Foreword: This thread will be updated with not only my collective of shorts, but also said short's revisions and changes. I'll do my best to short out an index here in the first post after I gather a small collection of short stories/essays, but for now I'll just leave it as is.
This collection will start out with a piece I wrote for a literature battle with a friend of mine on another space on the expanse of the interwebz, but not important. Main thing to note is the guidelines for the battle were
morbid humor within
five hundred (500) words. So, yea, here's the first:
Quote:
Rituals
Sucking in a deep breath a girl poised herself, catching air in her lungs breathing out slowly, “Steady … steady …”
“WAIT!”
“What?” exhaling, the girl snapped her attention to a scraggly teenager hovering nearby fidgeting in place, yet his eyes darted around sporadically, looking anywhere but at her.
“I mean, I’m just saying ..” choking out a cough, he continued on, “I’m just sayin’, yous and I, we could … we could …”
“Are you seriously doing this right now? Now, of all the times this conversation could take place, you choose now?” with her free hand the girl pinched the bridge of her nose, messing her face up in distress. Slightly shaking her head causing her short, blonde hair to slightly flutter.
“Wha’ you getting agitated foh? I’m just sayin’, Riah … yous and I-”
“No. Kaleb … Just no- not now, for Nyx’s sake not now.”
“…Why?”
Riah blinked hesitated and blinked again, motioning back and forth between the massive dagger and her exposed forearm. Exasperatedly managing, “Why do you think?” before sighing and grumbling derogatory curses under her breath, ”Bloody, ♥♥♥♥in’ serf.”
“C’mon! You don’ have to get hateful, Riah, its not like … not like …” Kaleb paused, finally looking at her and to the corpse lying on the ground before her. “Oh-OH! Ritual, it is a ritual, oh-oh, Zeff, right. Riah, I--”
“Stuff it,” she sighed before muttering a prayer, “Just… Just do what needs to be done.
“Right.” The squirming teen finally began to move. Digging in the depths of his pocket he retrieved a jagged piece of charcoal. Kaleb’s movement was fluid, reflecting his discipline when he choose to apply it. Much less awkward and clumsy compared to his popper’s slang. The sound of charcoal scratching filled the air as he scribbled chaotic verse onto the surrounding stone walls, softly chanting underneath his breath as he did so.
Zoning out once more, Riah steadied her breathing. Balancing the blade above her inner forearm she cut. The blade bit into her forearm, welcoming with it a thin line of ruby warmth. Riah never cut deep. A droplet of blood slide down her arm before depositing itself into the gaping mouth of a dead boy. Riah didn’t wait and neither did Kaleb. Once the blood touched the boy’s mouth they started moving.
Ambling towards Riah, she handed the dagger off to him before quickly wrapping her forearm, holding it in place with a single Hello Kitty band-aide. Polishing off the thin line of blood that clung to the blades edge, Kaleb handed the dagger back. Slipping the blade back into the depth so fits sheath, Riah rocked back on her heels once before kicking the dead lad.
“Mhmm … Kaleb?”
Kaleb hesitated, “Yes Riah?”
“You did inscribe the verses correctly, yes?” Riah cocked her head, squatting to examine the unmoving corpse.
“…Yea- I mean, yes.”
“Hm.” Riah stood back up and kicked him again, “He’s still … dead.”
“Well, ’coure ’es dead,” Kaleb’s words were muttered under his breath, anxiously scratching the back of his head as if to distract himself.
“’Course I’m dead. Remember? Last semester in chem.“ Rousing, the corpse struggled to sit up, propping himself up on an elbow.
“I remember, Zeffers, but at least I brought you back.” Smirking, Riah stretched, flicking her wrists high above her before heading for the exit, “Come now boys, we’ll be late for class.”
“We’re always late, you always forget ta renew Zeff‘s contract,” Kaleb protested, helping Zeff to his feet before he fell in behind Riah.
“Oh well … first period is zombie tag, its not like we’re missing anything, right Zeffers?”
The corpse grumbled, “Haha, very funny.”
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