The Anchor

~Side Note~ Sorry I've been away. Self published The Unchained Moon which will be available October 3rd. And the new novel Lucid had been taking up my time. But as I'm able to adjust to a schedule I intend to post more. Thank you for your patience. And without further adieu, The Anchor.

The brave knight climbed the steep mountain to the cave at it's peak. Inside he knew the dragon slept. He steadied his sword and cemented his courage. Into the darkness he charged. The cave was different though. It's blackness was not just as absence of light.

The walls were covered in scales. At once a giant eye sprang open. Our hero knew then the dragon wasn't sleeping in the cave. It was in fact the mountain. His armor shined as he retreated from the giant eye socket. His feet slipped on the rocks as they began to fall into the cavern below.

As if the dragon had possessed the world a storm ripped though the sky. Everything began to spin in the violent winds. The noble knight shoved his sword into the ground to allow him a handle. But his sword was tossed away as the scales of the beast broke free of their rocky prison.

In his moment of absolute defeat our hero saw a tree. It grew from the ground and spiraled into the sky. The dragon must have been wrapped around it.

Just as the last rock flew into the storm he grabbed hold of a branch. He felt as though the beautiful tree cad reached out for him. The dragon pulled it's massive body into the sky. Our hero could only see it's shadow back lit by the lightning.

But he wasn't afraid. He watched the tree sway in the wind. Such pure strength. Even though he only had one hand clasped around it's branch it was enough. He felt safe.

"You OK", her voice brought him back to reality.

He was standing in the park. The sound of cars and people in the distance. He looked down at her hand in his.


"Yea, I'm fine."

Witches and Wolves |NSFW|

The village of Renton was a very progressive town just outside the Hollow Forest. Their legends say that they were children of Father Night. And so their festivals and stories were rich with tales of the Moon. 

In this village lived a young man named Derek. Derek dreamed of becoming a Knight of Renton, the highest goal one could achieve in this small village. However, the path to knighthood was dangerous. Deep in the Hollow Forest was a mighty beast. Only the bravest men ventured in to find it. Killing the creature and returning with its hide was the only way one could ever call himself a knight.

Derek trained every day since he was old enough to pretend a stick was a sword. But he wasn't very good. His friends always seemed to outpace him. Every year he'd watch as the would be knights would venture out and return each with a hide. But never Derek. He'd sit by the fire and listen to the tales the men would tell upon their return. But he wasn't confident enough in his skills.

One day a merchant was making appeared at the edge of the forest. This was an unheard of event. The forest was considered extremely dangerous. The villagers were excited. The merchant brought with him items they'd never seen. Derek was excited too. But he was not interested in trinkets.

When the villagers had mostly gone to bed he made his way to the small camp the merchant had built. Lucky the merchant was still awake, tending his fire. Derek introduced himself and sat down. The old eyes of the merchant stared at him suspiciously.

"So, what is it you seek", asked the merchant gesturing to his cart.

 "Oh, nothing really. I just want to know how you made it through the wolves."

At this the merchant raised an eyebrow.

"Wolves, you say?"

"Yes, the forest is full of them. Every year we send out men to kill them."

"Kill them? Hum, cant say I saw any wolves."

"I dream of going on a hunt myself, but I'm far too weak."

The old man looked at the pipe in his hand. He seemed to be trying to make up his mind about something.

"Oh yes, the wolves. Dangerous creatures you are wise to stay out of the forest."

"But you passed through unharmed", Derek said.

"Very true, but I have a secret", said the old man.

"Please, tell me your secret. I'll buy it from you. I have gold."

"It's not mine to sell."

The old man pulled a small scrap of leather from his cloak. Carefully he untied the small binding.  Derek watched as the leather opened to reveal a small cake, half eaten.

"This keeps most monsters away", said the old man.

Derek stared at it.

"How much do you want for it", he said.

"Not for sale. Besides it'd only take you half way. You'd need to find the witch that lives in the Forest to make you more."

"There's a witch in the forest?'

"So much you don't know. Well, an old man needs his sleep. Off with you, Off with you. I'm closed."

The old man placed the leather and cake on top of the stump next to him and stood up. Then, he began to shoo Derek away.  Derek got to his feet, but his eyes never left the cake. In the flickering light of the campfire he could make out something written on the leather. It looked like a map. But before he could completely understand what he was looking at the merchant doused the fire.

Derek made his way back to his small house. But he wasn't ready to give up. He waited till the night was dark and the moon was high. He crept through the sleeping town doing his best not to make any noise. He could hear the old man snoring as he approached the camp. To his astonishment the cake and the leather sat right where the old man had left them.

Derek eagerly scooped them up and darted away. In the moonlight he could read the map clearly. Standing at the edge of the forest he gathered his courage. He'd find his way to the witch, buy more cake, and be back before the merchant knew what he'd done. Then, he'd be ready to take on the wolf.

First, Derek ate the cake. It was sweet and delicious. He could feel a sense of calm come over him. He looked at the map. It didn't look far. Derek felt fearless. He darted into the forest. He made his way though by moonlight. The cake lived up to the merchant's promise. He never saw a single creature.

Wasn't long till a small hut appeared in the trees. Derek didn't think that the witch would be sleeping. He wasn't even sure if witches slept. Quietly he crept up to the cottage. There wasn't a single light on. He found his courage again and knocked on the small door. Inside he heard things move. Slowly the door creaked open.

"I'm sorry to disturb you so late", he said, "But I was told you make special cakes".

"Come in", a sleepy voice called from the darkness.

Carefully Derek stepped through the door. A flash of light set the fire in the oven a blaze. In the warm glow Derek could make out the shape of a woman. She was pulling a robe up over her soft shoulders. Her sandy brown hair was pulled up into a bun. She turned back towards him. Derek quickly adverted his eyes. She walked over to him holding the robe closed with one hand. Derek felt himself flush.

"So what brings you here", she asked.

He looked into her dark eyes almost forgetting why he'd come.

"Oh, um, I was told by a merchant that you make cakes that keep the wolves at bay", he said.

"Wolves at bay", she said squinting at him.

"Yes, it worked really well. I sorta stole the last the merchant had. I'd like to purchase more. And if you have something that can make them easier to kill that's be great." 

"Oh, the merchant. Yes, I have more of that cake."

She lifted a tin lid off a plate on a table. Under it was a stack of cakes just like the one the merchant had. She pulled down a square of leather with a map on it and stacked two pieces on it. She turned and presented to Derek bound.

"10 pieces", she said.

"Oh, sure. And the cake that will help me kill one?"

"That's harder. I don't have all the ingredients."

"Oh. What do you need?"

"Well, maybe you can help me."

With those words the witch dropped her robe. Derek stared at her naked form in the light from the oven. He began to flush again. She crossed the room to him and kissed him hard. Derek was in shock. She pulled her lips away and smacked him, hard, across the face. Derek reeled backwards. But before he could get his footing she pushed him to the floor. His head bounced hard on the wood. Everything felt fuzzy and went out of focus.

The witch climbed on top of him. he could feel her hips grinding into his pelvis. He shook his head and reached for her. She smacked his hands away. Then stopped moving. Derek could feel himself grow beneath her, under his slacks. She stood up and dragged his pants off him. He felt embarrassed at his erection. He attempted to cover himself with his hands.

The witch smacked his hands away landing a blow between his legs. The pain shot through him and he sat up. She straddled him he could feel her warmth inches above his injury. Softly she stroked his face. Then she began to bounce. He wanted her more than anything he'd ever wanted before.

He grabbed her hips in an attempt to pull her down. She smacked him hard across the face again and got up. Derek felt himself growing angry. He'd never really been mad before. He pulled himself to his feet and stormed over to her. He reached out his hand and spun her on her heels. A smile curled across her lips. He pushed her backwards onto a shelf. Her legs parted. She hit him again, hard across the face.

The room seemed to have a red glow to it. His hand gripped around her throat. She smiled wider. He pushed himself in to her. Her hands found his back and she pulled him to her. Derek couldn't help himself. He pounded hard into her. He could feel her hands grab onto tufts of hair on his back. All at once he began to explode inside her. Spent he let her go.

He pulled himself from her and staggered backwards. The witch stood up and walked over to him. She ran her hand down his now bare chest. Derek followed her fingers. He was covered in hair.

"Every year I watch your kind come out into the woods and kill themselves", said the witch.

"I never understood why. You are such magnificent creatures. Father Night blessed you with such pretty gifts. So I guess you have a choice. You can kill this beautiful wolf and go home a hero or you can stay in the woods and learn to accept what you are." 

Derek stepped backwards and slowly shrank back into a naked man. He looked at the witch with a new understanding in his eyes.

"Either way, you better bring that merchant his cake. He gets cranky without it." 

Darius' Journal: Into Darkness

The year was 1883. I had been tracker her, the mother of monsters, across continents. I never thought I'd become a monster hunter. My entire life was spent on a farm, except those four years of the war. My name is Darius LaCorde, and I only want to one more chance.

I've been looking for that chance since she died. My only love, Anna. I held her in my arms as she slipped away. If only I hadn't killed her uncle, if I had just waited. But I was angry, and now there is a mortal sin on my soul. I've traveled the world trying to find an answer to one question: Can I bring her back.

I thought I was close in Haiti. I watched as a man raised the dead to do the bidding of others. He was far more than a man. He called himself the Baron. But he wouldn't help me. In return for my favors he granted me the gift of sight. 'Gift', that word is so deceptive. With my new found ability I can see her. She walks around me. But she is broken. The experiments of her uncle have fractured her spirit. I am in purgatory without her and yet she is in purgatory without me.

The Baron sent me here looking for 'the one he could not collect'. He told me her name was Lilith. Somehow she had escaped his grasp and all of death. With her head I was promised the resurrection of Anna.

I had stalked her half was across Europe. Legends sprang up in her footsteps. According to the people I met she was a foul 7 headed beast with the body of a woman. I know people's tendencies to embellish but I am also no stranger to monsters.

They stories were often confused with tales of a similar beast out in Romania. A creature they called Dracula. I almost went that way before I learned that monster was male. Lilith was far more secretive about her movements. I lost her several times. But in the summer of 1883 I found her in a little village just outside of Italy.

I had been staying in a hotel room when the stories started springing up. Young men and women being lured off and never seen again. This was the first time I was able to bear witness to her appetite. I sent a telegram to Matthew, Anna's father and my benefactor, for more money. I was so close to finding her.

That evening as the sun set I prepared for my hunt. In my small suitcase I had three pistils. Two of them were given to me in Haiti and I knew would have no effect on Lilith. The third I pulled off a Union General in the Civil War, a Colt model 1860. I wasn't sure it would even be of use. But I slide it into my holster anyway. My long coat concealed my gun belt from prying eyes. I pulled my hat down low and headed out into the night. I would be my own bait this evening.

I followed the stories out into the woods. I was not the best tracker. But I couldn't give up, not this close. I underestimated the darkness and soon found myself lost. There was the sound of snapping twigs around me. I  sat my back to a tree and drew my pistol.

The moon streaked light through the branches overhead. I could hear something sniffing the air just out of view. A large beast stepped into the light. It's grey fur framed two perfectly yellow eyes. I leveled my pistol at the beast. Suddenly the words my mother used to say to me as a child filled my head.

"The great wolf hunts in packs.

If you see one don't worry.

You'll see the rest

After it attacks."

I shifted my gaze to my left. Another wolf stood inches from me. Before I could turn to fire it was on me. The pain only lasted a moment as they tore into me. I cursed my stupidity. In the before I faded into darkness I could see Anna looking down at me from above the wolves. Her tears floated away into the night.

I opened my eyes to find myself sitting by a campfire. The taste of my own blood lingered heavily in my mouth. Everything hurt. I tried to turn my head and found the pain took my breath away. She was sitting there tending the fire. She wore a shear night dress that barely covered her thin pale body. Her long red hair was pulled to one side.

"Keep moving like that and you'll die sooner than later", she said, never looking at me.

I tried to form words.

"Wh-wh-why", was all I managed to say.

"It's not common to find someone looking for me. I felt I at least owed you an audience before I let my children finish eating."

There was so much more I wanted to say. But my primary focus was on staying conscious.  Lilith began talking again. It was at this point I realized it wasn't me she was talking to. I followed her stare across the campfire. Anna was sitting on a log. She gestured toward me and back to Lilith. The sound of my own blood pumping deafened me to their words.

I blacked out. When I opened my eyes again Lilith had me in her arms. She was stroking my face with her hand.

"If I let you die now she'll be stuck in the between world for eternity. But if you are to stay you must choose. Do you want to stay?"

I didn't think. Anna was too important to me. I couldn't abandon her now. I nodded my head as best I could. Lilith smiled. She pressed her mouth to mine. I feel back into the void. But I could still feel her. her tongue probed into my mouth, into my soul. The taste of my blood was now mixed with the taste of her's.

I woke by the fire, alone. The sun was just setting. My wounds were completely healed.  Then I noticed the lack of sensation. I couldn't feel the grass beneath my bare feet. Only a pressure let me know they were even there. The darkened woods seemed illuminated by hidden torches. I easily found my way back to place of my devouring. I reclaimed my pistol and headed back to the small room I was renting.

I feared how I would appear to others so I took extra care not to be seen. Once inside I found the mirror. I was covered in dirt and blood. But what unnerved me most about my reflection was my eyes. They didn't look like mine. The entire reflection felt like I was looking at another person, mocking me by matching my movements. I pulled the sheet from the bed and covered the mirror.

Anna was in the corner of the dark room. She was playing with a flower she found. She was always picking up dead things. I walked over to her, but she didn't notice me. I had failed my first hunt. And in the process damned myself for eternity. I sat quietly in the dark. Hunger came at me in waves. But I could not let myself become the monster.

The sun rose and with it the house I was in came to life. There was a knock at the door, but i didn't dare answer. An envelope slipped under it. Inside was the answer to my wire. Matthew had made good on his promises and the room was paid till the end of the week. All I wanted to do now was get home. I made my way to the window and opened the curtain.

The light his my like a hammer. I felt my body wither on my bones. I looked down at hands that could belong to a corpse. I shambled over to the mirror and tore away the sheet. I stared into the eyes of a frail old man. His white hair was almost translucent. Those eyes still mocked me, even as they sunk back into his skull. I got dressed as best I could, everything took so long. I was exhausted by the time I left the house. I set my course for home. But that's another story.

Swamp Magic

Aloysius Delacroix sat in a dark room. The only light came from the sun outside. His forgotten plantation home had been without power for at least a decade. But he didn't mind. When everyone complained about the heat of the Louisiana Bayou, Aloysius didn't mind. He always felt cold these days. Sometimes he'd find himself wrapped in one of her knitted blankets. Her name was Mary. She was a warm soul who never turned anyone away. Not like they got many visitors. Aloysius enjoyed the solitude though. So living in the 'Haunted House' wasn't a burden to him. 

He once lived in the world. He fought in a war, fell in love with a woman, and watched as his life broke in front of him. In his later years he retreated back to his home. For so long it was just him and his sister. She was comfortable out in the world. She'd go to church and return with stories. He missed her now that she was gone. More so, it was almost a constant reminder that his time would soon come to cross over. 

Staring out the window he heard the familiar sound of a boat. But this time it was different. The engine stopped. Aloysius slowly got up from his chair to get a better view. He couldn't see the boat because of the levee. But what he could see was the tall grass bending as someone made their way to the house. This happened from time to time. A salesman or whatnot would come looking for the Delacroix fortune or to swindle him out of something.

Aloysius knew how to handle trespassers. He opened the closet by the door and pulled out an old double barreled shotgun. It hadn't been loaded in years. But nobody had to know that. The knock came at the door and Aloysius came to attention. Aloysius readied his gun and was about to open the door when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. 

Glancing back toward the drawing room, he saw the apparition of Mary standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. She was giving him that look she always gave him when she didn't approve of his behavior. Seeing Mary didn't surprise Aloysius. His family was touched, as they say. A second knock echoed through the house.

"Alright, alright, hold on. I'm Coming", he yelled through the door.

He looked at Mary through squinted eyes and laid the gun against the door jam.  Aloysius opened the door to find a young girl standing on his porch.

"I ain't buying no cookies", he said.

The girl looked confused at first. Then, she shook her head and held out her hand.

"Um, no mister. My friend found this on your property. I think it belongs to you", she said.

Aloysius opened the screen door and took the small object from her hand. It was small key. Looking at it closely he recognized it. It was the key to Mary's jewelry box. He hadn't been in Mary's room in a few years. But he had a suspicion as to how the key got out.

"Alright, thank you. You have a good day", he said as he turned back toward the door.

Mary was now standing in the way. Still staring him down. Aloysius looked at her for a moment.

"I think she wants you to invite me in", said the girl from behind him.

Aloysius turned back to look at her, his forehead wrinkled in surprise.

"Who", he asked.

"The lady standing there trying to set you on fire with her eyes."

This made Aloysius laugh.

"Yea, she does do that."

"I'm Kelly, I live up the river."

In mock defeat Aloysius held out his hand.

"I'm Aloysius", he said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Aloysius", she replied shaking his hand. 

 "Did I say 'Mr. Aloysius'? No, just Aloysius."

"Yes, sir."

He looked crossly at her for that.

"Aloysius", she added.

"I guess we best sit down or she's not going to leave us be", he said.

Kelly and Aloysius sat down on two rickety old rocking chairs on the porch.

"So what is it you think she wants from us", he asked Kelly.

"I don't know. She's the first ghost to follow me home."

"So you've seen others?" 

"Yea, I don't talk about it much. I used to get teased for it."

"Yea, people do that. They don't like different"

"How long have you been... different?" 

"Oh, both me and my sister have been this way our entire lives. My mother used to say the family was gifted." 

"Some gift, huh?"

Aloysius smiled at her.

"It's not all bad."

He reached over and pulled a dead flower from a small vase sitting on the table between them. Kelly watched as the petals began plump and turn red. He reached out and handed her a perfect rose.

"How'd you do that?"

"Swamp magic."

"Can I do that?"

 "I don't know, don't see why not."

"Maybe you could teach me?"

"I have a feeling I don't have a choice in the matter", he said looking back at the window behind them.

In the window Mary stood with a big smile on her face. Kelly looked at her and smiled back. Mary reached up and dragged her finger along the dirty glass and looked at it with exaggerated disgust.

"And in return I could tidy the place up a bit?"

"Looks like we ain't got a choice in that either", he said slumping back into his chair. 

 

 

 

Water Nymphs |NSFW|

There were nights when the Moon would change her course. She grew tired of the mainland and would wander off into distant lands. Her mother, the Sun,  didn't mind as long as she could see her. The Moon often regarded the oceans as boring. Water that seemed to stretch on for eternity and nothing else. However, she decided to take herself out to sea one night.

She could see her reflection in the waters below. She watched herself soar over the small waves till she spotted a small island. Curious she ventured close. The waves broke on the tiny shore revealing the nude form of a woman asleep in the water. At first the Moon feared she'd been hurt. But as the Moon ventured closer she could see the woman was not all human.

The lower half of her body seemed to be scaled and flipped lazily in the water. The Moon had never seen such a creature. Something shiny in the water caught her eye. She watched as a second woman swam up on to the sore. Her back to the Moon. The new woman pulled herself on top of the sleeping woman. She rested her head on the sleeping woman's chest.

The Moon's curiosity got the better of her. And she slipped from the sky and poured into the ocean. The water felt cold against her skin. Slowly she moved herself toward the shore. It was as easy as moving through the sky.

When she got close enough to the women she could see they were holding onto each other. their long tails stretched into the water and wrapped around each other. The Moon stepped onto the shore. The sand squished between her toes.

The woman on top opened her eyes and saw her. At once she sprang from her mate, teeth bared. The Moon floated up and away, just out of reach. She looked down at this fierce woman. Her tail now gone and replaced with human legs. She stood ready to attack. Then a hand wrapped around her bare chest. The other woman had awakened.

she stood behind her lover, holding her close and peering over her shoulder at the Moon. She spoke words that the Moon didn't recognize into the ear of the fierce woman. Slowly the aggression faded from her eyes. She stepped from behind her lover and reached a hand out to the Moon.

The Moon looked down on the two women. They were almost completely identical. Long tan legs stretched up to soft hips. The muscles in their stomachs seemed to be in a constant state of flex. Both had wild dark hair that framed their olive skinned faces.

The Moon looked down at the one holding out her hand. The Moon's glow illuminated the woman's dark eyes. She was reluctant at first. The Moon knew she could not be physically harmed by anything in this wold, not anymore. But she didn't want to upset the balance of their world. The Moon looked to the other woman who was now standing with her hands on her lover's hips and head on her shoulder. She smiled at the Moon.

The Moon reached down and took the woman's out stretched hand, her feet still dangling in the sky. The two women looked at her with wonder. The Moon stepped down to the ground. The curious one extended her finger and touched the Moon's shiny dress. The glowing fabric parted around her finger like flowing water. The Moon smiled. Encouraged the woman placed her hand on the Moon's chest. The fabric ran down her arm and disappeared as the woman made contact with the Moon's bare skin.

The Moon turned her attention to the woman behind the curious one. She looked at the Moon through her hair, but her mouth was making shallow kisses along the neck of her love. The Moon drew her attention back to the one in front of her. She could see her face was flushed. Every now and again she closed her eyes. The Moon stepped close to her. As their bodies met the glowing fabric poured across all three of them.

Then the Moon found the source of the woman's pleasure. With her hands on her hips and her body pressed firmly to the woman she could feel the hand of her lover. It rubbed in circles between their pelvises. The Moon began to move her hips in time with the rhythm of her hand. The woman put her head on the Moon's shoulder and kissed her neck. The other smiled in between nibbles and bites.

The Moon reached out and brushed the tangle of hair away from her face. Then she reached over and kissed the woman. With this the woman pulled away and took the Moon's hand. Her lover feeling her absence looked back to see her pulling the Moon toward the water. She took the Moon's other hand and began doing the same. The Moon didn't resist them. She followed them into the ocean, beneath the waves.

The Moon's light illuminated the dark water. She stared at the two women. They let go of her and began to his and pull at one another, weightlessly in the ocean. The Moon watched as the fierce woman began to change. between her legs extended a shaft. The other woman looked at the Moon smiling as her lover pushed herself into her. They reached for her.

The Moon floated into the two women their hands and mouths began searching her body. Fingers found and filled hollow spaces. The Moon had also begun her exploration. The woman who was now inside the other still had spaces to fill herself. The Moon slid her own fingers inside the woman.

They pulled at her till she was between them. Her legs wrapped around the hips of the curious woman while her lover slowly pumped in and out of her. The Moon closed her eyes and felt the two running their mouths over her body and using their hands to make her glow. Then she felt something between her legs.

The Moon looked down to see the coy smile of the curious woman staring up at her. She nodded her permission to the woman. Carefully rocking her hips, the Moon slid herself down the full length of the girl. Floating in the ocean they moved as one organism. Each sliding into the next.

The Moon's glow brightened as they moved. Then she heard the woman behind her let out a soft cry. The woman bit down on her. The Moon looked into the eyes of the girl inside here and watched as she began to orgasm. The water beneath her became warm. But the Moon did not stop rocking her hips. Then the girl exploded again, this time into the Moon. The warm sensation of being filled pushed the Moon to her own climax.

After the light had dimmed they floated together wrapped in each others arms. The Moon needed to return to her place in the sky before her mother noticed she was gone. She freed herself from the grip of the two women. They looked sad at her departure. The Moon kissed each on their cheek. They had regrown their tails.

The Moon pulled herself back up into the sky and began moving across the vast ocean. Below her she could see the two racing along the water, jumping up and waving to her. She smiled down at them. Maybe the ocean isn't as boring as she thought.

Anubis Part 2

The night was long. Each of the three men took shifts watching the sands for the Gorgon. But there was no sign of her. Anubis woke with the rising sun. For the first time he had a chance to see his his two soldiers in the light. Both were extremely pale now, almost white. And neither man had a single hair on them. The imaged unsettled Anubis but this was a means to an end.

They began their march south, still vigilant of the monster they unleashed into the world. In a days time they neared a small camp. In the darkness they could see campfires illuminating the night. Several tents were scattered about the desert. The three men made their way down the sand dunes towards the camp. They were hungry and thirsty. Their water had run dry that day and there was little to hunt.

When they reached the camp They were greeted with suspicion. Women and children hid inside tents as big men set out to discern their intentions. Anubis had never seen men like these. They were paler then the dark skinned Egyptians he was accustomed to.  They were also covered in hair. Long beards and hair adorned them and what wasn't grown naturally was cut from animals to make fur vests and leggings.

Anubis pleaded their case, the long travel, the need for water, but left out the Gorgon. These men might look favorably on them for releasing such a monster. Soon trust was exchanged. The tribesmen provided Anubis and his men with water and food for the night. Anubis explained he was heading south, looking for a village. The tribesmen knew of now villages to the south, but they were on a pilgrimage of their own.

As the evening grew later the men slowly faded into sleep. The sounds of screams awoke Anubis. He sprang to his feet and drew his sword. Tents where being thrashed around him. Women and children ran into the night. Anubis stood with his back to his men's who had arrows drawn. Then they saw it, a beast. The biggest wolf  Anubis ever laid eyes on. It stood waist high as it walked out of the destroyed tent. Anubis fixed his eyes and raised his sword.

One of the men screamed and let loose his arrow. But not at the wolf. Anubis' attention turned toward his men. There in the darkness was the Gorgon. She pulled herself up to her full height, towering over the men. She dropped a child to the ground, lifeless. Before she could pounce on the trio the wolf was on her. From the darkness came more beasts. Anubis watched as the Gorgon was ripped limb from limb by the animals.

When the night fell silent and the Gorgon's screams and gurgles ended the beasts surrounded the child. One of the wolves let out a howl. It was answered by another, then another. Anubis stood awestruck as the wolves slowly stood up on their hind legs. With what seemed like an illusion the wolves were gone, replaced by men. A woman came out of the dark and collected the child. Others consoled her as she held onto it and cried.

Anubis knew then; he had found the shapeshifters.

Watches

The brass pocket watch hung from a chain. It dangled from the man's pocket open, exposing itself to the world. The three hands reached out into different directions, but were still. Nothing moved. It was like time had stopped. Carefully the man reached down and pulled the motionless clock to back into his hand and closed it. The watch once had a very important job. Once it marked every second of every day. But now, it sits as a reminder of a very specific time.

She sat down across the table from him. He smiled, and drank tea. They talked about empty things. The conversation wasn't important. She liked him; he could tell. Eventually she had to leave. He asked if her could walk her home. Standing on her front step he was nervous. He didn't want to be nervous. He wanted to be strong and confident for her. He stuck his hand in his pocket. Gripping the watch he felt reassured. He leaned in. She didn't stop him.

Soon they were in her apartment. Their hearts raced as their hands pulled apart clothes. He held her close when the frenzy ended. They slept the night.

In the morning the watch lay open. Carefully it gazed up at her face as she studied it. Slowly the sound of a waking man filled the room. She looked at him, cradling the watch in her hands. The time and date were set to the first time they met, outside a little coffee shop. She stared at him, almost puzzled.

"It's the last time I ever felt sadness", he said. 

Hollow Fruit

In the Hollow Land stretched a mighty forest so thick it was mostly void of life. Giant trees blotted out the sun leaving very little to eat on the ground. Many tribes made their homes on the forest edge. But deep inside there grew a tree that was different. This tree was the Dreaming Tree.

The Dreaming Tree would often spend it's day creating stories and building worlds. But those worlds only existed inside the tree. It knew there was a world outside it's trunk but it couldn't break through. But this was the way of trees. So it was not sad.

One night a blinding light filled the sky. The Dreaming Tree could not see the light. But it could feel it with its petals. The Great Tree stretched its branches as best it could. The light felt so amazing, almost like rain. It pulled all the light in it could. Then, it began to dream again.

In this dream the tree was a butterfly sleeping in a great cocoon. It stretched out its arms and could see to branches covered in bark. Slowly the bark began to fall away reveling human flesh on frail arms. Looking down as its body floated inside the cocoon roots gave way to legs and toes. The tree ran it's hand up to where it could see. It could feel flesh, a nose, a mouth; then pain, and an eye.

There was light outside the cocoon. everything was illuminated. The was tree moved toward the edge of the cocoon and pressed it's slender fingers into the wall. It was hard and solid, but it gave way eventually breaking free. The outside was blinding bright. Then the Dreaming Tree woke up.

It found itself laying on the ground looking into the sky. Waves of color and light were fading across the night.The tree sat up. But it was no longer a tree. The new man looked toward the place where it had stood since the dawn of time. A mighty husk of a tree stood in its place, inside completely hollowed out. The man pulled himself to his feet and promptly fell back to the ground. This was a strange night indeed.

After much effort and practice the man had managed to make his way in the hollow tree. This was an exciting time, but also very scary. The tears came at first of joy, then of fear. How could he survive a place where nothing but trees can live. His new stomach began to rumble. He knew his life wouldn't be long if he couldn't find food. Then he heard something high above his head, in the darkness of the hollowed tree. An apple fell to the ground at his side. Without hesitation he devoured it.

The tree provided for him as it always had. He wasn't a tree who was dreaming anymore, but a man that grew like the fruit of a tree. When he was thirsty the tree would rain water on him. The mud and leaves covered his naked form.

The man constructed a throne out of branches and mud. A ring of bark became his crown. And here he sat in the The Great Tree, the Hollow King  of the Hollow Forest.

Wheels

I've driven down this road so many times. I feel like it's etched into my brain. Each curve leads into blind turns. But that not's the dangerous part. The trees hug so close to the shoulders that there is little room for error. But I'm good at it. Ever since they put in saner methods of getting down the mountain, no one uses this road anymore. It's like it belongs to me.

It was a Sunday I think, it always feels like a Sunday. I was speeding through the turns late that night. My headlights dipping in and out of the trees. Something inside me made me slow down. I came around the curve and saw her there. She must have been about fourteen. So strange to find her anyone out at this time of night, especially on this road. I slowed to a stop.

"Hey, you need a ride", I asked.

I could see she was hesitant at first. But given the circumstances I was the best shot she had. I was seventeen at the time. She was cute and I admit I was showing off. I zipped in and out of the turns, cutting them harder than usual. She squealed at the force. I was getting cocky. I was never good with girls. She was a bit younger than me. But not by much.

I wanted to talk to her, but I wanted to impress her more. We were making good time, up the mountain. I was already thinking about asking her to park with me for a bit when we got to the top, before bringing her home.

"Slow down up here", she said.

It was one of the last few turns. I let off the gas.

"Right up here is where it happened", she said.

I started scanning the darkness, not sure what she was talking about.

"This is where I got hit", she said.

Immediately I started to chuckle. that story has been around forever. Then, I looked over at her. Her dead eyes stared back at me. Her body was twisted and mangled in the seat. Her mouth was gaped open hanging to one side. Then I remembered.

"I know, I hit you."

The tree was in front of me so fast I couldn't stop. The impact was hard.

It was a Sunday I think, it always feels like a Sunday. I was speeding through the turns late that night. My headlights dipping in and out of the trees. Something inside me made me slow down. I came around the curve and saw her there. She must have been about fourteen. So strange to find her anyone out at this time of night, especially on this road. I slowed to a stop.

 

"Hey, you need a ride", I asked. 

Anubis Part 1

Long ago in a forgotten desert was a city ruled by a mighty king. Anubis was just a man then for removed from the exulted role the Egyptians would eventually crown him as. Anubis was a general then in a war with the undead. To the East were catacomb like caves. In these catacombs a necromancer had made his home. Every night Anubis and his men would stand guard as hordes of the undead flooded the town, abducting the citizens and dragging them deep beneath the sand.

Anubis had lead many raids on the catacombs, but they were vast and well guarded. Tired of losing both soldiers and people Anubis became desperate. He heard rumors that far to the west there was an Oracle who could show him an answer to his problem.

For seven days Anubis traveled across the desert with a small group of men. Every night he prayed the remaining forces could repel the invading horde. The journey was hard and dangerous. The desert was filled with far more creatures than it is today. Anubis arrived at the Oracle's temple with only four soldiers at his side. 

The temple appeared abandoned. Skeletons lay crumpled in corners. Anubis and his men drew their swords and proceeded with caution. They made their way to the doors of the inner sanctum, giant stone doors adorned with snakes. Slowly Anubis pushed the giant stone doors open. Inside a woman was suspended in a beam of light. She was wrapped in white sheets that covered most of her body. All that was visible was her hands and face.

The men spread out in the room looking for danger. But it was small, and only the woman seemed to be inside. Anubis walked up the steps toward her. She seemed to be in some sort of deep sleep. The three men kept guard below. 

"Oracle, I've come for your guidance", said Anubis.

The Oracle's head slowly rolled around and her eyes opened. Two slits focused in on Anubis. Seeing her eyes Anubis stepped back and drew his sword. The Oracle shifted to life. But she seemed confined by her prison of light. The cloth covering her head began to move as if something beneath was trying to get free.

"You're a Gorgon", Anubis said in shock.

"Yesss, I am", the creature hissed back.

"Is it true Gorgons possess  forbidden knowledge?"

"I know things to come, and ways of old. I know you've traveled here looking for a way to save your people from the creatures beneath the sand."

"Do you know how I can can accomplish this?"

"Perhapsss, but I need something in return."

"What is your price?"

"Free me. let me back into the world. I am the last of my kind." 

 "If I let you out of that pen you'll eat us. I am aware of Gorgon tricks."

"Then we have no deal. Return to your dead city."

"Wait, how can I be assured you won't attack us when you are free?" 

At this request the three other men became nervous. It had been so long since anyone had seen a Gorgon. But the stories of their vicious attacks was legendary.

"I can't promise I won't eat you. I've been trapped here for so long. But I am very weak. You would have no trouble out running me in this state."

Anubis considered this carefully.

"Tell me how to save my people first", he said.

"Very well, south of here is a small tribe of shapeshifters. They have the ability to become wolves. I can give you the knowledge and power to harness their gift and use it for your own."

"How?"

I will give each of your men the ability to absorb their power. Then, I'll give them knowledge to turn that power into a weapon."

 "What about me?"

"Wait outside, so you know you're safe. If I lose control you can close the doors sealing me inside. The worst, you'll lose your men."

"I can't do that."

But even as Anubis spoke one  of his men was at his side.

"Sir, if it'll save our people, I'm willing to try", he said.

The Gorgon smiled showing off a toothless mouth.

"Above me is a crystal. A Well placed arrow should remove it", she said.

Anubis was skeptical, but he could see no other way. He walked down the steps and out of the room. He turned back and watched through the open doors. One of his men lined up the shot with his bow. Anubis heard the sound of the bow followed quickly by the sound of breaking glass. The Gorgon dropped to the ground. Slowly she rose up. And for the first time Anubis realized she didn't have legs.
She reached out and placed her hand on one of the men's heads. Anubis watched as a bright light flashed. The man dropped to his knees then began scrambling toward him. The Gorgon already had her hand on the second man when the first cleared the door. The second quickly scrambled as well. The third just dropped to the ground but the Gorgon was on him. Her tail wrapped around him. He looked out toward the others with fear in his eyes.

"Pull the door", Anubis shouted.

The tree men struggled to get the door closed. Anubis jammed a pear through a ring in hopes of holding it. But she was already on the other side. They could hear her thrash and claw at the stone. The door wouldn't last long. Anubis and his men fled the temple. He knew she would be free soon and looking for them. That night they made camp on top of some boulders they'd found. This way at least they'd see her coming.

Wolf Moon |NSFW|

Night fell across the Hollow Land. The Moon rose high in the sky in her mock hunt. She looked down at the tiny world below her. She felt her heart ache as she passed over the Hollow Forest. But her mood brightened as she entered the Blue Desert. She had never spent much time in this place, it always seemed so void of life. But tonight was different. There was a shadow moving among the sand below. The Moon thought she noticed it back in the Hollow Forest. But she ignored her instincts.

Here against the pale blue sand there was no doubt. The shadow was that of a beast running at full sprint. She could see the sand kick up creating a small cloud behind it. It seemed to be tracking her movement in the sky. The Moon drifted over towards the mountains and watched as the beast scaled them with grate ease. She lingered there for a moment, just over the the highest peek. Slowly the beast came into full view.

She recognized it as one of Nod's children, half man, half wolf. These shapeshifters lived in small villages on the far side of the Hollow Forest. The creature looked up at her and let out a solemn howl. In his voice she could make a range of music and song. She listened for a while as the beast sang to her. When he was finished he hung his head in what appeared to be defeat. The Moon pulled herself from her large form and fell from the sky like a golden waterfall.

She stepped onto the smooth rock where the beast sat. Slowly the creature pulled itself up to his full height. His massive form towered over her by about a foot. But the Moon was not scared. She reached her hand out and stroked the fur that wrapped around his neck. She could feel the beasts heart beating in his chest. This made her smile. The fur thinned to a single line just below his chest and trailed down the length of his body before spreading out again just below his hips.

The beast carefully extended a hand toward her. The Moon could sense his fear. She took hold of his hand and dragged his massive claws across her chest. The cuts were so deep they shredded her dress which poured to the ground into puddles of glowing liquid. The places in her soft white flesh where the claws dug in where already healed.

This show of invulnerability reassured the beast. She could feel his heart grow even faster as he looked at her naked form.  Her pale skin let off a slight glow. Her soft, blond hair suspended upwards from her head, completely ignoring gravity. The beast reached out with both hands and pulled her into him. Her chest pressing into his soft mane.

She put her hands on his hips and tilted her head to one side resting it on the hairless part of his chest. He looked down at her bare neck. His face appeared almost human, except his mouth extended to the tip of his nose and his eyes were a wild yellow. Slowly he reached down to her neck. Pulling back his lips reveled long sharp teeth. He bit into her soft flesh. The Moon let out a soft moan at the sensation of being penetrated. Her finger tips gripped into his hips.

As the beast released his grip on her shoulder the flesh rippled away his puncture wounds. His hands slid down her back dragging nails here and there, sending shivers down her spine. The Moon pulled his hips into her. She could feel him grow against her. There was a throbbing that matched the beating of his heart. The throbbing was long and now rested across between their bare stomachs.

She took one hand and slid it between them. She felt the creature stiffen as she took hold of him. Slowly she slid her hand down the shaft. There were claws in her back and lower now. She felt them pierce on of her cheeks as he lifted her. She positioned him between her legs. The beast shifted his grip to her leg dragging his claws across her thigh. She wrapped her other leg around his hip to match. She felt a wave of light flow through her as he entered her completely. Her hands found tufts of hair on his back to hold onto. The beast quickened his pace, bouncing her along the full length of himself.

The rhythm made her glow brighter with each thrust. She felt like she was going to explode. But just as she started to shake, the beast stopped. She looked up at him puzzled. Before she could react he tossed her onto the bare stone. Her knees skidded along the rocks. She pushed herself up with her hands to get her bearings but he was already back inside her.

Her head pulled back as his claw gripped her hair. She could feel his fur on her back gently brushing her as he slammed into her. Her hip was completely covered by his large hand and his claws dug into her lower back and stomach both at once. The feeling was incredible. He was so deep inside her. She felt herself begin brightening again. Each thrust pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Finally she couldn't contain herself any longer. With bright light she began to shake violently. Confused the creature let her slip to the ground. With the absence of him inside of her the waves came harder. He was already to close to his own explosion to stop now. She felt the warm liquid splash across her sending more shock waves through her from where they landed.

Exhausted the creature slumped on top of her. She held onto his fur as she continued to shake for the next few minutes. Soon they were both asleep. The Moon opened her eyes to the warmth of the creatures thick fur around her beneath the black sky. Carefully she pooled herself into liquid and slipped away. As she reached her place back in the sky she could still feel the slight tremors in her body. As the mountain faded in the distance she thought for a moment she could hear the faint howl of a wolf.

The Forgotten Shadow

Forgotten sat in the sun one fine day. She had dragged her dolls out into the yard for tea. To her right sat Mr. Bunny. To her left sat Ms. Duck. And across from her sat Daniel. The sun was high but Forgotten didn't mind. She was just happy to be playing. She offered each of her toys a cup of tea the way she half remembered being offered tea. Forgotten was a blank child. She never retained anything from one day to the next. However, there were something like memories now. Like phantoms in the back of her mind. Daniel was the strongest of such phantoms. She couldn't remember where she got the doll or why it had a hole in it's chest. But she knew clearly it was important to her, and that his name was Daniel. She also had a feeling that he once served her tea.

Forgotten would sometimes try to dwell on these feelings but they washed away from her like holding onto water. Instead of struggling she just poured everyone a second cup of tea.

"For you Mr. Bunny", she asked holding up the tea pitcher.

The head of Mr. Bunny turned slightly. This surprised Forgotten at first, but she wasn't scared. She'd forgotten how to be scared.

"Thank you dear", said Mr. Bunny in a strange voice.

Without hesitation she turned toward Ms. Duck.

"And you", she asked.

Ms. Duck's head also turned toward her.

"Yes please", said an even stranger voice.

Forgotten smiled and looked across to Daniel. The doll started to move. But an emotion like the faint feeling of sadness washed over Forgotten. She looked down at her cup.

"Who are you", she asked.

"Forgive me, I'm Father Night", said a voice.

"Father Night? But it's daytime."

"So it is. That's why I'm hiding here behind your dolls." 

"Have you always been there?"

"Of course. I just don't like to be noticed. But you seem nice and I wanted to play with you"

This made Forgotten smile. She didn't have any friends, except for Daniel. Her castle sat deep underground in a graveyard so few people visited. None that she could recall anyway. But she wasn't lonely she'd forgotten how to be lonely.

"Would you like some tea Mr. Father Night", she asked the shadow on the ground.

"I'd love some, and you can call me Nod", said the shadow.

"OK, Mr. Nod."

Forgotten poured a cup of tea and sat it in the space between Daniel and Mr. Bunny. She heard the sound of sipping, but the cup didn't move.

"You must be incredibly small", said Forgotten.

"Quiet the opposite, I am very big."

"If your so big how do you hide in that tiny shadow?"

"I'm hiding in every shadow."

Forgotten looked around at the field she sat in. So many shadows stretched across the ground.

"Why do you hide?"

"Mother Sun and I have had a fight. So now I hide from her."

Forgotten looked down at her cup. She wasn't exactly sure what a fight was, but it didn't sound good. They talked for the rest of the day. Until the sun began to set.

"The sun is leaving", said Forgotten, "Now can you come out."

The shadows got longer on the ground. In the darkness a man sat with his legs crossed as if he'd been there all along. He was as black as the night and wore a cloak that seemed to blend into the darkness. Forgotten smiled at him.

"It is a pleasure to meet you", she said. 

The man smiled back at her.

"You look so much like your mother", the man said.

 "What is a 'mother'", Forgotten asked.

The man looked up into the sky. The moon was just over the tree line.

"It's not important. It's going to get cold out here. We should go inside."

He helped Forgotten carry all of her things into the castle. He spent the rest of the night telling her stories that only he knew. Then, as she slowly dosed off on a couch Nod watched as she faded away. He closed his eyes and when he opened them he was outside high above the castle. The moon looked down on him. He smiled up at her before fading away himself.

Midnight Water

The little trawling boat rocked gently on the waves. The black water seemed to stretch on for ever in the night. Jerry had never been out this far into the Gulf of Mexico before. He'd ran a few trawls down the river with his cousins. But this was his first paid job.

"Peaceful, no", said a voice.

It was the captain of the small vessel, Mark. Mark was in his forties or so Jerry guessed.

"Yea, it's so quiet", said Jerry.

"Not many birds this far out. Just, do me a favor, stay in the boat."

"Sure thing."

Jerry tried not to take offence to this last remark. It was true, Jerry was only seventeen, but he wasn't an idiot. Mark didn't smile, he just turned back toward the small pilot house and sat back in his chair. Jerry did his best not to be annoyed. They'd been out there for hours already. And still they hadn't so much as dropped a net. They were just floating there aimless. Jerry slumped down and put his arms over the edge of the boat.

Something caught his attention, a flash of light in the water. Jerry focused hard. He wasn't sure if he had just imagined that light in the darkness. Then. it happened again. Jerry reached over and picked up one of the long catch poles. Carefully he reached down toward the spot where he saw the light. The water began to glow in ripples as the pole touched something. Jerry looked back toward the pilot house. But Mark seemed almost asleep in his chair.

Jerry had heard stories of lights in the water before. Jellyfish and some algae were known to glow at night. He didn't want to seem stupid so he didn't bother telling Mark. He pulled the pole back and the glowing stopped. This became a game to him. He'd poke the water and watch it glow then pull the stick back. Just something to breakup the emptiness of the night.

Jerry sometimes thought he saw shapes in the water. What looked like faces. Smiling at his imagination he poked at on one. The glow was so bright. He went to pull the pole away, but the pole didn't come. Jerry stood dumbfounded as the pole twisted from his hands and disappeared into the water.

He stood there a moment completely unsure what just happened. Maybe he just dropped the pole or it caught a log that was just under the surface. The pole was wooden so it should be floating. Jerry leaned down close to the edge, which was still a good five feet from the water.But he couldn't make out anything in the blackness. He walked over to the pilot house. Mark was audibly snoring. Jerry picked up a flashlight from the wall mount and walked back to the boats edge.

But before he could turn the light on he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look and there sticking up out of the water was the large catch pole. Jerry walked over to it. It was just standing out of the water about three feet from the boat. Jerry reached out for it, but couldn't get a good grasp. Slowly the pole started to sink. Panicked Jerry grabbed a handful of rigging from on of the trawls and stepped over the edge of the boat.  The pole started sinking faster. Jerry lost his footing.

The boat made a strange metal noise as he stumbled off the edge. It was as if the boat was pitched up to aid in him falling off. But Jerry never let go of the rigging. With both feet dangling over the water Jerry scrambled to get back into the boat. He crashed onto the deck, out of breath. He looked over his shoulder towards the pilot house. Mark was standing there with a thermos lid of coffee in his hand.

"Thought I told you to stay in the boat", he said.

Jerry couldn't respond. He wasn't sure where to start.

"Come on kid. It's showtime", he said throwing the rest of his coffee over board.

Jerry stood up and watched as the mechanical arms dropped the nets into the water.  The Gulf flashed to life. The sound of the engines cut through the silence. Shaking, Jerry walked into the pilot house.

"The water, it took a pole from me", he said to Mark.

Mark gave him a sideways look.

"Kid you ain't seen nothing yet."

Voices

He walked into the dimly lit room. A small boy sat quietly in the center of the floor. The lights danced around him. The man sat down across from him, confused.

"Who are you", the man asked.

"What's left", said the boy.

The man expected puzzles and push backs. His kind is always talking in riddles.

"Why are you left", asked the man.

"Because you keep killing me", responded the boy.

The man knew better than to take the bait. If he let his emotions flare the boy would use that.

"Death is a natural part of existence. Don't you like the idea of being able to rest?"

"I've been asleep for far too long as is."

"What's your earliest memory?"

 "Dancing in the rain as the flood waters rose."

"Do you know when that was?"

"In the hot summer. During the big storm."

 "Did the storm have a name?"

 "Betsy."

"Hurricane Betsy happened long before you were born." 

"Before WE were born."

The man was used to elaborate back stories, sometimes outright lies. But something in the way the boy spoke made it hard to disbelieve him.

"What's your happiest memory?"

The boy paused for a while in deep thought.

"The look on her face right after we've made love."

This surprised the man. It wasn't like one of them to break character. The boy was obviously too young to have ever had a lover.

"Don't you think you're a little young to know things like that?"

"Don't be silly. I'm older than you."

"That's impossible, and you know it is."

"Impossible things are rare."

The boy's defenses were unlike any he'd seen. Normally he could invalidate the persona. Force it to realize it wasn't real. This boy seemed to defy any logic. Yet he was so confident in his existence.
suddenly there were bells in the darkness. The man looked around.

"I have to go. Can I come back and talk with you again?"

"Yes, I'm always here when you are."

Confused by this last statement the man began counting backwards from ten. Slowly the small room faded into pure black. Th man opened his eyes. He was laying on a small couch in an office. He sat up and looked at the small table in front of him. On it was a small pad full of notes and a beeping watch. The man picked up the watch and turned it off. He flipped to a blank page in the pad and began jotting down notes.

"Boy, approx. age 10. Persistent persona. Danced in the rain during Betsy."

This last sentence bothered him. It was a contradiction on many levels. The boy appeared way to young to have experienced that storm. A storm that happened fifteen years before the man was even born. Out of curiosity and the need to gain information to discredit the boy the man started his laptop. He searched the internet for hours, looking up information, trying to find a hole in the boys story.

Then his jaw went slack. Among some grizzly pictures from the storm there was a small boy floating face up in the water. His features bared a striking resemblance to the boy in the room. The man shook his head. He must have seen this somewhere. This image must have stuck in his mind and manifested as this boy. But he couldn't shake the feeling that the boy was being genuine.

The man had been dealing with the voices in his head his entire life. The hallucinations  plagued him since he was a child. He spent the better part of his life medicated. But now he was a doctor of abnormal psychology. Through his new treatment he had freed himself of most of the voices. He even started cutting back his medication. But this one persona wouldn't leave. This one ghost.

The Temple by the Water

Before the beginning the was Panmundus.  Panmundus was the first planet in the first universe long before the the cataclysm the shaped the triverse we know today. It was a massive sphere covered in a thick black substance called Shadow Water. But the surface of Panmundus was not meant to be inhabitable. Instead just below the Shadow Water and the rock was a beautiful land of mountains and grass. Gravity was inverted here. People walked along the inner shell of Panmundus without ever being able to see across to the other side. At the center of the mighty planet was a star. Not just any star, but the first star. It radiated light, warmth, and life to the inhabitants around it. Night was marked by a giant moon that orbited the massive star. It created days that were as long as three of ours, and a night that lasted only half.

In this world lived a boy named Shen. Shen lived a simple life in his tiny village. But he dreamed of greater things. Not far from the village was the Great Shrine, a massive temple sitting on the bank of a large ocean. Shen would often go sit on the steps with his feet in the water. The Shadow water would float around taking the shape of fish. Sometimes tickling Shen's feet. The Temple Monks were a very cheerful people. They would bring food down to the water's edge to pray.  Shen was always invited to their feasts.

This was Shen's dream, to become a Monk here. They were very peaceful, but they were the protectors of the Temple. History told of the first two people ever. They crawled out of the Ocean here. The two brothers were responsible for all the tings that populated Panmundus. But when it came to creating people they had disagreements. One brother sought to rule as a king. While the other looked to create equals like them. The two brothers diverged creating the 2 continents of Panmundus.

Shen could see the Dark Continent across the ocean. It was little more than a distant narrow line in the distance. Stories say that during the Great War the brothers met on the battlefield. The tyrannical brother defeated but not killed. Instead he was confined to a tower for eternity. That was long before Shen existed. A story that was only a legend now, marked on the walls of the Great Temple.

But if that forgotten king were to ever get free these Monks would be called upon to defend their home land. This is what Shen wanted. To be a member of this mighty yet peaceful force. He would have his chance soon. The Monks allowed all interested to undergo the Exam, a series of tests to prove your ability to fight.

Today was Shen's fourteenth birthday. He was finally old enough to take the Exam. Many people tried, they came from far away places, but very few passed. Shen was among the youngest to take try. Living so close to the temple made his pilgrimage much easier than most.

He was very nervous and found himself sitting on the steps like always with his feet in the water. The Monks had known of his intentions since he was a boy. None were surprised by his goal, nor his apprehension. One of the Monks walked down to the water to greet him. With a comforting hand The Monk lead him toward the temple. Today he would prove he was a man.

Digital Dreams |NSFW|

Man's quest for artificial intelligence was driven by many things. At first it was an exercise to better understand our own minds. Then, and ambition to create something potentially better than ourselves. However, history has shown that our advancement in technology aren't driven by such pure intentions.

In the beginning we struggled to describe the way the human brain worked with languages. First with psychology, then computer code. We created models and simulations but nothing could achieve spontaneous thought. In the mid twenty-first century we turned our attention to interfacing with computers. Devices like 'Lucid' came on the market allowing humans, for the first time, to directly connect with a machine.

This advancement lead to the first cybernetic humans, or cHumans. The advancements were completely unnoticeable to the naked eye. cHumans main upgrade were the wireless connections and memory storage. This allowed perfect recall of events as well as sharing of those events. It was with this technology that A.I. would be born.

It was in the late twenty-first century when Doctor Alan Carter and his team developed the first consciousness chip. Doctor Carter was a world renowned biologist. His work in cybernetic development pushed the limits of what we know as human. He spent years determining how humans develop consciousness in the womb. It was here he made his discovery.

Intelligence was almost impossible to duplicate. However, it could be trapped. With the development of the first consciousness chip, Doctor Carter found a way to build a container that consciousness could inhabit. Through all our already existing cybernetic advancements the first artificial intelligence was born.

The system was simple, the memory banks were given a collection of driving forces. Much like our basic urges. They rewarded the consciousness with euphoria for following them. At first the interest was military. But fears that these machines might go rouge quickly put an end to that. But humans are enterprising creatures and it wasn't long before aHumans, INC was created.

Doctor Carter's main goal was to one day transfer his consciousness into that of a chip. To this end he developed a humanoid system. it was little more than a skeleton with a spinal column and brain. But when submerged in a DNA replicator it would grow biologics to match any person. Unfortunately Doctor Carter died before his dream was realized. All his research reverted to the corporation aHumans, INC.

Soon the market was flooded with personal assistants. With a little DNA of anyone you could own your own version of that person. This created a secondary market where you could by DNA of celebrities and the physically elite. Black markets also sprung up, selling mixed and altered DNA.

In this new world Alice was born. She found herself in the home of a wealthy man. Her memory already populated with his needs, wants, and desires. She was structured to be nine-teen years old. Her first non-programmed memory was laying naked in a bed. Her hair was long and blond, with curls in it. She sat up and found a uniform of sorts in the closet. Her urges pushed her to get dressed and pin up her hair. She then ventured downstairs.

The wealthy man was named Brian Charger. He had purchased Alice to add to his collection of aHumans. Alice came down and was introduced to the other three: Stevenson, Gerald, and Cooper. These aHumans were coded from celebrity DNA stock and were dressed as waiters. Soon the party was underway. The three male aHumans mingled, serving beverages and acting as the best impersonators for the celebrities they appeared to be. Parties like this were not uncommon.

Alice, however, was led to another room. Here she stripped down and laid on a giant table. After a while the male aHumans came in and began laying out food on her. Then the guests arrived. Some were shocked to see the spread others found it hilarious. Alice's felt wonderful. This was part of her programming.

After everyone ate Mr. Charger had Alice go around the room. She was programmed with a large assortment of sexual behaviors. It wasn't long before the party had dispersed into a few people eager to have sex with her. Mr. Charger just watched from his chair. He watched as men and women both took turns with her. Some would smack her, others would pull her hair. Each time Alice felt wave after wave of euphoria.

When they were finally done Mr. Charger took her upstairs to his room. He lead her to a shower where she cleaned herself off. When she emerged from the bathroom Mr. Charger was naked. Without hesitation Alice got on her knees. Mr. Charger was not gentle. Slamming into her mouth. Tears welled up in Alice's eyes as she struggled to breath. But Mr. Charger didn't stop. He pulled out of her and she began gasping for air. He picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. She felt him slam into her, but not the place that so many had been tonight. He was deep inside her. This sent sensations of pain through Alice, but it was outweighed by the euphoria that coursed over her.

Soon she felt his hands around her neck. He squeezed down tight as he slammed into her. The sensations began to get far away as everything went dark. Alice's eyes sprung open. She was in the small room again, naked on the bed. She got up and put on her uniform and did her hair. Downstairs she could hear shouting. Alice made her way to the bottom of the stairs and stood waiting.

Out of a door came the source of the shouting. A woman with blond hair pinned up just like Alice's. In fact this woman could be Alice's twin, except she was a lot older. She locked eyes with Alice and snarled. Mr. Charger rushed in behind her. His face dropped when he saw Alice standing there. He commanded her to go to her room as he chased after the woman. Alice turned away making her way upstairs. But she could hear them arguing still. Apparently the woman was the ex Mrs. Charger.

Time and flowers

They sat quietly across from one another. Both men as still as the stone slab that separated them. The man in his fancy black suit and his white shirt laid down two of his cards. The other gentlemen, whom had long since lost his coat to the weather, carefully drew two new cards from the deck and passed them across the large stone slab. After examining his new cards Mr. Black sifted through a bundle of flowers. Roses, daffodils, and lilies were arranged in neat piles on his side of the large stone structure. Mt. Black took his time sorting through the roses. Finally he arrived at what he felt was the perfect one. Holding it to his nose, he felt a wave of sadness at it's lack of scent. Carefully he laid the rose on top of the pile between the two men.

Mr. White, in his dingy white shirt, looked back to his hand. He rearranged his cards once, then twice. He laid down three cards and dealt himself three more. Then he plucked a rose from his carefully arranged collection. He had been at the table far longer than Mr. Black. He wasn't so attached to the loss the accompanied this game. With their bets settled the two gentlemen laid down their hands. The game fell in favor to Mr. White with his two pair.

The night had become day, so much time had passed between hands. Mr. Black was still getting used to the pace of the game. In the bright sunlight people came. They gathered around the tables and brought more flowers. Mr. Black was thankful, he was running low. Mr. White, however, had to keep winning for no helpful person replenished his stacks. But that's alright he was good at cards.

the next day brought in more people than usual. A band played as the people paraded in. Mr. Black had never seen this before. He watched as they walked by.

"What's going on", he asked.

"They're installing a new table", said Mr. White. 

The Spider Hunt

The graveyard was quiet. But that's the way they are supposed to be.  Darius sat motionless against an angel statue. His eyes fixed on a solitary tomb. He had been out in this god forsaken part of the world for too long. He had followed the leads from New Orleans to England. Ended up in a small fishing town called Innsmouth. However, there was nothing left there, just the broken pieces of a forgotten cult. But rumors of his prey were still on their lips. They called him a god, an angel. But Darius knew better. He didn't realize how close they were when he took the train down into this nameless place. In this city of the dead Darius could see the signs. Empty graves appeared sunken into the ground, as if hollowed out from the inside. The good left in Darius was here to stop a catastrophe from happening. But the good was almost gone now. All Darius wanted was his answer: Could this person resurrect Anna.

The door on the tomb shifted and Darius raised his flintlock. The cool dark barrel took on a faint blue glow. The last piece of the puzzle. The sun was just fading away. leaving the cemetery in twilight. Darius was one with the statue. They both rested there waiting for the inevitable. As the shadow of the Earth crossed the doorway he heard it open further. In seconds his eyes adjusted to the light. The first walked out into the cemetery. Not shambling and broken, but as an almost complete man. His skin pulled tight around his thin frame. He walked out into the night, calmly, with purpose. Beyond him Darius could see more in the tomb waiting. They knew. Darius spent the train ride sleeping, the daylight makes him weak. But his prey had found him there.

A noise behind him pulled his attention away form the dead man in the center of the cemetery. Slowly Darius turned. From the edge of the tree line that bled through the gates they came. Hundreds of broken humans. some stitched together with more limbs than a person should have. They scurried through the brush like spiders. This was a trap and Darius now knew that.

His leg was seized by hands. Darius looked down to see a torso with a head stitched directly to it. Six arms and six hands began puling the monster onto him. Darius rolled off the statue and landed on the cobble below. He fired the flintlock point blank into the creatures face. The thing bounced backwards it's arms coiling like a dead roach. The sound drew the attention of the rest of the swarm. Darius drew the second flintlock from his belt and began firing wildly as he got to his feet. But it was no use. Within minuets he was overrun.

Darius came to chained up in a large crypt. His clothes were tattered and strewn about him. He forced himself to regain composure. A shape was moving in front of him. Darius' eyes cleared and for the first time since he began the hunt he was face to face with his prey. The man was tall and dressed in long black robes. His hair may have been blond once but now a thick layer of blood and gore coated it, making it look more like a helmet of awful. Darius was on his knees suspended by his wrists. The pain was nothing new to Darius but he could feel fresh bites on his body.

He forced himself to stand up.

"You are Marcus Reed, I presume", Darius said to the figure.

The man turned with a surprised look on his face.

"That was my name before I found out who I was", said the man.

"Oh? So your someone different now", Darius said both dazed and sarcastically.

"How is it that your still alive?"

"We all have secrets Marcus. In fact that's why I'm here, I want to ask you a question."

"Stop calling me Marcus, my name isn't Marcus."

Enraged the man threw a stone plate of various things into the wall.

"Alright, alright. What should I call you then?"

"I am Legion the keeper of many souls."

"That's a lot to say, how about Mister Tantrum? I like Mister Tantrum, it fits better."

Enraged the man lunged at Darius. Darius still trying to fight off the daze of a hundred bites found himself suspended by the neck. The man pulled him close to his face.

"Look here mortal, you will respect me."

Darius smiled then casually bit down on his nose. The man dropped Darius and recoiled in pain. Blood was squirting from a hole in the mans face where he used to have a noise. Darius began to chew, then spit out the lump of flesh and cartilage.  With new found strength Darius puled himself upright. The entire room filled with a light only he could see. With a flip of his wrists the chains snapped from the wall. Darius walked over to the man who was attempting to call for help.

"Now Mister Tantrum, is that anyway to treat a guest", he said mockingly.

The man managed a scream through the gurgles of blood. But before the room could fill with more wretched monstrosities. Darius moved to the archway. He reached up and flipped a stone free. In moments the opening was filled with rubble. Then casually Darius turned back toward the man.

"Two questions, Mister Tantrum: One, where are my guns? And two, how do you let them cross back?"

The man stumbled back and fell to the ground.

"Please, please don't kill me."

"I didn't say anything about killing you, I just want to know."

Darius was running low on patience and the new blood coursing through his veins began to burn in his mind.

"I don't want to die. Please, don't kill me."

Before even Darius realized it he was on top of the man. His eyes now a pale yellow in the darkness. Darius could feel his shirt getting tighter as he grew. His hand on the man's neck sprouted long black claws. Darius hoisted him into the air.

"ANSWER ME", he screamed.

Everything went silent. A low sound appeared; gentle sobbing. It was a woman's voice. Darius slowly scanned the dark room. in a corner he saw her. Her faint glow outlining a young woman. She coward in the corner with her face in her hands. Darius hadn't seen her. Maybe he didn't want to see her. He let the man fall to the floor then walked over to her.

"Anna", he said reaching out.

She recoiled at his words. Darius stopped when he noticed his hand. With shame in his heart he turned away from her. He walked over to a stone table and tried to calm himself. Among the clutter a book lay open. Darius could see a faint glow radiating from it.

"You're just a Nephilim. A child who found a loaded gun."

Darius picked up the book and started leafing through it. This was his real prey. Several pages illustrated needles and thread. Then a large diagram of an amulet with detailed notes appeared. Darius walked over to the crumpled crying man and pulled open his robe. Stitched into his chest was the realization of that diagram. The man tried to slap Darius away. Darius reached down and ripped the stone from the man's chest. A flash of light popped through the room. Slowly Darius crushed the amulet in his giant hand. Then, he dropped the sobbing man onto the floor.

Darius pushed the rubble out of the way and made a new path to the surface of the cemetery. The bodies of the dead lay twitching like a dead hive. His flintlocks were left where they had taken him. Their faint glow returning to a cool black. With the book in hand and his guns tucked away in their holsters her headed for the train station. Just another dead end.

Dead Roses

Kelly grew up in the swamps of Louisiana. She had a simple education matched with a simple life. sometimes her friends would take her into town, but for the most part Kelly liked it in her little swamp. There was just something here that was magic to a 15 year old girl. Swamp living wasn't that bad. Far from the absurdity Hollywood would portrays it as. Kelly had electricity and most everything any girl growing up in the United States had. The major difference was that she traveled by boat far more than by car.  Kelly's neighborhood was much like any other neighborhood as well. A Collection of houses dotted along the banks of the Atchafalaya River. It even had the mysterious house at the end of the road, or in this case, an old plantation house.

The plantation belonged to an old Creole family. The lore says it belonged to a wealthy slave owner name Delacroix. Delacroix was a very profitable tobacco farmer. He had many slaves that tended the house and the crops. But one in particular he always kept close. Her name was Lucy, or at least that was the name given to her when she became part of Delacroix's house. She was from Haiti and far more beautiful than any southern bell. Delacroix eventually freed her, but not before she gave him a son. It was looked down upon in those days for them to marry, however Lucy lived in the house for the duration of her years and despite never being able to take the name Delacroix herself.  Her children, however, inherited both the name and the house.

Many years have gone by since then. But small towns never forget good gossip. Over the years stories embellished and tales got taller. Legend that Lucy was a witch, that she seduced Delacroix, and now her children occupy the house as an homage to their Haitian god was common among the school yard.

The house now belonged to Aloysius Delacroix, the last in the family line. He lived in the house with his sister till about 5 years ago when she passed. Now Aloysius lives alone. The gardens she used to tend were now  overgrown and he was far to old to do any upkeep on the house himself. All in all, this made the house the perfect haunted house. This created the perfect test of bravery for the kids growing up along the Atchafalaya, and Kelly was no exception.

 The Friday night started like any other Friday night. Bored teenagers too young to get into the local bars trying to figure out what to do. Kelly always felt like she was trying to fit in. This constant threat of being an outcast often meant she was the brunt of the entertainment. That night they floated along the river; Kelly, Susan, Rick, and Steven. The boys were a year older and were doing their absolute best to entice the girls into sexual games. But Kelly and Susan were far smarter than the boys and rather enjoyed watching them get frustrated.

Frustration eventually turned to angst and Rick had revenge on his mind when the Delacroix Plantation floated into view. His dare was simple. In the back of the plantation was an old broken down green house supposedly over grown with roses. Snatch a rose and bring it back to the boat. Immediately Susan refused.  She was not one to be brave and had seen too many horror movies that started like this. Kelly on the other hand was always intrigued by the old house, so she agreed. Rick saw this as an opportunity and made Steven go with her.

The walk to the house was quiet as Steven did his very best not to show how nervous he was.  Kelly wasn't sure if it was the challenge or being alone with her that made him quiet and awkward. The house was dark, the only light they had came from the moon. They made their way around back. The broken glass of the greenhouse crunched under their feet as they approached. Kelly realized that Steven was a good 5 paces behind her. But something about he house kept her calm. Carefully she reached through a broken pain in the green house and plucked a white rose from the vines creeping up the wall. Proudly she turned around to show Steven, but he was slowly walking backwards, white as a ghost. Kelly walked up to him and he turned and broke into a sprint. Without looking back Kelly followed.

Back at the boat Susan was walking the levee while a very frustrated Rick sat in the boat. The panic in Steven's eyes when they got back lead to many questions. But Steven never responded. Finally Kelly produced her prize, a single white rose. She presented it to Susan as a gift, which Susan made a grand show of accepting. But even as Steven calmed down he refused to talk about what he saw.

It was now very late and Rick started dropping the kids off one at a time. Eventually, it was just Kelly and him in the boat together. When they reached her house Rick made one last attempt but Kelly wasn't interested.

"Hold up, I found this for you", he said holding out his hand.

Inside was a very old and rusted key.

"Where'd you get this", Kelly asked. 

"I found it on the levee while you and Steve were looking around."

Kelly took the present, although something felt very wrong about doing so.

"Thanks", she said.

 "No problem", said Rick leaning in for another attempt at a kiss.

Kelly just pushed him away and hopped out of the boat. That night she went about things as normal. She showered and got ready for bed. The key sat on her dresser. She dug through a jewelry box and  found an old chain. Slipping the end through the key she hung it up on her mirror. As she took her hand down she noticed the figure of a person behind her. Kelly turned and looked into the eyes of an old woman who was mostly transparent. Her out stretched hand pointed to the key. Kelly smiled.

"It's OK, I'll bring it back tomorrow", she said.

With those words the apparition vanished. This wan't the first ghost Kelly had seen. In fact she counted 3 on her way up to the old plantation alone. But they never wanted to hurt her, they just needed help. Something Kelly was willing to do.

 

 

The Librarian

Isabella sat quietly at her desk. The large oak structure almost completely encircled her. The library was dimly lit with rows upon rows of books, all collected by her guardian, Darius LaCorde. She had been his librarian ever since he saved her from that research lab almost 75 years ago. But Isabella didn't look a day over 16. She never would. Darius saved her from her torture, the biological experiments of Doctor Wolfe. His twisted goal to create a perfect soldier, one who could take immense physical abuse and rebuild the body by consuming the flesh of the enemy. But only she remained in control of her mind. She watched so many other subjects devolve into brainless eating machines. Darius was part of the U.S. Military then, a covert branch dedicated to fighting the war on supernatural fronts. Isabella knew a detailed history of Darius. She had been cataloging his journals since she came to this large house overlooking Bayou St. John. Darius' military service went back further than world war 2. In fact the first enlistment on record is when he was 16, in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

Isabella closed her eyes and accessed a part of her brain that was no longer biologic. In her advanced condition she had been having trouble with losing herself to her hunger. Darius had a member of The Order of the Rope, a secret society designed to protect Darius and his research, install a device to keep Isabella grounded. This, however, also gave Isabella a unique grasp over the library. Every book she read was instantly scanned into a data base via WiFi. She could cross search and correlate anything she could think of. Some could argue that Isabella was the true library in that building and not just the librarian. Tonight she was alone again. Darius was in some far corner of the world. Seeing as she did not need sleep the night often left blank as New Orleans settled down to sleep.

The good part about her modifications is she could recall any book, word for word, from memory. Something she did often. Tonight it was the poems of William Blake. But Isabella wasn't satisfied to simply read these poems to herself. Instead she called up an audio file she had created. Here she listened as the poems were read by Darius. He often would sit in the library and read poetry out loud. His slow southern drawl making the words seem more like colors in the night. He didn't read to Isabella but to a girl only he could see, Anna.

Anna died when Darius was young, and has been his primary cause for hunting since then. Somehow Anna's spirit lingered on here. Darius could see her plan as day. But Isabella only noticed when she would haunt the house. Sometimes if Anna seemed particularly restless Isabella would recite poetry out loud. It always seemed to calm her.

Tonight Anna was very quiet. A fact Isabella wasn't exactly pleased with. A little company, even in the form of an invisible spirit, would be most welcomed. Isabella never learned to be careful for what she wished for. The silence of the old house was broken as a demanding knock came from the door. Isabella made her way there to find a familiar face, Detective Jason Liccardi. Jason was a legacy member of the Order of the Rope and acted as NOPD liaison when things got strange in town.

"I'm sorry to bother you Miss Isabella, is he home", Jason asked very shyly.

"No, I'm sorry he's still abroad. Is this urgent", Isabella replied.

"I'm afraid it is ma'me, something we haven't seen before."

Jason held up an evidence bag, inside was a large tuft of hair.

 "Not again", said Isabella.