Week 11 Storytelling: The Pirate Treasure

I mean, what else did I need?

I was already at the Pirate King at age sixteen. I ruled the seas. I guess I thought that all that I wanted was all the gold, gems, and riches of the world.

(The Pirate King Diarmud)

But I learned there were some things in this world that were more important than the wide blue ocean.

There were some things more of a treasure than and the gold and gems in treasure chests.

There was something more important that bump, ba, bumped in my body. 

It happened one day. It was the first time I met him that I truly felt alive.

The ship wasn't headed in any direction. We left it afloat. I lounged in a lifeboat that was tethered to my ship.

I had fallen asleep when I suddenly felt water on my face. I sat up and saw a fin lower in to the water.

It's some dolphin, I'm sure, I thought.

When suddenly a boy turned to me. He smiled widely. Had had wet tangles of Light brown hair around his face. He was beyond beautiful.

"What are you doing in the water?" I asked. We were in the middle of nowhere, and I didn't recognize him from my crew.

"Swimming," he said. "What else?" His voice was so goddamn cheerul.

"Well, come--" I started to say. I was going to invite him on board.

But he leaned back, his hands behind his bed, and he floated on top of the water, and a tail fin rose from the water. I followed the fin all the way up to his waist.  

(The First Meeting)

"There's no way..." I muttered.

"What that mermaids exist?" He said and laughed. "Of course I do." 

He grabbed onto my boat, and tipped it over. I cried out as I fell into the sea. "What the hell?"

"Get your sea legs, captain," he said and winked.

"I'm no Pirate Captain, merman--" I said in between heavy breathes as I doggy paddled to wade the water.

"Well, Captain, I'm not just a merman, my name is Aranis," he said.

"I told you! I'm not a Captain! I am Diarmud the Pirate King!" 

"Pirate King, huh?" He asked. "Impressive"

"Quite so, Aranis." I managed to climb back into my boat, and I sat in it.

"Well, if we're being technical...my name is  Prince Aranis. I live in the Underwater Realm of Atlantis where I will someday rule as King."  

"So, I rule the seas up here," I said and gestured around. "And you will rule the waters down below?"

  

"Correct," he said with a grin. "Well, I'll be off!" And just as quickly as he came, he ducked down into the waters.

"Wait!" I cried out. My heart was beating in a manner I'd never known. It felt like my greatest treasure of all was sinking into the seas.

"What?" He said as he came back to the surface. 

I felt relief flood my body as I saw his gentle face, his soft blonde hair, and his chiseled physique. I was starting to fell the effects of what I once thought was a myth, a fiction. But I was thinking that this was love at first sight. 

"I'll be back," he said with a wink, and then he swam down below.

"Drop anchor!" I shouted. "The ship stays here!"

"Aye, aye captain!" My crew replied.

***

And at the same time the next day, Aranis returned.

"Hello," he said, holding the sides of my boat.  

"Aranis," I said. "If I may be so forward: I missed you..."

"Even if that is so," he said. "Nothing can ever come of this, my King."

"As King of these Seas, what I want can happen, Aranis."

He smiled softly, and lifted himself up, and he leaned into my face, kissing me softly. I kissed him back and we never stopped.

***

It was like this for days. 

(The days spent in love) 

But soon my crew grew tired of staying in the same place, and we were running low on supplies.

"Come with me," I told Aranis.

"But it cannot be?"

"I have found a way, my pet," I said, and I held out my hand to him, "Do you trust me, my treasure?"

He gulped down hard as if he could swallow down his anxieties. He took my hand and said, "Yes."

***

I live on the seas. My crew and I get supplies, and then go back on the water. I send my crew out on fool's errands, on trips with treasure marks that only sometimes lead to gold.

I didn't care.

I walked into my quarters, where the only treasure I needed was there.

Aranis swam behind glass. He held his hand out, pressing it to the glass, and I pressed my hand against his. He mouthed, "Help me. Free me."

If he weren't in water, tears would stream down his face. He was full of the deepest sorrows.

But he was my greatest treasure, and as Pirate King? I would never let him free. 

I had my Prince and that was all that I would need.

(The Pirate's Treasure)

Author's Note

This story is a take away from my other stories, huh? Straight-up romance, but well, with a tragic twist (of course!) I am incapable of writing a happy ending to a story it seems! I'm sorry this ending in such a messed up away. I feel so bad for Aranis!

Once again I've put a gay relationship in here for diversity! And because Diarmud and Aranis are too darn cute! Diarmud DID love Arranis...just not in a conventional way. I tried to string it along so readers would think this was going to be a happy sappy romance and then NOPE! Tragedy and really messed up ending. Oh, my. My brain is a strange place.

OKAY, so I digress. 

So how did I get Pirate Kings and Mermen out of Indian Myths? I've been reading Asura: Tale of the Vanquished. This week's chapters had a very interesting character named: Pirate-King! So, obviously I  wanted to write about the Pirate King! 

Our Merman, Aranis, came from my imagination. I thought, well I don't want to write about my Pirate King with sea battles or going off for a treasure quest. I wanted something different: a pirate romance! And,  as I said I made the relationship between two men for a change of pace.

Anyways, I hope you liked my story, as well as I hoped you like Diamud and Aranis!

Week 10 Storytelling: My Life A Teenage Nobody

(The "Teenage Nobody")

My name? It shouldn't matter, it doesn't matter. Not really. I could be anyone couldn't I? I'm just a screwed up kid, living on the wrong side of the railroad tracks.

I had a name once, Daughter. But I threw that all a way.

"You're evil," my mother told me with wet and wavering eyes. "You are a demon."

The thing is? I could not deny her that fact. I was starting to think I really might be.

She tied me down to a chair, you see. She doused me with Holy Water while she shouted bibical quotes at me. She waved a cross in my face a couple of times.

"Why isn't it working, Kali?" She screamed and shook me so hard I could feel my brain hit the sides of my skull.

She took out a lighter, and waved a small metal cross over it, and she pressed it to my skin.

"It's bubbling!" She screamed. "You are resisting the cross!"

(The "Devil Daughter")

 
I screamed and cried, but she didn't stop. I was down there for hours. Or days? Weeks. I don't know. I was on a steady diet of Holy Water and sacramental wafers.

But that's about when I started feeling numb. Pain and pleasure and displeasure were all starting to blend together into a cocktail called Misery.

To add an umbrella onto the cocktail, she took me to the Catholic Church. She walked into the office of Father Wood. She sounded like she was raving mad, screaming about a demonic daughter. Saying she could see horns coming from my head and that my eyes were red.

Okay, she was raving mad about that. Too raving mad for Father Wood.

"We do not do exorcisms anymore, m'am," he said.

"What do you mean you don't 'do exorcisms'?" She yelled. "My daughter is a demon, Father! Cure her!"

He rolled his eyes and he poured oil on my head. He said some bullshit in Latin.

All the bullshit of which my mother cried with happiness.

"We'll have a new life together now, Daughter," she said and smiled as she walked into the front door. Of her house.

I didn't belong there. I didn't go into the front door, no.

I ran.

And then I became a different name, I was called Girlfriend.

Darren was perfect. That's what the problem was. He was too perfect, and I was too perfectly imperfect. For him, and for anyone it seemed.

"Kali," he said. "It's like a switch. One minute you're an angel and the next moment..."

"A devil," I finished for him.

He nodded softly. "I can't anymore. I can't be with you..."

That was when I became empty. It was like someone took an ice cream scooper and scooped out all of my insides. There was nothing in there but poison.

It started my life as a teenage nobody.

Author's Note:
This week I read Chapters 1-9 of Asura: Tale of the Vanguished. This book is basically the Ramayana, expect it is told in the perspective of the Rakshasa (demon) king, Ravana!

I loved the way that this story was written. It is in a first person perspective but very heavily close to that person. We get every thought and sensory details. In fact, the story has very little dialogue or action. Most of it is the reader in Ravana's mind, which I loved!

I know that on many of your stories I comment that you need dialogue and such. But, this story has taught me that there is a time and place for such close introspection in a story.

Thus, this story is a close introspection from my character from my Storybook, My Life As A Teenage Rakshasi!

Week 9 Storytelling: Home Sweet Hell

"I can't do this anymore," Lukas said.

"Do what?"

"Be with you," he said, messing with his long brown hair.

His words hit me like a bullet straight to the heart. But as quickly as I felt sadness, did I feel an all-consuming rage. It felt like flames licked my skin and my insides.

"You can't leave me!" I screamed.

He started to run from me, but I grabbed his wrist with a strength I didn't know I had. I heard the bones in his wrist break in my hands and he screamed like bloody murder.

"Shut up!" I yelled, and all I could see was fire and flames and fury.

I covered his mouth with my hand, but he thrashed around. I pushed him and his head hit the side of my vanity.

I stood, stunned, looking at Lukas' lifeless body until I felt the ground shake under me.

The floor opened up, spewing flames as it opened up. Out of the flames was a tall boy who didn't look much older than me, I was 18 at the time.

(Hell's Butler)

He wore a tight-fitting black velvet coat and black skinny jeans. He bowed to me, and his messy black hair hung in front of his face. "Hello, madam."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Damon," he said and straightened his posture. "I'm a butler of sorts."

"Of sorts?"

"You'll see," he said. "Now, if you'll follow me."

He held his white-gloved hand out to me, but I was hesitant to take it.  I looked to Lukas' lifeless body and realized I didn't have a choice. If I didn't go with Damon, I'd be going to jail. I grabbed his hand.

"Very well," he said, and he pulled me into the flames.

We were suddenly in an elevator that had six-hundred and sixty-six floors on it. He pressed the buttons in a certain order and the elevator shot down so fast I fell to the ground. The elevator stopped and he helped me up.

The elevator doors opened up, and we both stepped into what looked like nothing. It was darkness, save for wispy cotton-like things flying through the air..

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Limbo," he said. "For the unbaptised...the pagans...those who don't belong anywhere else."

"Wait--limbo as in...?"

"Yes, as in Hell," he said. "Come now."

I followed him as we got back into the elevator. It went down a floor and the doors opened up.

This place looked like a state fair with all the fried foods and sweets, with a mud pit in the middle. Pigs sat at the food stands, gorging himself with food, and other pigs wallowed in the mug.

"Gluttony," I said.

"Exactly," he said before we got into the elevator again.

"Is there a reason I'm getting a tour of Hell?" I asked, but he didn't reply. He just pressed the next button.

He didn't step out this town. We just watched from the elevator. This looked like a burlesque club, and the audience was filled with beds. I'll spare you the details.

Damon pressed a button and winked at me.

We went down one more floor and he held his hand out. I shrugged and grabbed it, and stepped out of the elevator. It looked like a set from a scripted wrestling match on TV. There was a massive cage in the middle, and an audience surrounded it.

"Here," Damon said.

I turned to Damon and he handed me a sword. "What is this?"

"I showed you the circles above yours so perhaps make you feel better about your new home," he said.

I took the sword.

"Fight, Eva, fight for the rest of your life," he said. "Welcome to the circle of Wrath, your little slice of home sweet Hell."

Author's Note:
This week I read Kali the Mother, which mentioned The Divine Comedy which included The Inferno. I know a lot about The Inferno because I am currently taking a class about it!

In my Storybook, Kali will be visiting the underworld, so I wanted to start world building and make the Underworld that she will go to. This underworld is actually a combination of the world in The Inferno and from the second part of The Divine Comedy: Purgatorio.

My version has more emphasis on the seven deadly sins and has a more modern veneer.

Week 7 Storytelling: The Demon's Deal

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"The Demon's Deal"

I have a boyfriend named Dorian. Well, or at least that's what everyone thinks. There are times that I even convince myself of that truth.

But the truth is that I made Dorian up. One day I drew what the perfect boyfriend would look like, and then I started writing letters to myself from him, and then I wrote letters back to him. The letters were sent and received in a shoebox.

So, when people at school asked me, whenever my family asked me, I told them, "Yes, I have a boyfriend. His name is Dorian!"

I had a story for how we met, how our first kiss went, and even bought presents for me that "he got me."

The problem started whenever people wanted to meet him.

After excuse after excuse I feared that everyone could see through my thin veil of a lie. I desperately did everything I could think of: wishing on shooting stars and 11:11. I hoped fortune cookies wielded good fortune.

I prayed to God, Buddha, anyone who was listening, but nothing worked.

It wasn't even about making him seem alive anymore, no, I wanted Dorian to be alive.

Finally, I turned to the darkness.

It the angels wouldn't help me, perhaps the demons would.

I looked online for a wishing spell. I wrote my fake boyfriend's name on the paper, along with his qualities: black hair, brown eyes, pale skin, freckles, he's sweet, he's thoughtful, but he's confident, he's charismatic.

I burned the paper in the flame of a candle, and whispered, "Dorian. I wish you were real."

Suddenly the flames grew as tall as a person, and in it's place was the boy I had just described.

Dorian scratched the back of his head, and sheepishly grinned. "Hey, Bridget."

"Dorian!" I cried and ran to him, wrapping my arms around him.

He kissed the top of my head, and embraced me. "I'm here."

"Stay here with me, please," I begged.

"What would you give for me?" He asked and suddenly his teeth were fangs, and I felt claws around my body. His hair was no longer black, but snow-white, and his eyes were bright red.

(Belial, the Demon)

I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but his arms were like iron chains. "Who are you?"

"Some call me Belial, but I am whoever you want me to be," he said and suddenly he turned back into Dorian. "But, for a price."

"What is the price?" I asked.

"Your soul," he said with a wicked grin.

I laughed. He was joking right? This was all some sick joke.

"It's no joke," he said, and smirked. "I will be your Dorian for seven years, after which your soul will be mine."

"Yours for what?"

"For the taking, but thats shouldn't matter, no? Isn't your Dorian more important?" He smiled softly smiled and released me from his embrace.

I was sixteen years old, so I'd be twenty-three when my soul was gone. I didn't even know what I was doing after all that time. I had no plans of college. Besides, maybe I could trick him. Or maybe he was lying.

"Yes," I said.

"We have a deal," he said with a wolfish grin and he held his hand out. I shook his hand and it felt like fire.

For a moment he was the demon again and then he was back to Dorian. My sweet, kind, Dorian, and boyfriend for seven years.

After which, I had no idea what would happen.

***

When he said he'd take my soul, I didn't know it would be like this. I was twisted into someone hint perverted, and something evil.

I became a demon, much like Belial, the demon I made the deal with.

My home was Hell, literally, and I was to spend the eternity making deals with foolish humans. The business in Hell was souls, and I was no longer the customer, I was the sleazy saleswoman.

Author's Note.
This week, I read "Sri Krishna of Dwarka and Other Stories" and it mentioned demons and curses and such. So, I decided to write a story kind of based off of the Faustian myth, which is the age old tale of a deal with a demon, turning sour.

I know, I cut it close, but I was running out of words! I would have liked to see more with Dorian and Bridget, but the word count did not allow. I feel bad for Bridget's fate, but you reap what you sow, right?

Week 6 Storytelling: Rules Made To Be Broken

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Disclaimer: This story contains somewhat graphic violence and themes dealing with suicide. If that is not your cup of tea, read my story from last week.

"Rules Made To Be Broken"

Rule #1: You are food, nothing more.

Rule #2: Remember: you are the prey, they are the predators.

Rule #3: No fraternizing, friendship, or romance.

Rule #4: You live nocturnally now.

Rule #5: Species may not be changed. You will stay human.

Rule #6: If you break any of these rules, you're dead.

Rule #7: If your Master breaks any rules, they're dead.

***

I was born a Blood Slave. My parents were Blood Slaves, and they passed it onto me. When I was twelve I was sent to live with one of Them, who was to be my Master. 

His name was Xavier. He was a vampire, and I was to be his Blood Slave for the rest of my life.

(Xavier)

I didn't think sticking to the rules would be so difficult.

A year after I was given to Xavier, I started to notice how silky his long black hair was and how soft his lips felt on my neck. I also started to take pleasure in his drinking of my blood. 

But, rules are rules, and besides, I wasn't into other guys, I couldn't be.

Blood Slaves were supposed to find another Blood Slave of the opposite sex, so that we could make babies that would become Blood Slaves when they came of age. 

Besides the rules, my love was surely unrequited. I mean, I'd seen him entertain beautiful Noble girls, and even kiss some of them. Afterall, I was just a Blood Slave boy with dull brown hair, brown eyes, and rags for clothes. 

Each day it got harder and harder, and now, at sixteen, it was nearly impossible. I couldn't take living this painful existence any longer, and so I ended it prematurely. 

I slit my wrists with a knife, and watched the blood drip down my arms and onto the hardwood floor like a splatter of paint on a canvas.  I soon grew too weak to stand, and fell to the ground.

I could hear Xavier's sweet voice shout, "Lucas!" 

Through blurred vision, I saw him come to my side and embrace me in his arms. If I was going to die, to die in his arms was going to be a heavenly way to die.

The world fell to black, and I fell out of this world, and into the next.

Or so I thought.

I jolted awake, opening my eyes and sitting up. Xavier was still holding me. 

"What happened?" I asked.

"I saved you from certain death," Xavier said in his velvety soft voice. 

"What do you mean?"

"You were going to die, but I gave you another life," he said. "An immortal life."

No, it couldn't be!  "Are you saying that I'm a..." 

"Vampire."

"But that means..."

"Does it matter?" He asked. "We were going to break the rules anyway." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said and looked away from him.

"Lucas," he said softly and cupped my face in his hand, angling my face to look at him. "I know your feelings towards me."

"I don't--"

"I feel the same way," he said. "Maybe it was selfish, but that is why I saved you."

I didn't know what to say. I spent four years wanting to hear those words, but now that they came I had a hard time feeling happy. All I could think about is how we broke all the rules.

"I love you, Xavier," I whispered.

"As do I."

"But this can't be, we can't be...I can't be..." I muttered, and my vision was blurring from a curtain of tears. "They'll kill us."

"Not if we can't catch us," he said, and he pulled my face towards his. "Run away with me, and we can live together, forever."

"Yes," I said. "I'll follow you through Hell if I have to in order to get to Heaven with you."

"Being by your side has been like heaven for me," he said before pressing his lips to mine.

As I kissed him I was maddened by the thirst of blood. My fangs slid out of my gums, and I bit his lips. His blood filled my mouth, and it tasted like copper pennies and raw honey.

"What's going on here?" A voice asked from behind us.

I pulled away from Xavier in horror, to see his Mother standing in the doorway.

"Fraternizing with your Slave, an a boy none the less?" Mavis snapped, and approached us. Her eyes were on my fangs.

"You have broken every rule, you fool," she yelled and struck Xavier across the face. He fell to the ground.

"Rules are made to be broken," he shouted.

"You are no longer my son. There is only one option," she said with a blank expression. Her nails elongated into claws and she stepped towards us.

Xavier lunged at her with his own set of claws, but she was faster. Her claws sunk into his chest, surely piercing his heart.

"Lucas, live on without me..." He whispered as his body fell, lifeless, to the floor.
 
I roared, sounding more animal than human, and my nails turned into claws. I lunged at Mavis with my claws, and I dug them into her chest, pulling out her heart, and tossing it to the ground like a piece of trash.

I kissed Xavier's cold, dead lips and left the room to raid the mansion for valuables. I came back for Xavier's body and carried him in my arms.

For Xavier I would live, but I would spend eternity to find a way to bring him back to life.

(Lucas)  

Author's Note:
This week I read the Mahabraata (PDE) and in section 64, where a line said: "Men were maddened with the thirst for blood." That line made me think of vampires, so I set out to write a Young Adult short story with vampires.

Vampires are actually my favorite supernatural character to write about. I actually finished a novel that has vampires in it, and In Laura's Mythology class I made a Storybook with vampires!

I decided to pick a male character, since all my other short stories have has a female protagonist. Additionally, for a change of pace, I decided to make Lucas gay.

I'm so sorry for making such a sad and tragic ending. I actually originally wrote a happy sappy ending where Xavier and Lucas managed to escape and lived in the country for the rest of their life, but I felt like it was too easy, and too sappy and happy. I felt so bad to do that to Lucas, but I think it was a much more evocative ending.

I may make a sequel so we can find out if Lucas found a way to bring Xavier back to life.

I created a world and sort of class system for vampires and blood slaves, and I really liked what I came up with. So, you might see more of this world, perhaps from the point of view from one of the vampires.

Week 5 Storytelling: Autumn Storm

(Jobey, the main character!)

"Autumn Storm"

After my parents divorce, the library was my only solace. I couldn't be around my Dad anymore, he just reminded me of my mother who had run off with a guy half her age.

I read anything I could find in the library, until I found the author Autumn Storm, and then that become the only shelf I went to. She had a series of books called "The Darklands Chronicles", that took me to a fantasy world of the Darklands--a world that I wanted to be part of.

The land was filled with magic-users, elves, faeries, vampires, and shape-shifters.

I wasn't the only one who was a fan of hers. I mean, I didn't know any fans, but online there were many fanfictions and fanart about her series.

There was one thing I wanted to know: who she was. But, she never revealed her identity. Her name was no doubt just a penname. She didn't even allow interviews.

So, after school I went to the section of the library with all of her books.

One day as I arrived to the shelf, there was a fruity smell in the area in front of her books. The smell was across between cotton candy and raspberries, and it was intoxicating. Each day I went to her shelf at the same time, and I smelled that perfume.

It sounded crazy, but, I had to know whose perfume if was.

I knew that whoever wore that perfume, also loved Autumn Storm books. I imagined it was a beautiful brunette girl, or maybe a blonde, or maybe she had pink or purple hair!

So, I started to get there earlier, to see if I could find her, but whenever I arrived there was only the smell.

I became obsessed. I had to find her.

I had an idea in my head each time I went to the library. This day it was a meek girl with mousey  brown hair and glasses. I half-wondered if the girl was younger or older than me. I hoped she was my age, 16.

Would she like a guy like me? I hadn't cut my hair since mom left. I just stopped caring about a lot of things. Dad never did laundry, so my clothes were dirty. I didn't smell good, not like she did.

I got there earlier and earlier, and finally I skipped my last class to go to the library.

I imagined a pretty girl with black hair and red lipstick, who dressed in Gothic clothes, as I headed to the shelf with my Autumn Storm books.

When I reached the shelf, I smelled the perfume. I walked towards the Autumn Storm books, and saw a girl with her back to me and a nose in a book.

I was surprised to see someone much like what I imagined. She had long black hair, and a frilly black dress that was covered in lace.

"Hey," I said. I wasn't usually so bold, but I'd been trying to find her for weeks!

She lifted her head, and turned to me. She was Asian, and wore bright red lipstick. "What?"

(The Girl With The Perfume) 

Her voice was deeper than I expected, her hands were large, and her chest was flat. She may not actually be a she, but she was still beautiful to me.

"I..." I stammered.

What was I going to say? Hi, I'm Jobey, I've been looking for you for weeks.

I finally asked, "Do you like Autumn Storm?"

"Not really," she replied.

"Seriously?" I stepped back I was so shocked. "Why not?"

"It's hard to explain," she said.

I sat in front of her. "I have time."

She smiled, blush across her cheeks. "You like Autumn Storm?"

"Is that even a question." I laughed. "I've read each book like twice. Her books are amazing."

"You think so?"

"Oh yeah, and I mean when I'm not reading her books, I'm reading fanfictions, and looking at fanart," I confessed. "I guess I'm a little...obsessed."

"Obsessed, huh?"

"Yeah, so why are you sitting here, with an Autumn Storm book if you don't like her books?"

"I guess I like seeing them here," she said. "I don't know if I like them or not. It's hard to say."

"Well, you gotta start with book one," I said. "Seriously, trust me. You will love them."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!" I said. "Here." I handed her the first book. "Seriously, read this, and then tell me you don't like her book."

"Alright," she said, smiling, and taking the book. She turned away from me, and started to read it.

I got out the book that I was re-reading, and sat next to her.

Truth be told, I had a hard time focusing on the book. I kept glancing at the girl. She really was pretty.

It was about to be closing time when she closed the book, and laid it in her lap.

"So, what do you think?" I asked.

"You're right, it is pretty good," she said.

"Pretty good? It's amazing!"

She laughed and said, "Alright, it is pretty amazing."

"I knew you'd change your mind," I said.

"Yeah, well, I have to go home," she said and stood up.

"Wait," I said, and stood up. "What's your name?"

"Autumn Storm," she said with a wide smile.

Author's Note:
To clear things up: No, the girl wasn't joking, she actually is Autumn Storm. Also, yes, she is transgender (hence why she isn't exactly a she.) But, Jobey doesn't care about that. He still likes her and thinks she's a pretty girl. I'm sure he likes her even more after that last line!

I got the story idea from section 3 of the Mahabharata (PDE). In there was a story about a man who smelled a girl's perfume, and found her, and well in love with her.

I made it a modern Young Adult story, and I thought the whole he had a favorite author and the girl with the perfume ends up being the author would be cute. I also wanted to add diversity, and so I thought of Autumn, who I think is so adorable!

If you guys really like Autumn and Jobey, I can try to make a sequel.

Week 4 Storytelling: A Band of Demons

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"A Band of Demons"

"Okay, okay, just let me sing it one more time," Greyson said.

I groaned. "Seriously? You've been singing it for weeks."

"Yes," he said. "And I am singing it again."

I rolled my eyes as he burst into singing his favorite song, from his favorite metal band, Nocturnal Pandemonium. Soon his singing turned into a low growl, and then a high-pitched screech.

I liked metal, and I liked the band, but I hated the song after hearing it now, probably, about a hundred times in the past week. Living with Greyson was tiring at times, but I loved him.

I was tossed around foster home after foster home until I was fostered at Greyson's house. We were both twelve at the time, and we just clicked. His mom ended up adopting me, and I became his sister.

Now, 16, we were inseparable, but that had it's annoyances like now. But, I was here to support him.

"Hey, Ember, you think I got a chance?" He asked.

"Well, you look like you're already part of the band," I said.

His pale skin was smeared with black, and his eye were lined with smokey eye makeup that I had applied for him. He also wore an ensemble that I helped him sew, made of faux-leather.

He looked like everyone else from the band, except for his white blonde hair that went to his shoulders. The others had black hair, but since he was trying out to be their lead vocalist, he thought he'd try to stand out. After all, he was trying out to be the star after the previous Vocalist's untimely drug-induced demise.

The line moved forward, and we were the next to go in.

"I'm so excited!" He chirped.

"Really?" I asked, dripping with sarcasm.

But before Greyson could say anything, the bouncer opened the door and ushered us in.

It was a dingy dive bar with a stage, that we'd seen them play on countless times. The band was on stage, with their two guitarists, bassist, and drummer. There was a stand with a mic in the middle.

The whole band was wearing their usual leather outfits, and all had black hair in assorted wild haircuts. To finish the look they all had black makeup on, black paint smeared on their bodies, and most of them had piercings on their face.

In front of the stage were all the people that were in the line with us. I assumed that after they tried out that they stood in that crowd.

"Alright, who is the next," Asmodeous, the lead guitarist said, and then growled, "Victim?"

Each band member was named after a demon.

His eyes flickered over to us, and his eyes stopped at me.

"That'd be me!" Greyson shouted, and ran towards the side of the stage.

Asmodeous' eyes didn't waver, but were fixated on me, even as Greyson stepped in front of the mic. He finally broke the gaze, and turned to Greyson.

"What song?" Belezebub, the bassist, asked.

"Home Sweet Hell," Greyson said.

"Nice," Azazel, the drummer, said. "A classic, huh?"

Greyson nodded, and tapped his thigh as the band broke into the song. He sang and growled flawlessly. He sounded just like the old vocalist.

"Alright, thanks," Asmodeous said as soon as the song was over. "Now, join the others and we'll nakje our decision when we've heard everyone."

And suddenly his eyes were on me, again. I couldn't say I minded too much. I mean he was gorgeous. He had silky black hair that was choppily cut, and framed his face. He had wild black eye makeup around bright green eyes and a black lip piercing. He only wore a vest, and exposed a well-defined chest and abs, smeared with black paint.

(Asmodeous. Image Source.) 

"What about you?" Asmodeous asked, his eyes on me.

"What?" I muttered.

"Come on, get up here," he said.

"I'm not trying out--I'm just here for my brother!"

"So what? Get up here," he said.

"I don't even sing!"

"There's not a lot of singing involved, honestly," he said, and the rest of the band and the crowd laughed.

Greyson looked uncomfortable. I didn't want to steal his thunder.

Besides, I wasn't dressed up enough. I had on a pair of black skinny jeans with countless holes in them, and a black and white tanktop. Not to mention, my black hair was probably a tangled mess, and my eyeliner was likely smeared.

"Come on, come here," Asmodeous said, and I felt a strange pull as if I were on a string and he pulled me until I was in front of the mic and everyone in the crowd.

My heart thudded and I could hardly breathe. How was I supposed to sing? Let alone scream like a metal vocalist?

"What's your favorite song?" Asmodeous asked.

"Nocturnal Bloodlust," I said and suddenly the band was playing the song. It was time for me to scream and suddenly a gutteral cry came out of my throat. I sounded just like the old vocalist. I surprised myself, and the crowd seemed just as surprised that a girl could scream like that.

The chorus came up and I sang in a voice I didn't know I had. When the song was over, I stood in shock.

Asmodeous looked at me, and he walked over to the rest of the band. They looked like they were talking, but I didn't hear any voices. He turned around, and clapped his hands together, "Well, we have made our decision!"

"There's still people waiting outside," someone shouted.

"I don't care, we have our new vocalist: Ember," Asmodecous said.

I stumbled back. I never told him my name.

"After all, we need a demon for our band of demons," Asmodeous said and winked. His eyes had flames in them.

For a moment I looked at the band and they all have twisted black horns, claws, and red eyes. I stumbled back from them, and fell in front of a mirror.

To my horror found the same pair of horns, claws, and my eyes glowed bright red.

I was a demon, just like all of them.

"Welcome to the band, Lilith," Asmodecous said, and held a hand out to me. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up and into a kiss that tasted like campfires and burned like hot coals.

(Lilith AKA: Ember. Image Source)

Author's Note:
I feel bad for Greyson though, he really wanted to be the new vocalist! But, it is a band of demons after all, and Ember, as it turns out, is actually a demon. And, not only a demon, but to clarify: she is probably the reincarnation of Lilith, the famous female demon!

I also want to clarify: the demons can appear as human, but other demons can see their demonic form. However, if they wanted to show their demonic form to humans, they can. This is similar to how the Rakshasa are in the Indian Epics that we've been reading.

This week I read Wilson's "Rama's Quest", and in section one it had a line of words that Insprited the entire story. It said that there was a "band of demons." Of course they meant a group of demons (Rakshasa,) but I thought how cool if they were an actual BAND of demons!

And of course I put my Young Adult spin on it, since I am a Young Adult author. I also snuck in a little bit of romance in there at the end, since I usually add that into my stories.

So, I made this another with a girl discovering that she is a demon, because that is one of my favorite sort of stories. I thought especially for this story that it would be a nice plot twist.

Additionally, I made these demons look more like our Western view of demons, and not quite like in the Ramayana.

Week 3 Storytelling: The Demon and Her Guard Dog

(Image from: Moira Fee)

"The Demon and Her Guard Dog"

Warning: There is strong language twice. If this bothers you, read my previous story.

"I'm a what?" I asked the strange man that stood in front of me.

He had flowing locks of wavy black hair, and was clad in all black. He had twisted horns protruding from his head that matched the same ones on my head. Something I didn't even know I had until moments ago.

He smiled slyly, revealing a set of sharp teeth, sharp like mine.

"You're a Rakshasa," he said. "Which is basically like a vampire and a demon had a baby and, well, that made you. But, we are our own race apart from those lesser creatures."

My head was spinning. I was just trying to figure out that I was some kind of demon, and now there's not just creatures like me, but also demons and vampires? "What else is there, witches, werewolves, shapeshifters?"

He glanced at Colt and he smiled a crooked little smile that I didn't trust or like one bit. "And lion, tigers, and bears, oh my!"

I turned to Colt, who was brushing his messy bottle-dyed black hair back. He looked like he was on the edge, deciding if he was going to run like hell away from me, or not.

"Well, I'll be off," the man said and turned on his heel.

"Wait, what do you mean? I don't even know how to handle this! I don't even know your name!"

"It's Lucien," he replied cooly, before turning around."I'll return when I am once again needed. Besides, I think that you have more than enough company."

And with that he was gone.

"What the..." Cold said.

"FUCK!" I screamed, and all of my frustrations and confusions turned into screams.

He held his head in his hands. "So, you're a...a..."

"Demon..." I whispered.

He backed away from me.

"No, Colt, please!" I pleased. "Not now. I can't handle you leaving me, I need you here with me!"

"I can't handle this," he said, looking down. "I'm sorry. But...I loved you as a human, Bullet. Now that you're a demon? I need to figure this out."

I screamed as he ran away, but he was right. And besides, he knew where I'd be.

I punched the wall so hard that it broke the skin on my knuckles. I cried out in pain, pulling my first away from the bricks, to see blood dripping down. The wound wasn't healing. So I didn't have some kind of supernatural healing. That was disappointing.

"Wot is that lovely smell?" I heard an unfamiliar voice say in a cockney accent.

Suddenly from the shadows appeared a girl. She had shoulder-length bright red hair, smokey eye-makeup on, and red lipstick, and pale, pale skin.

Before I could react she was suddenly in front of me, her finger under my chin, lifting my eyes to hers. Her eyes were as bright red as her hair and her lips.

"'Ello poppet," she whispered. "Aren't you a lovely creature?"

"I don't know what you mean," I said and my heart hammered against my chest.

She leaned into my neck and inhaled deeply. "You're no human are you? I smell something far sweeter in your blood."

"Get away from me!" I said, and it came out like an inhuman roar, but as I pushed her away, she didn't budge.

She hissed And I felt tiny pin pricks on my neck. She was a vampire.

I tried to push her off, and suddenly I felt my fingers blaze with fire as I grasped her upper arms and pushed her.

She recoiled back, and looked at the hand-shaped burn marks on her arms. Her nails extended into claws and she lunged at me, claws first. She ripped my clothing to shreds, and scratched my skin in thin, bleeding lines.

I fell back against the wall and she leaned into my neck.

I heard a growl and a bark behind me and suddenly a Siberian husky appeared, and leapt on the back of the vampire. The vampire fell down, with the dog on top of her.

The dog held the vampire down and I held my hands out shouting, "Fire!"

Once again my hands blazed with flames and they shot out at the vampire. The dog jumped off as the vampire cried out, was engulfed in flames, and turned into ash.

The dog looked up at me with bright blue eyes.

(Image from: Karl) 

The dog's bones moved and his skin rippled, and suddenly turned into Colt. He was kneeling and naked on the ground.

"What the..." I whispered.

"Fuck," he said.

"Meet your literal guard dog," Lucien's voice said. His voice seemed to be coming from my head like thoughts. I turned around, but I didn't see Lucien anywhere.

Author's Note:
This is actually a continuation of three stories that I have written with Colt and Bullet. If you want to read about how Bullet found out she's a Rakshasa, read, "I Got Your Heart and You Got Bullet Holes." And, if you want to read about Colt and Bullet's relationship read, "Colt Collides with Bullet."

I continued my writing about Rakshasa (which are a reoccurring creature in the Ramayana PDE, and my favorite creature in Ramayana. Additionally, when reading Part C and D, I encountered many animals. These animals could talk, so it got me thinking about shapeshifters. So, I made Colt a shapeshifter! In here he turns into a dog, it's possible he can turn into other animals.

This story had to be cut short due to the word count, so if you have any questions, I am happy to answer them!

If this your first time reading about Colt and Bullet, what do you think about them? You might see Colt and Bullet again in even more stories, because I REALLY like them.

Week 2 Storytelling: I Got Your Heart, You Got Bullet Holes

(Image from: Pixabay)

"I Got Your Heart, You Got Bullet Holes"

I grabbed a candy bar as soon as I saw the clerk behind the counter turn around. It was a brief moment, but brief enough for me.

It was winter, and really all Colt and I needed was a new lighter, but I had grabbed the first thing I found. I mean, that's how it is.

Beggars can't be choosers, right?

But as I slipped it into my over-sized purse, the clerk shouted, "Hey! Put that back!"

I staggered back in shock. I never got caught.

I had two options: return the candy bar or run like hell away.

I chose the latter, and I ran out of the gas station, the clerk yelling behind me. He chased me only as long until I darted in and out and between alleyways, until finally he lost me.

I walked back to my alley, our alley, our home.

"Bullet, you look like you've been..." Colt started to say.

"Caught," I said like an exhale. I was out of breath.

"Damn, so Ragnarok's coming, yeah?" He joked, with playfully wide eyes. He lifted a hand to the sky shouted, "Hail Odin! Hail Thor! Save us from sheer destruction."

"Well Ragnarok will bring destruction and then rebirth of the world any way, so..." I shook my head. This was one of many things we liked to discuss. When we weren't in our alley, we spent our time in the Public Library, which always felt like a second home. "Never mind."

I sat on a lumpy pillow in the ally way. The wind felt like icicles stabbing through my leather jacket and black jeans. We needed a lighter, we needed a fire.

He sat next to me, shivering. "So, no lighter?"

I groaned. "No."

"Well, you know...we could get naked and that would--"

"Just stop while you're ahead, Colt," I said, laughing. It was just the other day that we admitted to eachother that we loved one another, but there was still an awkward tension.

We hadn't kissed since that day.

"If only I could just snap my fingers and make fire." Messing around, I snapped my fingers, but then in between my finger and thumb, in fact, was a spark of fire.

"What the...?" Colt whispered.

"What the hell was that?" I finished his sentence.

"I don't know," Colt said. "But do it again."

With childish curiosity I snapped my fingers once more, and it worked!

"I don't know how you're doing that, but I'm not going to question it too much," he said. "We need fire."

Colt gathered newspapers and cardboard, placing them in the middle of the alleyway, and I set it ablaze.

He scooted closer to me, the fire radiated heat onto me, but I could also feel his warmth like a hot coal along my skin and into my heart. It felt like there was a fire coming from within me.

I looked at him, his messy tangles of bottle-dyed black hair falling in front of his eyes. My eyes flickered from his lips, but then to his neck.

Through his pale skin I could see his blue veins, and I excitedly thought of the red blood within. I felt myself leaning closer to him.

I could smell the metallic of his blood, and the sweetness of his flesh. I bent down, and Colt looked into my eyes expectedly, probably expecting a kiss, I'm sure. But I lowered my mouth to his neck.

"Bite him, drink him, eat him," a deep voice whispered, and it seemed to be coming from my mind.

My body was moving automatically, almost instructively as I leaned into his neck, and I sunk my teeth into his skin. I broke the skin, and blood filled my mouth.

Colt cried out and pushed me. He broke me from my stupor and I scooted away from him.

"Bullet?What the hell was that?" Colt demanded.

"I don't know!" I cried out, but my eyes watched the blood drip from his neck, and the bite-shaped flesh that hung loosely.

"What happened to your teeth?" He stood up, and stepped back, in what I could only assume was fear. "And your eyes!"

My heart was hammering against my ribs, my blood rushed in my ears. "What do you mean?"

"They're, they're..." Colt stammered.

"They're what?" I screamed.

"Sharp and pointed!" He said, and backed further away from me.

To my horror I felt my teeth, and each one felt sharp and pointed, almost like shark teeth. "And my eyes?"

"They're bright red," he said. "And..."

"And what?" I yelled.

"You have horns!"

"What?" I whispered, and felt two long, curled, sharp horns on top of my head. "What's wrong with me?"

I looked down and my outfit had even changed from my leather jacket and jeans into a tight leather corseted dress. It was skimpy, but the strange heat still radiated from within me.

(Image of Bullet's transformation from: Sasha) 

"Nothing wrong..." The same voice from earlier whispered. "You are awakening..."

Suddenly a figure appeared before me. He had bright red eyes, dark tanned skin, and like me: a set of sharp teeth. He wore a loose black shirt, and tight black pants. He had long, flowing, wavy black hair. In his hair were two long, black, curled horns.

"Hello, my kin," he said.

"Who are you?" I screamed.

"I am a Rakshasa," he said with a wink. "And as are you, Rakshasi."

Author's Note
First of all this is not the only story with Colt and Bullet! If you liked them, read my story from Week 1, "Colt Collides with Bullet"!

This week I read Part A and B of the Public Domain Edition of Ramayana. I was completely enthralled by the Rakshasa, since they are basically demons and I am interested in demons in any kind of mythology or lore.

However, the Rakshasa and Rakshasi in Ramayana are hideous creatures, and portrayed more as monsters. So, I wanted to humanize them. I also gave them more common characteristics of demons that we are more familiar with.

I write Young Adult Fantasy, so that is why I gave the Rakshasa a modern, Young Adult spin onto it!

I hope you enjoyed this story! I may be writing more about Colt and Bullet, and Bullet's new life as a Rakshasi.

Week 1 Storytelling: Colt Collides with Bullet

"THERE was a little boy and a little girl
Lived in an alley;
Says the little boy to the little girl,
"Shall I, oh! shall I?"

Says the little girl to the little boy,
"What shall we do?"
Says the little boy to the little girl,
"I will kiss you." 
(A traditional nursery rhyme)

"Colt Collides with Bullet"

The lighter felt like a live wire against my hand, as I ran from the gas station that I stole it from.

Borrowing things from people has become a career for me, and yet each time I feel that same Pop! Zing! and Zap! of adrenaline.

I tossed the lighter in my over-sized bag, and kept running until I found the dank, dirty, and dark alley. The crumbling alley walls was the closest we had to a home.

(Image from: Judy van der Velden)

"Bullet, there you are!" A familiar voice said. "I was wondering if you got caught this time."

I looked up into equally familiar chocolate brown eyes and a sideways grin that flashed crooked teeth. Dirty bottle-dyed black hair spilled out from under his beanie.

"And on that day Ragnarok will swiftly come, Colt," I said. I slid down the brick wall of the alley, settling against a lumpy pillow. I pushed stray strands of brown hair from my face.

"I bet I beat you," Colt said.

"Then let's hope Thor can kill Jormungandr, 'cause Ragnarok's on it's way," I said and laughed.

"Sure, sure," he said, looking up into my eyes, but my eyes settled on his chapped lips.

I shook my head, because, no Colt was my friend and nothing more. Or, well, we were supposed to be just friends. Try telling my heart that...

"Alright, so I got..." Colt said and emptied his backpack on the ground as he announced, "Protein bars, candy bars, instant coffee, and..." He stopped for a moment. "Well, I'll have you wait for the grand finale."

I shrugged and emptied the pockets of my purse into a pile next to his. I had got snack cakes, trail mix, and a water bottle. "I'd say we're about even."

"You sure about that?" He challenged me.

"Unless you have a house in that backpack, yeah."

"Maybe not, but...here, turn around."

"What?"

"Just do it," he said rolling his eyes.

I rolled my eyes back at him before I stood up and turned to the wall.

I suddenly felt a coolness against my throat, and I looked down to see a beautiful silver necklace. There was a heart-shaped locket on it. I gasped, and turned to him.

He smirked and said, "Open it."

I opened it up, and etched into the silver were three little words: "I love you."

My heart beat wildly as I glanced at his chapped lips, wondering, should I, oh, should I, kiss him?

"Bullet, what, oh what, should we do?" He asked as he leaned towards me.

"Should I..." He whispered and he cupped his hand under my chin.

"Kiss me." I finished his sentence, but it came out more like a command.

His hand still under my chin, I placed my hand against his face, and I pulled his lips against mine, into a kiss.

My first kiss.

(Image from Kayla) 

Author's Note:
I turned this Nursery Rhyme into a short Young Adult story, since Young Adult is my favorite genre to write in.

I typically write Young Adult Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, but I had a fun time writing this one. As you could tell, I changed the little boy and girl into a teenage boy and girl that live on the street. I also kept them living in an alley.

Though this one wasn't fantastical, the world was interesting to me.

I loved the bit of dialogue in the original version, so I kept that in my story, but I made it more modern with "should" instead of "shall." I think the dialogue was both cute and fit Colt's personality quite well.

I created Colt and Bullet just for this story, but I really like them, so you may see more of them in the future! In fact, they are in my story, "I Got Your Heart, You Got Bullet Holes."

Also, I snuck in a little nod to Norse Mythology and their version of the apocalypse, Ragnarok.

Bibliography:
This story was based on a love and matrimony nursery rhyme from The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897).