Happy New Year everyone!

I heard that you can wish everyone a happy new year until the end of January, so here I have!!

Here is a new story to start year with - hope you all like it...

After

Her wings expand fully, stretching out to brush the clouds as she glides effortlessly, hardly making a sound. She can sense the wind racing through her hair, brushing her face and cooling her skin, but she knows the feeling is just a memory of how it was. Her thoughts drift back to what brought her here; a world where she is free and content and not capable of grief.

The day began as she had hoped; beautiful warm sunshine and just the hint of a breeze. Wispy clouds dot the sky without threat. Birds dart here and there as if celebrating the freedom flight gives them. Joyful laughter echoes from down the hall and a small smile spreads across her lips. Today is the first day of her new life.

The horse drawn cart rides slowly over the cobbled street and the hooves of the horses echo up to the passengers. Giggles and excited voices surround her in the carriage, grabbing her hands and hugging her. Her veil drifts behind her, flowing in the wind. Her smile has grown and now it seems permanent.

The cathedral draws near, its tall stone spires suggesting intimidation but the soft rays of sunlight soften its sharp edges. The wooden doorway stands open, inviting the bridal party in. Carriages and the occasional motor car line up outside. Her nerves build as she gets closer to entering the church, and she grabs hold of her roses.

The ceremony concludes and cheers and applause follow them out. She smiles into him and they please the crowd with a kiss. She picks up her dress and starts a small run out into the lane, laughing back at him. She stops, still holding the hem of her gown and turns to look at the love of her life. She feels light, and unexplainably happy. She imagines their lives unfolding before her.

 A screeching sound to her right catches her attention. Before she can run back to her husband the vehicle hits her and the world goes black.

She remembers when she first opened her eyes to her new world. She was confused but incapable of feeling fear. Her body felt weightless and her wings seemed to have always been a part of her. She didn’t know death had claimed her straight away; she thought it was all a peaceful dream. As she stood up in her new form, she noticed a woman in a white gown lying in the lane surrounded by a crying and screaming crowd. As she slowly joined them, the way parted for her, but no one seemed aware of her presence. She reached the woman and suddenly it all became clear. The woman was her and the world became black again.

The next time her eyes opened she found herself in an entirely different landscape. It was the most picturesque surrounding she had ever experienced. Fields of soft grasses swayed in rhythm to an unfelt wind and enormous willows scattered the scenery. Wild flowers of all imaginable and unimaginable colours emphasised the beauty of it all. A deep feeling of contentment and calm filled her from within.

And now as she glides through the clouds of this perfect paradise, she remembers the love and happiness of her human life, but never has to long for it. She knows another chance will come, but for now she expands her wings and imagines the sensation of the wind racing through her hair, brushing her face and cooling her skin.

By Ariane Dalton

Time

Wow - it's been way too long since I last posted something! For all those maybe waiting for the next part of Silence, unfortunately I have some bad news. It's become a project that I think I need to finish offline. It started out innocently enough, but has evolved into something that can't be finished off quickly! I will keep plodding along with it and hopefully one day soon, the complete version will be up. And when I say complete, I actually mean edited too! So in the meantime, I’ll keep posting ONE part short stories. Wish me luck and let’s hope that time doesn’t run away with me again. 

So here is something new and maybe a bit different …

Frozen, stagnant, still, not moving. Time carries on with days and months and years seeming to flow by at an urgent pace, like a river rushing to meet the ocean. But still nothing is changing; nothing is moving. The sun brings light and life as it arrives and then takes it away as it leaves. This is the only thing that doesn’t stay the same. Each dark night holds a new promise for the new light of day ahead. Are there new horizons waiting, is the promise kept? Everything is on repeat, like a scratched record not overcoming the damage. It skips and shouts out the same sound over and over again.
Stuck in a rut and seemingly no way out. Be grateful for what you have and for the security of familiarity. But how can someone be content if they are not happy? Something must die for something new to be born. Sacrifices must be made and what falls away is necessary collateral. Unfortunately it is not that simple. Fear always takes over. The dark side of the unknown overthrows any hope or new possibilities.
Take a deep breath, slowly inhaling new courage. Turn away from the dark that threatens to consume you and fall into the electrifying excitement of change. Time freezes and just as quickly shatters. The light is blinding and the gusts are hard to navigate, but concentration begins to reveal the future. A suffocating weight is released, a weight that had become part of a repetitive life. But all that has come to an end now. Fragments of the past float away like the ash of a dying fire. The air is cleared and all that is left is endless time for rebirth. All that is left is freedom.

By Ariane Dalton

Silence - Part Four!!

It's taken a few weeks, but here it is -  a bit rushed, so I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors but it's here!! Just a heads up that there seem to be some more parts to come...

Silence – Part Four

My eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness. I blink, trying to remember what happened. I’m lying on a very uncomfortable, very lumpy mattress. I sit up and survey my surroundings. It’s a bit hard in the dim light, but my vision is slowly getting used to it. It looks like I’m in a barren cave. I can hear slow dripping in the distance and small puddles are scattered on the dirt floor. Footsteps echo around the space, getting louder as they draw near. Should I be afraid? I don’t know. Fogginess has settled in my mind and I can’t remember where I am or why I am here.

The footsteps come closer and a shadow begins creeping up the wall. Someone is coming. Where am I? I sit up and hold my breath. It’s Alexander and he has a huge grin on his face.

I jump up but immediately regret it. I feel dizzy and lightheaded and I stumble as I sit back down. Alexander rushes over, as if to catch me. “I’m alright.” I close my eyes. I hold my head in my hands and slowly images start coming back. The last thing I remember is the icy water of the lake; did I drown and this is where I’ve ended up? I open my eyes and look around. Surely I wasn’t that awful a person that I’ll spend eternity in a cold, damp cave? But then again, if the cave has Alexander in it, it can’t be so bad. I look into his bright eyes and he is still grinning. He’s sitting next to me now, and I’m suddenly acutely aware of how close he is.

I get up, but more slowly this time. I can’t risk almost fainting again; I don’t want Alexander to think I’m weak. But then again, if I’m dead, what does it matter? “Where are we?” I ask, more to myself than to anyone in particular, as my eyes are drawn up the walls of the cave. “Under the lake”, his voice is even and serious but I can hear something more in his tone. Excitement?

“How did we get here; am I dead?” I turn towards him and search his face for anything he may be hiding. “No, you’re not dead and neither am I. This is where you belong.”

“I’m pretty sure I can’t live here and I’m pretty sure a cold, dark cave is not where I belong if I’m not dead.” The agitation I felt over his vagueness is starting to come back. It’s taken him ten years to just meet me in person, why would I expect to get detailed answers out of him quickly.

“Not this exact cave. I had to hide you here so the others aren’t made aware of your presence before you are ready to face them.”

“There are others like you?” And like me. This realisation increases my heart beat. I can feel it pounding against my chest. If there are others like me, I need to find them. I start heading towards the entrance of the cave, my footsteps echoing as my pace increases.

“No, wait!” Alexander runs up behind me and grabs my arm. “You can’t go out there; not yet. We need to wait here for Anastasia. She has more answers for you than I have.”

 “Who is Anastasia?” I turn and face him, frustrated that I have to wait for someone who is probably just as vague as him.

“Your sister.”

to be continued (again)...

Silence - Part three!

And here is another part - not finished yet!

Silence – Part three

This can’t be happening; where is he? I search the lakes edges, but it’s almost dark and I can hardly see. Frustrated, scared and cold, I run back into the house. Should I call for help? No, that won’t help anything. No one even knows Alexander exists.

I start pacing inside, dripping puddles on the tiled floor. I stop, holding my face in my hands. Did I imagine that he was here? I run over to check my phone. Scrolling through, I find the message I sent him, but no message in return. Did he really turn up? I have no proof. No, I have to stop thinking like that. I can still hear his voice in my head. Although, I guess that could just mean I’m crazy. Hearing voices is never a good sign.

I slowly walk over to the glass doors. I slip in a puddle and fall hard, smashing my phone in the process. Pain shoots through my wrist making me cry out. Great, now I’ve broken my arm and destroyed my only contact with the outside world. Can this night get any worse?

The lightning and thunder are becoming more frequent and the wind is getting louder and stronger. I get up, wincing against the pain. I cradle my arm, trying to think of a solution. The house it pitch black, so I feel along the wall to a light switch. I blink against the sudden brightness. I turn back towards the room and scream. There he is, standing in the middle of the room. My heart beats rapidly in my chest and the sudden rush of adrenaline dulls the pain in my wrist. Anger starts taking over my momentary feeling of fear. I take a deep breath and walk over towards him. I stop just before I reach him. He smiles at me and I slap him with my good arm. Wow, I can’t believe I just did that.

“Where did you go?” I ask him angrily. I hold my broken arm up to my chest, as if protecting it. He still has his hand up to where I hit him, but he looks almost amused. He reaches out towards my wrist, but I step back, glaring at him. He comes forward again, and this time I reluctantly let him take my arm. I flinch as he touches it; any adrenaline that coursed through my veins before is definitely gone.  The pain travels up my arm, and I grit my teeth. Warmth starts spreading from where his hand is holding me and pins and needles start tingling through the pain. I look up at him, speechless. Is he healing the break? As soon as it started, it stops. He lets go of me and steps back, holding his hands behind his back.

“Happy birthday, by the way.” he grins at me. “H -how did you do that?” I stammer, staring at my wrist, flexing it back and forth. It’s good as new.  “You can do it too.” he replies, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he just performed a miracle. Actually, that sounds stupid, but I can’t think what else to call it. “No I can’t; I’ve never done anything like that.” I think back to anything weird I’ve ever done and I definitely can’t remember healing anyone. “Yes, you can. You just need to be reminded. That’s why I’m here.” He slowly strolls past me and takes a seat in one of the huge arms chairs that clutter the living room. “What do you mean I need reminding? I just said I’ve never healed anyone.” He’s starting to irritate me with his vague answers. He stands up and holds his hand out to me, “There is someone you need to meet. Come with me.”

 To be continued....

Another few halves - Silence - Part Two

Ok, I lied, the first part wasn't half of it - it seems that as I keep writing the story keeps evolving, so there may actually be a few parts to it! Here is part two...

Silence – Part two

A flash of lightning illuminates the darkening room. It’s quickly followed by a loud clap of thunder which makes the windows shake and causes me to jump. I look back at him, noticing that our eye contact was broken by the sudden announcement of a coming storm.  He doesn’t seem shaken at all. I get up and walk to the kitchen – I need to move. He follows me, but still hasn’t said anything. I start spinning my phone on the bench, not looking at him. I wish he would just hurry up and tell me what’s happening. Well, I guess I know why he is here and what he wants from me. Who knew meeting my mentor in person would be so nerve wracking. And why does he have to be so attractive?

He takes my hand, startling me, but I try to keep my expression neutral as I look back up at him. His eyes are almost turquoise in colour, contrasting against his olive skin and blue-black hair. He starts leading me towards the glass doors which go out from the living room towards the lake. It’s started raining heavily, but I won’t mention it. I don’t want to break the silence between us.

We step outside and are almost immediately drenched. My clothes stick to my skin. I’m glad I wore black. Lightning and thunder flash and crash around us and the wind keeps blowing my wet hair into my eyes. I turn and look at him through the rain. He still has my hand in his. I realise that I still can’t believe that he is here. Maybe that’s why I’m too afraid to speak.

He first contacted me 8 years ago, on my 10^th birthday. It was a birthday card without a signature or return address. I still don’t know his name. I don’t know why I believed what he was telling me or why I trusted him. I guess it was just a gut instinct; I knew he only wanted to help me. I was always different and it gave me hope.

So here he is, on my 18^th birthday, holding my hand in the pouring rain. He stares at me, as if waiting for me to do something. I close my eyes and concentrate on his warm hand in mine. I block out the noise of the rain and wind and thunder and lightning. The silence engulfs me. And then I hear it. His voice saying my name. Not out loud, but in my head. It’s warm and strong and comforting. I realise I’ve never heard it before. I’ve never heard anyone’s voice in my head before. I open my eyes quickly. What happened? This is weird, but at the same time it feels right.

I’ve been able to do strange things for as long as I can remember. Just subtle things; things most people wouldn’t notice, but things that always work to my advantage. Like making myself invisible when I don’t want someone to notice me. I don’t actually become invisible and I’m not quite sure how it works, but I know that it just appears as if I’m not there. That’s why I’m not allowed to drive; my parents took my license because I kept disappearing. But it’s great skill for sneaking out on days like today.

“What’s your name?” I almost shout, so I’m heard over the storm. I want to know who he is now that he is right here in front of me. I strain to hear over the wind as he replies quietly in that same warm tone, “Alexander”.  He has a strange foreign accent that I can’t place. “Where are you from?” I want to know everything about him. “You will find out soon enough.”

He lets go of my hand and runs down towards the lake and into the rough water. He starts swimming or rather that’s what you would call it if it was a normal person. He looks more like he is gliding through the water with no effort at all. The water must be freezing, but he only keeps going deeper. He dives under and I wait for him to come back up. I keep waiting and start to shiver as the wind picks up even more. Where is he? I start to worry and jog down closer to the water’s edge. I search out across the dark waves. My stomach drops. I can’t see him; he’s gone.

To be continued...

Half a short story...

Ok, so this is half of a short story - the rest is still to come BUT most importantly, do you want to know what happens next?

Silence

Silence. It can create pressure, anxiety and even fear. It can be loud and overwhelming. But right now, concentrating on the silence is a good distraction. I look out of the window over the lake. The sunlight dances across the small waves created by the wind that has picked up outside. I should really stop procrastinating.

I came here for a reason and concentrating on silence and the lake is not it. I get up off the couch and walk through to the kitchen. It’s untouched, as if no one has been here. I remind myself to keep it that way. I know my parents would not be impressed if they knew I was at the lake house. I’m not even supposed to drive at the moment. But I guess the rules are made to be broken, especially today.

I pull out my phone and take a deep breath. No new messages. Ok, it’s now or never before I start distracting myself with something else. I scroll through my contacts and select his name. “I’m here now, the front door is unlocked”, I type in letter by letter. I’ve always hated predicative texting; it never seems to give me the words I want.

I put the phone on the marble kitchen top and walk back over to the couch. No point in hovering around it. I go back to staring at the lake and listening to the silence. This time the silence is unnerving. It seems to increase my anxiety as I anticipate any sound that may announce his arrival. I watch the trees swaying in the wind and clouds starting to gather in the sky. I hope there isn’t a storm coming. I try to keep my mind clear and alert and stop myself from letting any thoughts enter it. It’s amazing how hard it is to not think.

I look at my watch; 5.30pm. The sun is starting to set, creating an orangey red glow in the clouds. I start fidgeting, subconsciously biting the skin on the sides of my nails. I don’t know why I willingly put myself into situations like this. Maybe I secretly crave feeling anxious and afraid.

The crunching of gravel outside snaps me out of it. I hear his footsteps approaching. I don’t get up. What’s the point, I told him the front door is unlocked. I hold my breath, ready to see him. The door opens and there he is. Tall, dark and handsome; what a cliché. He holds onto the door handle, frozen, as he stares at me. I stare back and notice I am hugging my knees against my chest. I realise this makes me look scared and intimidated, so I quickly straighten up.

More silence. We both just stare at each other and neither of us seems to know what to do. The light in the room is starting to fade. It’s crazy to think that after all these years, it’s finally come to this...

To be continued...

Finding inspiration

It's sometimes hard finding inspiration, so this one is based on one of my dreams...

Darkness

I don’t know how long I have been hiding here. I listen to every sound around me intently, fearing that any rustle means they are coming for me. The ground underneath me is cold and the dampness has seeped through my clothing. My legs are stiff from sitting up against my chest and I can feel pins and needles in my hands. The tree I’m leaning against is starting to create an ache in my back. But I dare not move from my hiding place. Twisted branches of bushes and the blackness of night conceal my hiding place.

My eyes have adjusted to the darkness. I see a heavy fog settling around the lake. This is when they come out. I consider my options: move further from the lake, but then any noise I make may give me away or stay where I am and hope the dirt and leaves that cling to my clothes conceal my scent enough that I am not found.

I watch the fog creeping closer. I feel the air get heavy as it drifts my way. Is that something moving by the lake or is it just the fog swirling in the wind? I narrow my eyes, hoping it will make my vision clearer. The movement becomes more pronounced. This is not just air moving; it’s one of them. How did the human race come to be such horrible creatures? Not that you can call it human anymore. This is just a result of years and years of messing with our DNA.

My heart rate increases and my breathing becomes shallow. Don’t panic. I have to move now. I get up slowly, my knees cracking from having been bent for so long. I hope it doesn’t hear me. I can see it creeping closer. I push the bushes aside as quietly as possible and start running in the opposite direction, avoiding any fallen leaves or sticks that may crunch and give me away.

I turn my head back to see if it is following me. I can’t see anything from here, but can’t be sure, so keep running. My lungs start burning, but I know I have to keep going. I zigzag through the trees, trying to make my trail less obvious.

The clusters of trees are beginning to become denser, making it more difficult to weave. I trip on a protruding root and feel myself fly through the air, almost in slow motion. I hit the uneven ground hard and hear a loud snap. Pain shoots through my ankle. I try to twist my body out of the awkward angle I landed in, causing the pain to sear up through my leg. I grit my teeth, holding in the scream of pain that is threatening to break through. No, this can’t be happening. How could I have let this happen? Through the pain, I feel tears of anger run down my face.

I hear the distinctive sound of it approaching – dragging footsteps and heavy breathing. I need to hide. I look at my ankle and see my foot bent in the wrong direction. Blood stains the hem of my pants. I pull them up, high enough to inspect the injury more and clench my teeth tighter as the pain threatens to knock me out. I can see the white of bone sticking through the skin.

I hear the footsteps coming closer. Slowly and quietly I try to push myself up on my good leg, keeping all weight possible off my broken ankle. I can’t do it and fall back to the forest floor. I can hear the heavy breathing more clearly now, it must have almost found me, and the scent of my blood will be leading it straight to me. I should have stayed in my hiding place by the lake. I should have taken my chances. But it’s too late for that now. So this is how I die. I close my eyes, giving into my fate. I focus on my breathing, counting every breath that goes in and out. My final moments of life will be spent on a cold, damp forest floor.

It’s found me now, I can tell. Its ragged breathing has increased and I can hear its grunts. I turn my head and stare into its empty yet hungry eyes. I close my eyes, ready for the horrible death that awaits me. I hear its feet shuffle right next to me. I feel its weight slam on my head. The darkness comes quickly… 

 By Ariane Dalton