The Dock Master is a minotaur. Atop his bull's head he wears a wool knit cap, with horns protruding from either side. He stands with his back straight; the bearing of authority, and his hands are thrust into the pockets of his pea coat. On his lapel are stitched the words: DOCK MASTER.

"So you'll be the man that the Bowl sent for me to which attend, I gather?"

He can only stare at the Dock Master and nod his head.

The Dock Master nods quickly. "Come with me then. We'll wait in the cottage."

The Dock Master leads him up to the shack near the dock. By now the sun has completed its dip into the ocean, and the stars are out in full, blinking it seems mere feet over their heads. As they make their way he notices his previous companion slipping quietly into the waves just past some rocks. He wonders if he'll see the tortoise again.

Within the cottage it's warm and dry, with a cast iron stove heating up the place. He sits on a bench while the Dock Master attends to his paperwork, writing with a feather quill at an old wooden desk.

"We don't get many born men coming through this way," grunts the minotaur. "Can barely remember the paperwork for ye."

Through the window he spies a vessel approaching - a large ferry. On the facing side of the ferry, marked in bright red paint, he can read a single word: ABRAXAS.

Fourteenth chapter in an ongoing serial based on @mariannewest's daily #freewrite writing prompts. Here are the previous chapters listed below:

Chapter One>Chapter Two

Chapter Three>Chapter Four

Chapter Five>Chapter Six

Chapter Seven>Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine>Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven>Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen>Chapter Fourteen

And here is Chapter Sixteen.


Written in five minutes from the writing prompt, "paint" as part of the #freewrite exercise. Image is also by me. You can view the prompt here and check out the other entries; each one a finely frescoed finish of words. Thanks to @mariannewest for creating and running this ever widening canvas for dabblers and masters alike to share.

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT

I've just began a Writing Contest here on Steemit, called Write FROM my Music. There's SBD to be won, and I'll think you'll find the concept to be a lot of fun. Please check it out and give it a try! I'd love to read what you come up with.