-
Maggie, a seemingly normal human to the rest of the world, but deep
inside she holds a dark secret. A secret she must keep, for her life
depends on it. She is restricted to even keeping this secret from her
loved ones.
Hard at times, she sometimes thinks that there is nothing for her to do
except embrace the creature of darkness inside her. Some call it a
blessing, others a burden. Being only sixteen she has only just begun to
see the world as it truly is. Cruel and uncaring. Maggie always thought
of herself as the burden to life, the bringer of death and misfortunes.
Until one seemingly average day....
***
Screams of terror broke the silence of the midnight air; Maggie woke,
sitting upright instant fear arising in her. Looking around her, she saw
she wasn't in her room as she had been when she had fallen asleep earlier
that evening. She saw blood and many dead bodies around her. Her mind was
cast to what she had thought was her dream. "oh No... no... no no no no...
Please no..." She curled up, putting her face in her hands. She looked
up and into her hands seeing the blood stains and tears falling from her
crystal blue eyes, "This isn't a dream... Its all too real..." The rest
of her words were drowned out by her sobs. On impulse she ran away from her
hometown. She ran as far as she could until her legs and cries of pain
could carry her no longer. I have to get out of here I cant endanger
anyone else I am a monster She said as she cried herself to sleep out in
the cold winter air.
Maggie woke with a start, memories of her former life still floating
aimlessly in front of her like cold hearted specters. Had it been a
dream?
she wondered pushing herself up from the grass, "grass?" oh.... she
groaned as the memories came flooding back to her, the darkness, the
anguish the screams of terror and... she carefully licked the perimeter
of her chapped lips, the blood. She shook herself awake realizing that she
was sopping wet, i hate winter she thought drying herself off as best she
could on her back pack. She thought back to the night before, the fear
which had gripped her when she realized where she was, what she had done.
She remembered hurriedly shoving everything she could into her small
Metallica back pack and setting out from the house. her mother had always
marvelled at the fact she was never scared of anything, but the explanation
was simple, her bravery was only due to the fact she knew the only thing
she had to be scared of was herself. The cool morning air stung her
sensitive nostrils as she inhaled deeply allowing the scent of the dew
to trace a fine track in her nose. she grumbled scraping the escaped trails
of hair into a high ponytail. Miserably she ripped the backpack open but
no luck. in her grand plan she had managed to pack a hoodie, trainers,
fresh underwear, the photo of Dameon from before he disappeared, and a
Metallica CD and yet, she thought throwing the bag on the floor, no food.
She had to start making a plan for food. She could hear the groaning. It
was starting to become unbearable to the point of ludicrously.
sulkily she made her way over the emerald ridge of the gorge, she looked
down remembering summers spent starting at the stars with Dameon she
could remember everything like it was yesterday, even his cologne and the
way his eyes would shine even when there was no light to reflect off their
glossy exterior but most of all she remembered the day he disappeared,
s**t! she was crying, how stupid she thought rubbing mechanically at her
eyes it hurt to think of him...
She was at a loss as what to do. How can she carry on living when all she
could think about was Dameon? "I need to find some way that wont hurt when
i remember him..." She mumbled wiping some of the tears off her cheeks.
Without discarding the constant images of her past love a new thought
crossed her mind, "Where am i going to go?"
She stopped and took a moment to think. Staying with a relative was out
of the question. Staying outside on her own was also discarded, "I need to
survive somehow... But What else can i do?" Asking a complete stranger now
and then wouldn't be that dangerous... Would it? "Still the question of a
shelter and warm bed hasn't been solved..." She mumbled as she tried to
warm herself up.
she was almost at the truck stop now, wandering dazed in the morning
light the rumbling in her stomach had grown to the point her rib cage was
reverberating she slowed down a little as she approached the highway and
the warming smell of fresh waffles wafted entrancingly through the cool
morning mist. she dug instinctively in her pocket and produced a rather
crumpled $10 note. "thank god," she thought straightening it out on her
palm. she carefully traced the outline of the tiny white scar that ran
across her wrist, she frowned remembering how much good that had done her,
three weeks in a shrinks office was enough to make anyone slit their
wrists. she just wished some people knew when to leave matter alone, but
they never did. the flashing lights of the truck stops diner were now
clearly visible in the distance, she rummaged in the backpack and
produced the hoodie she had shoved in there. She pulled it roughly over
her head and lifted the hood shivering a little, all she hoped was that
the news
of her disappearance hadn't traveled that far.
The warmth of the diner was welcoming, Maggie stood by the door looking
around her at the cozy restaurant. A waitress walked up to her, "What can
i get fer yeh darlin'?" Maggie forced a smile at the girl, her accent was
so fake it almost made Maggie laugh. Maggie opened her mouth to order but
someone else spoke for her, "Waffels with chocolate syrup and a glass of
cream soda..." How could the stranger know what she was going to order.
It was humanly impossible... Unless... Maggie turned and stared wordless at
the figure in the doorway.
it was taller and more angular, its hair was wild and tussled but it was
unmistakably him. Maggie felt a rush of blood to her head and then a
sudden darkness she awoke in a quiet booth in the corner of the diner, in
front of her was a plate of warm waffles and directly across the table
sat Dameon. she pinched herself hard and felt an instant rush of pain shoot
gleefully up her arm, it wasn't a dream, but how could he be here after
all this time? she looked up at him her mouth open in amazement. He had
combed his hand through his short black hair and now it sat in unruly
spikes which stuck out in all directions. she could tell he was analyzing
her like he always had, taking in every detail of her being she felt
herself blush and avert her gaze. then she shook herself from her girlish
paralysis and her blush was replaced with a red hue of pure rage. "Where
the hell have you been!" she demanded staring directly into his startled
emerald eyes.
"Hey calm down Maggs," Dameon held his hands up in surrender. His eyes
glittering warmly in the light from the diner, "I had some business that
needed tending to..." His hands slowly came down to rest on the table
between the two. He had diverted his gaze from Maggie at that point
which
was not normal in the least. Something had happened during his 'business
trip' that he didn't want Maggie to know about. Dameon smiled and turned
his gaze back to Maggie, "You better eat your waffels they are getting
cold..."
"Let them get cold," The venom in her voice was uncontrolled, she was
angry she had the right to be angry after all this time. Didn't she?
"I never stopped thinking about you too..." His words took her by surprise,
she hadn't even said anything. Well he had always been good at knowing
what she was thinking. Maggie virtually attacked her semi-cold waffles to
take her mind off the past, It was still too painful to bare with.
in the mitts of her feeding frenzy she had neglected the minute detail
of chewing and now found herself in a rather embarrassing choking fit. to
her surprise she felt a very hard thump on her back as she hacked up the
mangled wad of waffle. How had he gotten up so fast? she wondered her
colour returning to normal. "thanks," she gasped wiping her mouth off on a
serviette. " are you okay?" he inquired, his perfect face riddled with
concern. "fine," she hacked expelling the last of the offensive waffle.
"it was true what i said," he probed glancing earnestly up at her she
could see that the corners of his mouth were fighting an epic battle with
his facial muscles in his attempt not to smile, i know it was funny she
said at last, its okay if you want to laugh. he chuckled lightly looking
down at his shoes, " i have never seen a girl eat like that" he said a
cheeky smile edging onto his face, " liar" she retorted " I've seen you
eat like that all the time" it was a weak insult but it made her feel
better none the less.
" mind you you have been on the run since last night," a cold shiver ran
down her spine, how did he know that she had run away? they used to go to
the diner all the time before the disappearance. she looked up at him, her
face now questioning and distrustful," what makes you think i ran away?"
she said making sure s he maintained eye contact. "oh, well," he blushed
and contemplated the floor." actually i came looking for you last night."
she was shocked, how long had he been back? she wondered wrinkling her
nose at the gooey mush left on her plate.
" when you weren't home by 3 i guessed you must be on the run so, well i
remembered the diner and, i just kinda knew you'd be here. "so no one else
knows where i am?" she asked an unexpected shiver running down her spine.
"no," he replied and, well our meeting isn't by chance, I'm here because,
"i sensed you needed help."
"oh fancy that" she sneered ," you leave me here alone all this time to
cry myself to sleep and only now you decide that i need you?" she could
feel the tears starting up again. he looked hurt "hey i had stuff to
deal with too, you think it was easy for me to leave you here?" he shouted,
she had never seen him angry before and she shrunk back a little in the wake
of his rage," all i meant was....",
" i know it wasn't fair," he yelled then he softened a little ," but it
was the only way i could protect you."
Maggie was still semi frozen waiting for Dameon's rage to dissipate. Was
she being unfair by stating that it wasn't fair he had left without a word
and returned without a word? Maggie kept her eyes adverted while she spoke
in a small voice almost inaudible to even herself, "If you left to protect
me... then why are you back? There's never any trouble around here..."
She could hear the doubt in her own voice and she hoped that he hadn't
noticed it too. Inside the rebellious Maggie said, "i don't need
protecting! I can handle myself!" Dameon watched> her, he had now regained
his passive features which held little emotion. His eyes still had a hint
of the previously displayed anger rant but that too was slowly dying. He
didn't speak, In an attempt to keep harsh words at bay? Maggie wandered.
It was a long barely durable silence and Maggie couldn't take it any
longer. School was less stressful than this. It felt as if the world was
on some sort of slow motion tape, almost like the movies of the early ages
of film making, except this was in colour and not black and white. "Please
say something, Its been..." The rest of Maggie's words were lost to the
floor.Dameon half smiled, Maggie was just as she had been. Barely changed
in the time he had last seen her. Just as he remembered her too.
Although a memory can never live up to the standards of the real person.
Another smothering silence engulfed the pair as they both sat nervously,
not knowing what to ask next and not sure if they wanted the answers.
"have you got another, um mm, boyfriend?" Maggie spluttered in shock,
"uh, stupid question" was all she could reply. he laughed a deep calming
laugh and then regained his quiet disposition, smiling inwardly to what was
clearly an insiders joke. Maggie found herself smiling too something she
hadn't done in a while and she liked it. Dameon ordered another round of
cream soda and contemplated her from the other end of the wooden table. he
could see a sadness in her eyes which hadn't been there the last time they
were together, something that was ripping her apart from the inside out.
he reached almost as if in a trance across the table to take hold of her
hand. she flinched," don't," she whispered pulling away from the comfort
of his touch, " i don't want to hurt you." it was almost dark outside the
cafe, many silent glances had passed across the corner table in the past 6
hours. they had hardly talked at all but it seemed that all that they
needed to say would only drive them apart.
" come home with me," dameon said looking hopefully into Maggie's eyes.
"i cant... i don't want to hurt you..." Though there were no tears the
sadness showed, more with each second that passed, in her eyes and the
hurt her words caused was shown equally in her voice. Maggie looked out
the window in an attempt to keep her tears at bay. The sun was low, she
needed to get out of public before she did something she knew she would
regret. Dameon just watched, confused by her words. "i... i have to go..."
Maggie got out but before she could move more than a few feet, Dameon was
there in front of her holding her by the shoulders, concern written all
over his face, "Maggs please... i don't want to loose you again..."
Maggie didn't look at him, her eyes would betray the hurt too much if she
did. It hurt to look at him knowing what she was, but it also hurt to not
look at him because of the time that has seemed endless without him by
her side.
she rushed out the diner without another word, hearing the door jiggle
open again behind her made her quicken her pace to avoid the unmistakable
owner of the thudding footsteps racing to catch up . " please Maggs" he
begged the pain audible in his voice " please come back to me." but she
couldn't ,she couldn't imagine what she would do if she hurt him. she
turned showing more bravery than she felt and looking him straight in the
eye," dameon," she said as firmly as her voice would let her,"go away"
his eyes fell and she began to walk away just as he grabbed her hand and
kissed her. she felt like she could melt away in the moment, safe and
loved but out the corner of her eye she saw the sun was now only a
luminescent sliver over the ridge and it would be dark soon so she pulled
regretfully away, "I'll find you," she said letting go of his hand and
running into the oncoming darkness the animal within her ravenous to be
released. she sprinted lightly over the grassy field leading up to the
gorge she had to move quickly the pangs of hunger were already beginning
to wrack her body. "no" she felt herself saying," not yet." she stumbled
the last few steps down to the cave and lunged into the corner as she
began to fumble with the lock the sun disappeared making the land below
instantly colder and the darkness engulf the monstrous happenings within
the merciless depths of the cave.
Dameon didn't follow, the weight of Maggie's words had planted his feet
firmly on the rough tarmac. It hurt to watch her run away from him.
Maggie sat on the cold cave floor fighting the battle she had to face each
night when the sun fell and moon rose. By this time she was near the point
of loosing, "i cant... not tonight... not with Dameon back..." Tears fell
down her cheeks as she fought the epic battle for her humanity. "why me...
why now?" she cried to the empty cave, her words bounced of the walls
creating a dull echo, "its not fair..." she managed to mumble before the
beast inside her took over for the night.
she awoke with a throbbing headache and began fumbling for the light
switch, when she couldn't find one she knew she could only be in one
place. something wet dripped down from the ceiling above, she didn't
look up because she knew what she would find. there was no mistaking the
consistency of the congealed liquid, she quivered and tried to find
something warm to crawl under. she froze as her feet came in contact with
something soft, fury and deathly cold. "stupid dog," she thought tears
brimming in her eyes, it must have gotten in the way. her walk to the
bottom of the creek was slow and somber each step bought a new onslaught
of tears. she wasn't sure how she could go on like this.
the attacks had become worse and recently she remembered little more than
disjointed flashes which haunted her every move. She greatfully splashed
the cold water from the spring onto her face, the pink droplets that fell
made her turn away. she was still covered in blood.
The smell of blood on her was very strong. Maggie had tried her best to
wash most of it off but somehow she just couldnt get it all. Maggie had
wandered many times who had made her the way she was today but she could
never think of anyone or anything. "Damn... i reek..." the light hearted
joke about herself did nothing to aid her cheering up. The sadness was
too strong for the feeble efforts of a badly phrased joke.
"Dameon... This is why i had to run..." Maggie thought to herself as the
previous late afternoon events replayed in her head. She hated herself
for not being able to tell him about her 'condition' but a strong force
inside her told her that it was better to keep what she really was a
secret. No one can know, not even someone who would have been the first
she'd tell can know.
Maggie saw it as her curse and she wished for no one else to know what it
was like to be a monster. No one should have to suffer the way she did
every night as she watched the monster take control of her body and create
chaos every where she went. The media would soon be reporting on the
strange murders that take place each night in increasing numbers. Maggie
could just imagine the Headlines in the Papers, 'Mass Murderer on the
Loose Lock up your homes at night' "A crazed mass murderer... wow i feel
so special..." The Sarcasm was leaking off every word she said. She
would have to try be careful... or at least the creature inside her would if
it continued to increase the number of victims it killed each night.
She straightened up , allowing the cool morning breeze to slap her icily
awake. she felt guilty to be alive when the mutilated remains of her
innocent victims lay strewn about the countryside. the authorities had
started to take notice of the alarming rise in violent crimes but she
couldn't help it, she was just a kid. she didn't want to return to the
cave even though she had vacated the body she had found hanging grotesquely
from a stalactite .the person had looked vaguely familiar but she didn't
have much to go on, after all the majority of the persons flesh had been
removed. the image burned her retina causing bile to rise in her throat
"oh god," she thought to herself , "why me?"
She eventually managed to keep from soaking herself in another
terrible smelling liquid. She carried on, on her mission to get to a place
where she wouldn't be a danger to the people of a community. "i cant keep
going like this..." she mumbled as she walked the forest grounds, "There
has to be a solution to..." Her words were cut off as an idea came to
her.
"i have to control this creature... but the only way i can do that is...
if i find a way to destroy it!" Not only in her words and expression was
there a new hope but also in her heart. The hope filling it with a
meaning it never had before.
she scrambled shakily up the dewy embankment and began her ascent to the
top of the gorge. the rumbling that she had felt in her stomach the
night before had subsided to a dull but foreboding growl. she stumbled
the last few steps to the top and then carefully straightened out her
clothes whilst looking across the fresh, undisturbed field. she was alone
again, and it hurt
Maggie could no longer move forward without risking herself falling and
potentially hurting herself. Memories happy and grim flashed through her
mind. They only increased the on going waves of hurt she felt. Blood.
Running. More blood. Past Dameon. More Running. Dameon at the diner.
Running again. The hurt only increased more with each thought of Dameon.
Though as much as it hurt it got Maggie thinking. Dameon… How did he
know I had ran away? How did he know where to find me? What did he mean by:
‘I have come back to protect you’? Protect me from what? Many question
surfaced but none as unnerving as, Did Dameon know what I really am?
The thought scared her more than being a blood craving fiend. She knew
she had to find out if he knew or not but she also knew that she needed to
be really careful about it. Her ultimate secret can never in a million life
times be told to anyone… Not even a person she trusted most.
Dameon awoke with a startling jolt. the nightmares he had been running
from all those years ago and thought had disappeared had returned more
brutal and vivid that they had been when he left. his body quivered as he
lifted himself shakily from the wrinkled bed sheets and made his way
toward the bathroom. his face scared him, he was pale and gaunt, purple
shadows ringed the underside of his eyes which were bloodshot and wide
with fear. he filled the sink and splashed his face, preying it would
alleviate his mind of the gruesome flashes which had still not left him.
he dried his face and laid out a new set of clothes before he made his way
to the shower.
his mood had not improved much by the time he had made his way downstairs
in search of food, stumbling in the strange and spacious surroundings of
his childhood home. he had forgotten what it was like to have so much
freedom after all those years... he shook his head in an attempt to remove
the haunting thoughts of his life away from home. his mother was already
awake, shuffeling happily around the kitchen in preparation for the new
day. she gasped in surprise when she saw him standing there, she hadn't
ever heard him come in, but then again it was still shocking to have him
back after all this time. she smiled happily and pulled out a chair at the
breakfast table for him. " what would you like to eat dear?" she inquired
sweetly pouring him a mug of coffee, breakfast, yet another thing he was
no longer used to. " just some toast please, mom" the words felt strange
in his mouth, " where's dad?" he asked, taking a deep swig of the coffee
and cussing as he burnt his tongue. his mother appeared offended by his
use of language but said nothing but continued along sadly, "i.. i don't
know how to say this," her voice was raw and chocked with tears, " there
was an accident," the words spilled from her tongue with a bitter twist, "
he's dead Dae"
Dameon was stunned by ths news and found himself lost for words in the few
seconds of silence that gathered in the air. "Dae... Honey?" His mother
went to stand infront of him to get his attention.
Without realising it Dameon had gripped the coffee mug harder and his
knuckles were white.
"But... How?" His words were what lead to another silence but this one was
awkard.
"Dae Honey it was an accident... Its sad i know but we must carry on with
our lives its what your father would have wanted us to do" His mother's
words were barely a whisper.
he sat in awestruck horror for what seemed like a lifetime. Hot tears blazed a trail of raw heat down his flushed cheeks. His dad had always seemed so strong and brave. They had not parted on good terms. He recalled the heated argument they had had in the car on the day he had left; he struggled to regain his composure wiping the tears wistfully from his face. The last thing he had told his dad before he’d left was that he hated him. The memory bought up a whole new set of emotions; he regretted never telling his father that what he’d said wasn’t true, not telling both is parents every day that he loved them. But most of all he regretted leaving his mother alone to deal with the grief of losing not only her son, but her beloved husband too. He was also ashamed for not telling them where he had gone but, at the time, it had seemed like the most logical course of action. He looked up to see his mother staring nervously at him; she looked like she’d seen a ghost. “What language was that” she looked imploringly at him, her eyes had and acquired a strange steely gaze. “Excuse me?” he spluttered his brow creasing into a frown. “Just now, after I told you about your dad,” she said now shifting uncomfortably in her seat, “you started muttering in another language and then you went blank.” His eyes widened, not again, not after all this time he groaned standing abruptly and leaving his mother looking worriedly after him from the kitchen if he'd turned he would have seen the solitary tear which slipped quietly from her eye and splashed with a forboding finality onto the lifeless granite floor.
Maggie, strolled through the forest grounds unsure whether to carry on searching for Dameon or to just collapse where she was. The desision seemed to be made for her without herself knowing it. That was to keep searching for Dameon despite how fatigued she was.The forest seemed to go on forever and Maggie's steps seemed to drag out the more tired she became. Soon she was barely able to carry her own weight on her feet. In the distance a wolf's howl was heard, sending chills down her spine. Maggie walked on soon coming upon a clearing which held a river and a clear veiw of the full moon above as well as the rising sun. It was a while before Maggie snapped out of her trans.
"I need to focus... Dae where are you?" There was an unsual urge to go hunting, she had already been hunting but still the urge to have blood was almost over whelming. Crawling into a curled up postion near the base of the tree. There Maggie tried and seemed to succeed in keeping the blood lust at bay. But for how long was uncertain.
her sleep was turbulent, phantom memories flitted by at a nauseating pace causing her to toss restlessly. When she finally awoke she was covered in an ice cold film of sweat. A sudden breeze bought an entrancing smell to her nostrils she inhaled greedily and allowed it to fill her body. It was so familiar but she couldn’t quite place it. At last curiosity got the better of her and she found herself strolling through the forest in search of its source. Meanwhile Dameon had left home and made his way into town. He wanted to catch up on the parts of Maggie’s life he had missed. But he guessed her parents wouldn’t want to see him after the treacherous rendezvous he had had with her father shortly before he left so he tried to track down the next best thing. Her best friend Amy summers.
Maggie, following the the entising smell that had made her walk on through the forest ignoring the much need sleep that kept being put aside, found a small cottage. The site of the cottage and the smell that seemed to be coming from inside the cottage bought up a past memory. This cottage seemed somehow familiar but she could not place the memory with the correct facts.
Though she was fairly unsure whether to approach the cottage was a good idea she went ahead walking as slow as was possible within her increasing resistance toward the cottage door.
Maggie didnt realise until she was on the porch that the entising smell origionating from the cottage's kitchen had reawakened the hunger for normal food. How long had it been since she had had a decent meal? At the Diner? How long ago was that? Maggie had no answer to any of the questions that now flooded her thoughts. Maggie gulp and knocked on the door, it was time to find out why this cottage was so similar to her.
There was a muffled cry of pain inside followed by a fairly impressive string of cusses. then there was the sound of rust against wood as a large brown eye appeared and stared wildly from the peephole. Maggie took a step back but for some reason didn't feel threatened she recognized the calm but mildly insane eyes as though she stared into them ever day. the eye had now focused on her and the look of annoyance had disappeared to be replaced with a gaze of pure shock there was a throaty cough and then the eye disappeared. disheartened Maggie turned to leave but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the clunk of a key in a lock. then with an unexpected ferocity the door was flung open to reveal an elderly man with a wild sliver mane which stuck out in every direction. approaching Maggie his expression remained unchanged until he was within a centimeter of her when he lowed his eyes and serveyed her startled expression.
Maggie was amazed yet not embarresed but her unannounced appearance. The silence stretched on for a while. Maggie was finally able to say something but she was still slightly awestruck at the sight of the old man. "Reign..." The name sent a wave of undeniable emotion running through her veins. She barely knew the man yet she felt compelled to protect him from the dangers of the planet they lived upon and anything else that came his intended way. Shaking her self internally she caught a grip on reality as she realised that she Margrett Greystone was probally the most dangerous being on the planet Earth.
Reign watched Maggie struggle with something internally and wasnt quite sure how to Approach the girl. Keeping his unwavering facial expression he spoke only her name, for that was enough to bring Maggie back to her present surroundings and jump back almost ten feet. Now back to the present veiw of the world and its inhabitants and environment She started mumbling her appologies for zoning out not realising until Reign had called her name for a fourth time, "Maggie!".
"I'm so sorry Reign... I didnt mean to... " Her sentances started blurring into each other until it was completely impossible for the words to be signaled out. Finally embarrased by her clumsiness she concluded with, "Sorry Reign..."
- by Demonic Storm |
- Fiction
- | Submitted on 10/15/2008 |
- Skip
- Title: Greystone Chronicles, Changing
- Artist: Demonic Storm
- Description: A vampire story of love that cannot be relvieled for fear of loosing . Blood and Danger is everywhere Maggie looks. Just when Dameon shows up, after leaving two years previously, Maggie is just starting to accept what she has become. But after seeing Dameon, her love of her life, everything is turned upside down. To protect him and her heart from the monster she has become Maggie runs out on Dameon leaving him to keep searching for her.
- Date: 10/15/2008
- Tags: greystone chronicles vampire love
- Report Post
Comments (1 Comments)