INFERNO ISLAND / by Joe Castorino

Overture

“This is the prophecy of

  The island of spice:

Beware of the wicked wench

  Who seeks to entice.”

 

Act I

Idiot!

 

I waited too long;

I simply waited too long!

 

I should’ve followed

my passions

when they were hot,

acting more quickly,

and more boldly.

 

I should’ve followed

my first raw instinct.

 

I will have revenge

on Cassano --

I’ll have revenge

on them all!

 

This stinking, wretched isle

must be Inferno Island,

though it’s far from being

the supposed paradise

that I heard it was.

 

The terrain is dark and desolate,

twisted and torn,

savagely split apart unlike

any island I’ve ever seen,

with a forlorn fog

encircling this murdered mountain

like a shattered halo.

 

I remember seeing this island

from Mai Tornar,

with the cratered eye of

its volcano glowing red,

and a ring of fire

marking the perimeter

of the island.

 

But how bizarre

this isle really is --

to be quite honest,

this peculiar place

would make

most people shudder

with fear.

 

Black as night,

the raging storm

still swirls above me

but is strangely mute,

with no thunder at all.

 

The volcano now appears dead

and the beach surrounding

the isle shows no signs

at all of fire, and is as silent

and lifeless as the grave.

 

The lightning is constant

with its pale, deathly light,

creating an eerie atmosphere

in this land of darkness.

 

If I didn’t believe in

such rubbish,

I would say this island

almost looked haunted.

To be continued tomorrow…