~Salutations~

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Thursday, August 9, 2007

A Distant Echo Of Dark Shadows (Con't)


The loud deafening screech came again and again until the very air rang with the powerful noise. One word and one word only echoed in his tone for all to hear.

“Mercy!”

Meanwhile beside Jessica, Abernathy seemed to go into a snarling and barking frenzy that was a close comparison to the outburst on the Concorde over the Atlantic Ocean. “Abernathy, quiet now. That black bird cannot get us while we stay inside of this car.” Jessica shook her head at the black Labrador, “besides I think that he is more afraid of us than we are of him.”

Abernathy went silent at the stern tone of his mistress’s voice; he knew that bad dog tone anywhere. But Abernathy was positive that this black ominous bird was anything but harmless and he did not think that this tin can covering was going to protect them from what evil that lurked in those metallic eyes.

“No matter, I think that we are still staying one night I wish to at lest see the ruins. But I will promise that it shall only be for one night Abernathy, I did not come all this way to not see at least the ruins. “Jessica gave her long time companion a deep loving smile,” I promise that we will be gone at first light if no one has appeared.”

If we last even one night mistress, thought Abernathy to himself. Magic made him very nervous, even though there had to be many unusual factors in place for it to work properly. And if man kind thought that things like this did not exist, then man kind was sadly mistaking for magic was all around; he had faded out the ability to see what he himself could never fully understand or accept. Abernathy groaned and rolled his brown eyes skyward, he knew about his mistress’s stubborn side all to much. He did not want to stay any longer than he had to; he already thought they had over stayed their welcome in this unforsaken nameless place.
The giant black bird seemed to stare straight through to Abernathy’s soul and he was sure that his mistress was experiencing the same feeling. The black bird sat on the information board looking at them, his almost metallic eyes danced with intelligence and possibility of a hint of cruelty as well. This black ominous creature must be the only one of its kind; Abernathy sensed an intense loneliness coming from the black bird.

He looked through the mud-streaked glass; He was positive that He looked at the very key to his existence, love. Love was something that He never had a chance to experience. Or was this because He never opened his blackened heart to love? So many questions He had and not one answers that He could understand.

Jessica’s mind was not her own as she saw images of a time that did not exist, the smell of the foxglove, the smell of fresh grasses growing in the spring breeze. The groves of trees of every description she could think of; the long trailing tendrils of green moss hung like banners from the newly budded boughs. The ferns grew in an intricate pattern of green lace, a beauty that only Mother Nature could make. The air was alive with the scent of flowers and growing things, she saw deer running in large herds, the trees filled with the songbirds like the Wren and the red breasted Robin. Rabbits and foxes ran free through out the grassy knolls and glens. The sound of laughter filled her head and the sounds of horses and carts bumping along the main road. A realm of different possibilities and home.

Even though Jessica had her eyes wide open staring ahead, she did not see the world outside, and she saw another realm of this same plane. This world was bright and alive, the air smelled young and fresh; not a hint of pollution. The sky was clear and a deep blue; not one cloud crossed the brilliant blue sky. Here she felt happy and whole; something she was sure that she had been denied her entire life. Until now. And she had heeded that calling with all her heart.

Jessica shook her head, her thoughts were confusing and the images she was seeing were not of her own. How could she be somewhere else and still being here? Of course that was completely impossible, wasn’t it? The one thing that Jessica was sure about was that the thought and memories that she was experiencing were not that of her own. The confused feeling in her head cleared and she could only see the information board and the ominous black bird that seemed to be trying to show her something or tell her something.

All this was like a dream that she could not awake from; like a deep nightmare that clenched your heart even though you yourself had been awake for hours trying not to think of it. No sooner do you fall back asleep only to begin where the nightmare left off at. Jessica felt that way now, like the dreams of her childhood, it had been years since she had felt like this. And now that feeling returned with a vengeance and she was not sure if she was ready to face her demons.

She was not sure how long she had sat there thinking and staring out the windshield, but it must have been awhile, because she had forgotten about Abernathy as he growled low and protective from the back seat. Jessica checked her rear view mirror; Abernathy was definitely staring ahead, his soft brown eyes not even blinking as he looked up in the direction of the black bird. At this moment in time, Jessica wished that she had Abernathy’s keen eyesight.

Jessica peered out to the ominous black bird that seemed to be beckoning her to come outside and into the open, which of course was completely impossible! As she watched the giant ebony bird began to preen its large long black feathers along its wide chest; the black so deep that it was nearly blue in colour. Jessica placed her hand softly on the door handle; the metal was cold on her palm. She pushed slightly down to open the door as silently as she could, but the creature had acute hearing, its eyes looked to her and she swore that those eyes striped her very soul bare for all to see. Jessica shivered at that thought, but she could not shake the feeling that there was more truth to that statement than that she actually really believed. Jessica felt that some one had just tossed a bucket of ice cold water directly atop her head, she became instantly aware of here surroundings. But she could not break the hold of its stare as it looked at her through the mud-streaked windshield.

He looked deep into the mud-streaked glass; He could plainly see her. She had the eyes of flawless emeralds; her eyes striped his very soul open. He screeched out one last time before He could not risk a meeting, He would then run the risk of suffering an even worse fate than what He had been accustomed to for centuries.

Pushing hard on the door handle, Jessica opened the door and as she did so the giant ominous black bird took flight in an elegant splendour of grace and showing of raw strength. Behind her she ignored Abernathy, as he became an upset by showing her his Mad Dog tactics; she knew that he disapproved of her going outside without him again. As she stood in the mud, Jessica brought up her right hand to shield her eyes from the bright red mornings a strange fascination with the one she had just been looking at. She wished she had left her camera up front, then she could at least have a picture to look at.

The sight had been so breathtaking; that she had actually seen her childhood dream was real, tangible. Jessica shoved both hands into her coat pockets, she wished to watch until there was not even a hint of blackness, she watched entranced as the black form became smaller and smaller. Then the tiny black fleck was gone and only the dawning sun remained; it was as if the sun had burned the black bird up. But Jessica knew this was not so, she would be seeing this black bird again that was one thing she was very sure of.

When the black bird had disappeared from view, Jessica shivered again and the thought of past dreams once again disappeared from her memory. Like when the dryer makes that pair of socks into one sock, where does that other sock disappear too? The mind works on that same plane; remembers when it pleases and forgets when it desires; like the sock sometimes returns and sometimes does not, as do memories.

Behind her the wind shields wipers thwapped, drawing out lazy of lines of mud. In the car Abernathy could plainly be heard growling and snapping at the top of the information board, which of course was now empty.

Abernathy watched as his mistress stare out to the east and the thin red line of the dawn, he had moved forward from the back seat and he had wedged himself in between the two front seats. He knew that now that he should not have tried to force himself through such a narrow opening, but he had to try for his mistress’s sake. He had made it partly through, right up to his large chest; his fore legs and up the middle of his ribcage was wedged into the small front seating area. His mistress had left the door slightly ajar, of course she should have known that he would try for it. And look where that had got him, Abernathy felt very humiliated that he could have let this embarrassing action happen to him.

Jessica’s thoughts came back to the present and she could plainly hear Abernathy’s insistent growls of anticipation. She could not figure out at first what had made him so upset. And then she saw, Jessica burst out in a happy fit of laughter as she witnessed Abernathy undignified position. The interior light was on, that of course would mean that she had left the door ajar and Abernathy tried to fit in between the narrow opening. Jessica walked back to the driver’s door, she had stopped laughing, but she wore a wide grin on face as she looked in on her companion. The door opened and she could now see that indeed Abernathy was wedged in between the seats, quite the amusing picture. She tried hard not to laugh; Abernathy was rather sensitive for a dog.

“Cat got your tongue, Abernathy?”

“I hate cats!” Growled Abernathy as he tried once again to suck in his chest and pull back to where he was before. He should have never tried for the door; he was rather embarrassed that he could have let this happen. Finally he sucked in his chest enough so that he could slip free of his confines, he sat back on the seat staring ahead towards his mistress, just daring her to laugh out loud. Abernathy was not amused.

Jessica reached in and turned the Toyota’s ignition to the off position. Instantly the car died and she could feel the heavy weight of the silence that seemed to envelop the parking lot and beyond. Strange, she thought to herself; the silence seemed to weigh heavily upon her. Not even the birds and other animals made one single noise; no singing and no rustling in the nearby underbrush. Jessica placed the keys into her right hip pocket of her jeans for safe keeping, she slammed the driver’s door hard, the door closed with a loud bang and rust fell to the mud. She went to the back door and opened it. Since they were staying one night Abernathy might as well get a good go at having some fun, besides tomorrow afternoon she could wash down Abernathy in the large red barn out back of Helen’s country house. And then she could relax in comfort the rest of this vacation, a hot bath, heat and a real bed to sleep in. But no sooner had her hand touched the door handle she saw Abernathy with his large tongue licking the inside glass with large wet strokes; he wished to be let out.

1 comment:

D'jierke (The One) said...

ah m'lady...how remiss of me. I did not even realize that you had added another chapter. I really must keep a closer eye upon you.
Time has only allowed me to get through half-way. But then this only gives me a reason to return to you, doesn't it?
Love
~Dirk

That's Life

That's Life

The Master Of Her Domain

The Master Of Her Domain
There is One for everyone. The Master of my Domain is the axis in which my world spins. There shall only be but One. Among men and women, those in love do not always announce themselves with declarations and vows. But they are the ones who weep when you're gone. Who miss you every single night, especially when the sky is so deep and beautiful, and the ground so very cold......