Fic: A Brighter Shade of Darkness (Spike, Darla PG13)
Title A Brighter Shade of Darkness
Author Brutti ma buoni
Characters Spike, Darla
Rating PG13
Words 600
Prompt In the Spike round, for staringiscaring, who wanted Darla as a tutor, 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and an image of the great basin and statue of the republic lit by night, without Dru and Angelus making much of an appearance
I have to admit, she’s a better judge of humanity than I am. So far.
To be fair, the old witch has three hundred years on me, so it’s scarcely a shock. She probably based this on her experience of the invention of newspapers, or coffee, or the fork. (Which last is a sign of just how old she is. Can you imagine? Glad I can’t.)
I remember recoiling from the brightness. “They are making the night into day! Taking away our hunting grounds.”
She smiled, shook her elegant head and patronised me thoroughly. “William, William... Oh, very well, Spike.” (Pause to note: thirteen sodding years and she still won’t play ball on the nickname. At least not without making her petty point. Sometimes, I want to garrotte the woman, and see if it quiets her for a couple of hours. But no. She probably took lessons in erotic elegant garrotting sometime back in 1712 and would get off on it. Or, more likely, criticise my technique. Where was I?)
“This is better. So much better. The electrical installations are brighter than gas lights, certainly, but don’t you see? We don’t have to be in the dark. We can stroll in the open, in brilliant light, just like everyone else. It takes the fear out of the dark.”
“I like the fear,” I said. It’s true. Nothing like walking closer and closer to an oblivious human, then feeling her freeze as your hands grip her shoulders, immovably, impossibly, looming out of the night. The unseen terror is the worst. (Well, maybe not actually the worst, but it’s childlike and visceral, so it does the job for me. Every time.)
Darla gave me a look of exasperated tolerance. (She’s good at oxymorons.) “The brightness makes for darker shadow. Can’t you see it? The fear will be sharper, because they have been without darkness and fear. Humans will lose their caution. They will think of the night as like the day. When we plunge them into darkness... Well, I think it might be rather a piquant contrast, don’t you?”
She was right. I put it to the test not two hours later, smiling at a lanky young lad who was discoursing on the electrical wonders of the age. It seemed appropriate to make him my first electrical victim. He could see the future, but he wouldn’t live it.
He came over to me, having exasperated his companions with speculative engineering. The ladies looked at me pleadingly as the boy said, “Sir? I think perhaps you have an interest in this area?” I nodded slightly, turning my head away from the ladies. Doesn’t do to be too recognisable, though a high collar and a hat will make most men close to indistinguishable. Besides, they were so glad to get shot of the boy and his enthusiasm, they’d have welcomed the Ripper just then.
It pays to plan. I’d spent much of the previous hours exploring the exhibits, and could converse well enough on alternating current and Tesla’s latest plans to fool those who wanted to be fooled. It wouldn’t have lasted long, but then, I never need long.
“I hear there’s a clear view of the great basin from up here,” I said. “The illuminations can be seen to best ability.”
It was true. It was near bright as day down there, but dark up in the hidden space I took him to. He was babbling, and it started to grate. I felt for his exasperated womenfolk, though I gave the lad more than enough joy of his infernal electricity. Pretty bloody generous of me, I feel. But I killed him in the end.
Darla was right. Bright lights don’t take away the fear. Not when you’re in the darkness, alone with a creature of the damned, with their teeth ripping your life away.
Nothing’ll take away that fear. Next time, I’ll know that.
*
Author Brutti ma buoni
Characters Spike, Darla
Rating PG13
Words 600
Prompt In the Spike round, for staringiscaring, who wanted Darla as a tutor, 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and an image of the great basin and statue of the republic lit by night, without Dru and Angelus making much of an appearance
I have to admit, she’s a better judge of humanity than I am. So far.
To be fair, the old witch has three hundred years on me, so it’s scarcely a shock. She probably based this on her experience of the invention of newspapers, or coffee, or the fork. (Which last is a sign of just how old she is. Can you imagine? Glad I can’t.)
I remember recoiling from the brightness. “They are making the night into day! Taking away our hunting grounds.”
She smiled, shook her elegant head and patronised me thoroughly. “William, William... Oh, very well, Spike.” (Pause to note: thirteen sodding years and she still won’t play ball on the nickname. At least not without making her petty point. Sometimes, I want to garrotte the woman, and see if it quiets her for a couple of hours. But no. She probably took lessons in erotic elegant garrotting sometime back in 1712 and would get off on it. Or, more likely, criticise my technique. Where was I?)
“This is better. So much better. The electrical installations are brighter than gas lights, certainly, but don’t you see? We don’t have to be in the dark. We can stroll in the open, in brilliant light, just like everyone else. It takes the fear out of the dark.”
“I like the fear,” I said. It’s true. Nothing like walking closer and closer to an oblivious human, then feeling her freeze as your hands grip her shoulders, immovably, impossibly, looming out of the night. The unseen terror is the worst. (Well, maybe not actually the worst, but it’s childlike and visceral, so it does the job for me. Every time.)
Darla gave me a look of exasperated tolerance. (She’s good at oxymorons.) “The brightness makes for darker shadow. Can’t you see it? The fear will be sharper, because they have been without darkness and fear. Humans will lose their caution. They will think of the night as like the day. When we plunge them into darkness... Well, I think it might be rather a piquant contrast, don’t you?”
She was right. I put it to the test not two hours later, smiling at a lanky young lad who was discoursing on the electrical wonders of the age. It seemed appropriate to make him my first electrical victim. He could see the future, but he wouldn’t live it.
He came over to me, having exasperated his companions with speculative engineering. The ladies looked at me pleadingly as the boy said, “Sir? I think perhaps you have an interest in this area?” I nodded slightly, turning my head away from the ladies. Doesn’t do to be too recognisable, though a high collar and a hat will make most men close to indistinguishable. Besides, they were so glad to get shot of the boy and his enthusiasm, they’d have welcomed the Ripper just then.
It pays to plan. I’d spent much of the previous hours exploring the exhibits, and could converse well enough on alternating current and Tesla’s latest plans to fool those who wanted to be fooled. It wouldn’t have lasted long, but then, I never need long.
“I hear there’s a clear view of the great basin from up here,” I said. “The illuminations can be seen to best ability.”
It was true. It was near bright as day down there, but dark up in the hidden space I took him to. He was babbling, and it started to grate. I felt for his exasperated womenfolk, though I gave the lad more than enough joy of his infernal electricity. Pretty bloody generous of me, I feel. But I killed him in the end.
Darla was right. Bright lights don’t take away the fear. Not when you’re in the darkness, alone with a creature of the damned, with their teeth ripping your life away.
Nothing’ll take away that fear. Next time, I’ll know that.
*