Mal'Ahk "The Origin"

Chapter 1 (Rough Draft)

The night is dark and damp. The sound of thunder roared in the distance. A young woman is walking home from work. As she hears the thunder clapping in the distance she reaches for her umbrella. As she begins to open it the rain started to pour. the sound of it hitting the concrete near her was intense. Realizing she has a long ways to go before she gets home, she decides to take a short cut through a dark alley. The only light that illuminated the alley was the glow from the full moon. She normally wouldn't take this alley, but she knew it was the fastest way to get out of the ran. As she is walking down the alley she hears a faint sound. She quickly turns around to try and catch a glimpse at what is making the sound. She doesn't see anything in the alley with her. Realizing it is probably her nerves she turns around and heads further down the alley. As the sound of her footsteps begin to echo off the buildings to her side she hears the faint sound again, only this time it was louder. She stops and turns quickly again, only to catch a glimpse of a shadow ducking around a corner of the building. She yells out "Who's there?". She waits for a reply only to hear silence. Now she is starting to feel nervous, she turns around and starts to walk faster. The sound of the thunder and lightening was growing louder. She was half way through the alley when she heard the sound again, but this time it was a bit different. More like a growl or snarl, no doubt probably a dog. She quickly turns to see if she could spot the animal. She grabs her cellphone and turns on the flashlight to try and illuminate the alley a bit more. As she tries to see what is following her, she finally gets a glimpse at it. Her hands begin to shake and her heart begins to pound through her chest. She drops her phone and runs down the alley. The thing that was stalking her has begun to chase after her. She turns to see if she is being followed, when she finally could see what it was through the moonlight, and she didn't believe her eyes. She screams for help "HELP, ME!". The thing starts to getting closer. She drops the umbrella and tries to run faster. She turns only to see this mysterious thing grab her. He pulls her further into the dark shadows of the alley. Her screams roar through the night, but can't break through the thunder and lightening. She finally slips into the darkness and disappears. Now you're probably thinking that this won't go un-noticed and someone will more then likely report her as missing, but this is not an abnormal occurrence and it has been happening a lot more over the last year. A darkness has swept it's way over the city and has infiltrated the citizens. Not even the law enforcement is able to figure out the mystery of the disappearance. They have had their best detectives look into the mystery and even some of them have disappeared. Even the mayor is puzzled by this and can't figure out what is the cause for it. That is where I come into the picture. It happened a few months ago when I was getting dispatched to the crime scene. My name is Mark Connelly and I am a CSI Agent. I'm sure you're familiar with the acronym, especially if you watch any of the TV shows that are on. However if you had asked me when I was going to college for this if I knew what I was getting into, I would have told you that I was clueless into what would be my day to day job. When I graduated College I was assigned to this department as an intern. My supervisor was tough and he pushed me to the brink of quitting, until that night I got a call I was not prepared for. I was just about to head to bed when my cell went off. It was dispatch and they stated that I was to report to 11th Ave. That there had been a murder, and my supervisor had not shown up. I grabbed my gear and hailed for a taxi. The whole time I was thinking man this is it. This is my first chance to really show myself to my superiors and prove to them I had what it took to be a great CSI. However that feeling didn't last long. I arrived at the scene and the police lights were flashing brightly and the sounds of newspaper reporters and cops were yelling. It was a chaotic mess going on and a CSI agents worse nightmare. The scene was possibly contaminated and ruined, but I wasn't going to let this damper my spirit. So I grab my gear from the taxi and head to the Officer assigned to the crime scene. I show my badge to the patrol officer at the border line. He waved me through and I ran around the barriers and headed towards the Captain. "Hey Captain!" I yelled across the way. He turned around and I could see in his eyes were worry, and anger. I could tell by the look in his eyes this wasn't going to be a normal crime scene. As I made my way towards the captain. He takes his hand and places it on my shoulder. "Mark, listen. You might want to take it easy and if you need time to process this, I understand.". I looked at the Captain and I could read him like an open book. He was worried and this was a new look for him. I proceed around the captain and begin to take the crime scene in. My eyes locked on to the victim and nothing or no one could have prepared me for the gory scene I had witnessed. It was my supervisor laying on the ground in pieces. It was a scene out of a horror movie, only this was real. I couldn't make sense as too what did this. It looked as if he was mauled by a lion, or worse a bear. However there were no bears or lions in the city. The nearest forest was about an hours drive away and even still there was no lions or bears in the woods. The most deadliest was maybe a coyote or bobcat. "What happened?" As I turned to the Captain. "We don't know, we were hoping you might be able to find something, anything as too what did this.". I looked at the body parts that were torn to shreds. I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. I put my gear down and grabbed my tools. I begin to canvas the scene to try and figure out the cause. It seemed as if it only took me minutes to canvas the scene, but in reality it was hours. The Captain had gone and grabbed dinner and was getting back to the scene as I was finishing up. "Well Mark, what do you think?" I put my tools in my bag and grab my notebook. "Well I think he was attacked by an animal." The captain looked at me with disbelief in his eyes. "You're telling me that an animal did this?! Would you mind telling me what kind of animal could do this?!". The Captain had the look in his eyes of a man who was not in a mood for games. I walk over to the supervisor, I mean victim and show the Captain what I had found. "Look at these marks, they are not of any human markings I've ever seen, also looking the angle of the markings. It was as if the thing that killed him was clawing from the inside out." I thought the Captain was going to loose it, but that was an understatement. "WHAT! You mean to tell me that you think something was killing him from the inside out?!" I looked as the Captain's face turned a dark red. I could tell he felt I was just inexperienced and had no idea what I was doing, but I felt strongly about this scene and knew that I was 100% right. "Yes, Sir! I do believe that." The Captain turned around and put his hands on his hips. He walked a few distances and reaches for his pocket. He grabbed his vapor and put it to his lips. He inhaled deeply and released a thick fog of smoke that covered the crime scene. He turned around and just had this look in his eyes. "Mark, go home. I'm going to put Ken on this." "What! Captain, I'm not making this up. You have to trust me, this is not normal markings." "That's an order Mark. Get your gear and head home." I could see in his eyes there was no convincing him of my theory. I grabbed my gear and asked one of the officers if he could give me a lift back home. As I sat there in the back seat of the squad car. I pondered on what I had just witnessed. It was a scene I had never prepared for, I mean they tell you at school to prepare for any and everything and expect different results. I had figured they were over exaggerating about that, but after tonight, I don't think I will ever forget that. The officer pulled up to the curb of my apartment. I open the door and grab my gear. I tell the officer thank you and head up the stairs to my building. It is a nice building, for a intern in the CSI program. I grab my key and open the door, at the moment Kim comes out the door. "Why thank you Mike." As she walked down the stairs. I watched her hail for a taxi. "It's Mark. My name is Mark." As she gets into the taxi I could tel she paid me no mind. I know she means well, but to her I'm just a fly on a wall. She is an intern at the local newspaper. I believe she wants to be a journalist, not sure how far that will go if she can't even remember my name. However she is a very beautiful woman. Golden blonde hair and the prettiest blue eyes. She has a figure that would make any man jump for a chance to date her including myself, but life is not fair. I feel I'm attractive, but not her type. I've got wavy brown hair and glasses, not the nerdy kind which most would think I have, but they are slender and oval. I am about 6' 3" and weigh about 250. I could stand to lose a few pounds. I've got brown eyes, and a slight tan. Considering I don't work for a tan. As I enter the building I head towards the elevator and push the up button. I look up at the number on the evaluator control it say 3. So as I wait for the elevator to open I catch a whiff of Kim's perfume. It was so intoxicating, I closed my eyes as I smelled a mixture of apples, honey and a slight vanilla scent. I was so caught up in the smell I didn't even hear the ding of the elevator door opening. "Mark, you okay?" I open my eyes and see Stephanie standing there in front of me. "Oh, hey. Sorry was just thinking." As I walk into the elevator. I noticed that Stephanie had not moved. "Are you getting off?" "Oh, yeah. I am." As she was about to move she reached for her pocket. Nothing was in the pocket, she stops at the door. Then she reaches for another pocket only to not have what she was looking for. "Is everything okay Steph?" "I can't seem to find my building key. I think I left it on my counter." She turns around and pushes the button for our floor. "So how was work?" "It was okay. Wait, how did you know I went to work?" I looked at her puzzled. She started to smile with her little smile. Stephanie was not a bad looking girl. She had black hair and grey eyes. She was mixed with Asian and American. She looked more American then Asian, in fact the only part of her that looked Asian was her eyes. However despite her beauty we're just friends. She was very open to me when welcoming me to the apartment. She actually lives right across the hall from me, so it makes it nice to have someone to talk too from time to time. I gathered my thoughts and realized I spaced out again and she had a stare at me like a deer in the head light look. "Uh, sorry. How did you know I had to work?" She started to chuckle again. "Duh, you're wearing your hat and jacket. Plus you left your badge on." I looked down and completely forgot about me being in my work clothes. "Yes, sorry. My mind is a little distracted." "Oh, no. Everything okay?" "Yeah, just had a tough case taken away from me and I'm trying to process it all." "Oh, well I'm sure you will get another one. You're great at what you do. I mean you can see things that nobody else can see. I've never seen talent like that." I turned to look at her and her cheerful smile really helped me to calm my nerves. "You always know how to help me to focus Steph. Thank you." The elevator door dinged and we got off the elevator. We made our way down the hallway. She and I reach our doorstep the same time. "Well I'll talk to you later." Steph said as she reached her door. "You too." I grab my key and begin to open my door when I hear Steph kick her door. I turn around and see her with her head on the door. "Steph what's wrong?" She turns around and has this red mark on her forward from laying it on the door. "I didn't just forget my building key, but I forgot my apartment key too." "Oh, no. Well just call maintenance. I'm sure they'll let you in. You're welcome to wait in my apartment until they get here." She lifts her head up and smiles. "Thank you. I'll take you up on that offer." I open the door and let her in and I follow behind her and shut my door. I put my keys on the key rack next to my door. I turn to see her watching me. "That's what I need." "What?" "A key rack. Then I won't forget my keys." "Yeah, they do come in handy. Well make yourself at home, you know where the fridge is and all. I'm going to get in the shower really quick." "Okay. I'll grab a drink. You mind if I watch some tv?" "No, go ahead. I'll be out in a few." I head towards the bedroom when I hear the TV get turned on. As I shut my door I heard the tv blare out the local news. They were discussing the crime scene and what they had gathered from the department. Right before the door shut I heard the Anchorwoman say that the cause of the murder was a violent crime involving a knife. I caught the door right before it shut and headed toward the living room. I stand there blown away by what I was hearing. "Everything okay Mark?" Stephanie was sitting on the couch drinking her soda. "They got it all wrong! It wasn't a knife that killed him." I can't believe that they came to that conclusion. I grabbed my cell and called the CSI department. "What do you think caused it?" Stephanie asked the question as I listened to the call ring in my ear. "I don't know the specifics of the murder weapon, but I do know it was not a knife." "Why do they think it's a knife?" "Because they asked Ken to run the crime scene and he doesn't know the difference between a beacon and a beaker." Steph looked at me a little perplexed. "It's a CSI thing." She nodded her head and took a sip of her drink. "Agh! Nobody is picking up." I tossed the cellphone on the couch and I sit back into my chair. I can't believe they think it was a knife. "This is so frustrating." Steph looked at me with concern in her eyes. "Well I'm sure that you can convince them it isn't a knife." "They're not going to listen to me. I'm just an intern. Besides Ken has probably already filed the chart. I'll have to talk to the Captain tomorrow morning." Just as I was about to get up and head to the shower. Steph's cell rings. "Hello. Yes, did you get my message. Oh.....I understand. Thank you." She hangs up the phone and lowers her head. I could tell by the news it was not good.  "Everything okay?" She pulled her head up and replied. "Yeah, that was the maintenance guy for the building. He said he can't get here tonight to let me in to my apartment. He won't be here until the morning." I looked up at the clock on my wall and the time was 12:00 AM. "Well you're welcome to stay here tonight. I'm sure I've got something you can wear to bed. You can have my bed, I'll sleep on the couch." "No I can't take your bed. I can sleep on the couch. Besides I'm able to fit on the couch. I insist you keep your bed and I'll sleep here tonight." I smiled and was so thankful for her kindness. It was something I really needed at that moment. Maybe there was a reason for her staying the night. Maybe I needed that friendship to help me get through the frustration I was in. "Okay well the towels are in the closet in the guest bathroom. I'll go and get you some pjs. She gets up off the couch and came over to give me a big hug. "I'm so glad I've got a friend like you." She then turns around and heads for the guest bathroom. I go to my closet and get one of my old college t-shirts. I try to find some shorts, but none looked like they could fit her. I went to the guest bathroom and knocked on the door. "I've got a shirt, but couldn't find any shorts." I hear a pause as the shower curtains closes and the water is running. "It's okay I am sure that you're t-shirt will fit me like a dress anyway. Just leave it on the counter. I open the door and put the t-shirt on the counter. I turn and head for my shower as well. When I got out of the shower she was already laying on the couch. I handed her a pillow and a blanket. She had her hair pulled back into a bun on top of her head. She took the blanket and covered up. "Thank you." "Oh, you're most welcome." "Well good night." "Good night." I click the button on the lamp next to the couch and the room went dark. The moon light pours in through the two windows facing the couch. I see the soft glow from Steph's body and I realize she is a very pretty girl, but she couldn't be anything more then just a friend to me. I turn and head to my bedroom and I close the door behind me. I cover up in my bed and lay there with my hands on the back of my head. I pondered about the crime scene. I knew that those were not knife wounds. They were too sporadic and didn't align with a blade of any sorts I had seen. I knew they were claw marks, but what kind of claw marks. As I laid there my eyes started to get heavy. I went fast asleep. A few hours later  I heard a sound and it woke me up. I sprang up in my bed. Looking around as my eyes tried to adjust in the darkness. There was a faint light coming from the moon as it peaked through my curtains. Then I heard a sound coming from my closet. I looked over and could see something moving. I reach for my lamp next to my bed, but it didn't come on. I turn to look at the movement again in my closet. "Steph is that you?" The dark figure didn't reply. "This isn't funny Steph. Stop playing games. Are you in there?" I stared at the closet and the movement stopped. I heard a low growl. The hair on my neck started to stand on it's end. I knew it wasn't Steph, I pulled the covers off my leg and slowly reached for the bat next to my bed. I stood up with the bat over my shoulder. "Okay whoever you are. I'm going to ask you to come out slowly. I don't want to hurt you, but if you try to hurt me I'm going to go all Soso on you. The figure stopped moving and slowly turned around. The eyes were the first thing I noticed. They were bright red. It was something I couldn't have prepared for. "What are you?" The figure started to walk towards me slowly. I started to back up at the same pace. As I was backed all the way to the wall next to my window. The moon light started to give glimpses of the figure. It had a dark cloak draped over itself. The feet didn't look like feet, instead they looked like something off of an eagle. Then it's arms started to raise towards me. Where hands would be on a normal person this thing had claws. With sharp talons, five talons to be specific. Then it stopped right in front of me. It lowered it's hood and what I saw was not human. "What are you?" I stared at something I had never seen before. It's face looked like something of a cat. But the teeth on it were very sharp. It had these strange markings on it's neck. I couldn't quite make them out. Then the figure did something I'll never forget. He looked at me with those deep red eyes. "Where is it?" He said in a deep growl like voice. I trembled as his voice sent shivers down my spine. "Where is what?" I asked in a trembling voice. "Where is it?" He asked again with more fury in his voice. At this point I had no idea what he was talking about. "I don't know what you're talking about. What are you looking for?" Just then the creature let out a growl that sent me too my knees with my hands over my ears. When he stopped growling I looked up to see his right hand raise high in the air. I knew what was coming next. I was a dead man, I was going to be it's next prey. Then it hit me in that moment, I wondered if this could be the same creature that killed my Supervisor. Those talons I bet would be sharp enough to kill a man. Just then as he came down to strike me. I heard a crash through window. I turn quickly to see what it was and it was a man. He was medium built and close to 6 feet tall. He had black hair and was wearing a tactical outfit. At first I thought it was swat or someone on the police force. The creature turned his hand towards the mystery man and tried to strike him. The man dodged it and reached for his back and pulled out a blade. When it came out of the sheath you could hear the sound it made. It sounded almost beautiful and tranquil. With open swift motion he went for the creatures arm and cut it off. The creature let out a huge growl. He looked down at his bloody arm laying on the floor. Just then these wing like things sprouted out the creatures back and he bolted out the window the man came through. As I sat there on the floor so puzzled by what just happened. The man looked out the window and then looked at me. "He's gone. You okay?" I tried to make words with my mouth, but the only thing that came out was my breath. I try to compose myself as I caught my breath. "What was that?" The man lowered his hand down to me to help me up. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." "Try me. You'll find that I've got a pretty good imagination." The man chuckled, which was a little bit of a shock for his stature. "He said you had a great sense of humor." I was a bit shocked by his comment. "Huh, who said what about me?" The man looked over at me and took his glasses off. His eyes were not normal they were bright white, almost as if light was coming from the iris itself. He looked at me with his glowing white eyes and in a calming voice he said. "God said it."