SHIVER (rewriting)

Talal

Talal gazed upon the stars. The shadows clung to her ashen bones, kissing her flesh as the embers lost their warmth. She waded through the murky lake, her charcoal nails skimming over the icy water. The inky night sky reminded her of a little girl's eyes, the thought making her claw her stomach.

She resembled the evil creature the village of Tyrann painted her to be. Talal's ivory skin eaten away by the dancing flames the man of God set upon her, the wind claimed her raven hair, leaving blisters in its wake.

Low whispers chanted through the spiralling trunks of the trees, three distinct voices blessing her. Talal closed her eyes and breathed in, water spurting from her mouth as her lungs filled with oxygen. She blinked, her vision becoming crystal clear as she rolled her stiff neck.

The Tala's, her sisters of the craft. Akira gave her the gift of sight in the darkest of moments, Ankara blessing her with her last breaths of courage in the face of fear and Anika whispered words of wisdom in her ear. A divine spark surged through her fingertips, she wriggled some life into them, a purpled snake burrowing under her skin as blood pumped through her veins.

She shook the dying embers from her worn cloak and followed the winding pathway up to the village centre. Talal never thought that the nineteenth century would be her end. The people of Tyrann slept soundly tonight, thinking her powerful presence was no more. Wooden shutters no longer concealed windows, the glow of candles flickered through the curtains on the second floor of a far way house.

The black iron steeple stuck out like a sore thumb against the now greying sky. Angels guarded the oak doors, their faces glaring down at her as she climbed the greystone steps to the church. Her thin fingers clasped around the brass doorknob like a snake crushing its prey. She forced the door open, wood splintering against the stone wall.

Talal's cloak danced around her ankles like a hurricane as the wind swept through the church. She followed the breeze down the aisle, her fingertips tracing the flames of the candles, extinguishing the light in her path. The red velvet strip of carpet beneath her made her want the kneeling man's blood.

He rose from the altar, his hands clasped in front of his white silk robe. There was no amount of cleansing that could wash the dirt from the Priest's hands. "What do you plan to do with your dying breaths, witch?" He unlinked his fingers and reached out for Talal.

"I warned you old man," she jabbed a sharp nail to his chest, the tip scraping the gold embroidered cross covering his heart. "You might wear holy skin, but I will always see your true face shifter."

The Priest's lips curved at the corners, his brows arching as he lowered his hands. "Talal, even you know that going against the prophecy will only lead to death," he bit the inside of his cheek to prevent the smile crawling on his face.

Talal grabbed the lapels of his robe and yanked him forward, her nails snagging the delicate fabric. "She will return. Splitting the Tala sisters up is unwise, their connection is too strong to break. They will find the prophet."

"Those are the last words of the great Talal?" He threw his head back and laughed, his body shaking as he wriggled out of her hold. "Burnt at the stake and dumped in the lake. Where are your worshippers now wench?"

"My ashes will be the foundation of this village. The soil that reaps your crops will turn foul every autumn and winter. The same coldness you showed me will be bestowed on Tyrann. Your people will shiver without the warmth of their old Goddess Talal." she stumbled away from the Priest clutching her head in her hands, nails digging into her scalp as the whispers of Anika bid her farewell.

The Priest's head snapped back up, her words silencing him. "Tyrann will know you for the devil you are, Talal."

Talal scraped her nails down her face to stare up at the Priest. "Talal, Talal the demon bitch no one understands." She curled her fists and ripped the golden candleholder from the pew, striking the Priest's face. He collapsed in a pool of white silk, the red blood gushing from his nose stained the pure fabric.

Her vision blurred as she whirled around, the world spinning around her. Fear crept back into her mind, Anika's powers dwindling from her rotting body. Talal rushed down the aisle, swaying as she fell down the greystone steps outside.

The raven perched on the streetlamp cried for her. The bird plucked its wings, ebony feathers falling at her feet. Talal crumbled, her knees smashing against the cobbled stones. She crawled to the winding path of the lake and dug her fingers into the mud. The thought of her dragged her back to the lake.

She stole her last breaths from Ankara, her throat tightening as she choked out the last remnants of her warning. "She will return. Instead of darkness, she'll bring him." The salt water sloshed around in her lungs drowning her once again. The fire spread through her chest, the ashes crumbling away at her flesh. She waded through the water, the plants on the bed of the lake curled around her legs.

Talal plunged into the lake, her vision fading as she welcomed the darkness. She was finally back in the depths of her little girl's eyes.

Authors note: welcome back, I'm currently rewriting Shiver and adding in new bits and pieces. I hope you enjoy the update. It all starts with Talal.