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| View Poll Results: Best Story is ....? | |||
| Story 1 |     | 1 | 4.55% |
| Story 2 |    | 4 | 18.18% |
| Story 3 |    | 5 | 22.73% |
| Story 4 |    | 4 | 18.18% |
| Story 5 |    | 8 | 36.36% |
| Voters: 22. You may not vote on this poll | |||
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07-11-2012
| #1 (permalink) |
| The AC Lonely Wolf  |  Story Contest July Edition - Voting Story Competition - July EditionRules:
Stories: Story 1 Spoiler Brother Webster Time i spent at the doctor on this problem I've been having,. It is a sour taste, and for some reason I couldn't eat much either, The most I ate in a few months was several gallons of milk cause this is all I could muster the rest of the time I just pieced on small sandwiches, or a slim Jim. Though it hurt my stomach some, still my favorite snack. I've been having this pain in my belly for over 2 years now and I kept trying not to let it disturb me, So I kept working on the farm I went to around 4 years ago. I am a hay baler lifting bales onto wagons and pitch forking the hay into the loft of the silo till it is full. My name is Dabney Day I lived in many cities till I moved here to get a job and get away from the bustle of those highways, honking horns, battling bars, and that power of justices there seem to go overboard, but enough of my past. I came here cause my friend said working here will be better for my health cause they say being a Notary Republic was killing me, So he got me a job on Friendly Hog Heaven Farms to this job. Though I think that dander off the hay is causing my eyes to burn and water and that stomach just got worse for some reason. The doctors around here seems to not be that good on diagnosing, and I know soon if this pain keeps up I know I will have to go back to that hustle and bustle of the metropolis to go get a x-ray. So if I don't get the diagnose from the next doctor in Tweedle on the other side of the valley I know I will be heading to the city hospital. After work on a Thursday I headed slowly on the farmers hay wagon with horse drawn trotting over the hills of these dirt roads, through the beautiful scenery, though not being able to enjoy it cause of holding my belly the whole way. I was not driving cause my buddy knew how I was feeling and he knew if I tried to drive I would end up into the creek near the road or maybe a ditch or tree, so he drove, plus he knew I wasn't good at driving horses either. Wells, houses, and Amish went by with out looking, though the children waved.My buddy waved back then the Mistress grabbed the child and pulled the child back upon my looks. It was quick and silent and to me disturbing, but I didn't feel like saying a word. The next stop sign, I had to get out to walk cause I was getting queasy. I had to spit and when I did it looked odd, but I didn't notice it that odd. Well in a few minutes I got back in and upon the looks of my buddy his faced looked as pale as mine. So I asked him Why? He scared me cause he was speechless, the only thing he said was "get in we need to get going!" Once in The Reigns was pulled hard, and it shoved me back into the seat,....I tried to say something, but he just had those horses in heavy trot and going at race speed. the dirt was coming up and I cough! Now I know why he was that pale of fear, there was a spider coming out of my nose and trying to get back in through my mouth. I swatted it and it went out upon the dirt road right under the wagon wheel, though I couldn't tell if it was squashed or not. Right after that I yelled. " Hurry!" Silence came from him as he seemed to know I had to get to Doc Arack Neefoba in Tweedle as fast as he could make it there. Suddenly he halted and I flew out onto a hay Stack. I held my stomach and shakingly crawled out after hitting that hay hard. I turned around and looked at him. He then pointed at that building and then he backed away from the the stack. He tied on the post hitch and waved me in, seemingly say hurry by waving. I understood, even though feeling week I hunchback my way into the doc holding my belly Now in worry. The doctor saw me and send me right into the back patient room quickly. the doctor then took his time and by the time the doctor made it in the room I was in almost faint. The doc didn't even take my pulse or even listen to my heart. He noticed I was about to collapse so he told me to lie down. When I did I passed out. the next thing I knew I was awoken up "hey, Dabney you feeling okay!" My Brother Webster replied in a worry look. I couldn't say a word, just shook my head I think. He told me to stay lying down, so I did. I was looking around and I saw webs every where in this strange hospital room. The room was surrounded by mesh and no doors or windows to come in or out. Weird it was the only I was thinking Why is my brother here too? But in away I was glad I had company, then I went back to sleep. Upon waking again I awoke in that room with fear as the web seemed to got thicker, and more spiders must of spread and then I suddenly I realized I was in the Queen spiders den. I had no Idea where she was, though another strange thing my brother was gone! I awoke suddenly! "What's going on! Where is my brother! Where is that Queen Spider oh where. Oh never mind, gees what a dream!" I babbled wildly then calmed down and looked around and I noticed I was in the doctors office though a shabby room, but good enough. The Doctor grabbed me and held me down til I stopped struggling as the panic of what I just saw he must of knew I would of panicked like that. Once he knew I was calmed he left go and left the room. Then my buddy came in carrying what I think was the spider that I saw. He slowly brought it my way it got bigger and bigger then that thing said "Hi Dabney its me Webster!" I gulped! That's right I don't have any brothers and sisters why would I think that thing was my brother I wondered. Then It replied " I am a enchanted mix spider and person that had been turned into this by the evil straw fairy in that barn you have been working in!" That thing replied. "hmm that could be, but I can't believe you, just can't cause I had this pain in my stomach since I lived in the city four years ago, and I moved here two years ago, So what's going on?" I asked and explained. My buddy shook his head then through that thing in the fire as it screeched" I'll remember this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Then my buddy wrote on a pad, you had that species in your belly but you had cancer too. There was surgery done and you should be ok. Pain you had was that thing was living on your cancer and it was saving your life by doing so. Once the doc opened you up it crawled right into that cage. "Gulp!" I went then I realized my friend in the city was right that coming to the country would probably save my life and it did. After I recovered I wired a note to my friends and told them the truth: I got a note back from a girl that liked me: Glad you are better, but I think you are sick in the head!" i couldn't say a word I would of thought that too upon reading.. I had a Ugly Spider eating my cancer saving my life that got inside me baling hay and it was eating the slimy cancer that I had before I came here. So the country wildlife ate and save my life, Thank you for telling me to go to the country side: P.S. The Spider was my brother Webster I never had he loved me way to much, but he saved my life...I never had any siblings so he talked to me cause he was enchanted creature that was human as a evil hay fairy turned him into this, but now he is gone where I don't know, but he might be helping other cancer filled people by eating it.... Well I'm now wandering around with a life without belly pain. Thank for the tip from your old working buddy Dabney Day! I don't think they meant saving my life was to be by this way and they probably didn't believe the Spider was a enchanted talking mixed ugly human and spider either. No wonder she might thought I was a sicko! Story 2 Spoiler Joseph Imagine a world which all starts to fear. A world in which a simple thing changed everything we knew and the way we lived in just few minutes, separating in two parts. The light where the normal humans live and the darkness where they live and we fear. A world that can take anyone of us anytime without a warning. Everything changed in a night which happened fifty years ago. A laboratory experiment leaked outside and “killed” mostly of the earth population in few days. But the virus didn’t bring the sweet and peaceful death that all wished and prayed. The infected ones lost their humanity… The symptoms of this dreadful illness are like an ordinary cold, than the whitening of the skin , the absence of the appetite, insomnia, the change of the iris color toward white ,the continuously thirst for blood and fresh flesh and in an end cannibalism. ..They gave it a simple name – vampirism and summered half of the world in darkness to eradicate it. *** “Joseph?” A young women voice was hearing through the old hall of a building which looked like will almost collapse. “Where are you!.” And the voice stopped and a heavy breathing and rushed steps like someone was running. The girl was rushing toward the exit of the building on the roof. She opened the rusty door and a hot air hit her face. In her face near the balustrade was a boy looking at a garden below. He was pallid, skinny and his blond hair was messy and covered his eyes. His skin color was whiter than how it should be normal and all his life people where scared of him. “Here you are!” said the girl relieved and ran toward him and hugged him from behind. “Why don’t you answer?” The girl asked. Then she continued. “Our parents are waiting. They said to find you and take you to make some tests. You looked sick in these past few days. Nanny is worried about you” “I’m fine” Said slowly like a whisper the boy while he continued looking at the garden which was neat the building. Joseph turned back to his sister and smiled gently like always done toward her and kissed her lips. “Let’s go Angelique; our “mommy” will be worried if you’re not before sun will set down in the house” then said like nothing happen while took her hand and pulled her toward the door. . The girl got a bit surprised by her brother gesture because he never done that before and was strange kissing her like that, but she said in her mind that might have been due the fatigue of the road and that the meeting with their parents, which where doctors. The meeting didn’t went smoothly and the boy got treat with cold and bad words of despise from his own mother, when they arrived to stay few days at the clinic they where working. Joseph was always hated by all due his white color and the fact he could not stay much in the sun because his skin was starting to burn and make him feel sick. My mother always was yelling at him, even where we were little. She never took him in her arms or comforted him when he was falling ill and could not move from the bed with the weeks. From the day we arrived here our parents barely spoke with him and when they did they only said few words and passed by him like was just a stranger. The only persons who loves him is me and the nanny who raised and took care of us, while they where to busy or trying to stay away from the house. I don’t know the reason why my parents hate him so much and I’ll do all my best to find out and stop this treatment toward him. Is not an animal, is just a fifteen old boy who yearns that someone to say one the word “I love you”. When they arrived at the clinic the sun started to fade away letting behind a crimson color on the sky. Angelique looked a bit scared toward it but looking to Joseph noticed a sinister smile and a hollow look in his eyes while the wind scattered his bangs. She closed her eyes and opened them back. Joseph was back to his normal and calming way, smiling gentle and said toward her” why you look so scared”, and passed near her, thinking her mind was playing a trick to her. On the clinic entry the brothers where been waiting by their mom who took Joseph and twitched him inside for being late to his daily examination oh which his parents prepared for him while we stayed in visit. They always closed the laboratory door each time they was taking him there and the examination was always between a hour or two more than the usual, which more than few minutes home was. My brother always was taken a red pill. My parents was saying it is for not making him sick outside or his skin not to burn, though during day was rarely going out. Lately he was looking more pallid, tired and not speaking to much. This situation started like two month before we came here. “Angelique!” said a woman to the girl. “Don’t you want to eat?” “No. Thank you. I’ll wait my brother as well to come”. Said the girl while she was organizing a vase with some flowers she brought from the garden today which was near the old building. Then the girl opened the tv and gave on a news channel. She remains to a news which made her shiver, always when they were telling about new cases of the illness. “More cases of vampirism in the poor areas of the island started to appear lately. After a period of break in which mostly of the doctors from the all world said that might “stopped”, the illness broke out rapidly in some areas of the world. Though still isn’t a treatment even after fifty years, the families keeps the sick people hidden by the authorities, letting out in this case to more victims. The authorities let a new announce this morning to the country citizens: “ All who know cases of vampirism or people which has symptoms similar announce immediately the proper authority. We will take care of the people which aren’t sick. Of those who are is important to give them to us to send them away from the healthy population” And the news continued. Angelique closed the tv and started to look on the window. The hospital lights in some rooms were still open but odd was that the laboratory one in which her brother should had been are closed. She wasn’t scared of the illness. But the girl was always feeling sorry for all who got sick, for those even they weren’t will be punished as well and send in the darkness. A place where nobody wants to go. All prisoners from jails had the same destination like the one with the disease. She always thought that poor souls where the “food”, there for them . “Angelique?, On what you think?” Was her brother voice which just entered in the room. He looked tired and his dressing gown which his mother gave before examination was all wet from sweating. He rushed toward her and hugged her and put a small yellow flower in her hair then took her hand and said to her that in two days they can go home and smiled innocent and rushed upstairs to change for the dinner. The girl reply to him on the table by saying few single words “on nothing”, and she smiled while the news was still fresh in her mind and the images from those who got sick. In that night Angelique couldn’t sleep. Images were coming one by one in her mind making her roll from a part to other of the bed. In the quiet of the night she heard a noise. Was the door from exit opening. She went to the window and saw her brother walking toward the old building. Odd was that he was completely naked. He collapsed after took few steps. The girl got scared and ran toward him. She covered his feverish and weak body with a blanket that she took from her room in haste. Angelique started to scream for here parents but nobody came. The girl tried to lift him up from the cold ground but his body was too heavy though mostly was only skin and bones. She ran in the house to her nanny room but nobody was there, neither in the servants part of the house or their parents. She started crying and calling everyone without an answer. She returned outside but Joseph wasn’t anymore where he collapsed. The only thing was a pool of red fluid and pieces of flesh and torn clothes. Her legs started to shake and when she looked behind, Joseph was filled with blood and his eyes where dead. She screamed “Joseph” and then nothingness. The girl woke up suddenly and noticed she felt asleep on the sofa near the window. “Sis? You have an awful look this morning.” Said laughing Joseph who entered in her room with a arm full with wild flowers. “Had a bad night?” “Just didn’t sleep well.” Replied the girl still confused looking at him. “Did you went out last night?” She asked. “Oh! Do you spy me now?” The boy said. “Yes I did. Was to hot in the house.” “No, just thought I saw you that all. Thought I only dreamed.” The girl tried to take the flowers from her brother but he took one step behind. After few moments he dropped them on the floor and stepped in them walking slowly toward her. He leaned with the head on her chest and started cough blood and collapsed on her feet. Angelique got scared and called her parents which came fast when they heard her voice. “Mom… Is something wrong with Joseph?” Her father took him in his arms and rushed toward the clinic. There they stopped the girl and the women which was with them on the entry and locked the door. Angelique couldn’t stop crying and then her mother came out and gave her a pill to calm her down saying that the boy got just a small cold and because of his week body had been a complication but he will be good… Been a week since her brother collapsed and that was the last time she saw him. Her parents only saying that he is under treatment and soon they could both leave home. But she knew her mother was lying. She was always playing with her hair. When Angelique asked to see him, her mother said no and turned away and left inside the clinic letting the door to shut down slowly. In the same evening she went to the old building garden to relax and think what should do next. Entering the building she heard few voices. Where some nurses from the clinic which came to smoke and hide from the doctors, her parents. She came near to listen what they where saying and got shocked of the few words she heard “poor kid he will not last anymore” . After heard this words the girl ran in the house directly to her nanny. She thought that she might know something but the room was empty and same the closet. From her window Angelique noticed that the nurses are coming back and had an idea. To enter after the nurses, because remembered that the door shut down slowly when she talked with her mother. She rand toward the clinic and stayed hidden around the corner waiting that them to enter. The moment she noticed the door started to close she rushed and stopped it with her hand while she was trying to breath. Inside was an eerie silence. Mostly of the rooms where empty and the doctors or the nurses it was like they entered the ground. Angelique looked in each room and nothing. The only place she didn’t looked was some kind of basement, thee her father told once was their laboratory and is forbidden to enter each time they where coming in visit to the clinic. She tried to force the door but opened easy. It was dark and in a small room a she heard a sluggish gasp. When she entered she felt nausea and cold shivers on her back. There was an awful smell. When she looked closely she noticed that the room was filled with dead bodies of people which had a white skin. Few tables ahead the gasp was clearer. Though she was scared she walked slowly ahead. She almost screamed but she abstained. In her face was a naked young boy bound by the table and filled with blood and wounds. From his bellybutton toward his neck at an ugly cut which was freshly sewed. On the hands he still had fresh marks which were bleeding badly. His blond hair was soaked by the red liquid and his body was burning in high fever. The girl felt sick and almost throw up but slipped on the wet floor and felt down with the face in her brother blood which slowly was slipping from the table. Though she was scared she tried to release him but couldn’t with her bare hands and she started to look for a knife. The stench from the small room was awful. When she did ran back to him and started cutting the strands in which he was held. “ Angelique? Is that you?” With a weakly voice the boy from the table asked. When he opened his eyes in his face the girl was crying and she was filled with blood on her cloths and face, trying badly to wipe it out. She replied by shaking her head because she couldn’t speak. She noticed that the boy color eyes where still green and she felt relieved. The boy closed them and fainted while she was trying to awake him before someone to come. “Angelique?!” An angry voice called her name from behind. “Leave fast from here and took her hard from her arm and throw her outside. The person who yelled at her was her father. “What you’re doing, are you crazy, you want to die?…” And the yelling continued while he was holding from her arm and took her upstairs in the clinic where her mother and the nurses heard the noise and ran to see what happened. Angelique was confused and was asking why her little brother was there more dead than alive but nobody said to her anything. The mother said to the nurses to incinerate the room before is too late and looked back to the girl and slapped her. The girl started to scream and cry at the haring of her mother words and she tried to tell her that her son is still alive. At the hearing of this words the women looked cold at her and said “that creature will never be my son, I never gave birth to it”, and waited the nurses to come. Suddenly a noise was heard from the basement but they didn’t pay much attention. While all was with their backs toward it Angelique was the only one which saw the door opening and saw her brother coming out crawling out. She managed back then to cut mostly of the strands which kept him bound by the table. Slowly he started to rise up in his feet’s and supported by the all wall he started slow to walk toward them letting behind a trail of blood behind and on the wall from his hand and shoulder. Angelique got pallid and wanted to say something but she felt a node in her neck. Joseph had the same face she saw it back then in that evening. He stopped and with one of his hands gave his hair from his eyes on a way and felt on his knees startling his parents and the three nurses which where there. They started to go few steps behind slowly while the girl remained paralyzed in the same place. The boy raised his head and arms toward his parents and said few words “mommy…I’m burning…I’m thirsty…” and he dropped them down and his head went in his left part and remained cold with the eyes in the floor. The women yelled to the fourth nurse to come faster to give fire to the basement and the thing from their eyes. Angelique said yelling at her mother that he still is alive. Her father took in her arms and told her that the boy was sick since the moment he came in this world and only could keep him “human”, was by giving the red pills which where an experiment and which failed because it started changing is personality slowly and the mutant cells from his body overcame the pills effect in time, though was to late when they noticed. While they talking a nurse started to scream and Angelique felt on her face something warm. When she looked ahead Joseph was holding the nurse from head and chest in his arms and bit her from the neck taking a good piece of flesh in his mouth the spilled out and started licking her neck. After few second he dropped her down and started coming toward the rest. He passed by Angelique and threw her to the ground and jump over her. She started to fight but noticed he was stronger than he usually was. He wanted to bit her by the face but her father hit him hard in the head and kicked him in his stomach. He took the girl and said to run then pool out a gun and shot Joseph in the face. The bullet didn’t kill him though. After few minutes of thinking the doctor took him from a hand and started pulling him in an empty room. In the same room put the injured nurse which she was barely breathing. In the same evening Angelique shocked came to where her brother got locked to see him. But from the door glass neither he nor the nurse could be seen. She opened the door even though her father forbidden this. In a corner they saw them. He was upon her liking her neck wound. She heard footsteps and locked the door fast. She turn around shaking and in her face her mother came to tell her that the boy will be send off by the authorities on one of the islands which each sick person will have his final destination. She put her hands on her face and started crying. But she got scared by a noise from behind. When she turned back her brother was studding in the door. His eyes color lost its beautiful green she loved so much. He started to hit his head from the glass and she noticed that he lost his right eye due the shot from her father. Was and ugly wound. She put the hand on the glass and ran away. The glass became red. *** Few days later due the failure of the experiment on which my parents where working in secret for years for the government the clinic got shut down and burned to the ground. I ran away and wanted to hide in the garden that my brother loved it so much and where I saw his last innocent smile. I couldn’t look how they where treating him when he was hold to be put in the boat and send in that dreadful place. With him was also send the nurse which she was barely walking but her eyes where begging to not be taken there as well. They covered his eye with a bandage but the wound was still bleeding and his body with some kind of rag. The boy I knew like my little brother was long gone and my heart was shattered seeing him like that, suffering. He felt near the garden and got drag toward the boat mostly. I tried saying to not do that anymore but my mom stopped me. While seeing the boat starting I called his name. In that moment he turned toward me and opened his hands. Small petals started failing down and then he turned his back away from me and that was the last time I saw him three years ago . On the place he felt he wrote on the ground “free”. The truth hit me when I saw this was that he just wanted to die in peace on a place without being tortured and not loved by his own family. He still had human side but in the same time the illness took over him, slowly taking him toward darkness. He was in pain and suffering but nobody ever notice his scream … After three years I wonder who really was Joseph if wasn’t my real brother but nobody says a word. Story 3 Spoiler The Innocent (or, One Wrong Step) The new kid felt out of place; all the other students had found a way to belong by now. It was the middle of the term. Groups of teenagers shared gossip and homework answers in the poorly-lit hallways. Careless of the time, they ignored the slim, dark-haired boy as he hurried past, intent on finding a decent place to sit in the crowded cafeteria. After a week, he still had nobody to sit with at lunch. His navy tie, against the white, neatly-buttoned and tucked-in shirt, marked him as an outsider. His mom refused to let him wear the more casual wardrobe sported by the other kids who spilled from the school doors every weekday afternoon. "We have to make a good impression, Cory. Everyone is going to be watching us, and what we do reflects on your father." He had cringed at the words, but she pretended not to see. "In a small town like this, people hold the police chief's family to a higher standard. Just wait a while, until we're settled in more. Then, when people get to know us, we can relax a little." Back home, he would have gotten beaten up. Probably torn his shirt in the process, and spilled some blood for good measure. And that would have ended that - no more dress shirts to school. Here, for some reason, the glaring contrast between himself and the other kids seemed only to make him invisible. Cory skidded into line at the cafeteria counter, behind some upperclassmen who were laughing easily. The svelte girl in front of him glanced back, and rolled her thickly-fringed, ice-blue eyes. The boy broke out in a sweat. This young woman with the perfect figure and lovely oval face should have been glaring at him from the glossy pages of one of his mother's fashion magazines. He felt himself shrink under her scorn, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. "I told you guys!" She tossed her head, long waves of blond hair swinging back below her shoulders. "We should have gone out for lunch." Her voice had an exotic lilt in it which he couldn't place. "Hush, 'Dreya, you know that Yanno wanted to stay on campus today." The speaker, another upperclassman, leaned forward to inspect the cafeteria's offerings. He caught Cory's glance and smiled wryly. "Our uncle's restaurant serves a much better lunch." He slid his eyes up at the blonde's pouting, scarlet lips. "She prefers not to eat the food here." The young woman sniffed in disdain. Cory guessed that she also preferred not to linger in the presence of short, scrawny freshmen boys who did nothing but gawk at her perfection. He dropped his eyes in embarrassment. "This is ridiculous. I'll just eat when I get home," she said, and turned on her heel to walk away. Cory couldn't help it; his gaze followed her, lingering on the shapely length of her legs and the subtle sway of her hips beneath her tailored, dark-gray skirt. A gentle cough brought his attention back to the young man in front of him. "Just ignore her. I'm Mikal Bonafina," the teen said, pronouncing the name with what sounded to the freshman like a Spanish, or maybe Italian, accent. He extended his hand rather formally, with an encouraging smile. Gaping at the young man's hand for a moment, Cory noticed for the first time that the older teen was wearing a dark suit-jacket, hanging casually open over a white-collared shirt similar to his own. Of course, this student's shirt was left open at the top, with a loose tie that managed to convey an air of elegant indifference. It was completely unlike Cory's strangled, school-boy look. He glanced back at the departing girl, halfway across the cafeteria. She too was wearing what might pass for a conservative business suit, had the skirt been a few inches longer, or the neckline a few inches higher. Mikal chuckled indulgently at Cory's distraction. "She does have that effect on the males of the species," he commented. The boy blushed. "Oh, sorry... I'm Cory..." He hesitated as he shook the other's hand, then admitted his last name. He might as well; they would eventually find out anyways. "Cory Bennett." Something flickered in the depths of Mikal's gaze, but he only replied, "Glad to meet you." He dipped his head in a sort of bow. Through a gap in the glossy, chestnut hair which clung to the curve of his jaw, Cory glimpsed a silver stud in the shadowed ridge of his ear. At that moment, a blaze of copper popped into sight over the friendly teen's shoulder. "Mikal! Whatcha waiting for? You're holding up the line!" Another upperclassman, this one grinning like the Cheshire cat and topped with an untidy mop of bright red hair, gestured behind them. Cory and Mikal looked back and found to their embarrassment that the line had indeed gotten longer, despite the gap in front of them. They hurried forward, filling their trays. After finishing up at the cashier, Cory turned to go, but the tall redhead blocked his path cheerfully. "So... I didn't quite catch your name?" Cory repeated the information, and the youth's grin widened. "Ah... I thought that's what you said. My friends call me Red, for obvious reasons. See you around, Cory!" Without another word, he loped off in the direction that Mikal and the gorgeous girl had gone. Cory stared after the redhead for a moment. Had he really just introduced himself to two seniors? He shook his head, discarding the fantasy of instant popularity. He'd certainly made a fool of himself with the girl... no - the woman, he corrected himself. Lost in an entirely different sort of fantasy, he somehow found his way to a table with room to sit. He ate his food without tasting it, his eyes roving over the busy room, looking for his new acquaintances. When he finally saw them, he wondered how he'd missed them. Clad in dark-hued, conservative outfits that inexplicably made them look terribly cool, they stood out from the other students like half a dozen glossy ravens among a flock of common sparrows. In addition to the three students he'd already encountered, the group included three other young men. On the near side of the table, a bored-looking, platinum-haired individual straddled the bench, stretching his right leg out into the aisle. Beside him was the drop-dead blonde, exuding waves of irritation as she leaned away from him. Across from them and facing in Cory's direction, Red leaned forward, gesturing animatedly in the midst of some fascinating discussion. Beside Red, a more muscular figure shifted restlessly on the hard metal bench. To Cory's eyes, the bulkier young man seemed cramped at the relatively small, picnic-style tables. Between Mikal on the right, and the young woman on the left, sat a sixth person. This slender figure apparently commanded the table's attention, as all conversation seemed to be aimed in that direction. Shiny, jet-black hair fell straight down behind rounded shoulders. The inky river rippled gently, as the apparently quiet student's posture mirrored a shift of attention from one person to the other. Enthralled, Cory was watching them intently, when it happened. Without any warning, all six of the older students suddenly turned and stared - directly at him. The black-haired teen was a beautiful young man, whose soulful eyes and well-shaped mouth probably sent half of the girls he met crying into their pillows with envy, and the other half crying into their pillows with frustrated desire. His ebony gaze fixed Cory like a pin through a moth. Cory felt stripped, not just of any dignity he might possess, but of any pretense of self-importance or even any feeling of any self-worth. He squirmed inwardly under the cold, analytic stare for what seemed much longer than just a few seconds. At last, he was released, and the upperclassmen returned to their inexplicably interrupted conversation. Mystified and embarrassed, the boy hastily fled the lunchroom. + + + The next day, Cory spotted Mikal and Red in the lunch line again. He hung back and watched them, wondering why he hadn't noticed their little clique before. Obviously, they wouldn't share any of the same classes, but surely he would have remembered seeing them here. He positioned himself at the end of a bench, on the other side of a table of football players, hoping to avoid any contact with his new friends. Maybe he'd never seen them, because they never ate on campus. He sneaked a look at the six dark-suited students, who'd adopted the same seating arrangement as the previous day. He noticed that the blonde - Dreya, he remembered - had brought her own meal this time. She appeared to be arguing with the black-haired youth next to her. Apparently losing interest in the food after a moment, she shoved her container across the table towards the largest young man there. Happy to be the recipient of such a gift, the big teen lost no time attacking the leftovers. Meanwhile, the young woman's golden hair swayed mesmerizingly with her emphatic gestures. The freshman gazed at her skirt-wrapped, slightly bouncing bottom, where the curves didn't quite fit on the narrow bench. He wondered if she might lose her balance, if her movements became exaggerated enough. Finally, crossing her arms defiantly, she glared at the black-haired teen... only to slump her shoulders and turn her head away within a few seconds of eye contact. Suddenly, Cory choked, having bit down unexpectedly into a juicy, spicy pepper. Eyes streaming, mouth on fire, he fumbled for his carton of milk. He looked up and almost dropped the drink into his lap. Standing in front of him were two dark suits. Had they seen him staring again? He felt a deep blush flood his neck and cheeks. “Hey," said one suit, whom Cory belatedly recognized as Mikal, accompanied by Red. "You're Cory, right? The embarrassed freshman nodded. "Yeah... you remembered. Um - Mikal?" "You remembered, too!" The slender boy smiled and tilted his head, so that his ear-piercing showed through the dark brown hair. "Why're you sitting here all by yourself?" "Aww, can't you see he don't got any friends,” the redhead interrupted. “Come over and eat with us!" The seated boy winced at the crude, but true, assessment. Much as he wanted to make friends, however, he couldn't imagine the others of their group wanting his company. He was surprised when Mikal repeated the request. "Come on, don't sit here by yourself. Come meet everybody!" Cory shook his head. It was time to go before he embarrassed himself further. "No... I don't think that would..." He began gathering up the mess around his tray. "I- I really have to go study...." The other two students exchanged a glance. "Right now?" Mikal questioned. "Come on, they all want to meet you!" At this, Cory looked at him and raised his eyebrows. Mikal laughed. "OK, you got me; maybe not 'Dreya. But Yanno really wants to meet you. You should at least come over and get introduced." For a second, Cory wondered who this Yanno was; Mikal made it sound like meeting him was some kind of honor. The combination of curiosity and loneliness threatened to override his common sense, which made a last-ditch effort to assert itself. "Really... I've got a test," Cory lied, but his hesitation was like blood in the water, and the sharks struck. "Oh, you can study later!" Mikal grabbed his arm lightly but securely and pulled him towards the others. The redhead snatched up Cory’s tray. "I got this," he called out, sailing over to a trash bin. "You can thank me later!" Before the boy knew what had happened, he'd been led across the room and introduced. Now he was seated to the right of Yanno, the black-haired teen whom Cory had already begun to think of as the clique's leader. The platinum blond on the other side of Dreya was named Luc. Across the table, Red sat beside Stefan, the muscular teen who'd enjoyed Dreya's rejected lunch. Mikal had moved to the other side of the table, facing Cory, and he leaned forward to participate in the conversation. Cory sat stiffly amid the bantering comments. The discussion seemed to center on food, and how much better it must be anywhere else besides the cafeteria. Before long, someone suggested that Cory should come visit their family restaurant. It was soon decided that the bewildered boy must be their guest for lunch the next day, at Damiano's Fine Italian Dining. He demurred, and was surprised that the elegant Yanno pressed the point. "Why don't you join us, Cory? We're all looking forward to your company." The young man's arm waved gracefully to include the whole table. Mikal smiled his approval, Red grinned wolfishly, and Luc and Stefan both grunted their indifferent assent. Only Dreya held back. "Go on, Andréa," Yanno said, his voice cold. "Tell him." Dreya curled her lovely lip into a sneer, but she managed her own unconvincing appeal in Cory's direction. "Sure, come along. Why not." Her narrowed eyes seemed to dare him... but whether to accept or decline, he couldn't tell. "I... I don't know." He might not be able to secure a parental signature for the coveted Off-Campus Lunch Pass, he explained. Dreya let out a strangled sound. "Are you freaking kidding me? Why do we have to -" At a look from Yanno, the words died on her lips. She huffed in disgust and stalked off. Meanwhile, Red brushed off Cory's concerns. "It'll work out. Yanno has a way with people; you probably won't even need the pass at all. You'll see: he can twist anyone around that little finger of his -" "Enough, Noël!" Yanno cut off the effusive redhead's reassurances. Red's face paled with anger at the use of his given name, but he was silent. In the end, Cory promised to do his best to join them the next day. He left for class, his head still spinning. + + + Later that evening, a group of young people clustered in the shadows behind Damiano's. "Do you think he'll show?" "Of course, Mikal. We're his one shot at popularity, right?" "You don't think he suspects anything..." "No way, Stefan. His brain is so freaked that we're even acknowledging his existence, that he can't think straight." "Apparently.... Besides, you can tell he has no idea what he's dealing with. Obviously his dear old dad must not have warned him about this cozy little town's dark side." "Oh, yeah. Who'd ever pick out this loser blot on the map, for the retirement dream home of a washed-up crime boss?" "Noël! You shouldn't even be thinking that, let alone saying it out loud." "What, Yanno, afraid your ol' man's gonna hear? He doesn't give a crap about what you do anyways -" The sharp sound of a slap cracked through the night. Someone muffled a gasp. "Shut - your - friggin' - mouth! I told you not to talk to me about him... Anyways… Tomorrow all that will change." A pair of predatory, obsidian eyes studied the front of the bank across the street from the restaurant. "We'll take this town for everything they've got, and nobody will stand in our way." An uneasy silence followed. At length, a female voice faltered into the emptiness. "Hey... Dami? Are you... are you sure we can get away okay?" A curse split the air. "I told you, Andréa, it's going to be fine! Quit bothering me! Go ask Noël; I'm tired of explaining. And - quit calling me Dami, it's annoying." Her soft whimper was drowned out by the gleeful cackle that followed these remarks. "Fine, Yanno, whatever you say! But I'm pretty sure that even our cute little Dreya can see the obvious. Our new police chief can't possibly lift a finger against us, when we're holding his precious son as hostage!" + + + Across town, Cory stirred restlessly in his bed, kicking off the sheets. His dreams were haunted by circling ravens. He tried to hide from the birds in the shelter of his former home, but his stepfather kept chasing him around with a baseball bat. "What's the matter, son? Don't you want to play?" The boy's mother called him from somewhere in the house. "Don't treat Donny that way, Cory! He's doing his best to be a dad to you. He's the only father you've got, now..." Cory dodged the bat and leapt for a window. He crashed through and tumbled, in a shower of glass, onto the well-manicured lawn. A guttural croak was his only warning before a storm of black feathers and sharp beaks rained down upon his face. He awoke in a sweat, and tiptoed along the hall to the bathroom. The last thing he needed tonight was to disturb Donny's sleep. Something had to change, he told himself. He couldn't keep living like this, desperately avoiding conflict with his heavy-fisted stepfather, while trying to act like everything was normal for his mother's sake. He would go out to lunch with his new friends after all, he decided. He would do it, even though Donny had convinced his mother not to sign the permission form. Cory had signed her name often enough, back when he helped her deal with bills when she was still a widowed single mom. He could just as easily forge her signature now, without her approval. He climbed back into bed, at peace for the first time in two years. Tomorrow he would start living differently. He would start making friends and breaking out of his shell. Tomorrow, all this would change. Cory sighed and relaxed into the pillow. Finally, he drifted off, into that mercifully dreamless sleep, which comes only to the innocent... and the damned. + + + The End Story 4 Spoiler Bloody Altar finally the group had arrived at their grandmother’s village. Silent and peaceful was the best way to describe this shore side place. The four guys walked slowly towards a big house at the end of the village, before one of the group could knock on the door, the door opened and a young woman ran outside hugging the first guy in her path. She said relieved “finally you arrived I feared that you wouldn't come. We should have arrived almost simultaneously. But we hadn't heard of you” “sorry, sis. The trains were delayed and after that we missed our bus connection” “wow that sucked”was Cass opinion “it seems at one point that our journey here was cursed or stopped by some force” the other 3 guys nodded when Liz shared his thoughts with Cassandra and Christian who just walked outside to find out why the rest didn't come inside already. “Kit, did you find out what you wanted to know in the drive to here?” “of course did you have doubt” “that is not it,bro. It is just that we are curious about what you talked with her” “oh nothing specials dear brothers, just how I would react if I am again the main reason someone would wake up from there long lasting slumber” “that I never asked. But wouldn't it be better if it was someone else and not always our youngest member and a girl.” “that is true, I also want a lead in this, would be fun to be the demon. Am I not handsome enough for it?” it was true that Liz with his shoulder length blond hair would be a great demon he even had a devilish laughter when he wanted to. But his character was everything but demonic. On top of that the victim who would become a demon was already killed in that accident that killed their cousin and his wife. “you never can become a demon, dear brother. you are too good for it, Dan on the other hand would become a great demon.” “you are not funny at all, Cassy. You may think you are a angel but I am certain that you are a devil in disguise” Dan said with a laugh in his voice “but all is good, we don't even know what we are going to face this time. Should we be prepared for the worst?” “no, never. This will be a easy case to solve.” it was Kit who said this with a hardness in his voice that they wouldn't expect coming from him. After that the discussion was closed and everyone walked indoors with a tension that was very unnatural for the group. That evening everyone tried to forget what happened that afternoon,there still was a dark sword of misfortune hovering above them. It wasn't that much fun to hang around them, each had their own thoughts about what would happen in the next few days. Unexpected their grandmother came into their room they all shared. “there is something I need to tell you guys, about the mystery you are working on” “but grandma we thought you knew nothing about?” it was Cam who said these words “it is not that I didn't know anything about it, it is just that I don't like talking about it, nobody really know that the accidental family deaths aren't the real course of those vampires” “what do you mean grandmother?” asked Cassy “go to the cave that is a day walk from here, you can't take a car or any other way of transportation. But be warned it is dangerous, don't shed tears no matter what” “why?” “I don't know, my grandmother told this when I was your age” “we can always find that out if we find that cave. Thanks grandmother” “we should go to bed early. Since we need to walk to there” after those words Liz was the first who took out his travelers gear. The rest followed him in the next 30 minutes. Cassy was glad that there was a second bathroom so she didn't have to wait for the guys to finish. Early the next morning Christian's phone rang, it was the alarm he set. He was a person who would sleep trough the alarm he set if it wasn't his normal waking up time. Liz on the other hand was a light sleeper on top of that he was sleeping next to Kit, Liz turned of the alarm then stood up and walked to the bathroom took a glass of very cold water, walked back to the sleeping Christian and purred the cold water over him and said “Kit I thought you wanted to start the walking early. But the way you are now it seems you want to start around midday” “stupid Lisette why did you have to trow that cold water over me, a soft way would be very effective” “don't call me that, you know I hate that nickname Cassy thought of” “okay I am getting up, what about the others?” “they are almost finished and ready to go downstairs for their breakfast” “ooh, then I will hurry. Tell Cass to make some sandwiches for on the way” after those words Christian hurried into the bathroom to take a quick cold shower to remove the last bit of sleep he still had. Dressed he came downstairs with his backpack on his shoulders. “while I eat all of you should at least fetch your sleeping-bag and airbed, in the worst case we should be ready to sleep there. We will leave in 10 minutes and Cassy thanks for the snacks you made.” after those words he attacked the stuff on the breakfast table, his plate was over flowing with beacon, scrambled eggs, toast and a lot of cheese. His second plate was filled with the summer fruits, present there like strawberries, peaches and a few types of melons. He was just drinking the last of his tea when the others returned from packing their traveling gear. Everyone divided the packed lunches Cass made. On most were cheese or peanut butter and on request she had made a few hazelnut pasta. Cam was the last one who walked out the front, his grandmother came close still dressed in her morning dress and clamps in her hair. “Cam, I shouldn't give this to you, it is a map to the cursed cave. But promise me that all of you are careful, again be warned it is tear fluid not only tears of sadness” “I promise grandma we all will come back alive” “HÉ CAM HOW LONG ARE YOU PLANNING ON STAYING INDOORS, WE WANT TO LEAVE” “I AM COMING” shouted cam back to the waiting group out side to his grandmother he said “good bye wish us good luck so we can close this family mystery case safely” “the best of luck my grandchildren of light” with those words said Cam hurried outside to the waiting group out side, wait he saw at that moment had nothing to do with the words his grandmother just said to him. The light made Liz hair look silver instead of the dark yellow blond he always had on top of that the dark brown curls of Cassy looked golden. What is happening here, is this a vision of the future? Instead of outing his worries he said “I am ready to go and I have a map to the cave area” “waahh really. Who gave you the map?” “come let us walk to the south a long the coast line” after those words Cam lead the group south the way wasn't flat like they thought it would be not even a road was made, “I should have taken my ax with me or at least a sword to cut those branches of that are hitting my beautiful face” “your face is as ugly as the night you were born on” said Liz to his twin brother “I am just glad that we have a different genetic make up” the rest of the group burst into laughter it was a joke the twins would always say when they disagreed on a subject. When Cam saw a big rock standing tall in the ocean he said “let us have a break here at this rock. Since we are midway the route, we walked a bit faster that planned” “I wonder why grandma would say this walk would take a day?” “maybe in the past it would have taken that long” answered Cassandra “no”started Liz “I think the reason is because they were so sad about the loss over their family members that they forgot the route to the cursed caves” it felt strange that Liz was saying those things. Not that he was unfamiliar with people feelings but more it was Christian or Cassandra who usually would say the human side of the story and insides. Cam thought back what he saw at the beginning of the walk, Liz having silver hair and eyes that have the color of the earth that is overflowing with blood. Cass standing before him and the rest of the guys protecting them. he shook his head, not wanting to believe that premonition. After a moment of rest they moved on to the next part of the trail they needed to travel this time it was more land inwards, to the fields and forest. “there is something lingering in the forest. Something very old and yet it feels new” “why would you say that Liz?” “because my dear twin brother that is how I feel” “that is it, my honorable brother is mental” “I am not crazy, it is just that I feel this way. Ooh look guys there is the cave so it seems” “how come that you already found the cave,Liz?” “it feels like I am lead to this place, it is just more familiar to me than it should be” “familiar? What o you mean?” ” hard to explain Christian I can only say that I know this place, maybe even been here before” “that can't be bro, we never explored this part of the village land.” “then give me an explanation why I know the way in this cave?” “there aren't that many paths to take,mostly a straight line” “uhm guys not really. At every crossing there are like at least 3 routes we could have taken. But it seems you only have seen the ones that I took when walking in here” “ooh. And were are you leading us to than?” “well I am not really sure” after those words they felt a cold wind coming from the cave right in front of them. “it seems we have found the center of the cursed caves” the room they walked in felt warm yet the wind was cold, as the room light had a warm red, the wall was like flesh. The pedestal in the middle looked like a bunch of intestines piled up, while they walked further into the chamber a icy breeze filled the room and made their eyes wet. “NO WE NEED TO LEAVE THIS ROOM RIGHT AWAY” but it was too late, the intestines came to live and captured Liz, the rest of the group was untouched. When Liz was laying on the pedestal a red colored stone was shown not only that but the intestines entered the lower part of his body, he wanted to scream but he wasn't able to the only thing that made clear that he had it hard was his upper body moving a lot, trying to free himself. Which didn't work he lost most of his cloths doing that. For what seemed an eternity the rest of the group froze. When they were able to move again all of them wanted to hurry and free Liz from the claws of that 'monster' that was eating him alive so it seemed. The unexpected thing happened, Dan was standing before them stopping their movement to run to Liz. For a second his normal blond hair glowed golden when he said “don't it will be alright” “don't you want to save your brother?” “yes but he is more than my brother, he is my destiny” “destiny, you do know that he is a man and your brother you can't be together like that” “he isn't my brother anymore as I am not his” “wow that is vague,oi wait don't tell me you are the reincarnation of the golden angel” “that is what I am saying Cassandra, you should have seen the hints” “no that can't be the golden haired girl I saw was Cassandra, not you” “oh dear Cam, that was only the part of the vision, only for what you were open to at that moment, “is that the reason why you were born his twin?” “yes, otherwise it would have been nearly impossible to find him” “have you always know what happened in the past?” this time it was Cassandra who asked the question. “no and when it didn't happened this generation I wouldn't have remembered it, the round to here was what made me remember like it did with Liz.” “then what are you going to do now? Kill the person? Or wasn't that your plan before everything started?” “no Cassandra there will be no deaths at least not in that way.” “explain it to us cousin otherwise we don't understand what will happen” “leave these caves for now, after our a day we will come to you again. Wait for us at the entrance or go to our grandmothers place we will find you” “no we wait here, we don't leave our family members or anyone behind. No matter what will happen” this time it was Christian who said it. The rest nodded with a seriousness in there eyes that wouldn't fade no matter what Dan would say. After looking in their eyes for a while Dan sighed “okay but promise me that none of you will move from the place were you are now standing if you can't do that than please leave this room” after those words Cassandra looked in her cousins eyes. She closed hers for a second taking a deep breath “I think it is better if we leave this room and trust Dan that he will can handle it alone” with gratefulness in his eyes he nodded to Cassandra, she on the other hand turned around and took Cameron and Christian by the hand and forced them to walk with her. It was strange even though she saw a lot of paths she knew which to take and which would lead to traps. Outside they made a camp were they would stay as long as Liz and Dan were in those caves. Cameron and Christian looked for wood they could use for making a fire and Cassandra for eatable plants and fruits. They even made rope traps to kill small animals. After five long days of waiting Liz and Dan walked out of hand in hand, one with silver hair and bloody earth eyes, and one who was golden and wore a halo. Cassandra hurried towards them “we are so glad you are safe again. What is with your new appearance?” “it was good that you weren't in that chamber, I don't think you would have been able to stay awake for those days and not move from that spot” it was Dan who would tell the story. “close your eyes maybe we are able to show it” with these words Dan let go of Liz hand and took the right hand of Cameron and left hand of Cassandra. While Liz took the opposite hands of these two. Christian was standing in the middle “why am I standing in the middle?” “because you are able to see even if we don't hold hands, no close your eyes and relax. All of you just left the room” Liz lay on the blood stone altar and with veins and intestines holding their tight grip on him, Dan had his eyes close for a moment, after a deep breath when opened them he wasn't alone anymore in his mind, he had an other presence within him. Together with her he started to walk slowly toward the blood altar, his appearance changed into the golden angel that once tried to stop the chain of events that let to this. But at that time she had been unable to do that task given to her. But now that would change, with this strong body that she had at the moment, together that the vampire still needed to be re-born out of a human. She would be able to stop everything. Do I have the will to safe this boy who didn't even knew the person for whom he becomes an vampire? Of course do I want to safe my brother who wouldn't want to do that? I don't want to share his fate. Then we can do this, it will be hard and the wounds you will get will not only be mentally, are you willing to get injured. If it would help I am willing to give all my blood and soul for him when that would mean that he will be able to leave this place. After this inner conversation the angel started to walk towards the altar. From Dan's belt she took her knife that had appeared the moment he changed into the golden angel. “I am sorry, that I was too late to stop the beginning of this” Liz looked pained at Dan unable of bring out a word of recognition, Dan signed “so it will be an one sided conversation” “what do thu want?” the voice come from somewhere in the chamber, Dan looked around to see, who it was that spoke, but he couldn't find the source of the voice until he looked at the altar again and saw Liz sitting on the the stone altar. The angel within Dan sighed so I was too late to safe this person to fully stay human. “what is wrong with my brother?” Dan asked the angel “he is changing to the energy draining vampire you were looking for” “how is that possible, can he change back? Or do we need to kill him so he can't make other victims?” “we can not fully change him back to a human but with your strength we can at least make it that he doesn't need more human energy. But to make that happen I need to use all my strength.” “is that the price I need to pay for saving him?” “that and never being able to have an other partner than your brother” “wait, you mean not a girlfriend?” “yes that is what I meant, you will need your brother as he needs you” “all I can say to this knowledge is safe him no matter what the costs are for me” “we will safe him. Thanks you for allowing me to use my full power” “I want you to leave my brothers body” “Mi do want to do that, this body is mine the moment e was born, even more since e walked into my cave” the angel started cut in Dan's wrist deep enough to draw blood. “why are you cutting into my body?” “that is necessary to stop the demon within your brother, now be quite for a while” “thu can not stop me with bhur blood!” “we will see.” the angel forced the demon who was resisting in Liz body to drink of Dan's blood that was flowing into Liz mouth. “noo, what are thu doing?” “letting you drink of the scared blood that is flowing to this man's body” “thu want to poison mi” “not poison, just reverse the curse that is placed on this place” the angel took her wrist from the Liz mouth, she stopped the bleeding for a while with her other hand. shortly after it was time for her to use mental power to pressure the demon to leave Liz body, the first battle seemed endless. The first round was one by the demon, Dan felt his body change a bit, it was like there was more power flowing trough his blood and veins . “thu think a angel like bhur can win? Thu are a century or 2 too early.” “we can win, just wait and see” The angel used the dagger again to cut into an other part of Dan wrist again. “why are you doing this again?” “we need to weaken the grip of the demon” the angel forced the vampire to drink the blood instead of the energy he would normally drink, after 10 minutes or so, the angel stopped the bleeding again with a press of her other hand, and started the mind battle again, with more force than the first time, but the demon also use more strength. “thu lose again little angel, see that mi is stronger” “let us wait until the end of this all, I vow that Liz will have his own body back” “thu will never succeed” this ritual repeated 20 or so times. Both Liz and Dan appearances had changed drastically, both of them looked more like the creatures resisting within. The vampire and the angel didn't have much strength left, the blood loss by the angel or the sacred blood flowing through the vampires body, who would have the power to oppress the pain and fatigue the longest. “I don't know if I have the strength left in me to do it again the last mental battle” “you can do it, let merge our thoughts into one” “that would mean that you can't have your normal body back” “i don't mind, I just want to have my twin back” with this the angel relaxed for a moment, Dan conscience came closer to hers until know she had kept them separated, the new strength that was coming from him was overwhelming . “what it thu new power coming from” this time it took her only an instant to win the battle for ownership of Liz body “this was the combined power of this body, which now only will belong to the boy. I used all my every ounce of my power to win over you. But my memories together with my knowledge aren't lost, this body will keep it and use it for good, so he would be able to fill the hunger that his twin will have” “thu gave bhur life for this mortal so e could safe his brother?” “of course, he was born for the reason to destroy you. Now that his task is done, he can find his own destiny” “thu are a fool” “goodbye, see you never again” the chamber started to smoke, veins and intestines vaporized and turned to ash. Quickly Dan helped Liz up, together they stumbled towards the exit of the room. In the hallway they fell asleep from exhausting, it took Dan and Liz three days to return to normal to even be able to move again without the nausea of blood loss. When they walked out of the cave it was morning. “what a memory was that. But it really explains why you look like that” “true Christian, but that is not all of it” “yeah, on top of that both of you look more complete” “thanks sister but we couldn't have done it without any of you, you all gave us strength.” “okay let pack our belongings and go back to our grandmother, she would be worried about us, since we haven't come back after we left to find the cursed caves” “sure let us leave now, most the things are already packed, we only need to blush the fire and trow some sand into the fireplace and we are set to leave” it took them a few minutes to do this. Walking back was easy, while staying in the area Cam, Christian and had done some recon. And found that the village was a lot closer to the caves than they first that thought. Barely 4 hours later they were standing before the house. “what are you doing back here?” was the greeting they got from their grandmothers” “why are you saying something like that, the curse has been lifted, it wouldn't come back, aren't you glad that the history has been buried?” “no I am not glad, and according to the letters written you shouldn't have been able to comeback” “we are soo sorry grandma that we have comeback alive. And why did you want us death?” “because you brats aren't good for our family. You all will kill our long history of leaders and other people in high places” “we have our own destiny to for fill” “yeah and we are going to stop you from doing such useless things” after that she closed the door with a hard noise, there everyone was standing with the same thought, what are we going to do form here on? “let's go home for” was Cassandra's answer for this Story 5 Spoiler Misfits: Butterfly with the Blood-filled Wings 1 Syrienne looked at her computer screens that displayed the thousands of people in Silverlight City dancing around holographic bonfires, wearing shiny masks and intricate wigs that sparkled in the artificial light. Of all the sections she’s been to, including the infamous city on the golden sea, Silverlight was her favorite. The people were friendly, the streets were constantly lively with different festivities and parades, but most importantly, the love of her life was born here. He looked out of place—the only black pepper in a sea of salt—when Syrienne first met Rheen Featherstone with hair as black as night like her own, eyes the color of the vilest soul, and skin as golden brown as honey. She wanted to know everything about him instantly. Why was he the only one different in this section? Were they from the same section or was he really from the city on the golden sea? He was like a put-together puzzle that she wanted to destroy just so she could put the bloodied pieces back together. She turned to look at him, her captive man with what looked like a demonic butterfly tattooed on his lower abdomen. Pointed wings curved down to his thighs and up around his ribs in an intimate embrace. A possessive… embrace. Her hands balled into tight fists, her black-stained lips peeled back to reveal her teeth in a bitter snarl. How envious a simple little creature made her. When he first agreed to come home with her, she’d tried various methods—burning, skinning, etc.—to get that abomination off him and replace it with her own mark, the spider, but without fail, the damned thing would return to taunt her. But she would have the last laugh, though. She always did. As for her love, there will always be a “special” place for him with her. She wanted to devour him completely and keep him locked away inside her heart and so she decided to put the painful process into action. Again, her attention was forced back to the people dancing across her computer screen. It was a shame they all had to die. She laughed as she spun, shaking her hip in rhythm with the tune the people bellow so joyously played. She didn’t want another Rheen to be created so she’d just destroy where he’d been born and everyone in it and move on. A little flash of regret sprung in her chest at the thought of losing this beloved city before she shoved it back down, locking it in a place never to be opened again. Spiders spilling from her mouth, Syrienne started the countdown to when the sky over Silverlight exploded into a rainbow-colored utopia and multi-hued stars rained down. 2 She watched with mixed emotions as her comrade stared down his gun at the small child helplessly begging for his life. Tears were streaming down his face, his small, delicate hands rising to show he was unarmed. He’s just a child, but then again the devil comes in all forms. It’s too hard to imagine that just hours ago, this small puff of nothing is the reason more than half of Bronze City and Silverlight were effectively taken off the map. Millions upon millions of lives destroyed. Melrose Goldenage focused hard eyes on her comrade. From the way his shoulders bunched and his breathing became shallow, she could tell that this would be an unwelcome task even for him. She never liked head-strong Etienne “Clifford” Redheart, Mr. Run-into-every-situation-without-a-plan, Mr. Let’s-get-everyone-including-himself-killed, but in this moment, she completely understood him. She watched as sweat formed on his brow, his gun hand trembled, indecision clear on his face. How do you justify killing a child? He shook his head as if to clear his mind, his shoulder-length red hair fell over his eyes that hid behind yellow tinted sunglasses. The boy inched his way over to him, hesitant on hands and knees. “I d-didn’t do it!” he cried. “Honest! I didn’t!” Emotions ran over Etienne’s eyes before they settled on determination. “Where’s Rheen?” he asked. Melrose was surprised yet proud that her partner’s voice managed to stay steady. Every one of the Misfits in the north was a bit shaken up—some still are—when their boss, Rheen Featherstone suddenly went off grid. The 6ft tall man had hair as black as knight with blue highlights that went in waves down to the middle of his back. He hid his beautiful, obsidian eyes behind completely black sunglasses for whatever reason she couldn’t remember. He was everything she could want in a leader—strong, compassionate to others, yet merciless in the field— but he wasn’t perfect else he wouldn’t be the head of SYRHEN in the north, the band of Misfits. Regardless, she wanted him back. The boy looked up in confusion and a hint of fear as Etienne repeated his question with more force, his chubby fingers gripping Etienne’s pants leg for dear life. He knew something. He knew something about Rheen’s whereabouts! After two and a half years… finally! Taking out her own gun, she stormed over to the pair, shoving her weapon against the boy’s temple. “Where is he!!?” she shouted. The boy flinched, and then stopped crying. He slowly turned his head, hysterical tears no longer running down his wet cheeks. His emotionless eyes stared bullets through her even though she was the one with the gun. She watched as something swirled in his eyes before they changed color altogether. No longer straight black, but blue with little flecks of gold in them. “Rheen? Rheen…” a feminine voice slip out of the boy’s lips. He—she?—tested the name on his lips a couple more times before shaking his head in defeat. “Nope, nope, don’t think I know the name Rheen. Did ya try posting his face on one of those floating billboard thingys? Whatever ya call them, they can be very distracting you know. Speaking of distracting, you look very distracted right now. Can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not, can ya? Ya know, since ya have a couple guns to this poor little baby’s head and all. Isn’t your hand getting tired? I bet it is. The longer ya keep ya hand in that position it’a start trembling and ya won’t be able to aim straight, but since ya got it pointed at the baby’s little temple, I don’t think that’d be a problem for you, hm? You on the other hand,” the voice said, staring back at Etienne who just flipped his phone closed, his gun foolishly put away, “are an idiot, but not as stupid as you look. Damn!” Melrose frowned. As the voice continued babbling about nothing, she tried hard to place her accent. Her speech was poor, without class and unattractive. She must have been from Stoneridge hidden in the Mountain and Melrose made sure to comment on it. The voice stopped mid-sentence and started clapping, the boy’s head tipped back to a joyous shout of excitement. “Very good Mel-Mel! Very good!” “Who are you?” The boy paused again, a serious expression sliding over his too-innocent face. Once again, he tipped his head back and smiled in content. “Happy,” the voice finally said, “I am happy.” “Happy because you destroyed a whole city and half of another one?” “Eh…? I suppose that’s quite true. Hey! Would ya look at that; everyone has finally come to play!” Melrose and Etienne looked up in time to see the Misfits’ Hummer skid to a halt, the three remaining men of their gang busting out with guns blazed. “Mel-Mel! Mel-Mel!” the excited voice shouted. “There’s a storm-a-comin’!” She heard a loud pop causing her to flinch before the boy’s eyes became lifeless. He went limp and fell forward into her waiting arms. How do you justify killing a child? You can’t. Even if the boy was responsible for annihilating two major cities, even if she wanted desperately to find her leader, she still wouldn’t have been able to take his life. Looking up, she saw Nicky, the sociopath of the group, blow her a kiss. It took everything she had to keep from wasting what she’d eaten this morning. Three more gunshots sounded and the boy jerked three times which caused her eyes to shoot back up. Their eyes connected and hell. What the hell was his problem? He shrugged. “My hand slipped, but it’s not like he was gonna be any use--” He stopped talking and looked at the horizon with disbelief, excitement, and then horror. “Shhhhhiiiiiiiiit…” he said low and easy before turning around and beating feet for the Hummer. “If yall don’t mind getting your asses to the car so I can get the hell outta here—shit!” Horror dawned on them all. What started out as a simple storm cloud quickly became a wall of black water from the ground to the sky that appeared to be rushing their way. No, not rushing. *Crawling*! “Spiders?” Melrose asked, her voice trembling with fear. She knew she shouldn’t have been afraid of them, but she was. They’re smaller than she is. Those gross *things* supposed to be afraid of *her*! “They don’t look so small to me Griffin,” she whispered to her twin brother standing two feet away. Her attention was drawn back down by something sharp digging deep into her forearms. The little boy’s mouth was sketched impossibly wide as four spider legs as long as legs of her own struggled to come completely out. It stopped as if noticing her attention before continuing the struggle in earnest. The legs kicked, squirmed and stabbed at her in attempt to find something stable to help it escape the boy’s body. Her breath left her as strong hands wrapped around her waist and carried her fireman style over to the waiting Hummer. Melrose eyes were only on the boy being torn up from the inside even after the door was slammed in her face. “Raury, get us the hell outta here!” Griffin shouted. “It won’t shift gears, hold on,” came the calm reply. The large spider was finally able to wiggle its way out and the child’s body slowly deflated as hundreds of tinier spiders ran from inside him. The ominous wall of black waves inched closer. Melrose finally allowed her eyes to lock on Raury. “Raury…” she whispered. “I’m on it baby doll.” “Raury!” “Hmph…” “Raury, if you don’t get us the **** out of here now, I’ll kill you my damn self!” He was able to put the car in reverse and whipped the car around. Melrose flew forward as Raury floored the gas and raced backwards towards home, stopping only once to put vehicle in the correct position. 3 Melrose felt awful. There was something—a million somethings—crawling around underneath her skin and no amount of scratching or rubbing would make them stop. It took everything she had not to empty her stomach here in the car. On second thought… She hacked and heaved, her insides tearing her apart. “Griffin,” she gasped for breath, “Help me!!” Melrose screamed, tears streaming down her face even knowing that all her dear brother could do was hold her in his helpless embrace. “Gawd, Mel, we can’t stop. Tell me what to do.” “We have to kick her out,” a voice that sounded suspiciously like Etienne announced. She never like him, but that didn’t stop the feeling of panic and betrayal from welling up. Griffin and Nicky would never allow him to do such a thing, but she started crying harder anyway. “She’s no use to us this way, and when that wall closes in on us, an abled body would be more helpful than baggage!” “Shut the **** up, Etienne, or you’re the one getting thrown out,” Griffin growled. “We don’t freakin’ leave our teammates behind. You do everything reckless and stupid—sometimes without cause—so what you just said shouldn’t even really surprise me, but so help me, E, if you don’t shut that whole in your face, I’m going to put a bullet in it.” “You shoulda let me kill ‘im a while ago little rose,” Nicky said around the cigarette in his mouth from the front seat. She smiled around her tears. She loved her brother. She even felt some affection for Nicky which would have been more if he wasn’t such a psycho. After that thought, she gave up the losing battle and vomited. Right in Etienne’s waiting lap. Their smug look of satisfaction was short lived though. What came out of her mouth wasn’t pink or liquid with chunks of food in it, but small and black with eight legs. “Why?” she thought as the small critter ran in a circle then stopped to look up at Etienne. It took slow, hesitant steps towards his arms before he finally found the courage to kill the thing. That action started another round of heaving causing a few more spiders to spill from her mouth. Her body trembled in realization and defeat. So, without further hesitation, she jumped in the back, lifted the door, and tossed herself out. She heard Griffin call out her name before he jumped out himself, running after her followed by Nicky. She let a sob at their idiocy as the flood gate opened inside her causing hundreds of tiny spider to pour from her heading straight for the Misfits’ Hummer. Raury stopped the car? Why the hell would he do that?! Griffin ran to her, embracing her, as she watched Nicky—with four cigarettes in his mouth?—take out his shotgun and start blasting away. A foolish, useless attempt. Raury, and even Etienne, stood beside her, the spiders pouring from her mouth quickly covering their lower legs. Then everything went black and the wall hit them before she felt nothing but pain, and then… Nothing… 4 “No!!” Syrienne shrieked, as she held her head, trying to alleviate the aching throb. Her body danced, writhed in pain, as blood poured in a steady stream from her mouth. “I was gonna kill them,” she gasped for breath. “I was gonna kill them!!!! Why Rheen? Why? You choose them—THEM!—over me? Tell me. Tell me.” She shrieked in frustration at his silence, clawing desperately at the spot where her heart was supposed to be. “TEEELLLL MEEEE!!” She turned away from him. “SYRHEN, section in the east, is on its way. I suggest you prepare yourself,” he stated calmly even as she laughed in his face. “No they’re not,” she replied, “They wouldn’t dare come here. Who the hell do ya think created SYRHEN?!” She laughed again. “I—am—SYRHEN.” “SYRHEN was made to—“ “—serve and protect innocent lives?” she laughed without mirth, “No, Rheen. It was made for a selfish reason. If you give a killer a license to kill, what do you think he’ll do? My friends needed an outlet. Too many of them were dying for stupid reasons, so I wanned to give them a cover so they can keep doing what they love. In ancient Greek myth, the sirens would lure foolish, innocent sailors that were ignorant enough to sail too close to them and destroy them. They wouldn’t even know they were dying, trapped in a state of pure bliss, until it was too late. An appropriate name for us, don’ ya think?” She smiled as she fell to her knees. “How’d ya get out?” He looked into her lifeless eyes. “When blood fills a butterfly’s wings, it doesn’t die, it flies.” Prize: If you win, you can choose one of the following banners; and put 'AC Story Competition Winner' in your signature area if you wish. Spoiler            made by loki, flasy, xeltox and eisen RaiNey likes this. Last edited by Dany1908; 08-03-2012 at 01:39 PM. |
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07-11-2012
| #4 (permalink) |
| Ultimate Hokage  Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: \(^,^)/ Doin' the happy dance cuz finished w/ work!
Posts: 3,525
Blog Entries: 28  | Re: Story Contest July Edition - Voting
Wow Dany! 5 stories? *shakes your hand* Isn't it great to look at that 1st post in the contest thread and see all the months of contests (poetry, story, short story) that you made possible? (^-.-^)~ *purrs* PS, now all we need is voters... wait for it... maybe not for a few days, LOL |
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07-11-2012
| #7 (permalink) |
| Ultimate Hokage  | Re: Story Contest July Edition - Voting
aw~ man, they were sooooo long! D:::::::: but i skimmed them all below is a spoiler for only one of them. if you haven't read them all and don't want the stories to be spoiled by my random comments, please fight the temptation to click the spoiler Spoiler one of 'em made me tear up, another made me laugh. my. ass. off for, like, 6 minutes straight. I couldn't even finish it and i almost voted for it. the first time i saw it, i said "What the hell...? that's, uh... that's a pretty bad typo. -_-a " then it happened again and my mind is starting to screaming at the author "The? are you trying to spell "the"? it doesn't sound right even if you were!!  "Aaa~nd then yet another word was spelled pretty badly and by then, my mind just didn't care anymore. so i'm almost done with the story and outta frustration, i scroll back up til i saw the first "typo" and, remembering what i learned in elementary, i started sounding the words out, and thaaaaat's when the giggle fest began <3 the typos? they were done purposefully  thank you, and good bye v__v
__________________  "Yes, Creative writing can be taught and we're all f*cked because of it" AC Story Contest winner: July'12, Jan'13, Feb'13 INSANITY orig. story |
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07-11-2012
| #8 (permalink) | |
| Mocha is Luv  | Re: Story Contest July Edition - Voting
long stories will take my time about reading them but I will get around to it, I am glad there were not 12 like the poetry contest lol
__________________  Winner SOTW 110,138,144 co-win 128 Spoiler Spoiler Quote:
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07-12-2012
| #9 (permalink) |
| Ultimate Hokage  | Re: Story Contest July Edition - Voting
as many stories were interesting, I went with number 2 and the rest of thoughts is up to all of you to read and enjoy them all
__________________ Spoiler one jumps off cliff in pillows make sure there is not a tar pit below or otherwise you become a big sticky stinking chicken Spoiler  |
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(^*_*^)~ oooh catnip yum!, *read them and vote!*, vote please  |
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