The Sanguine City

A Story by Jason Damstra

A surreal glimpse of a dreaming city.

The sanguine city of Sauvilex sat upon the lip of the cool blue gulf of lake Neomond. It's sparkling waters reflecting the many spired peaks and pointed roofs of the blushing city. A city of a thousand crimson streets and coral pink towers that rose so unfathomably high into the sweet perfumed air. The roads were lined with rose bushes that caught the morning dew in a multitude of sparking drops. Glistering like a million-fold stars they twinkled in the quite solitude of the morning hour.

From high above the rose-scented streets chimed a soft alien fluting as the wind was forced through a number of hollowed eves... They caught the spinning vapors like spiders webs, tousling it through curving apertures, eventually allowing it to once more dance and mingle with the air in a chorus of eerie delicate songs.

The sole inhabitant of the crimson city padded its way silently, softly down its manifold avenues and lanes. It's cat like back bristling with soft golden hairs. Sad wide eyes counter-posed by a leering grin scanned the singing rooftops. Glided along bloodied mortar and cool clay brick. The thing made its way as it always did from dawn till dusk through the high topped city. Occasionally it paused, its webbed ears perked up and scanning... Always scanning for that thump thump thumping... The beating heart of its prey. It drank from the crystal sweetness that was the Neomond and resumed its ceaseless padding. It's endless hunt through the eternal red city of Sauvilex.