Horrid Awakening
Finished just in time to switch my focus to Novella November is my submission to the WoD Hallozine! The theme being Haunting I knew exactly what I wanted to do. This is something that's been bouncing in my head and now I'm putting it out to the world! Story below break, I hope you enjoy! Thank you to @vampemoqueen for putting this together! Link to Hallozine post Special thanks to @syntheticmortal for all your helpful advice!
You’re a Monster
A single heavy thump of the heart tore him from torpor. Lungs expanded painfully, muscles tensed, vision blurred. False life was dragging him away from daylight imposed mortis. All that could be done was grit the teeth and allow it to pass. A distant ring played on the eardrums, and a dull ache in the head added to the torture of awakening. Gaining control over the body, he sat up from the overstuffed mattress. The arms felt extended and heavy. The bulk of the body felt like a weighted suit. However he refused to allow himself to complain about the body. He would simply be grateful to be able to move under his own will once again. On unsteady legs he rose from the bed. Left foot, Right foot, left-
You’re a Monster
His knees buckled and slammed into the hardwood floor. The ache in his skull grew into a painful pressure, pushing against the back of his left eye. The ringing in his ears could no longer be ignored. He refused to allow the body to lie there. He refused to be a bystander in existence. Forcing his will into the muscle and bone he pushed to his hands and knees. Feeling around he found the nightstand. Leaning heavily on it he pulled himself up and came to an unbelievable realization.
Blinking to correct his sight changed nothing. Faded spots, chipped edges, a slight lean from a rot eaten leg. It wasn’t what he remembered. It should be sturdy. The work of an expert craftsman and taken care of like a treasure. Studying the table his sight fell on the simple fluted vase with a single rose. One he knows he placed there himself. The petals were blackened, the bloom bowed down, the leaves shriveled. The sheets on the nearby bed were threadbare. Holes were torn into the blankets. The solid wooden frame is now falling to one side. He refused to believe the beautiful room and furnishings were in such a state over only a single day. Eyes darting back to the rose he looked for answers. It was dry and dead. Yet there was water in the vase, though putrid and vile. Trying to make sense of it exacerbated his condition. Unsteady but unwilling to fall, he pushed away from the nightstand. Lurching toward the bathroom, driven by the need to know his own condition. He needed to see that his precious vessel was safe.
Looking upon the bedroom in its entirety was a grim sight. The wallpaper was peeling away. The floorboards were warped, and flexing under him. The paint on the door was flaking, the door knob patinated, and the hinges rusted. It looked like it would crumble at a touch. The whole room appeared as if it was decaying around him. A white blur shifted in the corner of his eye. He stumbled as he spun quickly to chase the apparition, finding only the reminders of decay that surrounded him.
Fear built in his chest and sank down to his stomach. He hastily turned back, careening into the door. The frame gave way with a loud crack that felt like splinters in his tortured ears. An icy chill crawled up his spine. The ringing crescendoed and the pain in his head expanded. Clambering to the mirror he supported himself on the sink. The beautiful face was untouched by the plague settling upon the room. However, relief was snatched away before it even settled on him.
You're a Monster
The ringing grew cacophonous. The pain became a burning spike driven inside his mind. He tried to scream, but was drowned out by the ringing. Cold metal pressed into his head. Spinning frantically he fell back into the sink. It ripped free of the wall and shattered. Pieces of the ceramic fixture littered the floor.
Looming over him was a phantom of hatred. Glaring down at the soul in the body. It held righteous judgment in its hand and was ready to unleash it. Defying the wraith of his past he bared his fangs. No regret, no remorse, no innocence.
You’re a monster
The hammer pulled back.
YOU’RE A MONSTER
The hammer slammed forward.
YOU’RE A MONSTER