First Sight: A d20 Modern Story Hour (Updated 01-03-2008)
Lamprolign
First Post
It has been a little over three years since I last posted to this story hour. There are many reasons for the hiatus, some connected to daily life getting in the way, some caused by wandering off along other creative paths and I'm not going to bore anyone with the details. Somehow though my thoughts keep coming back to the original story hour thread and the plot arc that was slowly forming, an arc that I think I need to finish. Installment 037 was actually written back in 2005 and at the time I hesitated to post it because it delves into some pretty dark subject matter and per the original guidelines of the ENWorld boards I wasn't sure if it would offend the grandmothers of the world. Hesitation turned to procrastination which opened the door to distraction and First Sight (the story hour form) has languished since. I have gotten fed up with myself for never finishing a project and I always enjoyed telling this story, so with the new year comes a new attention to the old hour. To all the original readers that are still haunting these boards: my apologies for leaving the story hanging. To any new readers: start from the beginning, First Sight is an organic creation, each installment grows from the previous. I hope that I can still tell an entertaining story and in particular bring Gabe and Mary's story to a satisfying resolution. So, if it pleases you, read on. Be warned that the following is the most disturbing First Sight installment yet, (at least for me in the writing of it.) -Lamprolign
037
red light gray morning
you stumble out of a hole in the ground
a vampire or a victim
it depends on who's around
U2 - Stay "Far Away, So Close"
The crunch of a heavy step on roof gravel brought Poe's attention back to the present. A large shadow fell across her face and she looked up at Kifaru's giant form.
"Are you ready?"
Poe's gaze dropped back to the toes of her heavy boots. Slowly she stood, turning away from Kifaru. She gazed across the urban sprawl that washed against the not so distant island of skyscrapers. My choice...
************
The music tonight did not pound with the harsh cords of metallic rock. The DJ on Wednesday nights had a fixation with Siouxsie and the Banshees. Wispy lyrics fronting instruments tuned in minor keys swirled through the old factory on tendrils of mist. Elle had arrived just as the club's massive owner unlocked the doors. She smiled at the huge black man whose arms were covered in intricate patterns of pale scarification lines. He nodded solemnly as she passed.
She continued into the cavernous space and found her usual spot, a table outside the main flow of people that still afforded a clear view of the dance floor and the entrance. She rarely spoke but enjoyed observing the crowd.
****
"Hi Elle!" The blond haired girl's voice was filled with genuine cheer as she plopped down in the seat across from Elle. Grinning, she propped her sharp chin on the heels of both hands. "How long have you been here?"
"Hello Christy," Elle smiled wanly, "since they unlocked the doors. It's warmer than outside."
"Outside?"
"Colletti kicked me out of my apartment today." Elle sighed. "The bastard said he could think of other ways for me to pay the rent," she spat, "mother
er."
". Why don't you come where I stay? They're really nice there."
"I am not going to a shelter, especially one in a church. If I wanted to be preached to I would have stayed with my parents."
"But they don..." Christy was cut short by the arrival of a waitress with bright orange hair and two drinks.
"We didn't order anything," Elle said crossly.
"I did." The snow-haired woman slid into a seat at the table.
"Thanks!" Christy piped.
"Just what do you want?" Elle said
"Nothing at all," the woman said. "I told you last night, I like you." She looked quickly over her shoulder. "Ah, I see some new pieces have entered play." She turned back toward them, "relish your drinks. The evening is to enjoy!" The woman swiftly rose and disappeared into the crowd. Elle and Christy looked at each other.
Elle shrugged. "Who knows?"
"But don't look a gift drink in the mouth." Christy lifted the glass high and took a long slurp. "Mmmm, daiquiri!"
Elle took a small sip, ooo, strong. The alcohol paused for only a moment in her empty stomach before soaking her brain. She took another drink, more this time. Smiling broadly, she sat the glass down hard on the table. "That is good!"
In a short while the Mill filled to capacity and the music shifted from slow haunting tunes to electronic and fast-paced. The two girls remained at the table throughout, their conversation becoming more animated as the evening progressed. As they finished each drink it was quickly replaced.
"So what are you going to do for a home?" Christy shouted over the pounding music. She was trying to prop her chin on the heel of her hand but her elbow kept missing the table.
Giggling, Elle leaned forward and shouted back, "I don't know. Maybe I'll just stay here, hide in the bathroom or something."
Both girls chortled but there was a desperate edge to Elle's laughter. The shadow of reality lurked in the back of her mind, waiting to snatch any reprieve away.
"Hello ladies."
Their laughter died as a rangy young man in black jeans and a tank-top t-shirt twirled the empty chair backwards and sat down. He had wavy dark hair and bloodshot gray eyes.
"I heard that you girls needed to be shown a good time." He smiled broadly, leaning first towards Christy, then Elle.
"We were having a good time until you sat down." Elle scowled at him.
"Aw, don't be that way." He leaned back toward Christy, "how about you baby. You wanna have some fun?" He ran his hand along the inside of her thigh.
Christy splashed the remains of her drink squarely in the man's face.
"Bitch!" He pushed violently back from the table, sent it sliding into Christy, knocking her to the floor. "ing whore!" He drew back his foot to kick her.
A massive ebony hand closed around the man's neck, lifting him off the ground. "Do you have a problem?" The deep voice of the club's owner rumbled above the din.
The man gurgled in response. His face was already turning purple.
"You get one warning, after that you go out. Walking, or in a bag, it really doesn't matter to me." He lowered the man to the ground, pushing him back as he released him.
The man eyed Christy darkly where she sat on the floor before he turned and pushed through the crowd.
"Are you alright?" The giant offered his hand to the girl.
"I'm okay," she answered, taking the proffered hand.
"We have more than our share of troublemakers tonight." He turned and looked straight into Elle's eyes when he spoke the next words. "Watch yourselves."
"I think I'm ready to go home."
"We better hang out here for a little while," Elle replied. "Give thathead a chance to get lost. Besides, I've got nowhere to go."
"You can come with me, one night isn't going to kill you."
"Maybe."
****
It was in the small hours of the morning when the music changed abruptly from pounding dance beats to Buffalo Springfield. The Mill's owner used it as a not so subtle announcement that closing time was near. Christy had continued drinking through the night, each empty glass quickly and quietly replaced. Elle stopped immediately after the altercation with the young man. The event had unnerved her and she wanted her wits about her if the punk returned. She stood and looked around the room. Few people remained and she did not see the young man, nor did she see the strange snow-haired woman.
"Let's go."
"Waha? Whya?" Christy mumbled, "are you coming to the church?"
"Yes, I'll go there." At least to make sure you do, Elle thought.
Half carrying the inebriated girl, Elle made for the door. The Mill's owner nodded as she passed. Christy struggled with her coat until Elle helped her. A step past the doorway and the driving northwest wind cut through Elle’s own worn leather coat. She didn't remember exactly where the shelter was but hoped that by the time they got in the general area Christy would have sobered enough to find it. Elle paused, looking over her shoulder. Nothing stirred on the street behind them. It hadn't taken long for a kid from the suburbs to learn that paranoia was healthy in the city. She shifted Christy's weight and trudged on.
From the gaping door of an abandoned warehouse the young man with wavy hair watched the two girls move down the street and disappear into an alley. He smiled and stepped out into the street. High above his head, precariously balanced on a crumbling brick chimney, red eyes tracked him as he followed the women into the alley.
****
Elle whirled, she was certain she'd heard something. She saw nothing save a decaying dumpster that hadn't been emptied in years. The alley seemed longer tonight...
****
He peered out from behind the dumpster that he'd ducked behind when the brunette stopped suddenly. The blond was too drunk to do anything but her friend was alert. She would need to be taken care of first.
****
Elle tried to hurry Christy along. She stumbled, Elle barely catching her before she tumbled to the pavement. Moving slower now, Elle was practically carrying the inebriated girl. She heard the crunch of a footstep behind her an instant before sharp pain exploded in the back of her head.
****
High above, now standing on the narrow purchase of a windowsill, a broad smile spread below the luminous red eyes. She slipped through the broken window behind her, into the rafters of a century-old warehouse. Below, the young man dragged the unconscious girls out of the alley. The blond regained consciousness as he wrapped tape around her mouth, thrashing to free herself. The woman leaned forward, on the verge of teetering off of her precarious perch. This one was very lively. She reveled in her repeated cries. A tiny rivulet of dark blood trickled down her chin as she bit back glee. The young man was very thorough in his treatment, as she knew he would be. She always chose wisely, picking those that would give her the best spectacle.
****
Awareness came back to Elle on a tide of muffled screams. Her eyes opened to a dimly lit blur. She rolled her head toward the sounds and the movement brought brilliant pain. She couldn't open her mouth. Something was wrapped around her head, tape she thought, sealing her mouth. Likewise her arms and legs were wrapped. She struggled to free herself but could not loosen the bonds. The sounds subsided to whimpers and her vision cleared enough to see Christy curled in the fetal position on the filthy concrete floor. Her hair was in complete disarray, pulled from the neat ponytails. Her wrists were tightly wrapped with duct tape and a strip was across her mouth. Half of her face was a ruin, her left eye swollen shut and blood was streaming freely from both nostrils.
****
The blond was nearly gone, her cries reduced to low whimpers when she made any sound at all. Boring, she thought and anticipated his moving to the dark haired girl. Don't disappoint me... He began with a kick to her stomach, then another to her face. The observer frowned when the girl refused to cry out, but her interest was piqued anew when she caught a glimpse of the raw hatred on her face. Not what I expected, but still entertaining. She watched for nearly an hour. She was growing bored again and the young man's energy had worked her appetite to a fever.
****
Elle was beyond pain. Hatred burned through her, its fire keeping her clinging to consciousness. Through eyes nearly swollen shut she looked up at her assailant. He was breathing hard, exhausted from his labors. He grinned and kicked her again for good measure. When she opened her eyes again she saw a sliver of shadow break from the rafters above and plummet toward him.
****
He felt the chill breeze behind him. He turned, excitement and gloating lost before the glowing red eyes and fanged grin of the snow-haired woman. He managed three steps in a sprint for the alley door before thin steel fingers clamped around his neck. He was lifted into the air and slammed against cold concrete.
****
She inhaled deeply. The smells of fear and hatred in the old warehouse were intoxicating, surpassed only by the ravenous need that surged from her gut. She wanted to play with this one a little more, but hunger overpowered her.
****
The floor tilted beneath him, he stumbled forward onto his knees. Ringing filled his ears and lights swam behind his retinas. Through the cacophony in his head he heard a woman's voice.
"Sanguis cor vanire ex corpus."
He snapped upright, his arms extended to either side, crucified on an invisible cross.
********
© Austin Hale 2008
037
red light gray morning
you stumble out of a hole in the ground
a vampire or a victim
it depends on who's around
U2 - Stay "Far Away, So Close"
The crunch of a heavy step on roof gravel brought Poe's attention back to the present. A large shadow fell across her face and she looked up at Kifaru's giant form.
"Are you ready?"
Poe's gaze dropped back to the toes of her heavy boots. Slowly she stood, turning away from Kifaru. She gazed across the urban sprawl that washed against the not so distant island of skyscrapers. My choice...
************
The music tonight did not pound with the harsh cords of metallic rock. The DJ on Wednesday nights had a fixation with Siouxsie and the Banshees. Wispy lyrics fronting instruments tuned in minor keys swirled through the old factory on tendrils of mist. Elle had arrived just as the club's massive owner unlocked the doors. She smiled at the huge black man whose arms were covered in intricate patterns of pale scarification lines. He nodded solemnly as she passed.
She continued into the cavernous space and found her usual spot, a table outside the main flow of people that still afforded a clear view of the dance floor and the entrance. She rarely spoke but enjoyed observing the crowd.
****
"Hi Elle!" The blond haired girl's voice was filled with genuine cheer as she plopped down in the seat across from Elle. Grinning, she propped her sharp chin on the heels of both hands. "How long have you been here?"
"Hello Christy," Elle smiled wanly, "since they unlocked the doors. It's warmer than outside."
"Outside?"
"Colletti kicked me out of my apartment today." Elle sighed. "The bastard said he could think of other ways for me to pay the rent," she spat, "mother
er." "
. Why don't you come where I stay? They're really nice there.""I am not going to a shelter, especially one in a church. If I wanted to be preached to I would have stayed with my parents."
"But they don..." Christy was cut short by the arrival of a waitress with bright orange hair and two drinks.
"We didn't order anything," Elle said crossly.
"I did." The snow-haired woman slid into a seat at the table.
"Thanks!" Christy piped.
"Just what do you want?" Elle said
"Nothing at all," the woman said. "I told you last night, I like you." She looked quickly over her shoulder. "Ah, I see some new pieces have entered play." She turned back toward them, "relish your drinks. The evening is to enjoy!" The woman swiftly rose and disappeared into the crowd. Elle and Christy looked at each other.
Elle shrugged. "Who knows?"
"But don't look a gift drink in the mouth." Christy lifted the glass high and took a long slurp. "Mmmm, daiquiri!"
Elle took a small sip, ooo, strong. The alcohol paused for only a moment in her empty stomach before soaking her brain. She took another drink, more this time. Smiling broadly, she sat the glass down hard on the table. "That is good!"
In a short while the Mill filled to capacity and the music shifted from slow haunting tunes to electronic and fast-paced. The two girls remained at the table throughout, their conversation becoming more animated as the evening progressed. As they finished each drink it was quickly replaced.
"So what are you going to do for a home?" Christy shouted over the pounding music. She was trying to prop her chin on the heel of her hand but her elbow kept missing the table.
Giggling, Elle leaned forward and shouted back, "I don't know. Maybe I'll just stay here, hide in the bathroom or something."
Both girls chortled but there was a desperate edge to Elle's laughter. The shadow of reality lurked in the back of her mind, waiting to snatch any reprieve away.
"Hello ladies."
Their laughter died as a rangy young man in black jeans and a tank-top t-shirt twirled the empty chair backwards and sat down. He had wavy dark hair and bloodshot gray eyes.
"I heard that you girls needed to be shown a good time." He smiled broadly, leaning first towards Christy, then Elle.
"We were having a good time until you sat down." Elle scowled at him.
"Aw, don't be that way." He leaned back toward Christy, "how about you baby. You wanna have some fun?" He ran his hand along the inside of her thigh.
Christy splashed the remains of her drink squarely in the man's face.
"Bitch!" He pushed violently back from the table, sent it sliding into Christy, knocking her to the floor. "
ing whore!" He drew back his foot to kick her.A massive ebony hand closed around the man's neck, lifting him off the ground. "Do you have a problem?" The deep voice of the club's owner rumbled above the din.
The man gurgled in response. His face was already turning purple.
"You get one warning, after that you go out. Walking, or in a bag, it really doesn't matter to me." He lowered the man to the ground, pushing him back as he released him.
The man eyed Christy darkly where she sat on the floor before he turned and pushed through the crowd.
"Are you alright?" The giant offered his hand to the girl.
"I'm okay," she answered, taking the proffered hand.
"We have more than our share of troublemakers tonight." He turned and looked straight into Elle's eyes when he spoke the next words. "Watch yourselves."
"I think I'm ready to go home."
"We better hang out here for a little while," Elle replied. "Give that
head a chance to get lost. Besides, I've got nowhere to go.""You can come with me, one night isn't going to kill you."
"Maybe."
****
It was in the small hours of the morning when the music changed abruptly from pounding dance beats to Buffalo Springfield. The Mill's owner used it as a not so subtle announcement that closing time was near. Christy had continued drinking through the night, each empty glass quickly and quietly replaced. Elle stopped immediately after the altercation with the young man. The event had unnerved her and she wanted her wits about her if the punk returned. She stood and looked around the room. Few people remained and she did not see the young man, nor did she see the strange snow-haired woman.
"Let's go."
"Waha? Whya?" Christy mumbled, "are you coming to the church?"
"Yes, I'll go there." At least to make sure you do, Elle thought.
Half carrying the inebriated girl, Elle made for the door. The Mill's owner nodded as she passed. Christy struggled with her coat until Elle helped her. A step past the doorway and the driving northwest wind cut through Elle’s own worn leather coat. She didn't remember exactly where the shelter was but hoped that by the time they got in the general area Christy would have sobered enough to find it. Elle paused, looking over her shoulder. Nothing stirred on the street behind them. It hadn't taken long for a kid from the suburbs to learn that paranoia was healthy in the city. She shifted Christy's weight and trudged on.
From the gaping door of an abandoned warehouse the young man with wavy hair watched the two girls move down the street and disappear into an alley. He smiled and stepped out into the street. High above his head, precariously balanced on a crumbling brick chimney, red eyes tracked him as he followed the women into the alley.
****
Elle whirled, she was certain she'd heard something. She saw nothing save a decaying dumpster that hadn't been emptied in years. The alley seemed longer tonight...
****
He peered out from behind the dumpster that he'd ducked behind when the brunette stopped suddenly. The blond was too drunk to do anything but her friend was alert. She would need to be taken care of first.
****
Elle tried to hurry Christy along. She stumbled, Elle barely catching her before she tumbled to the pavement. Moving slower now, Elle was practically carrying the inebriated girl. She heard the crunch of a footstep behind her an instant before sharp pain exploded in the back of her head.
****
High above, now standing on the narrow purchase of a windowsill, a broad smile spread below the luminous red eyes. She slipped through the broken window behind her, into the rafters of a century-old warehouse. Below, the young man dragged the unconscious girls out of the alley. The blond regained consciousness as he wrapped tape around her mouth, thrashing to free herself. The woman leaned forward, on the verge of teetering off of her precarious perch. This one was very lively. She reveled in her repeated cries. A tiny rivulet of dark blood trickled down her chin as she bit back glee. The young man was very thorough in his treatment, as she knew he would be. She always chose wisely, picking those that would give her the best spectacle.
****
Awareness came back to Elle on a tide of muffled screams. Her eyes opened to a dimly lit blur. She rolled her head toward the sounds and the movement brought brilliant pain. She couldn't open her mouth. Something was wrapped around her head, tape she thought, sealing her mouth. Likewise her arms and legs were wrapped. She struggled to free herself but could not loosen the bonds. The sounds subsided to whimpers and her vision cleared enough to see Christy curled in the fetal position on the filthy concrete floor. Her hair was in complete disarray, pulled from the neat ponytails. Her wrists were tightly wrapped with duct tape and a strip was across her mouth. Half of her face was a ruin, her left eye swollen shut and blood was streaming freely from both nostrils.
****
The blond was nearly gone, her cries reduced to low whimpers when she made any sound at all. Boring, she thought and anticipated his moving to the dark haired girl. Don't disappoint me... He began with a kick to her stomach, then another to her face. The observer frowned when the girl refused to cry out, but her interest was piqued anew when she caught a glimpse of the raw hatred on her face. Not what I expected, but still entertaining. She watched for nearly an hour. She was growing bored again and the young man's energy had worked her appetite to a fever.
****
Elle was beyond pain. Hatred burned through her, its fire keeping her clinging to consciousness. Through eyes nearly swollen shut she looked up at her assailant. He was breathing hard, exhausted from his labors. He grinned and kicked her again for good measure. When she opened her eyes again she saw a sliver of shadow break from the rafters above and plummet toward him.
****
He felt the chill breeze behind him. He turned, excitement and gloating lost before the glowing red eyes and fanged grin of the snow-haired woman. He managed three steps in a sprint for the alley door before thin steel fingers clamped around his neck. He was lifted into the air and slammed against cold concrete.
****
She inhaled deeply. The smells of fear and hatred in the old warehouse were intoxicating, surpassed only by the ravenous need that surged from her gut. She wanted to play with this one a little more, but hunger overpowered her.
****
The floor tilted beneath him, he stumbled forward onto his knees. Ringing filled his ears and lights swam behind his retinas. Through the cacophony in his head he heard a woman's voice.
"Sanguis cor vanire ex corpus."
He snapped upright, his arms extended to either side, crucified on an invisible cross.
********
© Austin Hale 2008
Last edited:
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