Mari Miniatt's Blog, page 4
February 22, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 20 Part 2
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
A young girl had been trussed up inside the wall. She was barely alive. Her arms stretched out, her mouth bound, and she had been stripped of any clothes. She could not have been older than twelve.
Steopa turned his head. Teodor reached up to the girl's wrist. She had been bound up with barbed wire. Amanda stifled a cry behind him.
"She is very close to death," Steopa said in a very low voice.
The girl's eyes were vacant. She did not even know they were there.
"Amanda, check the outer door," Teodor said.
"Teodor?"
"Just do it."
Amanda walked away. Teodor nodded. Steopa slit the girl's throat with his claws.
"Can you do anything for her?" Amanda asked, across the room.
"She's gone," Teodor said.
He glanced at Steopa. Steopa wiped the blood off his fingers before Amanda saw.
"They harm children." Steopa said, his eyes turned red.
Teodor nodded.
"Death will come fast for them."
Teodor heard Amanda take in a shuddering breath. He turned around. "It had to be done."
Amanda nodded.
"They know we are here," Steopa said.
"No need to sneak in," Teodor said.
Amanda howled. She ran out the door. Teodor caught up with her on the street. Amanda had her nose down on the street, following a scent.
Teodor caught the scent as well, TJ's scent. The scent was old, but strong enough to follow. The path went straight to the old cider warehouse. Shadows darkened along the sides of the street. Teodor glanced up, Steopa had not gone to the roof. Teodor glanced around and saw Steopa between two buildings.
Amanda nipped Teodor's back leg. He spun around. Amanda nudged him. Teodor saw the shadows creep over the ground and come closer to them. Teodor yipped and ran. Amanda took off with him. She pressed on ahead. The icy chill of the shadows hit the back of Teodor's leg. Teodor ran forward. He shook off the shadow's grip. Amanda yipped again. The shadows flowed over her.
Steopa appeared in the shadows, he roared. He flung his arms around. The shadows moved away.
"Go!" he shouted.
Teodor ran. Amanda stumbled and righted herself. The cider warehouse loomed a few yards ahead. Teodor jumped. He hit a wall.
He could not see the wall. Teodor skidded on the street and picked himself up. Amanda stopped herself in time. She was sniffed the ground. Hitting the invisible barrier with her shoulders. Steopa came up to the barrier. He slammed his fist against it.
"Cowards!" he yelled.
Teodor looked around, there were no trees around. "What could we throw?"
The shadows bubbled up behind them. Amanda turned around and growled. Steopa felt along the invisible wall, glancing over his shoulder at the shadows. Teodor growled. The shadows were becoming solid.
He saw a concrete formed garbage can along the street. He ran up to it and tried to lifted it on his shoulder. Steopa grabbed it out of Teodor's hand and threw it into the barrier. The can sailed through. Steopa jumped after it. Amanda bounded inside. Teodor jumped and hit the barrier. It hadn't closed all the way. He had to scramble through the closing hole. The tip of his foot got caught. Steopa yanked him into the barrier.
The shadows hit the barrier and could not enter. Teodor smiled. "Let's find them."
He heard breathing and heartbeats on the inside of the cider warehouse. Amanda sniffed around the ground, as the shadows pressed themselves against the barrier and flowed upwards.
TJ's scent became stronger and sharper. Fear. Teodor followed the scent until he found a door.
Steopa joined him. "I might not be able to enter," he said.
"I'll make someone invite you in," Teodor said.
Steopa struck the door. It broke the door frame and crashed inwards. Steopa stepped inside and nodded to Teodor. Amanda followed a few feet behind.
"They got the hammer," the voice belonged to the man that had attacked them by the blood store.
"Hurry! They got through that other barrier," another man said. This voice had a slight southern twang to it.
Amanda patted off down a side hallway. Steopa motioned to Teodor to take another. Teodor sniffed the floor.
They were in the office part of the warehouse. Down the main hall, would be the entrance to the cider floor. The place reeked of apples and vinegar. Teodor sniffed, keeping his ear trained to he conversation.
"TJ," the southerner said. "You should have kept your mouth shut."
"That vampire killed my girl in front of me!" TJ screamed. "I was scared."
"You weren't scared. You will be."
Teodor found a window at the top of a doorway. In his hybrid form it wasn't hard for him to look through the broken glass. The scene on the main store floor, could have chilled Teodor, but he had seen his brothers 'playing' the same way.
TJ had been bound in the center of the room. His hand tied to a hook that hung from the ceiling on a rusted chain. His naked body already shown signs of some torture. Fresh burn marks on his chest. The skin on his back had been lacerated by a whip.
A slender man, not much larger than Teodor when he was in his human form, uncoiled a whip. The barbs were tinged with blood. "I seem to remember, Bobby, that we told his one not to speak to anyone," the slender man said. He had the southern accent.
Peter? Teodor thought.
The large dark haired man, the same one that had attacked them in the other building, grinned and laid down a large ornate knife on a table. "I remember that too."
"You told them," Peter said. "You get to stop them."
TJ gasped, then cried out. "How?"
Peter chuckled and snapped the whip. "A little more blood from you, boy, and we can call her here."
"NO!" TJ screamed.
A young girl had been trussed up inside the wall. She was barely alive. Her arms stretched out, her mouth bound, and she had been stripped of any clothes. She could not have been older than twelve.
Steopa turned his head. Teodor reached up to the girl's wrist. She had been bound up with barbed wire. Amanda stifled a cry behind him.
"She is very close to death," Steopa said in a very low voice.
The girl's eyes were vacant. She did not even know they were there.
"Amanda, check the outer door," Teodor said.
"Teodor?"
"Just do it."
Amanda walked away. Teodor nodded. Steopa slit the girl's throat with his claws.
"Can you do anything for her?" Amanda asked, across the room.
"She's gone," Teodor said.
He glanced at Steopa. Steopa wiped the blood off his fingers before Amanda saw.
"They harm children." Steopa said, his eyes turned red.
Teodor nodded.
"Death will come fast for them."
Teodor heard Amanda take in a shuddering breath. He turned around. "It had to be done."
Amanda nodded.
"They know we are here," Steopa said.
"No need to sneak in," Teodor said.
Amanda howled. She ran out the door. Teodor caught up with her on the street. Amanda had her nose down on the street, following a scent.
Teodor caught the scent as well, TJ's scent. The scent was old, but strong enough to follow. The path went straight to the old cider warehouse. Shadows darkened along the sides of the street. Teodor glanced up, Steopa had not gone to the roof. Teodor glanced around and saw Steopa between two buildings.
Amanda nipped Teodor's back leg. He spun around. Amanda nudged him. Teodor saw the shadows creep over the ground and come closer to them. Teodor yipped and ran. Amanda took off with him. She pressed on ahead. The icy chill of the shadows hit the back of Teodor's leg. Teodor ran forward. He shook off the shadow's grip. Amanda yipped again. The shadows flowed over her.
Steopa appeared in the shadows, he roared. He flung his arms around. The shadows moved away.
"Go!" he shouted.
Teodor ran. Amanda stumbled and righted herself. The cider warehouse loomed a few yards ahead. Teodor jumped. He hit a wall.
He could not see the wall. Teodor skidded on the street and picked himself up. Amanda stopped herself in time. She was sniffed the ground. Hitting the invisible barrier with her shoulders. Steopa came up to the barrier. He slammed his fist against it.
"Cowards!" he yelled.
Teodor looked around, there were no trees around. "What could we throw?"
The shadows bubbled up behind them. Amanda turned around and growled. Steopa felt along the invisible wall, glancing over his shoulder at the shadows. Teodor growled. The shadows were becoming solid.
He saw a concrete formed garbage can along the street. He ran up to it and tried to lifted it on his shoulder. Steopa grabbed it out of Teodor's hand and threw it into the barrier. The can sailed through. Steopa jumped after it. Amanda bounded inside. Teodor jumped and hit the barrier. It hadn't closed all the way. He had to scramble through the closing hole. The tip of his foot got caught. Steopa yanked him into the barrier.
The shadows hit the barrier and could not enter. Teodor smiled. "Let's find them."
He heard breathing and heartbeats on the inside of the cider warehouse. Amanda sniffed around the ground, as the shadows pressed themselves against the barrier and flowed upwards.
TJ's scent became stronger and sharper. Fear. Teodor followed the scent until he found a door.
Steopa joined him. "I might not be able to enter," he said.
"I'll make someone invite you in," Teodor said.
Steopa struck the door. It broke the door frame and crashed inwards. Steopa stepped inside and nodded to Teodor. Amanda followed a few feet behind.
"They got the hammer," the voice belonged to the man that had attacked them by the blood store.
"Hurry! They got through that other barrier," another man said. This voice had a slight southern twang to it.
Amanda patted off down a side hallway. Steopa motioned to Teodor to take another. Teodor sniffed the floor.
They were in the office part of the warehouse. Down the main hall, would be the entrance to the cider floor. The place reeked of apples and vinegar. Teodor sniffed, keeping his ear trained to he conversation.
"TJ," the southerner said. "You should have kept your mouth shut."
"That vampire killed my girl in front of me!" TJ screamed. "I was scared."
"You weren't scared. You will be."
Teodor found a window at the top of a doorway. In his hybrid form it wasn't hard for him to look through the broken glass. The scene on the main store floor, could have chilled Teodor, but he had seen his brothers 'playing' the same way.
TJ had been bound in the center of the room. His hand tied to a hook that hung from the ceiling on a rusted chain. His naked body already shown signs of some torture. Fresh burn marks on his chest. The skin on his back had been lacerated by a whip.
A slender man, not much larger than Teodor when he was in his human form, uncoiled a whip. The barbs were tinged with blood. "I seem to remember, Bobby, that we told his one not to speak to anyone," the slender man said. He had the southern accent.
Peter? Teodor thought.
The large dark haired man, the same one that had attacked them in the other building, grinned and laid down a large ornate knife on a table. "I remember that too."
"You told them," Peter said. "You get to stop them."
TJ gasped, then cried out. "How?"
Peter chuckled and snapped the whip. "A little more blood from you, boy, and we can call her here."
"NO!" TJ screamed.
February 15, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 20 Part 1
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
After the sun went down, they left the base. Amanda stopped at a small corner store and bought all the salt she could find. Steopa raised his eyebrow when he saw the bag.
"Salt?" he asked.
"It seems to be the only thing that works," Amanda said.
Steopa shrugged.
The only lead they had was the old Vaness Cider warehouse. The cider warehouse was one of the larger buildings in the dock area. Half of the building sat over the river. That part was falling into the river.
As they turned onto the street that lead straight to the warehouse, Steopa paused.
"Something is strange here," Steopa said.
Teodor sniffed. He couldn't smell anything unusual. Steopa has never been wrong before, he thought.
"What?" Teodor asked.
"We are being watched," Steopa said. He faded into the shadows.
Teodor glanced at Amanda. She changed into the hybrid. Teodor did the same. The people they were looking for knew what they were, there was no reason to hide now.
Steopa took off and on to the top of the nearby buildings. Teodor stayed in the middle of the street, but Amanda stayed along the side. He could feel it now. There was the feeling of being watched. Teodor glanced around, nothing could be seen.
He sniffed the air. There were people nearby. Teodor could not tell how many. The human smells were strong, stronger than they were in the city. That was strange.
The snow blew along the street in swirling eddies. The smell of the crisp, clean snow wiped the smell of the humans from Teodor's nose for a moment. When the wind died down, the human smell came back.
There was blood, sweat, urine, shit, vomit, and sex, all mixed up. Teodor's stomach turned. Hospitals did not smell this bad. Amanda whined.
Teodor turned his head to look. She scratched at a door. Teodor joined her. The smell was the strongest here. He glanced up at the roofs. Steopa was still above them, a faint silhouette in the dark night. Teodor motioned with his head, that he was going in. Steopa nodded.
This building was not the cider warehouse. That was still looming down at the end of the street. This looked like a nondescript storage warehouse. The windows were boarded up. The boards heldt in place with shiny screws. These buildings had been abandoned for years, but the wood on the windows was new.
Teodor hooked his claw on the door handle and twisted it. The door creaked open. The smell hit him like a wall. The room on the other side of the door was empty, but the stench was strong. A human could smell this, Teodor thought.
The room was large. There were winches and pulleys, that ran along tracks, on the ceiling. One of the ropes hung down near the door, a large hook was attached to the end of it. The hook was stained, a rusty brown color, but it was not rust. Teodor ran his claw along the hook.
Steopa landed in front of them, his feet hit the ground without a sound. He pointed to a room that was off to the side. Teodor walked over to it. The smell of blood made him drool. Steopa opened the door.
It was a storage room, full of old metal milk pails. The tall ones that the farmers had used to send their milk to the diary, ages ago. Steopa opened one and grimaced. Teodor could smell it. Blood, very old blood, almost rancid.
"Who needs this much?" Steopa asked.
Amanda stood at the entrance of the room, not coming any closer. "It's human, right?" She asked.
Both Steopa and Teodor nodded.
"Mainly human," Teodor said, "But I smell dog and cat as well."
"This is a waste," Steopa said.
Amanda glared at him.
"Bilge said they were dark mages," Teodor said.
"Human sacrifice?" Steopa asked.
"Then they must have a place they do the killing," Navaroo said.
Amanda shook. "I don't think I can go on."
Steopa scoffed. Teodor turned to her. "Think about Trucker, do you want him to end up here?"
"You are a real bitch," Steopa said.
Amanda growled.
"He's right," Teodor said.
Amanda shook her head and turned around. She yelped.
Teodor spun around. Amanda laid on the ground, trying to get back up. A large man was standing over her. He had a silver hammer in his hand. Teodor and Steopa both took a step towards him.
"Don't you dare," the man said, "I'll hit her again."
Steopa moved forward. Teodor held his arm out to stop Steopa. The large man smiled. His shaggy black hair covered most of his face. "That was too easy."
Steopa nodded. "You are correct."
Teodor dropped his hand. Steopa blurred and stood behind the man, before the large man could turn his head. Steopa struck the man in the back of the head. It should have crushed the man's skull. It should have killed the man instantly. But the man's head jerked forward from the impact, but he did not fall.
Amanda bit the man's leg. She pulled her mouth away and howled. The man raised the hammer again. Steopa grabbed the hammer out of the man's hand and struck the man with it.
What the hell? Teodor thought. This man is not going down. Teodor ran and tackled the man. When he wrapped his arms around the man, he could feel why. The man was not really there. Teodor fell through the man, and knocked Steopa over.
The man disappeared.
Teodor jumped up. "I am sick of these ghosts!"
Amanda rolled over, blood flowed down the back of her head. The wound from the silver hammer healed, but not as fast as a wound should. She growled. "I am too."
"They are cowards," Steopa said.
Teodor nodded.
"Is that why they need the blood?" Amanda asked, now sitting back on her haunches.
One of the milk pails fell to the floor and bounced. A small amount of blood remained inside it. A few moments before it had been full. Teodor ran back to the door.
"Their using the blood, storing it," Teodor said. "Like batteries?"
Amanda shook her head, "No, they need the emotions, for their magic, remember?"
"Then why the blood?" Teodor asked.
"Rancid," Steopa said.
"Rancid blood," Teodor shook his head. He reached down and helped Amanda up.
"Necromancy," Steopa said.
Magic that uses the dead, Teodor thought. Dead like a woman that died tragically, or horribly. The kind that would come back and become a story that was told to scare bad kids?
"Then you should be careful," Teodor said.
Steopa was not listening. He turned his head and stared across the floor. Teodor turned his ears to the room. There was faint breathing inside. The breathing was labored and shallow. Teodor fallowed Steopa across the floor.
There were no doors here. Just a wall. Teodor sniffed the wall. He could smell them now. Someone was on the other side. Steopa slammed himself against the wall. The old wood cracked. Steopa and Teodor pulled the wood away. Amanda drew in a breath.
After the sun went down, they left the base. Amanda stopped at a small corner store and bought all the salt she could find. Steopa raised his eyebrow when he saw the bag.
"Salt?" he asked.
"It seems to be the only thing that works," Amanda said.
Steopa shrugged.
The only lead they had was the old Vaness Cider warehouse. The cider warehouse was one of the larger buildings in the dock area. Half of the building sat over the river. That part was falling into the river.
As they turned onto the street that lead straight to the warehouse, Steopa paused.
"Something is strange here," Steopa said.
Teodor sniffed. He couldn't smell anything unusual. Steopa has never been wrong before, he thought.
"What?" Teodor asked.
"We are being watched," Steopa said. He faded into the shadows.
Teodor glanced at Amanda. She changed into the hybrid. Teodor did the same. The people they were looking for knew what they were, there was no reason to hide now.
Steopa took off and on to the top of the nearby buildings. Teodor stayed in the middle of the street, but Amanda stayed along the side. He could feel it now. There was the feeling of being watched. Teodor glanced around, nothing could be seen.
He sniffed the air. There were people nearby. Teodor could not tell how many. The human smells were strong, stronger than they were in the city. That was strange.
The snow blew along the street in swirling eddies. The smell of the crisp, clean snow wiped the smell of the humans from Teodor's nose for a moment. When the wind died down, the human smell came back.
There was blood, sweat, urine, shit, vomit, and sex, all mixed up. Teodor's stomach turned. Hospitals did not smell this bad. Amanda whined.
Teodor turned his head to look. She scratched at a door. Teodor joined her. The smell was the strongest here. He glanced up at the roofs. Steopa was still above them, a faint silhouette in the dark night. Teodor motioned with his head, that he was going in. Steopa nodded.
This building was not the cider warehouse. That was still looming down at the end of the street. This looked like a nondescript storage warehouse. The windows were boarded up. The boards heldt in place with shiny screws. These buildings had been abandoned for years, but the wood on the windows was new.
Teodor hooked his claw on the door handle and twisted it. The door creaked open. The smell hit him like a wall. The room on the other side of the door was empty, but the stench was strong. A human could smell this, Teodor thought.
The room was large. There were winches and pulleys, that ran along tracks, on the ceiling. One of the ropes hung down near the door, a large hook was attached to the end of it. The hook was stained, a rusty brown color, but it was not rust. Teodor ran his claw along the hook.
Steopa landed in front of them, his feet hit the ground without a sound. He pointed to a room that was off to the side. Teodor walked over to it. The smell of blood made him drool. Steopa opened the door.
It was a storage room, full of old metal milk pails. The tall ones that the farmers had used to send their milk to the diary, ages ago. Steopa opened one and grimaced. Teodor could smell it. Blood, very old blood, almost rancid.
"Who needs this much?" Steopa asked.
Amanda stood at the entrance of the room, not coming any closer. "It's human, right?" She asked.
Both Steopa and Teodor nodded.
"Mainly human," Teodor said, "But I smell dog and cat as well."
"This is a waste," Steopa said.
Amanda glared at him.
"Bilge said they were dark mages," Teodor said.
"Human sacrifice?" Steopa asked.
"Then they must have a place they do the killing," Navaroo said.
Amanda shook. "I don't think I can go on."
Steopa scoffed. Teodor turned to her. "Think about Trucker, do you want him to end up here?"
"You are a real bitch," Steopa said.
Amanda growled.
"He's right," Teodor said.
Amanda shook her head and turned around. She yelped.
Teodor spun around. Amanda laid on the ground, trying to get back up. A large man was standing over her. He had a silver hammer in his hand. Teodor and Steopa both took a step towards him.
"Don't you dare," the man said, "I'll hit her again."
Steopa moved forward. Teodor held his arm out to stop Steopa. The large man smiled. His shaggy black hair covered most of his face. "That was too easy."
Steopa nodded. "You are correct."
Teodor dropped his hand. Steopa blurred and stood behind the man, before the large man could turn his head. Steopa struck the man in the back of the head. It should have crushed the man's skull. It should have killed the man instantly. But the man's head jerked forward from the impact, but he did not fall.
Amanda bit the man's leg. She pulled her mouth away and howled. The man raised the hammer again. Steopa grabbed the hammer out of the man's hand and struck the man with it.
What the hell? Teodor thought. This man is not going down. Teodor ran and tackled the man. When he wrapped his arms around the man, he could feel why. The man was not really there. Teodor fell through the man, and knocked Steopa over.
The man disappeared.
Teodor jumped up. "I am sick of these ghosts!"
Amanda rolled over, blood flowed down the back of her head. The wound from the silver hammer healed, but not as fast as a wound should. She growled. "I am too."
"They are cowards," Steopa said.
Teodor nodded.
"Is that why they need the blood?" Amanda asked, now sitting back on her haunches.
One of the milk pails fell to the floor and bounced. A small amount of blood remained inside it. A few moments before it had been full. Teodor ran back to the door.
"Their using the blood, storing it," Teodor said. "Like batteries?"
Amanda shook her head, "No, they need the emotions, for their magic, remember?"
"Then why the blood?" Teodor asked.
"Rancid," Steopa said.
"Rancid blood," Teodor shook his head. He reached down and helped Amanda up.
"Necromancy," Steopa said.
Magic that uses the dead, Teodor thought. Dead like a woman that died tragically, or horribly. The kind that would come back and become a story that was told to scare bad kids?
"Then you should be careful," Teodor said.
Steopa was not listening. He turned his head and stared across the floor. Teodor turned his ears to the room. There was faint breathing inside. The breathing was labored and shallow. Teodor fallowed Steopa across the floor.
There were no doors here. Just a wall. Teodor sniffed the wall. He could smell them now. Someone was on the other side. Steopa slammed himself against the wall. The old wood cracked. Steopa and Teodor pulled the wood away. Amanda drew in a breath.
February 8, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 19 Part 1
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
The next morning. Teodor woke up later than usual. In the next room he could hear Amanda and Trucker talking. Teodor rolled over and groped for his pants. After dressing, he walking into the kitchen. Amanda had a box opened from a bakery.
"Hey," She said, flashing Teodor a large smile, "I got donuts and coffee."
"You must of slaved over the stove all morning," Teodor said. He kissed Amanda on the cheek.
Trucker giggled.
"What's so funny?" Teodor asked.
Trucker tore into another donut.
"Teodor! Amanda!" Bilge yelled from the other side of the door.
Amanda opened it.
Bilge hurried inside, "Do you two have a place you can go to? Right now."
"What's going on?" Teodor asked.
"I just saw the news." Bilge said, "The police are looking for someone, the sketch sort of looked like you."
Teodor stood up, "Are you sure?"
Bilge nodded.
"Who saw you?" Amanda asked.
"This hooker and her john," Teodor said, "And TJ."
"This is about the workhouse," Bilge said.
"No one saw me at the workhouse," Teodor said, "I was in my wolf form most of the time."
"Except when you left with Steopa to get help," Amanda said.
"Yeah, but I was with Steopa," Teodor said. "His picture should be up there too."
"Nah, just yours," Bilge said.
"What the hell?" Teodor asked.
"Is there anywhere you can stay?" Bilge asked again.
Teodor nodded.
"Then get your butts there," Bilge said.
"The cops would have already been here," Amanda said.
"It's not the cops." Bilge said. "Albrecht called me, he had one of his dreams, you don't ignore."
Amanda hugged Trucker. "Take care of him." She told Bilge.
"Don't worry about it," Bilge said. "Just lay low for a couple of hours."
"When are we going to know the coast is clear?" Teodor asked.
"I'll get you," Trucker said.
"What?" Amanda asked, "No, Trucker, it's too dangerous."
"Don't worry," Trucker said. "I think I know where you are going. It's my favorite place to get scrap metal."
Teodor ruffled Trucker's hair. He was a smart kid. "You're right."
"Come on, run," Bilge said.
Teodor finished dressing. He grabbed Amanda's hand and ran for the door. They got to the hallway and stopped. Teodor could smell something was not right. He glanced at Amanda, the hair on the back of her neck was starting to rise. The shadows were wrong in the hallway. They were too dark, for this time of day. Amanda released his hand. She started to sniff the air. Teodor saw one of the shadows creep along the floor. It was spreading out over the carpet towards them.
Teodor stepped back. Another shadow moved down the walls towards them. The one on the floor crept up to Teodor's foot. It touched the tip of his shoes. His foot felt like ice. He pulled his foot back.
Amanda whimpered. She grabbed Teodor's shoulder. The shadows flowed into each other. They turned darker and rose up off the floor. It was like watching water well up in a geyser.
"Bilge!" Amanda screamed.
The shadow quickly formed into a long, thick, arm and reached for them. Teodor pushed Amanda further down the hall. The shadow slammed into Teodor. It felt like he had been struck by a sheet of ice.
Bilge opened their door, "Shit," He said, slamming the door shut.
The shadow moved through Teodor. He tried to grab it, but his hands went through the icy grayness. Amanda screamed.
Teodor turned, twisting the shadows with him. A shadow had Amanda as well. The one that grabbed her had taken on a more solid shape. It looked human. Amanda growled and barked. Her hair was longer and covering more of her body.
Bilge opened the door again, he threw a handful of white powder into the shadow that had Amanda. The shadow let her go. It screamed. The shadow's scream sounded like a rabbit, when it was being killed.
Amanda ran towards Teodor. Bilge threw another handful towards the shadow that was surrounding and in Teodor. The shadow screamed the high pitched wail. Teodor grabbed his ears and fell to his knees. The shadows were retreating down the hallway.
"You guys okay?" Bilge asked.
Teodor nodded. Amanda shook herself. She pulled up her ripped shirt up and tied it off over the shoulder.
"What the hell were those?" Teodor asked.
"Scouts," Bilge said. "Compliments of Bob and Peter. You two better get out of here."
"What did you throw at them?" Amanda asked.
"Salt," Bilge said. "It works wonders."
"Those things will come back here," Teodor said.
"Yeah, but if they can't find you, they will leave," Bilge said.
Bilge motioned with his hands for them to leave. Teodor took Amanda's hand again, and they left.
It was the middle of the day, but Teodor knew that vampires could still hear everything around them. Teodor banged on the vault door.
"Steopa," Teodor yelled.
He banged on the door again. Amanda sighed.
"Do you think he can hear us through all that steel?" She asked.
Teodor shrugged. He banged his fist against the vault door. The handle turned. The door opened. Steopa stood on the other side of the door, only in his pants. His long hair snaked around his shoulders.
"This better be good," he said, his voice slurred.
"Turns out we pissed off some mages," Teodor said. "This is the safest place I know."
Steopa grunted and stood aside. Teodor wrapped his arm around Amanda and then went inside.
"Mages?" Steopa asked.
The next morning. Teodor woke up later than usual. In the next room he could hear Amanda and Trucker talking. Teodor rolled over and groped for his pants. After dressing, he walking into the kitchen. Amanda had a box opened from a bakery.
"Hey," She said, flashing Teodor a large smile, "I got donuts and coffee."
"You must of slaved over the stove all morning," Teodor said. He kissed Amanda on the cheek.
Trucker giggled.
"What's so funny?" Teodor asked.
Trucker tore into another donut.
"Teodor! Amanda!" Bilge yelled from the other side of the door.
Amanda opened it.
Bilge hurried inside, "Do you two have a place you can go to? Right now."
"What's going on?" Teodor asked.
"I just saw the news." Bilge said, "The police are looking for someone, the sketch sort of looked like you."
Teodor stood up, "Are you sure?"
Bilge nodded.
"Who saw you?" Amanda asked.
"This hooker and her john," Teodor said, "And TJ."
"This is about the workhouse," Bilge said.
"No one saw me at the workhouse," Teodor said, "I was in my wolf form most of the time."
"Except when you left with Steopa to get help," Amanda said.
"Yeah, but I was with Steopa," Teodor said. "His picture should be up there too."
"Nah, just yours," Bilge said.
"What the hell?" Teodor asked.
"Is there anywhere you can stay?" Bilge asked again.
Teodor nodded.
"Then get your butts there," Bilge said.
"The cops would have already been here," Amanda said.
"It's not the cops." Bilge said. "Albrecht called me, he had one of his dreams, you don't ignore."
Amanda hugged Trucker. "Take care of him." She told Bilge.
"Don't worry about it," Bilge said. "Just lay low for a couple of hours."
"When are we going to know the coast is clear?" Teodor asked.
"I'll get you," Trucker said.
"What?" Amanda asked, "No, Trucker, it's too dangerous."
"Don't worry," Trucker said. "I think I know where you are going. It's my favorite place to get scrap metal."
Teodor ruffled Trucker's hair. He was a smart kid. "You're right."
"Come on, run," Bilge said.
Teodor finished dressing. He grabbed Amanda's hand and ran for the door. They got to the hallway and stopped. Teodor could smell something was not right. He glanced at Amanda, the hair on the back of her neck was starting to rise. The shadows were wrong in the hallway. They were too dark, for this time of day. Amanda released his hand. She started to sniff the air. Teodor saw one of the shadows creep along the floor. It was spreading out over the carpet towards them.
Teodor stepped back. Another shadow moved down the walls towards them. The one on the floor crept up to Teodor's foot. It touched the tip of his shoes. His foot felt like ice. He pulled his foot back.
Amanda whimpered. She grabbed Teodor's shoulder. The shadows flowed into each other. They turned darker and rose up off the floor. It was like watching water well up in a geyser.
"Bilge!" Amanda screamed.
The shadow quickly formed into a long, thick, arm and reached for them. Teodor pushed Amanda further down the hall. The shadow slammed into Teodor. It felt like he had been struck by a sheet of ice.
Bilge opened their door, "Shit," He said, slamming the door shut.
The shadow moved through Teodor. He tried to grab it, but his hands went through the icy grayness. Amanda screamed.
Teodor turned, twisting the shadows with him. A shadow had Amanda as well. The one that grabbed her had taken on a more solid shape. It looked human. Amanda growled and barked. Her hair was longer and covering more of her body.
Bilge opened the door again, he threw a handful of white powder into the shadow that had Amanda. The shadow let her go. It screamed. The shadow's scream sounded like a rabbit, when it was being killed.
Amanda ran towards Teodor. Bilge threw another handful towards the shadow that was surrounding and in Teodor. The shadow screamed the high pitched wail. Teodor grabbed his ears and fell to his knees. The shadows were retreating down the hallway.
"You guys okay?" Bilge asked.
Teodor nodded. Amanda shook herself. She pulled up her ripped shirt up and tied it off over the shoulder.
"What the hell were those?" Teodor asked.
"Scouts," Bilge said. "Compliments of Bob and Peter. You two better get out of here."
"What did you throw at them?" Amanda asked.
"Salt," Bilge said. "It works wonders."
"Those things will come back here," Teodor said.
"Yeah, but if they can't find you, they will leave," Bilge said.
Bilge motioned with his hands for them to leave. Teodor took Amanda's hand again, and they left.
It was the middle of the day, but Teodor knew that vampires could still hear everything around them. Teodor banged on the vault door.
"Steopa," Teodor yelled.
He banged on the door again. Amanda sighed.
"Do you think he can hear us through all that steel?" She asked.
Teodor shrugged. He banged his fist against the vault door. The handle turned. The door opened. Steopa stood on the other side of the door, only in his pants. His long hair snaked around his shoulders.
"This better be good," he said, his voice slurred.
"Turns out we pissed off some mages," Teodor said. "This is the safest place I know."
Steopa grunted and stood aside. Teodor wrapped his arm around Amanda and then went inside.
"Mages?" Steopa asked.
February 1, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 18
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
"I cannot believe you went out and that!" Amanda's face turned red. She threw her right arm out, pointing in the direction of the slaughter.
"I didn't kill anyone," Teodor said.
"You could have stopped Steopa," Amanda said.
Teodor laughed. "Have you seen him?"
"You know what I mean."
"I had to find out how TJ knew I was a werewolf," Teodor said.
"Why!"
"Because, it means someone knows about us," Teodor said.
Glasses clinked nearby. Teodor glanced over to the bar. Bilge washed the dishes, acting as if he was not hearing the argument.
Teodor sighed. "I wanted to protect you."
Bilge coughed. Teodor turned.
"Was it worth it?" He asked.
"Yeah," Teodor said, "I found out who the River Rats work for."
"Yeah?"
"Robert Braid and Peter, something."
Bilge dropped the glass he was holding. "Are you sure?"
Teodor nodded.
Bilge pulled up a bar stool and sat down on it. "You just stirred up a hornets nest."
"See!" Amanda said.
"Amanda," Bilge said, holding up his hand. "This is far worst than what you think."
"What?" Amanda asked.
"Peter Gephart and Robert used to be friends of mine," Bilge said, "They were part of our ghost hunting group. After the explosion, things got tense." Bilge lit a cigar. "Bob and Peter stopped being satisfied with just exploring, they wanted more power. Bob was jealous of Albrecht, for instance. Peter left first, after an argument with me. Then Bob did. Rumors about them dabbling in dark magic."
"Were they?" Teodor asked.
Bilge nodded, "Yeah, Albrecht and me checked them out one time. Nasty stuff they were doing. Albrecht does not shy away from the nastier spells, but what Bob and Peter were doing was beyond that."
"What sort of things?" Teodor asked.
"It's hard to describe." Bilge said, pausing to puff on his cigar. "The main thing is that they gathered power by hurting others."
"What do you mean? Hurting others?" Amanda asked.
"They used to harm themselves. Every time they would hurt themselves, power would build. But they could only do so much, so they started to harm others."
"Killing?" Teodor asked.
"Not at first. You can't get much power off a corpse," Bilge said. "Control, fear, and pain, that is what they need."
Teodor felt Amanda place her hand on his shoulder. "Sounds horrible," she said.
Bilge nodded. "It's like a drug, they always want more."
"You said Albrecht dabbles," Teodor said.
"No, he knows that there always has to be a balance," Bilge said, "Bob and Peter don't care."
"So I take it they are going to be after me now," Teodor said.
Bilge nodded.
Teodor spun around on the seat. "I am sorry Amanda," he said.
"No, you were right, you had to find out who knew," Amanda said.
"Yeah, but now we got two nuts on our tails, and we are no closer to getting rid of the Hag."
Bilge put out his cigar. "Tell you what, you two worry about the Hag. Albrecht and I can watch out for Bob and Peter."
"Alright," Teodor said.
Amanda gave Teodor a hug, "Trucker is staying in our apartment right now," she said.
"Where?" Teodor asked, "We are sleeping on the floor."
Bilge shrugged, "I got you two a couch."
"Thanks again," Teodor said.
Amanda and Teodor went up the stairs to their apartment. In the bare living room, Trucker snored softly on the only piece of furniture. They went to their sparse bedroom and tried to get some sleep.
"I cannot believe you went out and that!" Amanda's face turned red. She threw her right arm out, pointing in the direction of the slaughter.
"I didn't kill anyone," Teodor said.
"You could have stopped Steopa," Amanda said.
Teodor laughed. "Have you seen him?"
"You know what I mean."
"I had to find out how TJ knew I was a werewolf," Teodor said.
"Why!"
"Because, it means someone knows about us," Teodor said.
Glasses clinked nearby. Teodor glanced over to the bar. Bilge washed the dishes, acting as if he was not hearing the argument.
Teodor sighed. "I wanted to protect you."
Bilge coughed. Teodor turned.
"Was it worth it?" He asked.
"Yeah," Teodor said, "I found out who the River Rats work for."
"Yeah?"
"Robert Braid and Peter, something."
Bilge dropped the glass he was holding. "Are you sure?"
Teodor nodded.
Bilge pulled up a bar stool and sat down on it. "You just stirred up a hornets nest."
"See!" Amanda said.
"Amanda," Bilge said, holding up his hand. "This is far worst than what you think."
"What?" Amanda asked.
"Peter Gephart and Robert used to be friends of mine," Bilge said, "They were part of our ghost hunting group. After the explosion, things got tense." Bilge lit a cigar. "Bob and Peter stopped being satisfied with just exploring, they wanted more power. Bob was jealous of Albrecht, for instance. Peter left first, after an argument with me. Then Bob did. Rumors about them dabbling in dark magic."
"Were they?" Teodor asked.
Bilge nodded, "Yeah, Albrecht and me checked them out one time. Nasty stuff they were doing. Albrecht does not shy away from the nastier spells, but what Bob and Peter were doing was beyond that."
"What sort of things?" Teodor asked.
"It's hard to describe." Bilge said, pausing to puff on his cigar. "The main thing is that they gathered power by hurting others."
"What do you mean? Hurting others?" Amanda asked.
"They used to harm themselves. Every time they would hurt themselves, power would build. But they could only do so much, so they started to harm others."
"Killing?" Teodor asked.
"Not at first. You can't get much power off a corpse," Bilge said. "Control, fear, and pain, that is what they need."
Teodor felt Amanda place her hand on his shoulder. "Sounds horrible," she said.
Bilge nodded. "It's like a drug, they always want more."
"You said Albrecht dabbles," Teodor said.
"No, he knows that there always has to be a balance," Bilge said, "Bob and Peter don't care."
"So I take it they are going to be after me now," Teodor said.
Bilge nodded.
Teodor spun around on the seat. "I am sorry Amanda," he said.
"No, you were right, you had to find out who knew," Amanda said.
"Yeah, but now we got two nuts on our tails, and we are no closer to getting rid of the Hag."
Bilge put out his cigar. "Tell you what, you two worry about the Hag. Albrecht and I can watch out for Bob and Peter."
"Alright," Teodor said.
Amanda gave Teodor a hug, "Trucker is staying in our apartment right now," she said.
"Where?" Teodor asked, "We are sleeping on the floor."
Bilge shrugged, "I got you two a couch."
"Thanks again," Teodor said.
Amanda and Teodor went up the stairs to their apartment. In the bare living room, Trucker snored softly on the only piece of furniture. They went to their sparse bedroom and tried to get some sleep.
January 25, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 17
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 17Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
That night, Teodor told Bilge he couldn't work. Amanda gave Teodor an odd look as he walked out of the bar. Teodor pulled his collar up as he walked down the street. Steopa had suggested that they go hunting, tonight was a good night.
Teodor caught a cab and took it to the center of Konakove, the large square in front of the church. The cab drove off, leaving Teodor alone in the middle of the square. A shadow moved next to the large church.
Steopa stepped into the light green glow of the street lamp. "Teodor," he said, "What brings you here?"
"I need to hunt," he said, "But a certain person."
"Who?" Steopa asked.
"A young kid, he stabbed me a couple nights ago," Teodor said.
Steopa raised an eyebrow.
"With a silver hollow tipped dagger, filled with silver filings."
"Tell me everything you know," Steopa said.
Teodor did.
They went to the Chinese take out place first. Steopa tried the door, it was locked. He jerked the door open, breaking the lock off. Teodor went ahead. He glanced over his shoulder. If this was a private residence, Steopa would not be able to enter. Steopa walked inside. He closed the door behind him.
Teodor sniffed the air. TJ's scent was still strong. Steopa stayed alongside Teodor as he bounded up the stairs. A door opened at the first landing. A small man, in a rumpled suit stepped into the hallway. He saw Teodor and Steopa, and pressed his back against the door. A woman, wearing only her bra and panties had come to the open door. She jumped behind the man and hid her face.
Teodor smiled at them. His teeth were longer than a humans. Steopa grunted and pushed past the hooker and her client. Teodor sniffed the air. TJ was still in the building.
"How fast do you want him to die?" Steopa asked.
"After I get some information," Teodor said.
"Good. I am hungry."
At the top of the stairs, the scent was the strongest. There were three doors in the hallway. One had a small peeling sign on it that read; Robert Braid Investigation. Through the door, Teodor could hear rock music playing and laughter.
Teodor sniffed around the door. Underneath the smell of drugs and alcohol was the smell of TJ, he was inside. Steopa placed his hand against the door.
"I can enter," he said.
Teodor stepped back, and gestured to the door. Steopa forced his claws in between the door and the door frame. He yanked on the door. The door hinges snapped off the wooden frame. Steopa tossed the door down the stairs.
It was an old office, that had been converted into a makeshift living area. Mattresses lined the walls, couches and chairs were scattered throughout middle part of the room. The rock music was coming from a large stereo system. The young kids that were inside, stared at the door.
"Which one?" Steopa asked.
Teodor scanned the room. TJ was not in the main room. "I'll go find him, make sure they don't leave."One of the braver young partiers stood up. He was an average height black man, but had a large muscular frame.
"What the fuck?" he said.
Teodor walked up to the black man. "You know TJ?"
The black man, pulled out a gun and pointed it at Teodor's head. "I don't have to tell you, shit."
Teodor grabbed the gun out of the black man's hand and stuck him across the neck.
The black man, stumbled back. Teodor grabbed the black man's arm and shoved the gun into his face.
"You are going to tell me everything, or my giant friend here is going to start painting the walls with your guts," Teodor said.
He glanced around the room. Most of the partiers had backed up as far as they could. Another young man, reached into his jacket. Teodor growled.
"Try that, he dies and you have to answer my questions," Teodor said, turning back to the man in his grip. "Now you, what do they call you?"
"J, J, Jay."
"Alright, Jay," Teodor said, "Where's TJ?"
"He aint here."
"Liar! I can smell him."
"What the-"
Teodor heard a grunt, then a scream. A body flew into the main room and skidded on the floor. Jay's eyes went wide. The way Jay's eyes traveled upward, Teodor knew that had been the work of Steopa.
"You hungry?" Teodor asked Steopa. "Take one of those."
Steopa grabbed the hair of the nearest partier. A black haired woman, older than the rest. She tried to kick at Steopa yanked on her hair, forcing her down on her knees.
"Where is TJ?" Teodor asked.
Jay pointed to another room. Teodor kicked Jay away. He hit one of the windows, cracking the glass.
Teodor threw open the door. TJ was in bed with a woman. Before TJ could roll off her, Teodor had TJ by the back of the neck. He pulled TJ off the bed.
"Remember me?" Teodor asked. He snorted in TJ's ear.
"You's supposed to be dead," TJ said.
"Stick around and make sure next time," Teodor said.
The woman had pulled the blankets up to her neck and screamed. More screams came from the main room. The woman in the bed covered her head with the blanket.
Teodor threw TJ across the room. TJ hit a lamp, breaking it. The glass cut his upper thigh and lower abdomen. He hit the floor, and tried to scoot away from Teodor. His blood was leaving a trail behind him.
"Who told you what I am?" Teodor asked.
"He'll kill me," TJ said, raising his hand to cover his face.
"Funny, I'm going to do the same thing," Teodor said.
More screams and two thuds. The woman in the bed screamed and cried. Teodor could smell the urine that was soaking the bed now.
"Look, he's crazy," TJ said.
"Not that crazy," Teodor said, "He sent you out to follow me with a silver knife, didn't you think that was odd?"
"He does things like that," TJ said, he had pushed himself up against the wall, "I was gonna sell the knife, didn't think I would use it."
"Where's he get it?"
"Oh, I can't tell you," TJ said.
Teodor growled and raked TJ across the chest. TJ cried out.
"They work together," TJ said, "They make sure we are taken care of, we just have to do their odd jobs."
Now sound came from the main room. The woman in the bed lowered the blanket, then screamed again. Steopa slammed his hand against her mouth. He had not wiped the blood off his face. Teodor took a deep breath and could smell the blood. He drooled.
"Tell me their names," Teodor said, raising his claws.
"What's he? What's he?" TJ said, pointing to the bed.
Teodor glanced over to the bed. Steopa fed off the young woman. TJ coughed and vomited.
When he had finished. "Their names are Robert and Peter."
"Where are they?"
"The old dock area," TJ said. "Vaness Cider warehouse."
Teodor backed away. Steopa stood up and wiped his face. "Should I dispatch him?" Steopa asked.
Teodor shook his head, "No, he told me what I wanted to hear, let him live."
"What!"
"You rather have us kill you?" Teodor asked.
Steopa chuckled and left the room. Teodor snapped at TJ and followed Steopa. He could hear police sirens. It was hard to tell if they were heading towards this place, but Steopa and him knew better than to stick around.
Steopa broke a window that connected to a fire escape. He climbed outside, then jumped to the nearest building. Teodor followed.
On the roof across the alley way, they stood in the shadows and waited. Teodor watched two police officers enter the room. One got on the radio while the other covered the room.
"In here!" TJ shouted.
The police entered. TJ was still naked and covered in blood. The police pointed their guns on TJ. He raised his hands, his shoulders shaking.
Steopa patted Teodor shoulder. "It was good to hunt with you again."
Teodor rubbed his beard. "Yeah, too bad we can't take care of the Hag so easily."
Steopa nodded. He walked to the other side of the building, staying in the deep shadow. Teodor joined him.
"I have been thinking about the Hag," Steopa said.
"Yeah?"
"She said Baba Yaga was her sister," Steopa said, "Baba Yaga did have sisters, they all had the same name. The Hag was lying."
"I figured that," Teodor said. "Do you want to go to the docks now?"
Steopa nodded. Teodor started to walk away. Steopa stopped him and pointed. Amanda ran down the street in her wolf form."I think you are in trouble, no?" Steopa asked.
Teodor sagged, "Yeah, big trouble."
That night, Teodor told Bilge he couldn't work. Amanda gave Teodor an odd look as he walked out of the bar. Teodor pulled his collar up as he walked down the street. Steopa had suggested that they go hunting, tonight was a good night.
Teodor caught a cab and took it to the center of Konakove, the large square in front of the church. The cab drove off, leaving Teodor alone in the middle of the square. A shadow moved next to the large church.
Steopa stepped into the light green glow of the street lamp. "Teodor," he said, "What brings you here?"
"I need to hunt," he said, "But a certain person."
"Who?" Steopa asked.
"A young kid, he stabbed me a couple nights ago," Teodor said.
Steopa raised an eyebrow.
"With a silver hollow tipped dagger, filled with silver filings."
"Tell me everything you know," Steopa said.
Teodor did.
They went to the Chinese take out place first. Steopa tried the door, it was locked. He jerked the door open, breaking the lock off. Teodor went ahead. He glanced over his shoulder. If this was a private residence, Steopa would not be able to enter. Steopa walked inside. He closed the door behind him.
Teodor sniffed the air. TJ's scent was still strong. Steopa stayed alongside Teodor as he bounded up the stairs. A door opened at the first landing. A small man, in a rumpled suit stepped into the hallway. He saw Teodor and Steopa, and pressed his back against the door. A woman, wearing only her bra and panties had come to the open door. She jumped behind the man and hid her face.
Teodor smiled at them. His teeth were longer than a humans. Steopa grunted and pushed past the hooker and her client. Teodor sniffed the air. TJ was still in the building.
"How fast do you want him to die?" Steopa asked.
"After I get some information," Teodor said.
"Good. I am hungry."
At the top of the stairs, the scent was the strongest. There were three doors in the hallway. One had a small peeling sign on it that read; Robert Braid Investigation. Through the door, Teodor could hear rock music playing and laughter.
Teodor sniffed around the door. Underneath the smell of drugs and alcohol was the smell of TJ, he was inside. Steopa placed his hand against the door.
"I can enter," he said.
Teodor stepped back, and gestured to the door. Steopa forced his claws in between the door and the door frame. He yanked on the door. The door hinges snapped off the wooden frame. Steopa tossed the door down the stairs.
It was an old office, that had been converted into a makeshift living area. Mattresses lined the walls, couches and chairs were scattered throughout middle part of the room. The rock music was coming from a large stereo system. The young kids that were inside, stared at the door.
"Which one?" Steopa asked.
Teodor scanned the room. TJ was not in the main room. "I'll go find him, make sure they don't leave."One of the braver young partiers stood up. He was an average height black man, but had a large muscular frame.
"What the fuck?" he said.
Teodor walked up to the black man. "You know TJ?"
The black man, pulled out a gun and pointed it at Teodor's head. "I don't have to tell you, shit."
Teodor grabbed the gun out of the black man's hand and stuck him across the neck.
The black man, stumbled back. Teodor grabbed the black man's arm and shoved the gun into his face.
"You are going to tell me everything, or my giant friend here is going to start painting the walls with your guts," Teodor said.
He glanced around the room. Most of the partiers had backed up as far as they could. Another young man, reached into his jacket. Teodor growled.
"Try that, he dies and you have to answer my questions," Teodor said, turning back to the man in his grip. "Now you, what do they call you?"
"J, J, Jay."
"Alright, Jay," Teodor said, "Where's TJ?"
"He aint here."
"Liar! I can smell him."
"What the-"
Teodor heard a grunt, then a scream. A body flew into the main room and skidded on the floor. Jay's eyes went wide. The way Jay's eyes traveled upward, Teodor knew that had been the work of Steopa.
"You hungry?" Teodor asked Steopa. "Take one of those."
Steopa grabbed the hair of the nearest partier. A black haired woman, older than the rest. She tried to kick at Steopa yanked on her hair, forcing her down on her knees.
"Where is TJ?" Teodor asked.
Jay pointed to another room. Teodor kicked Jay away. He hit one of the windows, cracking the glass.
Teodor threw open the door. TJ was in bed with a woman. Before TJ could roll off her, Teodor had TJ by the back of the neck. He pulled TJ off the bed.
"Remember me?" Teodor asked. He snorted in TJ's ear.
"You's supposed to be dead," TJ said.
"Stick around and make sure next time," Teodor said.
The woman had pulled the blankets up to her neck and screamed. More screams came from the main room. The woman in the bed covered her head with the blanket.
Teodor threw TJ across the room. TJ hit a lamp, breaking it. The glass cut his upper thigh and lower abdomen. He hit the floor, and tried to scoot away from Teodor. His blood was leaving a trail behind him.
"Who told you what I am?" Teodor asked.
"He'll kill me," TJ said, raising his hand to cover his face.
"Funny, I'm going to do the same thing," Teodor said.
More screams and two thuds. The woman in the bed screamed and cried. Teodor could smell the urine that was soaking the bed now.
"Look, he's crazy," TJ said.
"Not that crazy," Teodor said, "He sent you out to follow me with a silver knife, didn't you think that was odd?"
"He does things like that," TJ said, he had pushed himself up against the wall, "I was gonna sell the knife, didn't think I would use it."
"Where's he get it?"
"Oh, I can't tell you," TJ said.
Teodor growled and raked TJ across the chest. TJ cried out.
"They work together," TJ said, "They make sure we are taken care of, we just have to do their odd jobs."
Now sound came from the main room. The woman in the bed lowered the blanket, then screamed again. Steopa slammed his hand against her mouth. He had not wiped the blood off his face. Teodor took a deep breath and could smell the blood. He drooled.
"Tell me their names," Teodor said, raising his claws.
"What's he? What's he?" TJ said, pointing to the bed.
Teodor glanced over to the bed. Steopa fed off the young woman. TJ coughed and vomited.
When he had finished. "Their names are Robert and Peter."
"Where are they?"
"The old dock area," TJ said. "Vaness Cider warehouse."
Teodor backed away. Steopa stood up and wiped his face. "Should I dispatch him?" Steopa asked.
Teodor shook his head, "No, he told me what I wanted to hear, let him live."
"What!"
"You rather have us kill you?" Teodor asked.
Steopa chuckled and left the room. Teodor snapped at TJ and followed Steopa. He could hear police sirens. It was hard to tell if they were heading towards this place, but Steopa and him knew better than to stick around.
Steopa broke a window that connected to a fire escape. He climbed outside, then jumped to the nearest building. Teodor followed.
On the roof across the alley way, they stood in the shadows and waited. Teodor watched two police officers enter the room. One got on the radio while the other covered the room.
"In here!" TJ shouted.
The police entered. TJ was still naked and covered in blood. The police pointed their guns on TJ. He raised his hands, his shoulders shaking.
Steopa patted Teodor shoulder. "It was good to hunt with you again."
Teodor rubbed his beard. "Yeah, too bad we can't take care of the Hag so easily."
Steopa nodded. He walked to the other side of the building, staying in the deep shadow. Teodor joined him.
"I have been thinking about the Hag," Steopa said.
"Yeah?"
"She said Baba Yaga was her sister," Steopa said, "Baba Yaga did have sisters, they all had the same name. The Hag was lying."
"I figured that," Teodor said. "Do you want to go to the docks now?"
Steopa nodded. Teodor started to walk away. Steopa stopped him and pointed. Amanda ran down the street in her wolf form."I think you are in trouble, no?" Steopa asked.
Teodor sagged, "Yeah, big trouble."
January 24, 2012
You Can Tell a Lot About a Person, By Their Refrigerator.
On our refrigerator at home there is a white board. The type you write on with dry erase markers. It is supposed to be for communications between family members. Little notes for reminders, grocery lists, etc. But being my family there are notes on it like a strange drawing of a cat wit the word "Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, CATMAN" next to it. An old note that started with "Can anyone help with..", now ends with "the tinfoil hats." Another little drawing of an odd man that someone wrote "WINNINNNNNNG!" next to.
You now have a good idea into the mindset of my family.
When writers come up with characters, it is easy to end with the person. Once you come up with how they look, throw a few idiosyncrasies, you might think that you are done with the character. Not thinking how that person's environment can expand their personality. Do they live in an apartment? A house? Do they spend more time in their car? Do they have a car? What is in their purse? Their wallet?
Something as simple as a favorite item can give you great insight into the mind of the character. What does their favorite shirt say about them? Is it a threadbare T-shirt with a heavy metal band's logo on it? Is it a tailored shirt they think is lucky? A sweatshirt they only wear at home when they are relaxing?
An object or a person's home can tell you more about them then a paragraph explaining their personality.
Terry Pratchett did this wonderfully in Unseen Academicals. He spends a few pages describing the beds of the main characters. Not only does it give you an idea about their personalities, he gives you a few tidbits that seem to contradict themselves. As you get further into the story, the contradictions are what makes those characters interesting.
Going back the the white board on my fridge. Could you tell we have artists in the house? We have geek level of humor.* And that we don't organize every level of our life. That what the board was bought for, but never used that way. That one object let you find out more about my family, than me writing about each of our personalities.Remember your characters interact with a world, one that they cannot help but to shape. Let your readers have those little glimpses, they round out a character.
*Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, CATMAN can be written as Na, Na, Na, Na, Catman! Hopefully you get it now.
You now have a good idea into the mindset of my family.
When writers come up with characters, it is easy to end with the person. Once you come up with how they look, throw a few idiosyncrasies, you might think that you are done with the character. Not thinking how that person's environment can expand their personality. Do they live in an apartment? A house? Do they spend more time in their car? Do they have a car? What is in their purse? Their wallet?
Something as simple as a favorite item can give you great insight into the mind of the character. What does their favorite shirt say about them? Is it a threadbare T-shirt with a heavy metal band's logo on it? Is it a tailored shirt they think is lucky? A sweatshirt they only wear at home when they are relaxing?
An object or a person's home can tell you more about them then a paragraph explaining their personality.
Terry Pratchett did this wonderfully in Unseen Academicals. He spends a few pages describing the beds of the main characters. Not only does it give you an idea about their personalities, he gives you a few tidbits that seem to contradict themselves. As you get further into the story, the contradictions are what makes those characters interesting.
Going back the the white board on my fridge. Could you tell we have artists in the house? We have geek level of humor.* And that we don't organize every level of our life. That what the board was bought for, but never used that way. That one object let you find out more about my family, than me writing about each of our personalities.Remember your characters interact with a world, one that they cannot help but to shape. Let your readers have those little glimpses, they round out a character.
*Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, Sodium, CATMAN can be written as Na, Na, Na, Na, Catman! Hopefully you get it now.
January 18, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 16
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
Amanda found a table in the library that was away from the other patrons. Teodor read a book on local ghost stories. Amanda had piles of books in front of her; copies of old newspapers. Gunner sat on the other side of the table with Trucker. He had a large picture book open. Trucker sounded out the words.
Teodor glanced at the boys, then at Amanda. She smiled at him.
"Have you heard this one?" Teodor asked. "There was this woman that made soap to support herself after her husband died. But she could not get enough fat from the slaughter houses. So she started to kidnap children, to get their fat."
Amanda grimaced. "That's horrible."
"It gets better. She dies and people figure out what she had done. But the kids still disappear and she is still seen."
"Another Hag?" Amanda asked.
Teodor nodded. "They are everywhere."
Amanda flipped another page. "There were a lot of murders in this town." She rested her head on her hand. "I never knew."
"Was that before or after the base exploded?" Teodor asked.
"Ha, ha," Amanda said.
Teodor returned to his book. He read a few more stories. Then got Amanda's attention again. "How about this one? There was a young woman, whose husband was away, and their baby, living in a cabin way out in the woods. She heard that there was a raiding Indian party coming towards her cabin. She hid the baby underneath some bushes, then ran back to her home. She heard a noise. Thinking it was the raiding party, she killed herself. The noise was her husband."
"Stupid girl," Amanda said.
"She supposed to haunt the area around the cabin," Teodor said, "But no one knows were the cabin is, at least they can't agree on where it is."
Amanda shook her head. She closed the large book. "My eyes are starting to hurt," She said, rubbing her forehead.
Gunner took Trucker by the hand and then wandered into the children's section. Amanda reached over the table and took Teodor's hand. "What do think of the boys?"
"Nice kids," Teodor said, not looking up from another ghost story.
"I really like Trucker," Amanda said, "Too bad we can't take him in."
"Why not?" Teodor asked.
Amanda dropped his hand, "We aren't exactly set up to take in kids."
Teodor looked up. "We will be."
Amanda smiled. "Are you serious?"
"Well, we are living together already," Teodor said.
"I would kiss you," Amanda said, she nodded to a nearby table. "But that guy is staring at us."
Teodor glanced over to the old man. "Too bad."
Amanda opened up another large book. Teodor returned to his book on ghost stories. A few moments later, Amanda tapped on Teodor's hand.
"Ohh, this is good," Amanda said, "Elizabeth Hannah Swift was found dead. Having taken her own life in a fit of melancholy." She flipped the page. "Then there is this; E.H.S was visited by R.L.T and told her that he would not take her to Europe."
Teodor shrugged. "So?"
"I know this one," Amanda said. "This Elizabeth, was Thorson's mistress."
Teodor shook his head, "Who?"
"Thorson, one of the guys that built this town," Amanda waved her hands around, "This is Thorson's public library."
"He was a big shot?" Teodor asked.
"One of the biggest," Amanda said, "This woman went crazy. She killed her baby."
"Was it his?"
"Some say it was, some say it wasn't," Amanda said.
"Is she supposed to be a ghost?" Teodor asked.
"I never heard of her being a ghost," Amanda said, "But she sounds like the perfect candidate for a Hag."
Teodor nodded. "Yeah, she does."
Gunner and Trucker came back to the table. Trucker opened up another book for Gunner to read. Teodor continued his reading. The old man that had been watching them walked over to their table.
"I over heard what you were talking about," he said, "Sorry, but are you looking up local ghost legends?"
Teodor glanced at Amanda, she nodded.
"I got a good one for you," he said, "My dad swore it was true."
Teodor motioned to an empty seat. The old man sat down. "When my dad was younger he had to stay at the old workhouse."
Amanda glanced at Teodor.
"It was in the last few years it was open," the old man continued. "But he said that there was a woman only the children would see. She would walk the hallways at night, tapping on the doors of the dormitory."
"Was it a ghost?" Amanda asked.
The old man nodded, "A nun or something like that, she had hung herself after she killed a kid there."
"That's creepy," Amanda said.
"My dad said one night she was tapping on his dorm's door. An older boy, who didn't believe the stories opened the door. He was pulled into the hallway and was never seen again."
The old man got up from the table, "I never liked going to the place, after my dad told me that story."
"Did you ever find out who she was?" Teodor asked.
The old man shook his head. After he had left, Amanda flipped through the old newspapers.
"Here it is," She said. "This article is about a school teacher, not a nun, who was found guilty murder. Her name was Clara Williams. She killed four children while she taught at the workhouse."
"Why did she do that?" Teodor asked.
Amanda read the article, "It doesn't say. I doubt it would have anyway. They didn't report things like that in the early 1900's."
Trucker came over to Teodor. "When do we get our ice cream?" He asked.
"I could do for a break," Amanda said.
"Okay, clean up and we will go," Teodor said, ruffling Trucker's hair.
The ice cream place was only a few blocks away from the library. The chrome counter snaked through the place. There were a couple of tables, but most people sat on the stools at the counter. Trucker climbed up on on the stools and started to spin around. Teodor put his hand on Trucker's shoulder to stop his spinning.
Teodor and Amanda ordered plain vanilla cones. The boys shared a banana split. The waitress was very talkative. Since they were the only ones at the shop, they were a captive audience.
After the boys had finished two bananas splits, they left. Heading back to the Pit. It was late afternoon, the sun had warmed up the air a little. People were still bundled in their winter jackets, but the fronts were opened. Hats and gloves were off. Some of the snow melted. There was too much snow for the little thaw, most of it was going to stay on the ground.
Dogs barked in the distance. Teodor paused. The dog gossipers were busy. They had sighted the silver knife carrying young man. He was coming towards them. Teodor spun around looking for the young man.
He walked toward them on the opposite side of the street. The young man had not seen them. Teodor growled. Gunner and Amanda turned to look.
"Shit," Gunner said, "That's TJ."
"You know him?" Teodor asked.
Gunner nodded.
"He's the one that stabbed me," Teodor said.
Gunner grabbed Teodor's arm. "Then don't let him see you."
They ducked into the nearest shop, an electronics store. Teodor stood by the window display watching TJ walk by. The clerk walked up to Amanda.
"How can I help you good folks today?" He asked.
"Radios," Amanda said. "I want to get these two boys here their own radios."
"Come this way," the Salesman said.
Teodor stayed by the window display until TJ walked past. TJ walked down the street. He stopped in front of a door next to a business and went inside. Teodor turned around.
Amanda had picked out two small transistor radios for Trucker and Gunner. After the clerk made the sale, they left the store.
"Where's he go?" Amanda asked.
"Just ahead," Teodor said.
He crossed the street. Amanda grabbed Trucker's hand and ran to keep up with Teodor. Gunner followed close. The door that TJ used was next to a Chinese take out restaurant. The letters on the door were faded and peeling off; ROB RT BRA D INVES IGAT ON.
Teodor tried the door. It was locked.
"Lets go before he sees you again," Amanda said, in Teodor's ear.
Teodor lowered his shoulders. "You're right."
Amanda put her arm around Teodor. "We'll get him."
Teodor shook off her arm. He started to walk down the street.
"What is it?" Amanda asked.
Teodor took some deep breaths. He picked up his pace.
Gunner caught up with him. "Hey."
"I hate this," Teodor said.
"That TJ stabbed you?" Gunner asked.
Teodor spun around and jabbed his finger in the air. "That I cannot just go in there and knock some heads together and get answers."
Amanda caught up with Teodor. "Teodor, Not here!"
Teodor growled. Gunner stepped back.
"Teodor," Amanda said. "You are scaring Trucker."
Teodor looked down at Trucker. He stared at Teodor with wide eyes. Teodor closed his eyes and sighed. "Let's go back to the Pit."
Amanda found a table in the library that was away from the other patrons. Teodor read a book on local ghost stories. Amanda had piles of books in front of her; copies of old newspapers. Gunner sat on the other side of the table with Trucker. He had a large picture book open. Trucker sounded out the words.
Teodor glanced at the boys, then at Amanda. She smiled at him.
"Have you heard this one?" Teodor asked. "There was this woman that made soap to support herself after her husband died. But she could not get enough fat from the slaughter houses. So she started to kidnap children, to get their fat."
Amanda grimaced. "That's horrible."
"It gets better. She dies and people figure out what she had done. But the kids still disappear and she is still seen."
"Another Hag?" Amanda asked.
Teodor nodded. "They are everywhere."
Amanda flipped another page. "There were a lot of murders in this town." She rested her head on her hand. "I never knew."
"Was that before or after the base exploded?" Teodor asked.
"Ha, ha," Amanda said.
Teodor returned to his book. He read a few more stories. Then got Amanda's attention again. "How about this one? There was a young woman, whose husband was away, and their baby, living in a cabin way out in the woods. She heard that there was a raiding Indian party coming towards her cabin. She hid the baby underneath some bushes, then ran back to her home. She heard a noise. Thinking it was the raiding party, she killed herself. The noise was her husband."
"Stupid girl," Amanda said.
"She supposed to haunt the area around the cabin," Teodor said, "But no one knows were the cabin is, at least they can't agree on where it is."
Amanda shook her head. She closed the large book. "My eyes are starting to hurt," She said, rubbing her forehead.
Gunner took Trucker by the hand and then wandered into the children's section. Amanda reached over the table and took Teodor's hand. "What do think of the boys?"
"Nice kids," Teodor said, not looking up from another ghost story.
"I really like Trucker," Amanda said, "Too bad we can't take him in."
"Why not?" Teodor asked.
Amanda dropped his hand, "We aren't exactly set up to take in kids."
Teodor looked up. "We will be."
Amanda smiled. "Are you serious?"
"Well, we are living together already," Teodor said.
"I would kiss you," Amanda said, she nodded to a nearby table. "But that guy is staring at us."
Teodor glanced over to the old man. "Too bad."
Amanda opened up another large book. Teodor returned to his book on ghost stories. A few moments later, Amanda tapped on Teodor's hand.
"Ohh, this is good," Amanda said, "Elizabeth Hannah Swift was found dead. Having taken her own life in a fit of melancholy." She flipped the page. "Then there is this; E.H.S was visited by R.L.T and told her that he would not take her to Europe."
Teodor shrugged. "So?"
"I know this one," Amanda said. "This Elizabeth, was Thorson's mistress."
Teodor shook his head, "Who?"
"Thorson, one of the guys that built this town," Amanda waved her hands around, "This is Thorson's public library."
"He was a big shot?" Teodor asked.
"One of the biggest," Amanda said, "This woman went crazy. She killed her baby."
"Was it his?"
"Some say it was, some say it wasn't," Amanda said.
"Is she supposed to be a ghost?" Teodor asked.
"I never heard of her being a ghost," Amanda said, "But she sounds like the perfect candidate for a Hag."
Teodor nodded. "Yeah, she does."
Gunner and Trucker came back to the table. Trucker opened up another book for Gunner to read. Teodor continued his reading. The old man that had been watching them walked over to their table.
"I over heard what you were talking about," he said, "Sorry, but are you looking up local ghost legends?"
Teodor glanced at Amanda, she nodded.
"I got a good one for you," he said, "My dad swore it was true."
Teodor motioned to an empty seat. The old man sat down. "When my dad was younger he had to stay at the old workhouse."
Amanda glanced at Teodor.
"It was in the last few years it was open," the old man continued. "But he said that there was a woman only the children would see. She would walk the hallways at night, tapping on the doors of the dormitory."
"Was it a ghost?" Amanda asked.
The old man nodded, "A nun or something like that, she had hung herself after she killed a kid there."
"That's creepy," Amanda said.
"My dad said one night she was tapping on his dorm's door. An older boy, who didn't believe the stories opened the door. He was pulled into the hallway and was never seen again."
The old man got up from the table, "I never liked going to the place, after my dad told me that story."
"Did you ever find out who she was?" Teodor asked.
The old man shook his head. After he had left, Amanda flipped through the old newspapers.
"Here it is," She said. "This article is about a school teacher, not a nun, who was found guilty murder. Her name was Clara Williams. She killed four children while she taught at the workhouse."
"Why did she do that?" Teodor asked.
Amanda read the article, "It doesn't say. I doubt it would have anyway. They didn't report things like that in the early 1900's."
Trucker came over to Teodor. "When do we get our ice cream?" He asked.
"I could do for a break," Amanda said.
"Okay, clean up and we will go," Teodor said, ruffling Trucker's hair.
The ice cream place was only a few blocks away from the library. The chrome counter snaked through the place. There were a couple of tables, but most people sat on the stools at the counter. Trucker climbed up on on the stools and started to spin around. Teodor put his hand on Trucker's shoulder to stop his spinning.
Teodor and Amanda ordered plain vanilla cones. The boys shared a banana split. The waitress was very talkative. Since they were the only ones at the shop, they were a captive audience.
After the boys had finished two bananas splits, they left. Heading back to the Pit. It was late afternoon, the sun had warmed up the air a little. People were still bundled in their winter jackets, but the fronts were opened. Hats and gloves were off. Some of the snow melted. There was too much snow for the little thaw, most of it was going to stay on the ground.
Dogs barked in the distance. Teodor paused. The dog gossipers were busy. They had sighted the silver knife carrying young man. He was coming towards them. Teodor spun around looking for the young man.
He walked toward them on the opposite side of the street. The young man had not seen them. Teodor growled. Gunner and Amanda turned to look.
"Shit," Gunner said, "That's TJ."
"You know him?" Teodor asked.
Gunner nodded.
"He's the one that stabbed me," Teodor said.
Gunner grabbed Teodor's arm. "Then don't let him see you."
They ducked into the nearest shop, an electronics store. Teodor stood by the window display watching TJ walk by. The clerk walked up to Amanda.
"How can I help you good folks today?" He asked.
"Radios," Amanda said. "I want to get these two boys here their own radios."
"Come this way," the Salesman said.
Teodor stayed by the window display until TJ walked past. TJ walked down the street. He stopped in front of a door next to a business and went inside. Teodor turned around.
Amanda had picked out two small transistor radios for Trucker and Gunner. After the clerk made the sale, they left the store.
"Where's he go?" Amanda asked.
"Just ahead," Teodor said.
He crossed the street. Amanda grabbed Trucker's hand and ran to keep up with Teodor. Gunner followed close. The door that TJ used was next to a Chinese take out restaurant. The letters on the door were faded and peeling off; ROB RT BRA D INVES IGAT ON.
Teodor tried the door. It was locked.
"Lets go before he sees you again," Amanda said, in Teodor's ear.
Teodor lowered his shoulders. "You're right."
Amanda put her arm around Teodor. "We'll get him."
Teodor shook off her arm. He started to walk down the street.
"What is it?" Amanda asked.
Teodor took some deep breaths. He picked up his pace.
Gunner caught up with him. "Hey."
"I hate this," Teodor said.
"That TJ stabbed you?" Gunner asked.
Teodor spun around and jabbed his finger in the air. "That I cannot just go in there and knock some heads together and get answers."
Amanda caught up with Teodor. "Teodor, Not here!"
Teodor growled. Gunner stepped back.
"Teodor," Amanda said. "You are scaring Trucker."
Teodor looked down at Trucker. He stared at Teodor with wide eyes. Teodor closed his eyes and sighed. "Let's go back to the Pit."
January 11, 2012
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 15 Part 2
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
They went back to the Pit. Teodor's legs shook as he left the cab. Amanda helped him up the stairs. She opened the door to Bilge's apartment. Gunner sprawled out in one of the easy chairs, reading. Trucker played with a toy truck on the living room floor.
Teodor sat down on the couch. Trucker climbed up on the couch and sat next to him. He handed Teodor the truck. "Amanda said you were hurt."
"I was," Teodor said.
"You okay?" Trucker asked.
"I will be," Teodor said.
Gunner looked up from his book, "What happened?"
"Some jerk stabbed me in the back," Teodor said.
"Those hurt like a bitch," Gunner said.
Teodor stared at Gunner. Gunner sighed and lifted up his shirt. There were three scars on his chest and abdomen. "Fun times."
"What happened?" Teodor asked.
Gunner smooth out his shirt, "My mom's boyfriend and I had a little argument."
"He stabbed you?" Teodor asked.
Gunner nodded, "Yeah, but I got the ass good too. Cops came, Mom sided with the jerk. I took off as soon as I was stitched up."
"Well, I can honestly say, I know what it's like."
"You're mom have a crazy boyfriend?" Gunner asked.
Teodor shook his head, "No, I was the runt of the family. You see werewolves don't have families, they have packs. And if you are not strong enough or fast enough to be of use, they will push you out. I was the smallest one. My mother told me that my father wanted to kill me when I was a year old. She stopped him."
"So you mom was alright?" Trucker asked.
"No. She was just as bad." Teodor leaned back. "I'm fast and smart, so I was able to stay one step ahead of the rest of the pack. But there were some close calls."
"Did you take off too?" Trucker asked.
"I couldn't," Teodor said, "But I did get out."
"How?"
"The villagers told some soldiers where my family lived, I was warned." Teodor chuckled. "They were massacred."
Gunner stared at Teodor.
Teodor waved his hand, "I can laugh now, I warned the idiots. My father did not think the soldiers would harm them."
"Where was this?" Gunner asked.
"Spain," Teodor said. "A long time ago."
Trucker curled his feet up on the couch. "Did you bring something to eat?"
"Amanda is bringing something up later," Teodor said.
Gunner sighed, "What about that Woman?" He asked.
"The Hag?"
Gunner nodded, "Yeah, Can you kill her?"
Teodor looked at his feet, "I am not sure, she's more like a ghost, than something like me."
"There has to be a way."
"There's always a way," Teodor said, "Tomorrow, Amanda and I are going to the library to do some research."
"On the Hag?" Gunner asked.
"Yeah, it's been suggested that she was a real person," Teodor said.
"She's a witch," Trucker said, "She's collects the skins of the kids so she can make a dress."
Teodor patted Trucker's shoulder. "What else have you heard?"
"I heard that she was a beautiful woman once," Gunner said, "She was attacked by a gang of kids, that scarred her."
Teodor had heard these stories before. The story of the dress had been in the news, years ago. Some crazy in Wisconsin had dug up some dead women and made things out of their skins. The other story Teodor had heard in a few other cities. Thats all Teodor heard, was stories.
"Maybe you two should come down to the library tomorrow, too," Teodor said.
Gunner shrugged. Trucker nodded. Teodor slapped his thigh. "Alright, afterwards maybe ice cream."
Trucker threw himself on Teodor and hugged him. Gunner laughed.
They went back to the Pit. Teodor's legs shook as he left the cab. Amanda helped him up the stairs. She opened the door to Bilge's apartment. Gunner sprawled out in one of the easy chairs, reading. Trucker played with a toy truck on the living room floor.
Teodor sat down on the couch. Trucker climbed up on the couch and sat next to him. He handed Teodor the truck. "Amanda said you were hurt."
"I was," Teodor said.
"You okay?" Trucker asked.
"I will be," Teodor said.
Gunner looked up from his book, "What happened?"
"Some jerk stabbed me in the back," Teodor said.
"Those hurt like a bitch," Gunner said.
Teodor stared at Gunner. Gunner sighed and lifted up his shirt. There were three scars on his chest and abdomen. "Fun times."
"What happened?" Teodor asked.
Gunner smooth out his shirt, "My mom's boyfriend and I had a little argument."
"He stabbed you?" Teodor asked.
Gunner nodded, "Yeah, but I got the ass good too. Cops came, Mom sided with the jerk. I took off as soon as I was stitched up."
"Well, I can honestly say, I know what it's like."
"You're mom have a crazy boyfriend?" Gunner asked.
Teodor shook his head, "No, I was the runt of the family. You see werewolves don't have families, they have packs. And if you are not strong enough or fast enough to be of use, they will push you out. I was the smallest one. My mother told me that my father wanted to kill me when I was a year old. She stopped him."
"So you mom was alright?" Trucker asked.
"No. She was just as bad." Teodor leaned back. "I'm fast and smart, so I was able to stay one step ahead of the rest of the pack. But there were some close calls."
"Did you take off too?" Trucker asked.
"I couldn't," Teodor said, "But I did get out."
"How?"
"The villagers told some soldiers where my family lived, I was warned." Teodor chuckled. "They were massacred."
Gunner stared at Teodor.
Teodor waved his hand, "I can laugh now, I warned the idiots. My father did not think the soldiers would harm them."
"Where was this?" Gunner asked.
"Spain," Teodor said. "A long time ago."
Trucker curled his feet up on the couch. "Did you bring something to eat?"
"Amanda is bringing something up later," Teodor said.
Gunner sighed, "What about that Woman?" He asked.
"The Hag?"
Gunner nodded, "Yeah, Can you kill her?"
Teodor looked at his feet, "I am not sure, she's more like a ghost, than something like me."
"There has to be a way."
"There's always a way," Teodor said, "Tomorrow, Amanda and I are going to the library to do some research."
"On the Hag?" Gunner asked.
"Yeah, it's been suggested that she was a real person," Teodor said.
"She's a witch," Trucker said, "She's collects the skins of the kids so she can make a dress."
Teodor patted Trucker's shoulder. "What else have you heard?"
"I heard that she was a beautiful woman once," Gunner said, "She was attacked by a gang of kids, that scarred her."
Teodor had heard these stories before. The story of the dress had been in the news, years ago. Some crazy in Wisconsin had dug up some dead women and made things out of their skins. The other story Teodor had heard in a few other cities. Thats all Teodor heard, was stories.
"Maybe you two should come down to the library tomorrow, too," Teodor said.
Gunner shrugged. Trucker nodded. Teodor slapped his thigh. "Alright, afterwards maybe ice cream."
Trucker threw himself on Teodor and hugged him. Gunner laughed.
January 4, 2012
Strong Young Female Characters
It can be tempting write a strong female lead to the point that she becomes a unfeeling robot. Like a 1980's macho action hero with breasts. Especially now, when we are faced with images of reality show stars that are famous due to their looks, female movie leads that follow their man around like lost puppies.
But, there are good examples of recent female leads, that are strong, can match the men blow by blow, and yet remain vulnerable and driven. And who's life is not revolving around "some boy".
Hit Girl, Hanna, and Ree Dolly.*
Let's start with Hit Girl, the killer little girl in Kick-Ass. Her childhood was designed to make her a killing machine. Her father (wonderfully played by Nicholas Cage), had been set up by a drug dealer and did time in prison, which is not a good place for a cop to be. While he was there his wife dies, leaving behind their daughter, Hit Girl. He raises her to be a killer, to take revenge on the drug dealer that took her mother's life and ruined their lives. They do it as masked crime fighters.
She is a pint sized vigilante. She is an expert in many forms of weapons and fighting styles. But still is a little kid. In the scene where her and Kick Ass meet. She starts to show off, teasing the small time drug dealers, while brutally killing them in front of Kick Ass.
You would think a childhood like that would make her a psychopath. But a psychopath is defined as a personality disorder characterized by lack of empathy and remorse, and shallow emotions. She is empathic, she wants to reach out and meet Kick Ass, seeing that he needs help. Lack of remorse? Hardly, when she fails to rescue her father, she is very remorseful. But turns that remorse into the anger she needs to finish the job. Shallow emotions? She keeps her emotions in check, but she does cry, when she needs to.
Is she vulnerable? She's eleven. Part of her is still a little girl.
Hanna, from the movie Hanna, like Hit Girl, was raised to be a killer. In her case, her father had to hide her from the CIA, because she is last survivor of a project. He had to raise her to protect herself from the people that would show up eventually to "erase" the evidence. You see her hunting with a bow and arrow above the arctic circle in Finland. Whereas Hit Girl was trained to be a John Woo type of superhero. Hanna is taught how to survive with barely any weapons.
She can hunt, butcher animals, kill with a knife and a bow. She is kept away from society because they are in hiding. But her father (he raised her, not her biological father) knows she will have to face her past. That is why he teaches her to be so self reliant.
The problem is, she has now idea what the real world is like. When she has to leave her hut in the woods of Finland. She travels to Germany. Along the way she meets a family on vacation, that sort of take her in. They treat her like a the teenager she should be. Their daughter sneaks out with Hanna one night to meet some boys. Hanna has no clue on how to react. The boy kisses her, she almost kills him. Yet, her new friend doesn't abandoned her.
Unlike Hit Girl, who is normal, except for her upbringing, Hanna finds out she had been genetically altered. This should make her even less human. But as she starts to experience what the real world is like, she develops empathy. Thanking her new friend for being a friend, and tries to keep the family out of danger. If she was truly the emotionless killing machine she was supposed to be, she wouldn't have cared about the family.
Hit Girl and Hanna may seem to made to be heroes. So we turn to Ree Dolly from the movie Winter's Bone. Like the other girls, she is young (seventeen), self reliant (hunts so there is food on the table), and her mother is non existent (in this case due to catatonia). Unlike the other girls, her father is missing, she has not grown up to be a killing machine. She is a normal girl, growing up in a poor, meth riddled area of the country. She has to raise her younger brother and sister, because of the lack of parental figures in the house.
The plot of Winter's Bone deals with Ree finding her father. She is warned that if her father does not show up for this court hearing, he will be skipping his bail, which means they will lose the one possession the family owes, the house. She starts her journey to find her father. Her father had been caught producing and selling meth. This means Ree has to start with people involved with the drug. Most are in her family. Along the way she is lied to and threatened, but she will not give up. They are going to lose their home.
When she figures out her father was killed, she doesn't want revenge, she only wants proof. She confronts the head dealer in the county. This lead her to be beaten by the women in his group. In one of the most powerful scenes, she tells the group of adults that have just beaten her, that she doesn't care who killed her father. She needs proof to save her home, because she has to take care of her family and she can't do that with out a home.
The end of the movie, she is taken to where her father's body had been hidden. Without giving a major spoiler away. She gets her proof.
Ree keeps going, she is willing to put herself on the line to keep her family home. She knows the risk, but keeps going. If she had been Hit Girl, she would have faced the drug dealers with guns. She doesn't. She goes alone and unarmed. Of the three, she is the most vulnerable, but she is the strongest. She may have been pushed into the role of the care giver in the story, but she knows what is expected.
For those of you that think strong young females have not existed since Buffy ended, don't worry. They are out there. Hopefully, we will see more of them. I hope more in the vein of Ree. A strong, realistic, female is far more powerful. Even if you are writing or watching a fantasy, having a character anchored in reality, makes their strengths and vulnerabilities more accessible and believable.
* Disclaimer: I am only comparing the characters as they were portrayed in the movies, to be fair, since Hanna only appeared in film form.
But, there are good examples of recent female leads, that are strong, can match the men blow by blow, and yet remain vulnerable and driven. And who's life is not revolving around "some boy".
Hit Girl, Hanna, and Ree Dolly.*
Let's start with Hit Girl, the killer little girl in Kick-Ass. Her childhood was designed to make her a killing machine. Her father (wonderfully played by Nicholas Cage), had been set up by a drug dealer and did time in prison, which is not a good place for a cop to be. While he was there his wife dies, leaving behind their daughter, Hit Girl. He raises her to be a killer, to take revenge on the drug dealer that took her mother's life and ruined their lives. They do it as masked crime fighters.She is a pint sized vigilante. She is an expert in many forms of weapons and fighting styles. But still is a little kid. In the scene where her and Kick Ass meet. She starts to show off, teasing the small time drug dealers, while brutally killing them in front of Kick Ass.
You would think a childhood like that would make her a psychopath. But a psychopath is defined as a personality disorder characterized by lack of empathy and remorse, and shallow emotions. She is empathic, she wants to reach out and meet Kick Ass, seeing that he needs help. Lack of remorse? Hardly, when she fails to rescue her father, she is very remorseful. But turns that remorse into the anger she needs to finish the job. Shallow emotions? She keeps her emotions in check, but she does cry, when she needs to.
Is she vulnerable? She's eleven. Part of her is still a little girl.
Hanna, from the movie Hanna, like Hit Girl, was raised to be a killer. In her case, her father had to hide her from the CIA, because she is last survivor of a project. He had to raise her to protect herself from the people that would show up eventually to "erase" the evidence. You see her hunting with a bow and arrow above the arctic circle in Finland. Whereas Hit Girl was trained to be a John Woo type of superhero. Hanna is taught how to survive with barely any weapons.She can hunt, butcher animals, kill with a knife and a bow. She is kept away from society because they are in hiding. But her father (he raised her, not her biological father) knows she will have to face her past. That is why he teaches her to be so self reliant.
The problem is, she has now idea what the real world is like. When she has to leave her hut in the woods of Finland. She travels to Germany. Along the way she meets a family on vacation, that sort of take her in. They treat her like a the teenager she should be. Their daughter sneaks out with Hanna one night to meet some boys. Hanna has no clue on how to react. The boy kisses her, she almost kills him. Yet, her new friend doesn't abandoned her.
Unlike Hit Girl, who is normal, except for her upbringing, Hanna finds out she had been genetically altered. This should make her even less human. But as she starts to experience what the real world is like, she develops empathy. Thanking her new friend for being a friend, and tries to keep the family out of danger. If she was truly the emotionless killing machine she was supposed to be, she wouldn't have cared about the family.
Hit Girl and Hanna may seem to made to be heroes. So we turn to Ree Dolly from the movie Winter's Bone. Like the other girls, she is young (seventeen), self reliant (hunts so there is food on the table), and her mother is non existent (in this case due to catatonia). Unlike the other girls, her father is missing, she has not grown up to be a killing machine. She is a normal girl, growing up in a poor, meth riddled area of the country. She has to raise her younger brother and sister, because of the lack of parental figures in the house.The plot of Winter's Bone deals with Ree finding her father. She is warned that if her father does not show up for this court hearing, he will be skipping his bail, which means they will lose the one possession the family owes, the house. She starts her journey to find her father. Her father had been caught producing and selling meth. This means Ree has to start with people involved with the drug. Most are in her family. Along the way she is lied to and threatened, but she will not give up. They are going to lose their home.
When she figures out her father was killed, she doesn't want revenge, she only wants proof. She confronts the head dealer in the county. This lead her to be beaten by the women in his group. In one of the most powerful scenes, she tells the group of adults that have just beaten her, that she doesn't care who killed her father. She needs proof to save her home, because she has to take care of her family and she can't do that with out a home.
The end of the movie, she is taken to where her father's body had been hidden. Without giving a major spoiler away. She gets her proof.
Ree keeps going, she is willing to put herself on the line to keep her family home. She knows the risk, but keeps going. If she had been Hit Girl, she would have faced the drug dealers with guns. She doesn't. She goes alone and unarmed. Of the three, she is the most vulnerable, but she is the strongest. She may have been pushed into the role of the care giver in the story, but she knows what is expected.
For those of you that think strong young females have not existed since Buffy ended, don't worry. They are out there. Hopefully, we will see more of them. I hope more in the vein of Ree. A strong, realistic, female is far more powerful. Even if you are writing or watching a fantasy, having a character anchored in reality, makes their strengths and vulnerabilities more accessible and believable.
* Disclaimer: I am only comparing the characters as they were portrayed in the movies, to be fair, since Hanna only appeared in film form.
#WerewolfWeds The Hag - Chapter 15 Part 1
Please check my #WerewolfWeds page for an overview of this. Thanks.
The voice drifted into Teodor's ears.
"I did all I could,"
"You did fine," that was Bilge.
"But I am not a vet, that's who you should have taken him too." The voice was familiar. It was an older man's, a voice that was forced. As if every word was painful to say.
"You did fine, Mr. Sansard," Bilge said.
"Yes, thank you," Amanda said.
Teodor started to see faint shapes around him. There were three people standing around him. He could almost see Amanda's blond hair. He tried to speak.
Amanda's head turned. "Teodor?"
"What happened?" Teodor said, sounding out each word.
"That kid that stabbed you, had a trick knife." Bilge said.
"The knife was silver, with a hollow tip," Amanda said, "The tip broke, it was full of silver filings."
"You're lucky," Mr. Sansard said.
Teodor could now make out where he was by the smells. Teodor could smelt the stale beer and vinegary wine. The strong sweet smell of garbage was overpowering any other smells. It was the alcohol and food warehouse that Bilge had taken him too.
Bilge lit of of his thin cigars. "Why'd you go after that young man?"
Teodor adjusted himself on the concrete floor. The small of his back felt tender, but the burning pain was gone. "He was lurking outside the Pit."
"How'd he know about your friend?" Mr. Sansard asked.
"That's a good question," Bilge said. He puffed on his cigar. "He's kinda young to be a werewolf hunter."
"Guys," Amanda said, "He needs his rest."
"Can you move?" Bilge asked.
Teodor nodded. Amanda bent down and helped Teodor up. He winced as he stood up straight.
"The dogs followed the young man," Amanda said. "He's at one of the buildings near the river where the River Rats hang out."
Bilge pulled the cigar out of his mouth. "What are River Rats doing with silver knives?"
"Who?" Mr. Sansard asked.
"A bunch of bad kids," Bilge said.
"Near the river?"
Bilge nodded.
Amanda sighed. "Can I take him home?"
"Sorry," Bilge said. "Yeah, lets get him home."
Amanda helped Teodor to Bilge's truck. Teodor felt stronger as he walked towards the truck.
"Those kids shouldn't be by the river," Mr. Sansard said.
"Why?" Bilge asked as he opened the passenger side door.
"It's haunted," Mr. Sansard said, "The ghosts are vicious."
"How do you know this?" Amanda said, as she helped Teodor into the cab of the truck.
"My friend was attacked," Mr. Sansard said, "Right after we came to this country."
Amanda climbed into the cab, alongside Teodor. Bilge walked around to the driver's side.
"Thank you, again, Mr. Sansard," Bilge said, as he got into the cab.
"What? Alright, take care."
Bilge started up his truck. They pulled out of the loading dock. Bilge put out his cigar.
"Sorry about that, he was the only one I could think of," Bilge said.
"What did he do?" Teodor asked.
"He had been a doctor," Amanda said, "But he did something else to you."
"Psychic healer," Bilge said, "or if you prefer faith healer."
Teodor glanced at Bilge. "I have to ask you. Are all your friends a little on the odd side?"
"Yeah, what is it with you, Bilge?" Amanda asked.
Bilge shifted the truck, "I know a group of people, with special skills," he said, "Albrecht, Mr. Sansard, Myself, and a couple more."
Teodor waited for the explanation, it did not come. "And?" he asked.
"When we were younger, we liked to hunt in the darkness." Bilge said, "Ghosts mainly, but we found other things as well."
"Do you still do it?" Amanda asked.
Bilge shook his head, "No, not worth the danger. When that factory exploded years ago, that was the last time,"
Teodor and Amanda exchanged a glance, "We remember," Amanda said.
"Too much energy," Bilge said. "It nearly fried Mr. Sansard. It did fry me, unfortunately."
"What do you mean?" Teodor asked.
"When it went up," Bilge said. "I suddenly got a nasty headache, and then it was gone."
"What?" Amanda asked.
"My talent," Bilge said, "You didn't think I could only serve beer."
Bilge slowed down and stopped for a red light. "I could sense ghosts, talk to them, sometimes."
"A psychic?" Amanda asked.
"Yeah, but when that factory blew," He shook his head, "There was something strange going on there. We had heard stories about a lab..."
"We know," Amanda said.
Bilge glanced at her. "I thought you did, but I don't want to know about it."
"What about Trucker and Gunner?" Teodor asked.
"They are still at my place," Bilge said. "If that guy was a River Rat, then Gunner will want to go after him."
"So is Mr. Sansard correct? The river is haunted?" Amanda asked.
Bilge nodded. "Yeah, but not just ghosts."
Teodor rubbed his beard. "You know what is odd. That a kid would know what to carry if he wanted to hurt a werewolf, but then hang out in a haunted area."
"I think it is more interesting to find out where he got that knife," Bilge said. "You can't just buy one of those at the store."
Teodor nodded.
Bilge turned down a street. "Let's just take it easy tonight. I got a band setting up in about an hour. Teodor, I want you to stay away from the bar."
"Why?"
"I don't know how fast you heal, but I don't want to take any chances," Bilge said.
"You could watch the boys," Amanda said.
Teodor put his arm around Amanda. "Sure, I will play Dad, tonight."
Amanda smiled a small smile. "I'll bring up some sandwiches later."
Teodor nodded. "Sounds good."
The voice drifted into Teodor's ears.
"I did all I could,"
"You did fine," that was Bilge.
"But I am not a vet, that's who you should have taken him too." The voice was familiar. It was an older man's, a voice that was forced. As if every word was painful to say.
"You did fine, Mr. Sansard," Bilge said.
"Yes, thank you," Amanda said.
Teodor started to see faint shapes around him. There were three people standing around him. He could almost see Amanda's blond hair. He tried to speak.
Amanda's head turned. "Teodor?"
"What happened?" Teodor said, sounding out each word.
"That kid that stabbed you, had a trick knife." Bilge said.
"The knife was silver, with a hollow tip," Amanda said, "The tip broke, it was full of silver filings."
"You're lucky," Mr. Sansard said.
Teodor could now make out where he was by the smells. Teodor could smelt the stale beer and vinegary wine. The strong sweet smell of garbage was overpowering any other smells. It was the alcohol and food warehouse that Bilge had taken him too.
Bilge lit of of his thin cigars. "Why'd you go after that young man?"
Teodor adjusted himself on the concrete floor. The small of his back felt tender, but the burning pain was gone. "He was lurking outside the Pit."
"How'd he know about your friend?" Mr. Sansard asked.
"That's a good question," Bilge said. He puffed on his cigar. "He's kinda young to be a werewolf hunter."
"Guys," Amanda said, "He needs his rest."
"Can you move?" Bilge asked.
Teodor nodded. Amanda bent down and helped Teodor up. He winced as he stood up straight.
"The dogs followed the young man," Amanda said. "He's at one of the buildings near the river where the River Rats hang out."
Bilge pulled the cigar out of his mouth. "What are River Rats doing with silver knives?"
"Who?" Mr. Sansard asked.
"A bunch of bad kids," Bilge said.
"Near the river?"
Bilge nodded.
Amanda sighed. "Can I take him home?"
"Sorry," Bilge said. "Yeah, lets get him home."
Amanda helped Teodor to Bilge's truck. Teodor felt stronger as he walked towards the truck.
"Those kids shouldn't be by the river," Mr. Sansard said.
"Why?" Bilge asked as he opened the passenger side door.
"It's haunted," Mr. Sansard said, "The ghosts are vicious."
"How do you know this?" Amanda said, as she helped Teodor into the cab of the truck.
"My friend was attacked," Mr. Sansard said, "Right after we came to this country."
Amanda climbed into the cab, alongside Teodor. Bilge walked around to the driver's side.
"Thank you, again, Mr. Sansard," Bilge said, as he got into the cab.
"What? Alright, take care."
Bilge started up his truck. They pulled out of the loading dock. Bilge put out his cigar.
"Sorry about that, he was the only one I could think of," Bilge said.
"What did he do?" Teodor asked.
"He had been a doctor," Amanda said, "But he did something else to you."
"Psychic healer," Bilge said, "or if you prefer faith healer."
Teodor glanced at Bilge. "I have to ask you. Are all your friends a little on the odd side?"
"Yeah, what is it with you, Bilge?" Amanda asked.
Bilge shifted the truck, "I know a group of people, with special skills," he said, "Albrecht, Mr. Sansard, Myself, and a couple more."
Teodor waited for the explanation, it did not come. "And?" he asked.
"When we were younger, we liked to hunt in the darkness." Bilge said, "Ghosts mainly, but we found other things as well."
"Do you still do it?" Amanda asked.
Bilge shook his head, "No, not worth the danger. When that factory exploded years ago, that was the last time,"
Teodor and Amanda exchanged a glance, "We remember," Amanda said.
"Too much energy," Bilge said. "It nearly fried Mr. Sansard. It did fry me, unfortunately."
"What do you mean?" Teodor asked.
"When it went up," Bilge said. "I suddenly got a nasty headache, and then it was gone."
"What?" Amanda asked.
"My talent," Bilge said, "You didn't think I could only serve beer."
Bilge slowed down and stopped for a red light. "I could sense ghosts, talk to them, sometimes."
"A psychic?" Amanda asked.
"Yeah, but when that factory blew," He shook his head, "There was something strange going on there. We had heard stories about a lab..."
"We know," Amanda said.
Bilge glanced at her. "I thought you did, but I don't want to know about it."
"What about Trucker and Gunner?" Teodor asked.
"They are still at my place," Bilge said. "If that guy was a River Rat, then Gunner will want to go after him."
"So is Mr. Sansard correct? The river is haunted?" Amanda asked.
Bilge nodded. "Yeah, but not just ghosts."
Teodor rubbed his beard. "You know what is odd. That a kid would know what to carry if he wanted to hurt a werewolf, but then hang out in a haunted area."
"I think it is more interesting to find out where he got that knife," Bilge said. "You can't just buy one of those at the store."
Teodor nodded.
Bilge turned down a street. "Let's just take it easy tonight. I got a band setting up in about an hour. Teodor, I want you to stay away from the bar."
"Why?"
"I don't know how fast you heal, but I don't want to take any chances," Bilge said.
"You could watch the boys," Amanda said.
Teodor put his arm around Amanda. "Sure, I will play Dad, tonight."
Amanda smiled a small smile. "I'll bring up some sandwiches later."
Teodor nodded. "Sounds good."
