Winters icy lips kiss
Nighttime death closes in
The lone man stumbles on
Sharp stars like broken glass
Petals fall in a frozen crash
Cemetery curse of blank headstones
Fairy tales do not exist
Only endless night
A lone gull cries
Never ending waves
Darkness creeps in
Cold seeps a winter chill
Whisper silent
Heard too late
On its crest death rides in
Brandishing his scythe
Slicing away my breath
Time rolls on
The moment Lacey had laid her head down in the tree; she was cast into a deep sleep. Images flashed before her from things that had just transpired. Everything was in such clarity that she screamed inside when the dark priest touched her, it felt so real. When he threw her into the wall, everything went black and she slipped deeper into her dream.
Her father swam before her with the madness in his eyes. Hate seethed from every part of his body at her as she walked out of the woods with Kevin hand in hand. This time she saw the razor wire, she wanted to plead with her father, but was unable to change the fate of that night. The wall she had built up around her heart tumbled down and the wounds bled fresh, again everything went dark as she slipped further away.
The next vision that came to her dream was of a tall woman with long blonde hair. She was incredibly beautiful, Lacey felt an instant connection with her. The woman was in a battle with something Lacey could not quiet make out in the dark foggy area she was in. She moved with a grace and speed that had an almost inhuman quality to them. The amulet around the woman’s neck started glowing, raising the hair up on the back of Lacey’s neck. The power filled the area, made the air so thick you could have cut it with a knife. As the glow of the amulet grew, Lacey could see the opponent was not human at all. It was a creature she had never seen before, the massive size of it alone was more than double that of the woman. Hair covered it’s body and eyes that glowed green, reflecting the light of the amulet. The beast appeared to grow weary of the battle and despite the toothy snarl, it became almost docile in action.
The woman pounced on the beast and with a blade Lacey had not noticed before and sliced it’s throat open. On the back swing of the blade, she plummeted it into the creatures chest. With a shudder, it became very still in the area, the fog lifted and the moon washed over the area. Lacey recognized the farm she grew up on. Looking back at the woman, Lacey noticed that she had risen and was walking towards where Lacey was watching from the edge of the field in the woods. Unsure what her role was, Lacey stepped back as the woman passed by her. A faint fragrance of spice wafted in the air behind her and Lacey was drawn to follow the woman.
The woman came to the very tree Lacey was having the dream from. She paused touching the tree and the woman became more solid to Lacey, less dreamlike. Turning to face Lacey the woman met her stare, “Hello my daughter, I have been waiting for you to come here.” Her voice was soft and strong at the same time.
“Y-you are my mother?” Lacey could not hide the tremor in her words.
Smiling the woman said, “Yes my child, I am so proud to finally get to meet you finally. You have become the woman I had hoped you would, so strong and beautiful.” Her eyes became sad as she looked at Lacey. “I am so sorry I was not able to be a part of your life, but for the women of our family, it is not possible.”
Lacey took a step towards the woman, closing the gap enough to reach out and tentatively touch this woman that claimed to be her mother. “Mom?” she whispered, tears pouring down her face. Her mother reached out and caressed Lacey’s cheek and Lacey fell into her mother’s arms crying. “Hush now my precious child, we have very limited time for this.”
Sniffling, Lacey pulled back enough to see her mother’s face, everything was still very surreal to her. Was this just a dream? “It is time for you to learn the legacy of your lineage, what you are about to become.”
“I don’t understand,” Lacey’s mind raced trying to grasp what she was saying.
“I know, it’s very sudden and much to take in. I’ve been watching over you all this time, but was not allowed to interfere. In this space of time, while your body sleeps in this place, I can see you and pass along what you need to start the next chapter of your life.” Her mother paused for a moment, a proud smile that reached to her eyes as she looked at Lacey. “You are a magnificent woman, and that is because of the blood that flows through your veins. Centuries of women warriors, fighting the evil that lurks in the shadows and terrorizes our world. I am so proud of the woman you have become. You are a true fighter.”
Her mother reached to the amulet around her neck, lifting it over her head, “This is the symbol of the power of our lineage, it will help you as you continue to learn and grow.” She placed the amulet over Lacey’s head, letting it rest around her neck. “It will protect you when you need it most. This is the blade of our family. It has been passed down from mother to daughter for hundreds of years now. Hold it true and it will guide you in what you need to do.” She held Lacey’s hand as she placed the hilt of the blade in her hand, their hands closing around it.
Something changed, the feeling of power and wisdom being handed down in this private ceremony. Lacey felt a strength come over her, and a sense of peace she had never known before. “I do not understand Mother, but I will do my best.”
“Things will be very different for you now. Percy will be here soon, listen to him. He will train and guide you where I cannot.” That sad smile came over her face again. “It is time for me to go now.” She reached out with her hand and touched Lacey’s face again, the scent of spices filling her with an overwhelming sense of love and peace. “I love you Lacey.”
“Lacey.” she heard her name called, but no longer by her mother. Sitting up she rubbed the dream from her eyes and found Percy standing there before her. The amulet was around her neck, and the blade by her side. She whispered, “I love you too mom.”
A childhood stolen, innocence lost
Touching my scars, the nightmare real
Pain and torment, you bathed in our blood
Rest not possible, death is near.
Lightning flashes, seeing you there
The tables have turned, power now mine
Your sins not forgotten, now it’s time
Twisting the wheel, your limbs stretch again
The rumble of thunder, I tremble again
The memories haunt, time not forgotten
Horrors performed, other children died
Days of tears, years of anguish.
Have to focus, you won’t drag me down
The chance has come, all have awaken
Come hungry children, let us feed
Revenge is ours, we hear your screams
Well guys and gals, I am sorry that I have not posted in a while. Things have been at a maddening pace for the past two months for me. I wanted you all to know I haven’t forgotten any of you, nor has Lacey. As a matter of fact, she is beating the inside of my head so hard to be let out again that sleep doesn’t come easily to me anymore. But don’t you fret, I will be working on her this week. So keep checking in.
Thought I’d give you all a little update what has been going on for me. I’m not real good at this whole personal thing, so bear with me. First my two best friends had to move out the first month. They lived across the street from me and moved an hour away. It was an everyday after work and on the weekends kind of thing and extremely stressful for all those involved. I miss them, but it’s a good move for them and things are looking up.
Also I work as a rescue worker for a couple of race car tracks and the past month was the end of the season. Normally keeps me tied up from Friday night through Sunday night. Leaves little time for anything other than rescue operations and passing out at the end of a long day. But I was born into the sport and wouldn’t trade it for the world. To me, there is nothing better than the feeling of saving someone’s life and cheering them on to keep them going around the track.
The second month I have been MIA, working overtime at work and getting things in order for the restructure we have been going through. I work for a medical billing office for the university in our area, and it’s been a bumpy road. We are hoping to have everything settled by the end of the week. It will be nice to get back to a normal pace, I hope that is what we will achieve at least.
I have also been working with Ben on a lot of different pieces of writing. He has really helped me beyond imagination in honing my skills and turning out some really good work! He is my mentor and now also my co-writer on a collaboration piece we are both working on. We have been submitting a few stories over the past month when life has slowed down enough to allow us time. His wife Kristy is so wonderful to help us with our edits and cheering us on. Kudos to them both, they really have become a strong support and great friends to me. Thank you guys!
I opened my eyes to utter darkness. My senses heightened, I could feel the enclosure very close around me. As I wriggled my fingers there was satin beneath where I lay. Don’t panic. I hate enclosed spaces, not exactly claustrophobic, but pretty darn close. I concentrated on my breathing, and tried to think slow and steady. I was not bound in anyway, so I moved my hands out to find side walls going up covered in satin as well. My mind raced to try and figure out what had happened and where I was at. But everything was blank and the darkness started to close in on me. With my eyes shut tight I tried to find my focus, the center of my being as I had learned in meditation. Find your flame. Slowly I let my hands move up the walls that surrounded me and I found a cover or lid not far above my body. My brain reeled as the realization of where I was sunk in. I am trapped in a coffin!!!!!
The image of tons of dirt over top of the lid trapping me six feet below overwhelmed me. No one would hear me scream, but I could not help it as the horror of my situation overwhelmed me. My arms came up and I beat at the lid, as I screamed raggedly until I was left panting to catch my breath. Tears streamed from my eyes and rolled down my face, snot built up in my nose blocking it. How long would I last? How much air did I have?
I heard a noise outside of the casket and the lid was wrenched open and night air filled the cramped space. I tried to sit up sputtering and coughing only to find myself pushed back down and secured with a metal brace around my neck. The sky was cloudy and no moon shone through to provide me light. I strained my eyes to try and see who this assailant was when a lantern was lit illuminating the area. I squinted against the intrusion as his face loomed above me. “Hello Beth,” your grin made me sick. I hadn’t seen you in more than a decade. I felt my entire body grow numb and I felt empty inside.
“I have been watching you for a very long time,” you started to tell me, “I know you no longer fear me giving you pain.” I shrugged in response to you and gave my best ‘I don’t care’ face, though inside my heart was still pumping. “You are no longer a little girl for me to torture Beth.” You continued on as if you were reciting this speech that you memorized over the years. “I have found things out about you, things no one knows. I know your innermost thoughts and fears.”
I felt the ball of snot lodge in my throat. I had spent years building up my wall to protect me from monsters like you. No one could breach them, nothing could hurt me again. I refused to let people in because of you, and for that I have always been alone. It wasn’t sad, it just was, and I had accepted that when I was small. But now, I felt that inner child in me cowering inside of me with your presence in my life again.
You beckoned someone out of my line of view to come forward. “You never were one for the preamble were you?” You asked me as I saw your partner come forward with a large box in his hands. You turned and looked at me with the awful grin that haunted me since I saw you last. “Do you want to know what I have for you little one?” You crooned to me. Pursing my lips together, I raised my eyebrow at you. Never show him your fear that is how he feeds.
Turning you reached into the box and pulled out something I couldn’t see. Bringing your hand down, I saw a large spider cradled in the palm of your hand. Reaching down you didn’t hesitate to place it on my leg. I felt all the blood drain from my face, and your laughter filled the night sky. Looking at your cohort, “Dump them all in.”
As I opened my mouth to say something you interrupted me, “I wouldn’t scream now, you wouldn’t want them crawling inside of you.” I felt thousands of them crawling over my body as they fell from the box. They covered my legs, my hands, my stomach and chest. The laughter of both of you echoed in my ears as you slammed the lid back down and I was left there. Paralyzed with fear, panic seizing my mind. Trapped inside the dark coffin, but no longer alone, now I had thousands of quarter sized spiders in here with me. I could feel their legs and bodies crowding over each other and my own body. Please just let me black out! They swarmed over me like a writhing blanket, crawling up my body and over my face. Tangling in my hair my heart felt like it was going to explode it was pumping so hard. I felt them climb over my neck and try to get into my ears; I felt their legs over my eyelids and pressing to my mouth. Every muscle in my body was taught like a steel drum, I began to tremble…
No air, can’t breathe, no air, can’t breathe, no air, CAN’T BREATHE!!!!!!!
We meet again, you and I. Eye to eye, toe to toe. I give my best blank stare to match your own. Who’s will shall break first?
You lunge into me, pushing me up against the basement wall. A deadly grin spreads on your lips. Those same lips that had spoken of so much love. Seeing my death in you, I swallow my fear, so it shall be. “Be done with it, “ my voice strong and sure.
Almost seductively you trace my collar bone with your fingertips, and then down my arm. Lacing your fingers with my own, you bring my hand to your lips and kiss it. I blink, bored with the preamble, knowing how much you love the game. I refuse to give in to you.
You place my arm against the wall next to my head as you press your body against mine. Your erection throbs with your excitement. “You know what I want,“ you whisper in my ear. I flinch as sharp pain slices my arm. Turning my head, I see a long blade pinning me to the wall through my forearm. My eyes flash the anger I hold inside, causing you to smile. “Ah, that’s the spirit my pet,” you chuckle.
I take a deep breath and try to keep my arm still. I feel the blood running down my arm. I’ve known you longer than I remember, I know how your game works, I know what you want. My pride will never give it to you. Turning, you grab another blade and slowly push it through the opposite arm. I feel it cut through the muscles and slide between the bones. I manage to swallow my grimace as the pain burns up both arms, trapped against the wall.
You run your fingers through the trail of blood flow and wipe them across my lips, only to lick them clean. I struggle not to express my disgust at your pleasure in this. “You know, you used to enjoy pain, you used to love this game,” you say as you turns back to your collection of instruments.
“Hmmmm, don’t feel like talking pet? Let’s see what we can do about that.” Bending down you shove a blade in through the top of each foot and into the ground. I grind my teeth to not scream at the pain, anger flares through me, I cannot restrain it.
As you pull out a box of matches you say, ”Now let’s see if I can remember where exactly you enjoyed these games.” Lighting a match you hold the flame under my upper arms, the skin burning, causing my eyes to well up. I close them and try to breath and find my happy place. You shove the heel of your hand into my diaphragm, “There will be no centering yourself or happy place for you. You will stay here with me now in this moment.” Anger flares in your eyes, I gasp for breath but manage a weak smile at your one weakness. There is a small flicker of hope that I might be able to win. Your hand shoots to my throat and squeezes, “No my sweet, you will not win, this is my game, my rules, my turn.”
Grabbing the matches you hold one under my bare breast, just so the tip of the flame licks over the skin and across the nipple. Defiant I hold my scream in, but tears run down my face. Stepping forward you lick the tears from my cheeks and groan with pleasure.
Placing your hand on the blade in one arm you twist it, snapping it out of the wall and breaking my bones like twigs. Seeing the red ruin of my arm, the shattered bones sticking out my body begins to tremble. “Come on, scream for me baby,” you croon. I hold my head proud still and glare at you.
I feel things inside my body changing, shifting. Bones melting and reconnecting into each other, the one secret you never knew. The confusion shows on your face and I grin as my body melts downwards, the remaining blades falling out and to the ground. My wounds begin to heal and the bones of my arm snap back into place as my new form takes over.
White fur speckled with black spots breaks out over my body and a growl tears from my throat as I look at you through my new eyes. Stretching my long back my tail swishes as I stand on my four legs and stare at you. “What the…” your words silenced as the predator is now my prey.
I feel your anger
I know your pain
Shutting the world out
No dancing in the rain
It takes time to know
You’re not alone in this
Our death was not the end
Just a new kind of bliss
Follow me now
See what I show
Together we will roam
So much more to know
That guy you didn’t like
Can be your meal now
As you feed the pain will cede
No more sweat on your brow
Give it time
You will see
Being the undead
Can set you free
Lacey reached the tree panting, struggling to catch her breath. Still unable to grasp what had just happened, her mind reeled to grasp the full concept of all she had just learned. She knew her aunt was twisted and took sick pleasure in tormenting people. But even this was beyond anything she had ever imagined possible. She dragged her battered body up into the comforting arms of the tree and curled up in a little ball and sobbed.
The high priest began the ceremony in an old language she couldn’t understand. The horror and shock of what they were attempting to do still reeling in her mind. Her aunt’s self satisfied grin as she stood next to the priest made her stomach lurch. A bitter twinge of pride pricked at Lacey’s mind, reminding her in the end her aunt would not win, because Lacey wasn’t a virgin. The only question that remained would be at what price?
The girls in the circle started chanting low and swaying with the beat that was orchestrated by the priest. There was a definite magic building in the room, the hair on Lacey’s neck stood on end. The priest walked towards Lacey to the rhythm of the chant, a silver blade in his hand, Percy’s own grip became painful on her shoulder. “No worries now my dear, “her aunt crooned from his side,” he needs just a small bit of virgin blood to complete the spell.”
Again Lacey paled. She wasn’t going to be able to escape her aunt before it was discovered she was not a virgin. Things were about to get very bad. The priests hands were dry, almost leathery, as he pulled her hand into his. The sharp blade sliced her palm, the blood pooled in her hand before the pain registered in her brain. The priest was delicate as he allowed the blood to run over his blade, the look in his eyes was more disturbing than anything she had ever experienced.
As the priest walked towards the circle, cupping the blade, she heard a voice in her head, “Be ready.” At first she thought it was just her knowing the disaster that was about to happen, then Percy’s hand moved a slight breath on her shoulder. “Be ready Lacey.” He had not spoken out loud, only to her mind, and it was something he had never done before. But Percy had always been kind to her, and she knew that whatever was about to happen, he was going to help her.
As the priest dropped the blood on the edge of the circle and drew the blade outward so it reached her father’s corpse, the spell broke. It was as if an audible pop happened and everything just fell apart. Sensing something was wrong, her aunt demanded, “What is wrong, why is my brother not up and walking?!” She stalked towards the priest, her anger growing, “You told me you would bring him back!”
The priest turned and with a wave of his hand silenced her aunt. A heavy silence fell over the room as the priest turned and looked at Lacey, his eyes penetrated her as he brought the blade that still had some of her blood on it, and licked it. Lacey trembled at the gesture, she saw death in those eyes for the betrayal. Holding her breath, her aunt broke the silence with a shriek, “You WHORE!” And all at once things began to move very fast.
The problem with magic is, even if the spell fails, the power will hover, waiting to be used. It doesn’t care who uses it, it has no feelings, no sense of right or wrong, it just wants to be spent. The priest and her aunt both bore down on Lacey, using the power to levitate her and the chair up off the ground, forcing Percy back from her. She was shot across the room and slammed into the wall, the chair shattered, her body tumbled to the ground. Splinters of the chair pierced the bare flesh of her arms and legs.
The priest stalked towards Lacey as she tried to get up, and found she was unable to breathe. It was as if something was being wrapped around her throat and all the air was being cut off. Her eyes flew open wide and she saw the priest and her aunt’s eyes were glowing a fire red. The girls had gotten up from the circle and were salivating at the blood. Everything was closing in fast on her when she heard a guttural sound from across the room.
Percy was glowing a brilliant white color, his body was morphing and growing with the light. It was so bright it hurt to look at him, but you couldn’t help but stare at the beauty of it. Percy was almost as tall as the cathedral ceiling in the parlor now and the light was warm and getting brighter. Lacey realized that she could breathe and everyone’s attention was on Percy as he unfurled the most beautiful wings she had ever seen.
“Run!” She heard it in her head and hesitated for only a second, she couldn’t leave him here to fight her battle. But she was only a mortal after all. “RUN!” His voice roared through her head and she didn’t look back as she bolted from the parlor and out the front door. The sounds of bloodshed and the shrieks of the girls ringing in her ears. She didn’t stop running until she got to the tree that she had come to, her safe haven for all these years.
