It may just be me, but it kinda sucks. Anyway, enjoy nonetheless.
The corner of the room faded into the shadows. It had been doing that a lot lately. I don’t know why but every time I see it, the loss of the once glorious and radiant room, my heart stings with sorrow. The toys of my ever distant childhood lay sprawled out on the pearl floor, their once joyous eyes being slowly dissipated. The darkness had been affecting them as well. Not just them. Everything about me was being destroyed, ripped apart, and decimated by these creeping shadows. My memories could no longer be recalled happily, my head started to burn and scream countless curses in pain, and my heart was thrusting the knife of suffering into its warm core. I was lost down the path of pain. I began walking to the door, its abstract stained glass windows extending toward infinity. The diamond chandelier danced left and right, the vast array of crystals shimmering in the remaining light of the room. As I walked out, I gazed back at the room, the warmth of child-like innocence fading into nothing but a mere chill. It was then that I abandoned the old memories of my youth.
Water crashed against the cold iron bars of my mind. I had wandered into the room where my dreams were stored. Images moved left, right, up, down and in all sorts of twisted directions. One particular image stood out more than the others. It had been a dream I had not only yesterday. In it, I was sitting upon a golden throne with furious red curtains extending out into the ceiling. I had on a black suit, whose golden buttons refracted the light of the candles. Before me, people were aligned in rows of thirteen bowing, serving, and praising everything about me. I was king, no, god of these lowly people, whose existences were nothing more than wasted space. The dream flew upward, returning to its home in the far reaches of my mind. A small tear fell down the corner of my eye. I cursed silently, wiping the infuriating tear from my face. Why does this have to happen, I thought while transitioning into the next room.
Hollow. Empty. That was what I thought when I entered this room, the final room. Nothing was there but the shadows that stalked me. For some reason, these shadows were stronger than those I previously encountered. It probably had to do with the nature of this room, whose interior was devoid of anything. This must be the end, I thought, memories of recent events spiraling before my eyes. “I don’t know what to do”, “Who do you think you are”, “We were never anything!” I fell to the floor, my eyes stinging with hot tears that fell to the ground with great haste. My ears were berated by these phrases, phrases of pure hatred and destruction. “I don’t know what to do anymore! Everything is to out of control; I’m losing everyone I care about. Someone, anyone, lead me to truth! What should I do?” I screamed my crying now turned into wild fits of hysteria and madness. “Destroy it all.” I stopped my screaming, and gazed into the shadows, where a dark figure stood. “Destroy everything that brings you pain. Take my hand,” the figure said coolly, sticking out their right hand. “I will make the pain go away.” My eyes went blank as I obeyed the figure’s hypnotic call. When I grabbed their hand, everything went away, as I became a slave to the dark.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Vow of Escape
The dim light covered the sandy beaches as if it were a blanket. All was silent, except for the soft murmur of waves affectionately brushing the shore. Ven sat alone at the minuscule tree house, branches extending, overshadowing, the misty moonlight. A fervor of deep anxiety was building up inside of him, heating him, burning him like a wildfire in an arid forest. He did not acknowledge the presence of this feeling, but merely shrugged it off as though it were nothing. He had been sitting there ever since the race ended, with Kai, once again, taken in by the glory, glory of which, has alluded him for the most part. Maybe the glory feared him? Maybe, just maybe, he was not destined to achieve glory, to achieve that feeling of being overcome with wild praise, to get... his insides began to squirm. It was that fiery feeling again. Ven shook his head, once more casting the burning feeling back into the iron cages of his heart. A stick cracked in the serene silence. Alarmed, Ven turned his head, seeing nothing but the darkness looming over the rest of the porch. He turned his back to the dark, for fear of it's mysterious, alluring presence. The waves now leaped to and fro, the showery beads of water kissing against his rough cheeks. Ven closed his eyes, allowing the calm brisk of the dark lit island set upon him. Another stick broke. This time, Ven turned all the way around, his eyes peering through the dark. In the corner, a rose bush rustled madly, the green leaves shielding it's precious mystery falling to the ground. He got up and ambled slowly to the bush, his neck drooling cold sweat down his red hot skin. Thump-thump-thump was all Ven could hear. Thump. The beating of his heart grew quicker with every step, every step toward that mysterious bush. Rustle-thump-rustle. A crazed chill shot down his spine, shaking his body like a . Rustle-thump-rustle-thump-rustle. The two sounds formed a cacophony of terror, as Ven opened the bush and his eyes widened with surprise...
"Rukia?...Kai?" Ven exclaimed, the pulsating beating dropping back into a regular pace. Kai stepped out of the bush first, bumping into Ven, who glared at his back in return. However, that glare quickly turned into a stare, as Rukia, whom was still giggling at Ven's terror, followed suit. Ven began to sense that burning feeling rising within him again, albeit this time, instead of a fiery fury, it was a soft glow, like the moon was casting over the sandy shore.
"Aw, little Venny's blushing" Kai snorted, leaning against the pine trunk connecting the ceiling of the tree house to the floor. Ven turned to him, examining him as if he was a newly captured prize of a hunter. It was obvious that he had not gone home at all after the race, for his clothes still displayed the dirt of victory on his black pants. His shirt, a zipped up jersey, was refracting the moon light off of it's zipper. Kai looked toward him, those gray eyes hinting at the disgust he was probably about to reprimand Ven for. At this moment, Ven turned his gaze back upon the sea, whose waves, though still retaining it's calm nature, grew more powerful as each precious minute passed.
"You know...," Rukia started, the presence of her voice startling Ven. She had not spoken to him since much earlier in the morning. He felt like asking her of her whereabouts after the race but deemed that too unworthy a question too interrupt her mid-sentence. Ven continued to stare at her until Rukia turned around. "Is something wrong, Ven?" she asked, her whole face turned towards his own. Her face showed genuine concern. Ven shook his head from side to side, with his hands moving in a frantic motion.
"N-nothing. Nothing at all." Ven managed to stammer in reply, earning a silent snicker from Kai.
"Enough flirting" Kai retorted, causing both of them to turn to him abruptly.
"You were saying, Rukia?"
"Oh, right." Rukia replied, the concern vanishing from here face.
"As I was saying, this is day marks the seventh year we have been friends on the island. Ever since the moment in which we first met, we decided, no, dedicated ourselves to getting out to see the world. Yet, we haven't done anything...at all."
At this point all three of them hung their heads in shame. She's right Ven thought, his shame conquering the joy he had just felt. We really haven't done a thing. Sure, we have all the materials, the logs, the rope and the food, lying in wait at the shore of the island. But that's the thing. They're still at the shore. Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling enveloped and completely eradicated the disappointment that had covered his joy.
"Come on! We can't just give up like this" Ven said, hopping onto his feet, much to the surprise of his still depressed friends.
"We promised each other that we would get off of this rock in the middle of nowhere, and go see what lies beyond the sea. Besides, how else will...," Ven gazed at Rukia, whose depression was somewhat dissipated.
"How else will we find out where Rukia came from?"
It had been a matter that, although important, was rarely spoken by the three of them. Even the people who were new to the island knew not to talk of it. Rukia's past before she came to the island is a mystery. No one knows where to start looking, what to start doing. Even Rukia herself doesn't know where she came from. The Mayor, who had adopted her for what Ven suspects to be just another political ruse, had constantly berated her with questions, that were to no avail. Her past was a mystery, a mystery which the people of this island could never solve. However, the three of them believed, knew, that there were other worlds beyond this vast enclosing sea that kept them trapped upon this little sandy rock.
Ven fell silent, retreating back to where he had been sitting. A breeze whistled through the moon lit room. Kai now stepped away from the trunk, his back facing both Ven and Rukia. When he turned around, he had his face twisted, contorted into what a appeared to be an upside down frown. It was...a smile. Ven's eyes opened at this revelation. It had been months, no, years, since Kai had ever smiled. A clear liquid substance dropped from Ven's right eye. Wiping it, he gazed up at Kai, the old Kai, whose brilliant smile radiated throughout the entire tree house.
"As much as I would normally hate to admit it, Ven's right. We can't just give up on our dream. It's the only way we could find out about Rukia's past. So early in the morning tomorrow, it's back to work. Deal?" Kai stuck out his hand, motioning to his audience. Rukia and Ven went over and placed their hands on top of his. All three sets of eyes met with one another, as they parted hands and left the tree house. All except for Ven that is, who remained looking over the sea, whose brilliant waves danced in the light of the dark lit moon.
"Rukia?...Kai?" Ven exclaimed, the pulsating beating dropping back into a regular pace. Kai stepped out of the bush first, bumping into Ven, who glared at his back in return. However, that glare quickly turned into a stare, as Rukia, whom was still giggling at Ven's terror, followed suit. Ven began to sense that burning feeling rising within him again, albeit this time, instead of a fiery fury, it was a soft glow, like the moon was casting over the sandy shore.
"Aw, little Venny's blushing" Kai snorted, leaning against the pine trunk connecting the ceiling of the tree house to the floor. Ven turned to him, examining him as if he was a newly captured prize of a hunter. It was obvious that he had not gone home at all after the race, for his clothes still displayed the dirt of victory on his black pants. His shirt, a zipped up jersey, was refracting the moon light off of it's zipper. Kai looked toward him, those gray eyes hinting at the disgust he was probably about to reprimand Ven for. At this moment, Ven turned his gaze back upon the sea, whose waves, though still retaining it's calm nature, grew more powerful as each precious minute passed.
"You know...," Rukia started, the presence of her voice startling Ven. She had not spoken to him since much earlier in the morning. He felt like asking her of her whereabouts after the race but deemed that too unworthy a question too interrupt her mid-sentence. Ven continued to stare at her until Rukia turned around. "Is something wrong, Ven?" she asked, her whole face turned towards his own. Her face showed genuine concern. Ven shook his head from side to side, with his hands moving in a frantic motion.
"N-nothing. Nothing at all." Ven managed to stammer in reply, earning a silent snicker from Kai.
"Enough flirting" Kai retorted, causing both of them to turn to him abruptly.
"You were saying, Rukia?"
"Oh, right." Rukia replied, the concern vanishing from here face.
"As I was saying, this is day marks the seventh year we have been friends on the island. Ever since the moment in which we first met, we decided, no, dedicated ourselves to getting out to see the world. Yet, we haven't done anything...at all."
At this point all three of them hung their heads in shame. She's right Ven thought, his shame conquering the joy he had just felt. We really haven't done a thing. Sure, we have all the materials, the logs, the rope and the food, lying in wait at the shore of the island. But that's the thing. They're still at the shore. Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling enveloped and completely eradicated the disappointment that had covered his joy.
"Come on! We can't just give up like this" Ven said, hopping onto his feet, much to the surprise of his still depressed friends.
"We promised each other that we would get off of this rock in the middle of nowhere, and go see what lies beyond the sea. Besides, how else will...," Ven gazed at Rukia, whose depression was somewhat dissipated.
"How else will we find out where Rukia came from?"
It had been a matter that, although important, was rarely spoken by the three of them. Even the people who were new to the island knew not to talk of it. Rukia's past before she came to the island is a mystery. No one knows where to start looking, what to start doing. Even Rukia herself doesn't know where she came from. The Mayor, who had adopted her for what Ven suspects to be just another political ruse, had constantly berated her with questions, that were to no avail. Her past was a mystery, a mystery which the people of this island could never solve. However, the three of them believed, knew, that there were other worlds beyond this vast enclosing sea that kept them trapped upon this little sandy rock.
Ven fell silent, retreating back to where he had been sitting. A breeze whistled through the moon lit room. Kai now stepped away from the trunk, his back facing both Ven and Rukia. When he turned around, he had his face twisted, contorted into what a appeared to be an upside down frown. It was...a smile. Ven's eyes opened at this revelation. It had been months, no, years, since Kai had ever smiled. A clear liquid substance dropped from Ven's right eye. Wiping it, he gazed up at Kai, the old Kai, whose brilliant smile radiated throughout the entire tree house.
"As much as I would normally hate to admit it, Ven's right. We can't just give up on our dream. It's the only way we could find out about Rukia's past. So early in the morning tomorrow, it's back to work. Deal?" Kai stuck out his hand, motioning to his audience. Rukia and Ven went over and placed their hands on top of his. All three sets of eyes met with one another, as they parted hands and left the tree house. All except for Ven that is, who remained looking over the sea, whose brilliant waves danced in the light of the dark lit moon.
The Second Story!
The second story in the "Empire Souls" franchise is here. This one features Ven and his friends conversing about their goals and ultimately, trying to unlock the mystery of Rukia's past. I give you "Vow of Escape"!
Monday, May 11, 2009
In the Beginning of the End!!
It's the Sixth Marking Period. We are reaching the end people. While sure, I may not have followed up on it before, THIS Marking Period, probably the most important one out of the six, I am getting straight A's even if it kills me. So I'll give you a follow-up of my progress through the loved and feared Marking Period Six!
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