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 Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:12 pm
Alright, so I've come to a realization and I've had an idea.
I'm sure there's quite a few people out there who love to write, and I'm absolutely positive there's a bunch of you who like to read. There's all these games and contests and such, and maybe your computer doesn't like Tektek too much, or maybe you're not that artsy with Windows Paint.
But even if all you have is Notepad, you can take part in this, and on top of everything else, there's incentive! Everyone loves incentive. So, this is going to be a Writer's Compendium. And here's how it's going to work.How it's going to work 1. Anything literary is welcome, from poetry to short stories to novels. 2. I may have to shrink down novels so they don't take up too much space. 3. Poetry can be as widely ranged as you want. Free Verse, Rhyme, Haiku, it matters not. 4. Go ahead and send me your submission, or even easier, just post it right here in this thread. 5. Right! Incentive! Okay, from right now, at 1500 PST on September 11, 2007, until 2359 PST on September 30, 2007, anyone who submits an entry to this Compendium will get a September 2007 Monthly Collectible Letter. 6. You have to at least try for a letter. "Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I love Me, why don't You?" is cute, but it's not going to get you a prize. 7. You can enter as many times as you want, but you still only get one letter. 8. Multiple entries are actually encouraged! 9. Use your own work. Plagiarism is frowned upon, and it's just sad. 10. Most importantly, Have Fun!
That said, once it's past September 30, I'm going to go ahead and move this thread into...well, into some Subforum. I haven't decided yet, but it's probably going to end up being the Games and Contests Subforum. I'll leave it open for people who still want to put their works there, and for people to just cruise by and reread a favorite poem or short story. You won't get any prizes after September, but anyone is more than welcome to add their works into the Compendium.
So anyways...Have at it!List of People Entered:
Kiyama
ShyBFly
Alex Ascendant
MQubed
Xanatos Forever
Lilith_Ishtar
DarkAngelPoetess65
Shadow-Stalker22191
acoriana
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:01 pm
"Welcome Home Jesse"
by Kiyama My footsteps sounded deep and hollow as I ran down the dark hallway. I couldn't see much in front of me, but I had a good idea of what was chasing after me. I could smell my own fear, it was acidic and pungent. I pretty much reaked of it. I was panicking and started to run faster. The footsteps behind me sped up and kept pace with my own. They never sped up faster than mine, and they never slowed down. It was playing with me. It was waiting for me to tire out first. The thought just threw me into more panic. How did I get into this mess?
The car sputtered to a dead stop. "Oh, come on! Not now!" I tried uselessly to restart the car, but I was met with a dead engine. I sighed in frustration and opened the driver's side door. I was in the middle of nowhere. Literally. I could have sworn that I just passed a sign that said, "Welcome to Nowhere, a Friendly Place to Stay!" I popped the hood to my car just becaues I knew that's what you did when your car broke down. I didn't know anything about cars. I didn't speak, "Car and Driver". Even if there was something wrong with the engine, I wouldn't be able to tell. So, I just left the hood popped and walked back over to my car door. I hit the little emergency flasher button on the top of my steering wheel and sighed with relief when they actually came on. At least my battery was still okay. For now. I sat back down in the driver's seat and stared out the window. What in the hell was I going to do now? I didn't have my cell phone on me, and nobody knew where I was. I sighed again and lit up a cigarette. Maybe that would calm me down. I looked out the windows at my surroundings for any clues of life. Nothing. The highway stretched as far as I could see behind me and in front of me. It was all pasture on either side. But at least it wasn't cold...yet. Should I start walking? Or wait for that car full of helpful people that would never come? I picked up my pack of cigarettes again and opened it. It was going to be a long wait...and I needed more cigarettes.
It was dusk by the time the first truck passed me. It slowed to a stop just a little ways in front of me. Then the driver put it into reverse and backed up beside my car. I got out of the car and walked to the passenger side of the truck. It was an older truck, and a Ford by the looks of the worn out words on the back of the tailgate. It sputtered while idling and I was afraid for a moment that it would die too. The passenger side window rolled down and an older man looked at me from behind the steering wheel.
"Need some help, Miss?", he said in his thick drawl. No, I didn't need any help! Couldn't he see I was on top of the situation?
I scolded myself for thinking like that and answered, "Yeah, my car's broken down and I need to find out what's wrong with it. I don't have my cell phone on me, but do you know where I can find a pay phone or something?" Incredulously he raised his eyebrow and stared at me like he didn't understand what I was saying. Should I have talked slower?
He chuckled and said the most over used phrase of all time, "You ain't from around here, are ya?"
I sighed and answered, "No sir, I'm not. But I would really appreciate it if you could give me some help. I don't even know where here is!" He laughed and reached over to open the passenger side door.
"Well alrighty then. Jump in and I'll take you to the town. It's just a little ways up the highway. I'm sure the mechanic there can help you." I thanked the man, gathered my things, and climbed into the rickety old truck.
The ride was silent and strained until the man decided to talk to me. He looked over at me from the corner of his eye and said, "You've got a different look about you. Are you sure you're not one of them weird people from those stupid horror movies?" My jaw dropped and I stared at him. Me?! He's the one who was just some face paint away from being all Captain Spalding! I giggled nervously and answered, "I have no idea what you're talking about, but no. I am not like the 'Hitcher' or anything." After that we pretty much just kept to ourselves. I stared out the window at the endless pastures and started to get a little anxious when it grew dark.
The ride wasn't long at all. Pretty soon, I could see the outline of buildings and streetlights. I sighed in relief. Civilization at last. We pulled into the empty town and I stared out in shock. What I had hoped to see as busy buildings were only gutted old apartment buildings. Where were all the people?! We pulled farther into town and I saw one building with an old looking neon sign that read, "Vacancy". He was taking me to a hotel?
I looked over at him questionably and he just said, "What? You'll need a place to stay for the night right? Besides, Bill's probably already gone home for the day and won't be back until morning."
I blinked and asked, "Who's Bill?"
The man pulled up to the hotel and answered, "He's the town mechanic. But here you go! I'm sure Edna will have his number somewhere. Have a nice stay!" And that ended my welcome. I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the truck. I shut the door and turned to thank the man, but he gunned the truck and nearly ran me over in his haste. I jumped back and stared after the receding tail lights. What in the world was up with that guy? I sighed and shook my head, turning to see my destination. The hotel was old and weathered, but not as bad as I had first thought. I looked up at the sign that read, "Hotel California". I giggled nervously and walked into the front doors.
The lobby was shabby looking and had mismatched pieces of old furniture arranged haphazardly. There wasn't even a television, just an old radio sitting on one of the weathered coffee tables. The walls were a nasty off white color that probably used to be taupe. The pain was peeling off around the ceiling and the only source of light was a few light fixtures hanging on the dingy walls. Okay, maybe as bad as I had thought. The carpet was a dark brown color and when I spotted a dark red stain I hurried to the front desk. There was a flight of stairs to the left of the dark desk and a single lamp sat on the desktop. There was no one behind the desk.
"Hello?" I flushed in embarassment when my voice cracked. I tried again, "Hello? Is anybody here?" When no one answered I got discouraged. But then I saw a small sign in flourishing letters that read, "Ring Bell For Service". I looked and sure enough there was an old bell sitting beside the lamp. I reached over and tapped it, but no sound came from it. My hand was covered in dust when I pulled it back. Obviously this hotel had been "vacant" for a while. I tried the bell again, this time hitting it a little harder. The sound it emitted could have been a bell ringing, but sounded more like someone took an empty paint can and hit it with a hammer. But sure enough, service came. An older woman poked her head out from a doorway that I hadn't seen before just to the right of the desk.
"Oh! Hello! Sorry about that Miss, I didn't hear you come in," she eyed me speculatively and walked to the front of the desk. Amazingly she looked a lot like my grandmother. The only difference was her long dark brown hair.
I shook that thought away and said, "Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, but my car broke down a little ways out of town and I was needing a place to stay." She continued to eye me and the welcome in her voice died away with every word.
"How did you get here?"
I blanched at the sudden rude sounding question an stammered, "Uh, a man drove by and picked me up. He was an older man in a Ford truck. But, I didn't get his name..." I was shocked as I realized that I really didn't know the man's name. How had I forgotten that? Did he ever say it? Did I ever ask? I shook my head again and looked back up at her. "He told me Edna would be able to help me." She raised an eyebrow and looked me up and down. "Are you Edna?" I asked timidly. She nodded.
"Yes, I'm Edna. And I guess I can help you. The man who helped you was probably George. He's a nice old man." Old? Did older people call each other old so casually? Or maybe this woman wasn't as old as I had first thought. Edna interrupted my thoughts as she continued, "I have a room upstairs that's empty. Much like all the rest. But you can stay here for tonight. In the morning I'll call Bill and he can help you with your car and get you out of our town." I nodded, not sure if she was trying to be polite or not.
"Um, how much is it to stay here a night?"
She looked at me with a shocked expression. "No, I don't want your money. Keep it. The room is right up the stairs and to the right. Five doors down, in case you can't count." She threw me a key ring with a single key and keychain on it and walked back through the doorway she had come.
I sat in one of the dingy old chairs in my "room" and scooted it up beside the window. I opened up the window and lit up a cigarette. Edna hadn't said anything about the rules here, but I didn't want to piss her off more than I obviously already had. What was up with these people? I hadn't done anything wrong! My car broke down! Like I could have helped that. I sighed again and looked around my room. It was the same nasty off white color as everything else. The bed was twin sized, but looked comfortable enough. The old quilt that covered it looked warm and soft. I kicked off my shoes and leaned back into the chair. I pulled a long drag from my cigarette and tried to relax. It was going to be a long night in Hotel California.
As I was getting ready to go to sleep I heard a knock on the door. Was it Edna, coming to reprimand me for smoking in my room? I cautiously opened the door to see a little girl standing in my doorway. She was dressed in a faded pajama set that was too big for her small frame. They could have possibly been pink with little brown dogs, but now they were the same dingy white color with little brown dots. Her hair hit her about at her shoulder and shadowed her sunken looking features. It struck me that she almost looked like my younger cousin. What was wrong with me? I lived so far away from this place it wasn't even plausible. She couldn't look like someone from my family. But she did. She looked up at me with big dark eyes that were dialated to a strange extent.
"Momma told me to come and tell you not to bother Jesse. She's the girl that's right across the hall. She doesn't like to be bothered." The little girl's voice was soft and weak. I nodded and leaned down to talk to her, but she turned abruptly and walked down the hall. I stared after her as she descended the stairs. She didn't make any sounds at all. I stood back up and shut my door. What a strange little girl. I shrugged and continued to get ready for sleep.
As I lay ther trying to sleep something occured to me. Hadn't Edna said that all the rooms were empty? Why would she tell me that if there was someone else staying here? And why would she put me right beside them if they didn't want to be bothered? I shrugged off my questions and tried to fall asleep for what felt like the thirtieth time.
Sleep evaded me. I rolled over onto my side to face the wall. The bedsprings creaked underneath my weight and I curled up into a ball. What was up with this place? As soon as it was light I was getting out of here. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind, focusing on the blackness of the back of my eyelids.
I had almost drifted off to sleep when I heard a loud crash. I jumped up in my bed and looked around. It hadn't come from my room, but maybe from the hallway. I threw the heavy quilt off and turned on the lamp beside the bed. There was silence. Had I imagined it? No, I definitely hadn't. I stood up and went to open the door when I heard another loud crash. What in the world was going on? I opened the door and cringed when it emitted a loud creak. The hallway was dark, but there was light coming from the room just opposite of mine. The little girl said the person staying there didn't like to be bothered. But what about me? I didn't really appreciate loud crashing sounds in the middle of the night. I stood in the doorway in my jeans and t-shirt shivering. It was strangely cold in the hallway. Another crash emitted from the room. What in the world was she doing? Suddenly the door jerked like someone had been thrown against it.
"Help me! Let me out of here!", the scream chilled me from head to toe. What? Help me? I ran across the hallway and threw open the door. The room was set up like mine, but the lamp was lying on the floor. The bedside table had been thrown on its side up against the far wall. The window was smashed open and the curtains blew in the wind. A person was lying on the floor beside the bed, curled into a small ball. Her long brown hair was matted and her dark clothes were worn. She was shaking and muttering to herself. I ran and knelt beside the shaking figure, rolling her over to see her face. A scream caught in my throat as I stared at my own face. There were fresh claw marks probably made by nails snaking down her tear covered face. Her eyes were large and red rimmed. Her matted hair obscured the rest of her face, but there was no doubt in my mind. I was looking at a mirror image of myself. She stared at me for some time, not comprehending me until suddenly her eyes cleared and she saw me. I couldn't move. What was I supposed to do? The other me reached up a thin hand and touched my cheek. Her fingers were cold and her nails were rough against my skin. Then terror entered her eyes and she screamed again. She threw herself out of my arms and crawled on all fours to the other side of the room. She started screaming again, "The doors are locked! You can't get out! The doors are locked! You can't get out!" I stood up and ran out of the room. I didn't care where I was going, I just had to get away from that person.
After a few minutes of frantic running, I stopped in the hallway to catch my breath. Where had I gone? I looked around. All the hallways looked the same. Had I gone up a few flights? No, I could tell I was still on the second floor by the small aged sign haning on the corner that read, "2". I heard someone coming up the stairs and suddenly I was elated. Edna! She'd tell me what in the hell was going on! I raced to the top of the stairs and looked down. What was coming up the stairs certainly wasn't Edna. A tall figure was shuffling up the stairs towards me. I couldn't see the exact shape, which just made the figure even more terrifying. But I could smell him. The smell of dead rotting meat floated up to me and I gagged. Each thud of the thing coming closer sent a jolt through my body. My mind was screaming run, but my legs wouldn't listen. I must have made some sort of noise because what seemed like the head of the thing shot up and looked right at me. I could feel its eyes on me and finally my legs gave way. I ran. I don't know where I ran, I just ran. Up stairs, down stairs, through doorways, everywhere but towards that thing. But it followed me.
My footsteps sounded deep and hollow as I ran through the dark hallway. I couldn't see much in front of me, but I had a good idea of what was chasing after me. I could smell my own fear, it was acidic and pungent. I pretty much reeked of it. I was panicking and started to run faster. The footsteps behind me sped up and kept pace with my own. They never sped up faster than mine, and they never slowed down. It was playing with me. It was waiting for me to tire out first. The thought just threw me into more panic. I cried out in pain as I pushed myself to run faster.
After an eternity of running I made it to the second floor again. I don't even know how I got off the second floor in the first place. I ran down the stairs into the lobby. I stopped dead in my tracks. The thing behind me stopped also. But the lobby wasn't the same place I had entered when I first came here. The dirty walls were gone, replaced with large mirrors. Even the ceiling was a mirror. I didn't care. I had to get out of this place. I ran towards the doors and slammed against them. They didn't budge. I pushed as hard as I could against them, but to no avail. I burst into tears. What was happening?! I turned to see the creature standing directly in front of me. Suddenly I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see the little girl from earlier walking towards me. I panicked and started screaming, "No! Run away! Go!" But the little girl continued to walk forward. She walked up to me and grabbed my hand. Her hand was warm and I noticed that I was freezing. The little girl smiled at me for the first time. Then I remembered the thing I was running from. I looked up and to my horror I saw the little girl holding the hand of the creature. She was smiling up at it. I started to shake as I finally realized the horrible truth. I wasn't looking at a monster. I was looking in a mirror. The little girl nodded and I watched as the creature in the mirror pulled the dark clothing off. And I was looking at me. In my rumpled jeans and t-shirt. I looked down at the little girl, still not comprehending completely. She continued to smile and pulled me down to her. She wrapped her arms arond my neck and whispered in my ear, "Welcome home, Jesse."
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:42 pm
Okay, so I've finally gotten over my fear of embarrasment and failure at life and decided to let large (kinda?) groups of people read my writing. And now since you've read my weird story, I need some feedback! I have never had an actual intelligent person read my work and then be able to come back and give me criticism that lasts more than two or more sentences. Albeit, yes a lot of my intelligent friends have read my writing, but none of them really had any criticism that helped me. So please, if you just want to say my writing is good and you liked it...keep it to the PM system. IF (please, oh please) you want to praise my writing, yet still found a few things wrong with it - post it! I would love to hear anything! Anything at all! If you thought my writing was complete hogswallop, tell me! And yes, I know that it is a little rushed in a few places but it's not a complete finished copy yet. So please, diverge what you will! (And if you haven't noticed I'm really nervous, so my vocabulary becomes a little weird.) whee
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:17 am
The Adventures of Marcus T. Banning
Part I: Origins
By George_Knox
My name is Marcus T. Banning, and they call me a “superhero.” Personally, I don’t much care for the title, and I don’t think I deserve it. I’m a role model, though, and as such I don’t want to tell those people who call me a “superhero” that I’m not just because I don’t think I deserve it. If they think I deserve it, the only thing I see fit to do is do my best to live up to the title. In my opinion, I think the title of “superhero” should be given to anyone who fights for what they believe to be right. I think the people who stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, the people who put their lives on the line to make someone else’s life a better place, and the people who do the right thing, even when no one else is doing it are the ones who should be called “superheroes.”
Me? I’m just a man. I’m just a man who was given extraordinary powers, and was left with a choice. I was left with the choice to use these powers for good, to use these powers for evil, or to pretend it never happened and refuse to use them at all. I won’t lie. For a while, I wanted to pretend that it wasn’t real. I pretended I didn’t have those powers. Fate, though, as she always does, had different plans for me. As you might have figured out, I ended up using those powers for good. Fate put me in a situation where I had to choose, and she bet a young woman’s very life on the fact that I had a good heart.
It was a cold night, as they tend to be in November, and I was walking down 3rd towards Continental. Because it was cold, I was wearing my black trench coat. I had just come from work, and as such was still wearing my dress shirt, tie, and slacks. I pulled my coat around me to block some of the wind, and noticed a young girl, probably in her twenties, and wearing summer clothes in the dead of winter. She was almost to Continental when an arm shot out of the alley between apartment buildings and dragged her into the shadows. A low, guttural voice exclaimed something to the effect of, “Well, lookie what we got here!” and she screamed for help. Seconds later, she was silenced, and as I walked by he held a knife to her throat.
In that moment, time froze. The man looked at me with wide eyes, full of fear that he had been caught. It’s true, I did look like an officer of the PPD, and his eyes shone with the fear of being caught. That was only for a moment, though, because he remembered that he had a bargaining chip, and his knife was at its throat. His eyes lit up, as though fueled by an inner fire of the darkest hate, and an evil grin swept across his face. The girl was frozen rigid with fear. Her body was taut, as though she thought that if she relaxed even the slightest, her throat would slide down to his knife, killing her instantly. Her skin was pale and freckled, and her entire body trembled ever so lightly with fear. The wind whipped through the alley, blowing through her auburn hair and blew the man’s coat around his body, revealing tattered jeans and a stained white wife beater.
It was her eyes, though. The girl whose name I never got, and will always remember, was what drew my gaze. Her eyes were a brilliant, brilliant jade, and they held a look of sorrow within them that seemed to speak to me from her very soul itself. It told me that she was scared for her life, and that she didn’t want to die. It told me that she wanted to live, because she thought she had something worth living for. It told me that if I didn’t help her, no one ever could. That look told me enough that night, and when time resumed, I had made my decision. I may have wanted to pretend my powers never happened, but when a person’s life was on the line, I was not going to stand by and do nothing as she was brutally robbed of everything she’d ever done, and the world itself was robbed of everything she could have been, just for one pathetic man’s instant gratification.
The wind gusted once more down the sidewalk, blowing my trench coat and ponytail to my right side. It was probably a rather heroic and awe-inspiring pose, but my thoughts were not on myself. My thoughts were focused solely on saving the life of that young girl, and making sure that the pathetic creature that held the knife to her throat could never, ever do this again. I couldn’t always be there, but I could make sure that I never had to stop this one particular man again.
After that gust, the man looked me up and down, and held the knife closer to the girl’s throat. The girl flinched, and her body became even more rigid as she fought the idea of her neck being sliced open at this man’s blade. Her eyes screamed out in terror, but her mouth hung open, and she was unable to utter a single word. The man, however, said plenty more than he needed to in his current situation. “Don’t even think about it, you b*****d,” he told me. “You take one step towards us and I’ll slit her throat. Don’t think I won’t.” As if to prove to me that he would, indeed, kill her, he pushed the blade up into her neck, cutting the skin and drawing a few drops of blood. The girl took a breath and held it, her eyes closing in the pain, but still said nothing. A few tears escaped her eyes, and her body fell slightly, as if to tell me that she had just lost hope, and knew her life was over.
I knew what I had to do. I knew how to do it. So the only thing left to do was act upon my knowledge and stop this man. I whispered to the girl, though I highly doubt she heard my words, “Don’t lose hope. Never lose hope.” The man heard me whispering, though he didn’t hear my words either, and started to become angry. “What was that, you p***k? You’d best move along if you know what’s good for you!” he warned me. I glared at him, the wind blowing my ponytail, and said simply, “You said that you’d slit her throat if I took one step towards you.” The look on his face said that he was a bit confused by my statement. Almost as if he figured I was a little “slow” or something, because if someone would have responded to his statement, they’d have done so immediately, not a minute or so after. All he could say was, “What?”
“Did I stutter?” I asked him. “You said you’d slit her throat if I took one step towards you. I’m telling you I won’t be moving from this spot.” With that, my eyes turned from a calm, disappointed look to a cold, frigid glare. Without a word, my expressions told the man that he was about to be in a world of hurt, and that it was all his own doing. He picked a fight with the wrong person. I spread my feet and with a quick chant, locked them in place. Then, uttering a few more words, I threw my right hand at the man, palm out, in that fashion that people do when they mean to tell you to stop. His eyes erupted in rage, and he went to finish the girl. The girl saw his gaze, and she knew what he was about to do. Her eyes sprang wide open, fear flooding from every part of her body. Seconds later, she blacked out and fell limp onto the ground. Nothing happened, though. The man looked down at his hand, and made a grunt as if he were tugging on a locked door. The knife, his hand, his arm, and the entire rest of him was frozen in place.
A wicked grin swept across my face, because I knew this was already over. I raised my right hand, keeping it palm out, and the man was lifted from the ground, frozen in place. The only thing that moved were his eyes, and suddenly they were no longer filled with hate. They were filled with fear. Compassion swept over me momentarily, but the voice of my practical side told me that letting him go now would mean he would strike again later, and I may not be there to stop it. Once more, my deep blue eyes froze over, and the look of compassion faded into an icy stare. “W-What are you?” the man stammered.
Keeping my right arm in place, I pointed my left hand, palm out, at a nearby payphone, and raised my hand slightly. With the sound of crumbling concrete and screeching metal, the payphone gave way and rose into the air a few inches off the ground. My expression never changed, and my right hand slowly went from palm out to a clenched fist. As I clenched my fist, he was crushed by the gravity around him, and he screamed in pain. I clenched my fist harder, and harder, and my eyes were filled with hate. Finally, I stopped the pressure, but didn’t lessen it any either. When he had regained his breath, I looked at him with cold, icy blue eyes that seemed to roar with an inner hellfire, and told him, “My name is Marcus T. Banning. You would do well to remember it.”
With that, I swung my left hand as hard as I could towards him, bringing the payphone towards him with enough force to shatter bones. The payphone rocketed through the air and slammed into him at full force. I hoped it was enough to shatter a few of his bones. I hoped it was painful. The payphone would have been the last thing he saw before his world went black, and I released my grip on him, letting his lifeless form fall the twelve feet or so before collapsing on the ground. The lucky b*****d was still breathing.
The girl was just regaining consciousness, and looked at me for a moment with those beautiful green eyes, and said nothing. Her mouth hung agape, and her eyes said it all. They asked the same question the man had asked, and they asked me to please not hurt her. I couldn’t blame her. I did not look very friendly as I incapacitated that man. There was a very good chance that I had looked even more evil, and even more hateful than that man himself. My face fell as I realized this, and I couldn’t look at her. I lowered my gaze, and answered her unasked question in the same fashion I had answered the mugger’s. “My name is Marcus T. Banning,” I said. With that, I continued down the sidewalk towards Continental. The girl got up to her feet and followed me, but when she turned the corner onto the sidewalk, I wasn’t there. That’s one of the interesting things about controlling gravity. I can make a miniature wormhole, and place myself wherever I wish to be within the blink of an eye. I watched her look for me from the roof of the apartment complex for a minute, then sighed. Head hung low, I chanted those words again, and in a flash of light I was at my door. I reached into my pocket, grabbed my keys, and unlocked the door. Then I sat on the bed, head in hands, and wondered what tonight meant for me.
As I looked up, my gaze was brought to the window, and through its single dingy pane of glass I could see the lights of the city. I could see the navy blue sky as the sun had long since sunk into the horizon, and I could see the glimmering of stars through the glass. They always put me into perspective, those stars. Every single one of them, a brilliantly burning sun much like our own. As I sit there on the bed, I remembered that night just barely over two years ago. I remembered every detail, every little bit, and it’s almost as if there was a slide show ready to be played in my mind.
It was the second Friday in November, it and it happened to be the thirteenth. It also happened to be my birthday. My friends and I had gone to the movies. It wasn’t a particularly good show, but it was decent. Then we went to one of those Twenty-Four Hour diners that everyone has, the ones that all have different names, like Norm’s or Denny’s or John’s or whatnot. That was fun. We stayed out all night talking and joking and having a grand time. Then I came home, and once more I was alone. My parents didn’t care. My father was passed out drunk on his recliner, and my mother was upstairs entertaining some of her “guests.” What I remember the most, however, is when I opened the door to my room. I wasn’t paying attention, apparently, because I thought it was my room.
It wasn’t. When the door closed, and I looked up, I was not in my room like I thought I was. I wasn’t even in the same state. I was in the middle of the open plains, the kind you see in the movies when the kids get lost camping in Nebraska. The wind was a cool breeze over the plains, causing the grass to wave and sway to and from. The night was cool and refreshing, and the full moon shone brightly down upon the open grasslands, illuminating everything with enough light to see. I could see mountains in the distance in front of me, and nothing but open prairie in every other direction. I can’t quite explain it, but I could, for lack of a better word, “sense” animals near me. I could feel a hare, a herd of bison on my left, a snake in front of me and to my right, and all the little insects crawling around on the ground. I was so caught up with taking in the sights and the strange thing that had just happened to me that I never in my wildest dreams would have thought there’d be someone with me. The voice startled me more than it startled anything around me.
“Welcome, Whispering Wind,” it said. The voice came from behind me, and so instinctively I spun around to face the voice. What stood before me was never what I expected. I’ll never forget that face, and it will undoubtedly haunt my mind till the very day I die. When I turned, I found myself face to face with what can only be described as a ghost. Just like in the movies, where the incorporeal are vaguely intangible, but still capable of speech and facial expressions, he stood before me. He was a giant, towering a good foot over me, with deep brownish-red skin and a few tattoos to match. He wore a simple garb, with simple sandals. As I face him, he smiled at me and spoke slowly, but with a deep, meaningful tone. “We have much to discuss, but very precious little time in which to tell it. I shall be brief,” he said. He bowed his head to me, still standing taller than I did, and continued with his tale. “The Earth is spiraling into disorder. In many places, Chaos reigns over Order, and in others, Order reigns above Chaos. Each life lost causes the Earthmother to suffer, and the balance between Life and Death, Nature and Technology, and Good and Evil is crumbling. A Balance must be restored, and the child born under the climax of the Full Moon would be the one chosen to restore this Balance. On the night of his eighteenth birthday, under the climax of the Full Moon, he will be gifted with the powers of the Earthmother, and tasked with restoring the Balance.” The man finished his speech, raised his head, and smiled at me. Before I could say anything, he raised his hand and placed his palm gently on my left cheek. “You are that man. Whispering Wind in our world, Marcus Tomlinson Banning in yours, be gifted with the power of the Earthmother. Use it well, for the fate of your future rests solely on your shoulders.” His hand glowed green, and I felt a warmth as what could only be described as raw power was transferred to me. I wouldn’t know it till I looked in the mirror, but a tribal tattoo crept across the left side of my face where he left his palm, signifying my power. “Though the fate rests on your shoulders, and only yours, know this, my friend: You are never alone in this fight.” He left me those words as he faded into the plains, and I was left alone. I looked once more to the sky, and when I looked back down, I was once more in my room.
Thoroughly shaken, I walked with unsteady steps and collapsed on my bed. For some reason, a wave of tiredness hit me like a locomotive, and my eyes were soon closed, taking me to the land of dreams. It wasn’t long before I opened my eyes again, and glanced at the clock. Three AM. I closed my eyes once more, and found myself in that same spot, lost amid the prairies. This time, the man stood before me, and he was much different than the earlier. He was smaller, thin, and much more hurried. His voice was scratchy, and he sounded as if he had a million and one other things he needed to do. When he realized I knew he was there, he spoke quickly, saying, “The Earthmother senses your power, and thinks it too great to be gifted upon one man, whether he be pure of heart or not. However, she also knows that you will be unable to restore the Balance with any less power. It is my task, therefore, to bring the Champion of Balance a Balance unto himself. Though you be strong in power, and strong in heart, you must be humbled. This curse will give you the Balance you need.” The last thing I remembered was him placing his index finger on my forehead.
I woke up the next morning to the alarm buzzing at me, telling me it was six and I had to get up. For some reason it was still set to “everyday.” I chalked the whole thing up to a bad dream, even during those points where I realized I really did have those powers, and eventually figured out what they were. I learned I could control gravity in almost every facet, and still pretended it never happened. I still don’t know what “curse” the little one put on me. I hope I never do.
Even now, as I sit on my bed, realizing for the first time that I have accepted who I have become, I want to pretend it isn’t real. I know it is, though. Tomorrow, I know the papers will all say that there’s a “New Hero in Town.” There won’t be much about him, except his name. My name. I don’t know why I gave her my real name. I don’t think I ever will. But I will always remember her. I will always remember that night, and I will always remember that fateful night on my eighteenth birthday. I may be super powered. I may be able to stand up for the people who cannot stand up for themselves. I may put my life on the line for others. And I may do the right thing, even when no one else is doing it, because I know it’s the right thing to do. But I’m just a man. A man named Marcus T. Banning.
A man they call a Superhero.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:52 pm
The Talhoe Spirit Guide
By ShyBFly
The sound of the near by rushing water filled the ears of the two young siblings as they walked along the tree line. They had been sent out along with all the other children to gather wood for the ceremonial fire. It’s an event held every ten years to celebrate the choosing of the next Spirit Guide. Both Kithlya and Lentz were members of the Talhoe family. The Talhoe believe that, if the right child places wood on the fire on the night of choosing, the flames will tell them the Guide has been chosen. Tonight was the night, and it was getting dark. The kids had to hurry if they were going to make it back in time.
Kithlya had always been afraid of water. Just the sound of the river made her shiver a little through her long cream colored coat. Lentz teased her about it, just like little brothers do.
“I bet you couldn’t even cross the river in a hunt!” He laughed because hunting was a very important duty for the older dames of the tribe. As he giggled, his large ears flopped over his face causing him to stub his paw on a large tree root.
“That’s what you get for teasing!” Kithlya walked a little taller to show him he hadn’t gotten to her.
The path they were taking had brought them to a fallen tree that served as a river crossing. Kithlya was noticeably nervous, and began pacing on the shore, contemplating what to do. The raging river had claimed many lives and she had heard stories that shook her as a child.
“Oh come on you big baby! You can almost just jump over the whole river from there. It’s easy!” Lentz was impatient and didn’t have any sympathy for his older sister. Plus, he liked exploiting the fact that she was scared of something that didn’t frighten him in the least.
“Oh, if it’s so easy, why do you jump over it? And I’m not a baby.” Kithlya had turned away from him to hide her emotions. She knew she had to cross, it was already dark and she was sure the Ceremony had started already. Just when she got up the courage to rush across the log, she heard a heavy splash a bit downstream. She glanced over, not expecting to see anything, but shocked to spot Lentz in the river!
“Lentz! Grab the branches!” She ran down the river’s water line and saw him grab a thick tree branch near the middle of the fast river. There was no way to get to him, and he was starting to slip.
The frightened young Talhoe cried out, “Help! I can’t….” His head kept dipping under the water as he struggled to maintain his grip. His arms and hands were wet and slippery on the smooth bark of the birch tree. Kithlya was his only chance and she knew it. She closed her eyes to calm herself and took a slow breath.
She felt her body begin to gather strength from the deep water and the steady trees behind her. She felt herself grow stronger as the river went silent. Her large ears were no longer their normal dark cream color, but a blazing black with white markings at the tips. When she opened her eyes, they gave out a soft yellow glow that illuminated her brother clinging to his lifeline in the river. No longer filled with the uncertainty of her childhood, Kithlya leapt into the raging river to retrieve her kin. Grabbing the scruff of his neck, she carried him out with motherly tenderness, but a warrior’s strength. Upon reaching the opposite shore, it was clear that the sister Lentz had been teasing just a few short minutes ago was no longer there. Kithlya stood tall and unshaken as her younger brother looked up from the ground, mesmerized.
The new Talhoe Spirit Guide had been chosen.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:05 pm
First of all, this is a great idea George!
Second, I loved your story Kiyama! The beginning confused me a bit because I didn't understand that it was a different time yet, but I got it at the end. It was spooky.
Mine is a little out there, it was an RP prompt for a contest a while ago in a breedables shop. I wanted to get more opinions on it though so I thought I'd submit it. 3nodding
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:40 pm
Godhood: A short story.
"Where to start, where to start, where to start? Do I start at the beginning? Do I start at the point billions of years ago when there was nothing? Perhaps it would be best." The man said, taking a drink from his glass. No one sat around him, and no one was listening to his tale, but that didn't seem to even occur to him.
"I remember the event. It has a million names across a million worlds. The Big Bang, The White Event, The Origin, plenty of others. It was a moment of fire and life. Not fire like anyone on this world would now it. Not a burning match, or a campfire, or even the solar furnace your planet circles. I mean fire. Fire of a cosmic variety, energy in it's most pure form. It lashed out at the nothing and it became."
"And that's the first thing I remember. The fire, burning around me, burning with in me. It didn't hurt, not that pain was a concept in the universe then. Instead, it was energizing. It filled me to the brim, and washed through me, around me, becaming a part of me."
"Maybe it was the fire. Maybe it burned away all my memories. Maybe it was in that fire, at that moment, that I was born. Given shape, and form with the universe itself. But the universe didn't have those things then. Back then, it was just the fire. Pure, unchanged, undilited, universal energy."
"Some would like you to think I'm a perfect being, incapable of error. That's a joke. I started in this universe, or with this universe, with no idea of anything. I didn't even know who I was, but some how I had the power to shape the energy around me, like it was a part of me, or I of it. It took practice. Lot's of practice. I'm by no means afraid to admit that I had many many mistakes before I could really control the energy. How to change it to different forms. How to make it solid and give it shape."
"Even then it took a while to figure out the mechanics. I made worlds, and they simply sat in the void. So I added gravity. Planets fell into stars. I backed the gravity off a bit then. Figured out how to make steady orbits. Made light travel. Quickly too. Couldn't let people out run it. Not that there were people yet. That came later."
"See, it all kept coming back to the beginning. To the Origin Point. Where had I come from? It was the one thing I couldn't discover. So I decided to run an experiment. And that experiment was life. After I had finally got the mechanics of it all down. Figured out how to manipulate the gravity and the energy (The science guys still haven't figured out my trick with dark matter or dark energy yet), I created man."
"Most accounts would tell you I created man in my own image. They would be wrong. I didn't have an image back then. Still don't, except for when I do. But I created man. On a million million worlds I created man, in every shape, and every form you could imagine. Then I sat back and watched. I didn't interfer nearly as much as the books would have you believe. My interest instead lay in to things. Religion and Science. An odd combination I know, but the two covered my two major hopes. In science I hoped to find the answer of how the universe could have formed. And whether I was a part of it, or something else. Religion on the other hand was created so I could understand why I was here. And all this time you all thought it was about you, no?"
"Neither has given me a real answer. Science still searches, but it will take a while. Not that I'm in a hurry. Religion on the other hand tends to stagnate. The church and the church goes accept that I am there, but few seriously question why I'm here. Or how I got to be here. Troublesome. Then they quarell with science to try to stop the progress I seek. In time they'll learn."
"But for now, this little blue green world doesn't have the answers I seek. And there are thousands of others to check. In time I'll be back. But you won't be around any more. But don't worry, even when I'm not here, I'm watching."
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:41 pm
Kind of a plot idea I've tossed back and forth before, God's story, from his own point of view. Might expand on it some day, but this is it for now.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 1:21 am
stare ...I kinda wanna put something...but I don't really know if I have anything good...hmm...
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:46 am
Post. It's no doubt better then you think.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:48 pm
First of all, I'd like to comment on the combined efforts put into the Fallen Angels story (I enjoyed reading it so much, I started to "edit" it into a more readable form; this forum might be a good place to put it [and supply some motivation as well]).
In case anyone's wondered what ScriptFrenzy (in my sig) was, it was a "contest" to write a 20,000 word screenplay in a month. I'm so happy that I did it! But I hesitate to put such a huge thing up here. Is there any other way we can share stories?? (The little bitty type is hard on my old-lady eyes rolleyes )
I've also been working on a story that my youngest son (turned 13 today!!) keeps asking me to write more on. ... guess I'm not ready to publish that one yet. Here's a short piece I wrote about our dog Cocoa.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:56 pm
A Golden Spaniel The dog is like a small furry carpet, always near the door; head just outside the room. A quiet, peaceful life, full of love, food, and moderate amounts of attention. Velcro dog they call her – since she loves to ride in the car but persistently leans heavily against the back of the seat, always facing the same direction. It's been a while since she's been a puppy, but it is a joy to see those ears perk up and the tail whip in circles. Occasionally there's still some bounce in her step, especially when food is preparing to be tossed out over the slope. Fond memories: of small children clutching food right in front of her nose – and the appealing look in her eyes, but no motion made to take it, or the half-eaten sandwich left so carelessly on the coffee table, just within her moderate reach. Leaping and swimming fearlessly back and forth across the golf course's lake trying to catch the small flying birds. The panic of hearing that last panicked yelp after she'd taken off, huffing, after coyotes; the incredulity as she came, dripping and blooded out of the creek. How wonderful that thick silky coat can feel after she's been washed. The remaining excitement when she saw me put on my shorts this morning in anticipation of the daily car ride, taking the boys to school. Not beautiful in a classic way, but truly beautiful in her self and ways: the limpid eyes, the matching nose, the expressive posture, her attentiveness and companionship. I'm sorry to see the whitening muzzle, the increasing opacity in her eyes, the favored attentions going to the more insistent cat and/or dog. Wondering how we'll ever find another dog of her particular breeding: Cocker Spaniel and Golden Retriever – she's definitely a Golden Spaniel … wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to breed dogs as pleasant as both she and Buttons. Is it only the females? Was it the less companionable treatment that made Cocoa's brother so "wild"? Just another pipe dream…
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:37 pm
Alright, so I've been toying with the notion of putting something here for a while. I'm still not entirely sure, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'm going to be putting up story that has ties to another, but that side you probably won't ever see, nor will you need to in order to understand this one. It's not too bad, I guess...four chapters long with some of the fifth. Keep in mind, of course, that the word "chapters" is a loose description, as none of them are really past one or two pages. I'll be posting it up by chapter, all in one post so long as I have the room, so you'll have to look back for edits when I put up the new post, 'cause I probably won't advertise it...
That's about all I have to say on it. Comment, critique, do whatever you want with it. I now give you my story...
Oh, one last thing...actually it's the whole reason I feel okay with putting it up here. This story is very mature. There's cursing, blood, sensuality...y'know, all the good stuff wink So enjoy xp
Another note: it occurs to me that some of the material in this story could be quite offensive...so, yeah, heads up. It's not in the first chapter, but it's coming. I'm not gonna change it, because I don't give a s**t about political correctness. Okay, stopping now before I fall into a rant...yeah...enjoy sweatdrop
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:48 pm
Vampyre
I I am yours, her eyes scream, I give you myself, everything I am and ever will be. She is lost…drunk…swimming in an endless sea of black. Vague thoughts cross her mind, Is this love…am I dreaming…take me! A tiny voice screeches in the back of her mind, but to no avail. She knows nothing but his gaze; his mysterious half-smile. She does not understand the language with which the voice speaks to her…she is unable to comprehend its keen observations of logic. How his skin is much too pale, how he is deathly cold, despite the warm summer night. All she knows is his gaze, the gentle soothing of that smile. She echoes her thoughts, her voice a faint breeze that one would hardly notice, yet he does. He slides his hand down her arm, sending shivers down her spine. Imperceptibly, the half-smile widens. The scene turns over on its top. His caressing hand now grips her wrist, pinning it down. She blinks once, twice, and shakes her head as if waking from a long slumber. Where is she? How did she get so close to this stranger? She tries to pull free, only to yelp at the pain of bones within her wrist cracking. His smile is gone, replaced with a manic grin, and her heart skips a beat as she sees canines too sharp to belong to a human. Her lips part as her throat, Death Valley would have more moisture, attempts a cry for help. A grip cold as ice wraps around her neck, sending more shivers down her spine. He leans in for a good night kiss. She retreats inside herself, her mind unable to grasp the concept that she is now nourishment for a being of stories and legends. Only she is not food for this creature…no, he has had his fill tonight…she is to be but one more victim of his bloodlust…he is mad with the power, he believes himself to be invincible. Idiot…
He thinks he knows what it is to be fast...he is mistaken. His fangs are centimeters from their next contact of warm skin. It’s as far as they’re going to get. A quick yank of his yellow dyed locks and he is upright, his grip on the young woman gone without another scratch upon her. Already she begins to stir. Strong woman…she might yet make a name for herself, if she can come to grips with what transpired this night. She will open her eyes and look around in panic, but he will be nowhere to be found. Already we are flying above the cityscape, a wad of hair all that holds him from plummeting. He is cursing at me. I ignore him. He screams something about revealing us. I hold back an urge to drop him right then, speaking to me as if we’re the same. Fool…
I scan the rooftops, my eyes settling on a parking garage, the top floor void of the creations of Man, and with them, any sign of life. I circle above it once, letting the greasy dyed locks slip from my hand. His screams can be heard for a few moments before he lands and realizes he’s unharmed. I land silently, only the rustle of cloth betraying my presence as my cloak drapes over my body, blocking my means of propulsion from view. He turns and looks at me for a minute, and I laugh as I realize he’s attempting to use those eyes against me. He runs; he thinks speed will save him. Stupid…
He looks back to see how close I am; only he doesn’t see me. He turns back around and skids to a halt, his mouth hanging open. I stand there, reaching to my side and drawing a slender dagger from a pouch. I hold it up so he can see it. His look of shock turns to one of contempt. He chuckles and says to me, “I don’t know who you think you are, kid, but you’re way outta your league.” With that, he takes a step towards me. I’m already moving when he’s mid-step. With a whisper on the wind, I wrap my arm around his chest, holding onto his shoulder. My leg slides past his, stopping behind and in between them. I smirk softly, because now I know I’m just showing off. With a flick of my wrist, he’s thrown to the ground, my leg twisting so that his back lands on my knee. I figure, what the hell, and drive it home, vertebrae breaking from the impact. I slide my knee out from under him and squat down, tilting my head a bit to get a better look at him. He looks up at me, pleading not to kill him. I twirl the dagger in my hand, flipping it over once, twice, three times, so the handle is facing him. I hold it there, waiting to see his next move. He takes it…wrong move…a gunshot resounds the roofs, and I can hear people on the ground shouting and running for cover. I reach down and pick up the dagger, letting him writhe in the pain of a shattered elbow. Unconsciously, I smile, and I can feel him staring at my own fangs, shocked and confused. “Why are you doing this to me? We’re both vamp-irk!” A blade slides through a corpse’s sternum. A hand twists a dagger handle. A ribcage is cut in half, exposing the heart. Liquid light drips from the blade as it slides itself into the exposed muscle, the purifying aura melting it into broth. I step back as he lets out a squeak…it’s all he can do before his body bursts to ashes that are blown away in the wind. I walk over and wipe the dagger on the piece of leftover clothing that’s still clean before sliding it back into the pouch. ******** hate the lower class…II A woman screams, stumbling back as her midnight stalker envelopes her within his cape. Her screams turn to moans…some perverts scattered around the theater reach down between their legs at the sound. I just stand in the back row, laughing to myself. It’s amazing how pathetic humans can be…and how ignorant. The movie has the name Dracula in it, and that alone discredits it to just another piece of crap to milk the consumers. King of the vampires…maybe, but he’s nothing compared to even the lowliest of my kin. Some humans think that vampires and vampyres are the same things. They’re idiots. Even the lowliest vampyre could stand toe-to-toe with the so-called “king”, and probably win, too. I slip out of the theater as a group of “vampire hunters” start staking their targets in their coffins. Cliché…
Footsteps echo against the alley walls. A wind blows through, sending my cloak fluttering in the wind. Shadows block my exit. I turn back and see more shadows. I’m surrounded, with little room to move around…a minor inconvenience. “Yo, ese! We been hearin’ stories ‘bout ‘choo, holmes!” w*****k… “Yeah, ya little biyatch! We hear you been turnin’ traitor an’ s**t, *****. Why ya gotta hate like that?” ******…now all we need is- “Oye, Wang! Come teach this pendeho a lesson!” c***k…well, the gang’s all here. Wang steps forward, grinning broadly, proud of his fangs…looks like even as a vampire, he got screwed…he starts jumping around, hands and feet a blur of movement. I recognize the stances. Kung Fu. He comes at me with a jump kick, sounding like a ******** up Bruce Lee. A heel rams into a face, the crunch of a breaking nose painfully audible. The w*****k is on his a**, cursing in Spanish. Wang’s got a look of confusion on him, and the ******’s already backpedaling, muttering under his breath, “******** this s**t, ******** this s**t, ******** thi-WHAT THA ********?!” He’s flying forward, knocking Wang onto the w*****k. There’s six of ‘em, counting the w*****k, ******, and Wang. The other three are posers, jumpin’ at me in unison, pulling shivs from their pockets. Apparently, they don’t want to kill me, just teach me a lesson. Right…
I shift my footing, sliding to the left of the incoming points. Fluid, like water, I reach into my pouch and draw a dagger, bringing it up and pulling back, the blade edge sliding deep into their exposed arms, severing the tendons. My leg snaps up and out, catching the closest of the three in his side. He rams into the other two like a bullet, the impact crushing all the ribs on that side, while the other side is smashed against the alley wall. Wang’s back for more, dropping down from the air, a baby eagle making its first kill…against a tiger. All my weight shifts to my back leg, and I slide out of the way as Wang lands right where I was a second ago. Already his leg is locked and snapping out at my kneecap. If I were still human, he might’ve connected…probably shattered the cap, too…as it were, I twist my leg so that his heel brushes against the inside groove behind my knee. My leg twists back, locking his foot there, and I shift forward, slamming my palm against his shin. “Dayum!” the ******’s just in shock, and I use that moment to wraps my arm around Wang’s now shattered leg, swinging him around and tossing straight into the ******’s exposed chest. The cement cracks as they slam into the building across the street. I walk over to the w*****k, the only member of the group still conscious, and squat down to stare him in the face. He bares his fangs at me, but I can see the fear in his eyes. I tap on the bridge of his broken nose with two fingers, causing him to yelp in pain. “Get this straight, moron. I’m not one of you, and even if I were, I would still kick your a** for the way you act…you’re like little ******** kids with guns…so do yourself a favor, clean up your act, and stay the ******** out of my way…next time you try to pull a stunt like this, I will kill you. All of you…” His only response is a scream of agony as I drive my point home…into his genitals. I pull the dagger free and wipe it off on his clothes, then continue on my way, taking flight once I’m out of view. I’m getting sick of dealing with these idiots…maybe I’ll go see what the others are up to…take a visit to the castle…
III The ground rises up to meet me, ruins all that are left of a place I once called home. These crumbling pillars…this rotting wood…I remember when it was not so. This was once a grand castle, full of life and honor. The laughter of children…the banter of my peers…the battle cries of rivals…I remember, and I lament. My sorrow turns to rage. I see its downfall and I can feel my body trembling uncontrollably…
The shining orb rests lazily in the sky, sending warmth upon us. Metal grates against metal, echoing off the walls. I watch with a contented smirk as my close friends spar in friendly rivalry. Despite what one another say, they are indeed as twins…they are even height and weight, and sport the same fashionable capes around their necks. Their clothing, hair, and features were what separated one from the other. “Is that the best you’ve got, Henry?” shouted Jacob teasingly. He was of strong stock, his shoulders broad and rough, a contrast to his fair face. He may have inherited his father’s build, but his head belonged to his mother. His eyes were ripe almonds hanging from tree in the fall; his hair, a shimmering onyx; his skin, ivory incarnate. The slender, slanted look of his eyes is the only betrayal that he is not of full blood. “I’ve only just begun, laddie!” cried Henry with glee, the sunlight reddening his already ruddy skin. He had bountiful cheeks, and already a hint of a beard was playing at his chin. His eyes were obsidian spheres, and he hard a rather large nose. His body is tapered, compared to Jacob’s, the lean muscles aiding in his agility. With a cry, they both strike, their blades bouncing off each other before grinding together. “You both realize this is a fool’s challenge, do you not?” I shouted from the wall. They break apart and turn to face me, Henry stabbing his sword into the ground and resting upon it. “Oh, so he speaks at last! An’ I suppose you think you could do better, do yeh?” Henry yells back, a grin on his face. “Why my dear Henry, I believe he means that he can take us both on at once!” replies Jacob, loud enough for me to hear. I grin and push myself off the wall, yawning and drawing my own blade lazily. I make my way towards them murmuring, “Sounds like fun! May the best man win?” Jacob and Henry ready their swords, grinning and replying in unison, “We intend to!” before charging towards me. I know them too well. I make my own charge, watching as Jacob begins to circle around to flank me. Henry cries out, feinting in front of me before jumping to the side. I slide to a halt and they both come at me, Jacob going high, Henry low. With fake cry of despair, I bend at the knees and push off, going into a back flip. Jacob, ever observant, already begins to adjust his swing, in an attempt to force a loss of balance on my part. No such luck, as I catch myself on palms, already letting my momentum carry me back onto my feet again, my sword already up in front of me, blocking Henry’s next blow. I let myself give way, pivoting my hips and stepping back once, while forcing Henry’s blade to slide down my own towards the ground behind me, as he loses balance and stumbles forward, my foot reaches out and trips him as I twist my sword and tap him smartly on his rump. Already, Jacob comes at me, his point at my chest. I throw my weight to the side, falling over and catching myself with my free hand, my sword rising up and knocking the point away as I kick out, catching Jacob in his stomach. He falls back, the wind knocked out of him, and I twirl on my heel, sidestepping and tapping Henry again as he comes at me from behind, only to get another shot on his rump that sends him tumbling into Jacob. I stand there leaning against my sword for support, laughing at the tangled mess that is now my two best friends. They pry themselves away from each other, glare up at me, and then burst out laughing, too. All is well…
I’m woken from a restless sleep to sounds of women’s screams and men’s battle cries. In an instant, I rise from my room, sword in hand, and rush through my door, down to the courtyard, where the sounds are greatest. The sight that greets me stops me dead in my tracks. The dirt is muddy with blood. In the middle of the courtyard, strangers are piling corpses higher and higher. All the castle inhabitants are there: servants, knights, even the lord. A yell from across the courtyard snaps me out of my reverie, and I look over to see Jacob and Henry fighting against the strangers. My skin crawls as I realize that the strangers are dodging their strikes with unnatural speed. Without a second thought, I make my way towards them, using what little materials left in the courtyard as coverage. I stealthily make my way toward the strangers, realizing with a jolt that one is female. She is merely standing back, watching the two men wear down my friends. She must be the leader, I think to myself, and make my way toward her, shifting the grip on my sword. I’m less than five feet from her when Jacob gives out a cry, the man grabbing him and slamming him against the wall with a force I’ve never seen before. At that moment, I make my move, kicking out the woman’s knee to drop her, and holding my sword against her throat. “HOLD, or your leader will die!” I shout to the men. They quickly turn around, completely ignoring Jacob and Henry, who are now too tired to attempt to take advantage of the situation. I shudder visibly as I see the men grinning at me, fangs glinting in the firelight. “Vampires…,” I whisper to myself, and hear a chuckle coming from the woman I am holding captive. I blink, and suddenly our roles are reversed: The woman now has me on my knees, holding my own sword to my throat. “Silly child,” she says in a voice too evil for me to believe that it’s coming from the body standing before me, “You are brave, indeed, but you were a fool to think you could do anything to help your comrades. Now, I grant you the gift of watching them die.” And with that, the two men turn back to Jacob and Henry, batting their swords away as if they were made of wood. They were playing with them, I think bitterly, and I shift slightly to try and gain some footing, only to feel the tip of my sword digging into my neck. “Now now, be glad I’m granting you this last look on them,” she says, giving me a smile that chills me to the bone. Slowly, she lowers herself down until we’re face to face. Were I not beyond myself with rage, I would say she is one of the most beautiful women I’d ever met. As it were, I’m tempted to spit in her face. I expect her to do any number of things, maybe even rip my face off with those fangs of hers…what I don’t expect is a kiss. She stares straight into my eyes, and I feel myself slipping into the darkness. Out of sheer force of will, I turn to look at Jacob and Henry, a lump forming in my throat at the look of betrayal they give me. “Traitor! Hypocrite!” their looks scream at me, and I can’t bear to see the hurt, so I look back to the woman, giving myself into her dark allure. I don’t even hear they’re final cries as their lives are forfeit…
The next two years of my life are spent as her human plaything. I learn about her species…the vampyre…the upper class…those of honor, glory, and intelligence…I learn of the lower class, the fools, the disgraces. I learn her name is Xianadia…Mistress Xianadia to her minions. I can’t say no to her. I don’t want to. I love her; I hate her. She takes a liking to me, and I call her Xia…I’m her little ********. Her toy…she gives me pleasure as I’ve never felt before, and a hatred that never dies. Then one day, she grants me the greatest gift of all. Eternity…I became one with her. With them. Free to wander forever…to hate and love her until the end of time…cursed to never meet my friends and family on the other side…
For a time I stay with her, and she seems to enjoy my company. Then one day she gets bored with me, as all children must tire of a new toy. She takes on others, and in my jealousy, I seek to be rid of them. She does not take kindly to my efforts. Not since the day I fell under her spell did I feel such pain. I can feel the violent convulsions of my body as I coughed up blood and bile. She rips my heart out, and takes my real heart with it. She keeps it as souvenir and abandons me, leaving me for dead. If only I had…Fate is not so kind. Without her spell, my blood turns to ice. I live on, and eventually a new heart replaces the old. A frozen heart…
With a roar, I rise into the sky. “XIANADIA!” my throat is ripped to shreds from my rage and sorrow. I turn back, now intent on finishing the job I started with those fools in the alley…they don’t deserve their gift, and I will make sure they won’t live long in their ecstasy…IV “Oye chica, how ‘bout ‘choo party with us, eh mamacita?” “Yeah yeah yeah, my *****, I tell ya, that b***h right there got some a** on her! Baby got back, an’ I want me a piece, y’know what I’m sayin’, dawg?” “Yeah, I hear ya, holmes! Es la chica caliente! Don’ ‘choo thin’, Wang?” “*****, you know that ********’ kung fu ******** only be likin’ his own tiny a** bitches. It’s the best he can get with that tiny s**t o’ his. Hahahahah-OW! Sonvabitch, ******** just kicked my shin, man!” “Hey, ‘choo deserved it, ese, goin’ ‘round talkin’ about guys s**t like that” They make me sick. It looks like they didn’t learn anything from our last encounter. Already they’re forcing a young lady into an alleyway, where the three posers lie in wait. They never reach their target. They have incredible hearing, but my movements will never be heard unless I wish it by the likes of them. I resist the urge to toy with them. Time is of the essence. Faster than even they could ever see, my dagger is through their hearts, the liquid light turning their insides into instant soup. With a swift kick, I send the bodies off into the dark alleyway to burst to ashes silently. She stops when she sees me, fearful that she’d been led into a trap. I merely walk past, murmuring to her as I go by, “Leave…”
The w*****k, ******, and Wang make their way into the alley, looking for the prey they lured in. “Yo, *****, where the hell be our snack, man?!” the ****** yells, baring his fangs at the w*****k. “Don’ start with me, ese! I saw her run up this way! Those other three pendehos were supposed to stop her!” “Yeah, well, it looks like those ********’ posers done and ditched us, man!” “ ‘Ey man, I’m not the one who agreed to let them hang with us! I never liked ‘em in the first place!” “Tsk, whatever, *****, this s**t ain’t gettin’ us s**t! Yo, Wang, let’s find us some more bitches!...Wang?”
“He’s dead…and you two are next.” They both snap their heads in the direction of my voice, but I’m already gone, leaving them to gaze in horror at the pile of ashes that was once the c***k. The ****** runs, as usual, muttering under his breath as he makes for the nearest exit out of the alley. He makes it out of the alley…about a head shorter. The w*****k is now screaming like so many of his victims as the ******’s head rolls to stop in front of him. Just before the head bursts to flames it says, “Yo man. This s**t is ******** up.” I can’t help it. I laugh. I laugh long and hard. I’m laughing as the skin and muscles burn up and blow away. I’m laughing as I stab the w*****k through the heart. It was just too funny. By the time I finally calm down, I almost miss the letter in the w*****k’s pocket. I snatch it before it begins to burn. I open it up casually and glance over it.
¡Masquerade de la Revelación!
Come one; come all to a night you shall ne’er forget of dancing, musique, and masques galore! A ball that exists only in your dreams will occur only if you live out the nightmare of revelation this night.
…We are expecting you…
• Location: El Castillo de la Leyenda “The Castle of Legends” – Capital City
• Date: June 6, 2006
• Apparel: Formal - suits and gowns. All must wear a masque.
• Time: From Dusk ‘til Dawn
I’m wondering how the hell he got such an invitation, then I realize with a jolt. ‘El Castillo de la Leyenda’…It’s Xianadia’s place. “Well, it seems you were of some use after all, weren’t you?” I ask no one in particular, seeing as how they’re all dead and dust. Suits and masques, huh? Not a problem…
The big night. I make sure to wear my best suit, just for the occasion. I even have a cape. My mask slides onto my forehead, covering my entire left side save for the lower jaw, a la Phantom of the Opera. It seems like a normal enough event. I even see some high profile people that are still alive dancing, but the majority are my kin and the lesser. I find a dance partner for myself. She’s pretty good looking. Her hair is blonde, but I can tell is not her natural color. She definitely isn’t alive, so I decide try my charm and see if she is kin to me or not. She has a collar around her neck, which gives me suspicions, but no proof. She whispers sweet nothings in my ear which really are nothing to me. “I want you,” she says, and I go along with it. I pass my hand over her face, feeling her eyes close, and I can’t help but grin. I’m sure somewhere in her mind she’s wondering what she’s doing. “Where to, love…?” I see that smile, and I know exactly how she feels. As the song ends, we clap out of respect and make our way out through double doors, into the night sky. She started giggling like a schoolgirl, and I just shake my head in disbelief.
She takes my hand and leads me off to a secluded set of trees, where she shoves me onto the ground. I catch myself to keep my clothes from getting scuffed, then take her hand and pull her on top of me. “They say I hold the kiss of death,” she murmurs, and my suspicions grow, but I go along with it, after she kisses me saying, “That wasn’t very nice of those who fed you that horrid lie.” We start getting comfortable. She cuddles with me, hugging and kissing, feeling around to see where I respond best. I fake it for her sake. Lost an appetite for this sort of fun a long time ago. After a while, we switch roles, and just because I don’t do it anymore, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to. My hands trace her body, fingers caressing in all the right places. I can tell she’s enjoying it as I lay her down, leaning down and kissing her forehead gently. Her careful little smile widens too much at that point. I see what I need to, and I know what she is. I shake my head slowly, murmuring, “Thought so…” Her smile fades and her eyes open wide as she hears those words and my tone of voice. “I’m sorry this had to end so soon,” I mutter, not meaning of word of it to this trash. I need a quiet kill, so I lock lips with her one last time, now repulsed by the thought of the filth entering my mouth, and give her a good night kiss. I pick myself up and dust off, murmuring to the corpse, “The kiss of death indeed, m’dear.”
I take my time walking to the double doors, lost in thought. This whole event was hosted by Xia, but for what purpose? And what will I do when we meet? I had no doubt I would run into her. She was probably biding her time, being fashionably late. I let a half smile cross my lips as I slip back into the crowd, my mask already holding firm on my face. “Collars…they’re noticing their own kind with collars,” I mutter under my breath, “Figures…” My footsteps echo through the room, and it takes me a few seconds to realize that the music has stopped, all eyes focused in one direction. I follow their gaze, performing a subtle double take as I realize just who exactly is walking down those steps. The name escapes my lips in a quiet whisper before I can stop myself, “Xia…”
She’s as beautiful as ever, donned in all white apparel. I watch the fluid motion of her gown, remembering her graceful movements. Her hair, in its intricate design, put snow to shame, and the feathers which covered her mask seem to flutter of their own accord. I recognize them…no animal on this backwards planet would have such beautiful patterns. An angel died tonight, I thought to myself, my lip twitching slightly, She pulled out all the stops for this. She halts at the bottom steps and looks around at her guests, a regal air about her. With a nod from her, the festivities continue on, and I find myself rooted to where I stand. I can’t take my eyes off her. Already I can feel my resolve slipping away as she glides towards me effortlessly. “Good evening, sir. Shall we?” She asks, but from her tone of voice, she won’t take no for an answer. I couldn’t say it even if I wanted to. She once again has me under her spell, and I feel myself murmur, “Indeed…” and take her hand, letting her guide me onto the dance floor, giving me the lead. Memories flash in my head, and I regain myself not a moment too soon. She looks at me with those eyes, and this time I feel nothing and hear her question clearly, “Does he have a name?” I can see recognition deep in those pools of darkness, and reply, “He does, and you will find out over time, Xia.” She blinks, and I know mentioning her name has shaken her, if only momentarily. “You know me…” She states it, stalling to regain her composure. “I do,” I murmur, spinning her around easily, keeping pace with the change in music, “…very well in fact.” “Oh?” She asks, her thoughts collected once more, “How’s that?” My feet prepare, and I arch her back, dipping and leaning in close to her. Our eyes lock for the first time since she left me for dead, then murmuring, “I have my ways,” as I pull her back up, I feel her take the lead, as if it had been hers all along. A casual flick of her wrist signals the band to change the tempo of the music. “Mysterious one, you are, Xanatos,” I hear her say, and we both know each other again. “This party,” I ask her, “…there was a reason behind it, no?” I already know that there is. Xia was never one to do things completely on a whim. “A slayer is the reason,” she states simply, “Someone’s killing my children simply because they are new-aged. We’re searching for him tonight. He’s here.” It’s too much of a coincidence. The question is, who was it? My mind flashes back to that greasy haired fool. s**t…
The thought of me killing my own sickens me, but he should have known better. With that, a new train of thought enters my mind, the frozen heart pumping, turning me cold. I steal the lead back from her and lean in closer to her, whispering in her ear, “Perhaps the slayer is killing for another reason,” Her body tenses up at these words, “jealousy that could shatter the coldest heart, maybe.” She stops us both mid step, pulling away and staring at me. “You’ve found him…” Death sounds like a fire truck compared to the silence in this place. Everything stops, and her glare screams to me the numerous tortures I will face, despite her calm voice when she says, “It’s been a long time…you were just a pet. I thought you were dead.” It almost sounded like an excuse. “I know, but I struggled through the dying part,” I replied, the ice in my veins fueling my sense of vengeance, “Now I live to kill everything you actually mean to keep alive, because they don’t deserve you or your ‘gift’.” Her gaze goes past me, and I crane my neck back to see some creature descending from the stairs. “We’ve found our slayer, Matthias,” she murmurs to the being. “Is he your new ‘pet’?” I ask, not bothering to hide my scorn, “He isn’t even of the right species.” Without hesitation she replies, “He is my lover, not my pet.” Damn her. She’s doing it again. I can feel my frozen heart splintering and cracking in my chest. The ice in my blood is ripping through the blood vessels. That b***h…
I’m hiding the inner turmoil, but it takes effort. I barely even notice what’s going on until the vampires start feasting on humans. The sight sickens me. I feel Xia shove me backwards, and I fall back into Matthias, who locks his arms around me tight, immobilizing me. “You’re messing with the wrong ancient,” she growls, then turns towards the guests and roars. The vampires halt in their feast, and several victims rise into the air as she lifts her arms up, ripping off her mask for everyone to see her face. With a laugh, the humans in the air literally explode, sending blood raining down upon everyone except her. Hoses in the ceiling begin pouring blood, and I am introduced to a side of Xia I had never seen. These actions, this was not what I had been taught by her. This meaningless feasting on humans, this was what the lesser kind did, not us. I hide it as Xia grabs me, but I feel the frozen heart cracking inside me, the ice in my veins ripping through and cutting into the muscle. “So you’re killing because you’re sour?” she asks. I look up at her and murmur, “No, I’m killing because I hate the cocky new-aged bastards.” She slams me against a wall, driving ice shards deeper into my back. “You think you’re old enough to be considered anything else?” she growled, “If anyone is cocky, it’s you. I’m not even worried about anything anymore. It’s just you,” her voice is like my own dagger being stabbed into me. So, that’s what they felt…she continues, “I thought I was up against a challenge. Get out of my sight.” My world is spinning. I wind up flat on my back on the blood soaked floor, smack dab in the middle of the room. I quickly pick myself up, inwardly wincing at the shards ripping my muscles apart. I see her making her way to the staircase. “You’ll see more of me, Xia. I’m far from finished,” I murmur, my voice echoing across the room. “So be it,” she replies, “You were a fool for surviving in the first place. At least against me you’ll be granted your death wish.” My rage gets the better of me and I just stand there glaring at her for a moment before straightening up, a faint smirk on my lips. She points at the exit, which opens up as he does so. I turn on my heel and walk out, the blood gathered on my suit nothing more than a memory. The doors slam shut behind me, and I keep up my façade until I am well out of sight of the castle. Ironically, I end up in the very alley where I got my invitation, and I collapse in the corner, too weak to do anything except sit there and think over the events of the night. She’s good…in less than 24 hours she had turned everything I believed in to dust…twice. My faith in my kin now severely shaken, I lean my head back against the wall, waiting for the shards in my body to work their way out and my heart to mend itself. What a night…
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:05 pm
Untitled
By Lilith_Ishtar
I Am: torn and reluctant
I wonder where my heart has flown
I hear the wings of invisible angels
I see the infinite blue of time's deep oceans
I want to soar accross the span of the skies
I am torn and reluctant
I pretend that I have silver wings
I feel a gentle breeze teasing my hair
I touch the stars, warm and light
I worry that the light will fade
I cry as my world is dying
I am torn and reluctant
I understand that alone I am powerless
I say that one raindrop can still raise the sea
I dream that the world will be renewed
I hope the beauty will never fade
I am torn and reluctant...
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