Dreaming in Silver and Gold

Chapter 1: Prologue

The moonlight cast shadows across the wood floor and the trees moving outside the windows made the darkness shift and dance. Liz watched them from her spot against the wall. She didn’t know how long she had sat there in her own sick. The thick scent clung to her like a blanket and added to her discomfort.

Her parents had passed days ago and she could feel the disease that had taken them ravish her body. She knew it would only be a matter of time before death claimed her.

When she realized she was sick, she had prayed to every deity she could think of to save her. She had screamed and cried for anyone to take away her pain but either no one in the village heard her or they were smart enough not to enter the house.

That had been days ago and now she was blessed with a pleasant calm. She would not cry anymore and she would welcome death with open arms. Her breathing was shallow and she closed her eyes to rest. Perhaps she would go peacefully in her sleep.

A loud crack echoed through the room and her eyes flew open at the sound. The other side of the room opposite of her was now cloaked in a thick darkness. The shadows seemed to migrate towards the area and they moved as if they were waiting on something.

“You’re fading fast little human.”

Liz couldn’t even jump in surprise at the unexpected voice. She rested her head back against the wall and hoped this hallucination would go away soon. She just wanted to die in peace.

Suddenly the shadows moved towards her and stretched like a column in front of her. A pale hand slid from its depths and long ebony claws glinted as the hand grasped her jaw. The talons were so close to her throat and fear finally gripped her. This wasn’t a dream.

“I heard your cries for help, would you like to make a deal?” The voice purred.

Every instinct in her body was telling her to run, but there was no way she could, not when she was this feeble.

“What, no answer? I would think anyone on death’s door would be desperate for a way out of it.”
She tried to pull away, but the hand held her firmly.

“So, what will it be? Life or Death? We can discuss the terms at a later date.”

She should say no and just join her parents in the afterlife. There were always stories about the dark creatures that lurked in the shadows and what they did to humans. This would not end well, but a small part of her wanted to live. She had seen so little of this world and she had so many things she wanted to accomplish. She knew she would regret this someday, but she wouldn’t worry about that now.

Liz licked her lips as she tried to clear her dry throat, “I choose life.” She could’ve sworn she saw a fanged smile flash in the darkness.

“Wise choice.” The hand released her jaw and rested on top of her head. Darkness leaked from every inch of the room now and crept towards her. She felt her body growing stronger by the second and she was finally able to take a deep breath. Liz’s eyelids grew heavy and soon she fell into a deep, much needed, sleep.

Right before Liz lost consciousness, she thought that she heard the beat of wings.