something different

Jade opened her eyes to darkness, a chill had seeped into her out stretched legs, her arms stiff icicles hanging from her shoulders. Turning slightly she groped the wall at her back tracing rough stone with her fingers. The wall curved its way around. The surface was damp with patches of slime that made her withdraw her hands. She had no recollection of where she was or had she had come to be here but the gnawing ache told her it had been a while. The darkness was not complete, a sliver of gray light came from above her head. The stench of wet earth and rot brought dry retching, her empty stomach offering only bile.She was being watched, Jade's eyes roved the shadows but nothing moved in the over lapping shadows. A maddening drip echoed against the walls, her eyes straining for the sound of another's steady breath in the black. Sleep over took fear and she shut her eyes praying to wake in the light.

The creature could smell the Other, sweet smelling flesh calling out for eating. It had stayed still while the girl searched with blind eyes, held its breath so there would be hearing of Sef. Sef was good at the hunting sweet thing that fell into his place, good at keeping still until it was too late. There was no running here, no where to go but it was a giggle for him to watch the sweet things try. Some tried to climb, some hid behind the pathetic rocks not knowing he could see, see every dirty trick. This one was sleeping, because it was an especially stupid sweet thing, calmed by silence and trust stupid eyes that could not see in dark places. She deserved to be eating for being useless thing, useless things were best for eating. The meat was soft, melt in the mouth sweetness you could taste and taste without getting tired. Sef crept toward the sleeper, mumbling to himself though not realizing he did.

A rasping laugh woke Jade from dark dreaming. It was coming closer and though it crept she could here the faint rasping of silt and gravel beneath its terrible feet. It was wanting...wanting her. It would touch her naked skin, the thought brought a scream racing to her throat. Jade bit into her lower lip till it bled. Her eyes were closed but she could smell the creature, felt its rank breath on her face as it took in her scent. Her hands brushed against the pocket of the slippery jacket she wore, the hard out line of her lighter sent a surge of slim hope through her body. The thing gibbered and mumbled, what ever this thing was it was no senseless animal. Most of what she caught was nonsense but words all the same, It meant to eat. Hands,pale spiders, slipped into pockets searching for the spark that would chase away the darkness. Fingers wrapped around the cool metal talisman.

"Not sleeping,just pretending." Came a voice, a high sing song hiss. The girl froze, knuckles gripping the lighter half in, half out of her pocket, "Don't like it. Don't be likin' it at all... Maybe kill It now, save eats for later?"

Click. Flash. Terrible dreams realized. Milky lantern eyes set deep in sockets, screaming at the light,terrible light that burned It. The creature, what ever it was, made of twisted bone and fish bell skin stretched over bone.It hissed ,baring wicked teeth that came to polluted points. Black lips peeled back, the creature let forth a bowel quivering roar of terror and fury. Jade shrunk back, nearly dropping her flash light.