For those of you that I told I'd post this here it is...
feedback is welcome, but you need to know that these aren't edited or spell checked. They will be a part of the graphic novel...
~~~~~One
The cadaverous intent of autumn is hanging thick in the late summer air as clouds start to converge upon burnt skies. Twisted black fingers of a decaying oak stretching out to the heavens are homes to the murder watching the carrion below. Their talons dancing upon the twine grasping the branches, waiting for the air to become stagnant, for their victims to settle.
The calm before the storm. Things are changing, it was more subtle at first, but now its all too obvious. Weve found its better not to dwell too long, to keep our minds consistently busy. Theyre fast, they seem to understand our thoughts even long before weve had time to process them ourselves. The cloud formations have now taken over and the sky is starting to bleed through, grays mixing with deep reds casting a surreal tint over us all. It was never like this before, the open skies were a blessing, a blessing that was too long taken for granted. Theyve taken our skies, flooded them with their machines of destruction, carefully disguised as those creatures in which we were so accustomed to gracing our air. I've started naming them.
They sit above me now. Waiting. Watching. With my heel on the shovel, it's these times when my faith runs the thinnest. Gabriel stares, his left eye shinning white even against the red sky, his only scar from the great war. My movements have to be precise, without hesistation. There are no second chances and I have no defense, but it is out of respect that I must carry on. The blade strikes cold earth again, moving fragments of sediment and foundation. The murder are anxious, their oily limbs clattering against their hardened bodies, their heads lowering in anticipation for the meal. This shallow hole will serve as the fallens' final resting place, the only thing left is to distract Gabriel and his sevants long enough to free them from the ropes that they viewed as their only sign of salvation, their last light of hope.
Placing the shovel against the ground, I reach out to the stained bag. Clarity of thought...of action, I must remain clear. Slowly, focusing on the deepening burst of amber along the horizon I unclasp the bag. Reaching my left hand into the soiled satchel I pull out the remains of our savior. The hand is cold despite the warmth it used to project, three fingers still grasping the halo of razorwire and locusts. Immediatley, Gabriel takes notice and the murder are fully awakened, their voices raised, their wings spread. I place my lips against hollow of the hand one last time. 'It must be done', I keep whispering to myself as my thoughts start take over as I can no longer block them out. The hand moves through the air as if it had taken flight, with one last glance Gabriel leaves the branch, followed by his two henchmen. I move quickly grasping the first body as well as I can with one arm, the other extending to release him from the noose, as the knot slips the body slumps down into the shallow grave below me. The last two bodies follow suit and take their rightful place within the soil. There isn't much time to cover them as Gabriel will return and with him the rest of the machines...
~~~~Two
The oppressive darkness hung in the air, a constant reminder of my working conditions. Words, equations, madness bouncing off of the walls in the shallow amber light. As light bounces from a flicker to flame words start to scream out from walls that hold them captive. To my immediate left are numerous flight patterns, detailing the arc of accession and decension. The exact measurement and angle from the base of the body to extended wingtip. The ratio of muscle to weight needed to sustain flight. To my right are various diagrams, detailing the layers of outer tissue, deep muscle development, internal organs, skeletal outlines. I'm surrounded by every ounce of knowledge one could acquire.
Why here? Of all the places available to them? My right hand is still uncontrolablly spasming, yet another reminder of the conditions of my contract. The northerm wind is making it's way through the shattered window, swiftly creeping along the length of the room. The light begins to dim, shuttering beneath the fluid air. Mother natures simple reminder that we are nothing without her, her breath circulates the stagnant air, bringing relief from the death and disease that was contained within these walls. I turn to face the window, to watch the shadow of the sun start to embrace the distant horizon, just as sleep embraces my being.
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~
She's with me again, though I can't be sure of it. My muscles strain against the restraints. She's moving. The air is cool, lingering with death and disease masked by astringent, chemicals, cleaners and air purifers, yet through it all I can smell the subtle hint of violet. I strain to lift my head, to search for her, to see her one last time, but to no avail. The room seems to have it's own emotions, the ceiling a witness to so many deaths, so much unnecessary pain. Her sadness is still here, lingering, mixed with the loss of generations. I can hear indiscreet sounds, movement, machines, murmers. I feel as if I'm an insect pinned, ready for examination, for disection, yet through it all I'm comforted by the thought of her. The incandescent light is starting to send it's matting call out, humming it's song, calling out as it's being born, and then a flash and momentarly I'm blinded. My pupils dilate and slowly adjust to the brightness that has just surronded me.
I can no longer smell her, feel her presence. Movement again, this time closer. My perpherial vision catches blurs of black and gray, moving so swiftly my mind can't decipher them. Wait, they're not moving, I am. I start to feel the sensation of air brushing against my body, frantically I fight against my restraints. I can feel my skin pulling against my bone, the warm sensations of blood start to slowly move down my wrist and I can hear them as they descend to the floor. Each drop louder than the previous. I'm moving now at a much faster pace, unable to tell which direction I'm headed. Then silence.
The movement has stopped, the hum of overhead lights has passed away. The machines are slowing, becoming a distant echo, and I am finally released from my restraints.
I start to raise my right arm, but my body is moving much slower than my mind is giving commands. My vision is starting to blur, casting a shroud of gray over everything. I finally manage to turn my body enough to get a view of my surroundings. It was at that moment when forever came crashing...
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~
I awake to the numbness of my surroundings. The same three walls, covered in the chalk scratchings of a man who's lost the will to live. The skyline has now turned a deep red, and the city is starting to embrace the darkness, people scurring from their desks to their mistresses, from their 9 to5 death sentences to their two and a half car garage caskets. And here I remain...
feedback is welcome, but you need to know that these aren't edited or spell checked. They will be a part of the graphic novel...
~~~~~One
The cadaverous intent of autumn is hanging thick in the late summer air as clouds start to converge upon burnt skies. Twisted black fingers of a decaying oak stretching out to the heavens are homes to the murder watching the carrion below. Their talons dancing upon the twine grasping the branches, waiting for the air to become stagnant, for their victims to settle.
The calm before the storm. Things are changing, it was more subtle at first, but now its all too obvious. Weve found its better not to dwell too long, to keep our minds consistently busy. Theyre fast, they seem to understand our thoughts even long before weve had time to process them ourselves. The cloud formations have now taken over and the sky is starting to bleed through, grays mixing with deep reds casting a surreal tint over us all. It was never like this before, the open skies were a blessing, a blessing that was too long taken for granted. Theyve taken our skies, flooded them with their machines of destruction, carefully disguised as those creatures in which we were so accustomed to gracing our air. I've started naming them.
They sit above me now. Waiting. Watching. With my heel on the shovel, it's these times when my faith runs the thinnest. Gabriel stares, his left eye shinning white even against the red sky, his only scar from the great war. My movements have to be precise, without hesistation. There are no second chances and I have no defense, but it is out of respect that I must carry on. The blade strikes cold earth again, moving fragments of sediment and foundation. The murder are anxious, their oily limbs clattering against their hardened bodies, their heads lowering in anticipation for the meal. This shallow hole will serve as the fallens' final resting place, the only thing left is to distract Gabriel and his sevants long enough to free them from the ropes that they viewed as their only sign of salvation, their last light of hope.
Placing the shovel against the ground, I reach out to the stained bag. Clarity of thought...of action, I must remain clear. Slowly, focusing on the deepening burst of amber along the horizon I unclasp the bag. Reaching my left hand into the soiled satchel I pull out the remains of our savior. The hand is cold despite the warmth it used to project, three fingers still grasping the halo of razorwire and locusts. Immediatley, Gabriel takes notice and the murder are fully awakened, their voices raised, their wings spread. I place my lips against hollow of the hand one last time. 'It must be done', I keep whispering to myself as my thoughts start take over as I can no longer block them out. The hand moves through the air as if it had taken flight, with one last glance Gabriel leaves the branch, followed by his two henchmen. I move quickly grasping the first body as well as I can with one arm, the other extending to release him from the noose, as the knot slips the body slumps down into the shallow grave below me. The last two bodies follow suit and take their rightful place within the soil. There isn't much time to cover them as Gabriel will return and with him the rest of the machines...
~~~~Two
The oppressive darkness hung in the air, a constant reminder of my working conditions. Words, equations, madness bouncing off of the walls in the shallow amber light. As light bounces from a flicker to flame words start to scream out from walls that hold them captive. To my immediate left are numerous flight patterns, detailing the arc of accession and decension. The exact measurement and angle from the base of the body to extended wingtip. The ratio of muscle to weight needed to sustain flight. To my right are various diagrams, detailing the layers of outer tissue, deep muscle development, internal organs, skeletal outlines. I'm surrounded by every ounce of knowledge one could acquire.
Why here? Of all the places available to them? My right hand is still uncontrolablly spasming, yet another reminder of the conditions of my contract. The northerm wind is making it's way through the shattered window, swiftly creeping along the length of the room. The light begins to dim, shuttering beneath the fluid air. Mother natures simple reminder that we are nothing without her, her breath circulates the stagnant air, bringing relief from the death and disease that was contained within these walls. I turn to face the window, to watch the shadow of the sun start to embrace the distant horizon, just as sleep embraces my being.
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~
She's with me again, though I can't be sure of it. My muscles strain against the restraints. She's moving. The air is cool, lingering with death and disease masked by astringent, chemicals, cleaners and air purifers, yet through it all I can smell the subtle hint of violet. I strain to lift my head, to search for her, to see her one last time, but to no avail. The room seems to have it's own emotions, the ceiling a witness to so many deaths, so much unnecessary pain. Her sadness is still here, lingering, mixed with the loss of generations. I can hear indiscreet sounds, movement, machines, murmers. I feel as if I'm an insect pinned, ready for examination, for disection, yet through it all I'm comforted by the thought of her. The incandescent light is starting to send it's matting call out, humming it's song, calling out as it's being born, and then a flash and momentarly I'm blinded. My pupils dilate and slowly adjust to the brightness that has just surronded me.
I can no longer smell her, feel her presence. Movement again, this time closer. My perpherial vision catches blurs of black and gray, moving so swiftly my mind can't decipher them. Wait, they're not moving, I am. I start to feel the sensation of air brushing against my body, frantically I fight against my restraints. I can feel my skin pulling against my bone, the warm sensations of blood start to slowly move down my wrist and I can hear them as they descend to the floor. Each drop louder than the previous. I'm moving now at a much faster pace, unable to tell which direction I'm headed. Then silence.
The movement has stopped, the hum of overhead lights has passed away. The machines are slowing, becoming a distant echo, and I am finally released from my restraints.
I start to raise my right arm, but my body is moving much slower than my mind is giving commands. My vision is starting to blur, casting a shroud of gray over everything. I finally manage to turn my body enough to get a view of my surroundings. It was at that moment when forever came crashing...
~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~
I awake to the numbness of my surroundings. The same three walls, covered in the chalk scratchings of a man who's lost the will to live. The skyline has now turned a deep red, and the city is starting to embrace the darkness, people scurring from their desks to their mistresses, from their 9 to5 death sentences to their two and a half car garage caskets. And here I remain...