DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
The Clocktower
HTML https://theclocktower.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: For Writers
*****************************************************
#Post#: 56--------------------------------------------------
Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Renata Date: September 21, 2012, 2:48 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Heart of Stone - (A World of Fragile Things) PART I
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Silently, I run down the decaying streets. I swiftly step
through broken glass, ash, and dirt with my bare feet. I follow
the sound of their laughter.
My tattered red dress rips again at the thigh as I crouch
down beneath the window of a half-demolished house. Sunlight
glints of the glossy surface of my eyepatch; my other eye,
emerald green and glittery with contempt, follows their every
movement. A mere fifty feet away is Kaelina, tossing her golden
hair, and Lysander...he is smiling at her like she is an angel
come down from heaven. If angels rip the eyes out of pregnant
mothers and dispose of them in rivers, as well as steal
husbands, I guess that would make Kaelina the most beloved angel
of all.
I hang my head down and stare at the ground to think, and
my hazelnut brown hair forms a curtain of secrecy around my
slender face. I've waited so long for this moment, planning
every last word, step, breath...and now that I'm here, it seems
almost too easy, as if maybe this should already be done. Still,
satisfaction will be sweet. I sit here, stewing in spite...and
then...I hear my name?
I snap my head up and tilt my head sideways, concentrating
all of my attention on what they are saying. They can't know I'm
here, no way. They all think I'm dead...I pick up a few words
from Kaelina's mouth.
"She was never like this, was she." Kaelina's voice drips
pleasant venom. Lysander looks away, unresponsive. When he does
not answer, Kaelina stops his footsteps with a hand on his
shoulder.
"Was she, Ly."
"...No." Lysander, still not smiling, shrugs off her hand
and walks away. Smugly, she follows.
I see now that I must kill them both. She has turned my
Lysander into a shell of his former self, weak, and dishonest.
All he has become...is a toy. A broken toy that I cannot be
bothered to repair. Looks like I'm tying up more loose ends than
I thought I had. I see him apologetically take her hand when she
catches up and I almost laugh, but that would be dangerous. I
bring all ten of my ruby ringed fingers up to my mouth to stifle
the laughter bubbling up in my throat. It's time for the chase.
Time to reap justice for my child. I sway slightly as I stand; I
didn't know my hatred ran so deep. I flash my hand across my
thigh in a liquid motion, extracting my silver dagger from my
thigh sheath. I'm ready Kae. Are you?
#Post#: 75--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Renata Date: September 24, 2012, 8:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Heart of Stone - (A World of Fragile Things) PART II
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
I crept slowly across the roof of an old brick warehouse,
careful not to let my bare feet scrape through the dirt and
debris littering my perch. I could see Kaelina and Lysander
standing below, just several feet away. Perfect.
But as I drew near I stepped on a soft spot of the decaying
structure, sending brick and plaster spiraling down, alerting
Kaelina to my presence. Suppressing a peal of maniacal laughter,
I lunged off the roof with a flourish, my dagger aimed to slice
between the ribs of my prey. I slammed into her, sending us both
to the ground. Unfortunately, Kaelina was as much an assassin as
I was, and as soon as we hit the ground she used my momentum
against me and kicked me off of her. As I flew through the air
behind her, heading face first into the dust, I curled my body
in to spin once and land neatly on my feet. I immediately spun
around to see Kaelina already rushing me. A horrified, confused
flicker of recognition passed across her face, but she never
hesitated.
I sidestepped her easily and bashed my left elbow into her
jaw hard enough to knock her steps out of balance. As good as
Kae was, her skill could never be a match for my vengeance. I
took advantage of her imbalance to trip her. She landed hard on
her stomach and I could hear the harsh clack of her teeth as her
chin met the ground. I grabbed a fistful of her honey colored
hair and used my foot to roughly push her over onto her back.
She let out a shrill scream as her bare arms and legs scraped
through broken glass and shards of metal. I quickly pinned her
and managed to catch her right hand under my left knee. I put
enough pressure on her hand to break a couple of fingers. I
slammed her other hand to the ground with my right, earning
another cry. I held my dagger high above her eye with my left
hand and let her watch the fading sunlight glint off of the
elegant blade.
"An eye for an eye, sweetheart."
I could almost feel the fear pumping through her veins as I
brought the dagger down into her sapphire eye. Kaelina let out a
blood-chilling scream...and I enjoyed every second. I didn't
give her much time. I slipped my dagger between my teeth to free
my hands. I grabbed the upper part of Kae's arm with my left and
bent the rest of her arm back with my right, shattering the
elbow and sending bone splinters and blood spraying across my
face and my eyepatch. She tried to scream again, but I covered
her mouth with my hand before it could fully form in the air. I
turned her head to the side so I could whisper in her ear. I saw
in her eyes then something I'm sure had never been there before
in her life: fear, and a pleading for mercy. She had abandoned
all strength and hope.
"There is no such thing as mercy. Not for me. Not for you."
The dagger flashed.
Kaelina grew still.
#Post#: 76--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Renata Date: September 24, 2012, 9:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Heart of Stone - (A World of Fragile Things) PART III
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
I knelt there over Kaelina's body for a moment, tasting the
autumn wind. I was trying to prepare myself. I hadn't looked at
or even thought of Lysander until that moment. I couldn't afford
to.
He hadn't made a single sound from the moment I had leaped
off of the roof until now, and it was setting me on edge. I
slowly turned on my heels to face him while I moved away from
Kaelina's body. The wind blew brittle dead leaves through my
hair and over Kaelina's open glassy eyes as Lysander and I
finally made eye contact. The brief moment of silence was
excruciating. He was completely still, and he had the cruelest
sadness lingering in his eyes as he took in my appearance. I
stood before him like the most pleasant nightmare, a passionate
memory that he had snuffed out without regret. Until today.
"Lysander." The name passed my lips in less than a whisper.
If it had not been for the slight wind he may not have even
heard. But he did. Upon hearing his name aloud, all his control
melted away. He fell to his knees and braced one hand against
the ground. His other hand was outstretched toward me as he
struggled to choke down a sob.
"Valentine!" He choked out my name roughly, still unable to
believe his eyes. But for all the love he might have felt for me
then, my feelings of pain and betrayal held more power in my
heart of stone. He was just a stranger now.
I didn't give him another chance to speak. I swept him into
my embrace, still clutching my silver dagger. He broke down
then, wrapping his strong arms tightly around my waist. I held
him against me, my ruby rings flashing scarlet as I moved my
fingers along his back. Among the scarlet glinted silver.
I could feel the insanity rising and I couldn't stop the
wide smile that stretched across mt face. Sparrows chattered in
the distance. Wind whispered through the tall grasses. As the
sun set, a chill settled over my skin and in my bones. My dagger
caught the sunlight one last time, flashing ruby red and silver.
"Goodbye my love." I whispered, and all fell silent.
#Post#: 77--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Dmitri Date: September 24, 2012, 10:04 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Damn....aside from some minor spelling and tense errors that was
really fucking good. The words you used painted a very pleasant
(or should I say grimy?) scene in my mind. I would like to know
more about the characters though...will you make this a series
or is this it?
#Post#: 81--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Renata Date: September 24, 2012, 10:08 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
No offense dear, but you're hardly the best judge of spelling
and grammar, just sayin!!! lol no, this isn't it. so don't get
disappointed just yet.
#Post#: 82--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: WhiteRose Date: September 24, 2012, 10:09 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
wow, just amazing :D
#Post#: 83--------------------------------------------------
Re: Heart of Stone - Short Story by Ren
By: Renata Date: September 24, 2012, 10:13 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
thank you very muches =d theres more to come too ^.^
*****************************************************