Crafters of Bone

Creator of Bones - Chapter One Draft #1

After a full year of scatterbrained planning, scribbling notes on receipt paper at work, endless angry revisions, a few episodes of "Character Swap" and nights of missed school assignments, I have FINALLY finished my first full draft of Creator of Bones Chapter One. And I intend to continue writing this story frequently and sharing it with you! I hope you enjoy this messy product comprised of my blood, sweat and many, many tears. - Erica G.

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"Possess no Past. Exist not in the Present. Look to no Future."

- Code of the Basilisks

Chapter One

Crickets had always been one of the insects Auden despised the most.

A sense of mockery seemed to fill the air as she lay on her side, certain that the one sitting comfortably in the center of the room was fully away of this fact and she glared hatefully at the small, prickly beast. Despite her intimidating size in comparison to it's own and her venomous gaze trained upon it, the insect seemed unconcerned with her presence as it filled the cramped, ridged stone room with it's piercing, repetitive shrieks. The rough material of her thin woven mat pressed aggressively into her sore cheek as her harsh gaze remained on the abominable insect; it's shrill song of desperation mingling with echoes of sharp, clanking pickaxes upon rebellious stone and the soft rustling of people in constant motion above her throughout the fort.

Much to her relief, a painfully long moment passed before the cricket began to bring its cries to a slow but steady halt when it received no reply and the soft murmurs of collective morning chatter too distorted for her to make out reverberated through the caverns and she was able to make out the faint cry of gulls as they flew over the courtyard above her. Her eyes remained on the prickly beast still seated in the center of the room, the dim glowing light peering into the room from the small window in the iron door dancing upon it, illuminating it's large dark eyes, long verdant body and the ridged stone beneath it. Closing her eyes, she gave a soft groan of reluctance as she turning her aching body to lie on her back, opening her eyes once more glancing up at the cobblestone ceiling before bring her gaze to the matching stone wall at her side.  Her hands stretched out to the limited space in front her, fingertips gliding along the warm, dirt coated stone as she released a soft sigh in annoyance; it amazed her that even while underground the heat still managed to pierce through the earth and stone, filling her cell with undesired humidity.

Though despite the painful isolation of her confinement, she was certain it was still better than the blazing heat occupying the air above her from the merciless sun beating down upon the bustling courtyard. With another moment of hesitation, she finally heaved herself upright, chains clattering passively as every joint and muscle within her protested the action but she made a stubborn effort to ignore their cries as she let out another sigh.