Absolution Black Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Interlude 1893 (This short story is best read after reading the Black stories (both Book 1 & 2), as it not only links into events in those stories, but alludes to events to come in Book 3) The young girl sits up in her bed, the light of the full moon casting shadows across her room, creating dark areas of shadow. She knows what dangers lie within these shadows: dangers that can steal your breath, slit your throat or eat your soul. She knows all this because of her dreams. It was yet another of these dreams that had woken her, a line of sweat on her forehead cooling swiftly in the night air. Her breathing slows down as her heart-rate returns to normal. She feels the tear trickle down her cheek and lifts a finger to wipe it away. This was the third night in a row that she had had this particular dream. It was always the same now, and the outcome was always set in stone, no matter how hard she tried to alter the course. It started with the man. A man in black whose face she could never see, yet she felt she knew him. He was in danger yet he never seemed to know it. He never sees the winged demons that watch his every move, their razor sharp claws reaching out to cut and shred him, yet always thankfully out of reach. He never sees the shuffling dead that follow him wherever he treads, their hollow eyes soulless and dark, the laughter of a madman echoing. He never sees the fate ordained for him. Yet she does. She is forced to watch as he flails, sinking fast into black waters that fill his lungs, carrying him deeper into the darkness, to oblivion. Then she sees the solitary black card floating on the surface, before that too sinks slowly from view. At this point she always wakes in a cold sweat. She hears footsteps outside her door and the latch opening. The silhouette of a man is framed in the open doorway and she screws her eyes up against the light from the lantern in his hand. “Another bad dream sweetheart?” the calm, soothing voice of her father. She nods and he moves to sit on the bed next to her. He places the lantern carefully on the floor and holds her tight. She feels safe once more. “I can save him father, I know I can” she mutters, her head resting against her father’s chest, hearing his heartbeat. “Who sweetheart?” He pulls back, concern etched on his features. “The man in my dreams”. She pulls the sheets up to her neck for warmth, “ but we need to go through the breach to do so, to Malifaux”. The man shakes his head, and the girl knows she has upset her father again. Picking up the lantern, he moves across the wooden floor to the doorway where he turns to face his daughter. “The damn breach doesn’t exist, and neither does this Malifaux. It’s all an old myth, nothing more”. He begins to pull the door closed behind him. “It will father, and I need to be ready”. She heard her father curse under his breath, and the anger and disappointment that surged up in his voice. “Enough of this! This fascination you have with this ‘breach’, this ‘malifaux’ is wrong. Its unhealthy. I won’t hear of it again! Now please Lydia, get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow”. The door slams shut behind him and the girl is left alone in the darkness again, watching the shadows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxXhayzelXxx Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 yay! info on Lydia!! how old is she in this?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absolution Black Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Well, the story is set in 1893 and the current timeline sets malifaux in 1901. I have her at 20 in the current stories, so 12ish at this point. And Book 3 will show a lot more of Lydia, and introduce a few more characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxXhayzelXxx Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 yaaaaaaaaay! cannot wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Absolution Black Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 And as a teaser, there may be some Nephilim appearing in Book 3. But there might still be a couple more interludes first, focusing on Black and maybe a new character. Who knows, I am writing the thing and I don't!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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