[Calliope]: 216.The Unfinisheds.The Shroud

The Shroud

  The rain streamed down, rushing into the gutters in torrents. Lightning shattered the darkness while thunder cracked causing his ears to throb. Even with all of tihs his walk remained steady. It wasn't what people call trudging, more like a distracted plod. As the lightning flickered, he glanced up, seeming to look straight at her. The harsh light silhoutted him while reflecting off of his eyes, giving him a severe, feral look. She had long ago grown accustomed to the discomfort his random looks caused her. They never seemed as gastly opposed to the times before she discovered he couldn't see her.
  He continued on, sloshing through the puddles. I wonder where he's going tonight she pondered. She lost sight of him briefly as a car passed, only to see him once again crossing the now disserted street. He approached an inconsicuous door with no eye grabbing attributes and rapped his knuckles against the harsh wood. Another man she had seen before opened it revealing a darkly shadowed hall that he ushered the first man into. This was all familiar to her, even her own previous thought. She prepared herself for the blackout, aniously awaiting the chance to see if something had changed.
  These visions had been plaguing her for as long as she could remember. By the time she was old enough to classify them as nightmares she had become so accustomed to them that she would actually retreat into the comfort they offered her. Gradually pieces had been added in to alterthem, for there was more han one. At least a dozen appeared frequently with a small handful that were mroe catious. She, herself, described the visions as cautious because they felt as if they held important clues hidden deep within their dredgery. They felt that if these clues were recealed, the reprecussions would be worse than the mystery. This specific vision was one that she experienced more often but it's element of mystery was one of the highest, mainly because of it's blackout component.
  She was jolted back into the dream with a stab. A quick glance around told her nothing had changed scenery wise so she waited for the man to appear. Soon enough she heard voices paired with the fleeting though of This is new. The man from before came around a corner, his steps matching those of a blonde haired, blue eyed man of similar height and build. She immediately noticed the differences between these two men, who, besides their colouring, could be brothers. It was a talent she had been nurturing since her early teens. The darker male had a poise that suggested etremem pride and, although she had never been close enough to tell, she felt an intelligence and self-assurance that he radiated. The blonde wasn't the opposed but nor was he in anyway similar to these dominating traits his companion displayed. He walked with a cat-like grace so that he appeared to be stalking while he emitted a sense of regality. "He's used to being obeyed." she whispered to herself.
  The men stopped talking before she could hear what they were saying and while that in itself wasn't unusual, what happened next was shocking. The vision flickered but instead of ending like every other time, it relocated her. She could still see the two men but now they were both sending off frightening waves of malice. She shuddered and turned away, scanning the new area as an excuse to escape the feelings they caused. Something was familiar about her surroundings, if only it would stop raining so she could see better. Suddently an unusally brilliatn bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the district. She gasped. They were going towards her house!

© Angie O’Connor