AN: This was my response to a flashfic fanfic challenge at the Nikolas and Elizabeth forum, Unexpected Chemistry. It had to be written and edited within a 2 hour time frame, it had to include the anniversary of Emily Q's death and either Nikolas or Elizabeth's birthday.
Crystalline white fingers push upwards, wood and cloth protest with creaks and tears, as the casket lid flies open. With a jerk a head appears, worn and drawn with one year's worth of decay.
The body rolls in the casket, it falls with a thud, throwing the body against against another casket. The body awkwardly straightens its yellowed skirts and stands. Slowly it picks up one foot... and nothing; the foot has not moved. Frustrated the body shifts its weight forward, the left leg slides along the floor. The body shifts again, swinging its right hip forward, the leg followed. Repeating the motions over and over the body begins to stomp its way towards the crypt's door.
Fingers scraped raw the body finally escapes its prison through a slightly opened door. Bare swollen feet crush roses and lilies left before the lonely crypt. The body looks up on a harvest moon and clear sky. A tree branch scrapes against the copper sign on the crypt, fingering the letters, Q U A R T E R M A I N E.
Walking through woods the body never notices as branches scratch and tear, leaving shards of sad fabric behind. The soft beats of a human heart call to the body. It turns on instinct, heading towards the aged human being.
"Ahhhm" it murmurs, feeling the urge to bite.
The aged human heart is joined by another. The body closes in.
"Ahhhm" it gurgles. The sound of car doors shutting and the scratch of tires over dried leaves takes the warm beating hearts swiftly away from the body.
It cries out in agony, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee," and sets out after the beating hearts. Slowly more heart beats call to the body. It turns, uncertain which direction, which heart beat to follow.
A small, young heart barrels out from behind a fence. The body startles as an unknown and alien like creature crashes into it. They both fall. The creature gets up and runs away crying, "Trick-or-Treat". More strange beings leave the yard, running by the body. None stop or stare.
The body is confused, wandering around Port Charles, hunting human hearts it finds only monsters and creatures, some more grotesque then the body. "Nice costume," it hears. Words that confuse and frighten the body. Seeking silence the body enters the quiet of a nearby waterway.
The water is warm. The body's dress floats upwards and behind, an ethereal train, as the body walks along the ocean floor. "UhmOhm...blub, blub," it moans as its hands reach for the shiny finned creature that swims by.
The body feels a heart beat and walks towards it and the rising sun. The water becomes more shallow, the heart beat grows stronger and multiplies. These beats seem very familiar to the body, the strongest calls of home.
Hunting the hearts the body heads through autumn woods, crushing everything in its way. The woods open to a manicured lawn which frames a large brick building. The body stomps towards the building, the heart beats grow louder. The body's mouth opens and shuts, biting in anticipation.
Laughter floats out an open window and over the garden. The body hones in on the sound. Ready to crash through the glass it stops. Five hearts sit around a table, one new and tasty, only a few months old. Three hearts are young and beat fast. They reach for bags on the table.
"No candy for breakfast, Miss Elizabeth would never forgive me," the oldest heart said.
The weakest young heart asks, "Do we get cake then?"
"No, no young master. Not until tonight's surprise party."
The body resists its natural instinct to enter and chomp on the five hearts before it. A hollow feeling begins in the center of its chest over the dead heart inside. Ragged fingers lie lightly on the glass.
The oldest heart leaves as a young female heart enters carrying balloons and ribbon. The young hearts yell and scream with happiness as they play with the balloons. The body watches one closely as it wraps ribbons and streamers around a chair.
"Speeeeeeennnnnc," the body moans.
The young female heart leaves and the old heart returns carrying a tray of food. The young hearts each take a seat at the table. The newborn gurgles in its chair.
Two hearts come closer to the room, one is the heart that called to the body from the ocean, the other an old friend. The hearts are light and happy. The male heart opens the door and ushers in the female just as the young hearts scream, "Happy Birthday Mommy/Aunt Elizabeth."
"Niiiiiiiii," the body moans, its head now resting on the glass. It watches as the male heart kisses the female. It listens as the two hearts beat as one. The body's heart pumps in phantom rhythm with theirs. Its body jerks forward, unable to resist its natural instincts anymore.
"Nnnooo," it cries, twisting hard away from the window. The garden earth crumbles beneath the the body's power. Ants and a myriad of other bugs scatter away as crystalline white fingers pierce the earth. "Nnoottt urrrrt," the body says. "Nnoottt urrrrt emm."
It crawls away from the familiar hearts, back towards the ocean. The body heads East far away from the heart that calls it home, protecting it.