Cut (Prologue)

Sereena, here's an excerpt from the prologue

  ...Drip...

  ...Drip...

 ...

  ...Drip.

  Crimson pooled between Charlie's bare feet, staining the white tile of the bathroom floor.

  He slid the blade across his wrist again, holding his breath. Marveling at the feel of the cold metal piercing his flesh. The familiar bite of the blade sliding into his skin.

There’d been an itch there, a dull ache, For as long as he could remember. A sort of pain that nothing else could ever seem to alleviate.

Except for this. Now.

Relief...

Pleasure.

Finally being able to scratch that itch.

Bliss.

  He slid the blade across again. Shuddering.

In that moment, there was nothing but the feel of the razor in his skin, the blood making his fingers slick. The sound of his life slowly draining away onto the floor.

  How close to the edge could he get before his fingers grew numb?... Before he lost the ability to control his movements… Before he would begin to slip away from this world.

…From this life.

…From this agony.

How far would he have to go before he could feel what he had felt?

How close could he get?

Author's Note

I haven't been able to work on this one in a while. I wish there was more time in the day!

Reviews

[Perkele.7885]

Caillen, you have something good started here. I know that you have piqued my interest and that I would like to read more. Is the story coming easy for you or are you finding it a struggle? I hope that you can find the time to work on it. It will be a success for you and a treat for us to read; your audience!

[CaillenJames]

Perkele, thank you very much!

It is easy for me, but unfortunately, time is not on my side. My brain shoots ideas at me constantly, even while in the middle of work. I end up stopping what I'm doing and starting on something else. It always turns out that way. But I am enjoying my work. I have a lot of fun.

I'll be sure to let you know when it's all finished. I'd be honoured to have your input once it's finished.

Thank you, Perkele.

[Perkele.7885]

my pleasure

[John Alexander McFadyen]

An evocative and sad story that portrays the moments when someone steps beyond thoughts and acts upon their misery. Well told.

[CaillenJames]

Thank you very much for your comment, John. It's much appreciated.

[ANTO]

Caillen your write here reminded me of a true story here in Belfast. A boy was driven to grief when his father was abducted, tortured and had his throat cut. The lad thereafter embarked on a death wish - visiting the places where his father may or may not have been tortured and thus putting his own life in grave danger. He explained his "death wish" behaviour as wanting to know what his father went through in the final hours of his life and visiting the haunts of paramilitaries would have greatly - nay, massively increased his odds of suffering the same fate.

Your penultimate line here - upon which the tale is built around - was very reminiscent of that true story in Belfast some twenty or thirty years ago. Art imitating life, I guess.
Graphic and powerful writing.
:)

[CaillenJames]

Thank you very much ANTO for your review. That is a really tragic story. What ever became of the boy, do you know?

[ANTO]

Im ashamed to say I do not know what became of him. His story was told in the book "The Shankill Butchers: A Case Study of Mass Murder" by Martin Dillon. I will endeavour to find out what I can Caillen.

[sereenaoutloud]

this is a great start...held my interest and left me curious to read more..is there more? :)

[CaillenJames]

Sereena, I'm glad you enjoyed it. There is a good deal more, actually, but unfortunately I have yet to finish the book. There is another portion of it in my writing folder. I've been working on other projects so I haven't been able to get back to it. I'll let you know when it's finished--hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.