Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Mortis Grievance: Away in a Manger

A Graveyard in the south of Ireland:

Mortis was cold. He didn't like cold. He was huddled up, back against a headstone, coat pulled tight around him. Plus now his nose was running, which was just embarrassing. His dark eyes scanned the boneyard, looking for his associates. Why exactly they were in a graveyard, he wasn't certain. Demon-face had not specified. He could not see anyone's faces, but he could feel his magic building up, looking for an outlet. It was strong here. Of course it was, all that death. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, digging his feet into the old disturbed earth, no care for the body underneath. No use now. Just a sack of rotting guts and dusty bones. He glanced up as Hiro approached and sneezed. He had a rather cute sneeze. He hated it. Even more so when the Asian man sniggered.
"I think we're meant to go into the old Necromancy temple. The one you studied at."
Mortis stared for a moment before nodding and scrambling to his feet. "Where is it?"
"Over there." He answered with a lazy gesture. They went over, where Jayden was jimmying the doors open with a crowbar.
"Why are we going in here?"
Jay looked round. "Are you okay? You sound sick."
"Shut up and get the damn door open." He brushed some of his hair back. He was freezing, but he was sweating enough for his hair to stick to his pale forehead. Okay, definitely quite sick, Mortis thought to himself. Great. Chances were Franz wouldn't let him take sick leave either.

The only light in the dark halls was provided by a cigarette lighter held by Ricky. It wasn't much, but it was something at the very least. They could see barely a foot in front of their faces, and for the eighth time Garnet and Mortis collided and snapped at one another. "Shut up..." Ricky hissed under his breath. His eyes strained through the darkness until something custard yellow flicked in front of his face a few times before catching alight. The murderous man had set fire to his hair ribbon. At least it cast a bit more light. Ricky surged forward, tripped on a rock-like thing on the floor and cried out as something snapped. His breath came in fast, short bursts. Moving the burning ribbon showed he had managed to break his ankle bad enough for the bone to break the skin. Great. That wouldn't go down well. Those still standing exchanged glances. Now what?

Garnet was not happy. He smelled of rotting flesh, he had a stupid idiot of a healer latched onto his shoulder and shaking his whole body with every hop. There was a cold breeze and thick, black hair was blowing in his eyes. He preferred being dead to being Franz' lapdog.

Mortis found his eyes drawn to a door with familiar markings. He wasn't at all sure where he had seen them before. Perhaps in a dream. He gripped the handles of the door and pulled, and found it was locked. He pushed and the door groaned against his feathery weight. He gestured for his boyfriend to come over, who was much weightier, and they rattled the doors. They still had no clue what they were supposed to be doing, so checking every room would be a good idea. Hiro was crouched over the dead body of a Necromancer killed a few years ago by Melancholia, which was why neither man expected the shadows to suddenly slam through the door and stab everyone in the room.

Wood went everywhere. That was the first thing Mortis noticed. A large piece had splintered into his right eye and he fell back. He didn't see the shadow tentacles shoot out, but he sure did feel it stab through his belly and slice his spine as it burst out of his back. His feet no longer brushed against the floor and he could already feel himself passing out.

Jayden screamed when the door exploded, but his scream was cut short and turned to a pained, choked gurgle. The shadow stabbed him through the throat and he felt his life slipping away from him...

Hiro brought up a wall of shadows to protect himself, and the tentacle bounded off, hovered opposite him a moment and tried to strike again. He fought valiantly to protect himself, but finally his panic took hold, he made a mistake, the tentacle sliced across his face and he screamed.

Ricky and Garnet had no time to react, and both screamed, Richard's howls of pain mixing with Garnet's screams of fear. All men were on their knees. Hiro was sure his nose was hanging on by just one scrap of flesh. Mortis was hyperventilating. He could see inside the room now. There was a crib-like thing, full of straw, on a star drawn into the ground, which was surrounded by sigils and glowing blue. For some reason the only thing he could think of was a Christmas carol. Dust fell onto his head. He was bent double in pain, so his long hair hid his pained face, but looking up he saw the cracks in the ceiling. Hyperventilation got worse.

Oh god He thought, this is it. I'm going to die. And for the first time in a very long time, Mortis cried out of sorrow and fear, tears trickling down his face. He was not yet aware of the state of Jay. He just knew the ceiling was about to fall on him...

Five men trapped underground, under dirt and brick and metal. Alive or dead? Dead or alive? Who knows? What ever will happen?

((I EXPECT TO BE SHOUTED AT

HEY GUYS, TOMORROW, THE 11TH, IS MY BIRTHDAAAAAY! I'LL BE OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE IN ENGLAND!))

1 comment:

  1. WHAT

    NO

    WHY

    WHOWHATWHEREWHENWHYHOW

    WAIT, WHAT?

    [Suspense music]

    [Screaming]

    [Question marks]

    [Glitter]

    ((Happy birthday in advance, and have fun driving!))

    ReplyDelete