2019 10 04 Amino – Writing Prompts and Stories – Creative Authors Club: Horror Lovers

⊱🌹 ⟿  I see this being expanded at some time in the future.  As usual if you created or know who created the graphics used, please let me know so I can credit you or them.  I hope you will enjoy it as it is.  ⟿ 🌹⊰

**** Trigger Warning: Claustrophobia Subject Matter ****

❈@~~ Rough Edit ~~@❈

♥ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ♥

Slowly I opened my eyes. There was nothing but blackness around me. I tried to remember what happened before I apparently fell asleep. At least, I believe I fell asleep. My mind is still not sure.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

I remembered feeling faint shortly after the ceremony. We got to the hotel’s Honeymoon suite after all of the celebrations. I was still in my gown as I sat on a plush chair while slipping off my shoes. I watched Ryan as he moved around the room fussing about making sure all our things have been moved into the room from our separate rooms of the night before.

I called him close to pull him down by his jacket into a kiss. He smiled as the kiss ended. I knew he just wanted us to be ready for the morning. He wanted nothing to interfere with what we had planned for our honeymoon. I let him go back to his accounting and preparations as I tried to overcome the feeling of drifting consciousness. I was still dizzy and faint even sitting down.

Ryan finally pulled off his jacket and tie. I remember him kneeling down in front of me and caressing my cheek. Ours had been a morning wedding. The reception had been a luncheon type, which left us with the afternoon and evening to enjoy alone as a newly married couple. I knew from what we had discussed between us in private, it would be different than other couples.

Ryan made some comment about how it seemed neither of us slept much the night before. “Perhaps we should take a nap after getting out of our formal wear,” he said as he smiled at me. “You have a long night and day tomorrow.”

I remember telling him I would need his help to get out of the gown. We had giggled as I’m sure I blushed. He worked on getting his shirt off as I tried to move myself out of the chair. I remember him coming out of the bathroom in his slacks and socks while I stood up. That was all I remembered.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

Had I fainted? If so, where was I now. I moved my hands down my front to find I was still in my gown. I ran my hand across my body as much as I could to see if I could tell what else I was dressed in. I even had the veil still on me.

Trying to sit up resulted in a smack against my head. That was when I realized I was in something. I moved my hands around to feel what was around me. There was a silk-like material around me like an elaborate bedding. The difference was the top, the part over my head and body. I wasn’t sure what this meant. I couldn’t understand. I tried to remember what Ryan had said.

The top over my body gave a little as I pushed on it. I pushed harder. It opened. I sat up to see I had been laying in a coffin in my wedding gown.

The room it was in was obviously a chapel of some kind. I could see some of it in the darkness. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness faster than I ever remember it doing before. It had no windows I could see. I moved the lower half of the lid so it was open too. I was able to tell the coffin was on some kind of a solid pedestal.

Perhaps this was some strange dream. I could just go through the dream to see what happens. It bothered me I was dreaming of being in a coffin in my wedding gown. Does that mean my young marriage is doomed? Ryan and I had plans for the future.

It took me several minutes to find a way to get out of the coffin without hurting myself or disturbing anything. The last thing I wanted was to turn the coffin over on me.

It was a nice coffin at least. One I would probably like, if I had to choose one for myself. I backed up to moved down the stairs before I turned. There was a bulletin on one of the pews. I picked it up. There on the cover was my name with my birthday and my wedding day listed as my death day. I sat on the pew before I fell to the ground from shock.

I woke up in a coffin in my wedding gown after having died on my wedding day, but I’m not dead. Am I? I didn’t feel dead. I checked for a heart beat and for breathing. I was breathing. My heart despite beating a bit too fast was beating. I seemed to be alive.

So why was I in the coffin. Why was the chapel apparently ready for my funeral? Had the funeral already happen? Or was it still to happen? Was this part of the process? Was this normal? I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t think straight.

I found myself reading the bulletin out loud. It made me sick to my stomach as I did. Everyone presumed I was dead. Somehow I knew I was not dreaming. I moved from the pew to stand. Turning to the closed doors of the chapel, I made my way to them. I was careful to hold my gown up so not to trip over it or rip it. When I got to the door, I found the main chapel doors were locked. I tried the other doors getting more and more panicked. They were locked too. There had to be another way out. I had to get out to find out what was going on. I wondered where Ryan was.

Just then, there was a sound behind me from where the coffin was. I turned to look through the darkness hoping the ambient light was enough for me to see what had made the sound. My eyes found the light was more than enough though it may have been too much. It was interesting to notice how much sharper my senses seemed to be becoming the longer I was awake. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see what I thought I saw.

Slowly, I moved closer as the shadow or dark mist figure seemed to rise out of the floor next to my coffin. I was still in the aisle between the pews. When it finished rising from the ground at the head of my coffin, I stopped. Even though I couldn’t see its face, I watched it turn to look at me. I wished I could run out of the chapel. It turned its body to face me completely.

I couldn’t move. I was frozen as I watched this shadow being, who had seemingly rose from the floor beside my coffin, walk towards me. I couldn’t even close my eyes as it reached me. Its hand raised to caress my cheek while solidifying into a gloved hand. While it continued to take a more solid form, it caressed my face. A familiar voice softly spoke “Now, our life together can really begin. No one will ever take you from me, not even death.”

I managed to look up as I recognized his voice. I know my voice was trembling as I said “Ryan?”

“Yes,” he said in answer while his form finished solidifying. “I know you must have many questions. I had hoped to get here before you woke. We have to go. I will tell you anything you wished to know once we get home.”

“Home? Am I not dead?”

He turned his head to look at the coffin. The open lids where I had climbed out suddenly snapped shut. “To them, you are. To me, you are not,” he said. He lifted me into his arms carefully. “I promise you will understand everything once we are home. For now, just trust me. This is the way it must be. It is easier for both of us, especially you.”

I nodded slowly as I moved my arms around his neck and shoulders to hold onto him. I wasn’t sure how he planned on us leaving, but he was the only person I trusted completely in the world. Even in this strangeness, I trusted him. Suddenly, the chapel dissolved around us. I closed my eyes as I held onto him tightly my head moving to rest against his chest.

“Open your eyes,” he said kissing my cheek. I obeyed. I was met with light coming through stained glass from the moon onto a marble staircase and floor. “Welcome home my love.”

“Ryan, this is our home?”

“Yes,” Ryan said “No fear can reach us here. We are safe forever. To answer your first question, you aren’t what many would think of being alive anymore, but you aren’t dead either. I had to present your death to our friends and your family so they would accept our departure here.”

“And here is?”

He smiled as he moved forward still holding me in his arms. “Home, in the mountains of what is now Romania. Didn’t you always dream of this?”

“Yes, but I never thought it would be possible.”

“Oh so much is possible. So much you don’t know of yet because you have forgotten. You will remember everything in the next two weeks. Trust me, we have all the time in the world to make memories now,” Ryan said as he spun me around. “Besides we are young forever and immortal. Nothing is beyond us.”

I blinked something entering my thoughts as I looked at him. “Ryan, we are…”

“Vampires? Yes, my love, we are.”

♥ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ♥

 

⊱🌹 ⟿  Art/Photo Credit:
Images are not mine. Credit to the original artists.  If you are the original artist, please let me know so I can give you credit. ⟿ 🌹⊰

⊱🌹 ⟿  Intellectual Property:
All written content, unless otherwise indicated, is my intellectual property and thus covered under copyright laws. Do not use or steal. ⟿ 🌹⊰

2019 09 21 Amino – Writing Prompts and Stories – Creative Authors Club: Escapees

⊱🌹 ⟿  Hopefully this will post this time.  Sorry this is so long between posts.  I need to explain about the following piece.  In the challenge, we were limited to 1500 words.  This made me remove a lot of what I normally would have included.  I am apologizing now for the disjointednesss and awkwardness of the writing in this one.  Normally, even first drafts are better than this.  Future drafts will most likely be much more detailed and better flowing than this first draft.  However, I thought it would be interesting for you all and me to have a record of the changed which happen in this piece once the limit is removed.  I do see this being expanded at some time in the future.  As usual if you created or know who created the graphics used, please let me know so I can credit you or them.  I hope you will enjoy it as it is.  ⟿ 🌹⊰

Gaur

**** Trigger Warning: Blood, urine, violence, and mature subject matter involved. #WTW ****

@~~ Rough Edit ~~@

The three bodies pressed against the cold, marbled wall. It took another five minutes for the fourth body to join them. Soft whisper said “What took so long?”

“Trying to make sure we weren’t followed,” came the whispered answer.

Movement between the fourth and the first bodies was the next silent exchange. The first started sidestepping against the wall in the darkness. One by one each moved further down the way towards where they hoped would lead them out. They found an opening in the marble wall and moved through it disappearing into the wall before it closed behind the fourth body.

It was dark and silent between the walls. They had no idea how long they had to go from here. They couldn’t even see an outline of others as they moved. Their hands move up to join with hand of the figure in front of them. Each of them moved to close ranks before they moved forward faster.

Running would make too much noise, not counting the sound their heavy breathing would cause. They knew, if they were going to make it out, they had to go slowly. However, they were being chased. They knew what was chasing them. They had seen it made before they took this flight for freedom.

Slowly, they moved forward the memory of the fifth of their party driving them forward. She had been the weakest. Her half-blood made her that way. No pure blood was ever as sickly as she had always been. They had only known her since they had all been brought here. Truthfully, they hadn’t known each other before they had been kidnapped.

• <<────≪•◦⚜◦•≫────>> •

The daily routine started shortly after they woke in the cells the first time. Each morning someone came in to take blood and urine samples before dawn broke. During the darkness after they had been left alone again, they started talking between themselves. First they learned their names: Ryllae, Adanell, Laredyra, Tanaren, and Talaedra. Then they learned a little about each other as they tried to determine why they had been kidnapped.

Each of them represented one of the ruling houses of elves. All of the were pure bloods, except Talaedra. They couldn’t figure out why she had been chosen. Surely there was a healthy, pure blood who would have been a better choice. The smallest and oldest among them, she was very sickly and had been taken while hunting healing herbs when taken. Perhaps, it was this sickness or just opportunity which had lead to her kidnapping.

Copyright Fantasy Flight Games – Middle Earth Enterprises

Several hours later, the sun beamed horizontally above them through slits allowing the light to beam across the ceiling. Several moments passed before a robed individual came in. It slid food trays in between the bars of their cells for them. They ate, then placed their trays just outside their individual cell. The robed person came back many hours later to pick up the emptied trays before replacing them. They would leave again. This routine repeated three times a day.

After the first day, they knew something was in the last meal which made them all sleep. When they woke to the demand for blood and urine, their trays from the last meal was gone. There was still time before the second meal when they started talking amongst themselves again.

After three days, Talaedra complained her food tasted funny. She couldn’t say exactly how funny, just that the food she was given didn’t taste like it had the days before. None of them liked the food. She said now it was almost impossible to eat.

“Try,” Ryllae said. Ryllae was the farthest away from Talaedra. “They aren’t going to fix you separate food. They barely feed us as it is.”

The others had agreed. Talaedra forced down the food. They all hoped she would keep it down since none of them wanted to smell vomit till the next feeding time. Talaedra had managed to keep the food down, but she made the same comment about the next two meals of the day.

“Here let me try some,” Tanaren said putting his hand out to take a sample of her third meal. She handed him some. He tasted it and gagged immediately. “That is horrible. You weren’t kidding. Don’t eat anymore of that.”

There was a look each of them passed through the five of them. Something was different in her food. She pushed her tray out of her cell without eating anymore. Each of them had passed food down to her so she at least had something to eat. They all had decided to keep them all strong, as strong as they could be, days earlier in case they found a way to escape.

All of them laid down as the drugged food put them to sleep. The next two days were the same. Talaedra’s food was different, so they each shared theirs with her. She was growing noticeably weaker.

The third morning, Talaedra’s arm was grabbed a second time after blood was taken. She cried out causing all of them to move to the side of their cells closest to her. She cried out again in the dim light of the moon. There wasn’t enough light for anyone other than Tanaren to see her fighting as two more needles were jabbed into her arm. They were removed after emptying whatever was in the syringe.

When she was released, she was pushed back from the front of the cell with enough force to put her on her back. She crawled to where she knew Tanaren was. He felt where the needles had left their deposits in her muscles. She whimpered as he relayed what had happened to the rest and tried to comfort her. In the relative darkness, they talked about escaping before anything more was done to any of them while Tanaren held her through the bars.

The sun had not risen yet so only the pale dawn light lit the cells when Talaedra pulled away from Tanaren abruptly. She was coughing as Tanaren called her to come back to him.

“No,” Talaedra started yelling, “No, get away from me. Please get away. Don’t let me touch you!”

Tanaren reluctantly moved back from her side of his cell to Laredyra’s side. They stared in the dim light towards Talaedra as she continued to scream. Her screams turned from words to screams of pain. The pain they heard in her voice shook them. Between them they tried to determine what was happening as her body twisted and contorted.

The doors slammed open as lights beaming across at the cells. There were the loud booming, explosions and fire shot across to Talaedra’s cell like an arrow. There was a thud as her screams stopped.

• <<────≪•◦⚜◦•≫────>> •

Now, they were running from the creature they had seen dragged from her cell. Each of them knew what had been done to her was going to be done to them if they were recaptured. They weren’t going to let it happen. They had failed her, but they would not fail each other.

They stopped as Adanell stopped moving forward. Silently, they waited to hear the opening of what they hoped was the wall to let them outside. Ryllae felt Adanell’s hand leave hers just before the light of the waning moon hit her eyes. Adanell helped her out then did the same for Laredyra. Finally, he took Tanaren’s hand to help him down and out. They pressed against the outside wall after Tanaren closed the wall.

Staying still only until the moon disappeared behind dark cloud cover, they linked hands again to run into the forest only a few annas from the building they had escaped from. It would take their combined effort to make it to the forest in the few moments the moon would be covered. As the light disappeared, they sprinted across the open yard to the forest trying to make it in the few moments of darkness.

They heard it behind them. It was literally just inside the wall as they made it to the forest. If there was any of Talaedra left in the creature’s mind, it would know of the paths through the trees on land and in the trees. However, she was a half-blood. She wouldn’t know the underground pathways to which they ran unless her father was the elf kin. They would have to take their chances through the underground to get safely to the city.

Reaching the ground entrance, they hurried down into the darkness before Tanaren closed the path behind them. They paused hearing her sniffing and clawing at the ground to find the entrance. They took off through the tunnel. They had escaped the creature she was now…Gaur.

⊱🌹 ⟿  Note: Representations of the characters are not exactly what I see in my mind.  They are the closest representations I was able to find which is why some are obviously different from others of the same character. ⟿ 🌹⊰

2019 09 04 Amino – Writing Prompts and Stories – Creative Authors Club: Prospective

The Accuser

♥ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── ♥

None of her family had heard her slip out of their home. She wandered past the other houses in the shadows. She followed the scent of burning pine from the town into the woods. Kara slipped deeper into the woods. It was getting darker the deeper she went.

This was against what she had always been told “Don’t go into the woods.” However, if that was were evil dwelled wasn’t it there they should go to find it. Shouldn’t they root out the evil instead of hiding from it? Wasn’t that what they were taught in church?

She followed the smell till she finally saw the light from the fire it came from. She crept forward quietly from tree to tree until she could stay hidden behind the trees yet still see into the darkened clearing where the fire was burning. Here she knelt to see who was around the fire. There around the fire were the wise women of the town sitting on logs around the fire.

They were talking as they passed around a thick book. She couldn’t hear their words. She couldn’t tell what book they were passing around. She tried to see and hear, but from where she was there was no chance of it. Still crouched, she started moving from tree to tree to get closer moved her around the group and their fire. As she changed angles, she was able to see there were actually two books. Two books which these women were reading from and apparently discussing. Surely this was forbidden.

Was this right? Were they allowed to have books other than the Holy Book? Wasn’t it only allowed to discuss the Holy Book? Even if one book was the Holy Book, where was the male to lead the discussion with experience? What was the other book?

It wasn’t a surprise they knew how to read to her. They were wise women. They were the oldest ones in the town. They were taught in the old ways in everything especially for healing and care of the people. Next to the churchmen, they were the most educated and most important members of the town. Kara’s parents had been talked to by the oldest of these women about starting to train Kara in a few years. There were several factors which would play into her eligibility. However, talks had already started about her apprenticeship.

Kara wasn’t sure what the books were, but she knew women gathering in such circumstances was forbidden unless a male was there to keep the women from going astray in their discussion. Were they allowed to? If they were, why were they doing it so late at night? If that wasn’t a problem either, what was the cause? Was she going to be expected to do so as well? Was this not against the church? Yet, here were the revered and wisest of the women in the town discussing two thick books without male guidance.

Kara believed this was heresy. Is that not what the church would say? It had to be stopped right? That was what she had been taught. Still, she was just a child. Would the adults believe her? If they did, would they see something wrong or would they allow this to continue? Was there something she could say to make them believe her? To make them punish them for disobedience, heresy, and blasphemy?

Kara got close enough so she could hear part of their conversation. She strained her ears listening. She heard parts of the words. They didn’t make much sense. She wasn’t even sure they were full words. It sounded a lot like gibberish to her. Perhaps she was only hearing parts of words. It could be. They weren’t exactly being loud or soft. She continued trying to get closer from behind the trees.

Snap, she heard it as her foot broke the twig. She looked at the women hoping they hadn’t heard it. Yet, she knew from the loudness they had to. She moved to another tree as quickly and quietly as she could. If they tried to go to the one where the twig was, she hoped they wouldn’t see or hear her.

One of them got up after some quiet discussion. She moved her hands in front of her to make her sleeves got away from her hands while she picked up a light log from the fire. Using it as a torch, she searched for me where Kara had broken the twig. Kara froze as still as she could. Ursula Wessex was so close with the torch Kara could feel the heat of the fire above her.

Several moments passed before Mother Ursula, as she was called in the town, turned to go back to the others. The words she spoke gave Kara her charge against these women. She would stop them. She would be the girl that routed out evil from their town. She would be a hero if she stayed to the cause of the church.

The next morning, she made her way back to the town. The women had left hours before her. She had let herself sleep close to their clearing in the woods. When she emerged from the woods, she looked much worse for the wear. There were two townsmen who saw her and raised the alarm she had been found. They took her directly to the church for blessings of finding the “lost child.”

The churchmen circled around her before they started asking her what happen. She said she wasn’t sure but she felt a pull to the woods against all she had been taught. She couldn’t stop herself it was like something was pulling her deeper and deeper. She stopped in a clearing were others from the town were gathered around the fire. They had two books. They were passing them around as they read and discussed them.

They greeted her asking her to come forward to them. Then they offered her a knife. They wanted her to write her name in blood in the one book to seal her service to the craft. Kara said she refused. She said they flew upon her angrily trying to get her to sign the book. They said she had to do it of her own freewill to give over her life and soul to her new position.

Kara said she refused again. That was when they started to hurt her with their words. She lost conciseness after hours of this torture by words. When she woke, they were gone. She made her way back to the town through the woods.

They asked the name of these people who attacked her spiritually. Carefully, Kara named each woman ending with the most powerful and revered of the wise women, Ursula Wessex. Then came the call against them. The women were ceased and brought before her to identify. Kara appeared scared and frightened of them as she identified each of the innocent, wise women of being a witch, ending with her aunt, Mother Ursula.

2019 09 02 Amino – Writing Prompts and Stories – Creative Authors Club: Lesson 1

**** Trigger warning: Mature suggestive and violent themes. *****

@~~ CAC Lesson 1: Conveying emotions. This is an excerpt from a much larger piece I will be posting in a few days involving the same characters as well as others. ~~@

Food was brought to the table. I watched as it was placed before us then our glasses were filled with an appropriate wine. I looked at Steve as I said “I’m still not sure why we are even here?”

“Well, we have three classes together and share a common major. I thought we might have other things in common,” he said as he smiled. The smile wasn’t all the way up to his eyes. It was the first time I doubted what he was saying. “I enjoy your company and hope you enjoy mine. After all, I think we have been getting to know each other. What I’ve learned, I want to spend even more time with you.”

For two weeks we’ve been dating. He was kind and attentive. He didn’t push me for information or act like he knew anything about my past or family. I hoped he didn’t. I had no reason to doubt anything he was saying. I thought he was genuine. Yet, as he took the first bite of his food. I had a touch of fear something was wrong.

I pushed the thoughts back. I had no real indication he was false. It was just a feeling. Perhaps it was just my paranoia coming out because things had been going so well. I started eating my food. With each bite, I felt my stomach tightening. It was harder and harder to eat as took slight glanced towards him.

“So, what do you plan to do after graduation?” Steve said as he took a drink of the wine.

“I don’t know yet. It’s two years away. I have time to decide. What about you?”

“I’m thinking of getting my Masters,” he said though he didn’t look at me when he said it. His eyes didn’t looked back at me till he continued. “I was thinking of going to Berkeley for it. I know I have two years as well, but need to start getting things in place. Berkeley’s graduate school has a program in comparative literature. I’m wanting to get into it.”

His passion was back in his voice. I continued trying to eat as I watched him talking. Something was still different. There was something wrong here. I wanted to know what it was, but the feeling it would change things made me hesitant to push. I took a drink before I said “Is that what you want to do ultimately?”

“Well yes,” he said while he started eating again. This is not what he told me the last time we discussed the future. Perhaps it had changed recently I thought, then he added “I’ve always wanted to ever since I knew there was a field for it.”

My heart sank as my throat closed up more. I picked at my food for the rest of the meal. I had lost my appetite. I tried to force my food down my throat. My throat felt closing up. I continued getting the feeling of foreboding as the meal ended. When we left the restaurant, he drove us down to the beach. Something in me was happy we were the only ones here. Something else felt a finality was coming, but I had no idea what.

He took my free hand as we walked down towards the water in the sand. I was carrying my shoes in my other hand. We were looking at the moon over the water as he heard his phone buzz. He checked it then put it up.

“Go ahead if you need to,” I said hoping it was why I was feeling the way I was. I thought it wasn’t directly, but I wanted it to be.

“ No it’s just Carlo asking about class Monday.”

I could tell he was lying to me. I felt my back stiffen. He went to put his arm around me, then his horn started going off. We both turned to look at his car. He handed me his phone. “Wait here. If I yell, call the police,” he said before he ran back to the car.

I watched him running to his car while the alarm blared. I had his phone in my hand upright and unlocked. I didn’t think about it until he disappeared from sight. That was when I looked down at it. It was still open to Carlo’s text: “Hey man, you got her yet? I’m at the car.”

I blinked. Did I read that right? I read it again. The words didn’t change. I scrolled back in the texts reading them backwards as I did. There was an outline of everything he had ever talked about with me and everywhere we had gone over the last two weeks. Each one of the texts at the end of the date we had was followed by a number. Each number was descending as I read it, which meant it was getting higher. Our last date had been a 9 with a note that the next would be a 10 one way or another.

When I got back to our first date, his message to Carlo said “Dude, she’s so gullible. I could keep this up a few weeks then hit it for the pay off.”

I could feel the tears burning in my eyes as I read the next set of texts “It’s worth $100k if you can get to home plate in three weeks.”

“Three weeks, I can do it in two. Shoot, she’s probably never been on a date, let alone had someone bed her. I might only need one night.”

“No that would be to obvious, but 2wks would add 50k to the pay out. Plus I’ll cover your expenses just keep the receipts.”

“2 wks is a go. What proof do you want?”

“Pics man or vid. I can help you set up in your place if you need cameras.”

“You got it. Maybe post online and make more money on it after.”

“That’s up to you. I just need a copy.”

“Got it. I’ll start talking her up tomorrow. I’ll pop that cherry within two weeks.”

Tears were already flowing down my face. I didn’t know who Carlo was, but there was only one person I knew who had that much money on hand. I couldn’t believe I had trusted him. I also couldn’t believe I trusted Steve. I let my guard down to them. I let my mind reach out to find Steve. He had to be somewhere near right?

Before I even got started, Steve came up from behind me. I turned to look at him trying to keep my emotions from showing on my face. He stopped when he came up beside me saying “I told you to stay on the beach. That guy could have come after you and hurt you.”

“I didn’t see you or anyone else. Was there a guy up here?” I said not really sure I wanted to hear his answer. I started wiping my cheeks and eyes. I had seen a figure near the car but now I wasn’t sure of even that. “Well, it didn’t happen. I saw someone too before you ran up here. Who did you think it was?”

“I don’t know,” he said moving next to me on the side with my phone in the pocket. He caressed my cheeks as he moved to wipe more of the tears from my eyes, “Some thug wanting to rip my car off. Hey, it’s ok. No one is going to hurt either of us. I won’t let them.”

Steve’s car was nice, but it wasn’t new. It wasn’t a sports car either. It was a sedan of some model I really couldn’t care about. Honestly, I knew no one was trying to steal his car. I was mentally trying to work out how to get him to confess while trying to keep calm. “He’s gone now. Maybe you should just take me home,” I said looking up at him. “Tonight was great, but the mood is gone now. I’ve got group meeting tomorrow. I should get some sleep before it.”

My ending the date without him getting his goal caught him. He knew he didn’t get the extra $50k if he didn’t bed me tonight. He moved to stand in front of me as he put his arms around my waist. “Come on Cassandra,” he said his tone completely changed from irritation and protectiveness to seductive. “The guy is gone. The night is still young. We didn’t even get to enjoy the beach.”

“I’m not in the mood for the beach anymore Steve,” I said looking up at him hoping the red flecks in my eyes weren’t giving me away. “I just want to go home and sleep.”

His hands started wandering up my back in a caress as he spoke “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get all upset and ruin the night. Walk out with me to the water again, then if you still feel like going home. I’ll take you home. Deal?”

I had no intention of letting him drive me anywhere. Not now, but I played it off with a sigh before saying “Ok, but if I say take me home…”

“I’ll take you straight home right away.”

I nodded to him and put my hand in his for him to lead me back down to the water. Now to get him to confess. As we walked, I started up the conversation saying “I’m really trying, but I fear I’ve lost the feeling we had earlier. Dinner was so wonderful. Before your car alarm went off, the beach and the moon were so beautiful and added to the emotion of the evening.” I let my hand go slack in his. I needed him to feel the difference in my emotions without knowing exactly what I knew.

We were half-way down the beach when he was slowed by my words. He looked at me though I continued to look towards the ocean. “Cassandra, you do know how I feel about you, don’t you?”

Internally, I smiled. He took the bait. I waited a minute letting my hand drop from his as I spoke “No, Steve, I don’t know how you feel. You haven’t told me. I still don’t understand why you even wanted to take me out the first time or after wards. That’s what I was asking at dinner. I’m even unsure how I feel about you as well.”

I didn’t turn my eyes to him as I waited to see if that would spark the explosion or if he would hold back. The reason was more I didn’t want him to see my eyes more than anything. I was trying to keep control of my emotions. This was one of the disadvantages of my abilities. Using them I could know exactly what he was thinking and what he was going to do, but holding back gave me the experience others around me had so I could understand and relate to them. Yet in situations like these, my eyes could easily give me away.So I didn’t know if I was getting to him or not. Still it didn’t take me long to find out.

He grabbed me by my shoulders turning me to look at him before he spoke, I could see him trying to hold his emotions. He was much less skilled at hiding them than I was. His voice was angry as he spoke “How could you not know how I feel? Are you really an ungrateful little prude? I could have my choice of any girl on campus. I’ve been waisting my time with you for this?”

I fained shock mixed with fear while I managed to remove his hand from me by jerking backwards and sitting in the sand behind me as if he had shocked off my feet. I looked up at him pretending bewildered fear as I spoke “What do you mean? You’ve been waisting your time with me? Do you not care at all for me?”

He laughed as he leaned towards me without joining me on the sand or actually moving over my body. “You know, when this started I thought you would be just like all the other tramps here. You though, you made it an adventure. I thought you would just lead me on for a while, but you really are a prude! You have an iron lock on your knees! I wouldn’t have even put up with it for this long if it wasn’t for other factors!”

I was done with him now. That was what I needed. He had just inferred what I knew was true. The only thing I didn’t know for sure was who “Carlo” was. I was fairly sure it was Warren. Warren would have used Bobby to find out information about me to feed to Steve. Steve would come after me and ruin my life. I didn’t know what role if any Bobby played in this. I hoped it was none, but I was fairly certain Warren was “Carlo”. What I didn’t know was why either of them did this. However, it didn’t matter what his motivation was. My hate for him was now firm and burned hot.

I leaned up towards him letting my voice sizzle with my anger and hate. “You admit it then. You are nothing more than a letch!” I said as I moved upwards to raise myself from the sand as I continued “You took a dare – a bet for money – to play with my emotions! All I am and ever have been to you is cash for you to spend. You haven’t even paid for anything we have done together!”

By this time, I was on my feet standing in front of him practically spitting the angry words in his face while hot tears ran down my own. I took a step towards him as I watched his shocked expression as I felt my anger gave way to the pain of the betrayal he and Warren had played on me. I had started feeling something more than friendship for him, possibly even love. My voice gave way to it as I spoke “You never cared anything about me! You never wanted anything to do with me. Do I disgust you that much? Why? Why would you do this? Why do you hate me this much? Why couldn’t you two just leave me alone?”

He was bewildered now. However, he was still indignant. He was not going to get his money from “Carlo”. I didn’t know if Warren was still going to pay for our dates or not, but I didn’t care. He snarled at me. I felt threatened as he came at me. I thought he would attack me as he said “Because you are such a freak! Look at you! Your hair! Your eyes! Why do you do that to yourself? Why not just be normal? Do you think you are better than us so much you have to put this look of yours on?”

His face was so close I could feel the spit from his words hitting my face. I figured he meant for it to punctuate his words. He really believed I dyed my hair and used contacts in my eyes to look like this. I wondered if he could see the increase of red in my eyes while the tears ran from my eyes. I slapped him as hard as I could. “I hate you! I hate you both!”

I started running from him. Running in sand on a beach is not easy. I was slowed by the sand as I tried to make my retreat. I wanted to get away from him. I wanted to be in my apartment even though I knew Warren was just across the hallway. I didn’t care. My apartment was my sanctuary. I wanted to get to it.

As I ran, I didn’t look back. He was stunned by the slap enough I was able to get a few feet away from him before he started after me. I was almost to the parking lot when he grabbed my arm to pull me back. I pulled away from him, but he pulled me back again. I was slammed into his chest against my back. I tried to pull away more. He grabbed me by my other arm. I couldn’t get away.

“Let me go!” I screamed through my sobs.

“No! You’re not costing me this!”

I screamed again suddenly honestly afraid of what he might do to me next. I pulled against him as I looked over my shoulder trying to catch his eyes. I was not strong enough to do anything to stop him without seeing him yet. Catching his eyes with mine, I made his mind force his muscles to let go of me. I froze him like that. The mental paralysis wouldn’t last long, but I hoped I could get away before he was free of it. As soon as I knew he was paralyzed, I ran.

When I hit the parking lot, I glanced back at him. I was terrified he would be free already. I had never paralyzed someone this way before. All I wanted was to be back in my sanctuary alone. I crossed my arms around me holding myself. I turned towards my apartment closing my eyes against the burning tears in my eyes and running down my cheeks. I started to run again as I opened my eyes.

Then I stopped. Though I didn’t know how, I was in my apartment. I didn’t care at the moment. I was safe. I moved to a couch wrapped myself around a pillow to cry easily and openly to my solitude. My heart ached as if it was being torn out of my chest. I thought I was going to die. My emotions were completely wrecked. My anger had fallen to pain and sorrow. I felt like I had lost everything I thought I had created for myself. All I could do was cry.

I didn’t even remember my phone was still recording and I still had his.

2019 08 29 Amino – Writing Prompts and Stories -Letters to Someone You’ve Lost Challenge

Grief’s Price

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**** Trigger Warning: Deals with the death of a loved one. #WTW ****

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Fred Clarke photoed and grown by Ctsm pileatum v imperale ‘SVO Blood Red’ x Ctsm John C. Burchett ‘Ursa Major’

They say grief is
The price of love.

If my heart breaking
Even more
Every time I think of you
All the things
I know you
Would have loved
Is the price of love
I’ll pay it.

Hades and Persephone 2 by Sandara on DeviantArt

They say grief
never ends.

From other losses,
I can more than agree.
However, I can say
It never gets easier
As grief compounds
Each loss makes
Grief compound
The price grows.

They say grief
Only changes.

Of this too,
I can agree.
It is different too.
With each passage,
It transforms into
Something different
Which helps ease
The price.

They say grief
Is a passage.

A way through
To another point.
We aren’t meant to stay
Locked in grief’s binds.
How many of us
Let it keep us tied up
In pain and continually
Paying the highest price.

2009 09 – Alyssa L Miller – Please CC2.0

They say grief
Is not a sign of weakness.

Though some act like it is,
Of this I too agree.
This is why they don’t allow
Themselves to feel or deal with it.
Those of us who
Make it through
Know strength is the prize
For this price.

“Beauty and the Beast” by Sandara on Deviant Art for Iron Crown

They say grief is
Not a lack of faith.

Yet, what of those
With no faith?
The strength to believe
You can overcome the pain.
The pain of grief
Can only be relieved
By the strength of that faith
The price is easily paid.

Grief’s price
Changes who we are.

It strengthens us.
It binds up our heart
From the wounds
Of loss.
It helps us heal.
It helps us move on.
It helps us
Pay the price of Love!

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#LettersForTheLost

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⊱🌹 ⟿  Please note: Works of fiction have no real people in them.  All written content of my blog, unless otherwise indicated is my intellectual property thus covered under copyright laws.  Please do not use without permission or steal.  ⟿ 🌹⊰

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⊱🌹 ⟿  Additionally, only one of the images used in this post is mine.  It is indicated in the post by caption.  Credit to the original artists of all the other images.  If you are the artist, please let me know so I can note the credit to you.  Thank you.  ⟿ 🌹⊰

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