Realistic or Modern A Night Bleeds (Closed)

[Maeteris]

Varya Scuris "Evelyn Harper"​

Evelyn had gone to her bedroom again once Mr.D’Shire spoke on his phone, granting him the same amount of courtesy he’d shown prior. Though, she admitted, his ringtone was rather uncharacteristic, more akin to a school-boy"s than a grown adult's--and a mage at that. His voice was muffled by the walls, and she closed the bedroom door to completely silence it out. Trust had nothing to do with allowing the man free in her abode, it was more of an elven tradition. Despite being closed off, some things are harder than others to forget. To invite someone in your home is to give them your heart, the weakness, and your strength; ergo only the worthy may enter.

Shia D’Shire has yet to earn that. But circumstances being as they are, she considered it an emergency. The man hadn’t shown any signs of breaching her trust, on the contrary, he was tame, polite even. Reminiscent of her mortal secretary, Mrs.Winters. Both certainly were aware of the invisible borders Evelyn drew, took care near it and respected it. In return, Evelyn responded in kind, perhaps gave a little more. Only time will tell with D’Shire. Her breath hitched, taking it as a sign to hurry, she went to the walk-in closet, sliding the door aside and fished her hand into the darkness until her hand hooked around a bag’s shoulder strap.

She pulled a black duffel bag out, unzipping it. The contents were as they left it: rolled clothes neatly stacked against each other in the compartment, ziploc bags containing essentials secured in the corner and cold hard cash. She zipped it back up, and slung it over her shoulder. Evleyn stopped by the door, sparing a second glance and checking off a mental list. Everything accounted for. Satisfied, she returned to the lounge, catching bits and pieces of Mr.D’Shire’s conversation with his contemporary named Bug. She paced over to the main door, making a show of typing on her phone. Wizards and their love for peculiar names, she mused. She’d never understood it, then again, part of the reason she vastly preferred her alias than her given name. She sent a quick message to Mrs.Winters to push back the month’s agenda followed by a quick apology for disturbing her evening and then slipped the phone into her coat pocket.

"I hope you're not averse to flying, Mr.D'Shire." She said, her hand twisting the door knob. "I've just irrevocably sabotaged my own schedule for this month in favor of a long-term investment and to break-even we will need to see this business through quickly."

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Shia D'Shire

Tags: Evelyn Maeteris | Location: New York ✈ Baltimore​

Each time his last name was said, there was the scrunching of the nose. "Not as adverse as I am to being addressed as Mister." He murmured with a slight bow of his head. "Shia is fine, or if you feel uncomfortable with first names, you may call me Weaver." Anything but D'Shire, his expression said even if his voice didn't. Shia headed out, so Evelyn could lock up behind. It was a quiet ride in the elevator down to the ground level, where they took a company car to the airport.

Shia wasn't surprised they would take one of her private jets, she held a position of power and wealth. It was disconcerting, however, to travel at night. They would be closer to the moon, and Shia wasn't certain the effects would remain lessened slightly if the window shutters were closed. And he was correct. Shia was very restless, though he fought it. Hands held onto the arms, eyes were closed and he did his best to maintain a calm demeanor. Even with the bouncing of one leg now and then, when it simply could not be contained.

Occasionally, his voice would be taut with tension when he shared what he knew with Miss Harper during the flight. "I am not aware of my employer's methods, finding who he says is involved in solving our moon problem, but those found thus far... They all have a tether attached to them, so I am inclined to trust him in this." One hand ran across his head, from the temple toward the back of his neck, as if seeking to relieve some of the ailments.

"There are currently four of us, myself, Bug, Chase, and Leviathan. The last three are all shifters, but different types. So far, it does not seem to be affecting anyone who does not have supernatural... abilities." At this, he glanced over to Evelyn. "I only know what they are because this information has been shared among ourselves. I do not know what ties you have with the supernatural, but I am going to assume you have such ties. It is entirely your choice if you wish to share. I believe those we gather, the ... afflicted, will need to form .. a friendly companionship at least, so we may work together."

Shia rubbed at his temples with a small 'mmph' of discomfort. "If you have any questions, it would be better to ask when the moon is not so damn close." Nose scrunched, and he huffed before dipping his chin in a nod. "Apologizes. I am not.. at my best right now." He didn't mean to curse. Shia let his eyes remain close as he focused on breathing techniques for the rest of the flight. Thankfully, it was a short trip, but Shia was still distressed after they had landed and he checked his phone.

A few taps, and he sent a message. "He hasn't sent an address yet. I will try to reach him." Shia glanced around and with a small gesture of one hand, he added, "Do you mind if we find someplace to eat nearby while we wait?" It would get them out of the moonlight, and maybe Shia would be able to eat something before his stomach... nope, that was his stomach rumbling, right on cue. "Apologies."

coded by natasha.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

Edwin sighed and sat just inside his tent. "Mystics. Never giving enough detail to act on." He shook his head. "I guess I'll have to atleast meet him and hear him out. Where's he at then?"

While Levi explained the situation, Edwin checked what provisions he had on him. He hadn't been planning any long trips, but he could stop by his cave to grab a few more stones to carve, and some of his winter food stock. Despite the mounting dread and fear of the night, a part of him was excited to go out into the world, to be more like his old mentor. He roused from his thoughts as he noticed Levi stop talking. "Sounds good. I just have to make a stop in the morning to get supplies." He nodded assent to the plan, and slid back into his tent and let the flap fall closed. He knew sleep was a ways off, so he simply meditated.

----------​

During the night, deep in focus, Edwin felt the bear's thoughts bubble up. Thoughts of home, and fear of losing it. "I know buddy." he whispered calmingly to it. "We'll be back." He felt it relax with the comforting words, and soon he himself fell into sleep. The first restful sleep he'd gotten in a while.

----------​

He was woken by the sounds of bird songs and Levi moving about. He stretched as he left the tent, and greeted his companion. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado​

Levi snorted and agreed with the whole 'mystics' thing. "Well, we have to go to Nevada next, and gather up another. If he comes across more for us to find, then he'll send a text. Otherwise, if'n there ain't any more after Nevada, we're supposed to meet back up in Houston. And then.. mebbe we'll get more information." Shoulders lifted in a shrug before standing up. Arms stretched over his head in a small stretch as Edwin slipped into one tent, leaving the spare for him. Levi gave the bleeding moon one more glance before taking the other tent and closing it up for the night.

Soon as the blood was chased away by the light of the sun, Levi left the tent. Minutes were spent making sure his hair was combed just right, and his clothing was relatively clean of twigs and dirt. A sideways grin greeted Edwin when the man emerged. "Eh, well enough. More like a couple of cat naps in a row." Teeth showed in the wide smile with a chuff or two. "So, we have to head to Nevada." Hands were shoved into his pockets, shoulders lifting as a sheepish expression crossed his face.

"Do you have a car?"

A moment or two passed before he had to add, "I never learned how to drive. I hitchhiked here, I could smell if the driver had bad intentions and jus' avoided those."

coded by natasha.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

"A car? No, I've been living out here since I was like sixteen. I have some cash back at my main camp, might be enough for a train." He lifted his satchel onto his shoulder. "Trains still exist right? It's, uh, been a while since I checked on that kind of thing." Without really waiting on a response, Edwin casually knocked his tent down and walked off towards his cave. "If nothing else, I'm sure the money will help us get around." He continued talking, assuming Levi was with him.

In his cave, he pulled out roughly $20 in small bills, and a handful of quarters he'd used to scratch out his first runes. He also grabbed a backpack and the remains of his dried winter rations. "Alright, that's all the stuff I can think of. I guess now we just go pick up this Nevada person. How much do you know about them?" Edwin asked as he took one final look at his cave, before following Levi. He didn't think much of it as a final goodbye, but as a snapshot of how much work he'd have to do when he got back.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado​

Levi ran a hand along the side of his face as he let out a slow breath. He had followed Edwin back to his cave, mind churning with possible avenues of travel. "Flyin's out, I'm pretty sure I couldn't stand it. Hitchhiking is likely out, too. Doubtful there are those who'd pick up two. Some ain't wanting to stop for just one." He fished out his phone and tapped away at it, sometimes holding it up high to get a better signal. He talked as he worked on getting information bit by bit.

"Well, I know her name, and address, and she's in high school. Which should make finding her easier." A chuff, a grin, and then he apparently had the information he had been looking for. "Okays, so I have money, and I think.. looks like our best bet is a bus. Train is too expensive, and takes several hours longer than a bus. By bus it'll take us about.. fifteen hours, more or less." Levi tucked his phone away with a wrinkling of his nose. "I will definitely need to sit by a window I can lower now and then."

"Let's head up toward the main road at least, then I can see where we need to go to get to a bus station. On the way I'll talk about what I do know." Levi couldn't help but laugh when they were walking side by side again. "I ain't gonna get a crick in my neck trying to look up at you all the time, so sorry if'n I don't always look you in the eye." He grinned wide as he did purposefully look up briefly. Then he focused on the path.

"So, there's four of us to start with, and now four more. When he figures out another, he'll send us all a text with the information. We're all kinda assigned areas, like I'm handling the west. There's Chase who is the Midwest. He's a wolf shifter, and actually likes snow, go figure." Levi snorted with a shake of his head. "Then there's Shia, he's a weaver. Some type of magician, I ain't one to understand magic much. He's got the Northeast area. He says all o'us so far, have this tether to the moon. He can see magic, part of being a Weaver or something. Says that's why we're feeling effects more than others seem to be."

Levi reached into a pocket of his flannel and pulled out a flask of water. "Also, he's enchanted a couple of pockets, they can hold more than you'd think." He grinned and silently toasted before taking a drink and tucking it away again. "He'll likely ask if you want some when we all get back together. Pretty handy if you can't always carry a bag." He patted the pocket, which looked empty. It really was his favorite flannel shirt, now more than ever.

"Le'seeeeee. Oh, then there's Bug. Can't forget about him. He wouldn't let ya." A sharp chuff of a laugh then. "He's got the South, and he's a shifter too, but.." There was a wrinkling of his nose as if trying to figure out how to explain it. "Ain't like us. He can change into.. bugs. Like if'n anyone lived up to his name, it's Bug. And he's... kinda larger than life, I guess you could say. He'll likely try to hug you and tell you he loves you upon meeting you. That kind. Just.. you'll have to experience it for yourself."

"Then there's me. Levi, short for Leviathan. Yeah, whoever named me had some humor I guess. Or mebbe they thought I would grow into the name." Laugh. "You've seen me change. My form is a clouded leopard. I love the trees." Teeth showed in the quick grin he tossed in Edwin's direction. "And that's our crew at the moment. Uh, Shia was heading to New York, then Baltimore. And I came here, then Nevada. Ain't got anyone for Chase or Bug yet."

A tilt of his head to either side, and he popped his neck. Shoulders rolled, and he continued, "As for the how we stop this, I ain't got a clue yet. Said it's better to get everyone needed together, then he'll just have to go through it once. And something about it being all time sensitive like too." Levi gave a shrug of his shoulders, "Any questions yet?" Otherwise, he'd likely just let them travel in silence a while until they got to the main road. The plan was, once there, he'd check his phone for the nearest bus station, and they'd head there. Levi would buy a pair of bus tickets to Nevada and they'd get the next fifteen or so hours to nap.

coded by natasha.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

"So, a wolf, a cat, a bug, and a weaver set out to save the world. Sounds like the set up to a bad joke." Edwin said flatly, though mostly to himself. "Well, it sounds like an interesting group." They continued walking in silence for a while, until his thoughts finally gathered enough to ask a question. "Wait, you only listed four people. Who is this 'he', the mystic guiding you all?" he asked, only slightly turning his head toward Levi. "Surely the head honcho would be the first you'd list, unless you don't know much about him."

The question was asked as they reached the edge of the forest. The expanse of human construction before them roused the nervousness from within Edwin. He was truly leaving his home, and unlike his childhood leaving into the forest, these lands did not feel welcoming. His steps faltered briefly, though he tried to hide it, and he wiped the sweat from his palms against his legs. 'Relax,' he thought, 'you have done this before, you will be staying on the outskirts anyway.' Despite himself, the smokey horizons and smells of the city only further reminded him of what he had chosen.

"Alright, let's go." He said with a nod. The words may have been directed to Levi, but the intent was to himself. His walk to the bus station was closer to a march, as he focused on not stumbling and looking normal. He barely succeeded on the former.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado​

Levi grinned, he enjoyed Edwin's sharp perception. "Well, his name is Devlin Wright. Ain't nothing I could find about him online, and at first I thought he was just crazy." He stood a moment, hovering between the forest and the road within their line of sight. A moment was spent with his phone, now that the signal was stronger, it was only a minute or two and he had the direction they needed to go. Levi gave a pat to the bark of a nearby tree with a bit of a sigh. He waited for Edwin before starting to get on the road and head to the nearest bus stop.

"But he knew things. Things that he couldn't have found online. Like.. things no one else but me should know. It was kinda.. creepy, but do I believe him? Yeah. And I sure as hell hope he does know how we can get rid of the bleeding part of the moon. It's really putting a damper on my night life." Levi chuffed as he cast a grin up at Edwin. "Gonna be a little bit of a walk, probably an hour?" Shoulders shrugged and he focused on the road ahead.

Unless Edwin had more questions, he'd let the hour pass with just the sound of the occasional car passing them by. Once they were in the city, Levi pulled out his phone again for directions. "Just walk with me, I'll get us there." He tried to give a reassuring smile, as Edwin had said he lived in the woods since sixteen. It was bound to be more stressful for Edwin than for Levi. So, he did his best to say how close they were, or what direction they needed to go next.

The Greyhound bus terminal was full of noise. Even Levi winced when they walked up to get tickets. Took a few minutes longer than it should have, but eventually, they had two tickets to Nevada. Paradise, Nevada to be exact. "She lives just outside of Paradise. Good news, there's a bus there. Bad news..." Levi wrinkled his nose and glanced up at Edwin. "It doesn't leave until twelve forty five in the morning. Soooo we have some time to kill. Means we won't get there until about three thirty in the afternoon tomorrow. Maybe we'll time it right for her to be getting out of school."

Levi rubbed at the side of his face with the palm of one hand as he looked around. "So uh... we can get a hotel. I still have some of the money Devlin gave us to use. Did you want to do that first? I know being in cities can be a real headache, and that's coming from someone who's had to be in the city off and on. I bet it's worse for you. What do you wanna do, Edwin? We got..." Levi checked the time on his phone. "A little over twelve hours."

coded by natasha.

 

[Clownery]

Location: The dank alleyways of Baltimore. Interacting with: Bug [ Out Of Words ]​

Luciana took a moment to process the wave of information Bug was telling her. If only he'd drop the singing he'd make much more sense but Lucina's patience was managing it quite well.

When the song (thankfully) ended, she watched him fumble and looking almost apologetic about his display. At least the things he was saying was much more discernible now albeit still fast paced. He talked about being a cipher, Luciana recalled meeting plenty of shifters in her time, but this is the first time she had personally met someone like Bug. Then he went on about the blood moon and how it's affecting his mood, and how a group of people including her, should work together to figure out and stop this whole mystery. But more so she shivers at the thought of getting worse if there's nothing to be done about it.

She should've figured this much, her own vampiric instincts was off the charts as well ever since the blood moon started. There was no other way to explain the phenomena, and if there was indeed a way to remedy this she would jump at the chance to do so. The only problem is, if Bug is someone to be trusted.

"I don't understand." she starts, "How is this even possible?" still having reservations about the authenticity of all this. Given the setting of which they are currently meeting there is a high chance that this guy might just be another lunatic in the alleys, even if she did save her life awhile back. It still doesn't guarantee the legitimacy of his claims.

As Luciana was about to say something else, Bug fished out his phone and started to text. As he did so, Luciana's patience was starting to grow thin uncharacteristically, could be from the effects of the bloodmoon was starting to get to her again.

Luciana looked down at her jacket, as Bug barraged her with words. "I think so--Wait." Luciana's voice turned firm as she stopped dead on her tracks. She was firm with her words but with a slight hinge of worry in them. "Why me? And who is this Shia person?"

Even if she was not fully on board. Luciana had locked herself in for so long, that the thought of leaving her safe space from the world outside and meeting new people she may potentially harm, especially at this volatile time, made her unsure and uneasy. But at the back of her mind, she was hopeful. If this was the only way, and if she is definitely needed, then Luciana has to make the right choice.​

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

BUG

Tags: Luciana Clownery | Location: Baltimore​

Bug, still on his knees in the street, started to answer Luciana when his phone began ringing. His expression said he knew who it was, and didn't want to answer it. "It'll go to voice mail, it's fine." He gave a little dismissive wave of one hand. "Shia is one of four, of us. Like, we were found first, and Devlin.. that's the guy who says he knows how we can end this thing, Devlin.." The phone started ringing again. Bug's face twisted, and he murmured, "One moment."

His chin tucked as he fished out his phone and answered it with a too cheery tone. "SHIAAAA! Heyyy.. what.. yes. It's all good. I thought I would help you out, and find the one in Baltimore. She's loverly, had to chase off some.. what? Yessssss." Bug grinned at her. "Yes, right now." And he couldn't quite help but start to sing. "Riiiiight now..." But it stopped abruptly, and he pouted for a second or two. "Listening. Yes. Room. Yes. address. Yes.. okay... Am I in trouble? I was just helping. I shouldn't be in trouble for helping. Like helping is good, right? So why.."

Bug cheered up, obviously not in trouble. "Okay! Yes. Good. Somewhere. Yes. Address. Yes! Doughnuts? We can has doughnuts, too? YAY! With sprinkles? Okay. I like the rainbow sprinkles., The chocolate ones are okay, but the rainbo.. bye Shia!" He hung up on the already disconnected call and put his phone away. Then, finally, Bug stood up and spent a few moments making sure his butt was dusted off thoroughly.

"Okay so, that was Shia. And he found his person in New York. Think he found them. He said we. So yes, he found them. Anyhoooo. We have the go ahead to find a place to stay safe, and get doughnuts with sprinkles and wait for them. And then I can answer all the questions you have. I may not have all the answers to all the questions you have, but I can come up with answers." Bug grinned, and then held out his left arm in a classic gentleman escort position. "Shall we, loverly Luciana?"

coded by natasha.

 

[AsherMasher]

Clementine seemingly dragged herself from class to class all day. Her night terrors were seemingly getting worse and were dramatically affecting her ability to pay attention during classes. As she left her last class before launch Clementine was lost in thought. She had to find a way to overcome these nightmares so she could finally get a good night’s rest.

Ash’s grasp on her startled her out of her own thoughts. She followed him off to the side and felt a bit guilty that such a gentle person could frighten her, even just a little. Ash’s request brought a small smile to her face. Even with the minimal interactions between them Clementine saw him as a very kind person.

The nightmares have been causing her hell, but Clementine’s happy nature shined through.

“Of course we can sit together! I’d love to get my mind off of all these tests coming up. It will be a nice way to destress.” She smiles brightly at Ash and placed a hand on his arm in a friendly manner. Maybe this could help her get her mind straight. God knows she needed it. She walked towards the cafeteria and waited for Ash to follow.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Tags: Clementine AsherMasher | Location: Nevada​

Ash gave a small smile, and walked alongside to the cafeteria. He made sure she got in line before him, and at the end, offered to carry her tray to a table. He settled on the other side, sparing a couple of glances around before giving a slight smile. The tuck of his chin, and small tilt of his head suggested he was a bit on the shy side. His voice was just loud enough to be heard across the table.

"How are you? Are you liking the school here?" Ash gave a little shrug, as he added, "My family moves around a lot, so, I've seen a good handful of schools."

Ash seemed to work on making eye contact whenever Clementine spoke, and he appeared to listen. The conversation would be a nice bit of a get to know session, it seemed. Ash asked about what she liked in school, and out of school. If she had pets. Did she have any after school activities she liked, and what her family was like. In return, he offered up answers to his own questions. It was only fair.

Ash liked the school library a lot, and also the neighborhood library out of school. He liked to read a lot. He didn't have any pets, but wanted to get one sometime. Wasn't sure if he wanted a dog or a cat yet. He was too new to be in any extracurricular activities just yet, and his family was military, so they moved around a lot.

Before the lunch ended, and they had to go to their next class, Ash would carry her tray to the return window. He gave a small smile, with that same tuck of his chin, tilt of his head. "Do you.. need a ride home after school?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

Edwin thought nothing of an hour walk, as he had spent most of his days walking about the forest. He tried to use the time to think about what Levi had said, on this strange mystic and the stranger nights. Tried, but the noise of the city was distracting, and Levi apparently loved the sound of his own voice for he did not allow a moment to pass without restating the directions. He was nearing his breaking point and about the tell Levi off when they neared the bus terminal, and though it was louder, the difference in noise was all he really needed.

Levi stood in line to get the tickets, while Edwin looked about the station. It was an odd mix of clean and clear bumped up to old and smoggy. As the druid finally had a moment to himself, he began to notice how many individual sounds there were around him, how much motion was visible in his peripheral. He began to feel as though he was surrounded, and had Levi not returned at that moment panic may have set in.

He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself, though the air seemed to cling to his throat and not reach his lungs. "Uh, hotel?" he asked, not fully familiar with the word, "You know the cities, I'll trust your choices." Though he was sure Levi said something before leading, the rush of sound and press of motion still edged on his awareness. Edwin felt the bear tense within him, ready to strike. It was a fear neither had felt in many years.

It wasn't until they'd entered the lobby that the druid realized he had not been breathing. He gasped for breath, disregarding the opinions of any around him, and wiping the sweat from his brow. As he leaned against the wall, he finally noticed the others approaching him, and waved them off. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just need a moment." As his breathing steadied, the cool air finally crept into his awareness, and the amount of sweat shocked him. It's just a city. he thought, Nothing to be afraid of. These people are harmless, they couldn't last a night away from their comforts. You are better than that.

He followed Levi to a room, attempting a smile at the hotel employee as he passed. "Sorry about that." He said. He wasn't sure if he was apologizing to Levi or the bear, though both deserved it. "I don't know what happened, but I think I need to just-" he cut off as he saw the room. In particular, the beds. Memories of his childhood swelled up, the feeling of comfort and safety, the best memories of his childhood. "Lay down." he finished after a pause, and immediately flopped onto a bed. As he sank into the bed, his heart sank in his chest. It felt so foreign, so unnatural. The brief respite into his childhood was enough to break his tenseness though, and he felt more himself. He rolled over to speak to his companion. "Twelve hours you said?"

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado​

Levi nodded, preferring they get a hotel room as well. So he led the way to a decent place near the bus station. Decent as in it had four walls, a floor and ceiling, and wasn't dirty or smelly, or expensive. Wound up with a nice two double bed room on the second floor, first floor was all staff rooms. As soon as they were inside, Levi worked on setting up an alarm on his phone for a time when they should get up and get ready to go to the bus station. He left a good bit of leeway and set the alarm for 11pm.

Then he noticed Edwin enjoying one of the beds. He grinned and settled on the other, facing Edwin. "Yeah, just set an alarm for eleven. Gives us time to wake up, and check out." Levi slipped off his shoes and laid back on his bed. There was a long, slow, very audible sigh as he felt himself just sinking into the pillow. "Oh man. I love the trees and all, but now and then, you just gotta lay down in an actual bed, yanno?"

Levi turned his head to look at Edwin, hands folded on top of his chest. "If you want a hot shower too, I so very strongly recommend grabbing it while we're here. I'm gonna take one when we wake up. I always try to enjoy the little luxuries of the city when I'm in one. Make up for all the godawful smells of the city." He laughed then. "And the noises. Sometimes, I still find it horribly overwhelming. But.. I'm gonna get a catnap in, unless you have any questions that can't wait?"

coded by natasha.

 

[AsherMasher]

Clementine Holt​

Clementine happily obliged to eating lunch with Ash. As they casually conversed, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. His questions and presence helped her forget her constant fatigue for the moment. Clementine appreciated the conversation as she happily answered any questions he had and listened when he began speaking out himself.

She understood his feeling of displacement due to his family’s constant moves due to her disconnection from humans. Under all her bright personality, Clementine secretly felt like an outsider in the human world due to her hidden magic abilities. As Ash continued his lunch she let herself ponder on this thought. Maybe this was a reason why she always had the frequent night terrors along with the sense of creeping paranoia. She quickly dismissed these thoughts in fear that they would ruin the one peaceful moment she was given.

When lunch ends Clementine followed Ash and thanked him for being such a gentleman. Their easy conversations and his gentle nature made her feel at ease in such a stressful time. She hoped that this would be a new budding friendship between them. While she was lost in thought Clementine perked up at the mention of getting a ride home after school. Did she really look that tired? The offer did seem good considering she definitely felt another feeling of fatigue creeping in.
“Well I don’t want to put you out,” she says nervously. She toys with the ends of her sleeves on her sweatshirt, but smiles at him even with her embarrassment. “I am feeling kind of tired with all my studying for class. If you wouldn’t mind I’d happily take your offer! Thanks for being such a good friend.”

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Tags: Clementine AsherMasher | Location: Nevada​

Ash smiled, and appeared pleased. "Okay, I'll be in parking lot B after school. I'll wait for you there." He gave a little tip of the hat on his head, and backed up when he started to leave. He wound up bumping into the lockers against the wall, and he fumbled a bit before he gave her a sheepish wave. This time he turned and actually looked where he was going.

When school ended, Ash was true to his word. He was resting against the hood of an older model black Trans-Am with the front windows rolled down. It definitely looked like it had taken some work, the car that is. There were a few who even stopped by in passing to compliment the car. Each time it made Ash smile a little.

However, the smile Ash had when he looked up and spotted Clemetine was definitely more of an ear to ear grin. His right hand lifted in a wave as he pushed away from the car and met her halfway. "Hey. Hi." And then as if he forgot to greet her, or forgot that he had already just said it, "Hey." A laugh, and he scratched at the side of his head just underneath the brim of his hat. "Ready?"

If she indicated she was ready, Ash would open the passenger door for her, and hold it while she got into the car. He closed it and went around to get into the driver's seat. "Seatbelts." He grinned and then gestured to the radio, "Feel free to play whatever." He put on his seatbelt, and rolled up the tinted windows before pulling slowly out of the parking lot and getting to the main road before he asked, "So, where to?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

"Yeah, a shower does sound nice." Edwin said, feeling the agreeance from within. "I'm gonna go do that."

He stepped into the bathroom, and was immediately aware of how small it was. Between the shower, sink, and toilet was enough room to stand, barely. "Sorry bud." He whispered to the bear. "I guess you aren't getting a shower. Maybe some other time."

Though the shower wasn't really 'hot', it was much better than the cold streams of the forest, and the towel, though scratchy, did a much better job at drying than the shake off method the bear had taught him. He dried off and redressed before examining himself in the mirror. "Kinda forgot the ripples were part of the pond and not my face." He touched at the lines and wrinkles on his face, realizing just how much older he looked than Levi. "And we're going to go pick up a high schooler?" he asked himself, slowly realizing the situation he was in. "I really hope Levi knows what he's doing, because I definitely won't be much help on getting Nevada kid."

He finally returned to the room, and attempted to settle into his bed for the night. As he tossed and turned in the overly soft bed, he was a bit envious of Levi's ability to sleep so easily. He eventually pulled the covers from the bed into a nest on the floor and curled up there. Here he was finally comfortable enough to sleep until the first light of dawn awoke him.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado​

It wasn't the light of dawn, but Levi flipping the light on and off as he called Edwin's name. "Edwin, hey, Edwin..." His alarm had gone off at 11pm, Levi had already showered and gotten ready to go. He thought he'd let the other shifter sleep in but now they really should get moving. It was nearly midnight, and they should get to the bus station early. Would be nice to snag a pair of seats in the back if possible.

"Edwin.. We gotta get going soon." At least they wouldn't have to wait in line to buy tickets, if there even was a line. "We'll grab some food on the way over to the station. Pretty sure I saw a twenty four seven joint open. That's if we leave in the next ten minutes." Once Edwin started to stir, Levi gave him a couple before making sure the other shifter had heard him and understood they had to get their furry butts going.

And sure enough, on the way was a Waffle House. Levi let Edwin get whatever they could get to go, and he paid with Devlin's money. He ordered two sides of bacon, extra crispy, scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, and a large side order of hash browns. One thing good about the cities was the food he could find. There were some real gems out there. For the moment, almost any food would do, he was hungry.

Food carried in their to go boxes, Levi couldn't help but munch on some of his bacon on the way, they made it to the station with time to spare. And based on the people mulling around, or the lack thereof, they should have no problem getting seats in the back, if not the very last seat. "If you really want the window, that's fine. As long as you don't mind rolling it down some when the smells are too much." He knew how scents would quickly be overpowering in confined spaces.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Heavy. It was the first and best word her mind lit upon to describe the air around her.

Ever since she was a little girl, she had had dreams of running—of trying to run. Each time, her limbs felt as if they were made of water, undulating uselessly as she tried to catch whatever she sought—or outrun whatever was seeking her.

The sensation, it seemed, had begun to migrate into her waking hours, the pressure of an ocean perched atop her shoulders as she struggled to navigate a world that had increasingly begun to resemble a nightmare.

Maylee shaded her eyes as she looked up at the temperate Portland sky, sunbeams perforating innocuous-looking clouds. Even concealed beneath the sun's splendor, the moon—that strange, inimical shape she had once seen as a comfort—was bleeding. It had to be. Was it suffering? Could the moon ache and sting like flesh, or was it really nothing more than a scarred rock, suspended alone in space?

Maybe they—the ones down here—were feeling the moon's pain in its stead. Maybe that tightness in her chest, her dried-up lungs, her stirring blood were not her own grief but the moon's.

Then again, maybe this was the nightmare. Maybe the world she knew and loved was still there, waiting for her to come home. All she needed to do was wake up.

A silly, childish hope. But it was all she had.

A breeze brushed against her cheeks, and she whispered to herself: "Get to work."

Maylee turned her attention to the colorful arrangement of flowers seated in the basket of her bicycle. Pink roses, blushing lilies, snapdragons still dripping with dew—a late Mother's Day gift for one of their regulars, her boss had told her. Privately, selfishly, she wondered why they had waited. If she still had a parent to send flowers to—

She bit down gently on the inside of her cheek. You don't know them. You shouldn't judge.

She took a deep breath, clapped herself lightly on the cheeks, and then ventured cautiously to pull the corners of her lips up like strings on a puppet. Her boss had been telling her she should smile more: her serious demeanor was off-putting to the customers. She could only hope she remembered how to smile well enough not to be more off-putting to the customers.

Maylee grasped the handlebars of her bike and shifted her weight onto the seat, ready to begin her journey. Before she kicked off the ground, she cautiously rubbed the back of her left boot against the bike to feel the reassuring weight of the knife she kept stashed in it. She clung to it the way a child might cling to a teddy bear—but a stuffed toy, she had long since learned, was far too soft to protect anyone.

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Tags: Maylee Song Vinegar Bees | Location: Portland, Maine​

The Portland streets held nothing unusual, though a few snippets could be overheard as Maylee rode her bicycle past the rows of houses on the way. The topics varied from someone's child feeling unwell, to a pregnant mother worried about her upcoming appointment with her doctor. And then, there were the slivers of conversation that tickled the ear more than others.

"Sleepless night... doesn't feel safe... dog was terrified... something's off."

There wasn't any central reasoning in their eyes, humans didn't see the bleeding moon, but it still caused goosebumps along their arms. A sense of uneasiness seemed to have befallen most of the city's inhabitants who weren't completely wrapped up in their own bloated self importance. It had been growing over the last month, the children felt it first. Little ones, more prone now than before, to hide behind their mother's skirts, and choose to stay inside as soon as the sun started to seek slumber in the sky. Now, others were remarking upon something in the air.

Something wicked this way comes.

It sounded like that little voice everyone has in the back of their head, whispering doubts, fears, and worse. Until it was repeated, and Maylee could ascertain it was a sound heard through her ears and not just in her mind. "Something wicked this way comes." The old man was standing on the corner near the intersection Maylee was slowly approaching. His face bore the wrinkles of time, and experience. Slightly hunched, it made him appear shorter than the man likely was in his prime. His eyes were uneven, but at least one of them stared at the girl on the bike. He had seen things, maybe he knew things, maybe he was just what the humans probably saw. An old man, afflicted with dementia, shouting nonsense at the corner.

A left hand lifted, finger plagued with faint tremors, pointed at Maylee. "Something frightening. Something strange. Something different." People didn't seem to heed the old man, crossing the street when the light allowed. No one seemed to even brush shoulders with him. His voice, raspy and worn down by life, still whispered with surprising strength. "What would you give a man who could make your deepest dreams come true?" He was temporarily hidden from Maylee's line of sight when a throng of people came from farther down the sidewalk, and he was swallowed by the crowd. Only, when the crowd had moved on, he was gone.

And all of her snapdragons had died. A sudden blackening of the petals, as if their life force had been absorbed in the blink of an eye. The lillies were fading now, and in a couple more seconds, the roses would surely be next.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Faces flew by as leaves in the wind, their words hovering at her ears every now and then as flies probing a slab of raw meat. As a rule, she kept her ears sharp during her bicycle excursions through downtown, as there was no telling when she might catch a sliver of conversation relevant to her night job—a sliver that needed investigation.

Certainly she didn't expect humans to openly chat about the other kind in their midst, and they didn't—the ordinary human's milieu of work, takeout, relationships was so far removed from the true nature of the city's underbelly that she was sure the possibility of otherworldly happenings never crossed their minds. Over time, though, she had started to pick up on conversation threads that could be ultimately traced back to the supernatural. Sudden, abnormal tiredness could have any number of mundane explanations, but in rare cases, it could mean one was secretly being fed on by a vampire. An increase in assaults or even murders around the full moon could signify a predatory shifter circling the area.

Of course, the moon itself was reason enough to worry now. Every day, she listened in on passersby, trying to discern whether someone, anyone had something to say about the sinister state of the moon—but if there were fish in the water, they weren't biting. It was enough to make her quietly wonder whether she was going mad.

It was lonely.

She stopped at an intersection, waiting for the signal to cross the road, when all at once a breeze that felt uncharacteristically chilly for May breathed against her cheek. A few strands of hair tumbled into her face, obscuring her vision.

Something wicked this way comes.

The chill sharpened to a sting. Maylee hurriedly brushed her hair from her face and found herself staring down an old man, worn as an old leather work glove, on the other side of the street.

Though his eyes wandered, his gaze was clear, and she felt an irrational dread beginning to creep down her back. Those words—had that been him speaking?

"Something wicked this way comes," he repeated, confirming her suspicion—he did not seem to speak loudly, and yet his voice was eerily clear above the clamor of the crowd.

No one else took notice of the decrepit old man or his strange words, and Maylee blinked rapidly, as if she might will him to disappear like a speck of dust in her eye—but his voice only seemed to draw closer, ominous and portentous.

"What would you give a man who could make your deepest dreams come true?"

Her dreams—? Just as Maylee made way to pedal towards the old man, to venture for an explanation, he was swallowed by a crowd that seemed to have digested him completely by the time it dispersed.

Her heart sank in dismay, only to leap hammering into her throat when she looked down and saw the bouquet fastened to the front of her bike rapidly going dark and dry and limp. Clumsily, her first thought was that she couldn't deliver a bouquet in this state—but it was quickly displaced by a visceral sort of suspicion.

The old man had done it. She had no proof, naturally, but what other conclusion could she draw? That dry, rasping voice seemed near-fit to sap the very thoughts from her mind; a bouquet of cut flowers must have been child's play.

She was beginning to breathe harder, and Maylee urged herself to relax, to stay cool, to think. What had he wanted? Her deepest dreams—what were they, exactly?

An image flashed in her mind: a table set for four, slats of golden hour light peering through parted curtains. The voices in the air, though indistinct, were like music—she could hear the smiles in them.

(And then, those same voices, thin and choking beneath a tide of blood. Someone calling her name—)

Maylee shuddered, extricating herself from her trance, and fixed her gaze grimly on the spot across the street where the old man had been standing. She had to look. Maybe, somehow, he had left some sort of clue behind—?

When the light signaled, she pushed speedily into the intersection, narrowly steering out of the path of a few pedestrians. Their eyes flashed uneasily at her as she passed—bewildered, it seemed, at her haste. Had they really not seen the old man, too?

If she was going mad, it truly was a lonely endeavor.

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Tags: Maylee Song Vinegar Bees | Location: Portland, Maine​

When Maylee neared where the visage of the old man was, there was a remnant of a cold breeze. It curled close enough to her bike, it felt like a cold touch along the back of a hand. The spot tingled, as if her hand had fallen asleep and was trying to wake up. The sensation lingered all the way back to the florist shop.

There was no hope for the dead flowers. The snapdragons looked almost grotesque in death, the little skulls staring up at Maylee, 'mouths' open in a scream, or a whisper of accusation. The little bell over the door jingled softly upon her return. Ms. Baker looked up, a confused expression immediately crossing her face. "Dear? Did you already make the.. oh.. oh my!" Her eyes alighted upon the obviously dead flowers, and confusion turned to consternation. "What happened? Oh, bring them here."

She was determined to look the flowers over, everything felt like her precious 'babies'. "Poor dears, poor dears!" As soon she touched the petals of the roses or lilies, they crumbled as if ash beneath her fingers. The decay drew a gasp, but not as profound a sound as when she touched the death skulls of the snapdragons. One hand cupped a small skull gently, and it rolled off the stem, stopping in the palm of her hand. It was almost perfectly aligned, looking upward at Candace Baker, the florist maker.

"Something wicked this way comes."

Ms Baker's head was titled to the right, her expression blank, eyes glassy. She was there, but not there. It was her voice, but it wasn't. It sounded instead like a small choir of faint whispers, echoing upon one another every time the florist opened her mouth to speak.

"Something wicked this way comes. Something deadly sings and hums." It was perversely melodic in rhythm. "Blood runs down the moon. Blood red is your doom. Unless together they can band. The world itself will be damned." Her head snapped upright, her gaze latched onto Maylee.

When her mouth opened next, it was to emit a high pitched scream. Jaw opened wide, her head jerked back, eyes rolling, as the scream reached a level powerful enough to shatter the front windows of the small florist shop. The sound of glass shards hitting the floor tinkled all around, loud in the absence of that scream. A scream stopped only when Ms Baker collapsed to the floor, alive, but very much unconscious.

The small skull now ash in the palm of her hand.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

She was in such a hurry to return to the flower shop that Maylee's brain scarcely had time to process the gruesome transformation of the flowers. Not all of them—sure, wilted flowers looked unpleasant in any variety, but when she looked down to assess the damage, she wasn't expecting to see skulls where the snapdragons had been.

The sight of miniature, hollow-eyed skulls staring up at her was enough to make Maylee break into a cold sweat. They seemed to be screaming, wailing in some sort of eternal agony. Pleading for her to do something. Cursing her for being unable to.

Her hand trembled lightly as she reached out to brush her fingers against one of the macabre miniatures, expecting to feel the smooth chill of bone—instead, she flinched when the skull proved itself to very much still be made of plant matter.

She drew her hand back sharply, and just then a memory floated vaguely forth: the florist, Ms. Baker, had told her once that snapdragons took on a frightful appearance when they withered. It was, it seemed, natural.

Of course, whatever had caused them to so quickly desiccate couldn't possibly be a simple quirk of biology.

By now she had returned to the shop, and Candace Baker was, unsurprisingly, dismayed by the sight of the ruined bouquet—the passion she poured into her work was obvious even to the blind. As Maylee handed over the flowers, Ms. Baker asked what had happened, and it occurred to Maylee that she had rushed over without figuring out a cover story.

"Um—" She couldn't possibly tell Ms. Baker that a strange encounter with an old man had sapped the flowers of their vitality. It sounded like lunacy—and even if Maylee knew dark happenings like that to be possible, she couldn't expose Ms. Baker to the perilous world operating beneath their own.

Before she could land on anything viable, though, a chilling phrase slipped through Ms. Baker's lips like frost:

"Something wicked this way comes."

Maylee's heart lurched. The kindly florist had taken on a stiff, unnatural posture. And those words—again—?

"Ms... Ms. Baker? What's wrong?"

Ms. Baker began to let out a strange chant, words tumbling from her mouth like flies—buzzing and overlapping each other like flies, too. Numbly, Maylee reached out to touch Ms. Baker's shoulders, perhaps as much an attempt to steady herself in the spinning room as to steady her boss.

"...Unless together they can band. The world itself will be damned."

And then the florist's head snapped up with the sickening crunch of bone, and her lips emitted an ear-splitting screech that shattered the quiet atmosphere of the shop and, quite literally, the windows.

Maylee clapped her hands feverishly over her ears, ducking her head beneath the sudden shower of glass shards that glanced off of her like razor-sharp hail; and then Ms. Baker collapsed to the floor (The glass—!), and the only sound left in the room was the ringing of Maylee's ears and the thrashing of her heartbeat.

"Candace!"

Maylee swiftly knelt at Ms. Baker's side, hissing through her teeth when a few micro-shards of glass bit into the flesh of her knees. She scooped the fallen woman up in her arms—Ms. Baker was a small, petite thing, and Maylee wasn't a weakling to begin with—and propped her up in a wicker chair she had set down for customers. Maylee told herself to breathe, to be steady as she checked for a pulse. The blood within her own veins was roiling violently, and the last thing she needed to do now was lose control and wake the wolf.

To her relief, Ms. Baker had a pulse, and her breathing seemed normal, too—if it hadn't been for that bizarre episode, Maylee might have mistaken her for napping. But what had happened to her? And why—?

Those words.

Maylee turned around sharply, scanning her gaze rapidly across the wrecked storefront for any hint of a shadow, a presence. With practiced fluidity, she reached down into her boot and drew her knife, clenching it between her fingers as she clenched her teeth to keep them still.

She could be scared. But, if someone else were here, she couldn't let them see.

"I don't know if anyone's listening," she called out fiercely, "but whoever or—or whatever you are—if you're trying to tell me something, leave her out of it. She hasn't done anything!"

She fumbled the knife a bit in a hand she fought to keep from shaking, and her voice dropped a touch in volume and confidence as she almost self-consciously added: "And... and there's got to be a better way to tell me. I'm not fluent in riddles."

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[KodakWolf]

Leif Hjalkarssen
Location: Wyoming​

Blood gushed onto the forest floor, quickly pooling up into a shining puddle that seemed to reflect the moon above. The flow slowed to a dripping as the creature gradually stopped struggling against the grip that immobilized it, and eventually hung lifeless in Leif's arms. The warm fluid ran down his arms and would have stained both his clothes and the black bear pelt he had around his shoulders, had they been of a lighter color. He didn't seem to mind, as his gaze had been fixed on the puddle of blood on the ground since the second it started forming. On the circular waves formed around the point a new droplet had just fallen, that quickly moved outwards and disappeared, just in time for a new one to form as another drop reached the puddle.

It was hypnotizing. So hypnotizing Leif no longer felt the weight of the carcass on his arms, nor the stinging pain of the wound caused by one of the buck's antlers that had cut through the skin on his neck rather deeply as the animal squirmed in his arms, rapidly losing blood after it's throat had been skilfully slit with a sharp knife made of silver. And the drops kept falling, one, two, three... the smell of that blood was so strong and alluring, he could have mistaken it for that of a human. Eleven, twelve, thirteen... thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven... fifty two, fifty three... he could no longer keep track of them, they were too many droplets for one to count. Or maybe he couldn't count them anymore because the blood was no longer dropping. And the weight of the carcass was no longer felt because it was no longer in his arms.

The smell of the blood was stronger than ever, and even the bizarre chanting that had been lurking closer and closer every night was different. It was louder, and seemed to be getting closer by the second now, coming from above, from the moon. And it kept drawing nearer. It was loud now, it felt like the moon was bending down over him and chanting. Yet he couldn't divert his gaze from the pooled blood. The sound was frighteningly similar to the chanting he heard on the fateful night the tricked death over a thousand years ago, but until now he hadn't been able to tell. It'd been too long, and he'd never heard it again until about a month ago, when the moon started to bleed. And it was yelling that chant now, and the sound enveloped him at the same time realization did. It was that same ancient chant, and it was suddenly so loud it assaulted his ears, yet he couldn't move away from it, he couldn't yell back, he couldn't do anything.

When it became unbearable and he felt like nearing a breaking point, the moon suddenly turned silent. He found himself kneeling down on the forest floor, crouching over the spilled blood like a beast, his lips brushing the crimson vital fluid collected among roots and dead leaves that slowly reached further, sullying the earth. The dead buck lied beside him, as did the silver knife; he'd dropped them at some point.

Leif pushed himself up in haste, getting up and away from the blood that was so alluring a few seconds ago, almost as if... terrified. It'd been a long time since he last felt like that. He hadn't had a lot to be scared of in the latest decades, having learned how to avoid most dangers that could be considered a real threat to someone like him, but what'd just happened couldn't be described by anything too different than scary. He'd almost lost it over the blood of an animal, blood that had a weak effect to quench his thirst and that he practically never consumed. Not to mention the chanting that he'd been hearing again after more than a thousand years. It got close this time, loud. Of course he suspected it ever since it'd been heard for the first time about a month ago, but only today was he finally able to identify it as that chant. He'd thought he had, but he'd never forgotten those words, even though he couldn't quite understand them.

He wondered, however, whether others heard that same song. He'd heard of weird happenings, of people (not regular humans though) being affected by the moon in different ways, but that chanting was almost something... private. As much as he'd searched, he'd never found any information on it, and never heard it again until then. He'd given up centuries ago. And now the moon was singing it, as if to him. That same voice, deep, rough, primitive. He wondered whether anyone else heard it, or whether each person had their own particular experience. The one thing he was sure of was that it wasn't something he'd be easily able to brush off anymore, as he'd been doing until then.

The sight of the buck carcass repulsed him after the experience, and all Leif wanted was to get away from it. He collected the silver knife from the ground, keeping his eyes on the dead animal as he backed off a few steps before turning around to head back through the woods towards the nearest road, where he'd parked the truck that was intended to carry the carcass back to his cabin. He'd often hunt animals as a means of appeasing his killing instincts that were greater than his thirst and used to make him kill more people than he actually needed to keep living (or whatever it was that he was doing on Earth), which was a behavior likely to get him into trouble nowadays. He'd take carcasses back home for crafting and selling of parts, more a hobby than anything else, but not today. He just wanted to get away from the buck since he couldn't get away from the moon. It was still bleeding, but at least now it was silent.

The stinging pain coming from the wound made by the buck's antler on his neck came back, and he reached for it, touching his own blood, colder than that which he sought in his prey. It'd heal quickly enough, maybe by the time he reached the truck there'd be no more trace of it. The pain, however, helped him keep both feet on the ground and think more about what'd just happened. He'd barely hunted that buck. The animal was distressed, walking in circles by the time Leif found it. It almost walked into his arms, to death. Of course it was weird, but it could've just been a sick animal before all that, but not anymore. Something was definitely off, and it was his knowledge that animals were generally a lot more sensitive than anyone else. He only wished he could somehow talk to them; maybe they'd have an answer.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Tags: Maylee Song Vinegar Bees | Location: Portland, Maine​

Nothing answered Maylee's pleas. There was the sound of people outside, coming to see what the commotion was, why glass littered the sidewalk as well as the shop floor. The windows had exploded in either direction, luckily there hadn't been anyone walking by at the time.

Ms. Baker's breathing was steady, but there were no signs she would be rousing anytime soon. The shop had to be looked after, windows secured, glass cleaned up, and the day was quickly passing them by. At least the flowers Maylee had intended to deliver was one less thing to worry about. Whether it was from the scream, or something else, even the little skulls had all completely withered and barely any ash remained as testimony to their existence.

Ms. Baker would wake, shortly before evening, and claiming to remember nothing of what transpired. She wasn't up for a lot of conversation with a migraine making her unable to do little else than go to bed. The moon bled still, making events of they day almost as surreal as the undulating rivulets in the sky. Who's to say what might have affected Maylee's dreams that night. The old man, the flowers, Ms. Baker, any and everything could have contributed to what greeted the woman when slumber did cast its eye upon her at long last.

Trees, with leaves as deep red as the moon, lined either side of the path Maylee found herself walking. A strand of blood, pulsing with energy, seemed to be tethering herself to the moon in the sky. It wasn't clear whether the energy was being siphoned from her and fed to the moon, or it was the reverse, but she could feel every beating of the heart. The heart? No, the moon. NO! The moon was a heart, sounding its rhythm all around, deeper with each step she took along the path.

A path that opened up to a lake of blood. She stood on a small cliff, looking down as if from a seat of power. Dark shapes lined the perimeter, and as if on cue, the moment Maylee noticed them as people, they began to tumble like dominoes into the lake. The vein tethering her to the moon pulsed sharply each time a body broke the surface of the lake and began to sink under. They didn't even cry out in fear, or in pain. As if resigned to a fate that had befallen them again and again.

When the last of the bodies had toppled, and the ripples of the blood water grew still, the thick tether attached to her chest began to pull. She was being dragged toward the lake, toward the edge of the cliff where she would surely drop and fall into the welcoming blood beneath. Despite the best efforts to dig in her feet, to pull back against the motion, Maylee could feel herself teetering forward. The lake filled her vision, it was everywhere she turned her gaze.

For a moment, she could even see her reflection, only it wasn't one reflection. There were five of her, two left, two right. They weren't completely identical to her. There were some differences, color of the hair, the clothing they wore, a subtle change in their facial structure. Their heads turned to look at Maylee in the center, and as she could feel herself begin to fall, their voices hauntingly whispered, "Change it."

Maylee woke a moment before her body would have hit the surface of the lake. Welcome to Wednesday.

coded by natasha.