Writing Prompts For The Strange

Rainsford Strikes Back!

He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided...
The next morning, Rainsford arose from bed when the sun started to shine through the curtains on his face. He squinted and put his hand in front of his eyes, before getting up and opening the curtains fully, pushing open the window. Rainsford stood basking in the warmth of the sun, the calm, and gentle spring breeze coming in from the ocean, and one lonely seagull squawking in the distance. Down below the hounds were prowling around waiting for their master to send them on another hunt for his quarry. The meire sight of them made his stomach tie in knots and his throat to go dry out of fear. He then remembered that Zaroff was devoured by the very same dogs down there just last night. When Rainsford looked closer he could see shreds of clothes, and chunks of meat, and bones scattered around the hound pen. Rainsford paled then gagged at the sight and stumbled backwards on to the ground with a loud bang. After a few minutes of ragged breathing and trying to catch his breath Rainsford stood up and quickly closed the window and curtains once again. Rainsford left the bedroom and made his way downstairs to the dining hall. Once there he opened and checked every room to find the kitchen of course it was the last room he checked. Rainsford quickly walked in and stalked towards the fridge his gut rumbling in agreement. Quickly opening the fridge he found himself staring at thick leather bags with a dark, sticky substance leaking out the bottom. Rainsford slammed the door shut and ran out the door leading outside, to discard what little food he had in him from the three days ago, which was basically nothing. "Looks like I won't be eating anything after all,"Rainsford said with a cruel smile plastered on his lips. He slowly stood up and lifted his eyes to be met with the most magnificent garden he had ever seen in all his life. The moment he stepped outside he was greeted with a grand fountain that was long and narrow right down the middle with walk ways all around it, multiple geysers shooting up towards the sky. Light mist rains down causing a rainbow to form, and the ground to be dampened. Horses on two legs lined the edge of the walking path around the fountain. After walking around the Fountain there was an archway made from hedge leading into a maze like place. In the center of the maze was a field of flowers and trees from all around the world, kind of like a paint pallet when all the colors start to mix together. Rainsford peacefully walked along to cobblestone path to the big willow tree in the center standing taller than the hedges blowing gently in the wind. Rainsford walked to the trunk, sat down leaned against it and shut his eyes to take in the smells and sounds surrounding him, and started to doze off.
Off by the hound pen a dark smoke started to form from the body parts of Zaroff. It formed into a black cloud with, horns of smoke, sinister smile, and eye sockets that could steal your sanity if you even glanced into them. It smiled and floated up and to the far end of the island were Rainsford had never been. The mist flew to a crystal clear pond with koi fish swimming around, frogs croaking on lily pads, and crickets chirping in the tall grass along the side. The mist flew into the pond to an underground cave, filled with shelves of dust covered, black leather bond books. He flew towards a shelf and grabbed a book with writing so cultivated that no ordinary man could read it. He set it on a table in the room and light a candle. He flipped to the middle of the book and scanned the pages for the thing he was looking for. At the bottom of the page in a long forgotten language read; to take back the world that was once your's you must first remake a vessel that is fake. He smiled like the devil and closed the book, he flew back through the pond and paused at the silence. He looked at the pond to see the koi dead and floating at the surface, the frog's belly up on the pads and the once loud crickets have been silenced. He shrugged and flew back to the chateau, he then started to search for Rainsford. He found him snoring lightly in the garden under the willow tree. "Time to start my plan, but first I need a new name," the mist said. A light bulb went off and he was ready he went to Rainsford and entered him through his slightly parted mouth. "Rise and shine Rainsford", "Time to meet your new friend" The voice said.
Rainsford jumped with a start hearing a voice talking to him from somewhere, and quickly scanned his surroundings.To see anyone hiding, or fleeing, but there was no one not even the sound of a bird chirping. "Who was that just now, I swear I just heard a voice," Rainsford thought to himself. With the black mist now latched to a part of his brain he could talk to Rainsford better. "It was me that was talking to you," said the mist. Rainsford jumped to his feet and spun around in a circle,"Where are you, come out and Show yourself" Rainsford demanded. "I can not show myself to you for I am just a voice in your head" the mist answered with a cruel laugh after. "Lies!" screamed Rainsford, "I am not insane" he inquired. " I have said nothing about insanity my dear friend I am merely just your guilt manifesting itself," the mist said. "Why should I feel guilt when I have done nothing to feel guilty for," argued Rainsford. "Oh but you have my dear friend something so vile, I dare not speak it," said the mist. "What is this vileness you speak of?" Rainsford questioned. "Something you must remember on your own, but it happened no more than a few hours ago," He replied with a mischievous smile. Rainsford recalled everything that happened, but seeing nothing to feel guilty for. "I don't recall what I did wrong," Rainsford replied after many minutes went by. The mist sighed then smiled again, "You my dear friend let Zaroff be torn apart by his hounds". Rainsford gasped when that hit him, "I do not feel guilt for what I have done that man deserved to die!" Rainsford yelled out to no one. "Do you mean to say that it was right to kill him" the mist asked, "that he didn't have anyone that cared or worried for him". Rainsford stopped to think about this, did he have a family that missed and worried about him, kids, parents, a wife? Before he could replied the mist asked again, "was he just another one of your prey that didn't have feelings, did you enjoy letting him die? The mist seethed at Rainsford. "Of course not" Rainsford hissed, "I would never take enjoyment out of the pain of others". " Now leave me only and never comeback" Rainsford said before walking inside to bed with the sun setting behind him. "I'll be back so remember the name Razoff" yelled before going away to wait for the perfect moment to strike.
The next night somewhere in the basement of the chateau a sailor was able to finally pick the lock to his cell door. He slowly opened and paused to hear for noise then kept going. After it was fully open he crept towards the stairs and started to climb, cursing every time it creaked. He opened the door and was in the kitchen with knives hanging from the ceiling. He smiled grabbing the biggest blade and walked to the upstairs bedrooms. He checked every room one by one and slowly turned the knob to reveal a body shifting slightly on the bed away from him. The man tiptoed towards him till he was beside the bed, he raised the knife ready to plunge it into his heart. When the person on the bed sprang up and knocked the sailor of causing him to drop the knife. Before Rainsford knew what he was doing he quickly grabbed the knife and stabbed the sailor multiply times in the chest thinking it was Zaroff coming to kill him. Just as the sun started to peak over the horizon the sailor mumbled, "I hope you rot in hell". Rainsford looked down seeing what he had just done, he dropped the knife and started to back up, he hit a wall and slid down it. He looked at the blood covering him and started to tremble then unconsciously started crying. "What have I done," Rainsford whispered to himself. Razoff seeing his weakened mind started to consume him with the black mist, "you were only doing what was right, he tried to kill you my friend. Razoff reasoned. "but I killed a man you dame voice in my head, I'm a murderer!" Rainsford screamed well sobbing. "Yes I bet that it felt amazing," Razoff said smirking. "N... No!" cried Rainsford. "the way he withered helplessly under you, how you so easily tore away his flesh and bone, how his life faded from his eyes before his finally breath," Razoff laughed out demonic like. "No.. No.. No!" Rainsford repeated Razoff knew he was winning his brain was almost fully black and his soul wouldn't be able to fight back for much longer. "Just tell the truth Rainsford you know you loved it," Razoff said quietly. "Who are you why are you doing this to me I've done nothing wrong," Rainsford cried out in anguish. "Me I'm known mostly as the Grim reaper other call me a demon spawn, why I do this is because I need a mortal body to keep sending people to hell for my lord" Razoff chuckled a low deep laugh, "and your body is a perfect match". This pushed Rainsford over the edge learning this, his entire brain was pitch black and his soul was slowly changing color also. His heart stopped beating account for the reaper didn't need it his eyes glazed over with a black smoke swirling in the eyes. "finally his body was terminated" Razoff said slowly standing up still getting use to the body and headed to the door to be meet with pairs off hard, cold, and angry eyes staring at him. They were the sailors from the cells, they all jumped at him as Razoff smiled zealously as he closed the door blocking our view.