Where the Dark Things Are

By Eady H

Black clouds full of purple lightening descend and coast above the earth. They can feel your fear. They know what scares you. Feed them with your choices.

 

Then stick around for a weird smutty novelette.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eady H
• Release date: Jun 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223243854

Book preview

Khrys lays on her back staring at the night sky while the sound of a light breeze in the trees around her lulls her into a place of peace. She’s always loved the night and stared up wondering what’s up there. The serenity is broken by a cluster of black clouds descending silently from the sky. Purple lightening crackles in their depths as they drift toward the Earth’s surface. She sits up fascinated by the phenomena. They stop descending four feet from the ground and begin moving parallel to it. Fascinated, she moves to her feet and turns slowly watching the clouds. A little thrill runs through her, and she’s torn between the desire to touch one or run home.

Several clouds coast past her and she hesitantly reaches out her hand. It’s a whisper against her skin that turns to a tingle then begins to burn. Khrys tries to pull her hand out, but the cloud solidifies around it forming a black and purple orb. A kernel of fear blossoms in her chest and the orb opens and shuts chomping down like the Pac-Man eating dots.

Khrys screams in pain as it moves up her arm. She uses her other hand to frantically push on the orb in a futile attempt to remove it. When that doesn’t work, she slams it on the ground, but still it moves guzzling her arm. She screams again and tears stream from her eyes.

A flash of silver passes her face and hacks through her arm at the elbow. Her arm hits the ground, and the cloud dissipates. Khrys’ head spins and she falls after her arm. Someone catches her before she hits the ground, and she looks up into an unknown man’s face.

We need to go, he says as he hoists her onto her feet. We need to get you inside and stop the bleeding.

You . . . you cut my arm off.

I didn’t know how else to get it off you.

The man holds onto her as he weaves around the clouds, through the park and into a house sitting across the street from the city park. He kicks the door closed behind them and sits Khrys at the kitchen table. Blood soaks the floor around her feet and her shoes. She sways in her chair as it runs down her side. He tosses her a towel and she holds it to her dripping bloody stump. He leaves the kitchen and she begins to shake. When he returns, she’s almost convulsing with her shakes. He’s holding a hot flat iron and crouches in front of her.

This is going to hurt, but we have to stop the bleeding.

Why . . . wh . . . why can’t . . . we . . . just go . . . to the hospital. I . . . I won’t press charges.

The man smirks. I know you’re in shock, but I need you to remember what was eating your arm. The hospital is going to have its hands full tonight.

She nods as she looks into the distance. He gently removes the bloody towel and touches the iron to her wound. Khrys screams and slumps into the chair, when she wakes, she’s on a couch. The lights are dim, but she notices fresh bandages on her arm which is throbbing. The man is standing at the window staring out. She moves to a sitting position, but he doesn’t turn around. With some effort she stands and joins him. He sips something from a mug that smells like alcohol.

Looks like the world is ending. Want one? he asks.

Probably shouldn’t, she says as she rubs her stump. She wasn’t so sure she could handle liquor after losing so much blood.

Suit yourself.

Outside the window the black clouds drift by, purple lightening crackling inside. Khrys isn’t sure she’s seen anything more beautiful. They both stare out the window at the black clouds. Other than their drifting there is no movement outside.

What do you suppose they are? she asks.

He shrugs and sips from his cup. Does it matter?

It did to her. She’d always dreamed of life beyond their planet. And she’d known it would be different, but not this beautiful, deadly. What was their purpose? Were they sentient, or just some deadly piece of nature that looks good?

I should probably be going, she says. Thanks for everything.

You’re going back out there?

Uh . . . yeah. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.

I won’t force you back out there.

Khrys turns away from the window. If the world was going to end, she wanted to be home when it did. There was something to be said for the comfort of home. It could make everything better. Besides she didn’t know this man. Did she really want to spend the apocalypse with him? What if he decided they were the fate of the human race, and she owed him for saving her?

I think I am going to go home.

He doesn’t turn from the window. I won’t be there to save you this time.

That’s okay, Khrys says as she heads toward the door. She doesn’t really want to lose any more limbs anyway.

She pauses