Blood Rites

This is being published soon, so enjoy it whilst you still can! :)

The chamber was dark, the blazers that were positioned in it's four corners did nothing to expel the gloom and the foreboding nature of this place. The floor was uneven, covered in thick layers of dust and filth, the bones of small rodents scattered throughout. Torn, faded tapestries hung from the crumbling stone, banners of long faded glories. In the center of the chamber, there was a large round iron grate, covered in rust and long dried blood. An entryway was carved into one of the walls, a small tightly fit metal door, also covered in rust, was the only way in and out of the room. This room was haunted by pain and misery, this chamber was used by men who worshiped the things that resided in the darkness, creatures that lurked in the shadows of the hearts and minds of men. And this very night, whilst the good and naive slept in their beds, they would force another to bend to their dark will...

The door burst open, sending chunks of rust flying across the chamber, allowing mortar to slide down the ancient stone walls. Two cloaked and hooded figures came striding into the room, grasping brightly lit torches in their hands. They each took one side of the room and began replenishing the fire of each of the blazers. When this was done, another two men entered behind them, carrying a fifth man between them. He was blind folded, his hands bound behind his back. They threw the fifth to the floor, he landed heavily and was instantly covered in a blanket of dust and bone. Three of the hooded men each took a corner and stood just to a side of their newly lit blazers. The fourth man, turned sharply and made sure the door was secure, slammed a large metal bolt into a hole carved in the stone. When he was happy they would not be disturbed, he strode over to his own blazer and joined his brothers...

The fifth man, now upon on his knees, still coughing from the dust that had entered his throat, felt a deadly chill run up his spine. He knew why he was here, there was no point fighting or struggling, he knew he would not be able to escape this place. One of the hooded men came and stood over him, he reached down and yanked the blind fold from his eyes. He closed his eyes tightly, so the light would not completely blur his vision, so he could adjust. After almost a minute, he opened his eyes again and stared up at one of his tormentors. The man was tall, in fact they all were, over six foot, and they were all adorned in long crimson robes, with round black hoods covering their faces. They all looked down at him, but not once did any of them utter a single word. The one closest to him went down on one knee and reached around his waist to untie his bonds. Once this was done, he got back up and rejoined his brothers at his correct position. He knew what was coming, he had heard of these places, of these men, of the things that they had made their 'Gods'. He did not attempt to run, or to struggle, he merely bowed his head and cast his eyes down at the filth on the ground, waiting for the end to come...

One of the hooded men drew a dagger from the folds of his robes, as he did this his brothers did exactly the same. In unison, they drew back their sleeves and cut a single horizontal line across their wrists, deep enough to watch the blood flow from their flesh. They sheathed their blades and took determined steps into the middle of the room, to where the iron grate was situated. They each grabbed a handle and pulled the grate upwards, revealing a hollow, dark pit carved into the floor. Without hesitation, they all held their wrists over the edge of the hole and squeezed their flesh, letting the blood drip down into the darkness. After they were satisfied it was enough, they all turned towards the door. Quickly, they threw the bolt and moved into the outside corridor, slamming the door closed again and securing it from the outside. Then, they slid back a small porthole on the door itself and stood there, their hooded eyes glaring into the gloom, fixated on the fifth man and the hole in the floor...

In the chamber, he could hear 'them'. He could hear something scuttling against the stone, something clawing against the hole in the ground. He quickly rose to his feet and strode over to one of the blazers. One of the two metal torches had been left at the base, he picked it up, felt the cold iron in his grip and slammed his back up against the wall, waiting, waiting for whatever was to slither out of the ground. The hooded men were watching in anticipation, chanting rapidly, waving their hands in the air, barely able to contain their excitement. Then they appeared. Three of them, all taller than the hooded men. They lurked their way out of the hole, out of the blackness, the taste of human blood already upon their lips. They were so, so tall and so thin, barely had any substance to them at all. But the fifth man could sense their animalistic nature, their basic, bestial needs. He knew he was doomed. They approached him, and when they came into the light he could see that they had no eyes, just huge gaping holes in their heads where they should have been, and as they reached out for him, the last thing he remember was their hands. Their palms. Because on their palms were fully formed mouths filled with row after row of razor sharp fangs. The hooded men listened to his screams, but they didn't last long. When they had fed, they slithered back into their hole, back into the darkness. The hooded men secured the grate, locked the iron door and made their way out of the chambers...

For this night, the dark ones had been fed. But they were always, always hungry for more...

Reviews

[little bad puppy]

suggestion...
"The door burst open, sending chunks of rust flying across the chamber, allowing mortar to slide down the ancient stone walls. "

"The silence was shattered as the ancient metal door exploded from it's hinges in a hail of blood colored rust and bone gray mortar, allowing the stone work to sluffed off the damp walls in sheets."

some thing thing like that. stimulate the minds eye with imagery.

[HeazerH]

Hell yeah! You got first! Congrats!

[SonOfPlunder]

Thank you very much , can't believe this came first, surprisingly pleased :)

[HeazerH]

I am not surprised. Good job!

[Crystal Lynn Bell]

That was a really good story. What are you going to do with it?

[SonOfPlunder]

Currently it's just a stand alone short story, but i might incorporate it into something larger. Glad you enjoyed it!

[HeazerH]

If you write a novel, and put it on amazon then I would buy it!

[SonOfPlunder]

Really? Then i might have my first customer one day! :)

[AprilRN1210]

Wow what a dark, twisted tale! Your vivid descriptions made me taste the dust, feel the cold stone, hear the haunting scuffling of the dark creatures. I really enjoyed! Awesome job!

[SonOfPlunder]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[AprilRN1210]

You're very welcome

[Tina Louise UK]

oooooo that was AWESOME!!!! Loved it...gripping, gory stuff and such imagery, brilliant :) x

[SonOfPlunder]

Thank you! I think i owe H.P Lovecraft for this one, he is definitely one of my biggest inspirations.