Part Four - Rain
By
Shane Luttrell
Doctor Doom was standing on one of the tallest towers of his Latverian stronghold. Rain blew wildly around him, and lightning danced in the night sky. Doom was laughing. With Doctor Doom was an attendant named Grant. The drenched servant shivered and looked fearfully down at the ground far below. Lightning occasionally made the landscape eerily visible. He wondered why Doom had requested his presence on the tower. Doom's laughter chilled him to the bone.
"Listen to that, Grant!" cried Doom, as the thunder boomed loudly.
"The very heavens are singing the praises of Doom!"
"Y...Yes, mlord Doom!" Grant replied with a shudder.
"This is MY night, Grant!" laughed Doom.
"The night that heralds the ultimate DEFEAT of the accursed Fantastic Five!"
He turned to the frighted attendant.
"Yes, they will soon be within my POWER, Grant! For the trap has been sprung, and they have blindly stepped into it! I will travel to New York on the morrow, and they will WILLINGLY hand that blasted urchin over to me! My superiority over Richards will at last be revealed!"
"Of course, M'lord!" Grant interjected, eager not to offend his evil soveriegn.
Doom suddenly stuck his armored face close to Grant's. Grant's heart jumped into his throat.
"I am SO joyful, on this, the eve of my triumph, that I have decided not to PUNISH you for the treason you and your friends have been planning against me!"
"What...?" cried Grant, aghast.
He had been sure that his meetings with the other revolutionists had gone completely undetected. How had Doom found out? And...Doom would NOT punish him for his treason?
"Oh...you seem surprised, Grant! Do you not realize that NOTHING happens within these walls that Doom does not know of? Oh, I'm afraid my forgiveness does NOT extend to your fellow rebels. As a matter of fact, they were all 'disposed of' last night!"
Grant shuddered to think of the fate of his friends. But he was now more concerned with his own life.
"Th...Thank you, Lord Doom!" he stammered. "I vow to you you will never regret your merciful act!"
"Yes, Doom is indeed merciful."
The tyrant said.
"You may now return to your duties."
"Oh, thank you, m'lord!" Grant cried, grateful that the meeting was over.
He could't believe he was still alive. He turned to descend the stairs of the tower.
"Oh... one moment, Grant!" Doom said, laying his hand upon Grant's shoulder.
"This rain is becoming tedious. Lend me your umbrella."
"But...I HAVE no umbrella, m'lord!" cried Grant.
"WHAT!" screamed Doom.
"You would let your merciful lord stand drenched in the rain?!?!" He suddenly grabbed Grant, lifted him high in the air, and threw him over the side of the tower. Grant screamed until he hit the wet cobblestones far below.
Doom's mad laughter resumed.
By
Shane Luttrell
Doctor Doom was standing on one of the tallest towers of his Latverian stronghold. Rain blew wildly around him, and lightning danced in the night sky. Doom was laughing. With Doctor Doom was an attendant named Grant. The drenched servant shivered and looked fearfully down at the ground far below. Lightning occasionally made the landscape eerily visible. He wondered why Doom had requested his presence on the tower. Doom's laughter chilled him to the bone.
"Listen to that, Grant!" cried Doom, as the thunder boomed loudly.
"The very heavens are singing the praises of Doom!"
"Y...Yes, mlord Doom!" Grant replied with a shudder.
"This is MY night, Grant!" laughed Doom.
"The night that heralds the ultimate DEFEAT of the accursed Fantastic Five!"
He turned to the frighted attendant.
"Yes, they will soon be within my POWER, Grant! For the trap has been sprung, and they have blindly stepped into it! I will travel to New York on the morrow, and they will WILLINGLY hand that blasted urchin over to me! My superiority over Richards will at last be revealed!"
"Of course, M'lord!" Grant interjected, eager not to offend his evil soveriegn.
Doom suddenly stuck his armored face close to Grant's. Grant's heart jumped into his throat.
"I am SO joyful, on this, the eve of my triumph, that I have decided not to PUNISH you for the treason you and your friends have been planning against me!"
"What...?" cried Grant, aghast.
He had been sure that his meetings with the other revolutionists had gone completely undetected. How had Doom found out? And...Doom would NOT punish him for his treason?
"Oh...you seem surprised, Grant! Do you not realize that NOTHING happens within these walls that Doom does not know of? Oh, I'm afraid my forgiveness does NOT extend to your fellow rebels. As a matter of fact, they were all 'disposed of' last night!"
Grant shuddered to think of the fate of his friends. But he was now more concerned with his own life.
"Th...Thank you, Lord Doom!" he stammered. "I vow to you you will never regret your merciful act!"
"Yes, Doom is indeed merciful."
The tyrant said.
"You may now return to your duties."
"Oh, thank you, m'lord!" Grant cried, grateful that the meeting was over.
He could't believe he was still alive. He turned to descend the stairs of the tower.
"Oh... one moment, Grant!" Doom said, laying his hand upon Grant's shoulder.
"This rain is becoming tedious. Lend me your umbrella."
"But...I HAVE no umbrella, m'lord!" cried Grant.
"WHAT!" screamed Doom.
"You would let your merciful lord stand drenched in the rain?!?!" He suddenly grabbed Grant, lifted him high in the air, and threw him over the side of the tower. Grant screamed until he hit the wet cobblestones far below.
Doom's mad laughter resumed.