Dreaming of Death.

[Mikhos]

"But that's the thing, old friend. It isn't my bread." Cairne's red eyes glowed wickedly. "That bitch down the lane doesn't really lock her house. So I don't think it'd hurt anyone if I took some of her food. I mean, her and her husband, Walt, are fat as I am tall."

Cairne made wild gestures as he spoke. His anger, though rarely shown, was plentiful. How he wished he could kill some of the people in this town- watch them writhe as they slowly died, knowing they were powerless. It's what happens, really. You stop trying to be accepted after twenty-something years of being hated. You find yourself as bad as whom hate you. Cairne didn't care anymore. Too bad he doesn't know half of what I take.

How he wished to tell of the stolen forks and spoons, or the iron tankard. None of it was his. Sabard would think him as bad as the rest- which in reality was probably true. Maybe if things were better for him from the start things could have been different. Cairne didn't think so, though. Things were so much easier when you don't have to work for them yourself. And it's always easier to take from someone you don't like. Maybe things were better this way. Cairne didn't care. Life to him was a live and die kind of deal.

[Himros]

"indeed friend, I had guessed as much, The time is coming for Honesty, Gregory Is no longer In his Mound, he walks again." Sabard sighed, His Curse was to see, and to be blind was his wish. Unbinding his eye's and letteing the cloth drop, he felt his way around the table for a hunk of bread, It made him think of what his family had done. Had it not been for them, maybe this could have been averted, Tormentors, they had tortured people for enjoyment, and so Had made him participate.

The painful memories rushed back as he stared into the ceiling, Unblinking, Eye's Glazed over with the past he waited for the silence to be broken, Lost in his thought's while waiting. The faces rushed past, thumbscrews and screaming, chairs with spikes on seat's, gruesome things of his past. things he Wished to forget, things that haunted him.

Blinking he heard the telltale whisper of the wind as he waited, pulled from his thought's. wrapping himself in memories was a painful reminder of what was in his blood, Of why it was essetnial that no one recognized him, of what he could become.

[Vega]

Antonio

Being an artist in a town stricken in poverty is quite difficult. For one, as an artist Antonio had little intention of doing manual labor to make ends meet. Thus Antonio took on the second role as town pickpocket and petty larcenist. Being a thief was quite profitable and it yielded all the paper, quills and ink that one could ever need. The boy already had three reams of his work bound and hidden away in the dilapidated farm house in which he called home in addition to a constantly full belly. Being a thief in a town stricken in poverty is quite easy. For one, no one asks where all the coinage comes from, or how a young, lazy orphan such as he can afford such luxuries.

Light flickered in the darkness as he struck a match and gave the tightly packed tobacco within his pipe a good once over. Satisfied the boy flung the match to the side and happily walked down the street with purpose in every stride and "mischief" written in his gait. He made his way toward the local pub he frequented only to go in and see his one true love was no where to be found. His mother however was in the opposite corner, her hands compromising her decency and her clothing and hair stained with god knows what. Antonio cringed at the sight of the crusty mess. She must really be letting herself go! "Hello Bella, and how are you doing on this fine night?" the question was a mere formality. The poet did not care. "Do you know the current whereabouts of your daughter?"

[Haruka_Tenou]

~Bella~

She turned her head slightly as a small smile crossed her lips. The young man she was certain was her daughter’s little beau. Though as she had been screamed at and nearly humiliated she didn’t see why she couldn’t return the favor. Nathan’s lips pressed against the side of her neck as he nibbled against the soft flesh. A content sigh escaped her even as her voice wavered upon the air just loud enough for those near by to hear her words.

“Why? Are you going to screw her?” She allowed her eyes to show the feelings that had encased her. She had always taken care of Kelieahn. She had never had to ask for clothes, food was always there for her to eat and she had plenty of freedom. It was the kind of life most teenagers wished for. Bella moved forward slightly, the smell of booze was strong upon her breath as she whispered to the young man.

“Why don’t you just come play with me. Bet you’d have a lot more fun.” She laughed then as she fell back against Nathan’s form. His hands moving over her body even as he left his mark on her throat. The deep purple color was one of many. The boy looked as if he would refuse and more than that he looked rather angry, red had engulfed his throat and was moving steadily up through his face. Bella moved her palm in between her legs grabbing Nathan’s package with a grin at the boy.

“Then again… Maybe she does it real well. Hope you aren’t over charged…” Maybe it was harsh. However she was tired of the child treating her with such disrespect. She has never done anything to cause her pain and yet she had made sure to cut her with words earlier in the evening. Maybe that was why she had made the remarks. The men gathered in her corner laughed a bit as Bella turned her head to claim Nathan’s mouth with her own. He tasted sweet and yet there was the heavy layer of whiskey and cigarettes to get through first. Bella paused for only a moment as she gazed at the young man, the artist.

“You can go away now. Find the tramp and have fun.” With that Bella settled in against Nathan. Allowing her self to enjoy the sensation of his caressing touch.

[Mikhos]

"Bah. Those are just stories. Or at least that's how they should be." Cairne shivered. "And if that's the case, something is going to happen. What else would explain his becoming? Whatever should happen, I sure as hell hope it's for the better. This hellhole and all its inhabitants could go to hell." Cairne smirked. "I'm feeling extra daring today. Must be the lack of sleep. Howabout we go get some ale?" He jingled several coppers in his hand. "Not enough people lock their doors these days. Besides, it's been a long while since I've had some good alcohol."

Cairne stood up, finishing the last piece of bread while doing so.

"C'mon." He said, not bothering to see if Sabard were coming or not. It didn't really matter much to Cairne. He'd go with Sabard or he'd go alone. The shoddy door creaked as he opened it on it's crooked hinges, the street outside his house still the same dingy area of town where the poor lived.

[Himros]

Sitting for a moment, He sighed, the door closed and he opened his eye's. Looking about the scent of Mold heavy in his chest. he saw the barrel, there was no way Cairne could have afforded that much bread. It must have been stolen. It made him sad, Such people, Good people, Put down at the sake of appearence. looking down at the burning cut's on his hands He sighed heavily. He would wait here wrapped in his thought's until cairne returned, or until he became frightened and fled. looking again at himself, he saw as the tendrils of smoke-like material touched him Lies, Lies that bind this town?

The web had grown larger today. it's complex strands interweving with one another. Dark Beauty, he would say. it's strand's touched everyone, Multiple Times. The Ominous, Dark, Ever growing beauty that was the web which enclosed this town. It was horrific. Yet at the same time, Exhilerating.

[Vega]

Antonio

"Thank you very much ma'am. I would take you up on your offer, but I prefer my genitalia in tact and fully functioning. I would no sooner accept your embrace than that of a meat grinder. However, this little encounter has taught me one thing above all else: you are so weak that you must prey on unknown youth rather than risk," Antonio eyed the whore up and down before continuing,"evoking the wrath of your daughter. Quite pitiful really. But let me assure you, I also have fangs." Antonio then pressed his lips to his lit pipe and blew hot ash into Bella's and Nathan's faces, singeing them in the process.

Nathan threw the woman off his lap and stood up, eying the boy as he would one of the savages he killed in the great war. The foreboding, and now angry, man took a step forward."Boy, let me assure you, my fangs are much keener than yours."

"I am sure your wife, Mrs. Caine who is currently sleeping on the east side of town in her two story cottage is quite aware of your wrath. I wonder, is she aware of your lust Mr. Caine?"

At this the boy bowed in an exaggerated manner and took his leave of the tavern, being sure to brush shoulders with Nathan in an insulting manner before he went through the exit. Though he cursed himself at the waste of good tobacco, he was sure that Mr.Caine's purse would be sufficient to purchase more. The youth packed his pipe as he went in search of Kelieahn. Antonio thought he knew where to look, but whether she wanted to see him was another thing entirely.

Why must I fall for a woman who is so damn hard to read?

[Faithy]

Moving the bag off onto the floor, Kelieahn flopped down on the couch with another sigh. Biting down on her bottom lip, she glanced up at the ceiling. There were a few water stains scattered here and there, but nothing massive. A single chandelier hung from the ceiling with six candles jutting out from the frame. It was of course low enough to light without having to stand on things, but high enough to be out of danger of lighting the entire place on fire. Shaking her head, realizing that they hadn’t been lit and neither had the other candles that were spread throughout the room, Strider slid back to her feet. Grabbing a packet of matches, she went around to all of the candles, lighting them in order to make it easier to move about. Once again dropping onto the couch, the young teen stretched out with a slight yawn.

“Guess I’m sleeping here tonight. Bella will probably change the locks on me… that is if she even remembers we have locks on the house. I like it here better anyways, gives me more time to think about what I want to do with my life because I am NOT working at the damn tavern forever. There are too many scum-like individuals that go there and I am nothing like my mother.”

Once basking in the candlelight glow, Kel opened up her bag, digging through it in irritation. Once finding what she wanted, Kelieahn pulled out a blanket and a small pillow. Resting back upon it, she couldn’t help but wonder who that strange man was by the mound and what he was doing there. Deciding it wasn’t anything to dwell upon at the moment, Strider wondered if she could disown Bella. If so, she would gather her items and just live here. No one else did and it was practically her home anyways. Stretching her feet across the arm of the couch, the blanket nicely tucked around her body for warmth, the aggravated female hummed beneath her breath. Finally beginning to calm down, she knew better than to fall asleep with the candles burning and it was with a loud grunt that she slid back up to her feet.

“Wait a sec… I hear footsteps…”

Sliding over to one of the windows, she peered out the curtains. It didn’t take her eyes long to adjust to the outside world as oppose to the inside of the building, which was nice and handy. Keeping her figure hidden behind the window, Kelieahn searched for the incoming individual. Instantly recognizing him as Antonio, Strider wasn’t sure how to react. Part of her wanted to kick his ass while the other half wanted to speak to him about random things. Tapping her right hand against the outside of her thigh, Kel finally decided to finally let him inside. Heading over to the door, she opened it and motioned for him to come on in.

[Vega]

Antonio inhaled one last time on the simple homemade wooden pipe before letting the flame extinguish. The teen deposited the pipe in his jacket pocket before making his way down the street in the red light district where Kelieahn would be staying the night. At least, he did not think she would go home after the scrape with her mother. While the shack on the edge of town was by no means luxurious, it was better than the loft (literally) where Antonio resided. Right as he was about pivot his heels and make his way slowly and silently to Kelieahn's window, to see if she was awake, the door opened and she motioned for him to come indoors. Antonio scratched the back of his head and smiled in reply,"Thanks Kelieahn." As he stepped inside, he hung up his tweed jacket on the nearby rack, while saying,"I had a run in with your mother and Mr.Caine. I'm afraid I may have singed her eyebrows and her dignity beyond repair. "Oh, also, before I forget..."

Jacob turned around again revealing the "X" of his suspenders, the square nape of his hair, and the (not saying Kelieahn would be one to look this low) moleskin notebook stretching the fibers of his back pocket. He meticulously searched through the hidden compartments he had sewn in his jacket to, apparently, no avail. He cursed under his breath and without looking up attempted to start small talk. "So, what have you been up to lately?"

[Zee All Knowing Peacock]

He felt her recede. He felt her fade to the back of his mind, to leave it free for more important matters. Matters of vengeance. Matters of justice. He would kill every damned pitiless bastard in this cesspool of a town if he had to, but first, he needed rest. It had been long since he had felt the hungers of the flesh, but he revelled in it. Perhaps he would check if his home was still in tact. He was sure no-one would've moved in, considering the history of it. And so it was now probably little more than an abandoned shack, on the outskirts of town. But he decided he would check it out himself.

He moved forward, his long, powerful legs carrying him forward through town. He looked around, noting the various people, all shying away, moving indoors, or onto other streets. There were few children here, all must've been moved indoors already, as the sun was dying quickly. His feet hit the cobblestones softly with each stride, carrying him ever forward to the shack with all those memories.

Images flashed before his eyes, of a girl, covered in blood, with her stomach ripped open, and intestines spilling out all over the floor. Blood pooled all over the place, and a deathly pallor taken over the girl's features. Her eye sockets, which no longer held eyes, bled profusely, dripping down her face like crimson tears. She was poised on her back, and her knees were spread wide. Dress pulled up over her stomach, she was splayed in such a way which suggested... unspeakable things.

He shook himself as he turned onto the street which led down to his former home. He stopped when he saw the door shut. So... not abandoned. I guess my reputation does not precede me any more. He walked forward, a smile on his face, straight for the shack.

[Mikhos]

Cairne made his way toward the tavern, passing by Gregory on his way there. Something about the man unnerved Cairne, but he wasn't going to stick around and find out why. Besides, the man was about to enter the house that no one lived in- it was supposedly haunted. The man was like the rest of them, most likely, shunning Cairne unless completely needed. Going out of his way to give the man more room, Cairne tripped over an old iron ladle that had been cast into the street.

"Damnit." He swore, falling on his stomach, feeling like a fool and avoiding eye contact with the few people left on the street. He didn't know why he felt embarrassed, the people here hated him anyway. Maybe it was because he still wished he fit in- yet another part of him hated all of them, and knew it would never happen. As he pulled himself up, he felt a small amount of blood pour out of his palms- he must have cut them open on the stonework path. As he rubbed the blood on his already stained gray tunic, he made his way once more towards the tavern, attempting to keep what little pride that was left within. He silently mocked himself. No wonder why they hated him. He was not only different looking with his red, scarred eyes, but he couldn't even go about town without looking like an idiot.

The tavern was just several hundred feet away- maybe he could make it there without any more problems.

[Faithy]

After ensuring that he was inside of the shack, she closed the door behind the two of them. Flipping the bolt so that they were safely inside, Kelieahn made her way back to the couch with a slight yawn. Flopping down onto it, she peered at Antonio with a little bit of curiosity. She wasn’t sure how he knew were she was at and certainly wasn’t sure how she felt about him knowing. Still, he was there and it wasn’t like the teen was going to just kick him out.

“Oh and how are my disgusting mother and her sex-friends? No wait, don’t answer that. I really don’t care.”

Flipping her hair over her shoulders, Strider watched as he turned around to reveal his backside. Wondering what the hell he was doing, she continued to watch as he seemed to struggle with something. Rolling her eyes a few times, she crossed one leg over the other, taking in every inch of his form. Shifting her glance up to the ceiling after a moment or two, the forlorn female debated on whether or not to speak to him. Why should she? It wasn’t as if they were dating or anything. Still, something told her to be nice, so with a sigh, the normally icy teen cleared her throat.

“I’ve been staying here most nights or out on the hill. My mother is an unfit mother and has been since I was born. Something odd is happening around this town. I want to know what and I will probably start eavesdropping on the older folk in this town to find out my answers. How about yourself? Why are you here? Did you follow me? Did anyone else follow you?”

Her expression had changed from pleasant to irate. Why was she this way around guys? It was never made clear to her, but she figured it was because her good for nothing father was never around. She never bothered asking her mother why, because if it was important, the bitch would have told her. Then again, that would mean they would have to hold an actual conversation, which wasn’t going to happen, ever. Arching a slender brow as he continued to dig into his jacket, Strider slowly slid to her feet, walking over to the window. Something was not right and if he brought someone to where she was hidden, there would be no forgiveness.

“What are you looking for anyways?”

Whatever attention she had bestowed upon the boy was immediately focused elsewhere. The past was a silly thing and there wasn’t a day that her mind didn’t spend thinking upon it. Not just her past, but others as well. More importantly her ancestors. She couldn’t help but wonder what her grandmother was like as well as other relatives. Sighing heavily, she felt her attention being pulled back to the window and more importantly outside. Peering out it, a slight gasp seemed to make its way out of her mouth. Standing outside of the very place they were dwelling within was a man… more importantly the same she saw before. Moving away from the window she frowned heavily before looking back out the window, the man now heading for the front door.

“Antonio, there’s a guy standing outside… what should we do. I’m not sure who this place belongs to, but it’s been empty for years, probably longer than that. I saw him earlier and he gives me the creeps… Maybe we should leave?”

[Vega]

Antonio only had so much attention span. Listening to Kelieahn intently while rummaging though the many secret compartments of his jacket was not problem, but replying to her questions was something that would just have to wait. Suddenly, he felt what he was looking for. At this point, he started the delayed reply to her interrogation. He began to search through his short term memory to find the questions, and in turn he searched through everything he knew for the answers. He did not however take his hand of the object in his pocket, nor did he fully turned around. His gaze however did meet that of Kelieahn's.

“Oh and how are my disgusting mother and her sex-friends? No way, don’t answer that. I really don’t care.” said Kelieahn three and a half minutes ago.

Okay, I won't. replied Antonio in his mind.

“I’ve been staying here most nights or out on the hill. My mother is an unfit mother and has been since I was born. Something odd is happening around this town. I want to know what and I will probably start eavesdropping on the older folk in this town to find out my answers. How about yourself? Why are you here? Did you follow me? Did anyone else follow you?” Said Kelieahn three minutes ago.

"I got that your mother was unfit when she felt the need to mock people thirty years younger than herself. I got that something odd is happening around this town. It is like a veil of gray has slipped over everyone's vision. I fear that if this feeling persists, all our little slice of heaven will be able to perceive is the gray. I am here because I wanted to have an intelligent conversation with someone under the age of fifty, and in this town that is difficult. I know this is where you stay because I was smoking pot on the roof of this house and gazing at the stars when I heard footsteps and snuffed it out. Those footsteps were yours. No one followed me. I know when I am being followed, as any thief worth his salt knows. That chap outside just turned up out of nowhere."

Then, following the previous slew of questions, Keliahn asked "What are you looking for anyways?"

Antonio removed a dagger from his pocket, still in the sheath. The hilt was gilded and intricately carved while the sheath was made out of some sort of red enamel and looked like a curved tube. Rather than being a standard European style blade, this blade appeared to be more exotic, more eastern: When it was revealed, it appeared to be sharp on only one side, like a razor, and entirely flat on the other. It came to a fine point at it's tip, for stabbing. Most notably however was the unusual foreign characters etched into side of the knife, just above the tang. " I stole it from the pawn shop the other day when old Renault decided not to sell it to me. I figured it would be good to have protection in these dark times.

“Antonio, there’s a guy standing outside… what should we do. I’m not sure who this place belongs to, but it’s been empty for years, probably longer than that. I saw him earlier and he gives me the creeps… Maybe we should leave?”

"You're right. Let's slip out the back door. Ladies first." Antonio waited in anticipation for a reply from Keliahn.

[Buzzy Beetle]

~???~

Hazy, hazy, and hazy still
Wandering dazed while standing still
In dark? In twilight?

No.



A gust of wind forced itself through an open window; shoving the dark curtains out of the way and brushing strongly against a wooden rocking horse some distance away. Not having any way to resist, the rocking horse teetered back and forth, singing a squeaky medley in an otherwise quiet room. The curtains applauded quietly.

Scared and shivering from fear, a pajama-clad little girl looked over at the rocking horse for a brief moment. She pulled her top cover closer to her, but wouldn't dare hide her head. She knew - once she stopped being alert, the Thing would get her. That Thing... there in the closet. That wide open closet... how could its face be seen so perfectly well in a room devoid of light? It was now rocking its head from one side to another in tune with the rocking horse, fang-framed mouth gaping wide open. Apart from this, (and the endlessly inward-spiraling, hook-like formations on both sides of its face) it was entirely motionless. Its sharp, clawed hands on gangly arms hung dead at its side. It didn't breathe. It didn't blink.


It didn't even have eyes.


Yet, those empty sockets pierced the little girl's soul all the same. Her shivering intensified as tears began to form in her eyes. Where was mommy? Where was daddy? She wanted to shout. She wanted to scream for them and make the thing go away - but she couldn't. Suddenly, her right arm let go of the blanket quickly as she groped around her bed for her teddy. She couldn't take her eyes off the thing... and she couldn't find her teddy either. She began to get more frantic, more desperate. The Thing stopped rocking its head to the sounds of the wooden horse. It moved stiffly back to center, then smoothly to the right, as if it were a dog looking inquisitive.

"Are you afraid of me?" The little girl's eyes went wide with terror. Its expressionless face curved upward slowly... a grin... a jagged, fang-filled smile... then something far more sinister "You are afraid of me."



Where do you wander, wakelessly?
In a world I dare not see?
Sadist of the mortal mind

Inclined.



The little girl's mind raced. Certainly there was something she could do to get rid of it.

Daddy! Mommy! Her mind screamed repetedly, relentlessly while her bedsheets absorbed a growing pool of cold sweat. Clawed feet scratched across the floor slowly, as the thing advanced. Tiny bugs comprised of shadows sprang from the scratches left by unkempt, nailless claws; skittering off to find various material things to devour. The little girl sat like a deer in headlights, screaming desperately in her mind for her parents, bottom lip quivering, tears now flowing from her eyes. The Thing climbed up the foot of her bed, and stood on the covers while its claws got tangled up in the fabric. The thing was little, and stood slightly taller than, perhaps, two feet, and (surprisingly) worse a purple shirt with a black rectangular shape across the front. Drool began to drip between the Thing's fangs.

"Your terror smells..." Its mouth opened wide, "...delicious."

As it crouched and prepared to pounce, the little girl's world faded to black.



Damned to black dreams
Soulless and confined...

Eternally denied.



A skyless sky swired above the strange nightmare-creature, who was no longer standing on a bed. This place... was some kind of void. The smile on its face quickly dropped to a look of dismay.

"She woke up." This had, however, nothing to do with the hunger for energy it craved. That hunger could easily be satisfied in this strange part of the universe. It had seen the town in nightmares, and in feint glimpses of psychics. Something was wrong here... if this place emanated such fear and such energy in that fear... why was there nothing else like itself there? It truly was hungry; energy was but second to one thing...

Its eyeless eyes blinked as it stood completely still for a moment. It then threw back its head and let loose an unearthly, inhuman scream. Someone would hear it. Someone would be bound to hear it, it assured itself, from this darkness into the nightmares of those who slept, and imaginations of those who were paranoid and... perhaps... the idle minds of those who were more sensitive... in ways. The sound... would cause a chill to that being... one that would be easily tracked. The creature promised itself that its hunger for fear-charged energy would not gain control this time. Promised not to lose itself once again...




Purpose...


(OOC: Hope it's not too late to join or do something like this...)

[Zee All Knowing Peacock]

A hand reached out, touching the burnished wood of the door. He felt the memories soaked into the wood, like blood, staining deep into a wooden floor. To bury itself, wrought into the fibers, forever there, foreboding. He shivered, his stomach once again clenching at those memories, those terrible memories of all those years past. Pausing, he looked around at the emptying streets, then back at the door. Sighing, he gave it a pushed, only to feel the wood strain at his touch. Locked...

He closed his eyes, silently concentrating. His memory was tested as he tried to remember from all that time ago, just what the insides of this place look like. A bed, a carpet, maybe some chairs. Not small, but by no means big. Spacious due to the lack of furniture. A fireplace off to one side, with a pot hung over it. But the door. It was simple, a few inches above Gregory's head, with a simple latch to open and close, along with a bolt to lock. He pictured that bolt rusted after years of disuse. The bolt slid then, sliding out of its latch to rest opened. Gregory tried the door again, pushing it open. He stopped then, as his lowered his hands, his eyes adjusting to the dark. He stepped forward, the floor creaking in a manner that was all too fitting. He brushed cobwebs aside as he looked around at the familiar settings. Then he stopped when his eyes hit the man near the back door. The house was basically one large room, with no walls as dividers. A kitchen to one side, a bed to the other. His eyes flickered and he saw the girl, a few feet to the left. He backed up, fingers flexing as he prepared himself.

"I see I have acquired a few temporary residents in my humble abode," he said, looking from the man to the woman. "Allow me to introduce myself; I, am Gregory. Probably little more than a bedtime story anymore." He looked at the girl then, and something caught his eye. Then it was gone. His expression turned cold. "I would appreciate it if you would all leave, as I have quite a bit of plotting to do, and less time than you might think to do it. And I would also-" He stopped dead.

Gregory shivered as a chill ran down his spine, and also as a scream went through his mind. I'm not as alone as I thought I suppose, he thought. He smiled then, hoping the creature would just ignore him. After all, they had almost been friends once, but time has a way of changing things. He looked from one person in the room to the other, than raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "So, are you leaving, or are things going to get... complicated?"

[Faithy]

][OOC: Shall edit later.][

Antonio was slightly annoying her. She could tell that as she spoke, he was barely paying attention. If she were to give him a pop quiz, the man would probably get two out of the fifty questions right. The urge to break his hands grew immensely, which wasn’t a good thing. Between being annoyed by the dicks her age, her slut mother, and Antonio, the poor teen felt like she was ten seconds from completely exploding. The newest arrival to the shack sure wasn’t helping. No, if anything it was making her a hell of a lot more uncomfortable. She was definitely growing more apprehensive each moment they spent in the condemned place. Whatever he had been searching for, he finally found it though he didn’t bother showering her anything. Tempted to swear at him that he at least could show her what he was ignoring her for, Kel bit down on her bottom lip.

“Hnn…”

It seemed to her that Antonio was slightly annoyed at her tone, but she couldn’t help it. She was brought up to not trust anyone and that was how she was going to remain. Once she felt comfortable around someone, then that might change. However, until then he was going to have to deal with her attitude. When Antonio stated that he didn’t know who the individual was outside, she felt cold chills slide up and down her spine. Glancing down at the dagger that Antonio was holding, she took it in with hungry eyes. It was beautiful and she wanted to touch it. Her hand was stretched halfway before realizing what was happening. Dropping her hand back down, she moved her gaze away from the dagger. Rubbing her forehead with slight irritation, Strider walked over to where her backpack was at. Shoving the stuff that had been pulled out of it previously, the teen closed it with a slight growl. Swinging it over her shoulders, she glanced towards the front door as Antonio suggested they move towards the back.

“Right… the back…”

However, before she had a chance to move, she felt someone trying to open the door. Snapping her gaze towards it, Kelieahn felt every inch of her body tensing up. Whoever it was, was attempting to get inside of the house. Shifting her body ever so slightly, Kel slowly moved towards where Antonio was at. Blinking slightly as the door was unlocked, apparently from the outside, Strider stepped closer to Antonio. A slight squeak stuck in her throat at the sight of the man. Instantly she knew it was the same dude from the hill. Something told her it was the same one from the tavern as well. Staring at him with wide eyes, she fought back the fear that was encircling her.

“Oh, this shack belongs to you? I didn’t know. Gregory? THE Gregory? Hmm… you were the stranger in the tavern… that all the occupants were speaking about. I’ve been staying here for months. I have nowhere else to go. But, seeing how it’s your home… I’ll leave you to it. Though… I could help you, plot…”

[Haruka_Tenou]

((Welcome BB! Awesome post. ))

~Lexie~

Betrayal

Gregory. There had been such fear surrounding him. So many tales had been told. Stories were written. Written by men and women who had lived so long ago that you were forced to believe. Lies. The town was built on such false truths that it was understandable that people would simply lose track of what was an actual truth. Lexie inhaled, the ground around her was starting to calm her nerves, allowing her to think and reason. She had believed him the monster. Yet now she wondered. There were thoughts within his mind that did not add up and yet to many doors were barred. She could not gain access to all of his memories. A frown settled upon her features. There was something that was wrong.

Hatred

Somewhere within his mind she knew she would find the truth. The body flashed across her eyes, crimson shown upon his hands even as he cradled her form. The towns people had found him with her. Death had been upon the air and he must have been responsible. That had been their logic. She moved within his mind even as she felt his pain. The scene shifted and Lexie looked down upon Gregory. Chained to the ground, Naked and bleeding. His face was raw and swollen. People gathered about him, one man with dark hair wiped his palms and knuckles with a rag even as he glared at him. She felt Gregory shove her out of his memories. Locking the door. He was not ready to allow her to see the full truth. Why? Was it because they had tortured him before they buried him? Had he been buried alive for the past five hundred years? Had it been longer?


Vengeance


He wanted to get even. He wanted to destroy those who had hurt him so badly. She didn’t blame him one bit. No, She felt he was justified. Yet she would keep that to herself until she was certain that he was indeed innocent of the crimes for which he had been accused. Guilty, by default. No trail. Simply his judgment and what the town had thought to be his execution. How wrong they had been.

Pulled from her thoughts felt a chill creep down her spine. It settled low within her even as she felt her breath still within her. Something had awoken within the town. She felt it. Evil. An evil that had been hidden within the shadows for years. The creature that as a child she had sworn terrorized her nightmares. Her parents of course had never believed her. For surely a child would only imagine such horrors when hey eyes were closed. Nothing could be so horrid as to exist. This town, they were all so naive. They were blinded due to the lies that centered around it.

Lexie allowed herself to mentally withdraw not only from Gregory but from the evil. She felt that it would spread quickly. That it was gaining it’s power rapidly and it’s strength was ebbing. She was, for the first time, glad to be trapped within the mound. It suddenly felt safe. It was a funny thought the flitted through her mind then, that Gregory would be the least the town had to fear. For though his repercussions would no doubt bring death and would satisfy his emotional needs, the creature was different. For how could one hide when fear chased them. How would they escape when their nightmares would haunt them. It was within her prison that she realized, she would not need to fear either of them. Her last thought came unbidden and yet made her wonder..


The town was cursed..

Would they repent?

And if she could have saved them..

Warned them..

Would she want to?





~Bella~

The child was a monster. Bella growled lightly under her breathe as Nathan helped her back to her feet. His palms moved to caress her face even as she managed a weak smile. No one had ever shown her such disrespect. He looked worried and she knew it had nothing to do with his wife. That woman stayed home and never showed him a single bit of affection. It was no wonder he came hungrily to her. He smiled at her even as he took her hand. They moved through the crowd making their way to the stairs. Her feet carried her up as his arms entangled her body, his mouth on her throat as she allowed herself to calm down. A smile crossing her lips. A slight shiver ran down her spine.

Something hovered in the air the taste of evil. Truthfully she wasn’t that concerned. Bella knew what would take care of it. Entering one of the small rooms she smelled the musty scent of many nights. Sweat, lust and adultery had occurred within these walls. Nathan moved away from her taking two glasses down and pouring alcohol into them. Bella allowed the door to close softly behind them and then took the offered beverage from him allowing the liquid to scald her throat and numb her senses. She didn’t wish to deal with reality. She had avoided it for years and things were not going to change anytime soon.

Bella gazed into the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot with crows feet at the edges. Eyebrows were singed and her skin looked grey. It was as she was in her sixties instead of the late thirties. She stared at herself and felt her breath still within her. The burn marks seemed to be growing. Her face was ageing before her eyes. Tears burned the corners of her eyes even as she reached up to touch the lines upon her features. It felt normal and yet her eyes seemed to say something else entirely. It was her nightmare come to life.

Nathan yelled, shock within his voice as he gazed at his hands. Blood dripped from his fingernails. Crimson ran from his palms. He looked at her one more time before he ran out of the room. Maybe her face truly was ageing in that mirror. What had happened with Nathan? It made no sense. This was crazy. She moved to the bed to lay down. Her eyes closing. She had to much to drink. She was seeing hallucinations. It couldn’t be reality. Her breathing came heavily as she fell into slumber. Nightmares running wild behind her eyes.

There was one word for Bella.

Denial.

[Buzzy Beetle]

~???~

The screech echoed through the black world, hitting formless objects and passed right through. Some formless objects, however, had it bounce right off - on those spots, figures took shape with jagged white lines, forming dentals of them. People, wrought with dark chills. From there, the lines extended along the ground, creating more detailed scenery of the area about them. The lines climbed up other objects and outlined them, including people who were afraid for other reasons entirely. Four people were particularly close, one had... noticed.... the Thing's screech. It began to examine all the possibilities it could explore, when something in the back of Its mind twitched.

Resembling the sound of a heavy object plummeting, then breaking the surface of serene water, the noise forced the thing to shift its attention entirely. While there was someone about who could hear it, the Thing almost naturally bounded off in the direction of the noise. It would be much easier this way. A being that lives in the world of decrepit dreamscapes is far more capable of acing within those same dreams of either light or dark... Someone had crashed straight into the dream world, and a hazy grey cloud had begun to form in the darkness... not too far away.

It would arrive before the first REM cycle, where the grey haze would form into a world devoid of most logic, sense, or reason...

[Mikhos]

Cairne entered the tavern, though it felt more oppressive than it really should have. He felt it in the air- something was wrong. His suspicions were proved true when a man slightly taller than Cairne came running down the stairs, blood droplets staining the floorboards as he charged outside. It didn't help that Cairne was on the edge of consciousness. He had gone nearly 36 hours without sleep and his face was even more pale and his eyes even more so red than normal. He might have been seeing things, the man may have been a spectre. Cairne didn't care.

Cairne's slight frame was jostled around by the larger patrons who filled the place. He finally made his way to the crowded bar, squeezing his way between a particularly drunken man and the tavern maid he was sloppily hitting on. He got himself onto the cheaply made stool, throwing his elbows onto the counter and using his hands to support his head.

"Eh, what you want?" The unattractive, pudgy man grumbled from the other side of the dirty bar, idly rubbing a dented copper goblet with a dirty rag.
"Just give me some good ale," Cairne muttered, tossing a few coins on the counter. He didn't try to be cordial anymore.

The only way he'd get respect around here was by acting like he had - and deserved- the respect of others. As Cairne grew up, the town grew cold.The sick feeling in his stomach continued on as Cairne drank from the tankard of dark ale. It wasn't just in this tavern, was it? Things were amiss everywhere.

[Haruka_Tenou]

~Bella~


Darkness..


At first it was all she saw as her breathing came in and out of her lungs slowly. Her chest rose as she passed deeper. Drowning in the darkness a light came into view. She was six years old and her mother was tucking her in. A slight smile across her features as she leaned down to kiss her forehead. Sleep child.. Do you remember what I told you about the darkness? The child nodded as her mother spoke once more. It can’t harm you.. Years ago our ancestor locked away the evil within a mound. Your dreams can’t harm you. Nothing can harm you while you sleep. Bella nodded once again. Her mother had told her the story so many times. She blew out the candle as she left the room. Surrounded in darkness Bella moved farther beneath the covers as she watched the shadows. She could have sworn they were moving within the room.

The wind blew outside. Whispering her name. She shut her eyes tightly to block out the dark. She exhaled softly as the scene moved. Bella stood before a mirror. Her skin was falling from her features. Bone showed beneath the muscles. A silent scream tore through her mind even as her fingertips moved to caress her jaw. She pulled skin away allowing it to drop to the ground with a sickening thud. She was a monster. This she was certain was a reflection of her soul. This would be her punishment for her life. She shook her head in front of the mirror even as she turned away from it.

What do you fear?

The voice broke through her mind. She shivered within her dream. Looking back into the mirror her face was once again intact. She allowed herself to relax for a moment.

Do you fear me?

She moved as darkness descended once again. Leaving her within her mind to see nothing. Her senses were exploring the darkness. She could hear the droplets falling. Crimson fell. Mixing into a small puddle upon the floor.

Do you fear death?

She knelt beside the shimmering pool and allowed herself to gaze into the liquid. There within, was a face. She saw herself. Years ago she had bled. She had tried to end her existence. Instead she had been forced into drinking. Her mother had been the one to sell her to the men. How things had changed.

Answer me...

Something was with her. Something was growing. She did not understand the darkness and yet she knew that there was an evil within it. Something watched her. It felt as if it would destroy her.

Leave me alone.. Let me be.. Her voice drifted through the shadows. Looking down she gazed at her palms. They were so small. She was six years old again. She stood within the darkness. She felt it surround her.

Bella, was truly afraid.