The Song of Baolo - A Short Story [#10]

Today's feature is my longest story yet, enjoy.

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            Up the street, in the town's only tavern is an unusual sight. In a corner table, coated with cobwebs, sits the tavern's most senior patron Baolo. Baolo is dressed in the most colorful clothing, befitting of a bard or noble. In his lap is a harp with broken strings and in his hand an empty mug that contains only dust. Baolo is a peculiar patron, for he is not among the living, he is but a skeleton in fancy dress. He has been a part of the tavern for longer than most people in the town have lived. Yet, the tavern's owner refuses to be rid of him.

            I asked the bartender once, "Why do you insist on keeping that thing? Is it even real?"

            The bartender laughed, "Of course he's real, but as for why we keep him, why don't you ask him yourself?"

            I had no idea what he meant, "Ask him myself? I cannot speak with the dead."

            The bartender shook his head, "He may be of the dead, but he's a talkative sort once you get him going." He flicked me a single coin, "Here have a go. Just give him this and he'll tell you his tale."

            I looked at the coin curiously, but I made no protest. I approached the pile of bones and placed the coin in his mug, "Well why don't you tell me your tale?"

            The skeleton turned himself towards me, "What would you like to know."

            I jerked in place and backed away, "What sorcery is this."

            Baolo laughed, "Nothing of the sort, I am but a humble bard dedicated to his craft."

            I slowly sat down, "To the point you have defied death?"

            The skeleton took the coin from the mug, "In some ways yes, but please tell me my friend what would you like to know?"

            I searched for the strings that pulled this puppet, but I could find none. Finally I relented and asked, "Tell me your tale."

            The skeleton played with the coin, "It is quite the long tale I'm afraid, an epic like no other. I'd love to tell, but it would take all night. I could tell you one part at least."

            I considered for a moment before I came to an answer, "How did you defy your own death?"

            The skeleton made a long pause before he replied, "That I'm afraid I do not know. I can tell you the before and after at least."

            I nodded, it wasn't exactly what I desired, but I was curious none the less.

            The skeleton drummed his fingers and scratched at his bones for a time before he began to weave his tale. "Many, many years ago, when I was still flesh and bone I had turned to the life of a wandering bard to support myself. I had no home to return to, no destination in mind, but I did have a lute and a love of song. However, as many do I grew old and weak, I lost my talents to the miseries of age and fell into the darkness. In my final moments I longed for the home I did not have and surrendered to embrace of death."

            The skeleton paused for a brief moment before he continued. "Then I awoke in a dark place, at first I believed I had made it to the afterlife, until I realized I was simply lost in a dark cave. I escaped the cave post-haste, but I emerged to find an unfamiliar land. It was an endless forest, without rhyme or reason. I went from lost in the cave to lost in these woods. Alone, dressed in rags and without a single possession I wandered these woods for what seemed like ages."

            Baolo again paused in a dramatic fashion as he further wove his tale. "It was not long before I realized what had changed about me. A sudden glance to my hand and feet. The realization my senses were dulled. The tattered state of my clothing and the lack of my personal effects all added up to the realization of my fate. I was no longer of flesh, nor was I living. All that remained was bone, yet I still moved and spoke. I do not know what brought me back from the dead, be it a twist of nature, a divine prank, or even a fluke of magic. Normally one in my position would likely go mad from the revelation, but as you can tell I am far from normal. I still had a love of music, and a body that was no longer held back by old age. So I did what I knew best, I turned to the life of a wandering bard, and that is the tale of my death and rebirth."

            I contemplated his tale, "But you said you were without your possessions. How did you acquire an instrument? Did people not fear you?"

            Baolo flicked the coin back into his mug, "That my friend is a story for another time and another coin. Although, I can at least answer one of those question. They did in fact fear me, but that fear gave way to something else eventually."

            I leaned in close, "What did it give way to?"

            Baolo spoke in the faintest whisper, "Annoyance."

            I had no response but stunned silence.

            Baolo laughed, "As I said, a story for another time."

            I thanked him for his time and got up from the table. A part of me still believed it was a trick, but another was to curious about this creature. I would soon become a frequent visitor of Baolo. Every night I would bring him another coin to hear another part of his tale. He made no lie when he said his story was an epic, but as he said, that is for another time.

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This was probably the most fun I've had writing a story in a while. This faux fantasy/medieval dialogue, the premise and Baolo himself just made this story flow right onto the page. This is also the most revised story so far, mainly the second half which used to be a big block of text.
Read, enjoy and comment your thoughts.