Thank you everyone for the support and ideas! The follows and reviews make me so happy!
After reading your comments I was inspired to write again and overcame my writer's block (for now)! I dedicate this chapter to you!
Read on my lovelies!
A sea of red, like the gaping jaws of a carnivore lay before me, well in front of my mind's eye. Alone, so alone...
Ian had rushed to fetch Mel, Jared and Jamie, that had been more than five minutes ago. I was by myself, face pressed to the cool window of the car and knees drawn to my chest.
I needed to go find him, but Pet's body wouldn't move. Was it defective? I couldn't seem to find anything wrong except for the rapid beat of my heart.
A harsh sigh peeled past my lips, fogging up the glass in a white haze, I pulled my face back and waited for the spot to disappear. What if something was wrong? My eyes flickered in the direction I had last seen Ian.
Red, like blood, like roses, like the sun streaking across the sky, it wasn't the red that had frightened me, it was what had been waiting within. Beyond the chaos of hearts and scattered boxes had been a lone soul, curled up on the floor, his host with empty, sagging eyes.
Bile rose in my throat and I pressed the back of my hand over it; horrifying and mournful, nothing like the massacre of children in the cave, but still terrible.
Why? How? A part of me demanded, as unconsciously my fingers found the latch and threw the door open.
Instead of heading around the back as I should have done, my feet led me back toward the shop. The poor soul had to be covered, his eyes closed. No one else would think to do so, not the humans.
I simply wished silently that Ian was alright, he was strong and with Jared and Mel at his side they could easily overpower a small group of seekers.
But this was something I had to do.
Before long I was swinging open the door to the shop, the bell above it clanked and for a moment I froze, I did not recall hearing it the first time.
Still the unmoving body lay, surrounded by crimson streamers. He must have been decorating, my mind rationalized as I neared him, there was a ladder lying on its side close by, abandoned among the piles of red.
Air sighed through my lips, they were trembling as I lowered to my knees before the man, pushing away discarded confetti. Somehow my fingers were on his face, shakily trying to pull his lids over his eyes. His skin was cool and stiff beneath my fingers, it reminded me of holding Walt's hand while he died. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes and I sniffed, my hand gently moving back and forth over the cold cheek, attempting to give the dead man some warmth.
Why? I wanted to cry, only mourning was to be done in silence. I lowered my head and allowed the tears to drip onto the floor. Why had the soul killed itself? Had it been threatened? Why would it shred through it's host's brain without provocation?
A hand moved to scrub at my face, smearing salty liquid over my cheek and jaw, I sniffelled and wiped my hand on my pants.
The bell tinkled and I lifted my head, turned to look at the door, Ian's name frozen on my lips.
"Oh," I muttered and wiped at my face again, it wasn't Ian. Another soul, simply needing to stop for a snack, the man's face was in shadows, the light shining into the shop from behind him, a pair of sunglasses propped atop his head. I pushed to my feet, my body swayed and I grabbed hold of a shelf to steady myself. Standing I could see how tall the man was, taller than Ian, a mountain of muscle and tanned flesh. "He..." I sniffed back more tears and scrubbed at my face, pale wisps of air clung to my damp cheeks.
"Is he gone?" The man asked, stepped closer, his voice deep and husky, the voice of a man who usually spoke loud, but he was whispering.
I extended my hand to the man, it seemed so pale and small compared to the one he took mine with. "Yes, I'm not sure how... or why,"
The man nodded and kneeled by the man, pulling me down with him. "May God rest and keep you, your spirit be in a better place, your...soul never weary."
My brows furrowed as he hissed the word, I had head the humans in the cave pray before, but never had it come across so harsh. Fresh tears pricked my eyes and I forced a smile, disappointed in myself for doubting a fellow soul.
I reached out my free hand and patted the store clerk's cheek. Turning my face to the man beside me, I had no clue what I had planned to say, but my mind went decidedly blank as my eyes met his.
Emotionless, dark, black eyes, no silver ring or sorrow, a human.
Air hissed through my teeth as I fell back, tugging vainly at my hand, held firmly in his. His fingers tightened and he stood, dragging me up.
"No, please..." I whispered, my eyes wide on the firm set of his mouth. Was he the one who had caused the clerk to kill himself? Pain and shame flooded through me, it was wrong to think like that, the humans weren't as bad as I once believed. My lips formed soundless words and I shook my head, my pale hair flying and slapping at my neck and cheeks. "I'm...I..."
The man's eyes seemed to soften and I felt relief wash away the fear. "I'm sorry," he muttered.
I sighed and began to smile, but his hand came up pressing a white cloth over my mouth, "Huh?" I muttered a muffled sound of surprise, my eyes latching onto those of the man. "What are you doing?" I attempted to ask, it came out a grumble.
"I'm sorry," he said again as the world started to blur, my feet slipped from under me.
Um, so, I'm sorry. I have no clue how it ended up like this... When I began writing this story it was going to be fluff and cuteness all the way, somehow it turned into this. But just you wait, soon things might be back on track, I hope.
Unfortunately I don't control the story, so if things get bad blame it on Wanda... she is my master.
Anyway, I'm sorry if it seems a tad forced, I tried to make it flow, but this chapter is simply many shades of strange. I promise the next will be better!
Until later, g'bye, hope you enjoyed the cliffie!