"A county is in mourning since early today when a school bus of forty-three children disappeared in thin air only to be found 2 hours later across state lines. The children were found dead inside and the bus driver had vanished. But that's not all of the unusual news today, as a you-" The radio was shut off and he pulled it from my grasp.
"You've been listening to that broadcast on repeat for the last hour." He flopped down on the bed next to me, "It's time for you to put it down and return to reality."
I watched him for a few moments and then smiled, "I guess I got distracted. Was there something planned today?"
He stared at me for a few moments before speaking. He did that a lot and at first it made me very uncomfortable, but lately I'd come to expect it. When it didn't happen I would feel weird and end up moving into his line of sight.
I guess he paused to think out his words beforehand because his questions always surprised me, "So, when are you going to start using my name?"
"I . . . I can't." I was an unsigned God but even they never called humans by their names, they usually came up with a nickname or just called them "you". Calling someone by their name signified equality, maybe even intimacy, and was very much frowned upon with humans, "It's not proper."
"We've been dating for two months." He rolled to look at the ceiling.
Dating was a very foreign word to me, even after I'd heard him using it so much lately. I knew what it meant and thinking about it made me feel flushed. Although we didn't talk about what we did when we were alone often, I always knew that he was thinking about it by the look in his eye or the way he smiles when he's deep in thought. I didn't understand why it was so important that I use his name, or why the fact that we're dating has anything to do with it. I reached over and pushed him off the bed.
A loud thump was heard followed by an exclamation of surprise and then silence. I waited for him to get back up but heard nothing. My heart leaped into my throat. Had I hurt him?
"Are you okay?" I leaned over, trying to see over the side of the bed to make sure he wasn't injured, "Say som-"
"HAH!" He sprung up at me, making me jump back in surprise and fall off the bed. As I untangled my limbs and pulled myself off the floor, he was laughing so hard that his eyes were watering. I grasped a pillow off the bed and smiled.
He looked surprised and ran for the door. He didn't make it, my pillow snagged him on the foot causing him to tumble into the living room. I went after him, snatching the other pillow off the bed. I turned into the living room and was met with a couch cushion in the face. My bottom hit the floor and he jumped at me, pushing my wrists down.
"Gotcha." He said breathing heavily.
He didn't have me. I could easily have thrown him off anytime I wanted, but that was the problem.
I laughed lightly, "Yeah, I guess you do."
"So, now I get one request and you have to comply." He grinned.
I bit my lower lip, thinking about all the things he could ask, "What is your request?"
"I want you to tell me about your past. I want to know why you were wearing armor and didn't know what a trash can was."
It wasn't what I had expected. I looked to the left, my eyes resting on a controller that had been kicked under the couch. I didn't want to tell him, because then he might go away. How many people have I killed? How many times have I done horrible things in the name of my academy? How could he stay around someone as horrible as me? I'm not worth his affection, and I don't even know what affection meant.
"Hey," He let go of my wrist and swiped a piece of hair away from my eyes.
I turned to look at him, but didn't say a thing.
"You have nothing to worry about. What ever you tell me, I'll stay right here. Then after you're done telling me, I'm going to take you to your favorite place to eat."
Looking at his eyes I could see sincerity, and for some reason I trusted him, "Okay. I'll tell you," He was about to move when I stopped him, "but don't go until I'm done."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Showing posts with label attack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attack. Show all posts
Monday, December 5, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Flashback 211: Adjusting part 1 -Christina-
"Miss," He tugged at my armor for the fourth time, "Miss, could you grab that candy off the top shelf?"
He'd been tugging on my armor since I'd walked into the store, and immediately after I noticed that everyone was staring at me. I knelt down till I was eye level with the young boy and smiled, "If you like those fingers then you'll stop bothering me, okay? Now go ask your mom for help before I chop off those stubbly toes."
Very quickly his face transformed into a wail and I regretted not just helping the boy. His mother came running and pulled him away from me.
"What did you do to my boy? He never cries like this!" She stormed out of the store as I turned back to the newspaper. It had been a long time since I'd been put inside that jar and things had certainly changed. Most humans seemed even more mindless save for the few that I'd met before.
They were still squabbling over religion and killing each other for material possessions; barbarians in a suit. Feeling a tap on my shoulder I spun around grabbing my assailant and flipping him on to the stack of papers. I twisted his arm so it was under his body and then slammed my elbow into his gut.
"I'm not here to hurt you!" He cried, "I'm not here to hurt! Let me go!"
I released him and pushed him off the newspaper, "You shouldn't have come up behind me. Now go, I'm not in need of help."
"Listen, the manager of the store has called the police and they will be here any second. So, we kind of have to get out of here before they show up."
"I can kill them if they decide to attack me."
"I don't doubt it, but killing is really bad and will just make more show up. They're kind of like roaches, where there's one there's hundreds."
"Fine, what do you suggest?" I grabbed a newspaper and something called a RingDing.
"We le-" He stopped and slapped his forehead, "Too late."
"Hello, Miss? I think you should come down to the station with us." A person behind me spoke with authority. He made himself sound so important that a small giggle escaped my lips. I turned to see a small man with his hands on his hips. The only weapons seemed to be a large stick and a really small L-shape object.
"I'm really sorry officers." The man behind me stepped around to the front, "This is my mentally challenged sister an-"
"I am not your sister." I would not tolerate someone lying about me, "and what is mentally challenged? If I find out you're insulting me . . . "
The man looked like he'd just lost a fight, "You were not supposed to disagree."
"You lied, how is that disagreeing? I just told the truth."
The short man grabbed my arm, "Alright, your both coming with me!"
Elbow to face was my response. The man stumbled backwards, his hands holding his bleeding nose. I grabbed his right shoulder and spun him so he was facing the window of the shop. From there it only took a small kick to send him out the window.
"Holy Shit!" Two voices, the man that lied and the other "police" outside, who was eating a doughnut. The clumsy man dropped his doughnut in surprise as the short man flew out the window. Glass littered the ground and I heard some people scream behind me.
The man outside lifted up the L-shaped object and pointed it at me, he was shaking.
"Put your weap-" He noticed that I had no weapons and blinked a few times, "Come out with your hands up, both of you!"
Was raising the hands the new bow? I would never do that! I stepped out the window, one glance at the short man told me he was alive.
"Hands up! Now!" He was still pointing the object toward me.
The man who lied stepped down next to me, "You are a piece of work. I was trying to avoid something like this. Now please put your hands up before this only gets worse. You see what he's holding? It's a gun, it can kill you."
I knelt down and grabbed a small shard of glass, "Oh, it's a weapon." I flicked my wrist and a loud thwack was heard followed by a clattering noise as the gun fell to the ground.
"Oh, no." The man beside me put his hand over his face.
I slide up next to the police man as he reached for his gun. I grabbed his belt and lifted him in the air. A quick jab to the gut and he quickly went limp, "What? He was wielding a weapon. What was I supposed to do?"
I glared at the man as he reached for my arm, stopping him mid-grab.
"Lady, you need to follow me before more of them show up."
"You're very annoying with your demands."
"Yeah, I'm told that a lot. Now come on."
I followed him as he ran down the street and jumped a fence.
He'd been tugging on my armor since I'd walked into the store, and immediately after I noticed that everyone was staring at me. I knelt down till I was eye level with the young boy and smiled, "If you like those fingers then you'll stop bothering me, okay? Now go ask your mom for help before I chop off those stubbly toes."
Very quickly his face transformed into a wail and I regretted not just helping the boy. His mother came running and pulled him away from me.
"What did you do to my boy? He never cries like this!" She stormed out of the store as I turned back to the newspaper. It had been a long time since I'd been put inside that jar and things had certainly changed. Most humans seemed even more mindless save for the few that I'd met before.
They were still squabbling over religion and killing each other for material possessions; barbarians in a suit. Feeling a tap on my shoulder I spun around grabbing my assailant and flipping him on to the stack of papers. I twisted his arm so it was under his body and then slammed my elbow into his gut.
"I'm not here to hurt you!" He cried, "I'm not here to hurt! Let me go!"
I released him and pushed him off the newspaper, "You shouldn't have come up behind me. Now go, I'm not in need of help."
"Listen, the manager of the store has called the police and they will be here any second. So, we kind of have to get out of here before they show up."
"I can kill them if they decide to attack me."
"I don't doubt it, but killing is really bad and will just make more show up. They're kind of like roaches, where there's one there's hundreds."
"Fine, what do you suggest?" I grabbed a newspaper and something called a RingDing.
"We le-" He stopped and slapped his forehead, "Too late."
"Hello, Miss? I think you should come down to the station with us." A person behind me spoke with authority. He made himself sound so important that a small giggle escaped my lips. I turned to see a small man with his hands on his hips. The only weapons seemed to be a large stick and a really small L-shape object.
"I'm really sorry officers." The man behind me stepped around to the front, "This is my mentally challenged sister an-"
"I am not your sister." I would not tolerate someone lying about me, "and what is mentally challenged? If I find out you're insulting me . . . "
The man looked like he'd just lost a fight, "You were not supposed to disagree."
"You lied, how is that disagreeing? I just told the truth."
The short man grabbed my arm, "Alright, your both coming with me!"
Elbow to face was my response. The man stumbled backwards, his hands holding his bleeding nose. I grabbed his right shoulder and spun him so he was facing the window of the shop. From there it only took a small kick to send him out the window.
"Holy Shit!" Two voices, the man that lied and the other "police" outside, who was eating a doughnut. The clumsy man dropped his doughnut in surprise as the short man flew out the window. Glass littered the ground and I heard some people scream behind me.
The man outside lifted up the L-shaped object and pointed it at me, he was shaking.
"Put your weap-" He noticed that I had no weapons and blinked a few times, "Come out with your hands up, both of you!"
Was raising the hands the new bow? I would never do that! I stepped out the window, one glance at the short man told me he was alive.
"Hands up! Now!" He was still pointing the object toward me.
The man who lied stepped down next to me, "You are a piece of work. I was trying to avoid something like this. Now please put your hands up before this only gets worse. You see what he's holding? It's a gun, it can kill you."
I knelt down and grabbed a small shard of glass, "Oh, it's a weapon." I flicked my wrist and a loud thwack was heard followed by a clattering noise as the gun fell to the ground.
"Oh, no." The man beside me put his hand over his face.
I slide up next to the police man as he reached for his gun. I grabbed his belt and lifted him in the air. A quick jab to the gut and he quickly went limp, "What? He was wielding a weapon. What was I supposed to do?"
I glared at the man as he reached for my arm, stopping him mid-grab.
"Lady, you need to follow me before more of them show up."
"You're very annoying with your demands."
"Yeah, I'm told that a lot. Now come on."
I followed him as he ran down the street and jumped a fence.
Monday, October 31, 2011
207: Sanity -Saba-
"You won't survive this. Let me out . . . I can protect you."
I shook my head as I ran down the hall away from the horrible, young child that Will had left for me to keep an eye on. The girl claimed that she was Crystal's sister, but it was an obvious lie. When we were alone I called her on the lie and she just flipped out.
I heard the teeny explosions as people looked out to find what the noise was, only to have their heads removed from their bodies. Whoever this girl was, she had immense power and was a danger to everyone. I glanced back to see her slowly walking down the hall behind me.
Behind her, the hallway was a mess of blood and brain matter. As the girl stepped on the rug little splashes of blood splattered on her and the walls. Her face was in a state of ecstasy as though she was getting her fix off every head that explodes in her presence.
"I can't let you out. I'll never get you back under control. You could hurt the people I care about."
More explosions. A family of four becomes a family of none.
"I thought we came to an agreement?! You're going to die unless you let me take over."
The other me was right, and I was running out of hallway. I pushed open the door to the stairs and quickly made my way down.
"The only agreement we came to was keeping Ben safe. This isn't affecting Ben at all."
I was halfway down the second set of stairs when the door above flew off its hinges. I could hear steps down the stairs as I finished the second set.
"Wow." Her voice was childish and malicious, "Being around you makes it easier for me to get the pieces I need. I wonder what it'd be like if I could just get inside your head."
My foot caught on a step and I tumbled down the stairs. An attempt to stand was met with extreme pain through out my entire leg.
"If you're dead, then you can't protect Ben. If she reaches us before you stop being stupid then we're dead . . . you have to know that. Just . . . give me control."
No choice. No choice but to let her be in control. She could help.
I looked at the top of the stairs and my breath caught. There she was staring down at me like a hungry beast at their next meal. She was terrifying, powerful, small, fragile . . . dead.
"It's about time you caught up to me." I smiled my signature dark smile, "I've always wanted to know what it'd feel like to wear a child's skin."
She paused, "Well, this is different."
Her face was what I concentrated on. It was an expression that was the best part of being a monster. The only emotion I felt was the right one to be expressed toward me. This girl was scared.
"Mmmmm." I pulled myself up ignoring the pain in my leg, something the other me could never do, "All this violence is making me tingly in places children your age shouldn't know about."
"What are you? Why aren't you terrified of me anymore?", she pulled herself together and the fear disappeared.
"I eat your type for breakfast . . . " I winked, "Literally."
I stepped up the stairs toward her, and she took a step back. I could see that she was weighing her options. I had completely surprised her.
"When they sent you up here to me, did you expect someone fragile and weak? Ben's much smarter than that. He didn't send you to me because of my weaker, more humane," I spit, "self. I'm the reason he left you here. So let's start with what you are."
As I made my way up the stairs I could tell she wasn't sure what to do, but I knew she understood the trouble she was in.
"I'm very old and much stronger than you." She obviously believed that, "I've been around for as long as humans have existed, maybe even longer."
"You aren't telling me anything of importance." I took a deep breath of the blood scented air, "These are your last moments, the least you could do is be more open with me."
Red flooded the front of the girl's dress, but she didn't scream. Instead she looked at me and smiled, "You want me to be more open? Well, how's this for being open?"
With that the girl's body burst open and fell to the floor. Standing in her place was a tall red-headed young woman completely nude and covered with blood. It was my turn to be put off guard by this unusual transformation.
"Ahh, so I've collected enough pieces to manifest my true form." She looked at me with eyes that I'd seen many times. She was an unsigned Goddess. One of Patrick's kind. I suddenly felt completely outranked.
"I'm not unsigned. I passed with flying colors and was signed." She smiled and bowed, "I'm the Goddess of Memory, or at least I was until they locked me away."
In a second she had me against the wall with her hand at my throat. Her strength was amazing, more so than even Bob had exhibited. I could feel her fingers biting into my neck.
"Sex-y." I smiled at her, "Why don't you and me find a room somewhere? I'll teach you how to scream with out making a sound."
Her grip tightened, "All I need from you is the piece I'm missing." She put her other hand on my forehead and after a few moments her face became quizzical, "You- don't have it. Why don't you have the piece I need?" She slammed me against the wall, "What are you?!"
I had trouble talking, "Let's play . . .", I coughed the words out slowly, "some show and tell."
My weaker self was screaming at me to stop making her mad. I took her advice in to consideration long enough to spit in the Goddess' face. She tossed me down the stairs in response. I hit the floor and slid in to the wall.
"You are not important to me if you are not in possession of what I seek. You can leave with your life.", she turned to walk away, but I wasn't having that. I called upon the dead, urging them to wrap themselves around the door she'd kicked down earlier.
"STOP!" She did, and slowly turned around.
"You are just asking for me to kill you." She tilted her head, "Or could you be trying to save the people of this hotel?"
That question made me very confused. I could just let her go, she wasn't a threat to me or anyone I cared about right now. Why was I stopping her? That's when it hit me, I was losing control. I took a deep breath of the disgusting air and all I wanted was Ben to hold me.
A loud clang was heard behind the Goddess as the door fell to the ground. My powers had faded because the evil me was deep within. I fearfully looked at the red haired Goddess and gave my best fearless face.
"You're a big meany-head."
She started laughing. She laughed for about 2 minutes and then her laughter turned to screams, "NO! . . . agh . . . urgh . . . I need more pieces . . . I need a body to hold me."
Her eyes fell on me and I felt a cold chill.
I shook my head as I ran down the hall away from the horrible, young child that Will had left for me to keep an eye on. The girl claimed that she was Crystal's sister, but it was an obvious lie. When we were alone I called her on the lie and she just flipped out.
I heard the teeny explosions as people looked out to find what the noise was, only to have their heads removed from their bodies. Whoever this girl was, she had immense power and was a danger to everyone. I glanced back to see her slowly walking down the hall behind me.
Behind her, the hallway was a mess of blood and brain matter. As the girl stepped on the rug little splashes of blood splattered on her and the walls. Her face was in a state of ecstasy as though she was getting her fix off every head that explodes in her presence.
"I can't let you out. I'll never get you back under control. You could hurt the people I care about."
More explosions. A family of four becomes a family of none.
"I thought we came to an agreement?! You're going to die unless you let me take over."
The other me was right, and I was running out of hallway. I pushed open the door to the stairs and quickly made my way down.
"The only agreement we came to was keeping Ben safe. This isn't affecting Ben at all."
I was halfway down the second set of stairs when the door above flew off its hinges. I could hear steps down the stairs as I finished the second set.
"Wow." Her voice was childish and malicious, "Being around you makes it easier for me to get the pieces I need. I wonder what it'd be like if I could just get inside your head."
My foot caught on a step and I tumbled down the stairs. An attempt to stand was met with extreme pain through out my entire leg.
"If you're dead, then you can't protect Ben. If she reaches us before you stop being stupid then we're dead . . . you have to know that. Just . . . give me control."
No choice. No choice but to let her be in control. She could help.
I looked at the top of the stairs and my breath caught. There she was staring down at me like a hungry beast at their next meal. She was terrifying, powerful, small, fragile . . . dead.
"It's about time you caught up to me." I smiled my signature dark smile, "I've always wanted to know what it'd feel like to wear a child's skin."
She paused, "Well, this is different."
Her face was what I concentrated on. It was an expression that was the best part of being a monster. The only emotion I felt was the right one to be expressed toward me. This girl was scared.
"Mmmmm." I pulled myself up ignoring the pain in my leg, something the other me could never do, "All this violence is making me tingly in places children your age shouldn't know about."
"What are you? Why aren't you terrified of me anymore?", she pulled herself together and the fear disappeared.
"I eat your type for breakfast . . . " I winked, "Literally."
I stepped up the stairs toward her, and she took a step back. I could see that she was weighing her options. I had completely surprised her.
"When they sent you up here to me, did you expect someone fragile and weak? Ben's much smarter than that. He didn't send you to me because of my weaker, more humane," I spit, "self. I'm the reason he left you here. So let's start with what you are."
As I made my way up the stairs I could tell she wasn't sure what to do, but I knew she understood the trouble she was in.
"I'm very old and much stronger than you." She obviously believed that, "I've been around for as long as humans have existed, maybe even longer."
"You aren't telling me anything of importance." I took a deep breath of the blood scented air, "These are your last moments, the least you could do is be more open with me."
Red flooded the front of the girl's dress, but she didn't scream. Instead she looked at me and smiled, "You want me to be more open? Well, how's this for being open?"
With that the girl's body burst open and fell to the floor. Standing in her place was a tall red-headed young woman completely nude and covered with blood. It was my turn to be put off guard by this unusual transformation.
"Ahh, so I've collected enough pieces to manifest my true form." She looked at me with eyes that I'd seen many times. She was an unsigned Goddess. One of Patrick's kind. I suddenly felt completely outranked.
"I'm not unsigned. I passed with flying colors and was signed." She smiled and bowed, "I'm the Goddess of Memory, or at least I was until they locked me away."
In a second she had me against the wall with her hand at my throat. Her strength was amazing, more so than even Bob had exhibited. I could feel her fingers biting into my neck.
"Sex-y." I smiled at her, "Why don't you and me find a room somewhere? I'll teach you how to scream with out making a sound."
Her grip tightened, "All I need from you is the piece I'm missing." She put her other hand on my forehead and after a few moments her face became quizzical, "You- don't have it. Why don't you have the piece I need?" She slammed me against the wall, "What are you?!"
I had trouble talking, "Let's play . . .", I coughed the words out slowly, "some show and tell."
My weaker self was screaming at me to stop making her mad. I took her advice in to consideration long enough to spit in the Goddess' face. She tossed me down the stairs in response. I hit the floor and slid in to the wall.
"You are not important to me if you are not in possession of what I seek. You can leave with your life.", she turned to walk away, but I wasn't having that. I called upon the dead, urging them to wrap themselves around the door she'd kicked down earlier.
"STOP!" She did, and slowly turned around.
"You are just asking for me to kill you." She tilted her head, "Or could you be trying to save the people of this hotel?"
That question made me very confused. I could just let her go, she wasn't a threat to me or anyone I cared about right now. Why was I stopping her? That's when it hit me, I was losing control. I took a deep breath of the disgusting air and all I wanted was Ben to hold me.
A loud clang was heard behind the Goddess as the door fell to the ground. My powers had faded because the evil me was deep within. I fearfully looked at the red haired Goddess and gave my best fearless face.
"You're a big meany-head."
She started laughing. She laughed for about 2 minutes and then her laughter turned to screams, "NO! . . . agh . . . urgh . . . I need more pieces . . . I need a body to hold me."
Her eyes fell on me and I felt a cold chill.
Friday, June 24, 2011
200: Fatal Shadow -Unknown-
It took me three hours and twelve people to find the exact location of Patrick, and I won't lie; some of those people would have trouble walking for a while. I wasn't cutting corners. I wasn't taking chances. I knew better. You make a mistake or take a shortcut and you're dead. The only thing you can do is be one step ahead of the rest. You have to know the enemy so well that even their preference of cereal isn't a mystery to you.
I'd left them standing there staring after me. I didn't even hang up the phone. It was as though the sound of the death unlocked parts of me I'd never knew existed. An entire lifetime of espionage, and assassination flooded my mind. I knew the points on someone's body that would knock them out, cripple them, or worse. I could get to those spots before they could blink and disappear just as fast. Nothing was untouchable and as soon as I put my sights on a target, nothing could sway my gaze.
I wasn't a meek girl anymore.
I was the seven year old bringer of death.
I was a fatal shadow.
I was the eyes you always feel on you.
I was what made you hesitant to go into a dark room unarmed.
I was Crystal, and I was very, very mad.
Guards were nothing; just targets. They didn't last long enough to be surprised. There were three at the front doors. I always used the front door, because I wanted to spit in the face of my target's security. I wanted them to know when I arrived so that I could easily earn the quivering fear that I deserved to be shown. I left the gun where they laid and instead grabbed a single grenade as insurance. It's not that I didn't know how to use a gun. I could disassemble them in seconds and put them together just as fast. I had a killer's aim, but that was no surprise. I didn't pick them up because I wouldn't need them.
They wouldn't see me.
A group of seven heavily armed men flooded down the hall where I had been just earlier. They knelt to check the status of the door guards. Alive. I needed them to remember me. I needed them to fear me. I needed everyone in this place to know they weren't safe if they crossed me.
I came down like a spider from my hiding spot in a small nook on the ceiling. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. A single touch and every last one of them would be in a coma for a week. I left the pile of bodies near the door as I made my way deeper into the interior of the building.
I slipped into a room as I heard a voice coming closer. John. My friend working for the wrong side, so he wouldn't get special treatment. Open the door to the face, and a single jab to one of those special places I knew of. He fell like a brick. Not coma, but he'd be out long enough for me to complete what I'd come here to do. I disarmed him just in case. During the time I'd known him he'd done some very surprising things, and there was NO way I was going to underestimate him. Jay and Tim were all that was left to make a move, and the only person that had seen me was Tim. He probably saw my entrance in the video feeds.
After taking John down I turned to the nearest camera and waved.
Jay would be in the library, and Tim in the control room. Simple.
Jay's face felt the heel of my foot before the world went dark. He wouldn't be getting up any time soon. I left the library and made my way to the showers; Patrick would be there unaware of my coming.
The doors to the bathroom were closed and locked, but a hairpin and thirty seconds later that obstacle was gone.
Patrick wasn't human, that much I was aware of. I wouldn't be able to rely on the normal means to do him in. He was also very experienced, and had probably had many assassins try to take him out. He would be ready for me and that wasn't something I could stop. We were in his territory, so I was all ready at a disadvantage. I had to switch it around. I had to change the field of battle so that it fell in my favor, or at least evened the odds.
I closed my eyes and counted to forty, all the while I could hear the shower running around the corner. I could hear his whistling as though he had no remorse or guilt about what he'd done. It drove me mad. I hit forty, turned off the lights, and opened my eyes.
I had already adjusted to the dark so getting to Patrick in his surprised state was simple. My fist said hello to his nose with a crack loud enough to cause my ears to ring. I jumped back as he swung blindly in the dark.
"Who are you?! Where are you!?", he yelled angrily as he tried to hit me.
I silently moved behind him, ignoring the heat of the shower water as my knee crashed into the small of his back.
Patrick went down to one knee faster than I'd expected. I figured that he'd be some kind of monster like the ones we'd faced before. I didn't even fathom that he could possibly be simply human.
"Attacking someone in the dark is pathetic! Attack me to my face you pathetic fool!" His face was fuming, as angry as I could get it.
"You didn't attack me to my face. You went after my Father. You are the coward!"
Even in the dark I could see the blood drain from his face. He hadn't even thought that I would be capable of coming after him. He didn't even think I had it in me to make a one man assault on his badly guarded fortress. It was breathtaking to watch his anger swiftly change to a worried uncertainty. I watched his mind put the pieces together by reading the small changes on his face. A small look of guilt slid over his face and then vanished into anger again.
"You." He stood to his feet, and as I watched him he seemed to gain more confidence, "You killed the only human in this horrible world that I actually cared about. You took Saba away from me, so I went straight after the only people that I could to make you feel my pain. Do you? Do you feel the horrific feeling of loss like I do? After my employee finished his work, I called him and do you know what he told me?"
I could feel my anger growing as he started to explain his actions, as though he was justified in killing such a kind and innocent person.
"He told me that he missed." I felt my heart skip a beat, "He said that he had to sit there and watch your father choke on his own blood for half an hour before death."
My anger erupted with a ferocity I had never felt before. My foot was on his chin, followed by the heavy thumps of my fists bruising his chest, knocking him out of the showers and closer to the door. He tried to retaliate, but the lack of sight made his swings ineffectual and pointless. He leaped through the door, crushing it to the ground. He was moving toward the light so he'd have a better advantage, but I was right behind him.
Before he even got back to his feet I was there, leveraging his weight to catapult him back into the showers where he collided into the wall with a crunch of linoleum. I pulled out the grenade as I moved to the door. My finger yanked the pin as I smiled at his very surprised face.
"WAIT!" Patrick's voice made me hesitate, "Wait. If you let me live, than I can help you."
"Now who's pathetic? Can't you just at least die as something other than a cockroach? Don't you dare try to weasel your way out of this.", I prepared to toss it.
"No. I can tell you how to bring Vincent back."
Patrick had earned some more time.
I'd left them standing there staring after me. I didn't even hang up the phone. It was as though the sound of the death unlocked parts of me I'd never knew existed. An entire lifetime of espionage, and assassination flooded my mind. I knew the points on someone's body that would knock them out, cripple them, or worse. I could get to those spots before they could blink and disappear just as fast. Nothing was untouchable and as soon as I put my sights on a target, nothing could sway my gaze.
I wasn't a meek girl anymore.
I was the seven year old bringer of death.
I was a fatal shadow.
I was the eyes you always feel on you.
I was what made you hesitant to go into a dark room unarmed.
I was Crystal, and I was very, very mad.
Guards were nothing; just targets. They didn't last long enough to be surprised. There were three at the front doors. I always used the front door, because I wanted to spit in the face of my target's security. I wanted them to know when I arrived so that I could easily earn the quivering fear that I deserved to be shown. I left the gun where they laid and instead grabbed a single grenade as insurance. It's not that I didn't know how to use a gun. I could disassemble them in seconds and put them together just as fast. I had a killer's aim, but that was no surprise. I didn't pick them up because I wouldn't need them.
They wouldn't see me.
A group of seven heavily armed men flooded down the hall where I had been just earlier. They knelt to check the status of the door guards. Alive. I needed them to remember me. I needed them to fear me. I needed everyone in this place to know they weren't safe if they crossed me.
I came down like a spider from my hiding spot in a small nook on the ceiling. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. A single touch and every last one of them would be in a coma for a week. I left the pile of bodies near the door as I made my way deeper into the interior of the building.
I slipped into a room as I heard a voice coming closer. John. My friend working for the wrong side, so he wouldn't get special treatment. Open the door to the face, and a single jab to one of those special places I knew of. He fell like a brick. Not coma, but he'd be out long enough for me to complete what I'd come here to do. I disarmed him just in case. During the time I'd known him he'd done some very surprising things, and there was NO way I was going to underestimate him. Jay and Tim were all that was left to make a move, and the only person that had seen me was Tim. He probably saw my entrance in the video feeds.
After taking John down I turned to the nearest camera and waved.
Jay would be in the library, and Tim in the control room. Simple.
Jay's face felt the heel of my foot before the world went dark. He wouldn't be getting up any time soon. I left the library and made my way to the showers; Patrick would be there unaware of my coming.
The doors to the bathroom were closed and locked, but a hairpin and thirty seconds later that obstacle was gone.
Patrick wasn't human, that much I was aware of. I wouldn't be able to rely on the normal means to do him in. He was also very experienced, and had probably had many assassins try to take him out. He would be ready for me and that wasn't something I could stop. We were in his territory, so I was all ready at a disadvantage. I had to switch it around. I had to change the field of battle so that it fell in my favor, or at least evened the odds.
I closed my eyes and counted to forty, all the while I could hear the shower running around the corner. I could hear his whistling as though he had no remorse or guilt about what he'd done. It drove me mad. I hit forty, turned off the lights, and opened my eyes.
I had already adjusted to the dark so getting to Patrick in his surprised state was simple. My fist said hello to his nose with a crack loud enough to cause my ears to ring. I jumped back as he swung blindly in the dark.
"Who are you?! Where are you!?", he yelled angrily as he tried to hit me.
I silently moved behind him, ignoring the heat of the shower water as my knee crashed into the small of his back.
Patrick went down to one knee faster than I'd expected. I figured that he'd be some kind of monster like the ones we'd faced before. I didn't even fathom that he could possibly be simply human.
"Attacking someone in the dark is pathetic! Attack me to my face you pathetic fool!" His face was fuming, as angry as I could get it.
"You didn't attack me to my face. You went after my Father. You are the coward!"
Even in the dark I could see the blood drain from his face. He hadn't even thought that I would be capable of coming after him. He didn't even think I had it in me to make a one man assault on his badly guarded fortress. It was breathtaking to watch his anger swiftly change to a worried uncertainty. I watched his mind put the pieces together by reading the small changes on his face. A small look of guilt slid over his face and then vanished into anger again.
"You." He stood to his feet, and as I watched him he seemed to gain more confidence, "You killed the only human in this horrible world that I actually cared about. You took Saba away from me, so I went straight after the only people that I could to make you feel my pain. Do you? Do you feel the horrific feeling of loss like I do? After my employee finished his work, I called him and do you know what he told me?"
I could feel my anger growing as he started to explain his actions, as though he was justified in killing such a kind and innocent person.
"He told me that he missed." I felt my heart skip a beat, "He said that he had to sit there and watch your father choke on his own blood for half an hour before death."
My anger erupted with a ferocity I had never felt before. My foot was on his chin, followed by the heavy thumps of my fists bruising his chest, knocking him out of the showers and closer to the door. He tried to retaliate, but the lack of sight made his swings ineffectual and pointless. He leaped through the door, crushing it to the ground. He was moving toward the light so he'd have a better advantage, but I was right behind him.
Before he even got back to his feet I was there, leveraging his weight to catapult him back into the showers where he collided into the wall with a crunch of linoleum. I pulled out the grenade as I moved to the door. My finger yanked the pin as I smiled at his very surprised face.
"WAIT!" Patrick's voice made me hesitate, "Wait. If you let me live, than I can help you."
"Now who's pathetic? Can't you just at least die as something other than a cockroach? Don't you dare try to weasel your way out of this.", I prepared to toss it.
"No. I can tell you how to bring Vincent back."
Patrick had earned some more time.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
199: Life For A Life -Crystal-
I can't say I wasn't nervous. What would I say? How would I explain? The phone rang into my ear as I waited.
It felt like forever before someone picked up.
"Hello?" It was a gruff male voice, one I didn't recognize.
"Um, is William Ferguson there?"
"He's a little," the voice pulled away from the phone for a moment and then returned, "preoccupied at the moment."
"It's important that I talk to him immediately. Please put him on the phone."
"You wouldn't happen to be Crystal, would you?"
My heart sank. Something was wrong. How could this person possibly know me?
"Just put my Daddy on the phone. Please."
The voice laughed, "Sure thing." Again the voice moved away from the phone, "Hey! It's your daughter, she wants to talk to you. You can take it? All right." The voice returned, "He says he can take it. Just let me remove the duct tape."
A yelp of pain echoed through the phone followed by a stern "quiet" from the man on the phone. Some more shuffling and then a voice came over the phone, one I recognized.
"Hello?" I couldn't help but tear up when I heard his voice, "I don't know what kind of sick joke you're playing bu-"
"Daddy, do you remember what Mommy told us before she died? She was laying there pale and weak; so weak that she couldn't hold my hand. I was crying and you were trying to hide your sadness for me even though I could always see it. Do you remember?"
"How did you-" He sounded surprised.
"Daddy, she told you that the best moments of her life were the years she spent with you. She said," painful memories stung me to the bone, "She said that even though she'd only had a few years to spend with us, she couldn't imagine another life she would have rather lived."
"Oh my God." I could hear the surprise in his voice, "Crystal. How?"
"That's not all, then she looked at me and told me to love with everything I had. Then she closed her eyes, Daddy, she closed her eyes for the last time."
"You- you sound older. How did this happen? When can I see yo-", I heard a loud thunk as he was cut off. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" The other voice returned.
"So, I have a message to you from Patrick." The voice was very calm and dangerous, "By now, you've probably found that all your money is gone, right? That's why you had to call here."
They had my Daddy; Patrick had my Father. I felt the blood rush from my face as I whispered into the phone, "Yes."
"He thought you would, so I was told to wait here until you called and then tell you this." He laughed lightly, "Patrick says, 'A life for a life.' "
I heard him put the phone down and in the distance I heard my Daddy's voice, "Crystal, I love yo-"
The loud bang of a gun echoed through the phone.
It felt like forever before someone picked up.
"Hello?" It was a gruff male voice, one I didn't recognize.
"Um, is William Ferguson there?"
"He's a little," the voice pulled away from the phone for a moment and then returned, "preoccupied at the moment."
"It's important that I talk to him immediately. Please put him on the phone."
"You wouldn't happen to be Crystal, would you?"
My heart sank. Something was wrong. How could this person possibly know me?
"Just put my Daddy on the phone. Please."
The voice laughed, "Sure thing." Again the voice moved away from the phone, "Hey! It's your daughter, she wants to talk to you. You can take it? All right." The voice returned, "He says he can take it. Just let me remove the duct tape."
A yelp of pain echoed through the phone followed by a stern "quiet" from the man on the phone. Some more shuffling and then a voice came over the phone, one I recognized.
"Hello?" I couldn't help but tear up when I heard his voice, "I don't know what kind of sick joke you're playing bu-"
"Daddy, do you remember what Mommy told us before she died? She was laying there pale and weak; so weak that she couldn't hold my hand. I was crying and you were trying to hide your sadness for me even though I could always see it. Do you remember?"
"How did you-" He sounded surprised.
"Daddy, she told you that the best moments of her life were the years she spent with you. She said," painful memories stung me to the bone, "She said that even though she'd only had a few years to spend with us, she couldn't imagine another life she would have rather lived."
"Oh my God." I could hear the surprise in his voice, "Crystal. How?"
"That's not all, then she looked at me and told me to love with everything I had. Then she closed her eyes, Daddy, she closed her eyes for the last time."
"You- you sound older. How did this happen? When can I see yo-", I heard a loud thunk as he was cut off. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" The other voice returned.
"So, I have a message to you from Patrick." The voice was very calm and dangerous, "By now, you've probably found that all your money is gone, right? That's why you had to call here."
They had my Daddy; Patrick had my Father. I felt the blood rush from my face as I whispered into the phone, "Yes."
"He thought you would, so I was told to wait here until you called and then tell you this." He laughed lightly, "Patrick says, 'A life for a life.' "
I heard him put the phone down and in the distance I heard my Daddy's voice, "Crystal, I love yo-"
The loud bang of a gun echoed through the phone.
Monday, June 20, 2011
197: Completion -Sara-
Incomplete. I was incomplete. I must become whole again, but to do that I'd need to find all the pieces. I could see them all around me everyday as I moved through this place. I was in pieces and slowly I would collect myself to become one again.
"Mister?" She was small, but she had a piece, "Are you okay? You look sick. I think you're bleeding."
She was right, I was bleeding. These vessels weren't strong enough to contain me and would eventually explode. Even after I leave them, the strain is too much and it usually kills them. Such fragile beings. If I could find a stronger vessel than this it would be much easier, less murderous. I didn't want to have to kill these creatures, but I was incomplete. I needed to be whole again.
Adding a new piece calmed me for a time, until I felt the gnawing urge for completion again. I felt it now as I looked at the young child in front of me. Why was she alone? Where was her guardian? Those questions quickly became irrelevant as the need overcame me. I began to detach myself from this vessel, allowing small amounts of their free will come back as I reached out to the little girl.
First I released the pain, so I didn't feel as the vessel's chest slowly split open. I watched the girl's eyes go wide as the blood spilled onto the ground. She turned to run but I was too fast. My arm whipped out, clipping her on the side of the head and she crumpled to the ground. I turned to the alley wall and coated my hand with blood.
After I retrieved the next piece, I couldn't be sure what I would remember. I had to leave myself a message, telling me what to do next. Direction was what I would need if I was to survive. I couldn't allow myself to be caught, but what should I do next?
I searched the vessel's mind for the part I needed, and began melding it to me. I had to get this piece before I leave. It would be many, many months before I found this specific piece again. As I finished, I learned where I needed to go next.
Soon my defense mechanism would kick in, and I would not remember anything for a long time. I had to give myself direction. My hand slid along the wall as I wrote the words and immediately after finishing, I released myself completely and flowed into the girl. The old vessel was too far gone to scream and as my memory faded, I watched his body explode.
My eyes roamed over the words as I began to lose consciousness.
"Find Crystal Ferguson."
I could taste the next piece already.
"Mister?" She was small, but she had a piece, "Are you okay? You look sick. I think you're bleeding."
She was right, I was bleeding. These vessels weren't strong enough to contain me and would eventually explode. Even after I leave them, the strain is too much and it usually kills them. Such fragile beings. If I could find a stronger vessel than this it would be much easier, less murderous. I didn't want to have to kill these creatures, but I was incomplete. I needed to be whole again.
Adding a new piece calmed me for a time, until I felt the gnawing urge for completion again. I felt it now as I looked at the young child in front of me. Why was she alone? Where was her guardian? Those questions quickly became irrelevant as the need overcame me. I began to detach myself from this vessel, allowing small amounts of their free will come back as I reached out to the little girl.
First I released the pain, so I didn't feel as the vessel's chest slowly split open. I watched the girl's eyes go wide as the blood spilled onto the ground. She turned to run but I was too fast. My arm whipped out, clipping her on the side of the head and she crumpled to the ground. I turned to the alley wall and coated my hand with blood.
After I retrieved the next piece, I couldn't be sure what I would remember. I had to leave myself a message, telling me what to do next. Direction was what I would need if I was to survive. I couldn't allow myself to be caught, but what should I do next?
I searched the vessel's mind for the part I needed, and began melding it to me. I had to get this piece before I leave. It would be many, many months before I found this specific piece again. As I finished, I learned where I needed to go next.
Soon my defense mechanism would kick in, and I would not remember anything for a long time. I had to give myself direction. My hand slid along the wall as I wrote the words and immediately after finishing, I released myself completely and flowed into the girl. The old vessel was too far gone to scream and as my memory faded, I watched his body explode.
My eyes roamed over the words as I began to lose consciousness.
"Find Crystal Ferguson."
I could taste the next piece already.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
196: Not Dead -Carl-
"Melissa isn't dead, Carl. She's out there somewhere causing more mayhem, and we have to stop her before she goes too far." The small fairy flew up and gave me a fierce gaze.
I had been in my hotel room for only 10 minutes alone when I had heard the tapping on the window. I was surprised to find a male fairy floating outside waiting to get in.
"I'm not going anywhere. My friend just died, I have to be here for the people that need me."
"I wish it was different, Carl, but this is more important than that. She's been planning something for a very long time and it's all coming together slowly. The pact, Joshua, your curse being broken; all of it a part of her plan, everything working together toward a single, horrible goal. One that we cannot allow to come to fruition."
"Who are you?" I hadn't had a chance to ask him his name before he'd started ranting about going after Melissa.
"My name is Qaliphus. I was with Melissa when she came to this world. Soon after I realized her intentions and had to fake my own death so that I could find a way to stop her. It saddens me to say that several innocents lost their lives so that I could get away, but they were needed sacrifices for the greater good."
I was getting angry. This fairy was dancing around the subject, not getting to his point. It was almost as though he was ashamed. I walked to the mini-bar and poured myself a drink.
"What's she planning?"
The fairy smiled, "We lost the war between us and the Gods. Melissa and I had escaped with the intentions of settling down and hiding. I wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of my life, but Melissa had other intentions. While I was growing attached to humans, she was becoming less sympathetic for their kind. The only humans she had any feelings for were the children. She saw them as completely innocent and untouched by the evil of age."
I was growing impatient as I took another gulp of my drink. I walked to the bed and sat on it, thinking about everything Melissa had done.
"She told me of her plans one night and I was horrified. Carl, she plans on bringing all the fairies back."
I stared at the small fairy, his eyes were honest and his face stern.
"Why are you against that? You're a fairy yourself."
He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed, "I'm a traitor, Carl. I never told Melissa, but I told the Gods our battle plans in the final battle." He shook his head, "My people are a cruel and heartless race. We know nothing of mercy and strive to control everything we can. Even our magics used to belong to another race that we wiped out. We tortured humans for fun, murdering them when we got bored. As I grew up I began to feel sorry for the humans, and when I had the chance to save them, I took it."
I raised a brow, "You wiped out your entire race to save mine? That's bold. Very, very bold."
I had to admit, I was impressed. Qaliphus had went against everything he was raised to believe to stop the torture of another race. I could see that it was difficult for him, but I could also tell that he was set on keeping humans safe at all costs.
"So," I put my glass down, "what makes you think she's not dead?"
"Fairies are notoriously hard to kill. If her name isn't used to kill her then she's not dead. You need to understand that she's planned so far ahead and if she succeeds, then the human race will be wiped out in seconds."
"How did the Gods even have any chance of winning against your race if they didn't know your names?" I knew her name was powerful but I didn't know it was required to kill her. No wonder it was the only thing that could control her.
I had already decided that I would go with him. I reached over to grab a shirt, and a sword that I'd snatched from the museum in the turmoil. As I stood he flew up to the door.
"They didn't, not until I gave them all the fairies names." I saw his strong demeanor falter slightly. I saw a deep sadness.
Could I kill my entire race to save another?
I had been in my hotel room for only 10 minutes alone when I had heard the tapping on the window. I was surprised to find a male fairy floating outside waiting to get in.
"I'm not going anywhere. My friend just died, I have to be here for the people that need me."
"I wish it was different, Carl, but this is more important than that. She's been planning something for a very long time and it's all coming together slowly. The pact, Joshua, your curse being broken; all of it a part of her plan, everything working together toward a single, horrible goal. One that we cannot allow to come to fruition."
"Who are you?" I hadn't had a chance to ask him his name before he'd started ranting about going after Melissa.
"My name is Qaliphus. I was with Melissa when she came to this world. Soon after I realized her intentions and had to fake my own death so that I could find a way to stop her. It saddens me to say that several innocents lost their lives so that I could get away, but they were needed sacrifices for the greater good."
I was getting angry. This fairy was dancing around the subject, not getting to his point. It was almost as though he was ashamed. I walked to the mini-bar and poured myself a drink.
"What's she planning?"
The fairy smiled, "We lost the war between us and the Gods. Melissa and I had escaped with the intentions of settling down and hiding. I wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of my life, but Melissa had other intentions. While I was growing attached to humans, she was becoming less sympathetic for their kind. The only humans she had any feelings for were the children. She saw them as completely innocent and untouched by the evil of age."
I was growing impatient as I took another gulp of my drink. I walked to the bed and sat on it, thinking about everything Melissa had done.
"She told me of her plans one night and I was horrified. Carl, she plans on bringing all the fairies back."
I stared at the small fairy, his eyes were honest and his face stern.
"Why are you against that? You're a fairy yourself."
He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed, "I'm a traitor, Carl. I never told Melissa, but I told the Gods our battle plans in the final battle." He shook his head, "My people are a cruel and heartless race. We know nothing of mercy and strive to control everything we can. Even our magics used to belong to another race that we wiped out. We tortured humans for fun, murdering them when we got bored. As I grew up I began to feel sorry for the humans, and when I had the chance to save them, I took it."
I raised a brow, "You wiped out your entire race to save mine? That's bold. Very, very bold."
I had to admit, I was impressed. Qaliphus had went against everything he was raised to believe to stop the torture of another race. I could see that it was difficult for him, but I could also tell that he was set on keeping humans safe at all costs.
"So," I put my glass down, "what makes you think she's not dead?"
"Fairies are notoriously hard to kill. If her name isn't used to kill her then she's not dead. You need to understand that she's planned so far ahead and if she succeeds, then the human race will be wiped out in seconds."
"How did the Gods even have any chance of winning against your race if they didn't know your names?" I knew her name was powerful but I didn't know it was required to kill her. No wonder it was the only thing that could control her.
I had already decided that I would go with him. I reached over to grab a shirt, and a sword that I'd snatched from the museum in the turmoil. As I stood he flew up to the door.
"They didn't, not until I gave them all the fairies names." I saw his strong demeanor falter slightly. I saw a deep sadness.
Could I kill my entire race to save another?
Monday, June 6, 2011
192: My Power, My Downfall -Bob-
I lifted the girl up by her neck. I'd never seen a more powerful Warlock. Her power was nearly undetectable and very lethal. In fact, it wasn't even the type of power I thought that I'd find. As a human she was quite the specimen. I squeezed her neck, watching her eyes widen as she struggled for breath.
"What is wrong with you humans? Here I am squeezing the life out of you and I sense no fear. I'm going to kill you, and you look at me as though I'm pathetic and not worth your time." I glanced back at the other two as they pulled themselves to their feet.
"Is there something wrong with you people? Do you lack the capacity to fear or something?", I tightened my grip, "No matter how hard I squeeze she still doesn't want to be afraid. Learn your place humans."
The unusually strong human laughed, "You really think you've got us by holding her hostage? Do you know what she's done to us? She nearly killed some of our closest friends, and she's just as twisted as you. Go ahead, crush her throat."
I could tell he was bluffing, at least partially. So why say it? He was gaining nothing, except time. Time for her to run out of breath. Time for her to wish it would end. The thought came to me at the last second and I had no time to get out of the way as the pillar flew at me. Time to get her attack prepared.
The impact caused my grip to release and threw me across the room. I felt ribs break as I smashed into the wall. She had used her abilities to lift a pillar and wield it as a weapon, and I'd never seen that before. What were these people?
"That's it. Enough games! Time to di-" The strong one's fist hit me in the face before I could finish. A knee to my chest did more than just confirm the broken ribs, it fractured them. I felt his fingers in my hair as he taught me how his knee felt on my face. I tasted the blood on my lips. Me. I was bleeding, by a mere human, which is something I would never had expected. Then again, nothing has happened as expected. All I had to do was kill the anomaly and instead I meet an entire army of them. I could feel his fists hitting me but I was lost in thought.
Humans are not capable of this kind of power. We ruled over them for thousands of years with out a single incident. Had they been building this power over that entire time? All three of these filthy humans demonstrated abilities beyond that of the norm. There was no way I could allow this to continue.
His next fist never connected; intercepted by my hand and followed by a swift series of jabs to his chest. I watched his stamina fall as I turned his chest and stomach into a bruised mess. He went limp shortly, still conscious but unable to move. I lifted him up so that we were face to face.
"See what you get?", I spat my blood in his face, "All it took was a few hits and now you can be put aside for later."
I should have seen it. These humans were smart. Their fighting prowess was like a seasoned warrior. They'd seen battle before and definitely fought things above their ability to defeat. I should have known that they'd work together to make this difficult, but I never expected them to work so well.
"So, who next?" I tossed him aside and looked up to see the Warlock releasing a fireball lined with razor sharp blades that had been collected by the girl. I felt my skin burn as it collided with me. I was helplessly thrown back into the wall. The pain was excruciating, flowing through my entire body. I could hear my screams as though they were from a distance.
This was too much. These people were relentless, they'd never stop. I'd made a mistake. I was going to die, right here, right now, to the hands of humans; the people I'd hunted for sport. These three had taken every hit, and retaliated like demons. There was no way I could win. Too much, just too much.
Then I felt it. Fear, so much fear. I felt my confidence return as the fear grew. I had been wrong, I would win. The humans revealed their fear too early, so early. I reached out with my power and grasped on to that fear.
It was the sweetest kind, a surprising fear. Something unexpected but so strong and so deep, like a nightmare come true. I had to incapacitate one of these foolish humans in order to have a chance. I called upon everything I had and forced them into their horror, where they'd live until I killed them. I felt them give in to my power and then everything faded away.
I found myself standing in a room.
"What? What's going on?"
"You are completely foolish. You've made a horrible mistake." That was Mardockt's voice. I felt a deep dread as he stepped out of the shadows.
"I was winning! I was going to win!"
"NO! You FOOL! You never had a chance! Do you know why you're here? I didn't bring you here, YOU DID!" He was angry, and that made me more scared than I'd ever been. The things he could do to me . . . the thing he would do to me.
"How did I do that? I have no access to this place."
"You think you're really with me?", he laughed, "No. All of this is in your mind, and I must say . . . I'm very flattered."
What he was saying finally hit me. I had made a mistake.
"Oh you see it now, I can see the fear in your face. Yes, Bob. You wasted all your energy putting yourself into your own deepest, darkest fear."
"Eventually I'll get my strength back!", I was all ready shivering as he walked over to me, "I'll escape once I'm in control again."
"Bob.", he knelt and looked me straight in the face with a smile that was full of some much pleasure, "You're going to use up all your strength surviving me."
"No.", I felt the tears come, "NO! I'M SORRY! NO! LET ME OUT! HELP! HELP!"
He stood and pulled a pair of razor-sharp tongs out of his pocket, "Bob?"
My voice was a whisper, the fear was so strong and just getting stronger with time. I kept imagining what Mardockt would do to me with out being able to stop thinking it, "Please. Please don't. I don't want this, I never wanted this. You need to stop. Why would you do this to me? Please. No no no no no no no no."
"BOB!"
"What?", I was whimpering uncontrollably as I tried to think of a way out, but all I could think about is how many ways he could make me scream.
He smiled a smile so evil that it brought me to screams before he even touched me.
"This is going to be fun." And he began.
"What is wrong with you humans? Here I am squeezing the life out of you and I sense no fear. I'm going to kill you, and you look at me as though I'm pathetic and not worth your time." I glanced back at the other two as they pulled themselves to their feet.
"Is there something wrong with you people? Do you lack the capacity to fear or something?", I tightened my grip, "No matter how hard I squeeze she still doesn't want to be afraid. Learn your place humans."
The unusually strong human laughed, "You really think you've got us by holding her hostage? Do you know what she's done to us? She nearly killed some of our closest friends, and she's just as twisted as you. Go ahead, crush her throat."
I could tell he was bluffing, at least partially. So why say it? He was gaining nothing, except time. Time for her to run out of breath. Time for her to wish it would end. The thought came to me at the last second and I had no time to get out of the way as the pillar flew at me. Time to get her attack prepared.
The impact caused my grip to release and threw me across the room. I felt ribs break as I smashed into the wall. She had used her abilities to lift a pillar and wield it as a weapon, and I'd never seen that before. What were these people?
"That's it. Enough games! Time to di-" The strong one's fist hit me in the face before I could finish. A knee to my chest did more than just confirm the broken ribs, it fractured them. I felt his fingers in my hair as he taught me how his knee felt on my face. I tasted the blood on my lips. Me. I was bleeding, by a mere human, which is something I would never had expected. Then again, nothing has happened as expected. All I had to do was kill the anomaly and instead I meet an entire army of them. I could feel his fists hitting me but I was lost in thought.
Humans are not capable of this kind of power. We ruled over them for thousands of years with out a single incident. Had they been building this power over that entire time? All three of these filthy humans demonstrated abilities beyond that of the norm. There was no way I could allow this to continue.
His next fist never connected; intercepted by my hand and followed by a swift series of jabs to his chest. I watched his stamina fall as I turned his chest and stomach into a bruised mess. He went limp shortly, still conscious but unable to move. I lifted him up so that we were face to face.
"See what you get?", I spat my blood in his face, "All it took was a few hits and now you can be put aside for later."
I should have seen it. These humans were smart. Their fighting prowess was like a seasoned warrior. They'd seen battle before and definitely fought things above their ability to defeat. I should have known that they'd work together to make this difficult, but I never expected them to work so well.
"So, who next?" I tossed him aside and looked up to see the Warlock releasing a fireball lined with razor sharp blades that had been collected by the girl. I felt my skin burn as it collided with me. I was helplessly thrown back into the wall. The pain was excruciating, flowing through my entire body. I could hear my screams as though they were from a distance.
This was too much. These people were relentless, they'd never stop. I'd made a mistake. I was going to die, right here, right now, to the hands of humans; the people I'd hunted for sport. These three had taken every hit, and retaliated like demons. There was no way I could win. Too much, just too much.
Then I felt it. Fear, so much fear. I felt my confidence return as the fear grew. I had been wrong, I would win. The humans revealed their fear too early, so early. I reached out with my power and grasped on to that fear.
It was the sweetest kind, a surprising fear. Something unexpected but so strong and so deep, like a nightmare come true. I had to incapacitate one of these foolish humans in order to have a chance. I called upon everything I had and forced them into their horror, where they'd live until I killed them. I felt them give in to my power and then everything faded away.
I found myself standing in a room.
"What? What's going on?"
"You are completely foolish. You've made a horrible mistake." That was Mardockt's voice. I felt a deep dread as he stepped out of the shadows.
"I was winning! I was going to win!"
"NO! You FOOL! You never had a chance! Do you know why you're here? I didn't bring you here, YOU DID!" He was angry, and that made me more scared than I'd ever been. The things he could do to me . . . the thing he would do to me.
"How did I do that? I have no access to this place."
"You think you're really with me?", he laughed, "No. All of this is in your mind, and I must say . . . I'm very flattered."
What he was saying finally hit me. I had made a mistake.
"Oh you see it now, I can see the fear in your face. Yes, Bob. You wasted all your energy putting yourself into your own deepest, darkest fear."
"Eventually I'll get my strength back!", I was all ready shivering as he walked over to me, "I'll escape once I'm in control again."
"Bob.", he knelt and looked me straight in the face with a smile that was full of some much pleasure, "You're going to use up all your strength surviving me."
"No.", I felt the tears come, "NO! I'M SORRY! NO! LET ME OUT! HELP! HELP!"
He stood and pulled a pair of razor-sharp tongs out of his pocket, "Bob?"
My voice was a whisper, the fear was so strong and just getting stronger with time. I kept imagining what Mardockt would do to me with out being able to stop thinking it, "Please. Please don't. I don't want this, I never wanted this. You need to stop. Why would you do this to me? Please. No no no no no no no no."
"BOB!"
"What?", I was whimpering uncontrollably as I tried to think of a way out, but all I could think about is how many ways he could make me scream.
He smiled a smile so evil that it brought me to screams before he even touched me.
"This is going to be fun." And he began.
191: Running Out Of Time -Carl-
One second Bob had been right in front of me, working hard to keep his ground while we attacked. The next he caught Saba in the chest with a palm, sending her flying into a wall.
He spun and planted his foot on the side of my leg with just enough force to knock me off my feet. The world spun as I flipped to the floor. Another kick to my gut and I was slamming into the wall as well. The pain was unbelievable. I'd never been hit so hard in my entire life, and that's saying something.
Bob was an entirely different level of God than what I'd been facing all this time. His body moved smoothly and with deadly precision, every movement made toward his benefit.
Bob sidestepped two fireballs as he closed the distance between him and Nick. The first swing Nick deflected with a flash of bright light, but the second caught him across the face. Bob swept back his fist and delivered two quick jabs to Nick's gut.
He wasn't knocking Nick aside, he was going for the kill. I fought the pain as I pushed myself to my feet. Bob had all ready killed one of my friends. I wasn't going to let him take Nick as well. As he swung back his fist I brought my arm underneath his, and used my weight as leverage to toss him the way I'd come. Bob's face was filled with surprise as he collided with a pillar.
Nick fell to his knee as he pulled himself together. I could see the pain on his face, and judging by where those hits had landed, I'm sure there was a few broken bones.
"Are you alright?"
"I should be fine. Saba?"
"She hasn't gotten up. She may be really hurt."
"Everyone else?"
"Everyone but Ben is outside. Ben is trying to find a way to send this guy back where he came from."
"Enough!", Bob's elbow slammed into my back, followed by a swift fist to my side. The pain surprised me as it shot up my side and back. I felt a blast of searing heat as I fell and heard Bob yelp. Nick's close quarters flame had unexpectedly caught him in the chest.
Bob jumped back, a circle of burnt flesh on his chest, "Argh, I hate warlocks!"
My hands found his feet during his distraction, and with a yank he had his back on the floor. Out of nowhere Saba's foot swung. A loud cracking sound filled the room as her foot treated Bob's head like a football.
Bob rolled away as I pulled myself to my feet again. I glanced at Saba, and found it difficult to decipher who was in control right now. Her actions were like her dark side, but her eyes were more caring. Something had changed with her, something big.
"So you think you're strong? Just because some bitch says you are?", Bob wiped the blood from his mouth, though it didn't help. He looked liked he been in a car accident, "You're nothing. Do you know why you humans were made? You were made to serve us. Made to be our personal slaves."
He laughed, "It would have stayed that way too, but the council took pity on you. They decided that the old legends meant you for a different purpose. Do you know what I think?"
"I thin-", a fireball narrowly missed his face, bringing him to silence.
"I don't care what you think.", Nick readied another spell, "The only important thing right now is that you came to a peaceful place intending to hurt people. You decided that we were weak. You decided that we needed to be destroyed. So here we are, destroy us, or let us destroy you. Either way . . . "
Nick hurled the largest fireball I'd ever seen toward Bob, " . . . SHUT UP!"
Bob ran to the left only to find Saba waiting. She waved her hand and three swords lifted up from a nearby exhibit as Nick's fireball smashed into the wall and exploded. Shards of hot rock flew everywhere, one catching Bob in the back of the head and sending him sprawling to the floor.
Saba was on him in seconds, her blades whistling as Bob rolled to avoid them. He flipped to his feet and spun. His foot caught her on the chin and her concentration was lost, making the swords fall to the floor around her. He didn't have a second to continue with her because I moved in to take her place.
Face, gut, groin, neck, waist; my swings were blocked easily as if I were a child. A quick amount of pressure from his palm hit my chest, shooting me backwards into Nick.
We had to figure out his weakness fast, or we were going to lose.
Bob smiled darkly and began walking toward Saba, who lay unmoving on the ground.
"Well, I guess your first to die then." He laughed.
This wasn't going well.
He spun and planted his foot on the side of my leg with just enough force to knock me off my feet. The world spun as I flipped to the floor. Another kick to my gut and I was slamming into the wall as well. The pain was unbelievable. I'd never been hit so hard in my entire life, and that's saying something.
Bob was an entirely different level of God than what I'd been facing all this time. His body moved smoothly and with deadly precision, every movement made toward his benefit.
Bob sidestepped two fireballs as he closed the distance between him and Nick. The first swing Nick deflected with a flash of bright light, but the second caught him across the face. Bob swept back his fist and delivered two quick jabs to Nick's gut.
He wasn't knocking Nick aside, he was going for the kill. I fought the pain as I pushed myself to my feet. Bob had all ready killed one of my friends. I wasn't going to let him take Nick as well. As he swung back his fist I brought my arm underneath his, and used my weight as leverage to toss him the way I'd come. Bob's face was filled with surprise as he collided with a pillar.
Nick fell to his knee as he pulled himself together. I could see the pain on his face, and judging by where those hits had landed, I'm sure there was a few broken bones.
"Are you alright?"
"I should be fine. Saba?"
"She hasn't gotten up. She may be really hurt."
"Everyone else?"
"Everyone but Ben is outside. Ben is trying to find a way to send this guy back where he came from."
"Enough!", Bob's elbow slammed into my back, followed by a swift fist to my side. The pain surprised me as it shot up my side and back. I felt a blast of searing heat as I fell and heard Bob yelp. Nick's close quarters flame had unexpectedly caught him in the chest.
Bob jumped back, a circle of burnt flesh on his chest, "Argh, I hate warlocks!"
My hands found his feet during his distraction, and with a yank he had his back on the floor. Out of nowhere Saba's foot swung. A loud cracking sound filled the room as her foot treated Bob's head like a football.
Bob rolled away as I pulled myself to my feet again. I glanced at Saba, and found it difficult to decipher who was in control right now. Her actions were like her dark side, but her eyes were more caring. Something had changed with her, something big.
"So you think you're strong? Just because some bitch says you are?", Bob wiped the blood from his mouth, though it didn't help. He looked liked he been in a car accident, "You're nothing. Do you know why you humans were made? You were made to serve us. Made to be our personal slaves."
He laughed, "It would have stayed that way too, but the council took pity on you. They decided that the old legends meant you for a different purpose. Do you know what I think?"
"I thin-", a fireball narrowly missed his face, bringing him to silence.
"I don't care what you think.", Nick readied another spell, "The only important thing right now is that you came to a peaceful place intending to hurt people. You decided that we were weak. You decided that we needed to be destroyed. So here we are, destroy us, or let us destroy you. Either way . . . "
Nick hurled the largest fireball I'd ever seen toward Bob, " . . . SHUT UP!"
Bob ran to the left only to find Saba waiting. She waved her hand and three swords lifted up from a nearby exhibit as Nick's fireball smashed into the wall and exploded. Shards of hot rock flew everywhere, one catching Bob in the back of the head and sending him sprawling to the floor.
Saba was on him in seconds, her blades whistling as Bob rolled to avoid them. He flipped to his feet and spun. His foot caught her on the chin and her concentration was lost, making the swords fall to the floor around her. He didn't have a second to continue with her because I moved in to take her place.
Face, gut, groin, neck, waist; my swings were blocked easily as if I were a child. A quick amount of pressure from his palm hit my chest, shooting me backwards into Nick.
We had to figure out his weakness fast, or we were going to lose.
Bob smiled darkly and began walking toward Saba, who lay unmoving on the ground.
"Well, I guess your first to die then." He laughed.
This wasn't going well.
Friday, June 3, 2011
190: Change Of Heart -Crystal-
A fireball narrowly missed my head as Nick, Saba and Carl began their battle with Bob. Saba played defense, deflecting weapons and holding Bob's power back as best she could. Nick pulled long distance with his fireballs, which gave off so much heat they melted an entire set of plate armor to the ground. Carl stayed inside with close quarters combat. Even with all this, Bob still held his ground. He avoided the fireballs with grace while blocking Carl's attacks and still getting some attacks in, even though most of them never hit. Saba would levitate an item in the way of them.
I heard a young girl scream as she was nearly burnt to a crisp by one of Nick's stray flames. I rushed over and pulled her away as the fight moved in her direction, "Are you alright?"
The girl clinged to me as her eyes watered with tears. These people had been through so much for no reason; no reason at all. I felt more hatred toward the thing that had killed my closest friend, putting people through so much for such a petty reason.
"Here, let me take her. You go get the rest. If we don't get them out of here . . . ", I turned to hand the girl to a man.
"Yeah, let's just get these guys outside." I turned to go help some more children trapped under the dead bodies of teachers and fellow students.
"My name's Andrew." He rushed to bring the girl outside and as he turned away, I could swear there were tears in his eyes.
The fighting continued as Andrew and I worked to get the children outside, but with only the two of us it was slow.
"BEN! Ben, where are you?" What if he didn't make it?
"I'm at the Door of the Dead!", his voice made me breathe a sigh of relief, "He came from the door, maybe there's a way to send him back. Keep getting the people out! Get Will to help."
Will! I searched, only to spot him trying to pull someone out of a pile of the dead, "Will! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Kelly's in here! I guess she came inside when she saw what happened at the door." I watched him pull the young Taxi driver from the pile of bodies.
Andrew walked over to him and Will's face went white as a sheet, "But . . . you died."
"Yeah, I was dead for a long time, but I'm alive now. Let's get these people out of here."
We all nodded in unison and rushed off to help others as Saba was slammed into the wall so hard that the ground shook.
Bob was winning.
I heard a young girl scream as she was nearly burnt to a crisp by one of Nick's stray flames. I rushed over and pulled her away as the fight moved in her direction, "Are you alright?"
The girl clinged to me as her eyes watered with tears. These people had been through so much for no reason; no reason at all. I felt more hatred toward the thing that had killed my closest friend, putting people through so much for such a petty reason.
"Here, let me take her. You go get the rest. If we don't get them out of here . . . ", I turned to hand the girl to a man.
"Yeah, let's just get these guys outside." I turned to go help some more children trapped under the dead bodies of teachers and fellow students.
"My name's Andrew." He rushed to bring the girl outside and as he turned away, I could swear there were tears in his eyes.
The fighting continued as Andrew and I worked to get the children outside, but with only the two of us it was slow.
"BEN! Ben, where are you?" What if he didn't make it?
"I'm at the Door of the Dead!", his voice made me breathe a sigh of relief, "He came from the door, maybe there's a way to send him back. Keep getting the people out! Get Will to help."
Will! I searched, only to spot him trying to pull someone out of a pile of the dead, "Will! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Kelly's in here! I guess she came inside when she saw what happened at the door." I watched him pull the young Taxi driver from the pile of bodies.
Andrew walked over to him and Will's face went white as a sheet, "But . . . you died."
"Yeah, I was dead for a long time, but I'm alive now. Let's get these people out of here."
We all nodded in unison and rushed off to help others as Saba was slammed into the wall so hard that the ground shook.
Bob was winning.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Flashback Entry 184: Always Second Place -Bob-
My face hit the dirt so hard I was seeing stars. I rolled to my feet and caught the foot heading for my face. The pain stung my hands as I brought my foot up to connect with her chest. She stepped back and brushed herself off, her eyes finding me again. Well, that's not exactly true, she couldn't see me with her eyes closed but it sure felt like she could.
This was completely embarrassing. I had come here to finally prove that I'm worth Patrick's time only to get stuck fighting one of his lackeys; the weakest lackey no less. It was infuriating, to be completely outmatched by the weakest link when all I'd wanted to do was put Patrick in his place.
I sidestepped her swing only to have her elbow play patty-cake with my face. A pain in my gut was the only evidence that her knee had been there for a half-second. I jumped back to avoid a kick that would have turned my arm into jello. She was unrelenting with her assault, seeing my movements before I made them and acting with out sight.
I glanced to the sidelines to our teachers, whom were watching with interest. They wanted to see which one came out on top so they could give top tier to the ones that deserved it. The students around them, including Patrick, also watched but they saw more than the teachers. The teachers were looking simply for the potential. All they wanted to do was find the best and promote them; increase their strength and reach in the Other Lands.
The Students were like vultures. I was the underdog, who had no hope against Patrick, but they watched because if I succeeded, then the rumors of Patrick's invulnerability would be destroyed. If I failed, I would be the laughing stock of the entire class for years to come.
So if I'm beaten by his weakest of friends than that just makes it worse. I didn't want it to be worse. I wouldn't be able to stand the horror of all those people laughing at me. I turned back to Christina's fist as she took advantage of my distraction. An attempted duck had her knee teaching my chin a physics lesson, and my sight blurring over as I tasted blood on my lips.
Was this how it was supposed to be? Was I always supposed to take second place? Would I ever get to fight Patrick? I wouldn't let that happen. My hand slipped into the waistband of my pants, pulling out the small knife I'd stored there. I saw a brow on Patrick's face raise as he noticed what I held. The teachers wouldn't stop the fight until a clear winner was shown, so anything was allowed and Patrick could do nothing.
I knew that she hadn't had her knife training yet, so she was at a disadvantage. I saw her leg swing up and brought out my blade to intercept. I heard her cry out as it cut her deeply. This time she fell back to get away from my blade flitting back and forth, inches from her face. I could see desperation in her face, along with a twinge of something else; something I had craved from the beginning.
Fear.
Fear was my ability. Manipulation, manifestation, and projection of fear as long as it was present. Until now she had been fearless, but my knife had taught her humility and forced her to fear me. I felt drunk with power as I soaked in her fear. I felt the laughter bubble up and opened my mouth to reveal it to the world.
The sound that came out was a scream of pain. My groin felt like it had exploded into flames and Christina stood up, her boot smacking my weapon away. A loud, "Ooohh!", could be heard all around me; everyone watching shared my pain as I fell to my knees. I felt my chin bone turn to mush when the tip of her other boot slammed into it with a force I'd yet to ever feel. I sat there as the world slowed down, watching her spin slowly to use other body parts to teach me more about pain.
The laughter would start soon. I was beaten, completely destroyed by someone who had been considered weak. Even after I had my power backing me up, she still thought her way through the battle enough to redefine pain.
Why? Patrick was always a step ahead, always above the rest and making even the teachers worry. Staying with a tight group of friends who were considered the elite, and never wanting anyone else to sit on his throne of conceit.
I woke up a few hours later on a bed in the infirmary. Patrick was sitting on a chair watching me.
"Oh, good. You're okay." He smiled that high and mighty smile, "I was worried that you wouldn't wake up."
"Came here to gloat? I lost, you don't have to rub it in."
"No. I actually came here to warn you, because I used to think that you were the type to always play fair." Patrick leaned in close, his face angry, "The next time you bring a knife into a fair fight, I'm going to give her one too. Understand? You think that she was dangerous with just her hands and feet? Wait until she introduces your insides to the floor."
There was no fear in him. None. He wasn't lying, and there was no ego on his face. The silence lasted for minutes as he stared at me.
"I didn't go there to fight her." My voice was barely audible and the pain in my chin was slowly becoming more evident, as if reminding me of the lesson I'd learned, "I went to fight you."
He stood and walked to the door, "If you can't beat her, than you won't last three minutes with me." With that, he left.
Three weeks later, he was removed from the academy and sentenced to janitor duty.
This was completely embarrassing. I had come here to finally prove that I'm worth Patrick's time only to get stuck fighting one of his lackeys; the weakest lackey no less. It was infuriating, to be completely outmatched by the weakest link when all I'd wanted to do was put Patrick in his place.
I sidestepped her swing only to have her elbow play patty-cake with my face. A pain in my gut was the only evidence that her knee had been there for a half-second. I jumped back to avoid a kick that would have turned my arm into jello. She was unrelenting with her assault, seeing my movements before I made them and acting with out sight.
I glanced to the sidelines to our teachers, whom were watching with interest. They wanted to see which one came out on top so they could give top tier to the ones that deserved it. The students around them, including Patrick, also watched but they saw more than the teachers. The teachers were looking simply for the potential. All they wanted to do was find the best and promote them; increase their strength and reach in the Other Lands.
The Students were like vultures. I was the underdog, who had no hope against Patrick, but they watched because if I succeeded, then the rumors of Patrick's invulnerability would be destroyed. If I failed, I would be the laughing stock of the entire class for years to come.
So if I'm beaten by his weakest of friends than that just makes it worse. I didn't want it to be worse. I wouldn't be able to stand the horror of all those people laughing at me. I turned back to Christina's fist as she took advantage of my distraction. An attempted duck had her knee teaching my chin a physics lesson, and my sight blurring over as I tasted blood on my lips.
Was this how it was supposed to be? Was I always supposed to take second place? Would I ever get to fight Patrick? I wouldn't let that happen. My hand slipped into the waistband of my pants, pulling out the small knife I'd stored there. I saw a brow on Patrick's face raise as he noticed what I held. The teachers wouldn't stop the fight until a clear winner was shown, so anything was allowed and Patrick could do nothing.
I knew that she hadn't had her knife training yet, so she was at a disadvantage. I saw her leg swing up and brought out my blade to intercept. I heard her cry out as it cut her deeply. This time she fell back to get away from my blade flitting back and forth, inches from her face. I could see desperation in her face, along with a twinge of something else; something I had craved from the beginning.
Fear.
Fear was my ability. Manipulation, manifestation, and projection of fear as long as it was present. Until now she had been fearless, but my knife had taught her humility and forced her to fear me. I felt drunk with power as I soaked in her fear. I felt the laughter bubble up and opened my mouth to reveal it to the world.
The sound that came out was a scream of pain. My groin felt like it had exploded into flames and Christina stood up, her boot smacking my weapon away. A loud, "Ooohh!", could be heard all around me; everyone watching shared my pain as I fell to my knees. I felt my chin bone turn to mush when the tip of her other boot slammed into it with a force I'd yet to ever feel. I sat there as the world slowed down, watching her spin slowly to use other body parts to teach me more about pain.
The laughter would start soon. I was beaten, completely destroyed by someone who had been considered weak. Even after I had my power backing me up, she still thought her way through the battle enough to redefine pain.
Why? Patrick was always a step ahead, always above the rest and making even the teachers worry. Staying with a tight group of friends who were considered the elite, and never wanting anyone else to sit on his throne of conceit.
I woke up a few hours later on a bed in the infirmary. Patrick was sitting on a chair watching me.
"Oh, good. You're okay." He smiled that high and mighty smile, "I was worried that you wouldn't wake up."
"Came here to gloat? I lost, you don't have to rub it in."
"No. I actually came here to warn you, because I used to think that you were the type to always play fair." Patrick leaned in close, his face angry, "The next time you bring a knife into a fair fight, I'm going to give her one too. Understand? You think that she was dangerous with just her hands and feet? Wait until she introduces your insides to the floor."
There was no fear in him. None. He wasn't lying, and there was no ego on his face. The silence lasted for minutes as he stared at me.
"I didn't go there to fight her." My voice was barely audible and the pain in my chin was slowly becoming more evident, as if reminding me of the lesson I'd learned, "I went to fight you."
He stood and walked to the door, "If you can't beat her, than you won't last three minutes with me." With that, he left.
Three weeks later, he was removed from the academy and sentenced to janitor duty.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
174: Flashback; Shattered Dreams -Melissa- (by Crystal Ferguson)
On this particular day, the children were minding themselves in the living room while the parents conversed in the kitchen. Qaliphus and I were outside the home, sitting on the freshly cut lawn. The sun was high in the sky and the small breeze here and there was uplifting. Traffic was rather light, aside from the occasional, obnoxiously loud vehicle racing by on the road. It seemed as if nothing could go wrong; all was well in the world.
I still remember when he turned to me with a smile and the utter most confidence in his eyes. He knew what he wanted to say, and knew if he looked long enough before speaking a word, that I would tense up. His lips curved more when my body responded in such a way, a nervous giggle escaping my lips.
“Melissa?”, he innocently questioned. Qaliphus knew all too well how to strike my cords with ease.
I jumped a bit, “Yes?”
“I have noticed the amount of affection you hold for me.”
The tingling feelings inside of me rose, making me feel nauseous. I gulped and kept my focus on him,
“Have you now?”
He nodded, his hands gently taking mine. I felt a burning sensation in my cheeks as he and I stared in to each other’s eyes.
His face came in closer to mine, our noses just barely touching. “I must confess that I, too, hold much affection for you.”
Within that moment I felt the greatest amount of happiness. My hands squeezed at his as a true smile broadened across my features. At the time, the youngest had made his way to outside the home. It didn't seem all too important that he was outside; I was too busy soaking in Qaliphus’ words.
“Oh, Qaliphus…”, I leaned in closer, lips practically connecting, “I've waited for so long.”
Our lips made contact, my eyes closing and my wings fluttering from the new, delighting experience. Warmth embraced my very being. Pulling back; out of the corner of my eye I saw the youngest had made his way to the road, swinging a stick side to side. Why in the world was he playing there, and with a stick no less?
What happened next seemed all too surreal.
A flash of red came rushing toward the child. With out skipping a beat, Qaliphus flew to the tiny one’s side. A child’s scream curdled. Tires screeched. And then, a thud. The child laid lifeless on the road, red liquid oozing from his skull. Qaliphus was too late. The person in the red vehicle climbed out, saw what they had hit, and in a panic climbed back in and drove off; the boy’s body being left behind like a wild animal.
I flew over with haste, gasping at the true mess it made. The worst part wasn't the boy’s death. Laying next to him, with his blood spilled beneath, was Qaliphus; unmoving and limp.
It took the longest time for my dream of having him love me back to come true.
It only took seconds for that dream to shatter.
173: Flashback; The Sweet Escape -Melissa- (by Crystal Ferguson)
We had to leave our home land behind, the Other Lands, in order to ensure our survival. Many of the Gods longed to end our existence. We were the last of our kind. Staying there would only bring inevitable death.
Qaliphus and I decided to settle in to this world; the world of humans. Here, we would be able to hide from the Gods. Here, we could bloom a whole new life together. Knowing this filled me with tingling feelings.
To share a life with Qaliphus that did not dwell around constant fighting was a pleasant thought for me.
He had great skill behind him, but he also possessed a softer side; one that didn't show too often. He was a warrior first and a friend second. We had mutual respect for one another’s power; though the feelings I had for him were overwhelming. Sadly, his feelings were not the same when it came to me. Oddly enough, I was okay with this. After all, I still had the pleasure of keeping him by my side. As long as he was there, I was perfectly content. Oh, Qaliphus…
Upon our arrival to the human world, he and I came across a seemingly loving family. There were two adults and three children. The oldest of the children was ten, the middle child to be six, and the youngest was four. All young enough to be able to see us. Of course, the parents were unable to see us. They never had contact with our world to have such privileged sight. At least they didn't question their children; the parents just thought it was their children’s imagination at work when the topic of Fay were brought up. Either way, we settled in rather smoothly with the humans.
The children took to us quickly, filled with much awe that creatures such as Qaliphus and I existed. Every now and again I would simply observe as he played with the three boys. He played hide and seek or tag, told stories of great triumph, and would some times pull a prank or two on them. They would laugh in delight from his shenanigans. It warmed my tiny body and brought a smile to my face to see such interaction. This was the side of Qaliphus that I adored the most. He might have had the will to kill in an instant, but his will to bring happiness was far more astonishing to me.
As the weeks passed, my love for Qaliphus began to grow all the more. I had never felt more happy in my entire life. Qaliphus and I were closer than ever before, or at least that’s how it felt to me.
I longed to be able to forever keep him by my side; to love him unconditionally.
Fate decided otherwise.
Qaliphus and I decided to settle in to this world; the world of humans. Here, we would be able to hide from the Gods. Here, we could bloom a whole new life together. Knowing this filled me with tingling feelings.
To share a life with Qaliphus that did not dwell around constant fighting was a pleasant thought for me.
He had great skill behind him, but he also possessed a softer side; one that didn't show too often. He was a warrior first and a friend second. We had mutual respect for one another’s power; though the feelings I had for him were overwhelming. Sadly, his feelings were not the same when it came to me. Oddly enough, I was okay with this. After all, I still had the pleasure of keeping him by my side. As long as he was there, I was perfectly content. Oh, Qaliphus…
Upon our arrival to the human world, he and I came across a seemingly loving family. There were two adults and three children. The oldest of the children was ten, the middle child to be six, and the youngest was four. All young enough to be able to see us. Of course, the parents were unable to see us. They never had contact with our world to have such privileged sight. At least they didn't question their children; the parents just thought it was their children’s imagination at work when the topic of Fay were brought up. Either way, we settled in rather smoothly with the humans.
The children took to us quickly, filled with much awe that creatures such as Qaliphus and I existed. Every now and again I would simply observe as he played with the three boys. He played hide and seek or tag, told stories of great triumph, and would some times pull a prank or two on them. They would laugh in delight from his shenanigans. It warmed my tiny body and brought a smile to my face to see such interaction. This was the side of Qaliphus that I adored the most. He might have had the will to kill in an instant, but his will to bring happiness was far more astonishing to me.
As the weeks passed, my love for Qaliphus began to grow all the more. I had never felt more happy in my entire life. Qaliphus and I were closer than ever before, or at least that’s how it felt to me.
I longed to be able to forever keep him by my side; to love him unconditionally.
Fate decided otherwise.
Monday, February 14, 2011
163: Emotional Instability -Crystal-
The creature's tongue slowly pushed me down, deeper in to the darkness as my lungs screamed for air. The muscled throat kept me from struggling as my body methodically slid down its gullet.
I was a horrible person for treating Nick like that, and now all he would know was how much I'd hated him. No chance to apologize; no chance to be friends.
Maybe I deserved this. I was supposed to be dead so many times but I kept being brought back, but for what? I was worthless and powerless. I led with my emotions and what I thought was right, with out ever caring about the people I might be hurting in my pursuit of justice.
First it was Peter, destroyed by my inability to just let him have what he wanted. He was one of the many zombie children that had fallen to my hand. Then, Saba had been dragged in to my madness and we'd both nearly been killed. It didn't end there though; because of my stupid actions, everyone was stuck inside this building where they could be captured, injured, or worse.
Perhaps, this was all I was here for. Only here to make everyone else around me fall apart. My own Dad. I'd never reunited with my Dad. I felt the tears come and I opened my mouth to scream, only to be soundless because of the lack of air. This whole time I'd kept away and tried to go on, scared of being shunned. I'd never thought about how my Father could be taking the loss of both his wife and his daughter.
"You bastard!" Nick's voice was so close that it took me by surprise.
Just give up Nick. Just leave me here to rot away. Go help the others.
"Give," I felt the creature shake, "her," another shake and an intense heat, "BACK!!"
Heat, like nothing I'd ever felt before surrounded me, and I could feel air rush past me as the beast screamed in pain.
Why? Why keep fighting for me? I'm not worth all this. Everyone else is more important. Why would you want a monster like me?
"Crystal!" I felt a hand grasp my ankle and my body slide backwards back toward its mouth, "Don't you die! We aren't done arguing yet!"
The world exploded in to light as I was met by a surreal vision. Nick had one foot between the teeth of the creatures bottom jaw and his hand pushing the mouth open. Behind him I could see several people looking on in surprise, including Will.
Nick smiled at me as he lifted me out of the mouth and pulled me close, "Crystal, are you okay?"
Wiping tears and saliva away from my eyes, I turned to look at the creature that had grabbed me. Lying on the floor was a massive beast resembling a cross between a lamp shade and a T-rex. Its skin was sizzling and burned so bad that it hung in places.
I turned to Nick, "I'm sorry."
I felt his arms wrap around me and I started to cry.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Entry 160: Ben Snaps, Blood Follows -Saba-
The sound of the shotgun pulled me from that small part in my mind that I'd receded to while the knife did its work. I looked up to see blood and brain matter splattered across the tall marble columns. The left half of Ben's body was red with the young girl’s essence. Andrew looked surprised as well, he'd stopped cutting and stood there staring at the reflection of Ben in the column I was tied to.
I could see Ben's mind crack through his eyes as they went from distressed to shocked. We all froze there for a few seconds, the only sound being the pieces of skull dropping on the floor as the blood ran down the walls. I knew what Ben was thinking, I'd felt the same when I'd made my first kill.
I watched as the horror faded, replaced by sadness. I saw him mourn for the child trying to find a way to rid himself of the sickness that had invaded him. I knew the next step, the part where he accepts who he is and realizes that his destiny had been this all along. The part where he joins Andrew in the killing. The part where he kills me.
What I saw was something different. I watched as his face went from sadness to rage. I saw the righteous anger surge through him as he realized the lack of control he'd had for the outcome. Through his eyes, like a movie, I watched him blame the person who caused the death of that young girl. Seconds had passed, but something had changed in Ben.
Glancing up at Andrew, I knew that he saw it too. Where his face had been one of ecstasy, it was now very serious. His hand gripped the knife tighter as he turned around just a little to late. The chair caught him in the chest, slamming his back in to me. Pain shot up my body and I cried out.
"How could you . . . ", Ben resolutely stepped up to where Andrew lay coughing as he tried to draw in air, "You filthy, ugly little cockroach."
Andrew grabbed for the knife he'd dropped, but Ben's foot knocked it away and then proceeded to teach Andrew’s face how to bleed with a swift kick to the bridge of the nose. Andrew slipped on the unfortunate child's blood as he tried to pull himself to his feet.
Ben grabbed the chair again and smashed it on Andrew’s back, "She was so young. She hadn't lived."
I wasn't sure what scared me more, the look in Ben's eyes or the fact that he wasn't yelling. His voice was calm as though talking to a child. There was pain and anger behind it, but it was masked with an emotionlessness that made his words sink deep in to my soul as he spoke.
Groans of pain escaped from Andrew as he tried to recover from Ben's retaliation. Ben grasped Andrew's neck and dragged him over to the motionless body of the girl and pointed to where her head had been.
"You like your work? Did you enjoy taking her life away? Did it make you feel better?"
Andrew finally spoke, "I feel no joy in her being dead. The thrill comes from the killing, but you should know that now. You are what your uncle claimed you would become. A monster, just like him, just like me, just like your frie-"
His voice was cut off as Ben shoved Andrew’s face in to the girl's stump of a neck. He pushed him against her neck until it looked like he had been engulfed. There was no way Andrew could breathe. I struggled at my captors. Ben was going to kill him.
Flashes of my past came to me, the anger I'd felt. The killing anger that engulfed me and made me what I am. The loneliness and pain that followed soon after, feelings that could only disappear with another kill. The constant need to rid myself of those feelings. It was a horrible life, and I couldn't sit here and watch as another person traveled down that dark path. I spread out my abilities and lifted the knife from the puddle of blood.
Ben's eyes were lifeless and cold as Andrew's fighting slowed down. The lack of oxygen would cause him to lose consciousness soon. I felt the ropes fall away and for once both sides of me wanted the same thing.
"Ben, stop!" I pushed Ben aside causing him to lose grip on Andrew. Andrew fell to the ground gasping for air. Ben sat on the floor unmoving, only his breath told me that he was alive.
"Thank you.", Andrew’s voice pulled my darkness out and hid my goodness away as I turned to him, "You saved me."
"You're a fool.", I snarled at him grasping the sides of his head, "I saved Ben."
Then I snapped Andrew's neck.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Entry 148: What Fear Is . . . -Andrew-
"Are you scared?"
She was huddled with her arms wrapped around her knees. She was only fourteen by the looks of it ,and the fear in her face was a kind of beauty you can't appreciate unless you've been where I have. Her eyes were so close to overflowing with tears as she looked up at me.
"I want to go home, but the doors won't open. We're trapped."
I knelt and laid a comforting hand on her back. A properly faked smile looked to have helped her fear fade a little.
"Being trapped isn't something you need to be scared of. You'll get out of here. I promise."
She sniffled and looked to the doors and back at me.
"Really? You promise?"
"Yes. Besides, there are so many other things worse then being trapped."
Like a flower blooming, her apprehension opened across her face.
"Like what?"
I sat next to her and pointed to a dark corner, "You see those shadows?"
"Yeah?"
"What you don't know is that within every dark shadow, a creature awaits. It sits behind the veil of darkness watching the people walk past, its stomach growling. See, the creatures diet consists of human meat, so it sits there staring at us, waiting for its moment to escape."
I felt her shiver next to me and edge away from the nearest dark shadow.
"If they were to escape, I am confident that they would keep to the shadows because their eyes aren't adjusted to the harsh lights. From what I know of them, they'd first drag their victim in to the shadows to hinder its sight. Then, they'd take their large club-like feet and stomp on the person’s rib cage until they'd broken them and punctured their lungs."
She was staring at me, her face having gone from trusting to horrified in an instant.
"Then, they'd take their razor sharp cup-like hands and proceed to scoop up the flesh and muscle of the victim’s limbs. All this time, the person is alive and screaming, only their punctured lungs turn it in to a soundless breath. The creatures then open the shattered ribcage, which usually kills them."
She sat for a while not speaking, then she breathed deeply, her eyes never leaving the shadow, "I don't believe you."
"Oh really?", I stood up and held out my hand which she took like a stupid puppy. I led her closer to the shadows and pointed.
"If you look inside really hard, then you can just make out them moving. They're real. Very, very real."
I heard her gasp and grab my arm. Her breathing became sobs as she tried to drag me away from the darkness.
"My greatest fear, is of them escaping their holds and being released on humanity."
I grasped her shirt and lifted her off the ground. She began to scream wildly as I moved her closer to the shadows.
"Are you scared now?", I laughed as she tried to fight back.
She screamed for help again, but no one would hear her; she had broken away from the group a while back. She shook her head as I inched her closer and closer.
"Yes, I’m scared! Stop! Please, stop!"
"No."
And I tossed her in the darkness.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Entry 147: Darkened Skies, Opened Hearts -Saba-
The clouds came quickly and bloated out the sun with a supernatural speed as the taxi stopped in front of the museum. Ben was in there. I had to see Ben, but the feelings I was getting from this building made me hesitate.
"Oh just suck it up. You're stalling progress, you baby."
I realized it was my own voice as my feet began walking of their own accord toward the large doors. With a swift tug, I found the door choosing not listen to my commands.
"Nothing in this universe can stop me from going where I want. Get out of my way, door." I swung my hand, the door unlocked itself and swung open.
As I stepped in to the building the world got darker behind me and the door closed tightly. I probably wouldn't be able to open it again; not that I wanted to. The building was lit only by its own light. The sunlight was completely blocked by the clouds outside.
People had collected in to the large entrance and were muttering between themselves, while the security guards attempted to contact the outside world on their cell phones. They could help me.
I grasped one by their neck and lifted him above my head, "Ben. Now."
I laughed as the other guards attempted to stop my attack. I dispatched them quickly with their own weapons. They weren't dead but when they woke up, they probably wouldn't ever walk again. I squeezed the man’s neck tighter.
"I don't know where he is.", the guard spoke between coughs.
"Door Of The Dead?" He was getting on my nerves.
The commotion had caught the attention of the crowd, and they had started screaming and backing away. Most of them were small children so I paid them no heed as the guard pointed toward my goal.
"You won't be missed.", I said right before I snapped his neck. Simple security guard who will make no impact on this world; worthless really.
"Well said." I spun to see a man leaning against one of the columns that bordered the large entrance hall. He smiled as he walked up to me. It was a smile that was laced with instability and darkness. It was a smile I'd seen when I looked in the mirror.
"You should get with the others before you get in my way."
"If you're looking for Ben, then I'm all ready in your way. See, I have plans for him and his friends; plans that don't involve you interfering." His confidence was a pressure on my own. He was ruining my cool with words.
"You must not know who I am. Move." I grasped his arm and swung it to throw him behind me.
With surprising speed, he grabbed my arm and used the momentum to pull my arm behind me. A loud popping sound reached me as my arm came out of its socket. Pain flooded up my arm as he pushed me forward against the wall.
"You see, I know exactly who you are, what you are, and all your weaknesses. I used my time in the Other lands wisely. I studied up on all those around Vincent and trained for this moment. There isn't a thing you can do to me that I won't expect." With the word "expect", he smashed my face in to the stone wall.
I fell to the floor and as the world went black, I felt him grab my leg and begin to drag me toward the Door Of The Dead.
"Ben, help.", he mocked.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
118: Something Arises -Ben-
The trouble with being a leader is that everything falls on your head. Someone has trouble being a team-player? Go to the leader. Found a case? Go to the leader. Realize that the flight we got on is scheduled to have an explosive finish? Go to the leader.
Sometimes you just want to close your eyes and pretend someone else is in charge.
"I know what I saw.", Carl was looking at me with a stern face, "I saw a passenger with a parachute in his bag."
"So, because you saw a parachute, you think the plane is going to blow up? That's hardly enough. You're just panicking."
Maybe I was hoping it wasn't true, maybe I wanted to ignore the facts, or maybe I just wanted to get out of this bathroom before my reputation for being a straight male took a nose dive. Besides, it was really cramped in there.
"Not just that, when I was in the back chatting up this attendant, a big guy came in and asked me to leave. Normally I wouldn't have listened, but the attendant didn't want a problem so I left. Not before I saw the gun underneath his jacket though."
All I wanted to do was go take care of this case with out some kind of disaster happening that put us all in harms way. What do I get? Terrorists. It's a good day to be alive.
I put my hand on the door handle, "Listen, it could have been an Air Marshal or something. We'll keep an eye out but we won't make any moves till we figure out if it's really a group of terrorists.”
Being a leader means being patient, and willing to hear every crazy idea that your colleagues come up with. You have to be able to tell them that their suspicions are probably just that and then push it out of your mind.
The walk back to our seats was accompanied by many stares from our fellow passengers. I guess two guys coming out of a one person bathroom at 30,000 feet is enough to make people wonder.
I sighed heavily as I slumped in my seat, and no sooner had I closed my eyes when a gruff voice came over the com.
"Hello passengers. I do hope you've had a nice flight. Sadly, this will be your last. If you need to make any calls please do so, and don't forget to say your I love yous and goodbyes, because you will not be seeing them ever again.”
"I hate to be so harsh but this is a very delicate operation, so if you'd please not cause any problems then we won't miss our target. Why do you want us to hit our target? Because if we do only a couple hundred people will die, including you. If we miss, we'll be hitting a very full and very public place, which would probably increase that number ten-fold. Thank you for flying with us and have a nice day."
Then panic ensued.
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Sunday, May 16, 2010
110: Intuitive Ways -Nick-
I couldn't kill Jay. I mean, I could; but I didn't want to. So I went easy on him and when I saw him slip around the desk, I was completely surprised. I closed my eyes and relaxed as the cool metal touched my skull and soon everything went black.
It's not cheating if it's planned before-hand, right? I mean, living to see another day was important. So important in fact, that I had to lose everything I'd learned. Everything that I'd worked on would be gone in this instant.
I thought back to just before I had confronted Jay. I had written instructions on a paper and stuffed it in my pocket. I am a complete genius. Swung in like an angry goblin but I'd been prepared.
I woke up in a puddle of my own blood surrounded by people. The sun shone through the windows and Jay was nowhere in sight. Jay-who? The last of my memories slipped away as I stood.
"Are you okay, boy?"
"I think so.", I touched my throbbing head. Feeling no cuts, I breathed a sigh of relief, "Where am I?"
My name is Nicholas Brown and I am a warlock in training.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
107: Kayser -Ben-
I fell to my knees, overcome by the thought that I had killed an innocent little girl. I was just like my uncle. I was a murderer.
"Ben . . .", she kneeled and looked at me, "you were a child."
I barely heard her, I was looking in my head for ways to disprove my guilt. My head went through all I'd learned about myself in the last month, looking for a flaw that would make it impossible for me to have done it. My breath caught in my throat as I realized what it was.
"I was an infant."
"What?", she seemed surprised.
"When you died I was an infant, and at that time my father was locked in to his room. There's no way that he could have gone on a trip. In fact, there's no way that he wrote that page in the book either, unless he knew what was going to happen and wanted me to think of myself as a murderer."
"Ben . . . please stop. Don't say anymore.", her surprise had turned to fear.
"But why? Why would my Father want me to think I was a murderer?"
"Ben, you have to leave here now!", my Mother knelt on the ground and began drawing a circle around me decorated with familiar symbols. It was the Circle of Ghat.
I ignored her pleas, "He was possessed at the time. He was possessed by my uncle. My uncle wants me to think of myself as a murderer, but why?"
"Ben.", my Mother looked me in the face demanding my attention, "I love you always. He's coming for me because you've learned more than you were supposed to. When he comes, I'll hold him off the best I can and the circle will slow him down; but you need to run. Go look for Nicholas Brown. He can get you in touch with an Alex Kayser. Alex will be able to answer more of your questions."
"What? Who's coming?"
The house began to shake and shadows became more prominent. My Mother jumped in to the darkness of the basement and I ran.
Behind me I could hear her screams as the building collapsed.
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