Creative Writing: Short Stories - Mel Nichols (red seas under red skies .txt) 📗

air and groan in exasperation. Not long after, I started wanting the bottle to land on us and I was continually disappointed when the bottle missed us.
And then the spell broke. The bottle landed right on me.
“Alright!” Courtni shouted and I sighed in relief.
“Kane and Desiree,” She started our dare, since she was the one who had spun the bottle. “ I dare you…” She looked around and pointed at a closet. “To lock yourselves in there for ten minutes.”
The crowd of players made noises and Kane shrugged and stood, holding out a hand for me. I took it and Kane helped me to my feet. Still holding hands, we walked to the closet. Kane tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge.
“Its locked. What do you want me to do, Desiree?”
Hearing him say my name, I zoned out.
Desiree…Desiree…Desiree. I heard his voice calling my name in my head and it sounded sexy yet smooth, soft as puffy clouds and down feathers in a pillow. It strongly reminded me of honey.
“Well…A dare’s a dare. Just keep trying.” I heard myself say, as if from a distance. I was still dazed from Kane finally saying my name.
He nodded and tried the door again, and again and again. Finally, he grabbed the knob with both hands, widened his stance and pulled hard. The door flew open, shards of wood cutting my cheek as Kane flew backward a bit with the force of the door being released so suddenly. He quickly regained his composure and balance as I turned to the closet then I froze…and screamed. Inside the closet, there were two rotting bodies, one male and one female, dressed very elegantly despite the clothes they had died in were colorless rags now, torn and shredded in places. Kane was immediately at my side and he supported me while my knees turned to water and crumpled under me. I heard Kane curse before he picked me up gently. He took me back to the group, asking for someone’s phone and took me outside.
By now, I was starting to freak. I shook violently and sobs wracked my body as the tears tumbled down my face.
Kane sat in his car and put me on his lap while he dialed the local police. He quickly finished, closed the phone and held me against his chest, whispering words that should have soothed me had I been able to hear them over the sound of my crying.
By the time the police arrived, I was calm again. Well, mostly. Naturally, Prom was canceled,t he two bodies were removed and the investigation began. Kane and I gave our reports to the police and then we were allowed to go home.
After that night, Kane and I grew close. We dated and eventually married.
Before long, the bodies were identified as Cheryl McAllister and Bobby Prebay. They had obviously gone missing last year and they had supposedly run away together. They were juniors at the time of their deaths, two people whose love had soured where it had once blossomed. As it turns out, their friends had made them play the same version of Truth or Dare we had played. They were dared to stay in that closet until they made up and loved again but the girl who had the key got swept up in the joys of Prom by dancing with her boyfriend and completely forgot about the lovers locked in the closet. Cheryl and Bobby died of suffocation the next day.

Bloody Hell

Dante sat back against a tree to watch his sister enjoy the meal they had caught together. When she noticed he hadn’t joined her, she turned to him.
“You want to share, Dante? There’s plenty for both of us.”
“You know I don’t like blood, Vanie.”
Vanessa winced at the reminder.
“Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot.”
“It’s okay.” Dante replied then lithely jumped up to land on a tree branch. As his twin sister ate, he relaxed into his favorite resting position.
What kind of vampire am I, one who hates drinking blood. I am the weirdest vampire ever without a doubt!

When his sister detached from the kill, he jumped down and , without a word, they raced back home together but Dante stopped in his tracks when he heard a blood-curdling scream of terror that definitely feminine.
He immediately changed course and ran as fast as he could in the direction from which the scream came. Not long later, the air became drenched with the scent of her fear and the scents of her attackers.
Suppressing a violent growl, he leapt on top of the nearest building, trotted on all fours like his animal side often does and looked down into the alley below.
The woman, a young lady of about eighteen, was backed up against the opposite the one Dante was perched on, surrounded by eight men, who closed in on the woman slowly. Her hands bled profusely and she had a bleeding gash on her neck. But what really infuriated Dante was the gun one of the assailants held, fully loaded and ready for use. Then a breeze kicked up, bringing their scents to him. What he smelled made him growl openly and, throwing caution to the wind, he snarled loudly like the lion his sister often compared him to.
Instantly, all nine people looked at him terror and confusion.
Dante snarled at the men “Leave her alone!” and jumped down, landing with a loud ‘Bam’ as his weight cracked the concrete beneath his feet.
The men laughed among themselves and seven of the eight approached him while the one with the gun grabbed the woman by hair and held the gun to her head.
Dante saw this but rushed toward one of the attackers, snarling. He grabbed the poor soul and, with one hand, decapitated him in one powerful swipe.
One down, seven to go.
The dead assailant’s friends all stopped in their tracks in complete shock. One turned and ran but Dante couldn’t let him leave. He leapt, landed on the man’s back, sending him sprawling. Dante held on as the man tumbled to the ground and clomped him on the back of his head, instantly killing him, even ripping off a good portion of his skull.
Two down, six to go.
After dispatching the second victim, Dante whirled around to face the rest of the pack and charged forward, killing two in one blow by snapping their necks.
Four down, four to go.
Dante didn’t hesitate in his attacks. He leapt forward, bit one unfortunate man in his throat and literally ripped his gullet out using only his teeth. He fell to the floor, gurgling and clutching his throat as he writhed in agony and blood pooled around him.
Five down, three to go.
From the two remaining of the original seven, one stepped forward and did some Ninja-looking moves that was meant to look intimidating. Dante wasn’t impressed or intimidated. He stood, in a ‘You’re kidding me, right?’ posture then grabbed him by the shoulders and hurled fifty feet down the alleyway and into the street…just as a big Semi truck came by.
Six down, two to go.
The last one was killed all too simply. All Dante had to do was slam his cupped palms against his opponent’s ears at the same time and powerfully. Well, he must have hit him too hard because his skull exploded.
Seven down, one to go.
Now, only the holding the young woman captive remained.
After a tense several seconds of Dante staring at his last opponent, he stepped forward. Just a single step was needed. He let go of his captive and took a step away but then it was too late. As Dante took control of the young lady’s captor’s mind, he stepped toward the woman and knelt beside her but she squirmed away, terrified of him.
“No, no, no. Please don’t be afraid. I’m here to help you. Please, “ He held out his hand, every molecule of his being turned soft and gentle instead of the gruesome monster she had just witnessed him releasing. “We need to leave. Umm…I’m Dante. What’s your name?”
Hesitantly, the girl took his hand but he could tell she was afraid.
“Tia.” She whispered.
“Tia. That’s a beautiful name. You're hurt.” Her hands had not escaped his notice.
“Oh yeah. I punched one of them and I started bleeding. I bleed easily so its no big deal.”
He brought her hand to his lips and licked the scratches, which healed instantly.
“Come, I know a place where you can wash up.”
Gently, he led her away while behind them, the last of her attackers jumped from the roof and landed head first.
Eight down, zero to go.

Batty

Paying no attention to the movie, I leaned against my husband Daniel’s chest, hoping he’d pay more attention to me than his favorite film.
Even though we’re married, it really doesn’t feel like it, particularly in the last few months and I was rather desperate for some

indication he still cared about me.
When his arm enfolded me, I was quite content to sit with him but then my womanly instincts kicked in. I tried to ignore it, waiting until the scene where the two love interests started making romantic overtures so I could so some romancing of my own.
It started out subtle, almost hesitant, at first but Daniel responded just as subtly until I kissed him.
The heat turned up quite quickly but I grew a bit distracted, to my horror. I heard an insistent squeak and fluttering and it unnerved me.
I tried so hard to forget about it and focus on Daniel but I just couldn’t.
“Danny. I’m sorry, honey, but something’s making noise and it’s irritating me. Can you please check it out?”
“In a minute.” He griped and kissed me again, trying to bring the romantic mood back. I let him but the trance was broken by the same squeak.
“Danny, please.”
Instead of answering, he tried to kiss me again but I flew off the couch before he could.
“Fine. I will, then.” I said and marched upstairs.
I followed the sound into the bedroom but I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary so I turned to leave but then I heard it again…Right above my head.