Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Khira Chronicles - The reveal of the fallen (part 1)

If there was something that Khira had learned well during her years among vampires was not to trust them and to reveal the full extent of her abilities.
Their ignorance proved to be a powerful weapon if needed, it sure helped her escape to meet the Bojangles pack years ago.
She was just sitting at the local pub when the courier delivered Zephyr's invitation to break fast with him, he assured her of a very amiable vintage meal that she would surely enjoy, but more than offering a quality meal, he offered information on her mother's whereabouts.


"If he knew something, why didn't her say so when introduced to me? Maybe he didn't want the queen or Frederick to hear..."
"Did you say anything love?" Asked the scruffy old hag that tended the bar, she seemed to incorporate every concept of old wicked witch into one human, or not, vessel.
"Just talking to myself Ma'am."


She grumbled something Khira did not understand and resumed to what to seemed an "Morticia Addams" method of cleaning. The rag she used to scrub the counter must have been as old as her and it the true antithesis of clean.
Khira tried to ignore the fact that her bare arms were laying on the counter that must had been cleaned by that rag and returned to her rationalizations.


If her instinct was correct, Zephyr had something up his sleeve and the fact that he was an Elder so far away from the official Lamia court did not help her suspicions. He was up to something and by agreeing to meet him, she might be placing herself deliberately in danger.


"What's life without a little danger?" She said loudly before running her tongue over her fangs. "Might as well enjoy the meal and who knows? I may be wrong..."
"What?" The old witch yelled back to her.
"Nothing Ma'am, here is my expense." She got up and headed to find Zephyr's place of residence.


The old witch cursed and muttered to herself while watching Khira leave. "Damned young people, no manners..."


Khira didn't take long to find the location described in the message, she pondered for a few seconds if she should maybe warn Frederick of where she was but then she started remembering all his clingy attitude and quickly decided that it was better to depend only on her own as she had been taught.


Before she could knock on the door, it squeaked and opened for her revealing a very pleased vampire on the other side. He had a traditional japanese robe, the lantern Hakama, and his silvery hair was neatly pulled back in a high ponytail.


"Welcome, young one. Please do come in." The pointed with his arms the direction she should follow and she entered calmly, trying to take in as much information as possible about the place she had just entered. 


For a lion's lair, it looks quite fashionable. Let's just hope I don't become the lamb...


Zephyr lead her through the hallway until he reached a small living room, with a very cosy feel. The three sofas that populated the space looked extremely comfortable and the matching pillows added a welcoming feel to the room. It was anything but what she expected to find in the house of an Elder, stone walls and hard wood benches would me so much more in time with the owner, but she also guessed that for him to survive for so many centuries, at least she guessed that it would be his age, would have adapted to more current trends but still she was expecting the clichĂ©. 


If she couldn't follow the preconceptions and common notions about the old ones, then she really was about to enter total unknown territory with Zephyr. The monarchs of the Lamia were old and powerful but the Elders were in a totally different category of power and might.


"Please do sit down Khira." 


She picked a long sofa across from where he was standing and sat down crossing her legs, she would play cool and relaxed until need of other stance. 


"So, this information you claimed to have, sir, will you be willing to share it now that I am in your presence?"
"Ah... the haste of youth... All in good time, dear Khira. Shall we not feed first?" He pushed a small button that had remained unnoticed by her until then and shortly after a maid entered with a child no older than 5 years in front of her and carrying an elegant decanter that resembled an hourglass filled with a rich dark colour in her hands.


"Do you like yours straight from the source? Or perhaps a bit more fresh?"



Monday, January 30, 2012

Longings and Loathings - Chapter 7

The last words


I am tired...

The days go by and I barely notice them...
The hours seem long but in a heartbeat it is a whole new week, a whole new month, a whole new year...

The silence of my solitude drove me insane and ultimately numb...
I could kick a stone as hard as I could and I wouldn't feel a thing...

I could trace the path of my veins with the edge of a dagger and only see the red that would escape.
The source of life only as a reminder of color...

I move to my balcony and look outside at the people walking in the streets...
Little ants, always running in search of something. Family, work, money, sex, success...

I imagine myself laying in the floor on one of those streets near death and I see all those faces and feelings I am no longer able to express or feel. Disgust, pity, horror, judgement, sadness...

Maybe today I could jump...
Who would miss me anyway?
Yes, maybe one last act of impulsivity to be able to feel...
Feel through the eyes of the little ants, how wonderful that would be...

                                                   *

"Vehicle 49, we have a jumper on 3rd Street"


The radio squeaks and the words came out automatically, not the first I had to communicate it.
The city is brutal and without mercy. 
People give up every day and I am but a spectator to all the gore.
Everything is unchangeable, immutable and hopeless. How I wish I was numb to the violence, numb to the world around me.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What Hides in the Dark - Darkness

Brenda woke up inside the wrecked car, the glass from the broken car window was everywhere along with the stuffing from the car seats.
It took her a moment to recall where she was and what had happened... Bruce.

The creature.... She thought and tried not make a sound as much as possible.
She felt herself shake uncontrollably and her first urge was to scream for help but it was still dark and she had no way of knowing if the creature still wondered close by to the car.

She remembered how the glass shattered, the creature was coming straight at her but it left her there.
Why?
 

She took a deep breath and started to raise herself as quietly as possible. The rustling of the broken glass over her making her hold her breath at each inch that she lowered her body. Everything around her was deadly silent, she feared for her brother and she needed to find him. 

"He may be dead... He may be dead." She began muttering. She peeked over the shattered window and saw nothing but the creapy woods and the marks left by Bruce'shands trying not be dragged away. She began shaking incontrollably and panic started to take over her at each passing second. 
A sound came from the woods breaking the silence of the night, an animalistic growl.
She started to struggle with the safety belt and with shaky hands she released it. 

She tried to open the door but it refused to give in, she heard the rustling of something moving and again the horrifying sound. 
She raised herself from the bench and started to slide herself out of the car through the broken window. 
"Shit..." she muttered as she cut herself  on the sharp edges of the window, the smell of blood overwhelmed her and she realized the consequences of her cut as the howl started to approach her. 

She tried to run back the way her and brother had driven from, but everything was pitch black. She struggled not to look back as she ran, her body fighting to keep conscient, her legs moving on pure survival instinct. 

Then she heard it and looked back... She screamed and almost lost her balance as she turned her back on the now pursuing creature. No, no, no.... Please...

"Someone help me, please!" She yelled but no lights but the one of moon were around, she sensed it coming close and strength beginning to faulter. 
On that moment she realized she was going to die.

She tripped and feel hard on the floor, digging the glass pieces deeper into her hands and legs. She cried, staining her clothes with the bloodied tears running down her face.  She turned herself on the floor to face the creature and watched with anhorrified expression as the creature gave the final jump in her direction. 

"Noooooooo!"
A gun shot sounded from behind her and then... Darkness.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What hides in the Dark - Desperation Room

The place was pitch dark and all she could hear was remote sounds of dripping water.
How long had it been since she was trapped there...
She couldn't remember how she got there, the only certainty she had was the sore body and gushing wound on her forehead.

Slowly she tried to stand up but the effort wore her out at the first try, her legs were aching from the muscle atrophy and her back hurt like she had been kicked several times.
She tried to adapt her eyesight to the blackness around her. She rubbed her eyes and the filth in her hands made them immediately sting and tears began running to clear her sight.

An ugly sound echoed all around her, making her recoil and lean against the mossy wall. 
the only sound now were her clattering teeth and shivers, she tried to focus on the shadows, moveing her head from side to side randomly, her panic taking over any remanescent sense of reason within her.


The hours passed and she slipped on and off sleep, her exhaustion taking over every nerve on her body. Light seemed to enter through tiny ventilation holes at times, but the dark dominated her spirit now more than the place itself. Her desperation was her biggest confinement and the will to escape was now almost non-existent.

She heard it...
There...


Once again she tried to move, she dragged herself trying to reach for the source of the sound. A million thoughts crossed her mind. What was there? Should she hide? 
A moving shadow caught her attention, all that she thought was to get closer, to escape from that awful confinement, to find help.

She tried to yell but no sound escaped from her throat.
She wanted to cry but her tear channel was too inflamed from the dirt and filth of her hands.
The shadow moved in her direction and as it reached her it stopped.

"Ready to beg Megan, my little whore?"

He laughed and started kicking her again on her torso.

"You'll never be free again..."

He spat on her face and started moving away from her, leaving her bleeding and hurting wishing for her death to come quickly.