Eternal Damnation

for "And Now You Die" contest, only a beginning, might not ever finish though.

     The summer sun set early that night. Clouds decorated the ever darkening sky, pin pricks of rain washed the color away from the world. I stood alone, taking shelter beneath some evergreens, as I decided whether to just walk home and get soaked or to try to wait it out. A light wind tickled my skin, making me squirm closer to the trees. I feared the dark, the night. I feared what I couldn't see, and the sounds that lurked out of sight.
     Never would I have guessed my irrational fears of things that didn't exist would be "brought to light" as he approached me from the rainy mist. The clouds parted enough for the glimmer of moonlight to drop down across his face. Beauty in essence some might say, but the pale, lifeless figure was unreal. Unnatural. I couldn't pull my eyes from his raven hair, his empty grey eyes. Did the moonlight make his skin so pale? I didn't know, only then did I wish I had walked home in the rain.
    I wanted to run, to scream, something, anything. But I stood and stared. No sound escaped my lips, no movement could I muster. I stood and was entranced by this horrible beauty that was only steps away. He reached his hand and slid icy fingers across my wet cheek, wiping away my tears.
    "Do not cry, my little gosling, I shall make you suffer little..." he all but whispered, lips pressing close to my neck before a sharp, excruciating pain filled my world. Shock paralyzed me but still I managed to slide down the tree trunk, shredding my clothes and scraping my back. My grey world slowly turned black, but the pain continued.
     I was trapped in darkness, screaming and crying. Beating the empty air I begged my eyes to open, I begged for light, for the sun, for something or anything. But there was none. Only pain. Minutes, hours, days; I didn't know how long it lasted before the black faded into red. Blood. I smelled it and longed for it. I was so thirsty, and it smelled so good.
     My eyes opened as the thick, red liquid slid past my parched lips and down my throat. I sputtered, covering my front in the sticky 'drink' as I thought in horror at how good it had tasted.
     "My little gosling, drink. You need your energy if you want to be able to take care of yourself at all." The horrible beauty stood aside me, holding a crystal chalice with more of the sweet, sticky liquid. I wanted it, I desperately wanted to take it and guzzled it all back. I was so thirsty, and it was inches away, my sweet liquid life.
    As I reached for the chalice, my conscious roared to life, reminding me that I was trying to drink someone else, causing me to gag and wheeze, throwing up the little I had already drank before passing out again.
     I woke up sometime well after that to find myself cleaned up and in a new set of clothes. I wasn't sure whether to be scared more that I had new clothes on or that I hadn't been dreaming and that it didn't look like I would be going home ever, rain soaked or otherwise.
    "Ah, awake at last my sweet gosling. Mayhaps you wish to drink at least enough to listen to my explanation for why you are here," the horrible beauty whispered beside me, causing me to fall off the bed I had been occupying. " You will get used to it, I promise. It isn't all that bad, after you get passed the initial sticky texture and rusty-penny smell. Think of it like honey and let it slide down your throat, strengthening you." He said as he held the crystal chalice to me once more. Maybe my conscious lost to my thirst, or maybe I just stopped caring. I honestly don't remember anymore, or even care. I clasped the cup and drank every last bit.  I even licked the rim, not wishing to spare even the smallest amount of such a generous gift. "Thirsty, aren't you, my gosling," he chuckled, taking the chalice to a nearby dresser where he refilled it to the brim. I took that and guzzled it too before feeling at least slightly satiated.
     "Hmm, where to begin. Well I am sure you have already assumed what I have done, " he glanced at me and I nodded slightly in response. "I guess then I should tell you why I chose you and why I let you not only see me, but join me. I had watched you for a while, sweet gosling. The scent of your fear was intoxicating as you shied from the dark, but more-so was the beauty you displayed as you fled from sunlight all the more. You were intriguing, always watching others, observing their movements, their actions. You were constantly surrounded by people; they gravitated to you, but you always seemed outside of the loop, outside of the throngs. You were solitary, and that much stronger for it. Even from your family you didn't fit. A puzzle piece thrown into the wrong puzzle. As I watched you, I grew fond of you. I longed to grab you many times, but I refrained. Only watching you as darkness had fallen, or before the sun had risen, was just not enough for me. I wanted you for my own. Your twisted humor, and that devious glimmer in your expressions, in your smile, decided it for me. I followed you that night as the rain hid all from sight. You stood there so openly beneath the bows of the pine needles, your fear sweetly drifting in the breeze, I could wait no more. And so, I took you for my own, " at this he kept his eyes from meeting mine. I thought for just a passing moment that perhaps he was nervous, or guilty, but he pressed on. "You hurt yourself when I bit you, leaving blood and skin stuck in the tree bark, and bits of clothing scattered at its base. The police search lasted only about a week before they had decided you were killed and your body wouldn't be found. Your family held quite the lovely ceremony for your death and paid a lot to bury an empty coffin with a few of your possessions; things like a little blue dog, a sketchbook, and a bunch of silk flowers, " again he glance at me. "If you would like I could, well that is I mean it wouldn't be difficult for me to, ah, retrieve those items for you unbeknownst to your family if you so wished it." He said, looking again to me and then off to the side, out a widow I only just noticed.
     "I would rather you didn't," I finally choked out. "The past is dead and I don't want any part of it. Let it lie, " I whispered, in part to convince myself that my life truly was over.
     "Alright, if that is what my gosling wants. I have filled the closet in the corner with clothes for you, and should you get thirsty, this cabinet" he motions next to the dresser where the chalice was sitting once more "contains a mini fridge with blood bags for until you have gathered enough strength back to learn to hunt for yourself. The button by the window covers the glass during the daytime, putting the room in total darkness. I assumed you prefer a bed at the moment to a coffin, so I made sure that it works properly and everything before bringing you here. Should you need or want for anything else, you can leave this door to the left and down the hall, on the right, is my chamber where you may ask as you wish for what you wish. I assume you wish some time to think these things over so I will part with you for now, but I will come back later, before dawn, to check on you." He then turned and left out the door, closing it shut behind him.
     I picked myself from off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. The forest green carpet was plush, the walls were milk chocolate. The only light was a dimmed rock lamp sitting on the cabinet with the hidden fridge. I stared at my new room dazed. I had no where I could go even if I wanted. But I didn't want. I didn't feel. I couldn't cry or even be upset that my whole family thought I had been killed. I just sat there and pondered the idea that now I was sitting in an ideal Hollywood movie plot. Except the end of this movie wouldn't come; I was sitting in the start of my brand new eternal damnation.
     Karma, my friend, I hate you.

Author's Note

wrote this when extremely tired, looking back now, there are some grammar/spelling errors that I shall try to correct all of.

Reviews

[Caradoc]

The last line wrapped it up and gave it a good zing. I wonder though at the gender of the protagonist...male or female? And as you pointed out in your AN, there were a few errors scattered throughout, but they did little to detract from the tale.

A good attempt. If you continue this at some future date, I think it would be beneficial to work on character development. Little tidbits that to the audience might seem meaningless, but to the characters are aspects of their life. For instance, what was the significance of the little blue dog? What did it mean to the character and how does it being left in the coffin effect him/her?

Overall though, it was an interesting story.

Thank you for entering my contest.

-Caradoc