The Monster and the Man

The man awoke as sunlight filtered in through the mouth of the cave and began to warm his face with the light of a new dawn. He arose and walked to the mouth of the cave. Off to his left was a large pool filled with clear water glittening in the sunlight. Every fiber in his being screamed at him to run to the pool and drink deeply of it contents but he resisted and walked out away from the cave and the pool into the sandy dunes.

He crossed over the top of a large dune so that the pool would be out of sight and he came upon a cliff. There he looked down at his chest and stared at the black spot spreading across his skin. He grabbed the black flesh and began to rip it off. Layer after layer he tore and ripped until a pile formed in the sand wet with a black liquid. Soon the man was finished and only his own red flesh remained and then he stood up (for he had fallen to his knees during this painful ordeal). The black mass began to bubble up until it grew into the form of some monster. Human like in appearance but hunched over and its face was disfigured, a mouth brimming with fangs, claws razor sharp, tipping each finger. The beast roared and sprang at the man who launched himself at the creature.

For hours they struggled against each other, the desert heat beating down on them. The creature gashed the man with its claws time and again, as the man pounded it with his fists and feet. Exhaustion threatened to over power the man, not just from the battle but from some inner lack of energy that made him close to collapse. After hours of this grueling contest, the man pinned the creature on the ground and smashed its head until it struggled no more.

the man fell into the sand and lay there gasping for breath and from pain at his wounds the monster inflicted upon him. he turned and saw the creatures body had become a small black stone much which he promptly placed into the hole in his chest. The wound healed and on the skin a small black spot formed. instantly, life and vitality rushed back into the man.

He returned to his cave, passing the water wich now appeared murking and filthy, and sat down to eat. Slowly he began to realize a longing begin to grow in his body, a longing for the water. But he resisted, he knew what the water did, what it really was. Once he had drank the water and he had been overcome with a madness and had killed several people. After that he vowed never again to drink of the water.

The next morning he arose and walked to the cliffside and once again ripped out the blackness from his chest and fought the monster. Then stuck the stone back in his chest and went about his day avoiding the water. This was how he lived day after day, and it was how he always remembered living, the monster was a part of life.

One day as he was scraping out the blackness, a merchant on a stallion rode by but stopped when he saw the monster form and begin to attack the man. The merchant approached but dared not to intervene but waited patiently until the man had subdued the monster. What surprised the merchant the most was when the man put the stone back in his chest.

"Why do you put the stone back in your chest?" he asked.

"For if i do not, i will surely die." the man replied out of breath but happy to have a visitor.

"But if you place the stone back in your chest will the monster return?"

The man nodded.

"Well it seems to me good sir that you are in quite a tight spot." the merchant said shaking his head.

"Do you know how i can escape this endless struggle?" the man asked, a ray of hope rising within him.

"Well," the merchant began, mounting his horse, "that is simple." He turned and stared the man straight in the eyes. "You just have to decide which you want more; for you to live, or the mosnter to die." And with that he rode off into the sand dunes without a backwards glance.

This troubled the man and he dwelled on what the merchant said all that day and deep into the night. He had never thought about destroying the monster, only subduing it so this idea filled his mind until the sun rose the next day. He had gotten no sleep, he was exhausted, and the lust for the pool was stronger than it ever had before, but the man had made up his mind.

He strode out of the cave without a glance at the pool and proceded to the edge of the cliff. there with great effort he ripped out every last speck of the black flesh that infected his chest and as the monster rose out of the balck mass, the man felt all of his exhaustion hit him in one massive wave. The monster rushed towards him and threw him into the sand. It would be so easy for him to just give up and allow the monster to take him over...

but something deep inside him screamed. A distant shout, ringing in his mind. The voice spoke no words but its message was clear...his soul would never again house the monster. He lifted himself out of the sand and struck the monster with a mighty fist. The monster retaliated, scratching and clawing his body. The monster seemed to understand the man's intentions for it fought with a fury born from desperation, but the man fought with equal furiosity. Hours passed as the two grappled in the sand until at last the man pinned the monster to the ground and took its head in his hands and bashed it over and over upon the ground unti the monster breathed its last.

Slowly the man stood and watched as the corpse condensed into the familiar black stone. He slowly reached down and lifted it up to his eyes. He looked down at his chest, bloody, a gaping hole. He looked back at the stone and then hurled it off the cliff. He watched as it fell and smached into a thousand pieces on the rocks below. Instantly the man's body was struck with a wave of pain unlike anything he had ever experienced, and the man sank to the ground. The pain only intensified as he lay there and he felt his life slowly drain from his body. But as he faded into death, while his body was racked with agaony, his soul was filled with joy, freedom, release, victory...

Thus the monster and the man died. But only the man died in victory.

The Shell of a Man

He sat forlornly in his chair. The only light coming from a lamp on the end table and the screen of his desktop.

shreeks in the night. they were coming. coming in droves.

the screen wasl filled with folders of different projects he had slaved over, obsessed with, worked his fingers to the bone to complete but none of them mattered to him now. all that he saw was the picture behind them all. a woman and a little girl reading a book together on a swing on a sunlit lawn, a grand oak giving them shade.

the screams grew louder. a crash. he knew it was the picket fence. they were coming.

he looked down at his desk, strewn with papers. research, work, efforts to stop these monsters who only sought to devour, but they had all ended in disappointment. on top of all this were two items, a handgun and the inside of a music box. the latter he picks up with delicate fingers. he examines the bottom which is marked in marker "Princess's First Birthday"

A slam at the door followed by pounding and more shreeks. they were at the door.

he cranked the small metal nob and then held it up to his eyes. the little cogs began to turn and the tiny instrument began to pluck out its sheery little tune of home and flowers and little girls smiling up at you as you walk in the door.

Slam!

He set it down on the desk and listened to the song, tempo slowed with age to the point where the melody transformed from chipper to nostalgic. a single tear splashed onto the papers that littered the desk, soaking through and smearing the ink.

Bash! Smack! A bone chilling wail!

Somehow the song rose to a crescendo to where it droned out the banging and the shouts. He forgot about the monsters and remembered. His wife holding a pink baby crying as it adjusts to the newness of life. a little girl waddling up to her awaiting father who catches her in a loving embrace. The princess catches something. Some foreign ailment. it saps her strength like a leech and shrivels her body like a leaf whose tree has died before it can bloom. Then the shouts. Finally the princess is gone. Then the princess died.

The solid wood door cracks.

A darkness crosses his face. They took her. He could not save her because they took her with their poison. They ate here alive while she was still in his arms. before they truely came they had taken her. The woman was soon to follow. Now he turned to the handgun laying on the desk. He grabbed it and stood from his chair. He strode over to the door.

Bang! Smash! Another deathly screech! There were many. They all wanted inside.

He cocked the weapon and unlatched the bolt locked. The door immediately bulged inward as the hordes pressed in harder feeling the hunt was soon to begin. He would not be hunted like an animal. He would die like a man.

He grasped the door handle and threw open the door.

A shot rang through the night. Shreeks. Nine more shots. Then the shreeks continued and crashes and bangs joined in the din.

Ten days later.

The men slipped in the house through a back door, their rifles aimed ahead at all times, they were weary of what may lurk around every corner. they soon discovered the house was empty, void of danger or otherwise. the only signs of life were a few bones scattered on the floor licked clean. One man saw something peculiar on a desk. He stepped forward and picked it up. it was the mechanism to a music box. he cranked hte lever and listened to the resulting melody. Without explanation tears welled up in his eyes and he turned away from his comrads fearful they might see.

Torn Shadows Part 8

Major Hall sat next to Lydia. He knew who Aiden was by Lydia's description the night of her father's murder, and also by how Lydia did not take her eyes off him. He could not decipher her gaze. It seemed to carry elements of so many emotions all pushed together that he could not pick out any individual from the group. He wondered how she would deal with meeting her father's killer for the second time.
Aiden was wondering about Lydia as well. He had so many things to think about and plan in order to make the operation go smoothly but his mind somehow always found it way back to that girl. He still did not know her name. He had over sixty men setting up defenses all throughout the capital building. He had to make this place a fortress. Of course this whole operation would be hopeless without the hostages. they were the key. Each one was leverage to keep the federal forces at bay, and what a great selection of hostages; twelve federal delegates, seven legislative advisers, and an assortment of guards and maintenance staff.

Then there was Lydia.

Aiden had never dreamed that she would be here. He did not yet know what to do with her. He could not simply let her go. She knew too much. He decided to deal with the girl later, right now he had work to do.
Lydia was paralyzed. She could not think, she could not speak. All she could do was look at Aiden and remember. Gunshots ringing through a ballroom. Dancing with a handsome stranger. Her father's blood on her dress. Aiden's face when he saw her at the bottom of the stairs. Aiden ordering her capture. All this swirled in her mind. She needed to do something or she may go mad, but what?
"You there." a rebel guard pointed at one of the delegates who slowly stood. Two rebels grabbed him roughly and led him out of the room.
Aiden was now peeking out one of the upstairs windows. Federal troops were arriving in trucks. So far over ten trucks filled with soldiers had surrounded the front of the capital building. Aiden had to keep them away. That is when his men arrived with one of the delegates, bound, gagged, and blindfolded.
"Good, bring him out on the balcony."
The rebels brought the hostage out and held him up for the soldiers below to see. Aiden came to the front of the group and shouted at the now silent troops below.
"This man is a delegate of this corrupt government that is killing our people! He is one of many hostages i have inside this building! If you want any of them to live, you will not send a single man within ten feet of this building! In order to show you i mean what i say..."
Aiden took a bucket from one of the men and doused the hostage. He then pulled out a candle and lit it.
"This man is covered in gasoline! One of my men will hold this candle and if he sees anyone come too close he will drop it! If you shoot my man he will also drop the candle, either scenario will end in the burning of this delegate!"
Aiden's declaration pushed the soldiers back. Now for Aiden to contact his superiors and inform them of this victory.
"Sir!" one of the rebel guards ran up to Aiden.
"What?"
"Sir, one of the hostages, a girl, she has a knife and she is threatening to kill herself!"

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 7

A horde of rebel soldiers rushed toward the capital building. Major Hall pulled out his pistol and grabbed Lydia. He pulled her along as he ran toward the front door of the building. The rebels were silent in their approach. No shouting, no firing, only the rumble of their many feet on the lawn. Major Hall reached the front door and threw it open, and thrust Lydia inside. The rebels were now a mere fifty yards away. Major Hall rushed inside after Lydia and slammed the oaken double doors behind him. The rebel army scrabbled up the steps to the door, and tried to yank it open, but it was locked. Up ran a man with a large shotgun who with ease blew the locks right off of the door.
Several men grabbed the doors and swung them open. they ran inside to see a wall of federal soldiers, guns aimed. A firing squad. A dozen rebels fell dead at the first barrage. Aiden who was among the first to reach the capital building, now led a team he hand selected along the side of the building. Major Hall's men that he left in the truck had now set up a position near the east corner of the building and had sent men to get reinforcements.
For the next few minutes chaos reigned. Rebel soldiers continued to pour into the front door of the capital building and continued to be shot in waves by Major Hall and the federal guards. Aiden led his team to a spot along the front wall. He then had a ladder brought forward and mounted to where it led up to the second story balcony. Aiden was the first to climb, followed by ten of his men. They reached a door and broke through it into a parlor. From there they moved into the hallway. Aiden's orders were simple; capture the capital building and hold hostages to use as leverage in the coming takeover. He had hoped that the initial attack would have gone better. He had hoped that his men would have been able to take the main hall by now but the arrival of Major Hall had thwarted his plans. But things were not terrible. He had one ace up his sleeve.
Major Hall knew he could not hold this entry hall for much longer, he needed a better defense. He needed reinforcements, but those may take a long time to arrive so he would have to make due. He called for the guards to fall back into the hallway. The men ran, cracking off random shots behind them as they retreated. They turned a corner and saw five more guards with rifles coming to help. That brought their head count up to thirteen. Thinking fast, Hall had them split into two groups and set up on either side of the hallway. They overturned desks and cabinets and made barriers to hide behind. This was not an ideal defense but it would work.
Lydia had gone to the different offices, per Major Hall's instructions and had warned anyone in the building she came across. So far twenty two officials and service workers were making their way toward the counsil room, the safe point Major Hall had designated. She was making her way up the stairs to the second floor when she saw a group of rebels coming down the stairs.
The fighting in the hallway had grown fierce. Half of the guards were dead and there seemed to be no end to the horde of rebel soldiers. Major Hall had never realized how big this movement had become. It was time for another tactical retreat, but this would be more tricky with all the rebels firing at them. Suddenly, he heard gunfire from behind and turned to see two more guards fall. He turned and his heart stopped. There stood Aiden and ten other rebels each with a government official as a human shield.
"Stop firing!" Aiden shouted. His men shouted with him and the noise stopped. "Slide your weapons toward me and come out with your hands on your head!" Aiden commanded.
Major Hall knew he had no choice in the matter. He slid his gun and stood, hands on his head. He was soon followed by the guards.
"Come with me."
Aiden lead them all into the counsil room. Major Hall was devastated. Aiden now controlled the capital building, over thirty hostages, and...he glimpsed a women sitting in the corner....Lydia.

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 6

Lydia spent the next week secluded to General Cauldwell's house, but not of her own accord. The streets were no longer safe for anyone but especially for a defenseless young lady. The rebels had become more and more aggressive during this time, raiding the houses of government officials and attacking businesses that were known to support the government. Dozens of soldiers and policemen had been killed and several civilians had died as well. this made General Cauldwell very cautious and brought him to confine Lydia to his home for her safety. this did not please her and she would often roam the halls to avoid succumbing to the boredom. But at night she could hear the gunshots and shouts that were signs of the national upheaval that was occurring all across the country. She had heard news that federal troops had been completely pushed out of the town of Clidet.
However, three days followed that were strikingly silent. The rebels did not conduct their usual raids, and Lydia slept soundly because of the lack of gunfire at night. This gave her a hope of escape from this prison.
One morning she approached the General in his office. Papers were scattered about and he still was looking decrepit due to his lack of sleep.
"General, may i speak with you?"
The general's eyes brightened and he tried to put on a relaxed air, "Of course my dear come in."
"I was wondering," she began tentatively, "Could i possibly take a stroll this afternoon around the block, for some fresh air?"
"Most certainly not." the general replied bluntly
"But the streets have been quiet for days, and i am being suffocated here." Lydia continued a little desperately.
"Whenever the streets go quiet it means the enemy is planning something big! This is most definitely not the time to go strolling."
"Surely you are being paranoid general..."
"As long as you are under my protection and this conflict goes on, you shall not leave this house. Is that understood Ms. Edmont?"
"yes sir" Lydia replied downcast and submissive
"Why don't you go to the kitchen and have Heather fix you a nice breakfast?" the general offered trying to be nice.
"yes sir."
Lydia, of course did not visit Heather in the kitchen and did not do as the general ordered. Instead she decided that she knew best and that the general had grown paranoid due to lack of sleep. Therefore, she put on a shawl and slipped out one of the side doors of the house onto the street.
It had been so long since Lydia had taken a quiet stroll. the first thing she noticed was the overcast sky, gray with clouds. This, she decided was not going to ruin her day so she decided to go to the park, where she knew of a great spot to sit and think under a pecan tree. Not many people were walking on the sidewalks, and those that were walked either hastily looking all about or slowly without looking anywhere but where their foot would fall next. She let her mind wander and it did so for quite some time.
During this time Major Hall returned to the general's home and reported to him about his latest round of patrols.
"Quiet as a tomb out there sir. Much too quiet."
"That is exactly what i told Lydia."
"Lydia sir?"
"She asked to go for a walk earlier this morning and i told her that now the streets were much to dangerous."
After this meeting Major Hall decided to check on Lydia to see if she had found any way of occupying herself. Upon arriving at her quarters he knocked, but received no answer. He knocked several more times before a young maid went inside to see what Lydia was doing. She told Major Hall that she was not in her room. He preceded to search the whole house, top to bottom, before returning to the general.
"Sir, Ms. Edmont is not here." he reported urgently.
"What do you mean not here?" the general asked perplexed.
"I mean she is not in your house, sir."
"Did you check..."
"Everywhere sir."
The general finally connected all the pieces. "She has defied my orders and gone for a walk."
"I have my men still in the truck sir, we can search for her."
"You do that Major, and when you find her bring her straight to me. That girl needs a stern talking to."
"Yes sir."
Major Hall rushed out of the house and jumped into the patrol truck with his group of ten soldiers and they sped down the streets in search of Lydia.
Lydia was not so worried about her own safety. She had wandered the streets aimlessly for a while, not knowing where she was going and frankly she did not care. All she wanted was the freedom she felt. Coming to her senses she gazed at her surroundings she stood on the porch of the capital building, thick stone columns stood ten feet apart holding up the awning above. Two guards stood at attention by the door about fifty yards ahead of her. She looked out at the wide lawn in front of the building and the line of houses beyond, nothing seemed to stir.
Suddenly, a patrol truck drove up to the side of the building and out jumped Major Hall. He ran over to Lydia who made no attempt to run, though she was disappointed that her stroll had to end before she could get to the park.
"What in the world are you doing here?" Major Hall asked scolding her like a child. "Do you have any idea how worried the general is? You have scared the both of us half to death."
"I was only out for a stroll." Lydia replied purposely to be difficult, "Is it a crime to walk the streets now Major?"
"You are a difficult young lady Ms. Edmont. Now will you please come with me back to the general's home where it is safe."
"I think you are both paranoid. I think it is perfectly safe here."
At that moment two loud cracks split the air and both the door guards fell dead. Major Hall pushed Lydia to the ground as they took cover behind a pillar. The major chanced a look out from his cover and his heart stopped. The once empty line of houses was now an anthill filled with armed rebels milling about. A huge crowd of them was running head long toward the capital building.

Letter from the Author

Yes i am aware that the next passage for this story is long overdue. i will hopefully be able to get it to you, my faithful readers, shortly. I am currently having a renewed effort at blogging and i hope this time it will last a little longer. so wait just a little longer for the next installment of

TORN SHADOWS

Torn Shadows Part 5

After all the partying began to settle down, Aiden slipped away from the festivities, and that is when he remembered his arm. Well, it was more like it reminded him it was there. The now blood-soaked wound throbbed with every beat of his heart. He bandaged it in his room but once he was done he did not return to the party. He sat still on his bunk, not really thinking about anything, just feeling empty. Then like a tidal wave, all the events of the night flew before his eyes and rang in his ears. Then all was silent to him and out of that silence came the scream. The girl's scream cut through his mind to his heart where it lodged itself in his flesh and bashed around, a wild animal caught in a snare.
He began to hate himself. He hated his hands for firing the shots that ended that man's life. Her father! Before he could stop it, a single tear fell from his eye onto the bed. Then he stopped and became very still. For his whole life he had locked away his emotions deep inside the vault of his soul and hidden the key to where even he could not find it. But in the course of one evening, one woman had found that key and unlocked his emotions for him to drown in, and he did not even know her name.

The next morning he arose from his bunk having gotten no sleep and now he moved slowly but with steady stride (which could not be said of his comrads who had drank the night away and now moved as if their legs were jelly and many of which had slept on the floor when they could not navigate to their beds). Aiden ate a meger breakfast and then moved to the large common room which was still strewn with mugs, food, and the unconscious forms of the drunken. He crept through the debris until he came to two columns in between which was a metal bar that jumped up and gripped. He thus commensed his morning workout.

*****

Lydia left her chambers early that morning and strolled the quiet halls which were silent except for the sounds of the servants making dinner in the kitchen. As she was passing the general's study she heard voices coming from within so she decided to listen in. She drew close to the door and put her eye up to the crack in the slightly ajar doors.

General Cauldwell sat with several other officers around a table. Among them was the young soldier from the night before who she could now see was a major. He sat confidently among these great military minds but maintained an air of humble submission to their expertice. She could also notice that he was suprisingly handsome for a man of his rank and responsibility.

"So let me get this straight. Two men with pistols killed all six of General Edmont's personal guard and two other soldiers and managed to escape without being significantly wounded and not leaving any evidence as to how they escaped?" asked General Cauldwell quite in a fit of anger. He appeared as though he had spent all night all night trying to track Lydia's father's killers.This would make sense for he had and ended up empty handed. He had not got a wink of sleep and the weariness began to show in his face and his mood.

One of the officers spoke up, "They could have easily jumped into the canal and swam away sir."

"But that water would have been freezing! They would have lost feeling in their limbs and drown within a few minutes!" scoffed another officer.

The major spoke up, "My men investigated Lydia's claim that they came from Captain Dellam. This appears to be somewhat true. We found the captain dead in his home and two of his spare officer uniforms. They could have easily murdered him, took his uniforms, dressed them to the proper rank, and attended the party without a single suspicion from security. Now as to who they were that is obvious, we have already received reports from Fedridge, West Dane, and Gullport of rebellious uprisings and riots in the streets. Most of which ended in the death of several soliders and police. This assassination must have been meant as a sign to begin a revolution." This last word struck a chord in everyone at the table, even Lydia found her breath had caught in her throat.

On officer studied the major, "Revolution, what on earth for Major Hall?" His voice contained a challenge.

"Well maybe..."

"I asked the Major!" growled the officer.

Major Hall stared back with no hostility, but with equal determination. "Is it not obvious? The Weaton Massacre is still fresh on the people's mind."

The enraged officer stood up, "That was no massacre, they were killing people and they had to be stopped. The situation got out of hand and we had to finish the matter!"

General Cauldwell stood, "Sit down Colonel!" The officer quickly sat after glaring at Major Hall.
The general continued, "Major Hall was not accusing anyone and I agree with him that is the most probable cause for this riotous behaviour. Now the question is not where to put the blame but rather, how can we stop this before it escalates into a full on civil war?"

*****

The leader of the rebels walked up to Aiden. He had lost his carefree smile of the day before and now bore his usual scowl. "Aiden." Aiden dropped off the bar and hurried over. "Aiden, I have a very special job for you."

"Anything for you sir."

"Your success last night has proved that you can pull off anything. Now I need you to do me a very big favor."

"Yes?"

"I need you to lead the charge on the capital building."

To Be Continued