Wounds of Filth
Chapter 6: I, am the Spreading Sickness; ThusSaid the Devil
By: DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin
DISCLAIMER: Ok, all i own is the damn plot! Nothing more! Oh...and a few charaters in this story...possibly...for they have never appeared in the actual story line.
(Enjoy! Read and Review Please!)
He immersed himself in the perfection of his work, etching each self-inflicted wound with a deep, personal admiration for himself. The full crimson coloring of his masterpiece was far from complete but it would come soon enough, all he had to do to ensure its finishing was continue with his labor. He sliced again, the clean metal of the blade glinting in both the light of overhead and that of the candle, which flickered upon the tray beside him; the reflected rays glittered upon her blood. The said substance wove through the spilt skin and over onto the flawless, tainting the gray, unmarred surfaces with its terror trodden essence. He smirked as she cried out again, her voice scratching and raw from doing so as often as she did; he was certain that he had bumped one of her spinal vertebrae.
'Yes,' he mentally cooed, 'sing for me, Raven. Birds should always sing,' He mentally cooed
Slade momentarily pulled the knife back, his eyes studying the course of his messy work. It had to be perfect; his master would accept nothing else. Content with what he saw, he whipped the blade clean before holding it over it over the dancing flame of his wax-surrounded wick. The fire heated the steal quickly, the yellow blaze consuming the blade whole as it slithered up its sides. Slade removed the razor and dipped its tip through the skin of Raven's lower back, listening as the abused flesh hissed and popped. Her voice rang through his ears and the corners of his mouth lifted upon hearing it. He twisted, around and then up, watching as his inscription bursted to life. He tugged the knife along, the chrome smell of her blood filling his senses; and he lusted after it.
Slowly, the sizzle and scent of burning tissue died away and he removed the stiletto yet again, wiping it clean and holding it in the fire. He stole a glance at her back, his eye heavily lidded with smug adoration. His master had said, "If she shall not show her birth right willingly, then we shall do it for her."
He smirked and replaced the dagger, cutting once again. He had promised to follow his master's orders, and that was exactly what he was doing. Raven's ruby tattooed prophecy would soon become a foretelling written in flesh and dried by scars eternal; never again would she be able to remove them, he would see to that.
A rapping upon the door to his rear roused Slade from his reverie and, with a groan of disapproval, he set the knife upon the tray. Stretching out his legs, he left the girl and strode over to the door, ripping it open and sending a glare at they whom interrupted him. Red X stared back, fully costumed with a bag in hand, his note fisted in the other.
"I have your things.," the boy stated dryly, holding the bag out to the elder before him. Slade nodded and took the bag before stepping back. He motioned for the young thief to enter and he did, his masked eyes widening upon the site that met him. A bloody scene of gore placed itself on display before him, the ruby of the victim's life dripping into a puddle that littered the cold, metal floor. X glanced up at his mentor, who studied the fatality with what appeared to be extreme marvel. The boy scowled deeply; he had never been one for such villainy.
"Does this interest you, boy?" Slade asked arrogantly, his posture superior and intimidating. Red X's attention slipped back to his tutor and stiffened, deeply appalled.
"No," He answered, "It doesn't"
Slade chuckled to himself, his one eye settling upon the boy with fascination, "That's no surprise. It takes time for someone to learn respect such art. Don't worry, boy, I'll teach you how."
X simply nodded in lying agreement, locking his eyes back upon the wounded. The figure, he was sure, belonged to that of a girl.
Slade regarded his new apprentice with slight amusement, his eye flickering back to the broken form of Raven. Could such an immense power reside in such a weak being? He shook his head; it was always the quiet ones. With his new thoughts, he lost all interest for continuing his work and cleared his throat, making to leave.
"Clean her up," he ordered, his tall form maneuvering past the boy and out of sight.
Robert's eyes followed the fleeting form of his master in disgust, knowing he had to follow the command if he wished to be paid. He looked back at she who hung, his white irises softening with pity; perhaps helping her was not such a bad thing.
He approached her slowly closing the door as he did so, his steps loud in his ears. The cold silence of the room pressed down upon him, weighing him heavily with the burden of disgrace. How could he have agreed to work for such a man?
Robert passed the tray of assault weapons and stood before her, his eyes taking in the indigo hair that shadowed her face. Hesitantly, he reached out and placed two fingers beneath her chin, lifting her head. The violet of her eyes shone in the light, each depth rimmed with tears of anguish. His breathing hitched in his throat, the emotion residing in those eyes freezing him. Beauty was a feeble comparison to the eyes of this girl; what a damn shame.
Raven's eyebrows knitted in disbelief, her irises shifting as she analyzed and recognized the person standing before her. A sickly stirring of bewilderment littering the confines of her chest, her lungs expanding painfully as she inhaled an enormous amount of air.
"I thought you were only a common thief."
She spoke with a ruff voice, and he could only imagine the incentives regarding the reason why her vocals where so crude. He swallowed down the lump of guilt that newly gripped his throat,
"I was." He mentally scowled at his reply; no answer that he could give her would fix any of this. In an odd yet reasonable way, he wondered why he felt so guilty; it wasn't he whom had brought her there, it wasn't he whom had injured her back. He sighed at his thoughts; it wasn't he whom was trying to save her from such conditions either.
Raven chuckled bitterly at his reply, "I'm not really surprised," she stated with tart, "They always start out small."
Oh the guilt! Robert removed his hand, letting the limb fall limply to his side. She held her head up, her eyes glaring into the masked, which pleaded to avoid her.
"...I'm so sorry, kid." he whispered, his eyes on his feet. She scoffed at him, her eyes narrowing; what a coward, he couldn't even look at her.
"Save you pity. It won't change anything," Raven let her head fall, exhaustion finally settling over her, "Besides," she whispered, "I don't need it."
Red X tensed at the harsh origin of her words, watching as she hung her head. He shook his own and walked back around her, taking a seat in the chair which had once sat in a few feet in front of her. A bowl of water and a rag rested beside the tray and he lifted it into his lap, soaking the scrap of cloth before placing it upon her raw back. He heard her hiss from the pain and muttered a quick apology, dabbing at the wounds carefully. Soon, the rag was stained a deep maroon and he submerged it in water once again, squeezing the absorbed blood free before resuming his tedious work. After a good ten minutes, she was cleaned, through new blood slowly swelled within the gashes.
Robert set the bowl aside, the rag residing within the ruby water as he lifted a spool of gaze from the tray of razors. The candle slowly melted the wax of its make, the hour wearing on. X wrapped the white material around her abused torso, his fingers brushing the torn fabric of her ruined leotard aside. He clipped the wrapping closed with a small metal clasp and stood, the chair legs crying out as his sudden movement forced it back.
"Get some rest, kid," He advised softly while bending over and blowing the candle out, "You're probably going to need it."
Raven sighed loudly, her body shivering from the cold aura of the room. Robert chewed on his lower lip, his hidden mouth frowning. Silently, he removed his cape and wrapped it around her, fixating it in a position where it wouldn't fall off. Raven cast him a weary glance, her angry demeanor long since faded.
"Thank you," She murmured curtly, her eyes drifting shut. He nodded in reply before turning and walking to the door, his hand sneaking out and flicking over the white cover of a light switch, a finger catching on the lever. The room was instantly plunged into darkness and he opened the door, his leaving quietly to provide her a rest as peaceful as possible.
Raven hung in the silence, her body searing in agony as a plague like sleep slowly crept upon her, its essence tugging at the corners of her eyes. She watched as her already black vision slipped past the darkness of ebony and into the realms of unconscious sleep.
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down..."
An echoing, child's voice sang out the nursery rhyme softly, the song wrapping like twine around the vast emptiness before dieing away. The hollow drip of liquid upon rock kept the tempo as the childhood chant rang through the lonely space once more, and then again, forever repeating. Raven raised her head, the violet of her eyes glowing under the shade of her hood. The darkness enclosed around her strangling all conscious and senseful thoughts from her mind.
"Where am I?" She whispered to herself, noting the lacking of pain in her being and her free wrists. She twisted an arm backward and ran a hand over the middle of her back, finding the material of her leotard dry and full, no sensation of flesh upon flesh rendering. She let her arm drop to her side, her eyes staring around in the thick black blindly. She had to be dreaming, it was the only answer she could find.
A shrill, girlish giggle roused her from her reminiscing and she turned her head in the direction from which it had come. The soft flame of a candle suddenly flickered to life and cast an eerie glow over the rounded, stonewalls of a pathway. The song came once again, faint and ghostly,
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down..."
Curious, Raven followed the voice, her boots clicking against the granite as she ducked into the arched corridor. Her eyes settled upon the only source of light she had come across so far, the candle sitting within a large inclined shelf, its shape regarding that of a pendant. She lifted the burning wax by its holder, one finger slipping through the coil connected to the base. Raven continued to walk, the disturbing tune of the girl's rhyme prickling up her spine.
The avatar's footsteps were loud in the echo of the tight lane, the dim glow casting little light upon her path. She listened as another round of giggles flittered through the air and into her ears. A flash of something white fluttered past from ahead and she sped up, her feet moving in a quick jog. She stopped suddenly, noticing the new alleyways which branched from her own. Arching her head in the direction of the corridor to her left, she waited. An uncanny squeal of laughter riveted along the close walls and she started down that passage, the flickering of her candle toying odd light upon her hooded face, the features newly visible.
Raven's steps slowed when she came to a place in the channel that widened, revealing a shut door. The silver knob stood out among the forest green paneling of wood and she reached down, taking it in her hand. The hymn flowed once again, muffled slightly by the door.
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all...fall...down..."
With a rusty objection, she twisted the knob, surprised to find it wrench from her hand as the door flung open on its own accord. The silver handle smacked against the stonewall, knocking moss and ivy loose from their clinging positions. Raven gasped upon the site that greeted her, the candle instantly snuffed out by an uncharted gust of wind.
The blue glow of a half-moon crept into the room through the transparent glass of a window, its nightly rays giving light to the small room. Vines of green and red wove their way around the sill, along the boarder until spider webbing out and claiming the walls. The heavy gemstones which made up the partitions were plaqued with thick moss and strange flowers. Yet the site of the room was no more extraordinary than the little girl who sat in the middle of the plant life covered floor, her back facing the Titan whom stood in the doorframe.
Long plum hair fell in a waving waterfall down her back, the white dress the covered her small form held a skirt that was huffily bulbous and elegant in its many fringes; much like a gown of the olden ages of a young Paris. Dolls covered the ground around her, much of them clothed in dresses of the same fashion, their glass china faces gleaming beautifully in the pale moonlight. The girl sung softly with the uniquely queer voice that was her own.
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all...fall...down..."
She set the doll that she had unbeknownstly been holding aside and lifted a new one, holding it by its hands as she let it dance upon her crossed legs, the creamy limbs hidden by the alabaster of her lacey skirts. Raven watched in fascination, her lips parted slightly at the irregular display.
"What do you seek, friend?"
The avatar jumped at the young child's inquiry, watching as she turned and settled her innocent eyes upon her cloaked form. Raven inhaled deeply, her violet eyes staring into those pair of virtuous similars, which reflected the same color as her own.
"Who are you?" Raven asked softly, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. The girl stood and brushed off her skirt, a doll dangling from her hand by its arm. The child eyed the newcomer curiously, her long hair framing her round, lovely face.
"I am you." she replied curtly, smiling softly as she lifted the doll and held it by both hands against her thighs.
Raven swallowed dryly, her figure bending as she set the candle upon the floor beside her feet. She stood quickly, shaking her head.
"How can that be?"
"How can anything be? It just simply is." The girl replied simply, her indigo eyes glittering in the periwinkle light of the moon.
Raven nodded shortly, her navy cloak shuffling the breeze which source she could not find. Little Raven spun in a forward circle, laughing softly to herself, her doll held out by her hands.
"Oh! Take a long spin forward,
and then bow to your partner," Little Raven opened her eyes and giggled, the sound awkward and familiar to the elder form of herself as she bowed. The Teen regarded the girl oddly, wondering vaguely about the sudden burst of play. She shrugged; such were the ways of a child.
"Step twice to the right," Little Raven followed her own instructions, laughing, "Yet, go no farther."
She stopped quickly, releasing her toy and spreading her arms out like wings to keep balance. The older form of Raven watched as the china doll fell to the floor slowly, almost as though seized by slow motion. The world sped up as her face shattered upon the hard, stone ground.
"Pace five steps forward," Little Raven smiled and looked back at her visitor, "then glance behind."
Raven slightly lifted the corner of her lips in reply, her mind buzzing in confusion. How could this girl be her? It made no sense. She had never been one to play with dolls, nor had she ever sang.
"Spin around twice," Little Raven gave a high squeal of enjoyment, "and then take what's thine!"
Titan Raven watched as the young form of herself turned and curtsied at her, her billowy silk skirts rubbing against one another softly as she gathered them in her small hands. The elder Raven clapped lightly, her gray palms barely touching. The child ran up and took one of the teen's hands in her own, covering them as best she could.
"What do you seek, Raven? Do you know?"
Raven once again regarded her strangely, shaking her head, "I do not."
The girl nodded, indicating her already knowing. She placed a kiss upon the knuckles of Raven's hand before letting it drop back to her side.
"You will find it in the tower. But be cautious, for she will find you before you find the key."
Raven's eyes widened as she watched the girl before her begin to fade, the innocent eyes lingering a moment longer than the rest of her before vanishing.
"Heed my warning," the child's voice resonated through the room like an ethereal melody, "Beware of she who hides in the shadows." And then, all was silent.
A yellow glow once again lit up the room and Raven glanced down, finding the candle lit and thriving beside her boots. She bent and lifted it, turning from the room and heading back down the hall; she jumped when the green door slammed behind her.
The musty smell of dampness and dew bathed her senses as she continued to walk, her heart still hammering in her chest from the surprised shutting of that forsaken door. She glanced down the opposite path which lay out before her, ignoring the one to her left, which she had come from. Raven lifted the candled higher, holding it out as she strutted down the unexplored channel, darkness hissing at the flame which helped her to see.
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down..."
Raven swung around, searching the area behind her where the song had come. This time, the tune was chanted by a raspy, gritting voice, the owner unknown. Finding no one, she turned back around, her candle shedding shadows in the sharp corners that bent there way into the alley. Raven's breathing was loud and uneven as she wandered on, eyes wide and alert. Yet, despite her heavy guard, she was unaware of the black figure which slunk from the hidden corner behind her.
As she pressed on, she watched as the lane opened once again, only to reveal a red door, bolts and nails jutting from it in odd angles. The knob appeared to be the head of a spear, its color in likeness to that of the scarlet entry. A hiss came from behind and reverberated round her; frightened, she twisted the handle and shoved the entrance open, stumbling inside.
Raven's feet sloshed around in water, its depth reaching up to her ankles as she collided into the wall along with the door. She released the protrusion and stepped back, only to feel her foot slip upon the slick floor residing beneath the stinking water. She fell backward, awaiting her impact with the shallow water and stone flooring. Her body slipped dove the small waves and plunged deep into a drop-off far deeper than a mere couple of inches. The water was crimson in her sights, her eyes open despite the swallowing of her body in liquid. She kicked her legs and flung her arms, vainly swimming as the current tossed and heaved her like a broken doll.
A clawed hand suddenly reached down and clasped her collar, wrenching her from the violent rush and into the air. Raven choked and sputtered, her cloak made heavy by the absorption of fluid. She felt something cold lock round her wrist and she gasped, using her free hand to wipe the burgundy water from her eyes. She found herself dangling from the ceiling, a hanging chain's shackle clamped shut around her carpals as her savoir continued to hold her by the laple of her leotard.
"Welcome," Came the redeemer's voice, its base both raspy and coarse, "Raven."
Her other hand was instantly seized and lifted, the wrist soon tossed into the same state as the other. Raven cried out as the stranger released her, the cold irons searing into her flesh. Her shoulders popped and she screamed louder, the tie of her hood tight around her neck.
"Go ahead and scream all you wish," The rough voice mocked, "No one will come to your aid."
Raven glanced up, noting the dark figure that clutched round a chain with its knees bent up to its elbows, clawed hands gripping the links tightly, as did its bare toes. A black hood hid its face, yet a pair of red eyes watched her humorously.
"Do you know me?" it asked, its voice loud in the small chamber. Raven shook her head, teeth gritted hard from the agony rippling through her. She mentally cursed; wasn't one not supposed to feel pain in a dream?
A growl met her ears, "You lie! You know me well!"
Raven winced, her fingers numb from the cuff strangled blood flow to her hands. The figure crept downward and flipped upside down, staring strait into her eyes from a distance barely even pertaining to a foot. Raven looked away, her eyes on the many chains which hung around her, her candle long since lost in the rolling waves below.
"Where am I?" She croaked, fear threatening to well inside her once again. Raven's eyes widened, realization of what hadn't happened dwelling in her mind; her emotions had not caused any act of power.
"Do not change the subject!" The cloaked being beside her roared, a hand flying out and wrapping round her throat. Raven wheezed, her head lolling back as the stranger shook her; the chains rattled in encouragement.
"Be honest and agree! Tell me that you know me!"
Raven stared back at her attacker, her lips parting as she rasped in a whisper, "I know you."
The ebony clad unfamiliar released her and swung up, their hood falling away as they shifted back into the position they had first been in. Raven felt her stomach churn upon the site, finding another with features resembling her own.
"You're the monster within." She stated, her voice sore from its previous abuse. Her daemon glared down at her through slitted eyes,
"Do you always speak so poorly of the things which make up yourself?"
Raven felt her upper lip curl in anger and she looked away, her eyes settling upon the door which was slowly drifting shut.
"Look at me!" The imp ordered, shaking the chains which held her. The cuffs shifted and split fully round her wrists; it cut through material and skin, emitting blood to flow down her arms and be swallowed up by the soaked fabric of her clinging sleeves.
She spared her violator a glare, watching as a smirk spread over her twisted features. Her other side snapped the bonds which held her and she plummeted back towards the water, only to have one of her wrists captured by the talon hand of her wretch. Raven glanced back up at it.
"I could let you die," The daemon spat angrily, "All I would have to do is let go. Let go and watch."
Raven swallowed and it laughed, squeezing her bleeding wrist tensely before continuing, "I know how you think, Raven. I know how you loathe me, how you despise this thing which now holds the scroll of your unwritten fate," the vile creature spat each word with venom, "But no matter how much you deny it, Raven, you know. Deep, deep down you know that you need me. You've always known-"
Her monster jerked her to evoke emphasis upon her words, "-But now, you believe it."
Raven whimpered, feeling one of her devil's fingers lifting from its hold. She looked away, focusing on the thrashing waters below.
"Please," She pleaded, her voice desperate, "...please."
"Please what, Raven!"
The Avatar whined softly, the chains clanging together in song above her. She turned her eyes back to the red glowering ones of her inner horror,
"Please, don't let me go. You are just as much a part of me as myself."
The daemon grinned before tugging her back up and tossing her to the side. Raven landed hard upon a ledge, her cloak hanging towards the waves as she pushed herself up. The avatar twisted round into a sitting position and glanced back at the area where her other half had been hanging. She was gone.
Before Raven could ponder the strange disappearance, the wall behind her gave away and she fell backwards, into the room that had once been the residence of the girl in white. Her daemon stood in the corner, staring at her intently.
"Ring around the rosies, a pocketful of posies,
ashes, ashes, we all fall down..."
Raven's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her head cocking to the side slightly.
"Why are you singing tha-"
"Think about it, Raven." The abomination cut in, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so. Raven chewed down on her lower lip.
Obviously, this was far more than just a simple dream. Everything had to have a purpose, everything was perfectly planned, placed and thought out. The song must have an important meaning...it had to be vital. She just didn't understand - 'Ring around the Rosies' was a chant regarding the Black Death, and such had never plagued the land of Azarath.
"Ring around the rosies, Raven." The horror cut in, her voice cool, "Speaks of the fear flushed faces that will fall at our feet, your feet."
Raven, finally understanding, shook her head and clamped her hands over her ears, shutting her eyes tightly.
"No. I've heard enough," she cried, "Let me out. Send me back."
"No!" Came the harsh reply of her other self, "A pocketful of posies, tells of everything those pathetic civilians hold dear to them; shattering at your hands."
Raven felt the floor beneath her begin to spine, her fingers pressing hard against the sides of her head as she desperately tried to drown out her daemon's voice. This was her father's doing! The avatar opened her eyes, watching as her monster approached her, the clawed hands locking round her wrists and wrenching her barrier away from her ears.
"Ashes, Ashes: The dust of living statues that will rise into the air as they crumble!"
Raven cried out as her knees collapsed and she sunk to the floor, the grip upon her harsh and powerful. Her eyes searched the room, a dash of white floating past her vision as Little Raven crept into the room softly, a finger pressed over her lips.
"We all fall down'! They will ALL die, Raven! And you! You will do it! You will set them free!"
The daemon laughed loudly, the hysteria wrapping round every vine and stone within the room. Her head tipped backward and she cackled louder. Raven felt her chest tighten in fear, her eyes wide as she watched her monster writhe in cruel hilarity. Suddenly, the small form of a doll was raised high in the air behind the daemon's head, its porcelain face glinting in the moon, which was now, oddly full. In one swift movement, the doll came crashing down upon the devil's head, the make shattering upon impact. The laughter instantly died, and Raven was released, her horror crippling at her feet; unconscious.
Raven sent her younger form a weary glance before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell backward, thrusted into a dark sleep that was really an awakening.
1/14/2011:
For writers everywhere, I just want to give a heads up to ANYONE who reads any really old story by me and then feels the need to leave a ridiculous, anon review and rant like some child about how dreadful they think it is - I don't care what you think about anything, so don't waste my time. I'm just going to delete your flame anyway, so you might as well not bother to leave it - however, if you must insist upon posting one, I wish you happiness in your futility.
That being said, if you flame - SIGN IN instead of just popping on here like some coward and trying to rip me up over something I wrote AGES ago (ha!). If you flame and then refuse to sign in and offer up your own writing to back your mouth up, keep your mouth closed. I wrote this story 6 years ago. It's an old, amateur, raw piece of work, and I know that. I was only 14 when I started it - but for 14, I did a damn good job.
It's comical that you think you can judge someone's writing capabilities on the shortcomings of their 6-year-old pieces of work - honestly, that just cracks me up. You should know that despite your high opinion of yourself and your obvious belief that I need your "expertise", I'm just laughing at you. I do not need your praise or acknowledgment to validate myself as a writer, and I don't need your dimwitted, ignorant advice. I write very well and I know it. God bless.