《UnScene Sketches》


 Killing Legacy

    Derrick drove for three days straight further into the outskirts of the city. The road grew narrow and long as he continued onward. His eyes lazily scanning the roads ahead, occasionally glistening over as if he¡¯d forgotten everything and that he was even driving. He mashed the gas pedal with too much force causing the whole car to jerk harder into the night. His hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel wringing it almost, as he glared into the starless sky.The oncoming traffic slowed and cautiously merged to the furthest lane in their efforts to avoid sudden contact with the raging crimson vehicle that pressed into the night.


    His gaze never shifted away from the road that bled into an empty void. Seemingly unconcerned by surrounding traffic and the occasional angry horn honked. He simply honked his horn defiantly as he sped on searching for the familiar small shack of a house. The engine roared as the mustang propelled forward, vibrating violently along the paved road.


    There in the distance the too small house slowly appeared as if the Earth itself had regurgitated it from the hills and found its existence too minute to receive. He quickly pulled into the yard as the front porch light revealed his tightened and furrowed features. His eyes possessed a steady calm as he reached the porch in two short strides. He stepped back with a brief pause and in one smooth movement he bashed in the frail wooden door with his boot, causing its frame to sharpley splinter away from the walls.


    The house appeared dim and empty. A thick layer of dust coating the all too familiar floral old couch pushed against the side wall, adjacent from it was the t.v. dinner table that held a barely functioning television. He cooly walked in through the living room and back into the kitchen cluttered with glass bottles and aged needles but not an ounce of food in the gaping cabinets. He paused at the basement door held open seemingly just for him. His eyes for a brief moment began to lose focus as a single tear watered his worn dusky face and dissolved into an overgrown peppered beard.


    ¡°HAROLD¡­!!!¡± he bellowed out with an anger that sent the rats within the walls scurrying for a false sense of safety.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± a weak and tired voice answered back from the dimly lit basement below.


    Derrick thudded down the stairs that creaked and bent below his muscular weight. There in the center of the small basement stood a tall broad man that just almost rivaled Derrick¡¯s height. His shoulders slumped over as he swayed unsteadily back and forth barely leaning on the long tool cluttered table that now separated the pair.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡° They told me my son was in town¡­¡± The hunched shadowed figure continued on. His sway rhythmic and unending. ¡°But I didn¡¯t believe them¡­¡± the old man slurred as he began to step closer into the weak lamp light now standing just at the side of the discolored wooden table.


    His face was weathered and suntanned as if he¡¯d been living and sleeping under the sun for decades. His eyes scanned the figure that challenged him and blocked his only way of escape.


    ¡°But I knew if he was coming, I¡¯d send him back in a casket!¡± The old man spewed out in seering anger. He sloppily reached for his pistol on the cluttered table as he swayed with more agitation and less rhythm than before.


    Derrick, being younger and much more agile, used the force of his foot once again and kicked over the long thick table propelling into the side wall. He waited as the old man eagerly regained his footing bitterly overwhelmed by the indirect blow.


    ¡°You killed her.¡± Derrick whispered coldly as Harold''s sway broke into tremors while he searched desperately in the mess for his rusted gun.


    ¡° THAT WHORE BETRAYED ME FIRST!¡± the old man boomed without any regard to the eyes that cooly trailed him back and forth. He gave up on his futile search and shifted his front foot forward and raised his fists ready to attack. His sway corrupted his center of gravity as he arrogantly stared back at his son.


    ¡°My mother¡­¡± Derrick paused and breathed deeply as he fought to restrain himself as he too began to develop a sway. ¡° ¡­left you for beating the hell out of her every weekend, while you paraded across town with that badge on your chest.¡± He spat out as his sways became ripples of agitation that only ended at the close of his fists.


    ¡° She deserved it¡­¡± the old man slurred, barely giving Derrick the time to finish speaking. Without warning the old man launched first swinging and pummeling at the frame that dwarfed his.


    Derrick blocked most of the blows as the man who gave him life greedily sought to take it away with a seething hatred. He answered his father¡¯s wrath with a swift blow across his jaw. The old man staggered back in anger as blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth, Harold sent his shoulders now barreling forward in efforts to tackle his son to the ground.


    The pair thumped to the littered and dusty floor rolling back and forth. The old man awkwardly fumbled for placement on his son¡¯s neck as he grunted angrily and futilely clawing away at Derrick¡¯s face.


    In a swift moment Derrick grabbed the rusted plumber¡¯s wrench that sat just atop the pile of metal and wood. He struck at the top of Harold¡¯s head just as the old man had managed to grip his son¡¯s neck but only briefly. The sound of a wet crack punched the air as Harold slumped to the floor bleeding and shakily crawling for the rusty pistol he had lost before.


    Derrick swung again, striking the old man¡¯s balding dome for a second time as a depression overflowing with blood instantly appeared. The room grew silent as the shuffling ceased and only Harold¡¯s grunts could be heard as the body refused to stop breathing. Derrick struck again in the same spot as before as the metal of the wrench slapped against the puddling bone that sprayed him with each strike. He continued on, his eyes glossed over as his beard dripped in his father¡¯s blood. The body under him now still and cold as he sat heaving and exhausted by the strain of it all. He listened to the rats scurrying in the walls of what was once his home ages ago. He wept bitterly to himself next to the body as the wrench finally fell from his hands. He wept as he fumbled searching over the clutter past the still and draining body for his father¡¯s family heirloom. Either he could find his father¡¯s gun or the blue lights would reach him first.

 Dreamers Desert

    ¡°What are they?¡± She whispered to me trembling with an intuitive sense of dread as she awaited my answer¡­


    ¡°They¡¯ve gone by many names over the centuries.The one thing mankind can agree on is that they¡¯re not from Earth, at least that''s what we think¡­¡± I trailed off fighting off the haunting memories threatening to steal away my focus.


    She waited for me to find my words as I fought to remain in the present moment.


    ¡°They hook you.¡± I said figuring it best to keep the answer short and to the point. ¡°Man¡­ is a reflection of the creator that crafted us but in an unfinished sense¡­¡± I began to explain trying to squeeze thousands of years into a short synopsis.


    ¡°When you yearn for something with your heart, mind and actions¡­they sense it¡­they chase it¡­¡± I closed my eyes desperately trying to keep the ghostly screams away.


    ¡°They feed on the passions of man, even inspire and manipulate it at times for their own gluttony and enjoyment.¡± I began to explain as my anger threatened to break the hush of the small, dark room.


    ¡°They find your interest, your joys, passions, and tangible/intangible desires but only the deepest ones. The desires that give you meaning in life and give you reason to get up everyday.¡± My tears betrayed me falling down my face as I bitterly persisted to explain.


    ¡°There¡¯s an ancient saying that what you live for is what you can die for¡­ and they look for the points where agreement and grievance overlap ¡± I whispered with a calm rage that threatened to force its way out into something much larger and more aggressive.


    ¡°What the hell does that even mean?!¡± She questioned as she futilely tried to stifle her anxiety.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°It means¡­ the plane in which you would do or could be pushed to doing anything for the sake of your desires no matter how noble or wicked, touches the plane of endless possibility. If you can be persuaded by any dark method to obtain what you want¡­ Even if you haven¡¯t or don''t plan to ever see it through¡­that''s the point of agreement and grievance.¡±  I stared at her, hoping my explanation was somehow getting through if at all.


    ¡° So, when they dragged Ardarius¡­¡± She trailed off as she fought desperately for clarity. ¡° The hole that appeared in his chest was a literal hook?¡± She asked as the color began to drain from her face.


    I nodded as I continued on ¡° ¡­most of the systems of religion all over the world exist to keep man away from that plane of desire. To live fulfilled and satisfied but only within reason¡­


    I sat on the old mattress on the floor as I tried to breathe slowly and deeply hoping to find a solution.


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± She exclaimed as she wept bitterly crouching in the corner.


    ¡° No, he didn¡¯t.¡± I agreed knowing she couldn''t hear me above her own cries. ¡° They only sensed his passion that had touched the point of endless possibility without him ever knowing¡±. I finished as the darkness of the room slowly crept into my vision, my dear friend''s cries suddenly becoming so distant as I began to drift into the cold hard splintered floor. I waited for my body to impact the ground and the dark void to overtake my thoughts but I could only feel myself drifting.


    ******


    That night I dreamed of the recent events. I could see Neema¡¯s innocent face twisting in pain as her brother, Ardarius, was dragged off into darkness. His dark brown curls falling in his face as his green eyes locked with mine. The gaping hole in his chest that poured liters of dark red blood. I watched as his almond toned skin became nothing more than a struggling silhouette.  I held her in the cave with me, praying they wouldn¡¯t catch our scent and cause his sacrifice to be useless. ¡° We have to live¡± I whispered with my hand clasped over her mouth hoping my words had traveled silently to his heart. ¡° We have to live.¡±  I said again as I watched her brother and my friend being dragged off into the void.

 Familiar Souls

    ¡°Come again?¡± She whispered to him, barely louder than the rustle and brush of the surrounding night. Her back pressed against the cool and ragged stone of the old building as he leaned in closer still. The courtyard fountain¡¯s waters broke the low hush of the night as the pair hid from the rest just around the corner. Time felt slow and like a figment of one''s imagination as the moon revealed the features she tried so hard not to obsess over.


    His light gray eyes never broke gaze with hers as he repeated himself again. He leaned in this time gently wrapping his arm around her lower back as he leaned in against the wall - the only thing keeping her upright.


    ¡° What if I want more than friendship?¡± he asked again patiently with a sense of defiant determination as if he had never repeated himself to begin with. She paused as she allowed those daring words to wash over her and dissolve into the sound of night. Davina fearfully broke his gaze staring into the forest lines as a small fox could be seen scampering around in the brush. He waited for her answer still and unmoving, gentle and unresolved. His cold fingers brushed the small of her back as he leaned closer, Keeran¡¯s forehead just faintly touching hers.


    ¡°What if¡­¡± He hoarsley whispered this time, breaking her focus from the forest line. ¡°What if I¡¯m only interested in you?¡± Keeran finished as he met her gaze again.


    The laughter from inside quietly trailed behind them as she struggled to find the words. The systems and structures that they lived in separated them in a way that could only be measured by eons. The most obvious divider being the reason they hid away just to steal this moment in the first place. The laughter in the hall grew louder as the night grew deeper. The sound of music and clinking glassware spilling out into the air pushing the little fox to scurry deeper into the woods.


    ¡° I suppose¡­ it wouldn¡¯t really matter¡­¡± Vina trailed off allowing the sounds to sober her heart.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡° It matters, if you feel the same way, Davina.¡± He quickly responded as the brush of his fingers halted and grew into a gentle squeeze around her waist. She looked into the night sky just above his shoulder as the stars began swirling, orbiting themselves in groups as they had every night before, here in this strange place.


    ¡° I am as alien to you, as you are to me¡­¡± She answered as the orbiting stars became infinite burning circles in the dark.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my home and your responsibilities¡­¡± She trailed off as tears stung and threatened to reveal her true feelings even more.


    ¡°...Let¡¯s just focus on closing the deal.¡± She weakly pleaded, interrupting her own stream of thoughts that swirled faster than the stars above.


    This time she matched his gaze and watched the frustration build in his frame before it quelled off like a wave that threatened to come again and morph into a tsunami. She waited for his release but he only grew still.


    ¡° You¡¯re not who you think you are, Vina,¡± Keeran said with calm acceptance. She pulled away from him as she took her first deep breath for quite some time.  ¡°Give me time to show you.¡± he bargained as he gave her room to step away from the wall and step into the moon¡¯s light. But that¡¯s exactly what she was afraid of¡­ an explanation that made sense. A reason that answered every aching question she¡¯d buried inside herself all the years before.


    ¡° Let''s just focus on the de¨C...¡± She was ready to repeat before his lips fervently pressed against hers. The contrast of their skin revealed in the flashing stars above as he stepped forward pressing her back into the wall he had released her from just moments ago. The once sobering sounds fading as he wordlessly insisted that she know his heart and give him time. Tears generously rolled down her face as her feelings betrayed her and her thoughts left abandoned into a deep void of unknown.


    He gave her just a moment to breathe and gather herself as he worked with vivid restraint not to overwhelm her even more. ¡° Give me time, Vina¡± He pleaded again, his voice cracking as if the passion of his love could at any moment ripple outside his body and break down the forces that held them distant.


    Afraid of how much more he might do to convince her, afraid of how quickly she might agree to his profession. She silently nodded in agreement as laughter and music interrupted them once again.