As I float along this velvet sea,
The voices of my loved ones call out to me,
They say to come closer and never go away,
Because, with them in their hearts, I will forever stay
I was riding on a small boat toward my home isle of Spake. Green foliage rose out of the sapphire seas. Ocean birds cawed and called to one another. The soft breeze caressed my much paler skin. Sighing lazily, I let myself relax. After escaping from Midnight I set approximately 53 false leads just incase. Longing still tugged at my heart; I had to go back home to see if my friends and parents were ok. I closed my eyes as I lounged in the warm sun. A feeling of lightless and happiness enveloped me. The tanned crew with whom I shared the small boat for the time being pointed and shouted turning my head I saw a pleasant site. Spake was much, much closer, I had escaped Carrion-and lived to tell the tale.
After thanking the crewman quickly, and giving a generous tip I rushed home. Anxiousness gripped my entire body as I pushed thought the crowded city streets, hiding my face. What if they didn't make it out of the sea? What if something happened? I thought. I banished the thoughts. My feet carried me home while my head was in the clouds. Before I knew it I was standing at my front door.
The house of which we lived was substantial. Due to smart investments and a few offshore accounts, we weren't exactly poor. The exterior was exotic reds, oranges and blues. Wrought Iron gates surrounded our estate as exotic birds pranced about proudly looking at me with mild curiosity. Dew droplets made our lawn gleam and sparkle. The gentle roaring of the ocean filled my ears as the salty scent filled my nose. Glancing up at the four stories that towered above me I stepped on our doormat. Looking up at our 10 foot tall doors, I never realized just how imposing they could be. Lifting up the gold knocker I knocked. Once, Twice, a third time. I heard screaming inside the house, horror gripped my heart what if they were hurt? Suddenly, the door was opened and Torlem, and Lizire tacked me onto the lawn, my parents following. Tears poured out of my out of my eyes, I was finally home.
"What happened?" asked Lizire, her blue eyes filled with anticipation. "Don't leave out anything," added Torlem combing though her messy brown hair. She and Torlem looked gaunt and stressed, but a new happiness filled their faces since my arrival. My parents sat silently by my side. I took a deep breath, and began my story.
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Monsters monsters everywhere!
They're horrid and cruel
Mean and malicious
Monsters monsters everywhere!
They sing with the corpses
And will dance on your grave
Monsters monsters everywhere!
Carrion sat silently in his office. He had been doing a lot of thinking recently. Whispers filled the tower with rumors and lies. Carrion was seen walking though the forest muttering to himself. Carrion had an important mission; one that involved hunting someone down. That someone was his seamstress, Marina. To Carrion's utter surprise she faked her own death and escaped off of the Midnight Isle. Not many people knew of the dark magic necessary to manipulate and change the appearance of the living. This girl was smart, perhaps dangerously so which was exactly why he needed her. A knock interrupted his grisly thoughts. "Enter," said Carrion. A tall and gangly monster entered. "You summoned me?" asked the creature averting his eyes so not as to look at his master. "Yes Ripslor. I have a very important task for you," said Carrion as he rose to his feet. Signaling for Ripslor to follow him, Carrion let him into a room with a large screen.
The room was dark with the only source of light being a large screen with the image of a girl on it. The girl had a chocolate-brown skin tone, small ears with an oval face and a strong jaw. Her large brown eyes looked over her shoulder as a smug, small smile rested on her lips. "You shall find this girl. Her name is Marina. Of what island is her home, I can not be sure of. Find her and bring her to me—alive," commanded Carrion. The monster nodded and asked in a deep growling voice, "Is that all my lord?" Carrion nodded curtly and turned his back to Ripslor. As Ripslor closed the door behind him Carrion took off his medal glove and touched the screen. "Why do you run from me? I won't hurt you, I promise," the Dark Prince murmured surrounded by darkness.
Ripslor was at the docks questioning the sailors. Riplsor had pale grey skin with long gangly limbs. His arms were un-proportionally long in comparison with his body with long thin fingers with long dirty claw-like nails on the ends. His large feet were scarred and mutilated. Riplsor's head was no less fearsome, it looked like a laboratory experiment gone wrong. A massive pulsing white-red growth was perched above his small squinted right eye. His left eye seemed like it was on the verge of popping out of his head, it was wide and round with red veins lacing throughout it. Stitch-like scars ran throughout his face and body. His gaunt and hollow cheekbones led to a row of long, sharp teeth on his bottom jaw; Ripslor's top jaw was lined with smaller but still as sharp teeth. After questioning various sailors, he started for his first destination.
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Safety is a funny thing,
Sometimes it lets you ride on its golden wings,
But safety can also crash,
And be gone in an instant,
Be gone in a flash.
I had finished telling my story to my friends and family. They sat wide-eyed and speechless. "Oh Marina…"said my father in a daze. He shook his head and gave me another hug. Many tears had been shed in those first few days and weeks but now it was time to relax.
Sitting on the beach with Torlem, Lizire and some other friends we laughed, danced and partied. It was a splendid, green place, with trees that grew over all of the land. Above the tree tops stood a massive stage. Just as things started to seem like they were getting back to normal, Lizire asked a question, "Do you think he will figure it out?" I shrugged looking into her large green-blue eyes. "I don't know. It's pretty hard to find a dead person, don't you think?" Sun light streamed though the tree fronds. We laughed happily but there was a certain tension. Crabs scuttled across the sand as a hungry bird tried to take one into the sky.
Gazing out at the placid sea, I looked out at the sailboats passing by. The sounds of thumping dance music filled my ears as a party started behind where we were sitting. "Shall we dance?" asked Torlem. "But of course," I replied with a smile. After all what was the worst that could happen? Ripslor, that's what.
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Why do you run away from me?
Because I've been looking for you quite a while,
Do you run because I'm so vile?
Or is it because I can torture the dead,
Or perhaps it's because the living I pursue,
We will soon find out,
When I find you
52. That was the number of times Ripslor had searched Abarat head to toe. 15 times he had turned up to Carrion empty handed. 15 beatings and threats. Ripslor's mouth dribbled with anticipation. 53rd time is the charm right? His target was in view; it would take all of his will power not to rip her to shreds. Alive said his master if only there was some sort of loophole. Wasting no time, he pounced. Screaming filled the dance floor as Ripslor pushed and shoved his way toward thought the crowd. He had her now. Or so he thought. Chasing Marina thought the thick forest; he was catching up to her quickly. Wham a tree bough caught Ripslor in the jaw sending him backwards. Growling, he got to his feet, only to find an angry adolescent Ulitle in his face. Unwittingly, he had stumbled into it's nest. Ulitles were giant and fearsome birds. When it's mating season for these birds, the last place you want to stumble is one of these birds nests. It is said when they attack they can be more powerful than a small dragon; luckily they are rare if not rarer than any dragon.
Gawking into the blue and red eye that was shoulder height with him, Ripslor slowly drew his blade careful not to make any sudden movements. The massive bird regarded him angrily. It puffed its grey and red plumage and its scaly yellow feet with massive and wickedly curved claws scratched at the floor. Massive wings stood proudly on its shoulders. Looking down its sharp black beak it opened its mouth to reveal dozens of sharp teeth and attacked Ripslor.
I had been running for quite some time now. I had been discovered. Carrion knew I was still alive. Shuddering, I pushed aside the dense green foliage blocking my way. The only thing that kept me going was my imagination running wild thinking about what form of torture Carrion might inflict upon when or if I arrive back at Midnight. A blood curdling screech filled the air, I knew my Ulitle had been killed. Cursing, I continued to run onward twisting in complicated paths that were barely if anything trackable. If Ripslor could take down a Ulitle like that, imagine what he could do to a normal girl like me. I had to do some thinking--fast.
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Waiting is a twisted game,
One that can drive a person insane,
A minute goes by that seems like an hour,
As waiting offers you its sour flower
Twisting about the rings around his long fingers, Carrion let only the slightest of smiles cross his lips. Walking alone in the Midnight forest he had received some very good news. Red mist swirled around the treetops and ravens followed the Dark Prince at his heels cawing. The massive trees swung grimly as the wind howled by. Red moss twirled and danced in the howling wind. Lice and other creatures scurried out of his way as he made his way back to the tower. Ripslor had found the girl. Now it was only a matter of time before she was his again.