The Outsiders

The Outsiders: Chapter One

Khristopher De Caldwick

Once nightfall reigned over the grim castle, I was anything but asleep.

Careful not to wake anyone, I withdrew myself from the red silk comforter of my bed. Pulling on my nightly slippers, my cloak, and my thick linen gloves, I keenly opened the door. Walking through the hollow hallways, I foresaw all of my steps and calculated every one of my actions. I tried my hardest to breathe as silently as I could.

             Though many of the mortal sort came up with the strangest of tales of my people, one I could never forgive them for was the one of our sleep cycle. My people, myself included, indulged in the subtle tranquility slumber brought. Even so, I had something much better in mind as I crept through the uncrowded corridors.

             As soon as I neared the exit archway, I booked it out of the brick-walled, Gothically glorified castle. Though my steps were unpredictable, the nightly guards only shifted my direction with a groggy glimmer in their eyes.

            Pasture brushed against my legs as I sprinted through the barren field. Pushing myself, I bolted towards the small wooden shed. Covered in vines and verdure, the small home brought a smile to my face. Emanating such an authoritative mien, the large wooden entrance called for me. As soon as my fingers brushed the un-sanded door, it flew open to expose two smiles I craved to see.

            "I see your brother hasn't driven you away." Sonia smirked my way, opening her arms.

            Running towards her, I sigh into her thin, piney arms. Sonia's hair was in loose brunette curls, falling just above her navel, with streaks of grey interspersed through the crown of her head. Shimmering with a golden glitter in the dull moonlight, her skin was a deep olive tone. With small moles of all sorts interspersed on her symmetrical face, her perfectly hooked nose, and a lively blush on her cheeks, there wasn't anything uninteresting about her face. Piercing black eyes stared down at me with a knowing look. Though she was ninety years younger than me, she advised me like a mother.

            "Feel free to join us anytime, Toe."

            Looking towards her familiar sultry voice, my smile grew wider.

             Cherry red hair was straight, falling over her oval face in a short style just below her ears. Her eyes were like mine — without eyelids — except hers were a vibrant yellow compared to the plum of mine, with long red eyelashes lining her waterline. Rosy and vibrant, the ever-present blush on her round cheeks matched her red-centered look. Draped around her shoulders was a garment I had never seen before: made of red fabric. It wrapped around her torso. The sleek red cloth accented her complexion and her curvy figure. She too was younger than me — eighty-nine years apart — but she comforted me like any parent would.

             Toasheh placed a hand on my shoulder with a warm smile. The constant buzzing of her translucent wings flapping was just as evident as it was the last time I had visited.

            "Tea?"

            As Sonia let me go, I quickly accepted Toasheh's signature herbal berry and mint tea. Soothing my tensed muscles, the tea was a remedy I had missed though it had only been four days since my last visit.

           The wooden walls were covered in plants of multiple shades dangling from the ceiling and doorway to the bathroom. Small, fixated flowers had a bioluminescence to them as they worked like a chandelier, spreading light through the small shed. All of the furniture was made with a mixture of wood and magic, creating a distinct environment I loved. Removing my cloak, I rested against the wall, warming myself with tea and the warmth of the small shed.