Chapter Sixteen
Lycurgus opened his eyes to find himself on a bench in a bright place. He tried to get up, but found it impossible due to the Mai Shashi hugging his arm in her sleep. Her hair was strewn in her face and she was snoring faintly.
Lycurgus looked around. They sat on a bench in a bright green place with the smell of spring in the air. The trees’ leaves were the light vulnerable green they usually were when first opened, and it was not too hot for him.
The sky was almost completely clear of clouds and a gentle breeze blew over them. A little ways off he heard hushed voices, the kind that worried him the most.
“Why that couple asleep on that bench! How disgusting! They look homeless! And I thought the mayor would take care of people like them!” a woman's voice came from a path just in the shade of the trees.
Lycurgus pretended not to hear the gossip intended for her companion.
Both women had blonde hair and were wearing similar clothing, what Lycurgus took for a uniform. They were both wearing a dress in a very light shade of pink and the same matching little caps on their heads.
“Nnnnnh?” the Mai Shashi murmured as her eyes fluttered open. She took a few moments to recognize she was clinging to Lycurgus and quickly let go when she did. “Was I asleep long?” she asked, looking at her feet.
“I just woke up myself,” Lycurgus whispered. “Don't make a big fuss out of it, but those two women over there are watching us.”
The Mai Shashi immediately looked over at the two women, grabbing the side of her head. “What a pain- there are Shriekers here too... ”
“Shriekers? What's that?” Lycurgus asked, straightening his hat.
“Wired- er- made to do Alice’s dirty work... let's just say that they are better off dead,” the Mai Shashi said. “Just give me a moment please and I'll take care of them so that we can't be given away.”
With that, the Mai Shashi stood up and went over to the women, not bothering to explain more to Lycurgus.
“You-” the first woman crooned. “You're one of us too aren't you?” she asked, an insane look in her eyes.
“I denied that part of myself long ago,” the Mai Shashi said, pulling out a deck of cards.
“You can't deny it, that side of you will win in the end,” the second woman growled, grinding her teeth together.
There was a sickening splintering sound and with a crack the woman's back arched. The first woman's joints cracked and jutted out in odd directions and they both began foaming form the mouth, their moans and shrieks joining the sound of the cicadas.
Staring down at the fate that befell the ones you love. Tears and sadness will not help. If you cry, your shrieks join the wailing cicadas on the fateful night when the cicadas cry, came a voice in the Mai Shashi's head.
She frowned at the voice, having a bad feeling about things. She recognized the voice, and even that brought here pure terror, leaving her frozen in place.
The women grew taller, their clothes tearing at the seams. Their mouths still foaming, their backs arched and their arms grew longer, hanging to the ground. The sounds of the birds had died, leaving only the labored breathing of what used to be two women.
YOU ARE READING
Ashes
Mystery / Thriller"Once a being has been named, it has power. Be sure to take care of yours. I'd know how important it is, because I lost mine." Joshua is always fretting over the "what ifs" in life, but never trusts his gut feeling because it's always wrong... at...
