Tag: travel

Kaya – Dark Tales from the Outback Abstract

lazaruscarpenterauthor

Once, in the remote Australian outback, there lived an aborigine named Kaya. He was a skilled tracker and hunter who roamed the vast, desolate lands with an air of quiet confidence. Kaya had always felt a deep connection to the spirits of the land, and his people often spoke of the ancient stories that warned of the dangers lurking in the wilderness. One moonless night, Kaya set out on a hunting expedition, guided only by the faint glow of the stars. His senses were sharp, and he moved through the rugged terrain with the ease of a shadow.

As he ventured deeper into the heart of the outback, a strange unease settled over him. The usual sounds of the night were absent, and an eerie silence enveloped the land. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the stillness, causing Kaya to halt in his tracks. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he tried to locate the source of the chilling cry. Following the sound, he stumbled upon a clearing where he saw a lone kangaroo, its eyes wide with terror as it desperately tried to escape an unseen force.

Kaya watched in horror as the kangaroo was dragged into the darkness by an unseen entity, its screams fading into the night. The aborigine felt a chill run down his spine, for he knew that the spirit world held many dark and malevolent forces. He knew he had stumbled upon something sinister, something beyond his understanding. Determined to uncover the truth, Kaya embarked on a quest to seek guidance from the wise elders of his tribe.

They revealed to him the ancient legend of a vengeful spirit that had been unleashed upon the land, seeking to wreak havoc on the living. The elders warned Kaya that the spirit had taken the form of a monstrous kangaroo driven by an insatiable thirst for blood. Armed with the knowledge passed down by his ancestors, Kaya set out to confront the malevolent spirit. Armed with ancient symbols and blessed talismans, he ventured back into the wilderness. As he delved deeper into the treacherous terrain, the air grew thick with an otherworldly presence, and the ground seemed to tremble beneath his feet.

Finally, he came face to face with the monstrous kangaroo, its eyes glowing with an unholy light. The creature lunged at Kaya with supernatural speed and ferocity, but the aborigine stood his ground, wielding the protective symbols and chanting the sacred incantations. A fierce battle ensued as Kaya fought to banish the vengeful spirit from the mortal realm. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp and twist around them, and the night itself seemed to hold its breath as the two clashed in a struggle that transcended the physical world. In the end, with a final burst of mystical energy, Kaya managed to seal the spirit away, restoring peace to the land.

As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, the outback was once again filled with the sounds of life, and Kaya knew he had fulfilled his duty as a guardian of his people. From that day on, the legend of Kaya and the malevolent kangaroo spirit became a cautionary tale, a reminder of the ancient forces that still linger in the wild places of the world. And though the memory of that fateful encounter would always haunt him, Kaya continued to roam the outback with a newfound sense of purpose and a deep respect for the mysteries of the land.

Over time, Kaya’s reputation as a protector and a keeper of ancient wisdom spread far and wide, and he became a revered figure among his people. Years passed, and Kaya’s hair turned grey, but his spirit remained unyielding. He passed down the knowledge he had gained to the younger generations, teaching them to honour the delicate balance between the physical and spiritual realms. His story became a part of the oral tradition, woven into the tapestry of his people’s history as a testament to the enduring power of courage and wisdom.

As the seasons changed and the land continued to whisper its secrets, Kaya’s name became synonymous with resilience and reverence for the natural world. His legacy endured, and the memory of his heroic encounter with the malevolent kangaroo spirit lived on as a reminder of the dangers that lay hidden in the heart of the outback. The tale of Kaya and the vengeful spirit served as a timeless lesson, teaching the importance of humility and the need to safeguard the delicate harmony between humanity and the ancient forces that dwelled in the shadows. It became a parable of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the profound connection that binds all living things.

And so, in the vast expanse of the Australian outback, Kaya’s story echoed through the ages, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of the unknown. And though the world continued to change, the legend of Kaya and the malevolent kangaroo spirit remained etched in the very fabric of the land, a testament to the enduring legacy of a humble aborigine who had stood against the darkness and triumphed.

‘Walls Have Ears’- Craig y Nos Castle

lazaruscarpenterauthor

Introduction

In December of 2022, I had a dream to bring alive the story of Craig y Nos Castle,
to relate the history, its life and times but in that of a novel format. Then, the idea came to write the story from the ‘first person’ perspective as an observer of the comings and
goings of life in this Gothic mansion. What better, thought me, than to be a lump of rock
in the foundations mined from the Cribarth, overlooking Cae-Brynmelyn-Bach opposite
Pentrecribarth farm? Deep in the foundations I would be aware of everything that
happened through vibrations emanating within the walls. Thus, the title was born, ‘Walls
Have Ears’.
Craig y Nos Castle has a long history of paranormal occurrences. As a ‘trance
psychic channel’ I felt an opportunity presented itself to incorporate the words and stories of the spirits still present, combined with tales gained through actual historical facts and interviews with people who had family and work connections with the castle through the years. Thus my research began both with those alive, and those long gone to the world of spirit.

Abstract

I know not how long I have lain upon the Cribarth, here so high on this
craggy ridge amidst passing clouds looking down to the valley below. Back in the
mists of time, volcanoes roared, earthquakes cracked mountains, ice thawed, and beds
of limestone and Twrch sandstone were laid down in sedimentary layers in tropical
seas near the equator some 350 million years ago. They arrived where they are
today by continental drift, and since then, here is where I have been, and much has
passed me by. Many have trod over me through millennia, ancient Celts, Druids,
invaders from Rome and England. But I am a rock, and I remember everything
passing through time as only a rock can.
Staring down the valley below, I see a tall man whom I know to be Captain Rice
Davies Powell, distinguished, suited and whiskered, leaning on an ebony walking
cane with a hand grip of gold. He stands on a field I know as Cae-Brynmelyn-Bach
opposite Pentrecribarth farm. It is late in the Autumn of 1843, leaves falling and
floating through the air, blown by easterly winds gather beneath stone walls and
footings covering ground as a carpet of bronze.
Captain Rice Davies Powell shielded his eyes with a gloved hand, the noonday
autumnal sun momentarily blinding more than ambition. His companion was a much smaller yet rotund man in his fifties, with bushy dark hair swept back over a checkedcoat collar. He stood with a sketchpad in one hand and charcoal in the other. Thomas H Wyatt was an architect of some renown, and being far from his offices in Great Russell
Street, London, he stood looking at the empty field of Cae-Brynmelyn-Bach. A tall,

stooped, thin man with wispy, greying hair stood at Thomas Wyatt’s shoulder. His
partner, David Brandon, accompanied him travelling from their offices by rail to
Swansea and then coach and four to Pentrecribarth for a planning meeting with
Captain Powell. Both were well-known architects at this time, responsible for building numerous Gothic-style churches, public buildings and private mansions.

Dark Tales from the Outback – Abstract

lazaruscarpenterauthor

Kaya

Once, in the remote Australian outback, there lived an aborigine named Kaya. He was a skilled tracker and hunter who roamed the vast, desolate lands with an air of quiet confidence. Kaya had always felt a deep connection to the spirits of the land, and his people often spoke of the ancient stories that warned of the dangers lurking in the wilderness. One moonless night, Kaya set out on a hunting expedition, guided only by the faint glow of the stars. His senses were sharp, and he moved through the rugged terrain with the ease of a shadow.

As he ventured deeper into the heart of the outback, a strange unease settled over him. The usual sounds of the night were absent, and an eerie silence enveloped the land. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the stillness, causing Kaya to halt in his tracks. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he tried to locate the source of the chilling cry. Following the sound, he stumbled upon a clearing where he saw a lone kangaroo, its eyes wide with terror as it desperately tried to escape an unseen force.

Kaya watched in horror as the kangaroo was dragged into the darkness by an unseen entity, its screams fading into the night. The aborigine felt a chill run down his spine, for he knew that the spirit world held many dark and malevolent forces. He knew he had stumbled upon something sinister, something beyond his understanding. Determined to uncover the truth, Kaya embarked on a quest to seek guidance from the wise elders of his tribe.

They revealed to him the ancient legend of a vengeful spirit unleashed upon the land, seeking to wreak havoc on the living. The elders warned Kaya that the spirit had become a monstrous kangaroo driven by an insatiable thirst for blood. Armed with the knowledge passed down by his ancestors, Kaya set out to confront the malevolent spirit. Armed with ancient symbols and blessed talismans, he ventured back into the wilderness. As he delved deeper into the treacherous terrain, the air grew thick with an otherworldly presence, and the ground seemed to tremble beneath his feet.

Finally, he came face to face with the monstrous kangaroo, its eyes glowing with an unholy light. The creature lunged at Kaya with supernatural speed and ferocity, but the aborigine stood his ground, wielding the protective symbols and chanting the sacred incantations. A fierce battle ensued as Kaya fought to banish the vengeful spirit from the mortal realm. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp and twist around them, and the night itself seemed to hold its breath as the two clashed in a struggle that transcended the physical world. In the end, with a final burst of mystical energy, Kaya managed to seal the spirit away, restoring peace to the land.

As the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, the outback was once again filled with the sounds of life, and Kaya knew he had fulfilled his duty as a guardian of his people. From that day on, the legend of Kaya and the malevolent kangaroo spirit became a cautionary tale, a reminder of the ancient forces that still linger in the world’s wild places. And though the memory of that fateful encounter would always haunt him, Kaya continued to roam the outback with a newfound sense of purpose and a deep respect for the land’s mysteries.

Over time, Kaya’s reputation as a protector and a keeper of ancient wisdom spread far and wide, and he became a revered figure among his people. Years passed, and Kaya’s hair turned grey, but his spirit remained unyielding. He passed down the knowledge he had gained to the younger generations, teaching them to honour the delicate balance between the physical and spiritual realms. His story became a part of the oral tradition, woven into the tapestry of his people’s history as a testament to the enduring power of courage and wisdom.

As the seasons changed and the land continued to whisper its secrets, Kaya’s name became synonymous with resilience and reverence for the natural world. His legacy endured, and the memory of his heroic encounter with the malevolent kangaroo spirit lived on as a reminder of the dangers hidden in the outback’s heart. The tale of Kaya and the vengeful spirit served as a timeless lesson, teaching the importance of humility and the need to safeguard the delicate harmony between humanity and the ancient forces that dwelled in the shadows. It became a parable of the enduring strength of the human spirit and the profound connection that binds all living things.

And so, in the vast expanse of the Australian outback, Kaya’s story echoed through the ages, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of the unknown. And though the world continued to change, the legend of Kaya and the malevolent kangaroo spirit remained etched in the very fabric of the land, a testament to the enduring legacy of a humble aborigine who had stood against the darkness and triumphed.

The Railway Station – A Ghost Story

lazaruscarpenterauthor

In the depths of a mist-covered forest, hidden from the prying eyes of modern civilization, lies the remnants of what was once a bustling railway station. This station, surrounded by an air of mystery and intrigue, is said to be haunted by the spirits of its past. Over the years, whispers of ghostly apparitions and eerie happenings have woven a tale of terror around the last railway station, captivating the imagination of those brave enough to venture near. Join me as we unlock the secrets of this ghostly realm and delve into the chilling story of the last railway station.

Once a thriving hub of activity, the last railway station was a vital link connecting distant towns and cities. Passengers eagerly awaited the arrival of trains, their anticipation mingling with the rhythmic chugging of the locomotives. The station’s bustling platforms reverberated with laughter, greetings, and tears of farewell as loved ones bid each other adieu. It was a place pulsating with life, but fate had a different plan in store.

Legend has it that disaster struck on a dark and stormy night as a train approached the station. An unforeseen malfunction caused the train to derail, hurtling off the tracks and into the surrounding wilderness. Chaos ensued, and lives were lost in the blink of an eye. The once vibrant station was forever marred by this tragic incident, casting a shadow over its existence. Since that fateful night, the abandoned railway station has become a place of inexplicable phenomena. Locals claim to have witnessed ghostly apparitions, the spectres of those who perished in the accident. These tormented souls are said to wander the deserted platforms, their ethereal figures bathed in an otherworldly glow. Some have reported hearing distant cries and whispers as if the echoes of the past linger in the air.

Among the spine-chilling tales surrounding the last railway station, the most haunting is that of the phantom train. Late at night, when the moon is concealed behind a veil of clouds, an otherworldly train is said to materialize on the abandoned tracks. Its spectral form glides silently, only to vanish into thin air moments later, leaving an eerie silence and an unsettling sense of dread behind. Psychics and paranormal investigators have been drawn to the last railway station, seeking answers and validation for the countless stories that have been shared. Some claim to have captured chilling EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) recordings, capturing whispers and cries from the spirit realm. Others have reported fluctuations in temperature and strange electromagnetic readings, suggesting a lingering presence beyond our understanding.

The last railway station is a testament to the past, where history intertwines with the supernatural. Its abandoned platforms and dilapidated buildings hold the echoes of a bygone era, forever haunted by the tragic event within its walls. Whether one believes in the paranormal or not, the stories surrounding this ghostly site continue to captivate the imaginations of those who dare to explore its ethereal domain. The last railway station serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring power of the human spirit, even in the face of tragedy.

Benny the Donkey

lazaruscarpenterauthor

Once upon a time, in a lush, green forest, there lived a little donkey named Benny. One day, while exploring the woods, Benny wandered too far from home and soon found himself lost among the towering trees. The sunlight flickered through the leaves, and Benny felt a twinge of fear as he realized he didn’t know the way back. As he wandered, Benny stumbled upon a small clearing filled with twinkling lights and laughter. Curiosity sparked within him, and he approached cautiously. To his amazement, he discovered a group of cheerful elves busily preparing for the holiday season. They were wrapping presents, decorating trees, and singing jolly tunes. The elves spotted Benny and immediately rushed over, their eyes sparkling with delight.

“A lost donkey! How wonderful!” exclaimed one of the elves named Tinsel. “You must come with us to Santa’s grotto!”

Benny, feeling a mix of excitement and relief, followed the elves through the forest. They led him to a magical place filled with shimmering snowflakes and the sweet scent of pine. Santa’s grotto was a cosy haven, bustling with activity. Benny was welcomed with open arms and given a warm, fluffy blanket to snuggle in. As the days passed, Benny found a new home among the elves and quickly made friends with the reindeer. There was Dasher, the fastest; Dancer, the most graceful; and Blitzen, who loved to play tricks. Benny and the reindeer grew inseparable, spending their days playing games in the snow and sharing stories under the stars. One chilly evening, as Christmas approached, Santa called upon Benny.

“Would you help us deliver the presents this year?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Benny’s heart swelled with joy. He had never felt so needed. On Christmas Eve, Benny teamed up with the elves and reindeer to load the sleigh with brightly wrapped gifts. He felt proud as he carried the heavier packages, his strong little legs working alongside the swift reindeer. Together, they soared through the night sky, delivering joy to children all around the world.

When the night was over, Benny returned to the grotto, his heart full. He had found not just a home but a family. Every year after, he became an essential part of Santa’s team, spreading cheer and magic, proving that sometimes, getting lost can lead to the most beautiful adventures. And so, Benny the Donkey lived happily ever after, embraced by the warmth of friendship and the spirit of Christmas. 

Image by AI