The Fall

This was a short piece I did for a competition to introduce a villain to a story. It is from a story idea I had a while ago but never completed, it introduces the main villain and the main victim.

The Fall 

By Christopher Callaghan ([email protected])

The shadows in the room began to move shifting, pooling and running together like black ink. The oil lantern in the corner, the sole source of illumination in the room, began to flicker and dim. David glanced around in confusion at the sudden darkness as he shut the door to blot out the sounds of screaming from the hospice of the besieged city. The injured soldiers had desperately clung to life as David had tried to heal them, but fighting death as though it was another enemy did not always bring life. Dried blood clung to David’s hands that he wished to wash off in the basin but the darkness stopped him from walking any further into the room. A trickle of warning and primal fear edged into his mind as he surveyed the gathering darkness in his bedroom.

The shadow grew tired of waiting, all of a sudden it surged forwards pulling the young boy onto the ground. David shrieked in shock and fear as he was thrown into the room, the shadows coalesced around his form becoming more substantial like choking smoke which tried to force its way in though his mouth and nose. David tried to hold his breath and stand from the floor only to find a huge weight pressing on his chest. The pressure grew as the substance tightened its grip around his body starting to look like a thick coil of black rope. The head of the beast moved towards his face, two burning red eyes filled with malice appeared on the head of the beast and starred into David’s soul. David gasped in shock and then closed his own eyes in agony as the creature seized its chance and surged into David’s mouth releasing its purchase on the young man’s body and entered his mind.

David felt the alien presence push against his thoughts as it made room for itself amongst his memories. The shadow studied his new host, it sifted thought his memories and started the process of changing the body to better suit his purpose. It spoke to him then do not fear I will bring no harm to you so long as you obey me the creature whispered into the young man’s thoughts in fact I am going to make you great we are going to change this world together.

“What are you?” asked David out loud we are Dremoris said the creature David no longer exists we are one and together.

“No I…I want you out!” warbled David with fear and loathing present in his voice. Pain shot along David’s spine causing him to arch his back and scream in agony, you will not ask that again stated Dremoris If I leave now we will both die and I am not ready to die yet, now get up said the shadow. The newly created Dremoris opened his eyes, eyes that where now as black as coal and glowing a dark red around the edges.

 

Author's Note

Any and all reviews would be appreciated.