A Night for Subtleties (A short story)

I took the poem and turned it into a short story.

 I had been wondering why I was making this journey, for no sane man might make this decision lightly, indeed if at all where sanity is concerned. Where as sanity follows reason and reason seems to have been sold cheaply to the desires of my heart, reason becomes passion which knows no bounds and sanity becomes moot. Therefore sanity, reason and passion must all come to pass and leaves in the wreckage of it's wake ....LOVE. Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end.

     The trail to the top of the hill was not treacherous, no indeed it seemed as though the grass and roots and thorn bushes held me gently and moved me along my way. I made such a light egress that I found myself newly arrived at the top. Standing on the edge of the clearing. I could see that all around storm crows had gathered. I could see them mounting the dead and twisted trees surrounding the cut. Watching me with their black circled, pale, glassy eyes. Dread is palpable on the air and clings to the back of my neck like a grimey, slick sweat. My heart crashes inside, against my chest, like mountainous waves of nausea on the stony cliffs of my resolve. The feeling is oppressive and it almost crushes my courage out of existence. Through the haze of my terror, the door to the mausoleum looms before me.

     I can see faces etched within it's surface. Tortured and screaming facades of humanities horror. Multitudes, busted open and wrought and torn in twain. It is more than I can bear and I hold my eyes tightly shut for want of my sanity. Where as sanity follows reason and reason seems to have been sold cheaply to the desires of my heart, reason becomes passion which knows no bounds and sanity becomes moot. Therefore sanity, reason and passion must all come to pass and leaves in the wreckage of it's wake ....LOVE. Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end

      My arm stretches out and just the tips of my middle and index fingers making contact with the cold stone. I open my eyes slightly to see the door swings evenly and silently revealing a open passageway, more akin to a gaping orifice and I shudder now that I think back upon it.

This is a night for subtle death.

Those words crept up the back of my skull and standing tall upon my crown fell harshly upon mine ears. A clap of thunder which I thought was the ending of my life in one glorious cacophony of sound was still echoing through the dusty passage as it took me a moment to regain my senses. A light breeze swirling past my legs into the depths of the opening, as if the tomb itself were drawing a long awaited breath. The sickly sweet smell of decay and rot not so unpleasant, more like one that has doused in a whole bottle of some fragrance that is to complex to comprehend.

      The wind whispered a song of Eternityon to gentile flutes, yet softly and softly they played as if moving farther in, beckoning me to come waltz with them. With out even realizing it my foot moved forward and stepped inside. My other foot as if all of it's own determined will moved forward as well. Lightly, step after step, I followed the sound and the smell. But the back of my mind was racing with terror and it would scream shrilly, blood curdling shrieks at myself to STOP if I allowed it to. Where as sanity follows reason and reason seems to have been sold cheaply to the desires of my heart, reason becomes passion which knows no bounds and sanity becomes moot. Therefore sanity, reason and passion must all come to pass and leaves in the wreckage of it's wake ....LOVE. Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end.

     There, in my head, the footsteps I made were ponderous and came crashing down, like angry stomping over carpets of broken glass. I was standing still, almost not even realizing it. So sudden had my cessation of forward movement been that I found myself slightly off balance. There ,before me stood a stone ebon box. It was hard to tell where corners started and ended because the blackness of it seemed to ebb and flow with the shadows in the room, blending together darks and blacks of new breeds only to disengage from one another to start a new spectacle of night.

     It was long but not overly so and wide but just so and it seemed to vibrate and shimmer slightly as if chuckling to itself. Suddenly, as if some one had blown out a candle, all was quiet. The very air seem to drain of itself and leave a vacuum and I held my breath not wanting to make even the faintest of sounds. The lid floated gently away from the top and swinging to the left of the crypt hung suspended the in mid air for a moment before falling to the granite floor. The effect was instantaneous. There was a wailing and shrieking as if the furies of hell had loosed all at once and a grinding of rock and bone deafening even unto that. I held my ears but to no avail the sounds emanating forth could not be silenced and  tore through the last vestige of my sanity... Where as sanity follows reason and reason seems to have been sold cheaply to the desires of my heart, reason becomes passion which knows no bounds and sanity becomes moot. Therefore sanity, reason and passion must all come to pass and leaves in the wreckage of it's wake ....LOVE....LOVE...love...love. Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end.

Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end.

 

     Ethereal she rises, gaunt and gilded in gossamer veils. Her corn husk hair cascades over her shoulders, pale and tragic, striking colors of the raven and shadows from the light. Full, luscious, yet black stained ink lips part slightly and what lies within protrudes, as if to take in a drop of the vaporous dead air. Hers is an everlasting life that's truly dread. She raises a withered appendage, with a finger pointed to the quick of my heart. "I've missed you my love. Now begins the night of sharing." Her heavy words ground through me as though sand being rubbed between two enormous blocks of dry wood. I will not prevail and my courage fails me. I go to her cold embrace and I weep, till there is no more.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Diana]

Happy to encourage your instincts. Glad you turned it into a story. It seems more fitting.

[Raymond Federle]

Sometimes a writer needs a kick to the brain to get jump started. After I read what you wrote I was like...Well Duh...why didn't I think of that? LOL Thanks again! Ever thought about taking a second job as a muse? :)

[MsJewel]

I love the images you have created in this wonderful story. I felt almost as if I was there watching this beauty unfold. Love the whole story, but these lines are my favorite:
Therefore sanity, reason and passion must all come to pass and leaves in the wreckage of it's wake ....LOVE. Love is the reason and the passion and the sanity all rolled into one and it is the knot in my chest. My chest that beats without reason but is full of love and powered by fear which drives me ever forward to mine end.
So powerful and yet vunerable...Love it!

:) Julie