.o23 Castle in the Sky
The man from the hovering castle only came out once a year. And like a harbinger of death he expected the village to hand him a virginal beauty. At first they thought he wanted a bride or to create a harem but when skeletons or shriveled corpses of those young women. Then the villagers knew that they were only meant to be sacrifices in the name of destruction. Year after Year this red-eyed devil never changed age, the dots were connected that youth was what he fed on. Fun first then business later, that was how it was for him.
As they feared the retribution that came with defiance. An overwhelming power was emitted as if from his flesh, crushing the most valiant of warriors to challenge his acquisition on the slightly prospering village and its people. But who would ever though a devious creature would fall for some one who was apparently lower than he?
The sacrifices ended with she entered the village with a medicine cabinet strapped to her back. The elders tried to dissuade her from setting ups hop though they really needed the medical help. She wasn't upset at their attempts, figuring that the rumors of a hellish man consuming women was all just a myth and the crazy castle that loomed at the horizon perpetually was a old figment of old technology that people abandoned. Within a year the demon didn't come down from that floating castle which was amazing to the villagers who were subjugated to many years of his hypothetical torture.
Simply when they asked why the pink haired girl was not afraid of the dark rumors of the devil with illusionary power, a pink smile spread across balm slathered lips. 'I simply do not believe in him.' Though often she felt eyes upon her back at night, usually brushing it off as a wild dog. The people around her gained confidence in which they thought the man was gone, probably withering away in his castle of clock guts and moss. Yet this was before the weird things happened.
Every morning she would wake up with a rose in a glass vase, perfect with no flaw. They gathered, until a cryptic note was left in scrawling handwriting that professed great penmanship. Those words from manila folds was tongued over and over again by her mind, often times leading those apple greens to stare at the hovering castle that conveniently changed position as if it knew that she subconsciously wanted to stare. It was methodical; the way gifts were laid out for her. As if some one took careful preparation of knowing the medics habitual movements. Villagers began to talk in hurried gasps at the gifts that grew in number by postman on foot. A rumor floated on the wind that he was back and had found a new way to choose his prey though there was no evidence of this at all.
Slowly the gifts ended their flow, all of which were things she needed but never had enough money for. Though thankful for these generous donations, cynically she thought some one was playing with her, as again eyes were boring in to her back while she was inside of her home outside of the village. Any one would be paranoid by now, whipping about on their socked feet to meet their doom. The man he lurked within her shadows always watching as if waiting the time when she would notice him blatantly standing and staring at her. The girl did turn around though absently in a slow manner their eyes met and it took a few minutes to register the shock Apple greens widened and the medic moved back while he pursued easily with a few steps. Her hands grabbed at a random candlestick jutting it at him and puffing up to defend her maidenly honor. A huff of hot breath resonated between the two then eloquently he spoke to her a hand guiding the metal thing away from his chest of ruffles and velvet.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
It hummed in her brain as a cool hand caressed up her bare arm and for once she was scared. Were those hideous rumors true? Was this man the red-eyed devil that took the lives of multiple women for his own benefit? A shuttering gasp and his filled the gap kissing chapped lips tenderly the idle hand that trailed her arms played with a look lock of pale cherries. This was all happening to quickly and it was very strange as her back rubbed against the wall in his passionate display. Easily she bit him once he tried to get a little further. In retrospect that wasn't the smartest idea as the man spun back touching his lips that bled. He was half tempted to whack her one across the face in the terms of cuffing instead a chuckle escaped as all ideals of her correct. She was a feisty little mare. But it didn't stop him from swinging around and cuffing her ears, as she stumbled back a hand to her forehead.
"I warned you."
Simply put, he was correct. She did indeed receive 'punishment' for her ability to defend her maidenly virtue. Her hair yanked up by a pale hand and the girl started to grimace, baring her teeth like a wild animal. He sniffed a bit looking quite smug, pulling her along like a rag doll to where ever he pleased. The medic truly wished she hightailed it out of there while she still could, or even yelled for help as a gag was wrapped snuggly about her head, made from a roll of bandages. Her slightly parted jaws elicited a whimper, a soft one at that as he soothingly stroked her face making a shushing noise. The better part of him wouldn't be comforting his toy and she wouldn't be whining like a puppy.
His arms encased her, hefting her up like potatoes and waltzed right the door with her in tow. To the castle lurking in the sky forever more, a pretty captive on the whims of a ruby red devil. No one would save her and risk their 'precious' necks for another. No cavorting knight, or fantastical applause. Just another story that would become myth.
Of a girl who belonged to the castle in the sky.