Cryplandia Short Story #1 - @pilgrimapes

Michael felt dizzy. You’d think being on a boat so long, he’d get used to it. But he always woke up with his inner ear swirling like a hurricane. He got up and took stock of his room. “Mom, check! Michelle, check! Dad…” He saw the monkey lying on the bed next to his mother. Despite the time they spent together, Michael sometimes couldn’t seperate his dad from the other monkeys. Everyone just looked so similar. He spotted a red pair of sunglasses over the monkey’s mouth. He moved them over his father’s eyes. That was him alright. “Dad, check!” Everyone was here. Mom, Dad, Son, Sister. Michael grabbed a cigarette and headed towards the Casino.

This was Michaels's usual routine. Wake up, count his family, go to the casino, stumble home drunk. There wasn’t really a whole lot to do besides that, come to think of it. Sometimes his mom and Michelle would go to the spa, or he’d join his dad in the business center. But after years of travel, even the most interesting parts of a place become mundane and boring. Michael expected another session of blowing his daily chips, and hitting on some (not interested) waitresses. But when he got out of his room, something was different. All of the other monkeys were gathered around the gangway opening. Michael woke up his parents. “Mike, I swear, if you’re waking us up to ask for more money, I will kick you straight into the water,” His father said. “No, Dad, something happening. Something big.” He hurried his family out of their cabin, as they headed towards the rest of the families.

The noise of the crowd began to outpace his own internal monologue. Suddenly, A big orangutan wearing a captain’s hat walked in front of everyone. Captain Orangebeard. “Muddahs, Faddahs, Sons, and Sistahs!” He shouted. The troop went quite. “The time has comed. Our years long voy-ige has reached it’s destinationion.” Orangebeards weird speech choices aside, all of the monkeys knew what he meant. “Welcomes, to Cryptlandia. Junglies, Deserts, Forests, Volcanies, all and more can be found here. But that’s not what brought youse here.” Orangebeard held up a little coin. “These are CryptCoins. There are four of them on the island. If you can get all four, and return to the boat, you will recieve your hearts desire, whatever it may be.” 

Michael perked up. “Did he just say free Liquor?” He asked his sister “He said Hearts Desire, Michael.” Michael paused “Is there a difference?” She rolled her eyes.

“Now, youse can do whatever youses need to do to get the coins, excepted for one thing.” Orangebeards face turned somber. “No Killing. None.” And just as fast as it had left, Orangebeards goofy expression returned. “Are youses readied?” The monkeys nodded. “Are youses settied?” Once again, they nodded. “Then goeses!” And in a flash, the monkey’s scattered.