Lost World Chapter 1

Chapter One: Dr. Harton and the Pirate

Days passed as I finished the last chapter of Abandoned Creatures, the book for which I sacrificed my entire life. I have always doubted myself as a scholar when I was fifteen then my father would ask me to be more utilized in business studies. However, something deep inside me defended that statement. Even then at some point in my twenties, I totally made up my mind for family business until I encounter this disrupted vision in my mind of a strange dream.

It was a very eccentric image that one would not prefer it to exist in reality. It had flaming red eyes with lust for blood, sharp teeth quenching for thirst; that fire burnt dark face was literally howling. I couldn’t resist myself from looping to the image for the rest of my day. Dr. Harton one of my honorable lecturers came to me when I was going through an interesting book of hidden creatures of past centuries. Harton was the only person who perceived me in the context of a scholar, he understood my passion and was quite impressed with the image I had in my dreams. Since Harton himself was a mobilizing intellectual resource he helped me to find the path to this baffling world where all the creatures of darkness…...haunts.

It all began exactly on 17th August 1967 when we were heading towards the main hall of Oxford in a deep conversation, Mrs Clovia Howards, vice chancellor of Oxford slightly displayed a gesture to Dr. Harton directing him to her official chamber. Dr. Harton shook his head in endorsement and turned to me.

“Well young man, as you see I have an appointment with our vice chancellor. You can precede your research, I will join you shortly” He walked towards the chamber.

“Sure. Dr. Harton” I said and as I turned I saw students randomly walking along the main hall discussing about their seminars, another group solely undertaking fine arts holding their portfolios and paint brushes walked across to the auditorium to sketch a model, who was apparently a very odd person to consider as a model.

This middle aged man looked rather eccentric with an Irish accent, spoke louder to the students around him. He looked like a buccaneer who has been magically deported from a remote island; he was rather perplexed and seeking for something. He muttered to one of those students who pointed at me, and then he gazed at me and smiled. I certainly don’t want to have any association with this stranger, so I pretend not seeing him and made my way to the library. But he was almost running after me, he blocked his arms in the lead for me to stand still, while catching his breath he asked in rather a suspicious tone “Excuse me, can I see Dr. Harton immediately? Where can I find him?”

I raised my eyebrows as I slowly read his expressions on his face; perhaps, he wasn’t a model as I guessed. He had round face with moustache and red hair, his outfit was rather strange like a pirate. My question was what affair could have possibly brought a pirate from ocean raving to Oxford looking for a professor in stress. He looked into my eyes “Do you know Dr.Harton? Those boys told me he was with you while ago” his breath smelt of tobacco.

“Yes, but I’m engaged in rather an imperative matter. So could you please drag your feet in the main hall until he returns?” I uttered to him as I paced my way.

“No, please wait. This is very critical. I need to meet him now” he begged me.

“If you don’t mind may I know the reason for your urgency?” I inquired glancing at the colors flushing through his face. I was determined by the fact that he was trying to veil the explanation.

“Sorry, I have vowed him and it’s a matter of life and death. Can you please show me where I can see Dr. Harton?” I was quite puzzled indeed with the answer from this man.

“And you are?” I solicited with an apprehensive stare.

“Im Thomas White, Captain of Sapphire ship”

“That’s interesting. How do you know Dr. Harton?” I questioned him with surprise.

“That’s all I can tell you” He looked out of the window wholly circumventing my stare.

Curiosity invaded my mind. By this moment I saw Dr. Harton walking out of the chamber. I immediately paced to him, while I saw Thomas deeply fascinated with the Greek sculpture in the main hall.

“Professor, I think you have a guest in the offing for rather an urgent issue it seems”

“Who would be that?” He asked with a smile.

“He said, he is the captain of a ship named Sapphire” I saw a flash in his eyes.

“Thomas!!” he shouted and hurriedly walked towards that man and for my astonishment they hugged each other in great joy. Dr. Harton had never told me that he had a pirate friend, they spoke a few words and then I saw professor guiding him out of the main hall for a private conversation.

I went to the library with clouded thoughts; Thomas had sharp eyes with hidden clandestine. Library stood gloriously welcoming in the midst of walls of unbiased books in addition to the majestic history of itself.

I saw Julia near the geography shelf; she looked beautiful in that cotton white blouse and silky blue skirt. Her finger rapidly goes through the books randomly sliding them and she took out a book which looked very old with beige pages. She was deeply into the content that she couldn’t recognize my presence in front of her.

“Hello Julia, I hope I’m not disturbing you” I whispered with a cough.

“Oh Gabriel, hello, I didn’t expect you in the library at these hours. Where is professor Harton?”

“He is having a guest- so what are you doing? I can see that you are very busy with the Hebrew civilization” I inquired pointing at her book.

“Well indeed I’m quite intrigued with their ancient mores. This book has some essentials for my notes and seminars”

“That’s good. Honestly, I believe you could devote much better in Philosophy”

“Gabriel, I prefer to subsist in veracity. You are struggling to channel me to a stream for the past three years on which I don’t feel right, perhaps, I’m entitled to practice, but I have an aversion to philosophy- Please tell me about your research”

“I'm sorry Julia, but I think only the best for you. Dr. Harton and I are planning to go on an educational expedition...hopefully we will bring triumphant results” I said and suddenly a thought stroke me “please excuse me Julia I will be back”

"Whats wrong Gabriel?" Julia asked in despair.

"No Julia, I should go now. I will meet you tomorrow" I dashed to the main hall to the outlet and found Dr. Harton heading back leisurely gazing far away in profundity. I went to him; he was pleased to see me.

“Dr. Harton, I need to talk to you about Thomas White”

“Gabriel, did you read Louis Parker’s True formation of Unreal Conception? It will inform you the disputes you may need to tolerate in the future”

“Dr. Harton, Louis Parker has stated a man who has a willing heart cannot pursue this journey, unless he had a manifested soul which holds a sign of Hollacoh. I don’t understand…what is a Hollacoh?”

He looked at me and smiled “Don’t worry Gabriel, you have the sign of Hollacoh”

“What? What is a Hollacoh?” I was astonished.

“It is the sovereign of the mysterious world” his face displayed startling as he spoke those words.

“Dr Harton, please don’t say it’s the visage of the sovereign I had in my dreams” I asked in a trembling tone.

He looked at him and said with a calm voice “Unfortunately Gabriel, I have to say- YES”

“Dr. Harton is this real or a science fiction?” I posed in aid for satisfaction.

“Gabriel, listen, you and I are chosen to gain the privilege provided by the sign of Hollacoh among the rest of the people living on this earth. If you think its unreal then you would have not been chosen by Hollacoh. It’s a souvenir as well as a…… curse depending on the individual who has been nominated”

“When did you have this vision in your dreams?”

“I had it exactly 35 years ago when I was subsequently being trained for masters then I had this urge to explore like you, however I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a guide with experience” He smiled softly.

“Dr. Harton, did you reach your mission?” I asked in yearn.

“Well young man, I bet you would definitely experience all of my knowledge but you should remember that it’s not something we can discuss at this moment in time” He sauntered to the student hall.

Then I remembered that he hadn’t told me about Thomas White, conceivably, there is a growing anticipation on their affiliation. I shook my head.