“I can’t believe you did this to me.”

“Jack, you were explicitly told what would happen should you choose to break the rules.”
“But…but THIS!?” Jack asked incredulously, sitting atop a small leafless tree in the body of a small squirrel with multi-colored fur gesturing his fury at his predicament with his little paws.

Jack had once been a tall vibrant man with cream colored skin, sharp blue eyes, and long dark brown hair. Jack was known to be a charmer of the ladies; however Jack was/is also a vampire having seen the rise and fall of civilizations. Long ago he came across the daughter of the powerful wizard by the name of Ellone.

Ellone was a beautiful young woman who also dabbled in magic but of a different kind than her father, she could not use magic in the conventional way. Ellone made charms that would hold her magic spell but it all came with a price.

Jack had his way with Ellone, but unfortunately with Jack he was unable to remain faithful to Ellone was made aware of his antics and in response made a charm for him. It was in the shape of a circle symbolizing their relationship; she presented this to him before he was to go out with friends.

“My love this will keep you loyal to only me if you love me.” She said this looking deep into his eyes as she put it around his neck on a chain. “Do you love me Jack?”

“Of course my love.” Jack mumbled before taking off to the night.

“If you are unfaithful there will be consequences.” Ellone warned.

Jack shrugged it off and went out the door.
 

The anticipation of having the bandages taken off my eyes was unbearable. For most of my life I have been wearing different variations of gauze. When I was born I was lucky enough to have a rare condition which made sight impossible for me. I’m twenty-five years old and finally I’ll be able to set my eyes on the love of my life.

“Hi Jason, are you ready for me to take the gauze off?” Doctor Bashir asked.

I could tell it was him because of the strong smell of cinnamon. I have come to know him well through smells, and could tell her had coffee this morning with a touch of liquor.

I could feel my mom and dad in the room with us as well. However, most of all I could feel the presence of my love. The woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. My Samantha is amazing, and told me that I didn’t need to have the surgery. She loved me for me and not because I could not see her.

“I’m more than ready Doc.”

I felt the scissors slice into the fabric of the gauze while feeling nervous for the first time because I got my hopes up that I would be seeing everything my ears have been hearing and my nose smelling for so long.

“Okay, things may be bright at first, but that will go away.” Doctor Bashir warned as he pulled the bandages away.”

The first thing I saw was a lot of white, and instantly my eyes were drawn upon a most wondrous sight that even to this day I can’t nor will I ever want to be taken away. I was able to finally see my love. She stood a ways off to the side of Doctor Bashir who turned out to be shorter than I thought.

Her caramel skin and large brown eyes melted my heart instantly. I ran to her kissing her knowing it was her from her smell and touch.

“I love you my lady.” I said, as I held her close to my heart.
 

“Raszire help!”

The alarm in the voice of his brother made Raszire run faster through the debris and ruins of the former lively vibrant village of Dzive. Raszire ran pass many fallen warriors with shock and surprise etched on their face staring at him with sightless eyes. As Raszire made his way to his brothers voice he clutched onto his father’s sword a sword he had seen his father Aladarr practice with day after day.

“Vizsire, what’s wrong?!” Raszire shouted, when he could see his brother on the ground backing up slowly, and whatever Vizsire was afraid of was being obscured by a ruined building that was once a library.

When Raszire was clear of the building having an open view of his brother and whatever was ailing him he saw very well why his brother called in horror. Standing before him tall and regal was a marvelous yet terrifying sight was a dragon.

“Old Ones save us,” Raszire breathed.

Dark obsidian scales covered his large muscular body with golden honey colored oval eyes. The dragon was perched upon the remains of yet another building slowly breaking down even further because of the dragon’s weight.

Raszire knew that the chance of getting away with their lives was slim to none, but if he could save the life of his brother than it would be worth dying on this day. So, with rage and courage he summoned the will to raise his sword and charged.

“Brother, run!” Raszire commanded, as charged toward the Black dragon that seemed to be watching in amusement.

Raszire launched himself in the air looking to strike the dragon in the heart, but knowing the only weak area of a dragon was on its underside if anything at this moment he was hoping to distract the dragon until his brother was clear, however he was caught effortlessly in a large claw.

“My son, there are things we must discuss about our family. It is time you.” The dark dragon said with a sigh as he sat Raszire back down on the ground.

“Fa-father?” Raszire asked incredulously.

With a deep rumble of thunder the dragon laughed.

 

I moved silently up the stairs to the attic doing my best to be as stealth as possible knowing if I was caught I would not be able to return to my grandparents’ house again. I was always told not to go up in the attic for some strange reason. The house being built sometime before the 1700’s it had been passed down through my family for generations. If you have lived here long enough you get to know where to step and not to step.

The stairs going up into the attic twisted around a thick pole made of pure brass., strong oak wooden steps would squeak at every other step so if I just kept my weight on the last step I was on as I climbed higher I would be able to make it without any problems, but of course things did not exactly go my way.

“CREEEAAAKKKK!”

The sound echoed throughout the house and my heart jumped into my throat with my mind going over all the possible scenarios of how my grandparents would yell at me and subsequently tell me how I was not allowed to come over again. However, I was saved by the loud snore my grandfather made at the same time, so I made quick work up the stairs passing old photos of our family the closer I got to the attic door.

I came up to a long hallway, with more pictures of the different generations, but in all the photo’s one thing became abundantly clear my family liked guns, revolvers to be more precise. I must admit I have shown my own interest in them, but the one in the pictures was beautiful. Long silver barrel with from what it looked like handmade ivory handle.

I opened the attic room door seeing nothing of real interest. A lot of dusty looking sheets laid over old furniture which reminded me a lot of cobwebs. The smell was suffocating and set off a short series of coughs followed by a sneeze.

Despite the coughing and sneezing I pushed my way further into the room stepping lightly so as not to make any noise.

“Well, who are you youngin?”

The sudden sound of a voice behind me made me jump out of my skin and into a nearby dust covered couch.

I looked around but saw no-one in the attic with me. It did not sound like either of my grandparents so I thought maybe someone had broken into the house and I had to warn them.

“What’s your name boy? Come on over here so I can get a better look at ya.”

I jumped again but saw the direction the voice was coming from, but I knew I had to be mistaken.

“William Adams,” I said cautiously with all my senses on alert.

As I got closer to the area where the voice came from all I saw was an open box, but I was puzzled before out of everything in the attic the only thing clean, polished, and gleaming were a pair of silver barreled revolvers with ivory handles, a sheriff’s star and holsters.

 

After many years of penny pinching and saving up my parents finally took my brother and I on a trip to Africa where they met. I was excited because it would be a place I hadn’t been to before, but my dear little sister complained about everything.

“Oh my god! Complained Dana, my annoyingly loving little sister. “Why did you have to bring us here?!? I hate bugs, and these animals stink!”

“Sweetheart, why can’t you just try to enjoy yourself like Eric?” Dad asked.

“Um, maybe because Eric is a freak who likes all this crap!? Dana argued.

I didn’t rise to her goading and just continue to enjoy the scenery as we drove along the road enjoying the scene playing out before me. Instead of saying something nasty to Dana I just gave her the best smile I had, and hoping that she could sense the message I was giving her with it as well, If you were ever a little brother, sister or older brother or sister you know the look I’m talking about. The* I’m so going to give you what for when we’re alone.*

Unfortunately, the look did little to rid us of the tantrum she was having because she was hot and for some reason the mosquito’s liked her which was a plus because that means they stayed off me.

“Dana, honey, be quiet and enjoy the trip while you’re here,” Mom scolded. “This could be a great experience for you.”

I could spot a tree in the distance as we traveled along the road and saw my favorite animal, a lion with a large red mane, and a beautiful shade of gold.

As we came closer in the truck I took out my camera ready to take a few pictures, and my sister sat up when she saw it finally excited about something.

“Ugh…not again. Don’t these stupid humans know I’m not some sort of television? Not that they would allow me to watch it with them, whenever I get close they run away or complain that I’ve been outside their home.

Leo, the lion lay in the shade of a gnarled tree hoping the shade would help drive away the flies that seemed to follow him everywhere.

“Stupid tail, if you weren’t a part of my body I’d bite you.”

Leo could see the truck come closer to his spot in the shade. The smell of gasoline on the wind made him gag. He batted his worthless flyswatter of a tail away, and sat ready to have his picture taken for the umpteenth time.




 

“You know, this is my favorite place in the entire world.”

“I know dad.”

I stand here with my father knowing that any day now he won’t remember who I am. I am currently thirty-two years old. My mother passed away when I was fifteen, and after that I lost my father because he could not bear to be without my mother even for the sake of his son.

“I would bring Jillian here all the time. Did I tell you this is where we met?”

I don’t know how to deal with my father anymore. It breaks my heart to see him go through this. I do my best to get him to remember me and there are times when I see him again, but
just as fast as he comes back he leaves again. I miss my parents.

“I wish I had a son like you. What is your name again?”

“Heh, that’s a funny one dad. You know my name is Charles. I was named after your father, remember?”

“Charles, you say? My dad was named Charles. When I have a boy I’ll name him after my dad.”

“I think that would be a good idea.”

“I met the love of my life in these woods.”



 

An explosion of pain erupted against my head as I rushed quickly to meet the ground knowing that even if I hit the ground wrong I can make things worse. I tense hoping that whatever pain I feel won’t do too much damage.

“Dante!”

I hear someone call my name and although I would like to tell them that I will be okay as I lay here staring up at the trees I know that isn’t true. For the first time in I’m not sure how many days I have been on this ranch I see the sky for the beautiful azure blue that it really is, and with clouds moving so lazily slow. I notice all the different kinds of birds there are, from the woodpeckers to the robins.

“Oh my god there is so much blood!” An excited Marie shouted.

I could feel my body lying on the cold ground and smell the rich earth that must have been dislodged as my body crashed hard against it. There also was a dull ache in my head with something warm flowing down the side of my head pooling in my ear.

“Dante, we’re going to get you some help,” Nick told me as he Marie and the camp director stood over me, and for the life of me all I could respond with is four simple words.

“Oh, I love birds.”

The last thing I remember because losing consciousness is the sound of Marie crying.

"You idiot! She sobbed. I told you I could get another ribbon for my hair."


 

Lightening flashed across the rain torn sky as Ben looked at the chaos and ruin surrounding him. The stench of death filled his nose to the point of making him gag at each breath he took. He staggered forward in a daze as if the very debris of the once glorious cathedral he attended every Sunday lay broken and battered. The bodies of family and friends scattered about here and there.

“Mom!” Ben called. His voice dry making that very action feel as if sandpaper was rubbing against his vocal cords.

He hoped against hope that he would hear her answer back, but he knew the truth, she was dead just as everyone else.

Why is this happening? Ben asked aloud not really expecting an answer back, but unfortunately for him his question was answered.

A cold wind ripped silently through the ruined remains of the cathedral in the form of a black flowing smoke which seeming to boil as it flew ever closer to Ben as a result he recoiled trying to put distance between himself and whatever it was coming toward him.

“Young one, why do you run? Do you not want an answer to your question? The voice from the smoke asked.

Ben fighting against all of his instincts willed himself to stand his ground staring definitely at the smoke.

“Y-Yes, I want answers as to why all of this has happened.” Ben answered weaker than he wanted.

“Do you remember nothing?” The distant voice asked from the smoke coming closer.

Ben could feel the chill from the smoke creep into his bones making any attempts to turn and run impossible, it was then for the first time he realized something heavy around his neck. He took his eyes off the smoke to gaze down at the amulet around his neck. He looked back up at the smoke that was coming closer then ran his hands over the object.

The smoke began to transform violently changing shape into something almost familiar to Ben. The transformation ended just as quickly as it began. There stood before him a woman dressed in all black, he eyes were a warm and inviting yet Ben could feel that they weren’t of the nurturing kind. She had long black hair, which complimented cream colored skin. She wore a dark blue gown with a long black cloak that covered her shoulders.

If this was some other time and things were different Ben would have thought she was beautiful, but something was wrong and Ben knew he had to find some way to escape.

“I see you have remembered the amulet young one.” The mysterious woman stated, staring at Ben hungrily.

The amulet that Ben had been running his hands over was warm to the touch, all gold with a lapis lazuli stone in the middle that radiated a low light.

“What is this?” Ben asked the woman staring at her lifting the amulet so that the light shined on her.

The place the light hit on her body instantly changed back to black smoke only this time Ben could see what was underneath. The black smoke covered ugly decayed bones that recoiled from the light.

“Take off that silly amulet Ben, and we can talk about what really happened here,” Demanded the woman in a seductive voice.

Ben felt compelled to do as she demanded, but held off as the light from the amulet began to radiate faster casting light everywhere in the ruins.