Revelations

Chapter One

Chapter One

The sound of ravenous thunder as it chased lightning blindly across the sky was nothing more than background noise. Raindrops pattered against the window and act as her own metronome. With each drop a word. Each word a drop.

Rain wasn’t something unknown to northern California. She thought it was nice. Liked the way it smelled and how everything seemed to become so very blue. The summers were hot and humid. The rain providing a relief from the relentless heat. Many seemed perplexed. We hadn’t had a rainy summer since 1999.

A crack of thunder shook the house. A series of creaks and groans emit from the floorboards. The lamp on her nightstand rattled and she looked to the window. It’s pitch black, and she wondered why she even bothered to have the curtains open. She’s paranoid, in a way, but there was something about the way the lightning bleached the trees white so that they looked like bones, their branches claws reaching to touch the sky.

Standing up, she walked over to the window and peers out. Another flash of lightning and she slides the curtains over the window with a snap and goes back to sitting on the bed. Sighing heavily, she hits a button on the stereo, the smooth purr of some indie band leaks out of the speakers and the girl continued reading her book.

It seems like hours later but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes that a tap came from the window. She would have ignored it in any other situation, but it was peculiar in the way that it sounded louder than just a raindrop on a window. It was much too warm for hail. Sliding off the bed once again, her feet hit the cold floorboards and step cautiously towards the window. Brushing the curtains aside, a strangled gasp left her lips.

A raven with wings like ebony stands outside the window. 

Her eyes flickered to the raven’s. Maybe it was just the light. Maybe she was just up much too late - Grandma always said that she got loopy when she had no sleep - But a feeling in her gut told her that it wasn’t just a trick of the light or the mind because the raven had red eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. Crimson like blood and fire.

Snapping the curtains shut, she stumbled back to the bed, being sure to tug the covers up farther this time. Her mind was less than sharp at the moment - more a butter knife than a machete - maybe she was just going crazy. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the book. Books always got her mind off of things. She needed them – the distraction.

She couldn’t quite process what was going on in the novel. She was too distracted. Her eyes kept drifting towards the window and when she heard the loud ‘smack’ against it, she’s sure she’s going have a heart attack. Her head swiveled on my neck. There’s no way in hell that that’s just her hearing things.

She has half a mind to run from the room screaming and grab her grandmother’s life alert thingy. Yeah sir, there was something trying to get into my room.

You’re on the second story, moron.

Gulping, she inched towards the door. She could make a mad dash if she needed to. Crystalline eyes flickered from the window to the door as the lock clicked open and a burst of air rushes in. A scream builds up in her throat but it can’t quite get itself out, and she ends up sounding more like a duck than anything. 

And as the black shape falls through the window with a thump, all she can think is, I’m going to die.

The window slammed shut with the sound of the rush of wings on wind and her hands were shaking so hard that she felt like she could fall apart. It’s like an earthquake bursting from her fingertips and riddling her whole body like a 8.9 on the Richter scale.

The light goes out.

The shape stood up, at least she thinks it does, and morphed into a shape that resembles a human.

This is it.

This is the end.

The light from the lightning caught on his eyes and it’s that red again. At least, she’s assuming that it’s a ‘he’. From the outline of his body and the way the light turned his hair to silver.

She might as well get a glimpse of her killer before she dies, so she feebly reached out to flick the light switch. Pale hands fumble in the dark, slapping against the wall helplessly until she finally gets it and the whole room illuminates.

And if she had to say anything, she was surprised.

She was right in saying it was a ‘he.’ Her eyes were still adjusting to the sudden brightness so she’s only able to distinguish some features. He had pale skin and eyes like obsidian. A strong jaw and a lean body. He was all contrast. Dark hair and eyes, light skin, slim but long.

That’s just my luck. My soon-to-be murderer was hot.

He seemed disoriented, which confused me and the sudden movement of his body – like a snake – over to the nightstand and slammed down on the stereo like it was some pesky bug. The crunch and slur of words make her mouth gape open. Her eyes shift between him and the machine and she half shrieked, half whispered, “What the hell are you doing?”

He looked at her like he’s only just now noticing she’s there. His lips parted slightly as he gazed at the girl in wonder. “I expected you to be prettier.” he murmured.

It takes her a minute to get a hold on herself. Maybe it was his blatant insult, or the way his lips formed the words. His voice held a hint of an accent. Something ancient and dangerous. It was subtle, something most people wouldn’t notice.

But she was observant. She noticed everything.

“Wait, what?” Her brow furrowed as she stared at him.

She thought that he hadn’t meant for her to hear him because he glanced away. The wind from the still open window ruffled his already messy hair.

God, he has nice hair.

The air was cold, rain blowing in through the window and scattering across the floor. She hesitantly stpped around him to close it. “What do you want from me?” She asked, facing away from the strange boy. She’s scared now. More so than she was moments before. The way he stands there so still and silent. Like a statue of an angel. He really is beautiful.

“I don’t think you want to know.” He purred out, and she can almost sense the smirk in his voice.

A sudden sharp pain sprouted in her head and travels down her spine. It’s like a starburst and the whole room turned white. She can feel her body fall, and then everything goes black.