Gianfranco Mancini’s Reviews > The Endless Ages Anthology > Status Update

Getting closer to Father Clayton intensified the sensation until each step felt like she was walking through a furnace, but she did not falter. When the wafer touched her tongue, the intensity of the pain almost made her gag, but she was no stranger to the holy fire. She accepted it with a smile, feeling a warmth in her heart separate from the intense heat around her.

“Sorry for the monologue,” she gasped at the effort of restraining the Beast. “It helps a girl focus when she’s hungry. Not that you seem to care.” She slapped her captive audience playfully and his head lolled lazily back, eyes trying to focus as he chewed forgetfully at the gag. “This is why you don’t follow strange girls into alleys, you fetishist asshole.”

The wind picked up. This time it was victorious against her cool fingertips, gaining more purchase on the soiled photograph than her own grip could manage. Her head twisted abruptly to face westward as the snapshot, caught on a squall, flew free in the direction of the sunset. Appropriate. Fly safe, children, man, family. You’ll not be alone long. It’s a promise. All of you.

In the gloom of her native forest, her eyes had broken the shadows and shapes so she recognized objects and people better without light. That seemed to have stayed with her even in her new unlife. The night sky’s always lighter than the false illumination on the ground. Everything about her had begun to evolve, to change, but she’d never known any of her people to have, well, cat ears.

“Hey, come on, I didn’t mean to upset you, I like alcoholics! Every village needs the village idiot, it’s the only way things stay fun,” he said with an almost unnerving sincerity. “Lucky for you, I’m feeling generous tonight, and I think I can help you.” Before I ever had a chance to say no, or say anything for that matter, out came the teeth.

The last man who paid for my mouth had a black cross on his cheek and I took that as a good sign, except then he had leaned forward and the pain started, my life being drained from me. The end rushed to me and I felt loved and happy and ready…
…then the taste on my lips, the burning of this horrible life, a sudden addiction.