A Collection Of Short Stories

The Truth

Creaking horribly underfoot the stairs complained to me as I made my way to the bedroom. The grey walls were lightly powdered with dust or soot, the dimly lit hallway made it difficult to tell.

Shadows danced across the walls caused by the tiny tea-light I held in a dish. The dark creatures leaping over the walls sent chills down my spine, I span around thinking I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

Alas nothing... or nobody was there.

A dim orange glow spread though the hallway, it was coming from the master bedroom where, undoubtedly, our legal guardian would be sleeping.

I approached the door cautiously, Maria was a good guardian but was vicious at night, especially before her night cap. There on the side was an open, near empty, bottle of rum along with gasping snores from a body on the bed. Maria lay askew with one leg off one side of the bed and her head another, her gown w as torn at the bottom showing her aged legs that wrinkled like the sheets.

I took a pace forward as I thought about making her more comfortable; it started with moving the gin too a small, dark wooden liquor cabinet. I felt that at least now it could not be spilt as the only time she was worse than before her drink was when she (or I) spilt the liquor.

As I went to move her leg back onto the bed she have a loud grunt, her eyes then burst open. She watched me for a moment before letting off a sickening screech; I stared at her before quickly scampering to the back of the room. Upon her white silk pillows her head twisted and shuddered in a way most inhuman.

I quickly headed for the door then (taking the stairs two at a time) I stumbled to the pantry. There I gathered the herbs and matches stored at the very back along the dusty stone wall, then with equal speed I scampered like a rat along the wooden decks. On the bed still writhing in pain she began to scratch at her stomach, I knew I didn't have much time left until she would die, this was the worst it had been.

In a low voice I chanted pacing the room, disturbing the dusts and spirits that swirled in the air behind me. As I reached the foot of the bed again I stopped and yanked a small table from the side of the room so it stood in front of me. A lamp crashed as its previous stand now resided with me but (unflinching) I continued to chant (this time more forcefully) as I began to arrange and cut the herbs with a knife I had hidden under her bed. As their sap flowed out a sweet smelling odour covered, briefly, the dark stench of tear, sweat and unwashed bed linen.

I quickly slit the end of my fourth finger and low told them how devoted I was so that I must never marry. They liked this proposition and so the body and bed shuddered a little less. Finally I collected up my herbs and burned the ends, letting the sour and intertwining sweet perfumes mix, holding it over the body I felt the familiar feeling of beings lighter than air rise up through.

My mistress soon stilled panted and sweating with blood slowly oozing laced with a black sludge that came from the slit in her stomach. I ran quickly to find anything to stem the flow, grasping a petticoat I pushed it to the slit. Eventually the bleeding slowed till she stopped shaking. 'I am going to get some oils hold down the cloth and try not to move.' I heard a tired groan as I ran out the room. The stairs seemed  to try and trip me up as I bounded from one to the next, then I saw her.

She stood wearing a grey gown that pooled at her feet. It was much too big and hung off her arms and shoulders in an unnatural way. 'Who's dress is that?'

'Who's dress is that?' she mimicked me. I took a step forward and so did she. I tried to pass her but instead she boked me every time I moved.

'Could you move?' I questioned. She stared back at me with blank eyes.... BLANK EYES! I tripped over my feet trying to get away. I ripped at the bottom of my dress as I scrambled to my feet. The dirty brown cloth was perfect to stem the flow in my now bleeding hand. I swore and plucked out the splinter the size of my thumb. It had left a large bloody hole in my palm, once I had a the brown strip around my hand I began to run. She followed me at a walk, like a deer being stalked by a anther. I sprinted up the stairs to my guardian. She stared at me with blank, crazed eyes. This was the problem with her, like me she could see the dark but it effected her differently (well it effects everyone different), her body reacted to people, their emotions and thoughts. I however could control the smoke and weaker dark. That is why she took me in as her ward, to help me. It was also  why I was abandoned in the first place.

'Child.' Mistress whispered snapping me out of my brain. 'Enter the real world and help me.' I grabbed the now bloodied petticoat and swapped it for another piece of fabric. Just as I applied it I felt all the air escape her body as if my guardian was deflating. Then I heard a whisper 'She is gone, it is just you and me now....'

I span around, my last thought being why the grey dress mimic was stabbing me with a sleek, silver knife.

Place your finger on that star and I wish you all a packet of biscuits.

Lx