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

Torn Shadows Part 4

Lydia passed the next hour in a blur. She remembered being lifted away from her father's body and being taken to a car. After that was a blur. When she finally became fully aware of her surroundings, she was in a police station and an officer with a note pad was trying to get her attention.

"Miss Edmont, can you please tell me what your father's attacker looked like?" he asked very impatiently.

Suddenly she was wide awake. " He was not overly tall, but not short either. He was by no means bulky but almost slight. However, he carried himself as though he were six inches taller and fifty pounds bulkier." Slowly her voice began to loose its malicious tone. "He had dark hair. Black. It was short but somewhat shaggy so that some of it fell into his face and cast a shadow across his eyes. His eyes..." A pause. "They were a dark brown. He stared at you as if he could decipher the very depths of your soul." She glanced at the officer who was now giving her a peculiar stare. She composed herself, "He also claimed to be a lieutenant representing Captain Dellam."

"Did you get his name?"

"Aiden."

Then the door to the small room opened and in stepped a young soldier, in his black ceremony uniform. "I think that is enough questions for tonight officer. She has had a long night."

"Yes sir." replied the officer grudgingly.

She left with the soldier who took her to his car.

"I will be taking you to General Cauldwell's home. He and his wife have agreed to take you in for the time being, at least until your father's funeral." He stopped, for he realized he had been tactless. They road down the empty streets, the moonlight illuminating the space not glowing with light from the street lights. Lydia was deep in thought, and yet was not thinking at all.
They arrived at the general's home where she was lovingly welcomed, but she felt no love. Her father had been the only person she really knew since her mother had died years ago and all other family lived in other parts of the country. She felt alone, as if there was no more love left for her in the world, as if with a few bullets Aiden had shattered the glass walls of her old world and they had fallen to reveal this empty place. She gasped. She had referred to him with his first name. That man, no that monster had killed her father and yet here she was thinking of him as if he were another one of her acquaintances. She went straight to bed after changing into clothes supplied to her by her hostess and there she lay awake. She yearned for sleep to keep the image of her dying father out of her head, to keep his dying breath from echoing in her ears. But sleep was a fiend that night and did not grant her the rest she was seeking.

Across town a group of policemen found Captain Dellam dead in his home and two uniforms missing from his house.

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 3

Aiden and his comrade floated aimlessly down the canal. Sirens roared in the night as the search for them began. He knew that at this moment up to a hundred armed police could be scouring the streets in search of him, not to mention the hundreds of soldiers stationed in the city. He did not truly fear them. This escape plan was fool proof. This tiny dingy was almost invisible in the water since it was covered by a dark colored tarp. He and his friend would soon be safe. They did not talk or move for even though they had little fear, they did not want to invite trouble by making any unnecessary noise. Now the canal began to narrow as it wound through the backstreets and allies of the city on one of its many tributaries. By the time they thought to check the canal, he thought, we will be far gone.
Now the surging of the water began to moan and gurgle as the tiny raft approached a large drainage tunnel that led to below the city. Iron girders protected anything from falling into its mouth, but right as the boat was about to hit them, they opened. Like iron teeth they rose up to permit the two travelers to fall down his throat and into the blackness below. The boat plunged into the sewer below as the waterfall dumped its passengers into the freezing water. The pair swam to the walkway on the side of this subterranean river and lay there soaked to the bone, clutching their guns with icy hands and breathing heavily.
Finally, Aiden's friend looked over at him and a huge grin spread across his face. Aiden smiled back. His friend let out a hoot of laughter. It rang unsettlingly loud through the sewage tunnel, bouncing off the walls and being distorted by the flowing water.

"Shut up, Manny!" Aiden scolded his friend in a hushed whisper.

Manny who's real name was Monroe, covered his mouth and sat up. Together they walked along the narrow ledge until they came to a hole in the grimy stone about five feet tall and two feet wide. They ducked through this portal and followed the short tunnel beyond until they reached a heavy wooden door. This opened easily and they entered into a small storage room. Boxes stood in stacks and piles but many were scattered about and there contents long ago eaten by rats and other vermin. This place smelled and looked of a place long forgotten by man. Casually they crossed this room until, shutting the door behind them, until they at last came to another wooden door hidden behind a wall of boxes. Manny knocked heartily on this door. A pause. Then Manny tapped a short cadence upon the wood. As soon as he finished the door swung wide and burly arms pulled the two men inside.
Dirty scoundrels of men jumped up around the room as the two men were half carried into the room. Cheers erupted and a man, somewhat taller than the others stepped forward. A woman, who obviously had been enjoying the wine hung on his shoulder.

"Well the triumphant heroes return!" he bellowed shrugging off the woman (who promptly fell to the floor in a dazed heap) and wrapped his arms around the shoulders of the two men.

"We heard the sirens and went on ahead and got the party started. I hope that's okay with you fellas?!" Laughter exploded in the room. "He is dead, right?" the leader asked of Aiden in a more hushed tone.

"Definitely." Aiden replied with a very business like expression.

"Good, good!" shouted the leader who left the two men and once again picked up his female companion (who had not left her spot on the floor) and grabbed a mug filled with drink.

He raised the mug high in the air and proclaimed very ceremoniously.

"A toast to our two heroes and to the war they have started!"

All raised their glasses and cheered.

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 2

Aiden reached into his pockets and pulled out two pistols fully loaded and cocked. He flipped off the safteys and headed for the stage side enterance. He crept along the wall until he found the corner next the stairs that led onto the stage. There he waited for the signal.

"It is with deepest pride that i accept this medal and..." the speech on the stage dragged on.

Two gunshots exploded in the wings on the other side. Aiden's friend had given the signal.

Aiden rushed out and shot the guard who had turned to see what the commotion was about on the other side. He ascended the stairs and ran out as the surprised hero turned to see him and dropped his newly acquired medal. Aiden pulled the trigger. Not once but four times. He did not miss once. Guards from all around the room rushed toward the stage. the many men in uniform had not brought their weapons to this formal affair and so they stood there shocked, looking at Aiden as if he were a demon of hell standing above them and calling them to judgement. All were silent, but then a scream split the air.
Like a knife it cut through the vaulted hall. Aiden turned toward the crowd and saw the girl wailing in agony. It was the girl he had danced with. The girl he had found so attractive a moment ago was now weeping. No one else wept for the fallen man. They were all like statues, frozen in horror. But her, she had been shot too. When he pulled the trigger to destroy the man he had pierced her heart as well. That is when he made the connection. That man that now lay on the stage, his life fading away, was her father. This revelation made him hesitate ever so slightly. But it was enough for one of the guards to get off a wild shot that grazed his arm.
Aiden came to his senses and ran, down the stairs, through the hall, and out the back door which was held open by his accomplice. Together they ran past the guards who had been dealt with by Aiden's friend and they both ran to a ledge over looking a broad canal, and jumped over the edge and into the cold, dark water. There a small boat was tethered to the stone walls. They untied it and crawled in, slipping silently away in the dark as the city came alive with sirens.
Lydia rushed onto the stage. She fell before her father and pulled his head onto her lap. She stroked his hair and whispered to him. Not the empty frazes "it's going to be ok" or "just rest" but she poured out her heart to him. "I love you! Don't let go! Don't leave me alone! Please, I love you!" Then with a long sigh, he died. Lydia pulled his head up and rocked it in her arms. His blood stained her blue dress till it was deep purple. Her golden brown hair, once in elegant curls bung in a ragged mess and her face was contorted with sorrow and makeup ran down her face with her bitter tears.
No one disturbed them. They sat alone on the empty stage. Lydia raised her head and glared at the now empty ballroom.

She shouted her fury,"You devil! You killed him! I hate you!" And then her breath caught in her throat and a strange thought came to her. Did she really mean that?

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 1

The following was inspired by the writings of Scoops on Desktop Muse.

Dresses all the colors of the rainbow swirl and darted among the black suits creating and whirlwind of color and darkness. The high ceiling ed chamber was filled with the chatter and meaningless small talk of those that had never known life outside of the protection of money. They had no true desire to speak with one another, they merely did so out of courtesy for the rules of such gatherings. For despite the seeming chaos, their was a strict structure to this "party" as some would call it.
Lydia thought of it as a prison. Sure she enjoyed seeing all the lovely women in their lavish gowns move between the smitten men in uniform with confident poise, but she rarely contributed to the festivities herself. Of course, this occasion was special. Tonight was the night that her father, a general in the army, would be receiving The Gold Cross for Valor. Few men ever received this award while still living, and it was the source of her father's endless joy the past few days. So she smiled and waved at passer-byers for her father's sake. She was happy for him.
At the other end of the ballroom, two young men entered. One was looking rather excited, while his partner was composed and not overly excited about the evening to come. The more excited of the pair turned to his friend,
"So I'll see you when the speech starts!"
"Yes, by the pillar. Stop being so giddy. You look like a fool." replied his friend with some humor in his voice.
With that the pair went their separate ways. The calmer of the two moved toward the front where there were less people. He did not feel like talking. As he pushed through the crowd of people, he kept his hands glued to his pant legs. He took a seat along the side as the orchestra struck up a merry waltz and couples began filtering to the center of the dance floor. He glanced to his left and his eyes fell upon a lady, about his age sitting all alone, watching the couples dance with a gleam in her eyes much like that of a child watching butterflies flutter through a garden of wildflowers. Before he knew what was happening, he was standing in front of this girl. Why was he here? He had not commanded his legs to come over here. She was looking at him, waiting for him to say something. What should he say? He began to panic. He mustered all of his courage and spoke,
"Would you like to dance?"
Lydia's heart lept in her chest. Here was this young man, about her age, asking her to dance. She found him quite handsome and mysterious for she had never seen him before. " Yes, I would like that."
So she took the man's hand and they walked to the center of the dance floor. She took his shoulder and him, her waist and they began to dance. She was surprised for he danced very well, better than anyone she had ever met. Also, unlike many other men, he did not stare at his feet, but rather straight into her eyes. His gaze made her uncomfortable and at the same time feel perfectly safe, as if his gaze could hold back a thousand armies from laying a finger on her.
"You dance well." she commented trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"Thank you, so do you."
Her curiosity got the best of her. "Judging by your uniform, I can see you are in the army?"
"Yes, I am here on behalf of Captain Dellam. I am his lieutenant."
A pause as the song changed to a slower, more flowing tune.
"So are you here with one of the soldiers?" The man asked.
She smiled at his straight forward manner, "No I am here with my father."
Yet another pause.
Lydia spoke,"Here we have been talking and dancing for all this time and I have yet to have your name."
He looked into her eyes again. This time with more intensity, as if he were searching the very depths of her being. "Aiden" he replied after a while.
The song was over. They bowed and he kissed her hand. This sent a thrill up her arm. Then he turned and walked away and disappeared into the crowd. She stood motionless for a moment and then turned to go back to her seat.
"Hello!" It was her father, standing on the stage with another man with a wooden box in his hand.
Aiden hurried to the pillar near the front corner, and there his friend stood his excitement had turned into fidgety anxiety.
"Ready?" asked Aiden with a look of concern.
"Yeah, I'm ready." replied his friend steadying himself. He began a brisk walk toward the other side of the stage. Once there the two men nodded at each other and then entered into the backstage area. Aiden reached into his pockets and pulled out...

To Be Continued

Expansion

This is my new blog. the purpose of this blog is to get all of those random story ideas out of my head and onto paper...I mean screen. I am also willing to admit that this is a total rip off of "Desktop Muse" by Scoops, but i thought it was an awesome idea so i have chosen to steal it.

Mua ha ha ha!