7A hint of shounen-ai won't scare you away will it?
Corrupted Sanctuary
S'cyre Lecareixz
Edited by: The Lunatic
Amidst the moonless night, he dared to walk the shady streets that wereuntainted by the silver of light or gold of electricity. He heard there were things in the night, horrendous, unspeakable things…
But he scoffed running a hand through his jet black hair with his peridot-like eyes narrowed in a smirk to himself, "Who would ever believe in that shit?"
Well, he most certainly did not, this boy of no more than thirteen, undaunted by the howls of haunting gales, and he went on with his walk. He passed a narrow alley, his hands at the back of his head, accidentally kicking a tin can. It gave a dull clang, and the boy recognized it had not hit against the wall or any other thing. It had hit someone.
The boy could have sworn an angry hiss emanated from the shadows… He could actually feel something coming close to him.
A cold shiver ran down his spine upon hearing the sound. Though he believed it was nothing at all, he knew there was something there, something not at all nice. He swallowed and made a run for it to the other street, only stopping when he reached the opposite sidewalk of the street.
He panted, having run too frantically for his own good. He stared back at the alley; it was somehow darker than it was before he entered. He shuddered at the thought and sight of the darkness that seemed as if though it was crawling on the ground, seeping slowly… moving and… and talking.
The blackness seemed to rise from the asphalt ground, towering over the boy who could merely gape at the shadow.
He tried walking backwards, desperately wanting to get away from it. It was just so… ghastly… Like thousands of the horrendous faces of corrupted souls stitched into a black cloth, moaning at him, screeching, hissing, mocking him as it came closer and closer.
The boy tripped on something and fell backwards. Now he was in for it… He screamed for someone, anyone, the pure terror in his voice so lucid, but he knew it was meant for vain… No one dared to go out at night… Now he believed… and how he wished he could have stayed home, dealt with all the arguing, without even thinking of going out for a walk…
Tears welled up in his eyes as the shadow seemed to be circling around him. He gathered enough courage to jump up and run past the dark.
It didn't hurt him when he ran, though he felt extremely cold inside, hearing a disturbing sound of deep anger, which only made him more and more horrified and he ran as fast as he could, commanding his legs to take him as far from that street and alley and only when he reached the playground in the park did he fall to the ground, breathing fast, feeling quite safe. He had always thought of the playground as his sanctuary.
When he had gulped in enough air he clambered to his feet, eyeing an empty swing, beside the lamppost. He would go here everyday after school with his friends to talk even though they were well over their toddler years, every time his parents were arguing their tonsils out at home. He couldn't explain why exactly, but maybe it was just the serenity of the place.
A cold wind moaned suddenly, making the boy stand from his seat. He didn't like the sound of the breeze.
For a moment everything was silent, but slowly the sound of children playing faded in. That was bad enough, but no amount of preparation could ever give him the stomach for whatever came after the voices.
Skeletons… Children's skeletons…
He could barely contain his utmost dread when he saw them but was unable to shriek in fear… he just couldn't.
They danced and laughed as if they were normal beings. Only they hardly looked normal, even for skeletons. Only they hardly looked normal, even for skeletons. Some looked like they were cleaned carefully. Others looked so brittle and brown, like they'd break with the slightest touched. Though, most looked bloody, like the incarnadine had already dried into them, sticking for eternity.
The adolescent stayed still, frozen as he watched the skeletons; they were playing a game of some sort, chanting some sort of nursery rhyme while dancing in a circle. They seemed to have not noticed him at all.
"The Red Lord is kind to us tonight!
He let us out much to our delight!
He takes little children like us!
And off with their heads if they ever make a fuss!
"He goes 'round to slay!
Just like a game to play!
Although he may seem grim and gloomy!
We're so sure he's still quite a loony!
"Oh no! Oh no!
Here he comes, we must go!
Before he kills us all once more!
And we bid each other bye-bye before turning to the door!"
He shivered at the lyrics of the song and wondered how the skeletal children could sing it so… lightheartedly, as if was really just a game.
"Hello…." said a chilling voice from behind him, making the boy turn his back on the children to face whoever had spoken, but he saw no one was there.
"Right here…" the voice said.
He spun to the left swiftly, frantic. "Wh-who are you!?" he said in a pathetically stuttering voice to the silhouette of a man, casually seated on a slide where the lone lamppost light couldn't seem to reach.
"Will my name even matter to you…?" the man said in the same icy voice with hint of sarcasm, rising from his seat. He approached the boy slowly, "After I'm through with you… I think not."
The boy was left horrified with the words the man had said, "Th-through w-w-with me?! Wh-what the h-hell do you mean?!" He walked backwards as the man got nearer and nearer.
The man stepped into the light, revealing his dreadfully pale face, long blood-red and black hair, flowing loosely like a bloody river and his crimson eyes and scarlet lips, both thinned into the makings of a smirk.
He was the Red Lord… The Red Lord in the chant. The boy already knew it upon looking at him. But still he couldn't quite comprehend why this 'Red Lord' looked so… gorgeous.
"Through with you… for dinner." he said relishing at both expressions the boy gave when he saw him and when he finished the sentence.
The teenager went pale and speechless with fright. He stared at the man with widened eyes filled with more and more fear and a hint of disbelief. "N-no…No!" was the only thing he could utter. The thought of himself being eaten didn't quite register as properly.
The Red Lord produced a knife from his sleeve and grabbed the thirteen-year-old by the neck, bringing the boy near him, licking the boy's cheek almost erotically, trailing his tongue until he reached the boy's ear, "My name…" he said in barely a whisper, "Is… Ledgemn..." And he dug the knife, deep into the teen's heart and let him drop to the soft grass.
Ledgemn smiled and started skinning the boy, starting with the base of his neck, slowly, skillfully.
When he finished, he grabbed the mutilated body to his mouth, bit into the sinew of the teen's arm and started to chew, reveling in the softness and sweetness human flesh had to offer.
Two days and two nights had passed since then…No one ever thought of him since that night.
His family and friends didn't notice he was gone.
…Did he even exist in the first place?
No one truly remembered, though maybe slightly, by his close friends or family. The people who knew him well enough. But it was only when they were actually at the playground just before sunset, when his favorite swing would rock back and forth regardless of the wind.
And sometimes they could hear his faint voice chanting a particularly haunting song.
The Red Lord is kind to us tonight
He let me out much, to our delight
He takes little children like us
And off with their heads if they ever make a fuss
He goes 'round to slay
Just like a game to play
Although he may seem grim and gloomy
We're so sure he's still quite a loony
Oh no! Oh no!
Here he comes, we must go!
Before he kills us all once more
And we bid each other bye-bye before turning to the door.
I actually scared myself with the skeleton parts. >>;;
Comments appreciated greatly and though this is ONE SHOT decisions like these are never final XD there might be even more on The Red Lord, so just keep a look out. )