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Part II
Standing at the edge of the crudely built fence lined to mark the limits of the village, I watch the woods. The morning sun has yet to peek over the horizon, yet the fog is thin. Birds sing the mornings overture, it is random unrehearsed. In my wine stained coat, I took a breath and stepped over the fence. I spread my arms out and walk toward the woods submissively.
“HORSEMAN!!!” I shouted, “HERE I AM!!!”
The birds cease their tune, and I felt a chill. The senses of cold and stillness signaled me, and I knew he was behind me.
“I have failed.” I solemnly spoke lowering my eyes.
A voice replied from behind me, “It was only one try. I forgive you.”
I turned to face a husky. The body however was my grandfather's, but the head was Darius. A face who only was passing through. A week ago and disappeared.
“Is that a new head?”
The husky Darius nodded and replied, “This one has a much darker story then you knew.”
“Does that justify killing him?”
The horseman's stolen face grew grim, “Come with me son. I will show you why.”
Without hesitation I jumped upon his corpse like horse and he rode forward. As we rode the fog grew immediately thicker, until I saw only white. In the same instance it cleared perfectly to reveal we had traveled a great distance in a matter of seconds. I could not determine what direction I was facing anymore.
We arrived at his cottage. Emma was hanging laundry from a line. She turned and saw me, “Robert!” She smiled, “Good to see you back and in one piece this time.”
I grinned politely and dismounted. The horseman dismounted as well. He pet his horses muzzle and as soon as his hands left the horse it dissolved into dust and blew over the ground. I jumped back in awe and stared at the ash of what his horse use to be. I couldn't produce words, but he seemed casual about his horse's apparent demise.
Emma hugged him and gave his false head a kiss. He whispered in her ear and her expression sank. She nodded and glanced over to me, immediate she turned and went inside. I shivered from whatever was to come.
The husky headed cadaver motioned me to follow. The hesitation began to rise in me, but I followed.
We ventured to the back of the cottage and to a creek. In the distance was a silhouette behind a tree. It seemed to be digging. As we approached the figure it became more apparent to me that this was the owner of the head that the horseman was wearing. The body was digging a grave.
I turned to my grandfather, “That's sick! Why is he digging?”
“So he can finally rest.” The husky head spoke.
“Why do you kill them?”
“They killed me. They killed my love.”
“Vengeance? Is that all you seek?” I argued. I didn't not want an answer, even so I dreaded asking.
He closed his eyes and clenched his fist. I sighed and bit my tongue. When he opened his eyes he glared at me. I felt his stare stab me. Then it softened and a tear rolled down his stolen eye.
“How many years, I go seeing only darkness. Hearing her voice tell me she loves me. Feeling her kiss on my cheek.” The horseman paused.
I lowered my ears and he continued, “I am incomplete, I only seek to be whole.”
“Does killing those make you whole?” I asked now humbled.
“It lets me know I am alive.”
I patted his shoulder and forced a concerned smile, “Promise me. You won't kill anymore.”
He shook his head, “ Son, I must kill. Emma and yourself are fortunate to have your head, but “I....I can have only a temporary head. One brief time of seeing the sunrise.”
“Grandfather!” I pressed.
He shook his head, “ I will not promise.”
“Then at least limit yourself to those who threaten you. You can't seek any passerby who dares venture in the woods.”
The husky face sighed as it considered, “I shall agree to let those innocent pass, but I shall inform you, those who seek wrong or are bad in nature shall pay.”
I shook my head, but I realized I couldn't enforce such an order. I expected he would retaliate and he did.
“But know this Robert!” He snapped, “You ever challenge me again, I will have your head myself!”
I nodded in fear and the horseman turned and left me to watch the headless damned finish his grave. After its completion the headless husky set the shovel, and sat in the hole. He crossed his arms and lied back. It was now finally dead.
The sun came to view and I sat near the grave staring at the recently departed. Soon I feared to admit it, but I felt so alive as the horseman said. Emma approached from behind and sat next to me.
“Life is so fragile.” I commented.
She nodded, “Its inevitable.”
I sighed and danced in my thoughts. She placed her hand on my back to comfort me. I then pondered how I was so close to being as this corpse.
“To think, because of my blood, I am spared. But I sometimes wonder if I am so lucky?”
Emma looks at me and replies, “It's not about being lucky. We are who we are and our fate is to be above the ground at this very time.”
It took me a while to understand, but then again I don't think I did. It just felt good to be awake, and terrible to watch someone not as fortunate.
Time passes and eventually I was at the dinner table eating Emma's cooking. She made her stew and it was divine. I had not much to tell her, except for the smoke rings coming from my neck. My coat sat in the washing bucket to soak.
Emma chuckled at me and I scoffed in my defense, “We were curious! Have you not tried seeing what happens?”
“I had the sense not to try.” She replied. I chuckled and nodded, “Apparently, I do not. But now we know what happens if you drink with your head off.”
Emma giggled and I shook my head and smiled, “You have never pondered?”
She shied away and spoke, “Okay!”
Placing her cup on the table she avoided eye contact, “I once wondered, what it was like.....to wear a different body.”
She blushed and quickly glanced at me only to turn her eyes away.
“But you wore Grandfather's. I witnessed it.” I responded as I took a sip from my bowl.
She shook her head and remained her smile, but she still made no eye contact with me, “No! Grandfather, is more powerful. You loose your sight and feelings when you wear his body.”
“So you want to wear someone less powerful?”
She nodded.
“Well I would say you could wear mine,” I replied, “But it's odd, us being siblings and what not.”
She shook her head, “NO! No. I know you wore mine before, but...” Her blush grew. My eyes grew as I realized her intentions.
“OH! Dear. Um....Well that is an odd thing as well. I doubt I would witness something like that.”
Emma slumped in her embarrassment, “I know. I am so ashamed.”
I sighed, “I don't want details. You are my sister after all. But if you so have needs, I may suggest that husky who buried himself.”
Emma nodded and nervously smiled, “I'd await for your departure.”
I took another sip and thought, 'Me also'
Soon after the horseman arrived. The husky head upon his shoulders still, “Robert.” He spoke, “You can go. My horse will take you to the patch.”
I nodded, finished my meal and stepped outside. The horseman removed his stolen head and placed it on the table. The head, separated from the body, muttered for help. I tuned away and ignored his pleas.
The wind picked up and the dust swirled as a seeming hand from the ground. Soon the dust formed and created the horse without eyes. It whinnied and I mounted it. The fog thickened and the horse ran, clearing it to reveal I had once again traveled again in a blink. I was back at the patch. I stepped off the horse and it knowledgeably moved away to burst into the fog and disappeared.
Next: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1862666/
Prev: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1807211
Standing at the edge of the crudely built fence lined to mark the limits of the village, I watch the woods. The morning sun has yet to peek over the horizon, yet the fog is thin. Birds sing the mornings overture, it is random unrehearsed. In my wine stained coat, I took a breath and stepped over the fence. I spread my arms out and walk toward the woods submissively.
“HORSEMAN!!!” I shouted, “HERE I AM!!!”
The birds cease their tune, and I felt a chill. The senses of cold and stillness signaled me, and I knew he was behind me.
“I have failed.” I solemnly spoke lowering my eyes.
A voice replied from behind me, “It was only one try. I forgive you.”
I turned to face a husky. The body however was my grandfather's, but the head was Darius. A face who only was passing through. A week ago and disappeared.
“Is that a new head?”
The husky Darius nodded and replied, “This one has a much darker story then you knew.”
“Does that justify killing him?”
The horseman's stolen face grew grim, “Come with me son. I will show you why.”
Without hesitation I jumped upon his corpse like horse and he rode forward. As we rode the fog grew immediately thicker, until I saw only white. In the same instance it cleared perfectly to reveal we had traveled a great distance in a matter of seconds. I could not determine what direction I was facing anymore.
We arrived at his cottage. Emma was hanging laundry from a line. She turned and saw me, “Robert!” She smiled, “Good to see you back and in one piece this time.”
I grinned politely and dismounted. The horseman dismounted as well. He pet his horses muzzle and as soon as his hands left the horse it dissolved into dust and blew over the ground. I jumped back in awe and stared at the ash of what his horse use to be. I couldn't produce words, but he seemed casual about his horse's apparent demise.
Emma hugged him and gave his false head a kiss. He whispered in her ear and her expression sank. She nodded and glanced over to me, immediate she turned and went inside. I shivered from whatever was to come.
The husky headed cadaver motioned me to follow. The hesitation began to rise in me, but I followed.
We ventured to the back of the cottage and to a creek. In the distance was a silhouette behind a tree. It seemed to be digging. As we approached the figure it became more apparent to me that this was the owner of the head that the horseman was wearing. The body was digging a grave.
I turned to my grandfather, “That's sick! Why is he digging?”
“So he can finally rest.” The husky head spoke.
“Why do you kill them?”
“They killed me. They killed my love.”
“Vengeance? Is that all you seek?” I argued. I didn't not want an answer, even so I dreaded asking.
He closed his eyes and clenched his fist. I sighed and bit my tongue. When he opened his eyes he glared at me. I felt his stare stab me. Then it softened and a tear rolled down his stolen eye.
“How many years, I go seeing only darkness. Hearing her voice tell me she loves me. Feeling her kiss on my cheek.” The horseman paused.
I lowered my ears and he continued, “I am incomplete, I only seek to be whole.”
“Does killing those make you whole?” I asked now humbled.
“It lets me know I am alive.”
I patted his shoulder and forced a concerned smile, “Promise me. You won't kill anymore.”
He shook his head, “ Son, I must kill. Emma and yourself are fortunate to have your head, but “I....I can have only a temporary head. One brief time of seeing the sunrise.”
“Grandfather!” I pressed.
He shook his head, “ I will not promise.”
“Then at least limit yourself to those who threaten you. You can't seek any passerby who dares venture in the woods.”
The husky face sighed as it considered, “I shall agree to let those innocent pass, but I shall inform you, those who seek wrong or are bad in nature shall pay.”
I shook my head, but I realized I couldn't enforce such an order. I expected he would retaliate and he did.
“But know this Robert!” He snapped, “You ever challenge me again, I will have your head myself!”
I nodded in fear and the horseman turned and left me to watch the headless damned finish his grave. After its completion the headless husky set the shovel, and sat in the hole. He crossed his arms and lied back. It was now finally dead.
The sun came to view and I sat near the grave staring at the recently departed. Soon I feared to admit it, but I felt so alive as the horseman said. Emma approached from behind and sat next to me.
“Life is so fragile.” I commented.
She nodded, “Its inevitable.”
I sighed and danced in my thoughts. She placed her hand on my back to comfort me. I then pondered how I was so close to being as this corpse.
“To think, because of my blood, I am spared. But I sometimes wonder if I am so lucky?”
Emma looks at me and replies, “It's not about being lucky. We are who we are and our fate is to be above the ground at this very time.”
It took me a while to understand, but then again I don't think I did. It just felt good to be awake, and terrible to watch someone not as fortunate.
Time passes and eventually I was at the dinner table eating Emma's cooking. She made her stew and it was divine. I had not much to tell her, except for the smoke rings coming from my neck. My coat sat in the washing bucket to soak.
Emma chuckled at me and I scoffed in my defense, “We were curious! Have you not tried seeing what happens?”
“I had the sense not to try.” She replied. I chuckled and nodded, “Apparently, I do not. But now we know what happens if you drink with your head off.”
Emma giggled and I shook my head and smiled, “You have never pondered?”
She shied away and spoke, “Okay!”
Placing her cup on the table she avoided eye contact, “I once wondered, what it was like.....to wear a different body.”
She blushed and quickly glanced at me only to turn her eyes away.
“But you wore Grandfather's. I witnessed it.” I responded as I took a sip from my bowl.
She shook her head and remained her smile, but she still made no eye contact with me, “No! Grandfather, is more powerful. You loose your sight and feelings when you wear his body.”
“So you want to wear someone less powerful?”
She nodded.
“Well I would say you could wear mine,” I replied, “But it's odd, us being siblings and what not.”
She shook her head, “NO! No. I know you wore mine before, but...” Her blush grew. My eyes grew as I realized her intentions.
“OH! Dear. Um....Well that is an odd thing as well. I doubt I would witness something like that.”
Emma slumped in her embarrassment, “I know. I am so ashamed.”
I sighed, “I don't want details. You are my sister after all. But if you so have needs, I may suggest that husky who buried himself.”
Emma nodded and nervously smiled, “I'd await for your departure.”
I took another sip and thought, 'Me also'
Soon after the horseman arrived. The husky head upon his shoulders still, “Robert.” He spoke, “You can go. My horse will take you to the patch.”
I nodded, finished my meal and stepped outside. The horseman removed his stolen head and placed it on the table. The head, separated from the body, muttered for help. I tuned away and ignored his pleas.
The wind picked up and the dust swirled as a seeming hand from the ground. Soon the dust formed and created the horse without eyes. It whinnied and I mounted it. The fog thickened and the horse ran, clearing it to reveal I had once again traveled again in a blink. I was back at the patch. I stepped off the horse and it knowledgeably moved away to burst into the fog and disappeared.
Next: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1862666/
Prev: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1807211
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 85 kB
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