinary at the time. On her desk was a small box, no larger than a Rubix cube. I walked over to the desk and lifted up the box. The box was heavy, much more than I felt it should be. As I held this box in my hand, my curiosity grew and grew as to what it contained. As I rolled it in my hands, I saw no way to open the box. I became increasingly frustrated.

“Damn it.”

I vowed to myself that this cubed object would not best me. I looked closely at the box and noticed at the bottom was an encryption. It was written in what I recognized as ancient Hebrew. I quickly remembered the lessons forced upon me as a child by my late Aunt and took out a pen and an old looking piece of paper from the desk drawer to decipher it. After translating the text, I looked down to see what the encryption said. It read:

The poor have it. The rich don't need it.

And if you eat it, you'll die.

What is it?

“A riddle?” I puzzled. “What could be the answer?”

My curiosity got the better of me and I found myself pacing the room trying to solve the riddle. After doing this for a good ten minutes I stopped and exclaimed, “Nothing. The answer is nothing.”

As soon as those words left my lips the box began to glow. I dropped the box and backed myself to the far side of the room. From the box shone an almost blinding light that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. After the light had completely faded away, the top of the box popped open. After a moment of silence, I shook myself out of my bewilderment and slowly walked over to the now-opened box. I looked into the box to see a golden key. I paused, remaining still, thinking of what happened to the curious cat. I carefully picked up the box and removed the mysterious key.

“What is this for?”

I looked back into the box and noticed a piece of paper stuck to the bottom. I stuck the key in my pocket before removing the paper. I unfolded it and saw that on the paper was more ancient Hebrew writing. I once again picked up the pen and went to work deciphering this new message. After translating the note, I read the mysterious message aloud: “The key to Solomon’s wisdom is now in your hands. Find the mines and unearth what lies within. What does that mean?”

I paced around the room once more.

“Of course,” I exclaimed, perhaps louder than I should have. “King Solomon’s Mines. This must be the key to Solomon’s treasures.” I stopped in front of the desk. “But what good is a key if I don’t know the location of the lock?”

Without looking, I placed my hand on the desk, touching the ancient piece of paper. I looked down at the paper and noticed a small seal in the upper left hand corner that I did not notice before. I picked up the paper, but dropped it. The paper flipped over as it landed on the ground.

My eyes widened when I saw that on the other side of this old piece of paper were what appeared to be ancient drawings and text. I picked up what I now knew to be some sort of map and examined it. The map, like the encryptions on the box and the note, was written in ancient Hebrew. I recognized the words at the top immediately.

“This… This is…”

I stumbled back and nearly fell over a chair. I looked at the top of the map and read aloud the words.

“King Solomon’s Mines.”

My hands trembled as I gazed at the map.

“I knew it. This is a map to the location of King Solomon’s Mines.” I look up from the map and paused. “But what should I do with it?”

I looked over at a picture of my Aunt on one of her safaris.

“What a ridiculous question. There is only one thing to do.”

I rushed over to the door, but stopped to look back at my Aunt’s photo.

“Thanks, Aunt Allanna.”

I walked out the front door to see Mr. Haggard, the family lawyer, waiting for me.

“Did you find something interesting?” he asked.

“Very much so,” I said as I walked by him.

“Um, sir, where are you going in such a hurry?”

I waved my hand in the air. “I’m going on an adventure.”

“Oh, I see. Well, have a safe trip, Mr. Quatermain.”

I turned my head back at him. “Just call me Al.”


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Nicholas Slade is a writer currently living in Florida. Originally from Mississippi, he moved to Florida in 2012 and is currently studying for his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. He has previously been published in Linguistic Erosion, Farther Stars Than These, and Yesteryear Fiction.

The Men of Oakshire
By Nicholas Slade


“The battle has begun my friends,” I yelled to my comrades-in-arms. “Soon they will know the fury of the Oakshire Kingdom.”

War had come to our kingdom and I couldn’t have been more excited. It had been a long time since we had a good fight and I couldn’t wait to get on the battlefield. Our trumpets sounded as we arrived at the Field of Gander. Our enemy stood in formation on the other side of the field. We were outnumbered three to one, a fair fight indeed.

“Leave not one of them unscathed,” I yelled as I rode my horse across our front lines. “You are men of Oakshire, no one can best you in battle.”

My men roared with confidence, as they should have, for we are the men of Oakshire, we do not know the meaning of the word defeat.

“Sire,” my captain called. “What about this black knight they have? I heard he has never been defeated in battle.”

“Black Knight?” I scoffed. “His armor could be pink for all I care, he shall taste defeat at my hands this day.”

Our army clashed against our enemies with full force. We plowed through them as a boar would through his slop. As I rode through the battle I spotted him, the so-called Black Knight. I got off my horse and walked up to challenge him. “So, you are the great big bad Black Knight I have heard so much about,” I said. “I thought you’d be taller.”

“You dare insult me?” the Black Knight asked. “Do you not know who I am? In my kingdom, I am known as the venomous black serpent.”

“Fancy titles will get you nowhere with me, boy. Let’s see how you are with a sword.”

“You shall see soon enough, oh great King of Oakshire,” he said. “Today, I further cement my legend by striking you down.”

“Go ahead and make your threats, I needed something to make me laugh. Now, shut your trap and fight.”

“As you wish.”

He ran at me and we crossed blades. He swung his sword at my head, knocking off my helmet. That runt was better than I expected and I was enjoying every last minute of it. With a blow of his sword, my shield was thrown to the ground. I countered with a blow of my own and knocked away his shield in the same manner. After losing my footing, he knocked my sword to the side and went to strike me down. He thought he had won, but he was mistaken. I grabbed his blade with my bare hand.

“Are you insane?” he yelled.

“There’s a good chance, but I’m also the victor this day.”

With all my strength I tossed his sword out of his hand to the ground.

“I don’t understand, this can’t be happening,” the knight yelled. “I am the venomous black serpent.”

I held my sword to his neck. “You may be the venomous black serpent, but you did not account for one thing, I am a man of Oakshire and you have just been defanged.”

I pulled down my sword and gave the poor little fellow a punch to the face for good measure. As their armies retreated, we let out a victorious cheer. “What a glorious battle, I can’t wait for the next one.”


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Nicholas is a writer currently living in Florida. Originally from Mississippi, he moved to Florida in 2012 and is currently studying for his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. He has previously been published in Farther Star Than These.

In the Mind of the Beholder
By Nicholas Slade


A couple was walking in the park. They sat on a nearby bench. “Sarah, how long have we been together now?” the man asked.
“Over five years now Arthur, it feels like a lifetime.”
“It has, but I’ve been thinking, why don’t we make it a lifetime?”
“What?”
Arthur got down on one knee. Sarah placed her hands on her lips. “Sarah, will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
The couple embraced when they heard a mysterious voice. “How romantic, and yet, how very tragic.”
A strangely dressed man appeared floating in the sky. Arthur stood up to confront the stranger. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“Two very interesting questions. I shall be brief as I don’t have much time to indulge a fake like you.”
“Who are you calling a fake?”
“One question at a time fake. I must answer your first two questions,” the stranger said as he landed on the ground. “First of all, my name is Callar and second of all, I am here for the girl.”
“Over my dead body you are.”
Callar laughed, “Oh, you have no idea how ironic that is coming from you, fake.”
“Why the hell do you keep calling me fake?”
“Because you are. Well, not just you.”
“What the hell are you taking about?”
“Well to put it quite clearly fake, everything in this world is an illusion created from that girl’s mind… including you.”
Arthur stopped at what he had heard. “What do you mean by that?” asked Sarah.
“Well my dear, to be blunt, you have been in a coma for over five years now.”
“But that can’t be, that’s how long I’ve known Arthur.”
“Exactly, you were in a terrible accident and since then, you have created this made up world. I’m quite impressed, really, this is one of the most realistic worlds I’ve seen.”
Arthur shook off his shock. “Wait a minute, if this is all supposedly fake as you say, then how are you here?”
“Oh, another good question, you’re on fire today fake. To put it quite simply, I am a psychic hired by the hospital.”
“A psychic? You expect us to believe that?”
“Psychic research has come a long way in the past five years fake, but I don’t expect you to under…”
“Stop calling me fake. I know who I am. I’m Arthur Douglas, I was born in June, I work at a law firm, and I’ve been dating this woman for the past five years. I am not fake.”
“My, my, I don’t believe I’ve dealt with a fake as annoying as you before.”
“Shut it. How do we know you’re telling the truth? Why don’t you prove this world is fake?”
“Well fine, if you insist,” Callar said as he placed two finger to his temple.
The bench behind Arthur and Sarah disappeared. “A cheap trick,” yelled Arthur.
Callar concentrated harder. The sky turned from day to night to day again in quick succession. “Does that look like a trick to you?”
Arthur fell to his knees. “So this world is fake? That means that I’m…”
Callar, now out of breath, walked towards the couple. “Now fake, I have no more time to play with you. Do your job so I can get out of here.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve been investigating for a week now and I finally figured out what is keeping this girl here.”
“And what is that?”
“You. It’s her love for you that keeps her in this illusion. If you let her go, she can finally be free.”
“And what happens when I do that?”
“She’ll finally wake up and you and everything here will disappear. So hop to it fake, I have dinner plans with a hot blonde tonight.”
Arthur stood up. Sarah placed her hand on his shoulder. “Arthur…”
“No, I will not lose her.” Arthur grabbed Sarah’s hand and took off running.
“Oh hell,” said Callar as he took off after them.
Arthur and Sarah stopped in a nearby alley. “What is this Arthur? Is what he is saying true?”
“I, I’m not sure.”
“Wait. I think I remember. I remember, five years ago.” Sarah trembled as her face turned pale. “I was walking across the street and this large truck was coming at me. And this man came running; trying to save me. That man, looked just like you. That must have been when, when…”
Sarah grabbed her head and screamed. The scream shook the world around them like a giant earthquake.
“Sarah, calm down,” Arthur pleaded, but it wasn’t working.
Callar ran by and found them. “Oh, damn.” Callar approached Sarah and put his hand on her head. “Come on Sarah, calm yourself…now.”
Sarah collapsed to the ground as the world returned to normal. “What did you do to her?” Arthur demanded.
“Nothing, I just calmed her temporarily. Don’t you get it now? She is suffering here. You need make a decision right now. What is more important, your happiness or her freedom?”
Arthur crouched down with his hands over his head. He slowly shook his head from side to side. Callar crouched down beside him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Arthur.”
Arthur looked at him with tears running down his face. He looked at Sarah one last time and looked back at Callar. “Okay.”
With that word, the world turned white and faded away.
In the hospital room, Callar stood over Sarah as she awakened. “Welcome back to the land of the living, miss.”
“Is he…”
“I’m afraid so.”
As a tear ran down her face, Callar walked out of the room. As he walked down the hall he heard a nurse shout in a nearby room. “He’s waking up.”
Callar walked in and his eyes widened. He looked down at the patient’s name. It said: Douglas, Arthur. As the patient moved, Callar walked over and leaned in close to him. The patient then said one word, “Sarah.”


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Nicholas Slade is a writer currently living in Florida. Originally from Mississippi, he moved to Florida in 2012 and is currently studying for his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing.