Witch Tale, was it? By chris p. bayken
CHAPTER 1
The townspeople surround my house as I turn the corner, I can feel the heat of what used to be my home. The fire is too powerful. I must get away, I think to myself. I pull my dark hood over my head as I sprint off into the night…
17 years ago, a child was born, this child was special. She had abilities unlike anyone else, her learning capacity was incredible, by the age of 3 she was already almost able to construct full sentences on her own. She took middle school classes at the age of 7 and high school classes at 10. By 12 she had already started college level courses and graduated college at 16. A few months later, her house burned down, no one knew why or how. There were two confirmed casualties of the fire, a mother and father. Their daughter was nowhere to be found. The few friends she had set up posters to look for her, but that girl they knew was gone. She left to protect the ones she loved most, to keep them safe from herself.
I approach a poster with my picture and name on it, Terra Valencia. The word MISSING is printed in large block letters underneath the picture. I grab the poster and position it above my other hand. A blue flame forms above my palm. The flame licks my fingers as though it wants to taste them, but it doesn't hurt, it never has. The fire soon finds the paper and tastes it, it then goes on to consume the paper in its blue flame. Terra is no more, my past self is gone, burned up in the fires that cloud my mind.
I learned my neat little trick when I was 5, the first time the blue flame spoke with me. I ignored it for years, until I couldn't control it any longer and gave in to the fire. I look nothing like I once had: my skin was ashen; my black hair streaked with a faint bluish tint; my cheekbones jutting out of the sides of my skinny face, I had little fat on my body at all in fact. It seems as though my body is deteriorating into bones, like the fire is consuming my entire being. But that's not true. I know the risks, and the pos-
I hear a rustling in the bushes. I spin around, i raise my arm in front of me, my fire already dancing above my palm. I see a boy a few years older than I am staring back at me, wide-eyed. He puts his hands up defensively.
"Woah, easy there tiger. I'm not here to hurt you." His voice seems soft, albeit a little sarcastic. I lower my hand and the fire that was above my palm goes out. I slowly walk towards him, cautiously. He puts his hands down and fixes them to his side as I edge towards him. He seems… friendly enough. He quickly sticks his hand out in front of him, I flinch a little, thinking he's going to hit me. Then I realize he wants me to shake it. It's been so long since I've shaken anyone's hand. I grab his hand with mine and shake. He smiles at me like I'm an old friend, then my eyes are the ones that go wide-eyed.
"T-Tony?" Tony. My best friend from college. I haven't seen him since a few days before the house fire at my parents house… He had no idea what I'd done since then, I never contacted any of my old friends. I could feel my eyes beginning to water. I turned away from him and began to walk off, but he grabbed my shoulder to stop me.
"Terra, wait. What are you doing here?"
"Tony… Get away from me." My vision was tinting my surroundings a light blue color, the color of my flames. "I don't want you to get hurt too…"
"What are you talking about Terra? Why would you hurt me?" I can't see his face, but I know he's trying his best to smile, I can hear it in his voice. My body turns toward him, but I'm not controlling it.
Blue. My vision is all in shades of blue, just like the house fire…
"Tony…" I hear my voice, but I can't control it, I'm being used as a puppet. I hear another voice as well, saying exactly what I say as I speak it. It's the flames. They're using me as their puppet again. "I'm sorry Tony, but you can't stay here. Goodbye." The flames raise my hand and the fire appears by my palm. Black.
CHAPTER 2
My vision begins to clear up and I gasp for air as I crouch down on the ground, holding up my weight on one hand. My surroundings seem darker before, how long was I out for? I take in a gulp of air as I stand up, looking up towards the sky. The sky is dark, but not as it is at night. It seems gray, like something absorbed all of the color from the world. The forest around me is the same way, the trees that were once green with life are now gray and lifeless. My eyes widen as I realize something, Tony. Where is he? I spin around in a 360, trying to see if he's nearby. No such luck.
"T-Tony..? Are you out here?" I begin walking forward, searching for any signs that Tony is still here.
"Terra…" I hear a weak voice not too far to the left of me. I have a sigh of relief, good. He's more or less okay. Still alive at least. I walk over to him, only to find him kneeling and breathing heavily on the ground, propping himself up on his forearm. He seems a bit gray himself.
"Stay back Terra… I don't want..." He groans as though he's straining himself. "To… to hurt you…" He looks up at me and I see what he's talking about. His eyes are glazing blue. "Run Terra," he yells as he falls back to the ground, writhing in pain. I sprint off in the other direction, hoping to get away.
"Oh Terra," I hear Tony say in a sing-song voice. But it's not his voice. His voice is warm and soft; this voice is cold and hard. I look behind me, panting, to see if he's behind me. I don't see him. I don't see anything. It's all black… All around me. Nothing but darkness, there's absolutely nothing.
I collapse onto the ground, holding the sides of my head with both of my hands. This can't be happening… I bring my right hand down from my head and touch the ground. I feel nothing. No ground. No grass. No flowers. No anything…
I see a faint blue light in the darkness, creeping closer to me. I begin to back up as fast as I can, but I don't seem to be going anywhere. The blue light is brighter now. Then I see a face illuminated by the light. But it's not Tony's face. It's mine, beaten and bruised, cut and scratched, broken nose, broken jaw. Any injury you can think of on a face, "my face", I'll call her Tina, had it. It's eyes were perfectly intact however, and shone a brilliant shade of blue.
"You can't beat me." Tina spoke, although her jaw was incapable of movement. But I could hear the fire in her voice. "You'll have to embrace me. Hiding isn't an option anymore, you're dying." She knelt down next to me, her joints cracking with each movement. "I need you need to wake up." And then, she was gone.
Want more of this story? Tell the author himself here:
The townspeople surround my house as I turn the corner, I can feel the heat of what used to be my home. The fire is too powerful. I must get away, I think to myself. I pull my dark hood over my head as I sprint off into the night…
17 years ago, a child was born, this child was special. She had abilities unlike anyone else, her learning capacity was incredible, by the age of 3 she was already almost able to construct full sentences on her own. She took middle school classes at the age of 7 and high school classes at 10. By 12 she had already started college level courses and graduated college at 16. A few months later, her house burned down, no one knew why or how. There were two confirmed casualties of the fire, a mother and father. Their daughter was nowhere to be found. The few friends she had set up posters to look for her, but that girl they knew was gone. She left to protect the ones she loved most, to keep them safe from herself.
I approach a poster with my picture and name on it, Terra Valencia. The word MISSING is printed in large block letters underneath the picture. I grab the poster and position it above my other hand. A blue flame forms above my palm. The flame licks my fingers as though it wants to taste them, but it doesn't hurt, it never has. The fire soon finds the paper and tastes it, it then goes on to consume the paper in its blue flame. Terra is no more, my past self is gone, burned up in the fires that cloud my mind.
I learned my neat little trick when I was 5, the first time the blue flame spoke with me. I ignored it for years, until I couldn't control it any longer and gave in to the fire. I look nothing like I once had: my skin was ashen; my black hair streaked with a faint bluish tint; my cheekbones jutting out of the sides of my skinny face, I had little fat on my body at all in fact. It seems as though my body is deteriorating into bones, like the fire is consuming my entire being. But that's not true. I know the risks, and the pos-
I hear a rustling in the bushes. I spin around, i raise my arm in front of me, my fire already dancing above my palm. I see a boy a few years older than I am staring back at me, wide-eyed. He puts his hands up defensively.
"Woah, easy there tiger. I'm not here to hurt you." His voice seems soft, albeit a little sarcastic. I lower my hand and the fire that was above my palm goes out. I slowly walk towards him, cautiously. He puts his hands down and fixes them to his side as I edge towards him. He seems… friendly enough. He quickly sticks his hand out in front of him, I flinch a little, thinking he's going to hit me. Then I realize he wants me to shake it. It's been so long since I've shaken anyone's hand. I grab his hand with mine and shake. He smiles at me like I'm an old friend, then my eyes are the ones that go wide-eyed.
"T-Tony?" Tony. My best friend from college. I haven't seen him since a few days before the house fire at my parents house… He had no idea what I'd done since then, I never contacted any of my old friends. I could feel my eyes beginning to water. I turned away from him and began to walk off, but he grabbed my shoulder to stop me.
"Terra, wait. What are you doing here?"
"Tony… Get away from me." My vision was tinting my surroundings a light blue color, the color of my flames. "I don't want you to get hurt too…"
"What are you talking about Terra? Why would you hurt me?" I can't see his face, but I know he's trying his best to smile, I can hear it in his voice. My body turns toward him, but I'm not controlling it.
Blue. My vision is all in shades of blue, just like the house fire…
"Tony…" I hear my voice, but I can't control it, I'm being used as a puppet. I hear another voice as well, saying exactly what I say as I speak it. It's the flames. They're using me as their puppet again. "I'm sorry Tony, but you can't stay here. Goodbye." The flames raise my hand and the fire appears by my palm. Black.
CHAPTER 2
My vision begins to clear up and I gasp for air as I crouch down on the ground, holding up my weight on one hand. My surroundings seem darker before, how long was I out for? I take in a gulp of air as I stand up, looking up towards the sky. The sky is dark, but not as it is at night. It seems gray, like something absorbed all of the color from the world. The forest around me is the same way, the trees that were once green with life are now gray and lifeless. My eyes widen as I realize something, Tony. Where is he? I spin around in a 360, trying to see if he's nearby. No such luck.
"T-Tony..? Are you out here?" I begin walking forward, searching for any signs that Tony is still here.
"Terra…" I hear a weak voice not too far to the left of me. I have a sigh of relief, good. He's more or less okay. Still alive at least. I walk over to him, only to find him kneeling and breathing heavily on the ground, propping himself up on his forearm. He seems a bit gray himself.
"Stay back Terra… I don't want..." He groans as though he's straining himself. "To… to hurt you…" He looks up at me and I see what he's talking about. His eyes are glazing blue. "Run Terra," he yells as he falls back to the ground, writhing in pain. I sprint off in the other direction, hoping to get away.
"Oh Terra," I hear Tony say in a sing-song voice. But it's not his voice. His voice is warm and soft; this voice is cold and hard. I look behind me, panting, to see if he's behind me. I don't see him. I don't see anything. It's all black… All around me. Nothing but darkness, there's absolutely nothing.
I collapse onto the ground, holding the sides of my head with both of my hands. This can't be happening… I bring my right hand down from my head and touch the ground. I feel nothing. No ground. No grass. No flowers. No anything…
I see a faint blue light in the darkness, creeping closer to me. I begin to back up as fast as I can, but I don't seem to be going anywhere. The blue light is brighter now. Then I see a face illuminated by the light. But it's not Tony's face. It's mine, beaten and bruised, cut and scratched, broken nose, broken jaw. Any injury you can think of on a face, "my face", I'll call her Tina, had it. It's eyes were perfectly intact however, and shone a brilliant shade of blue.
"You can't beat me." Tina spoke, although her jaw was incapable of movement. But I could hear the fire in her voice. "You'll have to embrace me. Hiding isn't an option anymore, you're dying." She knelt down next to me, her joints cracking with each movement. "I need you need to wake up." And then, she was gone.
Want more of this story? Tell the author himself here:
Siren's song by chris p. bayken
The long, agonizing walk caused Siren to collapse to the ground on his knees. He'd never walked so far, but he had to do this, he couldn't not do it, it was his legacy. There had been Siren's before him. Well, Siren wasn't his first name, he hated his actual name so he uses his last name. All the Siren's before him had climbed up this treacherous mountain, and afterwards, he would hear a beautiful song that always ended the day just before another Siren would go up. But now the music had stopped and he knew it was his time to scale the mountain.
His breath had finally come back to him so he got off his knees and stood up to continue walking. The wind ripped at his clothing, like it was trying to get at his skin and rip him open. The top of the mountain was close, around him was a thick layer of snow. He shivered at the cold. He looked up and saw a large pedestal a little further up the mountainside. The mountain seemed to get even steeper so he got on his hands and knees, trying his best to brace the cold, and continued climbing.
Finally, he reached the pedestal, he clambered on top of it, glad to be out of the cold snow. He put his hands down on the cold stone behind him to rest when he felt something that wasn't stone... He looked behind him and saw a body, it was his father. His father had left the last time the song ended and had never come back like the others. He had never told Siren what happened up here... Now he had a good idea. He looked past his father and saw other bodies, they were skeletons now however. Siren was horrified at the sight.
He looked further and saw a large, oval-shaped rock in the middle of the pedestal. The stone stood upright, though there was nothing holding it up. It looked as though it hadn't moved in years, maybe even decades. Siren slowly stood up, staring at the rock. It seemed to be calling to him... He walked over to the stone cautiously.
As he reached the stone, he looked at it, and it seemed to look back at him, into his soul. He reached his hand out and touched the rock. It suddenly burst into light that seemed to reach down his throat. He gripped his neck, he knew something actually was leaving his body. It was coming up through his throat, he tried to keep it from coming out of his mouth by covering it but whatever it was went through his hands. He collapsed onto the ground, unable to breathe. He was dead, but not before he heard the song that always played after his ancestors had climbed the mountain...
His breath had finally come back to him so he got off his knees and stood up to continue walking. The wind ripped at his clothing, like it was trying to get at his skin and rip him open. The top of the mountain was close, around him was a thick layer of snow. He shivered at the cold. He looked up and saw a large pedestal a little further up the mountainside. The mountain seemed to get even steeper so he got on his hands and knees, trying his best to brace the cold, and continued climbing.
Finally, he reached the pedestal, he clambered on top of it, glad to be out of the cold snow. He put his hands down on the cold stone behind him to rest when he felt something that wasn't stone... He looked behind him and saw a body, it was his father. His father had left the last time the song ended and had never come back like the others. He had never told Siren what happened up here... Now he had a good idea. He looked past his father and saw other bodies, they were skeletons now however. Siren was horrified at the sight.
He looked further and saw a large, oval-shaped rock in the middle of the pedestal. The stone stood upright, though there was nothing holding it up. It looked as though it hadn't moved in years, maybe even decades. Siren slowly stood up, staring at the rock. It seemed to be calling to him... He walked over to the stone cautiously.
As he reached the stone, he looked at it, and it seemed to look back at him, into his soul. He reached his hand out and touched the rock. It suddenly burst into light that seemed to reach down his throat. He gripped his neck, he knew something actually was leaving his body. It was coming up through his throat, he tried to keep it from coming out of his mouth by covering it but whatever it was went through his hands. He collapsed onto the ground, unable to breathe. He was dead, but not before he heard the song that always played after his ancestors had climbed the mountain...