Short stories & poems

Oh, this again. I can’t believe someone did that. __ __ I look around, seeing nobody. Then, slowly and delicately do the hand flip that frees me from the very, very accurate rope I was tied with. How basic and boring. __ __ Kidnappers these days must be reading old thriller books to do their job the old and simple way. They are either foolish or do not care if their prey break away. Probably neither, but roger that. __

With my hands I free my mouth from this BDSM whatever thing that was in my mouth and drag myself to the door.

A simple wooden door. _Seriously? _I pull the pin from my hair so I can use it for my rescue. Click. Done.

Silently opening the door I pull out of my knives hidden in my boots and go for a hunt.

Hello, my kidnapper, let’s switch places.

The howling wind chilled my bones, sending shivers straight down to my core. I walked both slowly and without hesitation across the icy lake.

The devil swirled the waters beneath me, and I could see it stirring like the wind below the thin layers of snow.

I tugged at my hat, keeping it firmly on my head. I could feel the blue shards of ice creeping up my fingers and into my hands. I tottered on the ice, careful not to make too heavy a step and crack the ice. It was already creecking and bending below me.

The deep blue heart of the lake felt an eternity away as the cold ripped through me furiously. At times, I found myself taking large, strained steps forwards and ending up having only moved further back.

Mama was almost out of time. I could feel it.

My cheeks burned a hot pink against the white winters screams. And I felt a tear fall onto my cheek and freeze instantly.

Dangerously dazzling flakes of snow surrounded me as I finally reach Mama. She was treading slowly, catching the fever of the storm. I called out in a hoarse voice, but my cries were drowned out by the thickness of falling snow.

I tried to get up to the edge of the icy hole where the water splashed up from, creating spearheaded waves of fright, but the fragile ice broke with only a toe’s pressure.

“Mama!” I cried. But there was no use in crying. I could see her exhaustion in the way her frozen joints scraped against each other with each dying movement.

I looked around frantically for anything that might be of help. But all I could see was wild white turning dark.

“Mama! Hold on!” I screeched. My eyes darted up and down, what to do, what to do?

Suddenly, in fit of panic, I did the only thing I could possibly think of doing— I broke the ice.

With one desperate stomp of my foot, I broke away the ice at the edge of the hole. I continued doing this, slowly backing my way towards the edge of the lake. Mama followed me, ice dripping from her hair and eyelashes.

About 30 meters away, I hit a wet patch and fell. And I would have been fine had I not been purposefully trying to break the ice before. A large crack I had made split out from under me. The water envolped my whole body in one large gulp.

Instantly, I saw shocked by the pang of the cold. I opened my mouth to gasp for air, but all that came in was the half frozen water.

I thrashed to the surface, coughing and crying as I desperately tried to stay above the waves.

I hooked my arm around the slick edge and used all my might to break it off. I continued, dragging Mama’s hardened, limp body along with me. It took all of my strength and a great deal of blood to break away the sharp edged ice. But we made it.

Mama and I did make it.

I hauled her frozen body up out of the lake and dragged her along through the snow and back to our cabin.

My whole body was blue and half my fingers and toes had been frozen off, but it was nothing compared to Mama.

Pops hopelessly tried to breathe life back into her lungs. We set her down by the fire and wrapped her up in all our blankets. And as I dumped hot water on her purple skin, she sizzled and steamed but didn’t wake.

We worked effortlessly through the night until Dr Mayfield could arrive in the morning only to pronounce Mama dead.

I hadn’t any tears left to cry for her then. I’d used them all up in the lake. So I just sat besides Mama and Pops, staring blankly into the fire.

It took the next thirty years for me to be able to remember that frightful night. And for those thirty years of darkness I am greatful. But I’ll always wonder now, why did Mama jump on the ice? Pops had warned us to be careful. That lake hadn’t frozen over fully yet. And Mama had even reminded me not to step on the ice that night. She’d said it was going to be a Hell of a storm. And look just how right she was.

“Hand it over, now!” is being yelled at me as I’m backed into a wall. Three officers surrounded me, and each yell something to me. Me ears are ringing as I tighten my arms to my chest. The thing that I’m holding is a plant. It’s one of the last plants in our society. I’ve keep this plant for so long and was trying to plant it, but I got caught. “Give us the plant now!” I shake my head no, and tears start to pour out my eyes. The officers all look at each other, then stare me down. “I’ll give you to the count of three.” I shake my head and look down. “One.” “No.” “Two.” “No!” “Three.” “NO!” Two of the officers slam my body into the wall, as one grabs the plant between my hands. I cry out but I know nothing is going to stop them. The officer throws the plant on the floor, as I’m crying and begging them to stop. “Kill her.” “NO, I’M SORRY PLEASE.” The main officer walks away leaving me and the other two. “I’m sorry please.” I’m out of breath, and hang my head low. “Please” Bang! My body collapses on the floor, and the plant and my hand touch. The officers walk away, and leaves me and my plant behind.

Roots and the vines of the plant wrap and grow on my body.

My body is covered with flowers, vines, and branches for everyone to see. I’m the plant and it is me.

Walking across the dock, I step in a small splotch of blood, Accidentally smearing it I wash my foot off in the cold mossy lake, I spot a body floating in the water, I slowly back away,

My heart beating so fast, I start to feel nauseous, Sirens beeping, Police cars racing towards me, Anxious I try to sit down,

Only to find my foot misplaced, I fall back but luckily catch myself, A hand wraps around my leg pulling me into the lake, Moments after, I die, floating across the water, I finally realized it was me who died before, Just reliving my death,

Imperial blue eyes stared off into the coming rooms, watching the world pass as all she did was ponder. Ponder all the truths. All the lies. All the specs of reailty she once believed, crushed in moments of guilt.

Such a mistake she couldn’t forget. A mistake the woman was forced to accept, chained down to fully acknowledge her actions. Regardless of the amount of times it has replayed within her mind. Regardless of the exact moment it occurred. The look in his eyes that night, the look one would expect to see upon a child, one who just faced the harsh realities of life. That was the look he gave. Eyes wide, tears drawn as they dragged down his face. Coating his beautifully placed freckles in liquids she wished would never dear touch them. His lips trembled in abandonded desires, wanting to exclaim any form of speech and yet he denied it. Gasping in deafening solitude as all she could do was watch.

It was no hassle to picture the whole scene. Streams of crimson painting her shoes, as if she always wore a red pair. A wide gaze piercing her soul as blue iris’ were unable to look away from her own. Even the smell lived within her, a mixture of iron and… him. The smell of freshly baked pastres, ones that always consisted jelly - those were his favourite after all - resided inside her system. Strange comfort came from it, as if a part of him was always with her but such a thought felt wrong. It felt like the interpretation wasn’t for her anymore.

“He was the only one that believed in me..” she mumbled, marching down the halls in shakey strides. Against all, she held her head high and yet her eyes were glued upon the grounds. Stone floors, cracked in all sides, bearing the steps of many. She couldn’t help but stare at her hands, delicate and slim fingers, always cold to the touch. Thats what he remarked all the time, still clutching on. The feeling of his fingers intertwined with hers never left, nor the one of when she held the dagger that night.

The glass vial lay shattered on the floor. Glass shards still remain, piercing my hand. blood is dripping down my finger tips. my breath begins to catch in my lungs as i reach for my heart. i can hear it pumping in my brain. over and over and over again. bump, bump, bump. my vision becomes blurry and the taste of the vile liquid is now apparent in my throat. do you feel remorse? reading the words of my final moments. the moment your actions have led to? you. did. this. how does it feel? can you also feel the glass, taste the poison, hear the beat? my legs become weak. i stumble to the floor. landing on the glass and my other hand now becoming riddled with shards. i look up. i can no longer make out shapes, but i can see the light. the shine of the light that hangs from my ceiling. a dim warm hue. warm like you. my head hits the floor and my eyes are blurry once more. now from tears. they trickle down the sides of my face. i reach to wipe them, only smearing the blood from my hands across my cheeks. glass reminants find a home in my flesh. the light is dimmer now. almost distance. the beating has slowed and the taste watered down with my saliva. this is it. i close my eyes. welcoming, i breathe my last and final harsh breath. inhaling the imaginary sweet scent of you and exhaling the imaginary relationship between us.

It was a dark, windy night, and the wind howled through the trees, sending a shiver down my spine, when Ashly decided to play hide and seek. “Let’s play hide and seek! It’ll be fun.” She said right before she decided to be the seeker. I didn’t have much choice but to hide, considering that was the point of the game.

 I was hiding right behind a tree, just playfully waiting for Ashly to find me. I was getting tired after twenty minutes went by and I didn’t hear anything so I decided to go out of my hiding place until I heard someone stepping on a branch. “It must be her,” I quickly said as I decided to continue playing the game so I hid behind a bush. Just waiting for her to walk past me. Only, it wasn’t her that walked past. “Since when did Ashly wear big shoes?” I asked myself. “When did she have a husky body?” I also asked myself. It wasn’t then when I realized that the person I wasn’t seeing wasn’t Ashly. It was a man that I had never recognized before. Not only did I not know the man, I didn’t know the sharp object he was holding in his hands, that was dripping red. 

 That’s when I realized that i wasn’t playing for Ashly’s benefit, no I was playing for mines. For my life. The man was dragging something behind him, it seemed to be a lifeless body. Although it wasn’t Ashly’s, it was someone else. When the man walked past me I decided to stay in my position, hiding, and watching. Until I heard Ashly calling my name. No, she was yelling my name, as loud as she could. “Why Ashly? Why? Not now, please not now,” I begged as I saw the man turn around and see if he could locate where the yelling was coming from. “Come out Natasha, I’m tired of searching for you. Just hurry up, I want to go eat,” she yelled. And just then was when the mysterious man realized there wasn’t only one young girl in this forest, there was two..

 The man walked away seeming as if he wants to hide the body he has and track down his next target. When he walked far enough that I couldn’t hear him, I ran. I ran, and I ran as fast as I could. Not to get home, no, but to find my friend before the man found her. “There you are,” Ashly laughed as I ran up to her. I tried to shush her but she wouldn’t stop talking. “What are you doing?” She asked as she seemed to get mad now. “Be quiet, we’re not alone in this forest,” I whispered starting to feel nervous. “Well no duh, there’s animals, and trees here, and-.” I made her stop talking when I felt as if someone was coming. I dove both of us in the bushes that was right beside us. My heart was pounding, my head was aching and I was getting more colder then the second. “What was that for?” Ashly started to say before I covered her mouth and pointed. In the distance there was a man that was around his forty’s looking around. “So?” Ashly whispered. I made her head turn downward to see the sharp blade dripping in a liquidity substance. She figured out what it was quite quick and looked at me in horror. The man seemed to make eye contact with us and held up a number three and a zero. “What does that mean?” Ashly asked abruptly as the man closes his eyes with his hands as he turns around and puts his face to the tree. “What does that mean?” Ashly asks again, but this time her voice was more shaken. “He’s playing hide and seek with us..” “He’s what?” Ashly asked as she locker eyes with me. I quickly got up waisting no time, and Ashly followed me. 

 I looked at her and the unspoken words registered in Ashly’s mind. We have to get away before he spots us. Me and Ashly made a run for it. We passed so many trees that all looked the same. As we was running we saw the murderer staring at us, just smiling as we run for our lives. 

“We had ten more seconds before he will try to kill us,” I thought as my heart raced a lot more faster then it should.

 Ashly decided to hide in another bush while I decided to hide in a hollow log. It was damp and wet but I had to make it do. When five minutes go by I hear the man’s footsteps come closer and closer. It stopped inbetween me and Ashly’s hiding spot. The murderer seemed to scoff as if he’s disappointed in us, as if we could’ve done any better. The man said, “I’ll give you girls one more chance, make this worth my while. If not..” he seemed to trail off as he walked in the same direction where he came from. I thought he didn’t actually know where we was and was just talking out loud. Ashly, however, didn’t decided to stay to find out. She started to run, not even waiting for me but it didn’t take me long to catch up to her. She was running to the street.

Right before we were able to make it to the road we saw a man smoking a cigarette. “Please sir, there’s someone looking for us,” Ashly whispered in a yelling voice. “Yeah he’s in the woods,” I joined in. The man holding a cigarette turns to us and raises an eyebrow as if we’re lying. “Please he’s right there call the cops,” Ashly whined as she started to cry. The man starts to walk away so me and Ashly decided to follow him. For some reason he was walking in the forest. I felt my hairs for up but I thought it was just because of the cold. The man turns back to face us when he makes it deep into the forest. “Looks like you missed two, didn’t you?” He asks. “Huh?” I asks back confused, but then I realized, he wasn’t talking to us, no he looked past us, above us.

 Just then I heard a gargled sound coming from right next to me. I turn to see what it was and it was Ashly, she had knife in her chest, blood ran down from her mouth and from her fatal wound. I try to run, and I try to scream but I didn’t get to far when I felt something dig into my back and out of my chest. I see the man that we followed into the woods light another cigarette. “Well, now we got all of them, ain’t that right brother?” The original killer asked right behind her. “Sure did,” the man in front of her said as he nodded his head. “Sure wished we could’ve kept one alive, especially this one, she’s real pretty..”

I crawl through the dirt, the mist and grime. On hands and knees I creep ever closer to the great mosolium. I castle of death, centered around this vast and full cemetary. The stench of death perfectly mixed with the moisture of the air assaults my nose, overwhelming as it is, I continue on. Crawling passed graves and crypts. Each looking ancient and forgotten, dirty and barely legible. I see the faint glow of candles and I can feel my journey reaching its climax. I feel the presence of the great castle, the sense of a looming tomb, the home of death himself.

I think and reflect on my life, knowing all I know very well many end here. My wife, my daughter. I find strength to my resolve and continue on, I have to make it back to them. I cannot let them win like this. I recite my speech in my head like a mantra, it’s short but to the point. A simple request of Death. To return to the land of the living, my time can’t be up so soon. I can’t lose my family, abandon my family like this. I feel warmth trickle down my face while I crawl onward. The tears cloud my vision but I follow the candlelight, blurred as it may be. The impending feeling of the castle is so powerful, so potent in the air I could get there blind at this point. I briefly shift my attention to the headstones lining the great walkway, how many of these poor souls made this journey? How many actually convinced Death for a second chance? Is this all for naught? I shake my head trying to convince myself there is hope for me, I can’t give up without even trying to get back. I pause a moment to steady myself, calm my breathing, wipe my tears and then I continue on my knees. 

I reflect on my conversation with the gatekeeper, that hooded man that guided me to this journey. Remembering his words so clear it’s inspiring me to continue on. On bloody knees I move on towards the blurred candlelight, picturing my family in my mind to motivate me through to pain and sorrow. To see this journey to its end. To embrace my family once more.** **The man at the gate told me this would be my eternal resting place, to sleep here at peace just as each soul the passed has before me. I remember how desperate my pleas to return were, how pathetic I must have come across. But he reassured me all the same, I was not the first, I will not be the last and to seek an audience with Lord Death. To show humbleness and crawl to the very heart of his domain, his castle amongst the dead. I mustn’t stand, for that would be seen and rude and I surely would never see this journey end, my fate would be eternal walking to a place I could never reach. But if I stay true and crawl the entirety of the journey, he would see me, listen and judge fairly. He watches over the dead, the souls laid to rest, ensures they are cared for and at peace, but if a soul cannot find peace in death, and they approach him with respect and humility, he gives them a chance to plea their case to find true peace. Even rarely granting a second chance at life for those taken too soon.

Suddenly and immediate the mist begins to disapate, I can’t recall how much time has passed now, how long I’ve been crawling towards this place. But with now clear eyes I see rising above me, so high and grand I cannot make out the top. I see a grand staircase lines with ornamental bones, bejeweled and beautiful. Handrails made of femurs, interlaced tibias make the frame for the handrails. Each end post adorned with a pure white skull with sunken and black eye sockets. They do not frighten me, but give an aura of peace, of welcoming. As if inviting me to join them here forever. I shake the feeling and begin climbing the great stairs on my knees, the icy cold steps burn my raw knees. I hadn’t realized how accustomed to the jagged and sharp gravel walkway I’d become until now. The steps seem as if they rise too heaven itself and I feel my body growing weary, begging me for a break. yet I don’t give in, I am so close now, I can’t afford to take breaks. I shake my head and steady my resolve to continue forward, continue my assent to Death. 

It feels as if hours have passed up these stairs, and on they go. I feels my legs wanting to give out, my body wants to fail me. Yet I press on, pausing only for a moment’s rest. This has to be a test of some sort, a proof of my devotion to this task. I must see it through, I cannot waiver. My thoughts race only to continue to convince myself of this, to refuse to accept defeat here. I’ve come entirely too far to quit, to rest, to lose. And just as I feel myself stopping, as I feel at my limit, I see just a few steps above lays a grand door. “I’m here”, I weep, as I hurriedly climb the remaining steps.  Pausing to calm my breath, calm my nerves and prepare myself to meet Death. As I try to steady myself I finally realize I can smell a comfortable and familiar smell. the smell of my wife’s cooking, of our fireplace roaring and I swear I can even hear my daughter’s laugh. I feel tears begin to stream down my cheeks, overwhelmed with joy but suddenly ruined by the realization that they cannot be here, that I’ve made this journey to return to them back on Earth, not here in Death’s domain. Without drying my eyes I stand and grasp the heavy brass doorknob. I turn it and the door gives way, opening to a cold and dark hall, a throne stands at the far end of the room, and I hear his voice. “Welcome to my home. You’ve certainly earned your audience with me. Passing my trials, my tests, and holding true to your mission. Please come in and speak with me.” I step one foot into the cold room before it bursts into warm candlelight. Chandiliers lining the ceiling come alive with fire and I can see the beauty, the intricate design work of each molding, each groove in the hardwood floors, the walls lined with art I’ve never imagined possible. For a moment I am completely awe struck. How can a place so full of loss and death be so unimaginably beautiful? 

I step slowly into the hall, nervous steps echoing across the room. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, nerves so inhumanity alive knowing I will be face to face with Death in but a moment. The walk through the hall is short compared to the journey to took to get here, I almost try and slow my pace to procrastinate the meeting, to calm myself before gazing upon him. I see his figure, massive and grand. Adorned with a beautiful black cloak, a hood obscuring his face. All the legends and storybooks describe him as a skeleton the very end stage of our bodies. But mere feet from him now I can assure that is anything but true. His face is mine, identical to me in every way, his face is my wife’s and my daughters and everyone’s. I cannot put into words to describe him beyond that, a calm comfort washes over me as I see each loved one’s eyes stare back at mine. Not a shapeshifter mind you, more a void filled by memories. A void in a humanoid body. A reflection of life.

I bow deeply upon reaching him, awaiting his acceptance of my virtue. “Rise my dear fellow, rise and speak your story. How may I be of service to you?”. I whimper, the thoughts race, reflecting on my journey, reflecting on my mission. Reflecting to my family and my life. Each memory flashes before me, so fast I can’t enjoy it, there is no time to savor each beloved memory. “Please sir, you have to send me back. I have to go back to my family, they need me!” I beg, mustering the strongest voice my wreck of a body can muster. “Please”. I pause and await his response, yet no words come out. I look into his void of a face, at each of my loved ones faces reflected back at me, and sob. My voice cracks, as tears fall yet again. “Please, won’t you say something?!”. There is a pause broken by a deep sigh, “You’ve come so far, fought through pain, exhaustion, and maintained your resolve all this way. But you do not remember dear boy. You cannot remember for my kiongdom won’t allow it. Here all souls lay to rest, souls broken, battered, exhausted. Those are the ones you’ve seen on your journey here. Restless spirits, that this land allows peace, allows them to forget what keeps them clinging to life. And you’ve made it all the way here and deserve answers before it is your turn to rest.” Shocked and angry I yell, “I was told you could send me back! I don’t want to forget my family so I can just sleep for eternity!”. Another pause before he replies, “look into my eyes, and you will remember what brought you here”. I look into his void, my family’s faces disappear, only blackness, nothingness until a light shines. Suddenly I feel guilt, overwhelming guilt. This is it, the memory, the moment that lead to my death. The moment that lead me here. 

I watch through horrified eyes at the lifeless bodies of my wife and daughter. Killed in the car accident I caused. “I was distracted!” I cry out. But the memory continues. Watching as I turn right without fully checking, distracted by my favorite song on the radio, by my daughter’s voice singing along to it. Then blackness fades as I loose consciousness, hit, T-boned by a semi-truck. The memory comes back with me being gurnied away by the paramedics. Begging to know if my family is okay, while I see them being zipped into body bags. The last time I ever got to see their beautiful faces. Then blackness again. Recovering in the hospital with ease physically, because somehow I left the wreck with some cuts and a fractured rib. But the guilt was overwhelming. I went to grief counseling, to therapy, to drinking. Nothing helped. Nights I’d lay away, haunted by that memory, by that scene. The booze helped me sleep but only because I’d pass out. Until finally I slipped the noose around my neck to join them. I survived a whole year in hell, in my own self torture. Racked by guilt, self loathing and self hatred. An accident, but it was still my fault. 

“No..” I sob as I fall to my knees, the memories clear in my head. Quietly I weep to myself, bloody knees on the once again cold floor. The lights have dimmed and gone out now. Death stands from his throne and kneels beside me. “It was not your fault, being distracted is a lie you convinced yourself a long time ago. Surviors guilt they say. But that truck driver was high. He barreled into your car while you were safely stopped at a red light. The memories you saw just now were those that haunted you this whole time, but not the truth. Your untimely end however was real, and it brought you to me. Looking for them. Alas you cannot find them here, but you may rest with the memories of them, the happy and joyful ones. You’ll forget the loss and finally be at peace.” His voice soft and calming now. He extends his hand and I take it. Together we walk outside to see the vastness of his kingdom. And quietly we walk down the steps, now significantly shorter a trip. He guides me to my plot, my new home. Another resident of the kingdom of Death.

Sight: My vision is blurry, as I see sea animals swim past my body. As I keep sinking down, the sunlight starts disappearing and I start to see nothing.

Hear: My ears are bubbling and I can hear the ocean water swishing around my body. Animals keep getting closer and I can hear the bubbles popping from their mouths.

Touch: I can feel the animals smooth skin as they pass between my hands. The water is pulling my body down, and grass and dirt start to cover my legs.

Taste: My mouth is filled with the salty water, and it’s flowing through my body. I can taste dirt and sand as I slowly open and close my mouth. My tongue knows this taste is wrong, and tells me to throw up but I don’t listen and continue to swallow the water.

Smell: I can’t smell a lot, when my body hit the water, it immediately rushed in my nose. Seaweed, sand, and salt are the only things that faintly come around.

A tremble dances down my spine. The water laps at my toes, sending an unpleasant chill throughout my body. Is it the cold? Is that why they consider this to be terrifying? I turn my head toward the bright sand, twinkling under the radiant sun, utterly vacant. The wind kisses my cheeks and plays with my hair. i take a step into the water. Cold. And yet, i do not walk away. I do not run, or cower, i do not feel an inch of fear. The water sploshes up my legs as my feet venture deeper into the blue. Dunking my head beneath, tranquility washes over me. The world is silent. My mind is silent. And for once in my life, I feel at peace. Perhaps it is not the ocean itself people fear, but the silence.