The Raven in the Sun
Short horror story.
Beyond this window...
What wonders await...
Neither prince nor beast...
But a foolish girl's fate...
********************************************************************
PRELUDE...
The young woman laid awake. Tormented with private wonder, "Will he come again tonight?"
She pondered as she weaved her fingers into a lock of her hair, "Why have I never seen him around before? This town is so small. Some still call it a village. Everyone knows everyone here, but no one knows him..."
She was suddenly awakened from her deep thoughts by a rapping at her window.
She gasped, "My nocturnal visitor has returned." She crept over and peeled back the curtains. There in the shadows he stood, beckoning her to come as he has done for several nights. Only this night would be different.... This night she dared....
Carefully she opened the window. Her heart was pounding though her chest but she did not heed it's warning. She leaped into his arms. His eyes stared down at her with dark seduction as he carried her away..... Away from the comforts of her nest.....
Away into the darkness...
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 1
Lilly pretended not to notice her reflection in the mirror, as she watered her plants.
The tired lines and the crows feet. Aching reminders of her beauty slowly withering away. Soon she'll be forty... Then forty five... Then fifty... Tiny grains of youth slipping though her fingers.
She had never met a man pleasing to her ,so she never married. Never had children. Never settled down in some big empty home, in a quiet neighborhood.
"Lilly O' Lilly, the little old maid. How many cats will you spade?" Her reflection taunted her. "I've done very well for myself!" She shouted back. "I have this hair salon, and a beautiful condo on the upper part of town!"
"But your all alone..."
Lilly did not respond. Just continued watering her plants that hung around her salon. She looked at the clock. It was 6:15 pm. Business had been slow today so she pondered the notion of closing up early, and heading home to slip into a hot bath. Maybe even a glass of wine or two. "Perhaps I am lonely," she remarked," but at least I'm comfortable."
Indeed, her life had been one pleasant of solitude... That is until... she walked in. Announced by the door chime, a beautiful but deadly comet had entered into Lilly's atmosphere. The young woman stood poised in the doorway. Her black hair glistening like a raven in the sun. "Are you open?," she asked. "Yes," Lilly nodded. "Please... have a seat and I'll be right with you." Lilly collected her thoughts and began prepping her station.
As she reached for her apron she noticed the young woman's reflection. Her bored, porcelain face was staring down at a magazine. Her head was slumped down to one side as long curly locks of hair flowed down to her breast.
"I'm ready for you now." Lilly called out to her. Only with her eyes did she look up. As if rudely interrupted. She stood up and relocated to the chair in front of Lilly and sunk in. "So.... What type of look are we going for today?" She asked.
Snapping her chewing gum she raised her magazine above her head so that Lilly cold see. It was opened to a glamor shot of some unknown model with European features and long black hair. Lilly nodded in approval and began working. "By the way, my name's Lilly. What's yours?" "Korsheed," she replied, snapping her gum. She seemed so childish for her age Lilly thought. And her posture? Not very lady like at all.
"Korseed? That's a very beautiful name." Lilly said to her, in a motherly fashion. The young woman's face softened as a faint smile escaped her without notice. As Lilly smiled back at her through there reflection. She noticed some sort of medallion around her neck. As if Korsheed read her thoughts she reached for it. "Do you like it?"
"What is it?"
"It's a wolf..... I've had it ever since I could remember."
Lilly froze at the sight of the hideous thing she could feel her heart rise up into her thought. The image of that wolf snarling back at her triggered some lost, dark memory, that she dared not to disturb . "Do you like it?" She asked again. Lilly gave her a quick but nervous nod and continued with her hair.
The next mourning Lilly had opened up her shop early. The sun was just breaking the horizon and the air was fresh and still. She opened up the blinds to let some light in and began watering her plants. As she had made her way down to the last plant she heard the door chime. She turned to find Korsheed standing once again at her doorway. "Korsheed!" Lilly smiled, "How are you enjoying your new hair style?" "Very much, Thank you." She replied smiling back.
As Lilly continued with her plants she asked, "So... What are you up to today?"
"Nothing really." "Well," Lilly went on," You're welcome to hang out here if you like." Korsheed did not respond. Instead she walked over to a picture hanging on the wall. She stared intensely at it and asked, "Is that you?" "Yes," she answered walking over to ware she was standing. "That's me when I was a little girl, the man holding me was my papa. I was only nine when he past."
"Where was this taken?"
"At my home, a village in Austria."
Korsheed continued to stare deep into the eyes of that little girl in the picture. It made Lilly feel a little uneasy. Her expression looked so fixated, yet vacant.
The sound of the door chimes broke the uneasy silence as two old ladies, bickering.
At each other walked in. "Oh, That's my eight O' clock appointment," Lilly whispered as she excused herself. The young woman lingered only for a moment then waved goodbye. Lilly smiled back.
CHAPTER 2
With a wine glass placed on the ledge, Lilly slipped into her bath. A large candle flickered as shadows danced across the ceiling and walls. She took a long sip of wine and sank into her bath. Once relaxed her mind began to wonder. She thought about her. "What a strange young woman, she is," she said to herself. "Strange indeed.... Still, It's nice to have someone to talk too. Never know, perhaps she will return again, and maybe we could become friends and maybe..." Lilly stopped.
She didn't know what she was about to say, but it was there, right on the tip of her tong.
Lilly cleared her thoughts and stared aimlessly at the shadows dancing on the wall. Misshapen bodies like ink blots, come to life. She imagined them dancing in some tribal ritual. Singing and dancing while drums played in the background.
Lilly's face turned curious, then troubled as one of the shadows took on a familure shape. First, she saw what appeared to be ears patruding from it's head. Then eyes! Wicked eyes, opening up as if awakened from a very long sleep. The shadow beast then appeared to snarlel. Displaying a large volume of ominously jagged teeth.
Consumed by fear, Lilly watched helplessly as her worst childhood nightmare manifested it's self upon the wall. The image increased in size as if coming closer. As if it was aware of her. She covered her mouth to muffle the screams swelling within her. But before they could surface the grizzly image dissolved back into an abstract shadow, flickering with the candle light.
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 3
Yesterday this place was a hair salon. Today it felt like a boot camp. Women, old and young poured into the tiny shop like swarms of locus, devoulering the unharvested crops. Normally, this was Lilly's time to shine, but lack of sleep made her feel tired and depleted. She worked feverishly, but felt overwhelmed. As if drowning in a sea full of strangers, she imagined herself trying to swim. Fighting to keep the other drowning victims from climbing on her back. Taking on too much water she then imagined herself throwing her arm out in a last ditch effort to be saved.
With her eyes swelled shut from tears and salt, she could feel a hand grab her.. As if from above the chaos. She struggled to see her savior, but her vision was too blurry. She did not know why she imagined this, but as her vision became clear she saw Korsheed's face. Strange emotions stirred deep within. emotions that once threatened her, like demons of dark secrets now shined down upon her with the mercy and love of God.
She began to feel revived. Her laboring tasks became acts of passion. As the day wore on the crowd slowly receited. She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when the last customer walked out the door. "Must sit down." She muttered to herself as she flopped down into the chair closest to her. Her eyes felt heavy. She tried to keep them open but felt it pointless. No sooner did she start to fall asleep the door chimed one final time. She awoke to find her standing in the doorway.
Dressed in a mini skirt with long stockings, she gazed upon Lilly with sympathy.
"Ruff day?" She asked. Lilly smiled, "I was wondering if you would come by today." Korsheed walked casually over to where Lilly sat. She noticed a brush on the counter and picked it up and walked behind her. Barely awake Lilly could feel long gentle strokes through her hair. Of coarse she felt compelled to correct her brushing, but it felt so good just to be touched. So instead she just sat in silence.
Korsheed continued brushing for a spell but then did something unpredictable.
She set the brush down and quietly sat in Lilly's lap. Lilly froze. She didn't know how to react. She wanted to put her arm around her but she felt too scared. That it might cause Korsheed to jump up and exclaim," YOU GOT THE WRONG IDEAH!"
"Better to do nothing," she thought,. "Yet, it seems so obvious."
Lilly opened her eyes and noticed her necklace missing. "Where's your necklace?" She asked. "I took it off." "You didn't seem to like it."
"It's not that I don't like it."
"Then what is it, then?"
Lilly chuckled at herself and said, "It's silly, wolves scare me." Korsheed looked at her curiously to which Lilly continued, "I told you it was silly. And it was a very long time ago."
Korsheed giggled, "I gotta hear this. Tell me!" Lilly went to speak but hesitated.
As if figuring out where to begin...
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 4
Lilly let out a long sigh, then began to reveal to her something she has never told anyone...
"When I was still just a girl. Maybe a couple of years younger than you... Something was lurking around the village I grew up in. Some kind of animal. At first people just dismissed it as a wild dog until a young woman went missing. It was assumed that she sneaked out in the middle of the night to run away with some boy. But they never found her. It was as if she just.... POOF! Vanished. In the weeks to fallow other girls would go missing in the same fashion. In the middle of the night, windows wide open, with no sign of forced entry.
Well all around town people got frantic. Some of the elderly started claiming it was a boxenwolf. Unlike the werewolf the boxenwolf was no tortured soul, cursed by some gipsy mystic. Boxenwolves were pure evil. They were among the fallen angles. Prowling the shadows in the form of wolves. But to a young woman.
They appeared as princes, gentlemen, and scoundrels. Whatever it took to lure them out. Whatever they wanted to see.... It was said that whenever a young woman went missing a raven was seen the next mourning on the window sill. As if looking for something... Or someone?
My mother told me it was just a fable. A wise tale to keep girls from running off in the night with some boy. But then one night something awoke me. A noise... Something lurking outside my window. I got up out of bed and walked over to the window." Lilly paused and saw Korseed hanging on to her every word. "Go on!" She said. "I pulled back the curtain and there it was! I jumped so fast I must have ripped the curtains from the window cause I remember seeing them fall to the floor!
I screamed so loud that it woke my mother up. She busted through my door but stopped dead in her tracks! I could hear her moan of terror at what she saw outside the window. It's black hair glisined in the moon light. All my mother could say was," Those eyes! Those horrible eyes!" Not the least bit startled the thing started sniffing around the window until it found a crack wide enough to catch our sent.
It took a long, deep wif before snapping it's head back. It then tilted it's head as if it was perplexed. Maybe I smelled somehow different to it? Or maybe it wondered why I wasn't fooled by it? Either way, it wasn't happy. The wolf's face grew hostile as it let out this terror able snarl. Drool dripped from it's long teeth. My mother clutching me tight inched us towards the door.
It was about to lunge threw the window when something distracted it's attention.
It's ears pointed straight up as it turned to sniff something in the air. It's frozen breath shot through its nostrils like smoke from an exhaust pipe. It seemed undecided on weather it wanted to go or not. Perhaps there was better prey out there? Or the mob with there torches and guns were getting too close? Or maybe the devil himself was calling him back to hell? I'll never know.
It turned back at me and gave one more final snarl, as if it was saying I'll return for you. Then it was gone... Back into the forest...
The next morning we moved away from there. Never to return..."
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 5
After long silence, Lilly looked at Korseed's face to be sure she wasn't terrified or worse, bored to death. Her expression told neither. Just content.
"Well..." Lilly said, "I guess it's time to go. It's getting dark." Korseed looked out the shop door for a moment and said, "My place is just on the other side of the park." "Would you like me to drop you off?" Lilly asked. Korsheed hopped over to the door, "It's a nice night. We could walk!" "Okay then, I'd like that." "And you'll get to see were I live!"
"Let me grab my coat."
Once outside, Lilly turned to lock the door behind her. Korsheed stared up at the sky. "Oh, how I love beautiful nights like these!" She said.
Lilly turned back around,"Can you see your place from here?" "Not exactly. But it's just over there, beyond the park." "I don't know.... Are you sure you don't want to drive!" " Oh, come on! It will be fun!" Korsheed said, tugging on her arm.
"Let's run, we'll get there faster!" So together they ran through the park. Lilly could not help but laugh as she could barely keep up, even with Korsheed holding her by the hand.
Once half way, the darkness seemed to grow around them. The lights from the plazza behind them could still be seen, but there was nothing in front of them.
Farther and farther they ran into the darkness..... They ran until Lilly could only see Korsheed's long, black hair in the moon light. Out of beath, Lilly called out to her,"Korsheed! Please stop, I have to catch my breath!" Korsheed stopped but did not turn around. Lilly hunched over, panting asked," are you sure it's close? You said it wasn't very far." "We're already here." She replied in a calm voice.
"Here? Where is here?!" Korsheed did not reply. Lilly senced something around them. Lilly could barly make out any shapes, as she looked around. But she could feel eyes all around her.
"Korsheed, is there someone else here?" Still, she did not answer. She looked around harder at the shapes. They were like shadows in darkness. She struggled to focus and soon realized they were surrounded by wolves.
Finally she had her answer. "Oh, God! No!" She bellowed. "You! It was you, all along!" "I told you I would return for you," Korsheed said in a calm sober voice.
"You tricked me! You got inside my head and tricked me!" "How do you mean?" Korsheed asked. Lilly's voice turned violent, "You're one of those things!" Just then one of the wolves snarled, startling Lilly. Korsheed turned to Lilly and spoke in low soft voice," All you see, are reflections of the beuty and terror from within."
"We are only shadows... Angles of mercy , demons who threaten to devour. It is you who deceids..." Korsheed held out her hand to Lilly while the wolves circled in closer. Snarling and snapping at her.
Lilly trembled with fear. " What will happen to me!?" "It has already happened."
Lilly would not take her hand. Instead she fell to her knees. Tears ran down her face. She realized Korsheed's image was only a memory of herself. The beautiful young girl she once was. Lilly could see Korsheed's expression turn to sarrow.
She didn't know why, but all Lilly could say was, "I can't... I can't!" The wolves closed in. Lilly screamed in agony as she felt there teeth sink into her fleash and begin to tare her to shreds. But it was the fear, the guilt, the shame and dispare That would devour her...
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 6
It was a brisk mourning when the two old women walked up to the salon while bickering back and forth. The one woman reach out to open the door but it didn't budge. "What's the problem, Irene? Open the door!" " I can't. It's locked!" She replied, dumbfounded. "Nonsense, we have an appointment!" " I said it's locked!"
"Move over!" the other lady bellowed, nudging her way in front of the door. She jiggled the handle but to no avail. Fureious she peered through the glass, and saw it was pitch dark. "The nerve of her! Proublely hung over,she is." "Oh, now Floe! You don't know that!" "You know how those foreners are!"
A loud crowing interrupted there argument. They both looked up to find a large bird perched upon ledge of the shop sighn. "That's a Blue jay!" Irene exclaimed.
"that's not a Blue jay, Bird brain. That's a raven!" "Well it sort of looks blue with the way the sun hits it." "Well, I don't care how it looks, It doesn't change what it is!"
"Well if it's all the same to you, I prefer to see it as a Blue jay! Who wants the memory of the bird of death etched into their brain.
"Oh, get off it, already. There's a senior discount at the diner on the next block, maybe I can't some peace and quiet if your too busy stuffing your face!"
Back and forth they argued as they wauddled off together. The raven then flew away, souring off into the morning sun.
FIN.....
What wonders await...
Neither prince nor beast...
But a foolish girl's fate...
********************************************************************
PRELUDE...
The young woman laid awake. Tormented with private wonder, "Will he come again tonight?"
She pondered as she weaved her fingers into a lock of her hair, "Why have I never seen him around before? This town is so small. Some still call it a village. Everyone knows everyone here, but no one knows him..."
She was suddenly awakened from her deep thoughts by a rapping at her window.
She gasped, "My nocturnal visitor has returned." She crept over and peeled back the curtains. There in the shadows he stood, beckoning her to come as he has done for several nights. Only this night would be different.... This night she dared....
Carefully she opened the window. Her heart was pounding though her chest but she did not heed it's warning. She leaped into his arms. His eyes stared down at her with dark seduction as he carried her away..... Away from the comforts of her nest.....
Away into the darkness...
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 1
Lilly pretended not to notice her reflection in the mirror, as she watered her plants.
The tired lines and the crows feet. Aching reminders of her beauty slowly withering away. Soon she'll be forty... Then forty five... Then fifty... Tiny grains of youth slipping though her fingers.
She had never met a man pleasing to her ,so she never married. Never had children. Never settled down in some big empty home, in a quiet neighborhood.
"Lilly O' Lilly, the little old maid. How many cats will you spade?" Her reflection taunted her. "I've done very well for myself!" She shouted back. "I have this hair salon, and a beautiful condo on the upper part of town!"
"But your all alone..."
Lilly did not respond. Just continued watering her plants that hung around her salon. She looked at the clock. It was 6:15 pm. Business had been slow today so she pondered the notion of closing up early, and heading home to slip into a hot bath. Maybe even a glass of wine or two. "Perhaps I am lonely," she remarked," but at least I'm comfortable."
Indeed, her life had been one pleasant of solitude... That is until... she walked in. Announced by the door chime, a beautiful but deadly comet had entered into Lilly's atmosphere. The young woman stood poised in the doorway. Her black hair glistening like a raven in the sun. "Are you open?," she asked. "Yes," Lilly nodded. "Please... have a seat and I'll be right with you." Lilly collected her thoughts and began prepping her station.
As she reached for her apron she noticed the young woman's reflection. Her bored, porcelain face was staring down at a magazine. Her head was slumped down to one side as long curly locks of hair flowed down to her breast.
"I'm ready for you now." Lilly called out to her. Only with her eyes did she look up. As if rudely interrupted. She stood up and relocated to the chair in front of Lilly and sunk in. "So.... What type of look are we going for today?" She asked.
Snapping her chewing gum she raised her magazine above her head so that Lilly cold see. It was opened to a glamor shot of some unknown model with European features and long black hair. Lilly nodded in approval and began working. "By the way, my name's Lilly. What's yours?" "Korsheed," she replied, snapping her gum. She seemed so childish for her age Lilly thought. And her posture? Not very lady like at all.
"Korseed? That's a very beautiful name." Lilly said to her, in a motherly fashion. The young woman's face softened as a faint smile escaped her without notice. As Lilly smiled back at her through there reflection. She noticed some sort of medallion around her neck. As if Korsheed read her thoughts she reached for it. "Do you like it?"
"What is it?"
"It's a wolf..... I've had it ever since I could remember."
Lilly froze at the sight of the hideous thing she could feel her heart rise up into her thought. The image of that wolf snarling back at her triggered some lost, dark memory, that she dared not to disturb . "Do you like it?" She asked again. Lilly gave her a quick but nervous nod and continued with her hair.
The next mourning Lilly had opened up her shop early. The sun was just breaking the horizon and the air was fresh and still. She opened up the blinds to let some light in and began watering her plants. As she had made her way down to the last plant she heard the door chime. She turned to find Korsheed standing once again at her doorway. "Korsheed!" Lilly smiled, "How are you enjoying your new hair style?" "Very much, Thank you." She replied smiling back.
As Lilly continued with her plants she asked, "So... What are you up to today?"
"Nothing really." "Well," Lilly went on," You're welcome to hang out here if you like." Korsheed did not respond. Instead she walked over to a picture hanging on the wall. She stared intensely at it and asked, "Is that you?" "Yes," she answered walking over to ware she was standing. "That's me when I was a little girl, the man holding me was my papa. I was only nine when he past."
"Where was this taken?"
"At my home, a village in Austria."
Korsheed continued to stare deep into the eyes of that little girl in the picture. It made Lilly feel a little uneasy. Her expression looked so fixated, yet vacant.
The sound of the door chimes broke the uneasy silence as two old ladies, bickering.
At each other walked in. "Oh, That's my eight O' clock appointment," Lilly whispered as she excused herself. The young woman lingered only for a moment then waved goodbye. Lilly smiled back.
CHAPTER 2
With a wine glass placed on the ledge, Lilly slipped into her bath. A large candle flickered as shadows danced across the ceiling and walls. She took a long sip of wine and sank into her bath. Once relaxed her mind began to wonder. She thought about her. "What a strange young woman, she is," she said to herself. "Strange indeed.... Still, It's nice to have someone to talk too. Never know, perhaps she will return again, and maybe we could become friends and maybe..." Lilly stopped.
She didn't know what she was about to say, but it was there, right on the tip of her tong.
Lilly cleared her thoughts and stared aimlessly at the shadows dancing on the wall. Misshapen bodies like ink blots, come to life. She imagined them dancing in some tribal ritual. Singing and dancing while drums played in the background.
Lilly's face turned curious, then troubled as one of the shadows took on a familure shape. First, she saw what appeared to be ears patruding from it's head. Then eyes! Wicked eyes, opening up as if awakened from a very long sleep. The shadow beast then appeared to snarlel. Displaying a large volume of ominously jagged teeth.
Consumed by fear, Lilly watched helplessly as her worst childhood nightmare manifested it's self upon the wall. The image increased in size as if coming closer. As if it was aware of her. She covered her mouth to muffle the screams swelling within her. But before they could surface the grizzly image dissolved back into an abstract shadow, flickering with the candle light.
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 3
Yesterday this place was a hair salon. Today it felt like a boot camp. Women, old and young poured into the tiny shop like swarms of locus, devoulering the unharvested crops. Normally, this was Lilly's time to shine, but lack of sleep made her feel tired and depleted. She worked feverishly, but felt overwhelmed. As if drowning in a sea full of strangers, she imagined herself trying to swim. Fighting to keep the other drowning victims from climbing on her back. Taking on too much water she then imagined herself throwing her arm out in a last ditch effort to be saved.
With her eyes swelled shut from tears and salt, she could feel a hand grab her.. As if from above the chaos. She struggled to see her savior, but her vision was too blurry. She did not know why she imagined this, but as her vision became clear she saw Korsheed's face. Strange emotions stirred deep within. emotions that once threatened her, like demons of dark secrets now shined down upon her with the mercy and love of God.
She began to feel revived. Her laboring tasks became acts of passion. As the day wore on the crowd slowly receited. She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when the last customer walked out the door. "Must sit down." She muttered to herself as she flopped down into the chair closest to her. Her eyes felt heavy. She tried to keep them open but felt it pointless. No sooner did she start to fall asleep the door chimed one final time. She awoke to find her standing in the doorway.
Dressed in a mini skirt with long stockings, she gazed upon Lilly with sympathy.
"Ruff day?" She asked. Lilly smiled, "I was wondering if you would come by today." Korsheed walked casually over to where Lilly sat. She noticed a brush on the counter and picked it up and walked behind her. Barely awake Lilly could feel long gentle strokes through her hair. Of coarse she felt compelled to correct her brushing, but it felt so good just to be touched. So instead she just sat in silence.
Korsheed continued brushing for a spell but then did something unpredictable.
She set the brush down and quietly sat in Lilly's lap. Lilly froze. She didn't know how to react. She wanted to put her arm around her but she felt too scared. That it might cause Korsheed to jump up and exclaim," YOU GOT THE WRONG IDEAH!"
"Better to do nothing," she thought,. "Yet, it seems so obvious."
Lilly opened her eyes and noticed her necklace missing. "Where's your necklace?" She asked. "I took it off." "You didn't seem to like it."
"It's not that I don't like it."
"Then what is it, then?"
Lilly chuckled at herself and said, "It's silly, wolves scare me." Korsheed looked at her curiously to which Lilly continued, "I told you it was silly. And it was a very long time ago."
Korsheed giggled, "I gotta hear this. Tell me!" Lilly went to speak but hesitated.
As if figuring out where to begin...
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 4
Lilly let out a long sigh, then began to reveal to her something she has never told anyone...
"When I was still just a girl. Maybe a couple of years younger than you... Something was lurking around the village I grew up in. Some kind of animal. At first people just dismissed it as a wild dog until a young woman went missing. It was assumed that she sneaked out in the middle of the night to run away with some boy. But they never found her. It was as if she just.... POOF! Vanished. In the weeks to fallow other girls would go missing in the same fashion. In the middle of the night, windows wide open, with no sign of forced entry.
Well all around town people got frantic. Some of the elderly started claiming it was a boxenwolf. Unlike the werewolf the boxenwolf was no tortured soul, cursed by some gipsy mystic. Boxenwolves were pure evil. They were among the fallen angles. Prowling the shadows in the form of wolves. But to a young woman.
They appeared as princes, gentlemen, and scoundrels. Whatever it took to lure them out. Whatever they wanted to see.... It was said that whenever a young woman went missing a raven was seen the next mourning on the window sill. As if looking for something... Or someone?
My mother told me it was just a fable. A wise tale to keep girls from running off in the night with some boy. But then one night something awoke me. A noise... Something lurking outside my window. I got up out of bed and walked over to the window." Lilly paused and saw Korseed hanging on to her every word. "Go on!" She said. "I pulled back the curtain and there it was! I jumped so fast I must have ripped the curtains from the window cause I remember seeing them fall to the floor!
I screamed so loud that it woke my mother up. She busted through my door but stopped dead in her tracks! I could hear her moan of terror at what she saw outside the window. It's black hair glisined in the moon light. All my mother could say was," Those eyes! Those horrible eyes!" Not the least bit startled the thing started sniffing around the window until it found a crack wide enough to catch our sent.
It took a long, deep wif before snapping it's head back. It then tilted it's head as if it was perplexed. Maybe I smelled somehow different to it? Or maybe it wondered why I wasn't fooled by it? Either way, it wasn't happy. The wolf's face grew hostile as it let out this terror able snarl. Drool dripped from it's long teeth. My mother clutching me tight inched us towards the door.
It was about to lunge threw the window when something distracted it's attention.
It's ears pointed straight up as it turned to sniff something in the air. It's frozen breath shot through its nostrils like smoke from an exhaust pipe. It seemed undecided on weather it wanted to go or not. Perhaps there was better prey out there? Or the mob with there torches and guns were getting too close? Or maybe the devil himself was calling him back to hell? I'll never know.
It turned back at me and gave one more final snarl, as if it was saying I'll return for you. Then it was gone... Back into the forest...
The next morning we moved away from there. Never to return..."
********************************************************************
CHAPTER 5
After long silence, Lilly looked at Korseed's face to be sure she wasn't terrified or worse, bored to death. Her expression told neither. Just content.
"Well..." Lilly said, "I guess it's time to go. It's getting dark." Korseed looked out the shop door for a moment and said, "My place is just on the other side of the park." "Would you like me to drop you off?" Lilly asked. Korsheed hopped over to the door, "It's a nice night. We could walk!" "Okay then, I'd like that." "And you'll get to see were I live!"
"Let me grab my coat."
Once outside, Lilly turned to lock the door behind her. Korsheed stared up at the sky. "Oh, how I love beautiful nights like these!" She said.
Lilly turned back around,"Can you see your place from here?" "Not exactly. But it's just over there, beyond the park." "I don't know.... Are you sure you don't want to drive!" " Oh, come on! It will be fun!" Korsheed said, tugging on her arm.
"Let's run, we'll get there faster!" So together they ran through the park. Lilly could not help but laugh as she could barely keep up, even with Korsheed holding her by the hand.
Once half way, the darkness seemed to grow around them. The lights from the plazza behind them could still be seen, but there was nothing in front of them.
Farther and farther they ran into the darkness..... They ran until Lilly could only see Korsheed's long, black hair in the moon light. Out of beath, Lilly called out to her,"Korsheed! Please stop, I have to catch my breath!" Korsheed stopped but did not turn around. Lilly hunched over, panting asked," are you sure it's close? You said it wasn't very far." "We're already here." She replied in a calm voice.
"Here? Where is here?!" Korsheed did not reply. Lilly senced something around them. Lilly could barly make out any shapes, as she looked around. But she could feel eyes all around her.
"Korsheed, is there someone else here?" Still, she did not answer. She looked around harder at the shapes. They were like shadows in darkness. She struggled to focus and soon realized they were surrounded by wolves.
Finally she had her answer. "Oh, God! No!" She bellowed. "You! It was you, all along!" "I told you I would return for you," Korsheed said in a calm sober voice.
"You tricked me! You got inside my head and tricked me!" "How do you mean?" Korsheed asked. Lilly's voice turned violent, "You're one of those things!" Just then one of the wolves snarled, startling Lilly. Korsheed turned to Lilly and spoke in low soft voice," All you see, are reflections of the beuty and terror from within."
"We are only shadows... Angles of mercy , demons who threaten to devour. It is you who deceids..." Korsheed held out her hand to Lilly while the wolves circled in closer. Snarling and snapping at her.
Lilly trembled with fear. " What will happen to me!?" "It has already happened."
Lilly would not take her hand. Instead she fell to her knees. Tears ran down her face. She realized Korsheed's image was only a memory of herself. The beautiful young girl she once was. Lilly could see Korsheed's expression turn to sarrow.
She didn't know why, but all Lilly could say was, "I can't... I can't!" The wolves closed in. Lilly screamed in agony as she felt there teeth sink into her fleash and begin to tare her to shreds. But it was the fear, the guilt, the shame and dispare That would devour her...
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CHAPTER 6
It was a brisk mourning when the two old women walked up to the salon while bickering back and forth. The one woman reach out to open the door but it didn't budge. "What's the problem, Irene? Open the door!" " I can't. It's locked!" She replied, dumbfounded. "Nonsense, we have an appointment!" " I said it's locked!"
"Move over!" the other lady bellowed, nudging her way in front of the door. She jiggled the handle but to no avail. Fureious she peered through the glass, and saw it was pitch dark. "The nerve of her! Proublely hung over,she is." "Oh, now Floe! You don't know that!" "You know how those foreners are!"
A loud crowing interrupted there argument. They both looked up to find a large bird perched upon ledge of the shop sighn. "That's a Blue jay!" Irene exclaimed.
"that's not a Blue jay, Bird brain. That's a raven!" "Well it sort of looks blue with the way the sun hits it." "Well, I don't care how it looks, It doesn't change what it is!"
"Well if it's all the same to you, I prefer to see it as a Blue jay! Who wants the memory of the bird of death etched into their brain.
"Oh, get off it, already. There's a senior discount at the diner on the next block, maybe I can't some peace and quiet if your too busy stuffing your face!"
Back and forth they argued as they wauddled off together. The raven then flew away, souring off into the morning sun.
FIN.....
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