“Jessalyn! Wait!” His gravelly voice sounded over the market place, making the stylish customers as well as the traders turn their heads. Jessalyn, dressed in her best gown, rushed through the stands. These colorful compositions filled with gleaming fruits and exotic-smelling herbs usually never left her in the cold. But as Rahim was still shouting her name, Jessalyn wanted nothing more than to disappear into thin air. Careful not to trip over the hem of her dress, she grasped onto the long cotton skirt, lifting it slightly. As Rahim made his way through the crowd, trying to catch up to her, Jessalyn rushed into a small alley. The grey cobblestones slowed her down, while the narrowness made her uncomfortable. “Jessa! Please, I can explain,” Rahim’s voice almost trembled, if it’s from exertion or pain, Jessalyn would never know. She came to a halt, turned around and stifled a groan. His otherworldly beauty made it way too difficult for her to say what needed to be said, hence, she hesitated for a moment, scanning his body. His dark curls sat perfect as always while his dark eyes emitted sorrow. ”You. You hurt me, Rahim. You’ve caused me so much pain, yet the love I feel for you blinds me of it!” Rahim’s jaw dropped, the seconds ticked by. Jessalyn felt her blood creep up her face, embarrassed by the words she had expressed. “Jessa…” Rahim gritted his teeth, afraid of what ridiculous admission might slip out of his mouth. Yes, he loved her and being away from her killed him every time, but he still had his pride. He was the prince, not some fool who was blinded by love. He and Jessalyn, they could never have a future together, as much as he wished it was different. “Jessa…,” he mumbled quietly, “I…” Jessalyn huffed in disbelief, turned around and started to walk away. A strong hand grabbed her wrist. “Jessalyn. I am terribly sorry for everything I have done to you, but…” Rahim did not know what to say, how to express his love and his pain. Jessalyn turned to face Rahim, tears welling up in her eyes. Rahim’s heart skipped a beat, only to palpitate even faster after a second. This woman, this stunning person, she meant so much to him. Too much, even. In that moment, seeing Jessalyn like this… he lost the ability to think rationally. In one flowing motion, he pulled her tight and pressed his lips on hers. This kiss, just like all the other stolen ones, shook his world. He was utterly hers and nothing else mattered. After a split second, Jessalyn pulled away. “I am not just some strumpet you can kiss whenever you want, Rahim. I have feelings,” she chided, crushing Rahim’s euphoria to smithereens. Jessa grabbed her skirt and continued her escape. Her heart ached with every step she took, but succumbing to his charm again was no option. A prince and his maid, this match was never made in heaven.
[Note: I am not a native speaker and in this story I tried to use some advanced expressions, I hope I used them correctly ^^ My goal is to write advanced stories but there is still a long way to go haha Also, I kind of got confused with the tenses, I hope I didn’t make any mistakes. Thanks for feedback ~Lee]
Cute. You. Are cute. What’s happening to me, Why am I feeling weird? The only thing I see, My vision cleared, You, my dear, You are right here. My gaze meets yours, The time endures, Palpitating heart, Feelings like a dart, My stomach rumbling, My fingers fumbling, A shiver down my spine, I want to make you mine. Mine. You. Are mine.
Watching the cars, Driving so fast, Rushing and small, With lights ‘cause it’s dark.
I’m admiring the lights, From up in the heights, Tiny people in haste, I’m not seeing a face.
The moon starts to shine, Wolfes start to whine, I’m up above high, Just watching the sky.
Silence up here, The night’s super clear, Down everything’s fast, They’re having a blast.
Enjoying the quiet, Of staying in private, I love this place, And it’s slowing pace.
I’m up above high, Enjoying the night.
Another day, Beginning slow. Chilling in my cave, Damn, I’m brave. Echoeing roars, Following amores. Gaining weight, Having food, Irresistable taste. Joining my friends, Killing some bugs, Laughing in defense, Marking my spots, Nourishing plants, Organic ants, Pissing in trees, Quaking in breeze Rolling in grass Shaking my fur, Teasing a stir. Us in enclosures, Valleys of visitors, We’re the exposures. X has a value, You know we don’t, ‘cause Zoos are boos.
Whistling the tune stuck in my mind, I jauntily sway down the stairs, ignoring the ginormous spiderwebs which are dangling along the walls. After months of sleeping under bridges and in public buildings, I can finally enjoy living in a home all for myself. How I was that lucky? An old man used to talk to me as his source of happiness (not to be conceited, but my jokes made him laugh!!), and for some reason his testament attributed his house solely to me. Well, he didn’t have any family, but it’s still an enormous act, especially for someone like me.
The door of the basement I was never in before creaks as I open it. I stop the whistling. Even though I spent years with getting tough to survive alone, I am still scared of darkness. Therefore, I switch on the massive torch I had brought with me. On the streets it also used to be my only weapon, my best friend against everything evil. Not only once did it save me!
My eyes wander around the dark room. Furniture, lots of boxes, lots of spiderwebs again, and… My gaze falls onto something glittery. A book is laying in the middle of the floor, the cover is showing a pink elf and a… unicorn? I walk towards it and pick it up from the ground. Why would a book like this lay around here? The Lettering says ‘diary’. For a second I want to put it away, I mean, diaries are a very private matter, but then my curiosity wins.
‘11/11/2011: Dear Diary. Today is my birthday. Dad gave me this book, he said I write good. He called me his princess. I am 8 years now. Your Ellie. 20/11/2011: I hate myself, i dont want to live.’ The last entry is followed by the drawing of a skull.
I audibly gasp, caused by my accidentally held breath. The following pages are only worse. The little girl is talking about suicide and also… abuse. Her innocent descriptions of something evil her dad has done to her are paired with drawings. I turn and turn the pages, unable to stop reading about cruelties. As I reach the next page, my shock turns into fear. Something dark, probably red, is splattered over drawings of bodys and skulls. Something red, could it be… blood? My heartbeat fastens, I was by far not ready for this found. The book is shaking in my weak hands. What happened here? Was the friendly grandpa an… abuser? Even worse, a murderer?
The book hits the ground, I pick up my torch and run. Run, as fast as I can. The door shuts loudly behind me and the spiderwebs are fluttering as I hurry up the stairs. In the kitchen I slump on the chair, running my still trembling hand through my hair. “Holy…” I murmur in disbelieve. My hand finds my phone, another gift of the old man. Back then I was so grateful, but what was the reason for his kindness? Why did he want me to live in a house in which basement a diary shows his brutalities? Was it even his? Or did he want me to figure out who ‘dad’ was? Questions over questions are overwhelming my mind.
A vibration in my hand brings me back to reality. My phone is welcoming a new notification. My heart races again, suspecting a scary message on top of all of these horror-movie-worthy events. A relieved sigh leaves my mouth. The message is from a friend who is asking me out on an ice cream date. I really need to clear my head now. A quiet voice in the back of my head suddenly whispers: ‘You should go to the police’ For fucks sake, the voice is probably right. Should I tell my friend that I don’t have time? Or should I enjoy the ice cream and shut my worries out for a while? The chair is comfortable, I should just stay here! I get up and grab my jacket. Time to think about it is what I need. I text my friend that we should meet up right now and leave the house.
My friend and I have been talking for a while, suddenly: “Hey have you heard of it? The police is searching for evidence of murder on a little girl who lived in yout area a bit ago.” My jaw drops slightly open in shock, my eyes widen. “Are you okay?” My friend asks. Am I okay? Oh my- “Sorry.. sorry, I have to go. I’ll text you. Don’t worry. Oh and I’ll pay you back for the ice cream!” I hastily get off my chair. I have to call the police. “911, what’s your emergency?” “The case with the little girl… in the house I inherited I found a diary… of a girl. The diary had pages splattered with blood.”
After answering dozens of questions and handing the diary to the police, I am back at home. Did a murderer give it to me? My questions shall be answered in not too long time.
4 weeks later
“The case is closed. We found the murderer.” I fidget with my jacket. I didn’t know the girl but the case is so terrifying, and considering that the kind man is a suspect… I don’t want to live in the house of a murderer. In the past weeks, I eschewed the basement and I tried to avoid diving too deep into the houses secrets aka drawers. I just used it as a rented place where I could eat and sleep, nothing more. “Thomas Meyers, the previous owner, had some serious drug problems. He used to feel super guilty afterwards, but when he was high… signs are showing he is the murderer, but he is dead anyways now, so…” I shut the phone down. I am going to sell this house. It was too big for me anyways.
In a dark forest, on a beautiful day in August, an astonishing creatur is about to engulf her. It’s looking quite dreadful, covered in fur, it’s eager to devour its meal, filling its stomach to heal. She screams and cries, but no one hears, she’s left alone with all her fears. Bite by bite, she disappears, All alone into the unknown.
Red. The color of passion. She urged me to wear a red dress, she told me I’d be an attention magnet. I liked what she said, I wanted to be desired. Now I am in a club. My friends left, it’s just me. People are dancing, I want to try it too but I drank too much, I can only stagger and sway. My red dress, even darker. Is it still my spilled drink or is it. I breath in sharply. A shrieking sound. “I’m coming to get you” a low pitched voice threatens. The music, muffled. The people, still dancing. Is no one hearing what I am hearing? A loud cry leaves me body. I’m huddling on the ground. Loud voices around me. “I will get you” another threat, another shriek. The next second: I’m standing up again. A man looks at me worried. I start to dance. “Don’t you see how sexy I am? In my red dress?” I’m slurring. The man is away. He wasn’t fun. Another man is touching my body through my red dress. “Let’s leave the club” I suggest and suddenly we are in his bed. Red, the color of passion. My friend was right, after all. He is about to take me. A loud shriek. Again. “Kill him.” The low pitched voice says. “Kill this man!” The low pitched voice commands. I get up, run to where I locate the kitchen. I rummag through the drawers until I finally find what I need. The man. He is behind me, looking at me with in shock opened eyes. An evil laugh leaves my body. How good to have this power. The intrusive thoughts are overwhelming. I pull up the knife and stab. And stab and stab and stab. Screams. I don’t know if they’re mine or his. Something red sprinkles on my dress. Red, the color of blood.
“Where is that book… that damn book…” A cute girl murmurs while scanning through the books stacked up in a shelf. I continue my own search. The book I am searching for is, too, an essential on my shopping list. I’m not sure if they have it here, even with the rustic look of this shop. Suddenly, my heart jumps as a slight pain rushes through my foot. A hiss escapes out of my mouth and I look up. Her eyes meet mine, her mouth opened. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” she apologizes as her cheeks take on a redish color. My lips form a smile. “No problem.” I assure. Her adorable presence is excuse enough. She turns back to the shelfes, her eyebrows narrowing in concentration immediately. “What book are you looking for?” I ask, unable to take my eyes off her existence. The cute rainbow pin on her bag, the dreamy fairy look- she looks exactly like my type. “Oh.. uhm..” she stammers. Worried that I made her uncomfortable, I add: “My name is Raven. Pronouns she/her.” She scans my look; black and red, shortish hair, paired with a dark, grunge looking outfit. “I’m Lyria. She/her. Nice to meet you.” Her sweet voice took on a polite tone, distanced but nice, making me feel rejected. Before I can ask another question, she turns towards a cashier and walks away. I feel a sting of sadness. She judged my look and decided she shouldn’t talk to me, something that seems to always happen to me. Dejected, I continue my search, as I still didn’t find what I need. I hear whispering and as only Lyria, the cashier and me are in here, I assume it is her. Great. Now she doesn’t even want me to know what book she is searching for. The cashier walks away, leaving Lyria and me alone. She breathes loudly, like a sigh, of either relief or exhaustion. “Here you go Miss, that would be 20$ please.” The cashier had returned. Curiosity overcomes me. I turn around to see what book it is. Green and black. A witch hat and a magic wand. The title: ‘Introduction to magic’ My mouth drops open in surprise. I rush to the checkout. “I need that book too!” I say, happy that I finally found it after hours of searching. “Sure, I will get one for you after she payed!” The mystic-looking cashier smiles widely and claps his hands. “Good to see many new students buying their books here, in the past months my customers mainly were boring humans!” he complains, laughing. I chuckle, only now realizing Lyria’s intense stare. I look at her. “Sorry.” she says, while blushing. “No need to apologize. It’s good that you aren’t trusting everyone right off the bat.” I reply, smiling at her. Her lips slowly turn into a beaming smile as well. The cashier clears his throat, reminding us of his presence. Lyria pays her book and the cashier rushes to get one for me, too. “How dumb we were to think that book would just stand in an ordinary book shelf!” I joke, hoping she won’t be offended. She shyly grins at me. Her eyes fall on the ancient looking grandfather clock next to us. “Oh, damn..” she mutters. “I have to go, but see you in school, yea?” she hastily adds. I nod enthusiastically. “I can’t wait!” Her pupils dilate and her mouth opens a bit, her perfect face is looking surprised. “Bye!” I add, smiling and meaning every word I said. And truly, I am excited for my first year at wizarding school. We didn’t meet for long, but she already made my heart race. Is that what people call “Love at first sight”?
