You are loved my little dove, so please don't give up. I know you're in pain and to live is such a strain, But here is the secret you must know, The pain will help you grow And grow And grow
My little dove hold on, For the pain you suffer will be long gone, And you will be stronger than before after surviving such a long and cold fall.
And when you reach the top do not fear another drop, for I will stand hold you high because you deserve to touch the sky.
Now I know why I was put on this earth, It was to love and be loved by my precious little dove.
Set in a small town in outback Australia, where everyone knows and every body and where gossip spreads like wildfire. The town consists of a grocer/post office, a small coffee shop, bookshop, police station and a barely standing community hall. The only reason the town is known to outsiders is the stunning and extensive botanical garden that brings tourists in every spring.
Twenty-five year old Karmin has lived and worked in her small town her whole life. Being the eldest of four kids Karmin often either escaped to library or the only book store in town The Book Nook. She works at the local Cafe as a barista. She almost always complements about her tattoos and how beautiful her long black hair is. She has an athletic build and is 5’6.
Karmin has been an avid book lover since she was a small child, the small local bookshop has been her escape becoming close with Aoife the owner.
One day whilst making a delivery to The Book Nook Karmin discovers a bloodied Aoife. Soon enough secrets are uncovered and the truth about Aoife’s past and what the little bookshop in her small town is hiding.
The vastness of the fields and daunting magnitude of the mountains would make anyone who come to this place feel insignificant. The sky went from a brilliant clear blue to the dark and terrifying. It wasn’t a normal storm that’s for sure, I could feel the magic it radiates, my skin instantly prickles and my senses heightened to thousand. I feel the breeze caress every hair of my body, I could smell the earth open up, I could hear the blades of grass knocking one another and the creatures lurking in the shadows ready to strike and I could already taste the blood that was about to be shed.
That sky let out and enormous crack before the giant lightening bolt hit the earth beneath. The ground shook with the intensity, purple and electrifying smoke emerge from the ground…he was coming, this was the beginning of the war to end all wars. Even with the years training and reading from birth to now, no matter if I was skilled in battle, today was different death was surely coming.
Leah my horse huffed wanting to know what the hold up was. If I’m being honest I’m stalling, I looked back over my shoulder where the army was, ten thousand strong all from different kingdoms. Each of the rulers both queen and kind alike knew now was not the time to divide but to come together.
I unfortunately was the unlucky one to be chosen for the part as messenger. My ability to use magic basically volunteered me for it, despite being told having magical abilities was ok the constant stares as well as being looked over said different. So of cause my death wouldn’t mean much, as means to end death to the freak.
Another rumbled in the ground made me look towards the smoke which now was travelling fast towards me. Leah kicked up and tried to run but thankfully my magic not only kept us in place but provided a shield from the smoke.
The smokey cloud dissipated to reveal the man himself. A warrior that looked as though he was made of marble, funnily enough he looked angelic for someone so evil. His army though no question were they evil, grotesque creatures whose growls you could here even from a hundred yards away stood ready for battle and looked what only be described as shadow creatures.
The man suddenly lifted his hand towards me and flicked his two fingers towards me as to say come here. It was now or never.
Slowly I made my way over to him keeping my guard up. Finally looking up I see his face more clearer the closer I get. Suddenly his features go from cocky to shock. There is now only metres between us.
“By the gods” he speaks as he walks closer, his voice as deep as hell itself.
“My love…it’s you” he say softly stroking my face.
“Swallow” she said, handing me a small cup with two pink pills. After swallowing them both dry I was handed a cup of water and told to move along.
It’s been three days and whatever are in those pills those nurses gave me has stopped me from feeling any emotion. Mind you emotions weren’t my strong suit anyway so I don’t feel all that different.
Walking out into the fully fenced garden I wonder over to the small hide out. I quietly find my small patch of grass, which is slowly fading from ass crushing it nearly every day, and I sit leaning against the tree and try to get comfy.
Hidden in the small crack at the base of the tree, is a small mobile phone, I quickly send a text to my boss informing about my target. The answer to whether or not he wants her dead or alive remains unclear.
<when will this be done> I ask
<You’ll have you’re answer by tonight>
Finally, spending three days in a psych ward was enough for me. I wanted out being made to talk to random strangers was not my thing, and if anyone mentions group therapy to me ever again I’ll scream.
“Anna I finally found you” said target came bounding towards me, she was the human equivalent of a golden retriever, is said retriever was high as fuck and talks to anything and everything living or not.
“Yep you found me , what can I do you for?” I ask putting on my best act to even care which was becoming less of an act. Maybe those tablets are actually working…concerning.
“It’s time to go in its dinner time” she says grabbing my hand and yanking me up. Then she does her rendition of a statue, she just stands stock still and stares with no emotion on her face, just goes blank. Happens least once a day.
An orderly sees us and asks with a thumbs up if we’re ok, apparently I’m the only one who has managed to get out of these trances.
“Hey Mace come back” I spoke softly running her arms, she slowly starts blinking and comes back with dazed smile and before I can even say anything she grabs my face and kisses me. As suddenly as it started it was over and she skipped off.
“She’s something else” the orderly said with a smirky,
“You can say that again” I responded still somewhat shocked at what just happened as well as wondering what the feeling my stomach was.
flash back
“Guilt…do you know what that feels like?” the man across from me asks,
“I’ve been told my lack of emotion is….concerning” I reply sipping my coffee. The man smiles and nods, handing me a card.
“Well I have a position that may suit you…if you’re interested” he said, I take the card and shove it in my pocket.
“Ok” I told him and shook his hand.
end
Laying in bed sleep doesn’t come easy, coming to the sudden realisation that I do in fact feel emotions, especially if someone or things is the reason for them, is shocking and annoying. Because now I know my job is going to be complicated and I hate that.
It is said that if a soul encounters a mirror shortly after death, that the poor soul will become trapped with in it forever. Well that’s what my grandmother once told me and being the typical teenager I was, rolled my eyes.
That is until right now, as I stand in front of the old 4ft mirror they previous owners left behind. Behind me is the figure of a women, dressed in an old night gown with long black hair to her waist. Her skin is pale and she looks sick, she gives me a small smile before walking off.
I quickly turn around and see nothing behind me except for the piles of boxes I have yet to unpack. Hearing a creaking noise from the mirror I turn again and just as I do it comes falling towards the ground. Quickly catching it I hear a crack, the backing of the mirror comes away and papers fall from behind it.
Gently placing the mirror on the floor I lift the backing carefully retrieve the papers. Slowly opening the first paper I realise it’s actually a bunch of letters. All addressed to my dearest love.
Seeing the tall figure hiding in the shadows would terrify any normal person but for me seeing his tall ass after ten years was both intriguing and slightly anxiety inducing.
“You know your presence scares the living shit out of normies right” I say walking to Herbert, as his watches the blue butterfly, in fascination, walking along his long skeletal fingers before fluttering off. We start heading towards my car, both of us slipping in before the rain started.
“Yes I am aware, but unfortunately your presence is needed at the castle. Things have changed since you left, and not for the better I’m afraid” he replied shifting in his seat, the more I looked him the more I noticed how unkept and tired he looked. Herbert was a gentleman in his human life always prim, proper and neatly put together, he carried that on into his undead life. But now standing before me he wasn’t the Herbert I remember.
“Herbert, how bad are things?” I ask, the annoyance I had at seeing him, turning to deep concern.
“When you left things were fine, business as usual and to be honest I would check up on you every now then and seeing you happy reinforced the decision that you in deed needed to have a normal life. But then out of nowhere, just recently, souls started to go missing from the ledger, shadows creatures started appearing and there’s this darkness that is looming and the others where trying to keep you out of it for as long as we could but Lucien has gone missing….and Lily she tried fighting off one of the creatures that started attacking the castle but she didn’t make it” tears slide from his sockets as he finished.
Anxiety started to slowly set in after years of being ok, I knew leaving and wanting nothing to do with the dark lands was something I wanted as a scared fifteen year old who struggled with excepting her abilities. But now I can tell I should have excepted my responsibilities.
“I’m starting to think the decision I made ten years ago was a mistake. I’m so sorry about Lucien and especially about Lily I know how close the both of you were” I leaned over to him and hugged his tall frame, his long boney arms wrapping around me returning my hug. After a moment we both let go giving one another a small reassuring smile.
“That decision wasn’t a mistake, every one of your ancestors we worked with was your age now and confident in their abilities. You my dear were a terrified child and we as a council…as a family should never have asked you for anything till you were ready” he replied clasping my hand in his. I let and go and started the car,
“Well I think I’m going to need some supplies before we leave” I told him, it was time no more running.
