World of Darkness

Trapped in a world of darkness

Cold and Restless am I

A pawn in the creator's game of chess;

And when the Master begins to sigh

All at once I am at nigh.

I am left without a heart

All that's left is just a shell

Never was one from the start

From the Master's hand I did fell,

To the land where tears shall always well.

Out of hell his creatures lumber

With evil, his eyes glow red like the sun

Now I meet my eternal slumber

The Master's game has now been won

And my suffering at last is done.

The train was late; there was no doubt about that. Anastasia stood alone on the platform with her giant trunk as the rain came pouring down. It plastered her dark red hair to her face as water dripped down her neck and spine. A chilly September breeze whipped out of the North pricking at her skin. It was unusually cold for this time of year.

"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day," she sang softly to herself.

However, the rain did not go away. It simply kept falling harder, making the world seem drearier by the moment.

"If only," she sighed. The train had arrived. She dragged her trunk across the platform, no thanks to the conductor. He just starred at her impatiently with cold, hard eyes.

"Come along missy, we haven't got all day," the conductor snapped in an irritated manner.

Anastasia whipped her head to glare at him. She spoke with frosty sarcasm, each word as if it had been chipped out of ice, "My sincerest of apologies, dear Sir. My trunk is nearly too heavy for me to carry. If only there was a strong man around to help me!"

The conductor simply ignored her.

Anastasia scowled fiercely, "Rude, Americans." She dragged her trunk the last few meters to the old fashioned locomotive.

"ALL ABOARD!" the conductor called out.

Anastasia whirled around in exasperation, "I'm the only one on the whole train, wasn't that slightly unnecessary?" she muttered. She saucily dropped her trunk on the floor and slumped into a seat.

The train whirred to life, and soon the scenery was rolling by. Without transition from day to night, it was suddenly completely dark. The cloudy sky covered any hope of the moon or stars appearing, as on it rained. Bolts of lightening briefly lighting the sky accompanied by rumbles of thunder. Time seemed to go by at unusually fast pass and the train stopped in what seemed just after it started. Anastasia dragged her trunk off the train.

"Good night, Sir," Anastasia said to the conductor trying her best to be civil toward him. The conductor merely sneered back at her.

She was out in the rain again, waiting for her ride to her uncle's house.

After what seemed like forever, a horse drawn carriage appeared in the distance. The driver took his sweet time pulling the carriage up to her, not that it mattered; she was already soaked through.

However, the driver of the carriage was much more of a gentleman than the train conductor. He not only took Anastasia's trunk, but he also helped her into the carriage, lifting her effortlessly, as though she weighed nothing.

Once again, she went off into the night, gliding through complete darkness, as rain drummed upon the canvas roof of the carriage. The carriage carried Anastasia through Albany and her outskirts, to the towns and villages and then they ceased. A mile and a half from the nearest town, the giant house loomed, dark and mysterious.

The driver lifted her down from the carriage and returned her trunk to her. She paid him several gold coins and made her way to the house. She pounded on the great doors, and to her surprise, they creaked open. She timidly stepped into the house.

"Uncle Julian," she called out into the eerie silence. "I've arrived!" Her voice echoed throughout the immense parlor and died away to nothing. The giant door slammed shut behind her, crashing loudly and then returning to silence. The only sound now was the water dripping from Anastasia's hair onto the tile floor. An uneasy feeling fell upon her as the water splashed on the ground. She pulled her damp jacket close to herself as the room held a dead chill.

"Hello Anastasia, I see you have finally arrived," said a deep voice at the top of the grand staircase.

"Oh, Uncle Julian!" she cried rushing toward his voice in the darkness.

"Anastasia, I was so worried about you. I expected you long ago. Praise the Lord that you are all right!"

Wait a minute, 'Praise the Lord that you are all right." Uncle Julian would never say that, he doesn't believe in God. He wouldn't want to give anyone the credit of being more powerful than himself. And Uncle Julian doesn't worry, or at least he wouldn't admit it if he did, much less worry about me, he hates me," Anastasia thought.

She recoiled from the voice, but it was too late, she was already in its clutches. "Oh yes, Anastasia, I've been waiting for you," it whispered. Its eyes glowed red, as its hot breath swept her across her face. It drew her in with long talons and inhuman strength.

"Now my dear, I have a secret for you. I killed you parents, and now I've come to finish the job. You can only escape me once my dear."

It released its talons from her blouse sending her flying over the staircase. Her eyes widened as the tile floor came closer and closer. A piercing scream shattered the silence of the dark night.