She'd watched in mild fascination all the way down here, staring with wide eyes, full of a childish innocence that she hadn't quite yet grown out of. Her father had been transferred from Texas down to the little town of Roswell and now, here they were, settling in...
The name of the town itself was enough to instil a measure of excitement within Fred, though she wasn't really going to go round asking people about Area 51 and stuff. No, that would just be silly. They'd think she was crazy. And being an avid physics student didn't really do much for her not-crazy stakes, or so she'd heard.
Unfolding her legs from underneath her, Fred scooped the spider up into her hands and set it on the outside of her window ledge, smiling brightly as she turned back to her new room. She'd miss her old home, her old room, her friends... But new things were always exciting, always fun to start. She figured that what life tossed at you was a test of character. If it didn't kill you? It made you stronger. Simple really.
Boxes and bags had been littered across her room. She really hadn't realised how much stuff she owned until she'd had to box it all over and bring it across state to her new house.
She sighed slightly, glancing at all the boxes that needed emptying - before scooping her hair up into a tie so it wouldn't get dusty, and grabbing a box, yanking it open. "In for a penny, in for a pound..." She murmured, before pausing a little. What does that mean anyway? I know Momma says it a lot... I guess it means that if something's worth doing, it's worth doing properly but... Who doesn't live by that theory anyway? Why wouldn't you do something properly? It only causes problems in the long run and... And I'm not gonna get any of this unpacking done, am I?
Wrestling the contents out of the large box, Fred began putting books into neat piles and trinkets on shelves, humming happily as she went. A new town, a new beginning... A new Fred?
Glancing in the mirror, Fred smiled, contentedly. Nahhh, maybe not. I kinda like me, she decided, before going back to her emptying her boxes.
* * * * * *
A while later, Fred stood looking over her room, dust bunnies in her hair, a smudge of grease on her cheek. Finally, she was finished. She'd been here for most of the morning and all through the afternoon, sorting out her things, getting her room straightened so that it actually looked half-decent.
Lived in. She thought with a smile. Ever since she'd been little and her Grandma Burkle had moved into her new house, Fred had a 'thing' with new rooms. It wasn't so much an obsession as it was... A worry. New houses to Fred almost always meant... Perfection. Everything had its place to go and if she was there, chances were she'd get clumsy and muss something up...
But this house, this house was her house, their house. The thing that had made her like it most was that she could be comfortable in it - it was... Lived in.
Pushing her glasses up her nose, Fred gave a satisfied smile. Her room was hers now. It had the smell of her old one, sort of new but... Not. It was her stuff in here, her life cooped up into a house that was new - and that suited her just fine...
Things could have been worse, she could have come here not knowing anyone - the total new girl in town. Well, she was the new girl in town - and not many people clamoured to hang round with a science geek.
Tomorrow, she'd find out. She'd had experiences with how cruel some kids could be - until she'd took a stand and fought back. It was mostly those girls that you loved to hate - the ones with the designer clothes and the equally designer boyfriends hanging off their arms... And then there was the other ones. The guys who thought 'cause you were quiet, you were a pushover. Todd Tyler, the guy who'd thought he could get fresh with Fred next to her locker. She might be quiet, but her Momma had never raised Fred to be a pushover, you believed in something? You backed it up. You wanted something? You went for it yourself. Some guy got fresh with you? You kneed him in the place it'd hurt most and got the hell out of there while he was out.
The pain, along with the anger would dim - but the memory? Oh, that'd be there forever. And Todd Tyler never did approach her after that little incident in the hallway.
Fairly bouncing down the stars, Fred grabbed a jacket from the back of the door and wandered into the kitchen, smiling. Momma was sat at the table, nursing a cup of something hot - Fred figured it was coffee - and smiling.
"You get all your room done, honey?" Asked her mother.
The girl nodded, grinning. "Sorta feels like home now. You and Daddy need help with anything? I was gonna go pay the mall a visit, see where the bookstores are... Maybe enrol in the library?"
Trish glanced at her daughter, smiling. "Oh, go on with ya... Your Daddy and I can sort things out here."
"Thanks Momma..." Fred smiled, kissing her mother on the cheek and gave a wave, yelling a goodbye to her father who was working in the shed as she went.
* * * * * * *
Later on and Fred was in her element. She'd managed to find a Barnes and Noble and had been seated on the floor, debating which books to buy. There'd been other shops she'd visited too - one that held trinkets like wind chimes and dream catchers, where she'd spent some of her monthly allowance, things to make her room look nice - blend old in with new.
Now, as she strolled around the mall, debating the pleasures of window shopping and not spending all her money that month, Fred grinned, stopping outside a little confectionary stand, gazing at all the cakes and realising that without a doubt that rumbling noise in her stomach was hunger...
Time to eat, she thought with a little grin, turning round and bumping right into someone, gasping as a bunch of papers went up into the air. "Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry!" She gasped out, her Texan twang coming thick and strong in her nervousness. "I-I wasn't watching where I was going..."
Written by Christie, Nominated by Erin
-----------
Connick sat down at the offered piano, feeling something in his soul rejoice. He hadn't touched keys in... well, it had to be years, frankly. He looked around at the few remaining people from the original crowd by the door, and a few of the bar people, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious. Rolling his neck, he tried to put that behind him. It had been so long....
"Oh," Connick said, with an embarassed grin as Lorne's question went through his brain. "Ah... was just thinking of something a bit classy. Maybe a bit jazzy. A bit romantic." As soon as he said it, he felt foolish, but he shrugged it off. He remember his favorite song from years ago, the first thing he had mastered on the piano. One could even claim that he had pushed himself to learn the piano because of it.
"I, ah, may need to warm up a bit." He shrugged, charmingly. "It's been a long time. Too long." With a smile at one can only share with someone they felt true kinship with, he turned back to the piano. Wiggling his long piano fingers above the keys, Connick still couldn't believe he was feeling kinship with a demon, and was furthermore about to sing in front of him. He never sang in front of *anyone*, except true loved ones. Uncontrolled, his memories suddenly flashed to the last person he had sung this too. Dark eyes. The swaying of his body, as if Connick's words had touched him, meant only for him.
But that was then. This was now. His smile came back full force, as he stared at the piano. With a last tossed off grin to Lorne, he placed his fingers on the oh so familiar keys. He could never forget this, no matter how long it had been since he had touched a piano, no matter how long he had lived.
With a few unnecessary warm up notes, scales and chords, he relaxed further into the seat, feeling the music sweep over him, through him, and soon he was lost in the music. He didn't play the piano, the piano played him. And he was beautifully lost in that world.
"It... had... to be... you..."
Connick's voice tossed off the first lyric, his fingers finding the keys on their own. Not even a portal to hell could distract him now.
"It had to be you
I wandered around and finally found
The somebody who... could make me be true..."
His voice was perfect, just jazzy enough to blend with the emotions and just clear enough to be understood as clear as day. And with enough warmth to justify the emotions. As the few who had experienced it noted, Connick was singing only for them. And in this case, it was Lorne.
"Could make me be blue... or even be glad
Just to be sad... thinking of you"
Embellishing the small piano solo, his fingers danced over the keys as if possessed. And in a small way they were.
"Some others I've seen... might never be mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do..."
His body moving ever so slightly with the music, Connick's body was enraptured by it. Eyes closed, heart open, emotions flowing.
"For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults... I love you still
It had to be you, wonderful you
It had to be you"
Connick was gone. His fingers moved quickly, rapidly, with demon like speed over the keys, as the true piano solo poured out of him, note by note, chord by chord. There was no false notes, nothing to jar the listener or Connick back into reality. There was no need. Besides he was getting to his big finish.
His voice expansive, swirling with power and emotional intensity, Connick let go. Completely.
"Some others I've seen might never mean
Might never be cross or try to be boss
They wouldn't do!
For nobody else gave me a thrill
With all your faults I love you still
Baby...
It had to be you... wonderful you!"
As if coming out of a dream, Connick slowly opened his eyes for the end of the song, not missing a beat or a drop of intensity.
"Had to be..."
Locking eyes with Lorne, he finished his song, grandiose and beautiful.
"You...."
Drawing out the note as long as his human lungs could handle it, he finally finished at the same time finishing on the piano with a perfect, and loud, closing chord.
After a moment of silence, Connick grinned, completely on a music induced high.
"So, whadya say, Mr. Director? Have I got the part?!" His voice was intoned like an eager actress, waiting for the big decision. And for some reason... that was exactly how it felt.
Written by Angela, Nominated by Allie
-----------
As she turned around, she saw Drusilla had gone and panicked for a moment, but then saw her across the store. "See anything nice?" Carla asked after she walked back over to her. She glanced at an old-fashioned, but pretty Baroque style dress to their side and grinned. "Looks like something from Interview With The Vampire doesn't it" she said. "Maybe something a bit more... modern though."
Dru fingered the material of the dress. "I think this would suit me very well. I never interviewed a vampire." She made the statement with an innocent expression on her face. Inwardly she was chuckling uncontrollably. She liked this girl, her innocence was refreshing. It was a long time since Dru'd had a minion. This girl would be eminently suitable.
Written by Nick and Brit, Nominated by Angela
----------
Zan rolled his eyes, although, he was facing the TV, so it wasn't like Jeffery could see it. "No, I don't think so, Boo-Boo Kitty Fuck" he commented dryly, using an old nickname for Rath. Some old memories flashed in his head, making a smile curl on his face. He turned back to Jeffery.
"Actually, I think I'm going to go out and see what Roswell has to offer. Maybe run into a few... friends." The innoculous word was venomous on Zan's tongue. A cold, clear smile graced his lips. Maybe this wasn't going to be such an unproductive day after all. In fact, he was looking forward to his walk in Roswell with unparalleled delight. It was going to be smashing.
Written by Angela, Nominated by James
-----------
(( Judging Max's _expression for a moment, Rath rolled his eyes. "Oah, could be dat *you* don't know 'bout da granalith eithah." He felt like throwing his hands in the air in frustration. "What da hell 'ave you people been doin' all dese yeahs, anyway? Twiddlin' yoah thumbs? Don't ya'll know anythin'?" ))
Max felt his eyes narrow. So he hadn't been fucking his King and learning now to do neat things with his powers, he was busy trying to have a semi normal life and enjoying the joys of tabasco sauce.
Shrugging violently, he realized it was as if he was trying to stare down Rath. Prove he was some how better by just staring at him. That was never going to work.
"Maybe we were busy having a life instead of stealing cars and fucking," Max's eyes glittered dangerously, threateningly. Somehow, Rath had him tapping into a darker part of himself. A part he normally kept away from the light, the part everyone hid from the light. The darker, more feral part of his soul. And Rath raised it out of him. Damn him.
It was as if Liz wasn't there, no one was in the room with them. It was only Rath and Max. He realized his hands were curled into fists. He wanted to hurt Rath. Make him cry out. And he had no idea why.
And as fast as it had bubbled up in him, it disappated, causing Max to sag slightly and blink, looking at Liz apologetically.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, looking down at his unclinching fists. "I-I don't know why...." He trailed off, truly looking confused and lost.
But what he didn't know, was just next door, Zan had stopped for to light a cigarette, and reached out carelessly with his power, and tapped into Max. Zan had curled his lips around his cigarette, deeply amused by what he felt. It felt like... him. And with a gentle push, he prodded at the part of him that was well, him, raising it.
Licking his lips after he blew out the smoke, he smiled evilly. "_Fucking_ fabulous." He had his own clone. And he could push him around.
GOD! He LOVED Roswell.
"This town rocks."
And with that, Zan severed his connection and walked down the street, whistling Ode to Joy.
Written by Angela, Nominated by Sonya
-----------
Kyle watched Ava arrive from across the street, behind a car. Ava was still wearing his high school jacket and that made him feel even worse. He knew he'd hurt her, but she deserved to move on without him now that he was another bloodsucker. Ava would be angry at him for awhile, but soon she'd hook up with one of her fellow aliens and all would be right in the world again.
As for Kyle, he was thinking of leaving town...
Writen by Frank, Nominated by Erin
------------
(( Liz gave Ava a sidelong glance. "Comfy?"
Ava snaked her arm around Alex's neck. "Now dat ya mention it, yeah. Ah am."
Liz rolled her eyes, but didn't rise to the bait as they pulled out of the driveway and headed on their way to the Pod Chamber. ))
Alex watched with caution Ava's every move, luckily not giving a look of hate, but a rather goofy surprised look, she planted herself down and Alex continued watching. When Liz asked Ava if she was comfy, he wanted to say no, but surprise surprise she replied "Yes." and he shivered as she wrapped her arm round his neck, in a very sly and cunning way. He looked at Liz as if to say "Help me! Get her off!" but one, he didn't want to appear rude, and two, Liz wasn't looking his way anyway. He sat tense the whole way, having double the pain to think about now.
They arrived and Alex was eager to get out and shake everything of her off him.
(( Ava opened the door and slowly got out. Letting her touch linger on Alex's thigh for a moment longer than necessary. Then she strolled over to Max. ))
After she moved onto Max, Alex pointed, staring at the mark where Ava had made her touch on his thigh, and he didn't like it, sure she was a lovely girl, but not his type, okay so all guys say that, but come on, how different could you get?
He leaped out running out shaking himself off, stopped to make sure no one was watching then said "Euch!" and brushed himself off. Then stopped and turned, as much as he didn't think he was, he was actually being quite rude, and it was good to have a variety of characters in his friends. He walked over to the group who were all making their way into the podchamber and began jogging "Wait for me!" and tried to catch up with Liz and stood next to her "Is she like that with all guys?" he asked her, curious.
Written by Kirsty (Erin), Nominated by Erin
------------
Nikki continued to apply a vice-like pressure, cutting off the Slayer's air-supply. The Slayer fought back though, driving an elbow into her stomach. Nikki gritted her teeth, holding on, but the second blow resulted in them parting company.
Buffy's reflexes exhibited themselves again as Nikki's legs were swept out from under her before she even realised that the Slayer was attacking again. She landed heavily on the hard floor, white hot pain shooting up her arm as she landed awkwardly on it. From the sound of the crack there was every possibility of a fracture. Adrenaline coursed through her, turning that pain into fury. Twice already she'd been beaten and made a fool of, there was no way on this Earth she was going to allow it to happen a third time. No f***ing way!
Nikki's iris' churned and changed to a blazing red just as tiny capillaries burst giving her eyes a 'cracked' look. Growling, she jumped to her feet, any injury to her arm ignored as she discarded forethought and attacked on instinct. The instinct of a creature not generally found with a beating heart. The instinct of a manifestation that wasn't supposed to rise for another week, but with all the extra-curricular 'tapping' had been closer to the surface than it had ever been. The instinct of a vampire!
No deformity graced her features, but the broken looking eyes and now very visible fangs served to create a frightening image nevertheless. Nikki charged forward again and this time nothing the Slayer did to her would deter her. With force and speed beyond any that Buffy could rightfully have expected from Nikki, the resulting blow almost dislocated the Slayer's jaw. As momentum slammed them both into the coffin, Nikki started roughly ramming Buffy's head off its side, making the coffin rock dangerously in its stabilising stand.
By this time, Nikki didn't know where she was and didn't care. All she knew is that she wanted to cause pain. And she had her targets very firmly identified.
Written by Nick, Nominated by Erin
---------
"Dru's got to finish what she stared asn't she precious. Before that little bitch got in the way we were having lots of fun."
She took her time savouring the wonderful feeling of anticipation she always felt before breaking the skin. She'd tasted this one before but he wouldn't be any the less sweet because of it.
"Don't struggle," she advised. "It will be a lot easier if you just give in."
Kyle was jolted back to reality by Dru's voice, soothing as it was before and just as deadly. But he was different now, thanks to her. Wrenching her off of him, Kyle's eyes turned blood red and he extended a mouth full of sharp vampiric fangs, but the rest of his face remained unchanged.
Standing up, he held Dru off the ground by her neck and said, "Don't ever call Ava a bitch...Mother..."
Written by Brit/Frank, Nominated by Erin
-----------
Willow didn't answer, she couldn't. Ever since Aidan had walked into the room, she'd felt something tingling at the back of her mind, pulling her attention away from her immediate surroundings. It was magic. Powerful magic. She reached out with her senses and felt along the edges of the spell, trying to discern what its function was... She gasped. A binding spell. It had to be.
And that was how Willow knew they were trapped in this building before Cordelia came running back inside with her big announcement.
Her eyelids fluttering shut, Willow trusted Buffy and the others to protect her while she did what she had to do to get them a way out of this place before it turned into a blood bath. A small part of her mind sensed when Oz lept to her rescue and she couldn't keep a small smile from curving around the corners of her mouth. Oz would keep her safe. She knew he would. And that left her free to focus on the magic.
She whispered words silently, her lips barely moving, channeling power into a counter spell that she launched at the barrier. But it wasn't enough. She wasn't strong enough. She didn't know enough to do this on her own. She could feel the binding spell trying to leech away her power for its own purposes and quickly cut off her attack, a shallow gasp the only outward sign of her inner struggle.
She felt Aidan release her as he moved to attack Oz and her legs immediately gave out from underneath her without his arm supporting her weight. She fell to the ground, landing hard on her knees and accidently biting her tongue. The copper tang of blood filled her mouth and she whimpered softly, a tear trickling down her cheek and she choked back the pain.
She couldn't do this, couldn't save them. All the training and all the studying and it was for nothing. Amy was dead, Aidan was a vampire and Willow was next to useless.
Gathering he courage, Willow began whispering a new chant, this one a suplication to the Powers That Be, asking for their help and guidance. She couldn't do this on her own. She needed someone to help her.
Suddenly, there was a flash of bright, white light behind her eyes and a feeling like flying and falling all mixed up into one, something like veritgo and something like fear and then she was *there* and suddenly, she wasn't alone anymore...
~*~*~*~
(( "Lindsey, can you hear me? Are you okay?" Kennedy attempted to keep her voice calm, but it was definitely cracking. Kennedy shot a worried look over to Fred and mouthed, 'What should we do?'
"Don't panic," Mouthed Fred, as much to Kennedy as it was a warning to herself. Gently, she took Lindsey's hand in hers, practically unaware that she was doing it. "Do you want me to call an ambulance?" She asked, aware that a crowd was gathering behind them.
"I... Are you okay?" She frowned at herself, even though Kennedy had asked the exact same question. "I'm sorry, that was silly. I think you may have hit your head on the pavement," She told him, softly. "You could be concussed or... How 'bout that ambulance?" ))
Lindsey opened his mouth to tell them that he was fine when something weird happened. Though, given his life lately, weird was a fairly relative term...
He felt a weird jolt of power pass through his body and suddenly, it was like he was in two places at once. On the one hand, he could feel his body, still lying on the pavement with Fred and Kennedy leaning over him, worried faces asking if he was okay. But on the other hand, he was somewhere else... it was dark, and then it wasn't. He was alone, and then he wasn't. He felt something strong, frightening and made of raw power pass through him, making his body tingle and his hair want to stand on end.
"What a rush," he whispered, mouth curving into a small smile.
Lindsey didn't even really notice when Kennedy left, he was still focused inward, on the strange power drawing him out of himself. He saw faces, familiar ones, from his vision. And he saw blood and death and... magic. Red hair like a flame and a wall of pure, shining gold light.
"Binding spell," he whispered, only it wasn't his voice that spoke. It was *her* voice, and yet it was still his voice as well. It was a strange combination of the two that was a harmony of dark and light, man and woman, logic and emotion that blended together to create something new. Something powerful.
Lindsey's eyes snapped open only they weren't his normal brown ones. They were glowing bright silver with tendrils of blue shining through. And he could see *everything* now... the magic that surrounded them all, every second of every day. It was in the air, in the earth, in the people. Everywhere. And it was like somebody had flipped a switch inside of him because not only could he sense it, but he could *use* it.
He felt her surprise when she realized that they both could. And then he felt the smile that stretched across her strawberry-sweet lips. It matched his own.
"I have to go," he said aloud, his voice still not his alone, but that strange, yet indescribable and beautiful mixture of them both.
He tried to stand up, but his legs didn't seem to want to work. One hand reached out on instinct, grabbing onto Fred's shoulder and he met her gaze, eyes silently asking for her help, even though he knew it was a bad idea. But he needed to get to that funeral home *now* and he just wasn't quite making it on his own here.
"Help me?"
~*~*~*~
Back in the funeral home, Willow opened her eyes and looked up at Aidan, a mysterious smile curving across her lips and meeting her silver and blue tinged eyes.
"He's coming," she whispered, like it was the answer they'd been looking for. And maybe it was...
Written by Sonya (Christie/James), Nominated by Erin
----------
She let go of the girl's throat and flipped the stake into her right hand, ready to plunge it into her if she tried to escape. Nikki looked her over. There was nothing obviously different about her, but there must be something. "So what's your role?" she asked her. "Buffy an' Faith have that super-strength thing, Izzy throws fireballs an' mindzaps people t' death... what d' you do f'r him?" She paused. "Or are y' just his sex-toy?"
Cordelia met the girl's stare with a defiant one of her own. She might be at the girl's mercy, she might have even meeped a few times in recent history, but neither of those facts meant that she had to bow and scrape.
"No, I'm just his cheating whore of an ex-girlfriend. Cordelia Chase. Lovely to meet you. And you are? It's gotta be something like Helga the Destroyer since you're hooked up with the vampire crew. Tell me, when did you lose your soul, because I've still got mine, and it will be shoe shopping long after you're dust."
Written by Nick/Erin, Nominated by Red
-----------
As she saw the battle start, Carla jumped up and backed away. Had everyone gone mad, fighting each other when some poor girl was lying dead not feet away from them? Feeling the door behind her, she tore her eyes away from the scene and left through it. She wasn't supposed to be here anyway, so she certainly didn't want to stay now.
As she stepped outside though and saw Drusilla's car, she wondered where her new friend was. She couldn't have been caught up in the violence... could she? Carla hesitated, wondering whether to go back in and see if Drusilla was there or stay out here where it was safe. Maybe Drusilla had already got out? But if so, where was she?
Her indecision was forgotten though as she heard a pair of doors snap back hard somewhere behind her. Someone else was coming out. Running around the corner of the building, she hid there, peering out to see who it was.
(( Aidan pushed through the doors and down the hall. Outside was his next stop. When he got there, he dropped Willow, head first, to the sidewalk.
"There," he muttered. "Get out of my way and stay out." ))
Carla's eyes widened as the man Drusilla said was her friend dumped someone on the gravel. The red hair gave the victim away as the girl that was standing closest to the coffin. What was going on? Who was he?
(( "I'll send some of my boys out to deal with you all special like," Aidan told her with a grin. ))
Carla didn't like the sound of that, not at all. His voice was all menacing, like a B-movie villain's. She could only imagine what 'special' meant, and none of her ideas were pleasant.
(( Sticking his head into the funeral home, Aidan yelled. Three vamps, all bruisers, came at his bidding. ))
Carla almost yelped as three more men came out, their faces like monsters, all yellow eyes and protruding ridges. What the heck was this? She closed her eyes and pinched herself, hoping it was all just a weird and very vivid dream, but her hopes sank as she opened her eyes again. She should've known. That trick never really worked outside of fiction.
(( "Eat her until she's dead," Aidan ordered, pointing at the crumpled girl on the sidewalk. Then he turned and walked casually back into the funeral home as the three vampires circled Willow with evil glee... ))
*Eat?* "NO!" Carla shouted, rushing out. Then she froze. As two of the vampires turned around and stared evilly at her, she became aware that she'd just done a very silly thing indeed. Letting her caught breath back out, she started backing away. Then remembering something she saw in a cheesy horror movie, she held both of her index fingers out in the sign of a cross.
How stupid did she want to be today? Would that even work in real life? She didn't know what else to do though. As it happened, she didn't get the chance to find out the effectiveness of her finger-cross. When one of the vampires snarled and prepared to leap, another figure burst out...
(( "Now, this isn't very nice." Buffy said to the three big bruisers, "I mean, come on. Eating nice red heads is so against the rules. Now you can all either stake yourselves or we can..."
Before Buffy even had a chance to finish punning one of the vamps rushed her. How rude! Buffy met the vamp with a swift uppercut and kick to the groin, and then plunged the stake into his chest. She watched him turn to dust and 'disappear.' ))
Carla, her hands now down, blinked as the... whatever it was rushed the blonde, then moments later seemed to explode into... whatever. This was quickly moving from the unbelievable to the surreal.
(( "Now about this staking yourself thing, you do all realise I was just kidding right?" Buffy said as the last two rushed towards her, she hoped this was buying Willow enough time to recuperate. If Willow was seriously injured, Aidan was going to die...slowly. And then that vampire girl. ))
As the blonde girl punched and kicked, Carla tore her eyes away as she noticed the red-haired girl moving feebly. She realised as she rushed over that she was taking her life into her hands, but she had to get the girl away from them. Call her a sucker for someone in need.
Wrapping her arms around the girl, Carla half-pulled, half-dragged the limp weight away from the fight. She almost fell down beside her though as she bumped into something not twenty feet away. Whipping around with a fright, she furrowed her brow as she saw nothing there. Holding out her hand though, she felt something blocking their way. Experimentally she knocked...
An invisible wall??? This *was* a B-movie and a totally bogus one at that. Looking down, she saw the girl's eyes fluttering open. "Um... hi" she said lamely. She was well aware of how this sounded, but she had to ask. "Er... you don't know how to get through an invisible wall by any chance... do you?"
Written by Nick, Nominated by Erin
-----------
The beast made her way across the desert, the fire before had scared her on an instinctual level. Now though the moon pulled at her. The moon woke the heat in her blood. It tugged at her soul. Thoughts shifted through her mind that where not her own. She would be judge tonight, as nature had created her kind to be. Some predator would be pray tonight. She ran, her body had taken on the mid form. She saw lights ahead, smelled diesel, smoke, human flesh and a mixture of other things. Something here called to her darker self. She almost felt the surface thoughts of a man. A killer and rapist, who was on the prowl.
In the dinner of the truck shop the waitress shivered when she heard a howl in the darkness beyond the man made lights. " Fells like something walked over my grave," the woman said to a customer. The man shrugged, " Coyotes or dogs." The woman frowned," Yeah, Coyotes."
She made her way through the buildings of the motel, he had a woman pinned to the wall. She had a gash in her throat and her body was broken and bleeding. The beast could sense the decay that was death already creeping for for the victim. He had hurt her beyond repair. His thoughts where clear and sharp. He had done this many times, and just left the bodies in the desert. No one ever found them. No one really cared, they where just hitchhikers.
He didn't fell it as she charged from behind and barreled in to him with all her weight, claws digging in. She heard the snap of his spine and the woman's ribs breaking. At least the woman would be a peice now. She would be the woman's vengeance. The only noise the man made was a girgle, one of his lungs must be crushed.
The beast grabbed the man by the throat and drug him past the buildings. Taking him back out in to the darkness.
When she was done with it there wasn't much left to identify. The coyotes and strays would take care of most of it, scattering the remains. The beast let out a long deep howl, that echoed through the night. The cainines who heard her wined and hid, they knew.
She had paid homage to nature to her kind. Now she could enjoy the moon and run. So she did marking her new hunting grounds as she did so.
Written by Red, Nominated by Erin