The City That Slipped

The Breeder

     "Tabitha," he walked on weak and trembling legs, like a child to his mother, "is... is that you?"

     On an auburn-colored ivy throne in the center of the chamber sat Tabitha. Her figure manipulated by the dimension this city now sat in. Surrounded by a court of creatures bowing at her feet in a constant form of worship. Her gorgeous red hair was now the pale auburn-colored ivy, her skin a pristine pale white, and her eyes were abyssal portals of swirling black smoke in a sea of blue like the gem on the key. Her lips were plump and red but her tongue dripped out of the center of her mouth and was long and forked like a snake and flicked as if tasting the air. Her body was easily recognizable as the one David loved but devolved into a tangle of auburn-colored ivy tentacles instead of legs. Beside her sat the ornate box from the shed playing a gentle melody.

     "David," her voice was clean and gentle layered with... something else entirely, a raspy voice, like that of an old lady near death, "why are you here?"

     David was in awe by it all, the creatures from the tome were all around her, praising her as their queen, no, their God, "W...What's going on Tab?"

     "These are my children now, they needed a mother, David," she lifted a soft hand and from her wrist came a string of the auburn-colored ivy which jutted out past David to one of the pods and latched on and began to pulsate slightly.

     David dropped to his knees.

     This isn't real...

     The mere thought of losing her, the one he held most dear. They weren't going to grow old together, she was too far gone. This, thing, simply wasn't her. The way she spoke to him, the familiarity reminded him of the day they married. When he held those same gentle and soft hands. He looked into her eyes then and felt a tear release from its prison. He remembered the vows they shared, how he would never leave her. Now he felt alone, like she had left him, he felt no soul from her, no life.

     "Baby... Tabby," he approached her and climbed over the mountain of ivy and held her face between his hands and stared into the lifeless eyes, "what has happened to you?"

     She stared through him to her children, "my children must feast," she released in her gentle voice layered still.

     David laid his head on her chest and broke down in tears. She brushed his hair and released a tear of her own. David gazed up at her softly, "we were going to grown old together, we could have had a family, what happened to you?"

     She smiled, "I have children now."

     The words hurt him deeply, "What happened to you?"

     She stood up and held David in her arms. She seemed to float across the floor with her tangle of ivy writhing with each fluid motion, "I mean something, David, finally, I mean something."

     "You meant something to me Tabby," he held his hand against her pale cheek, "you are my life!"

     From Tabitha's hand came another strand of ivy which latched to David's back. He could feel the tendril dig into him as he screamed in agony but he would not let go, he could feel his life force waning away. He looked deeply into her eyes and saw his wife deep inside, like a soul forever lost, imprisoned. He cringed in pain as the tendrils dug deeper and sucked his life force more forcefully, "I know you are in there somewhere Tabby, the one that I," he screamed in pain, "the one that I met those many years ago, I love you Tabitha" In a soft, almost silent voice he echoed his last sentence while still staring into her eyes, "I love you Tabitha," he released one slow and final breath and his body grew limp.

     Tabitha brushed his hair and kissed his lifeless lips gently as a tear rolled down her cheek, "I love you too, David, you mean the world to me and I'm so sorry."