writing prompt: the wind The icy north wind blew an ill omen...
Her fingers are chilled and hard to bend with the cold. She fears the pains of the evening to come. She closes the door on the wind and hunkers down by the hearth. Where is he? Will he return in time? Is he hurrying?
The sun still burns bright in the sky, but night would fall as always. And tonight, the moon. He needs to arrive before the moon ascends. The room at the top of the stairs is empty, with the padlock dangling from the latch. Time is slipping away.
She paces, the hours pass and the light dims as the sun sets. She is edgy, nervous and tingling. She can’t bear to wait any longer. She takes her red hooded cape from the peg on the wall and opens the door. The sound of his footfalls thunder up the front path and onto the front steps. His eyes are round and fearful. He is breathing heavily from running. He doubles over at the sight of her in the red cape.
Her trembling hands go to the hood and begin to pull it over her head. He grabs her wrists and growls in agony. They struggle against each other briefly. He drags her to the stairs and begins to climb to the room at the top. She tugs frantically against his grip. He is losing his grip. She is panting in terror.
In an instant the remaining reddish light leaves the sky and a new cold light appears.
A shriek, a growl, tendons cracking, bones popping. Blood dripping.
He is crumpled in the doorway, his fingers slip from the dangling padlock. The red cape flutters to the floor. There is a clicking sound as claws scrabble their way through the open front door and down the moonlit path.
(Please be kind, I've never done this before!)
The sun still burns bright in the sky, but night would fall as always. And tonight, the moon. He needs to arrive before the moon ascends. The room at the top of the stairs is empty, with the padlock dangling from the latch. Time is slipping away.
She paces, the hours pass and the light dims as the sun sets. She is edgy, nervous and tingling. She can’t bear to wait any longer. She takes her red hooded cape from the peg on the wall and opens the door. The sound of his footfalls thunder up the front path and onto the front steps. His eyes are round and fearful. He is breathing heavily from running. He doubles over at the sight of her in the red cape.
Her trembling hands go to the hood and begin to pull it over her head. He grabs her wrists and growls in agony. They struggle against each other briefly. He drags her to the stairs and begins to climb to the room at the top. She tugs frantically against his grip. He is losing his grip. She is panting in terror.
In an instant the remaining reddish light leaves the sky and a new cold light appears.
A shriek, a growl, tendons cracking, bones popping. Blood dripping.
He is crumpled in the doorway, his fingers slip from the dangling padlock. The red cape flutters to the floor. There is a clicking sound as claws scrabble their way through the open front door and down the moonlit path.
(Please be kind, I've never done this before!)