Legends of Windemere

(I’m typing this while on the phone. CLICK HERE for link.)

Olivet College

A powerful wind repeatedly whips at Apollo as he gets to his feet and looks around for Aurora. Standing at the edge of the lake shore, he can barely see the library through the tightly packed trees. Hearing a cough from his right, the young man hurries over the slick stones and twisted roots. Coming around an angel-shaped piece of driftwood, Apollo finds his sister crawling out from under the shifting pack ice. He hurries to help her out and is about to hand her his shirt when he realizes the air is warm. Looking up to the sky, he watches the clouds part and reveal a moon that looks twice the size as it should. Bathed in the light, he can barely see the stars, which are in their early summer positions. The twins back toward the trees, which fall backwards when thousands of ravens leave the branches. Circling the entire campus, the ravens sing with voices that send chills down Apollo’s spine.

“Are we dreaming again?” Aurora asks as she shivers. She groans at the icy sensation beneath her warm skin, the combination making her want to vomit. “None of this makes any sense. Even if reincarnation or resurrection is possible, why would her parts go into people who are already alive? We have no connection to what happened eighteen years ago. All of us were only babies. Why is this happening to us?”

“Because you were chosen,” Gemma replies while stepping out from behind a boulder. She draws her gun and scratches her temple with it, her finger twitching as if trying to pull the trigger. “Not by me or Dawn, but by dumb luck. There’s no rhyme or reason to any of this, so stop asking. Would you be this confused if a truck ran a red light and hit you? No because those are accidents that you accept as a possibility. Carrying the soul of a madwoman is the same thing.”

“Bad luck makes this even worse,” Apollo says, moving between the former cop and his sister. A pang of anger rises in his stomach, but the emotion vanishes as soon as he tries to focus on it. “What if you take me and let Aurora leave? Dawn can even take my soul if she needs to fill the space. It’s ridiculous to kill two people in order to revive one.”

Aurora pushes her brother way and staggers forward, her body wracked with pain. “I think I’m sick, so take me instead. A disease shouldn’t do anything to the soul since that isn’t a physical object. Maybe I’ve worked too hard and eaten poorly for so long that my body is giving up. Doesn’t really matter as long as you do what I ask. Last thing you want is for me to die and your savior’s soul goes running off somewhere.”

“It’s adorable that you think it works that way,” Gemma coos, her voice changing into Dawn’s for an instant. Slapping herself in the face, the red-haired woman screams until she abruptly regains her composure. “We’ll just pluck the soul out of the sky or wherever it runs away to. After all, you dying doesn’t save your brother and his half holds enough power to get the rest. This is becoming tedious. All of the other parts are in place and I don’t want this nightmare to last any longer than it has to. Now, shut up and come with-”

Gemma’s last word gets caught in her throat as she falls to her knees, a pair of sharp stones piercing her shins. Her eyes twitching and her head rocking from side to side, she is about to stand when her body locks up. Drool dribbles from her mouth as she collapses, the rocks bursting to create a cushion of mud. The twins get closer to makes sure Gemma is still breathing, Apollo tossing the gun into the lake. Seeing a chance to escape, they only make it a few steps along the shore before the soaring ravens shriek and land on the ground. The birds stare at the siblings and only move to block their way, the animals tightening the circle. With a human-like warble, eight of them hop onto Gemma and stand along her spine, which they peck at without ever breaking the skin.

“My little kitty had just enough of me to get my motor running,” Dawn declares as she walks through the ravens. Her naked form dances in the moonlight, which curls around her and turns an eerie crimson. “I may have taken a bit of her too, but I’ll give it back. She wasn’t using all of it anyway. Now, I need to decide on who I will take first. The one that was already mine or the one that used to be mine. It’s so hard to decision because you both smell so yummy. Reminds me of home.”

“Why do I get the feeling that asking for an explanation won’t help?” Apollo asks as he backs toward the water. Picking up a piece of driftwood, he swings at the ravens that come too close. “You seem fine now, so leave us alone. A person as powerful as you could find another servant, so keep what you took from her. It’s obvious that you have enough to make you live again. Right, Aura?”

“Home . . . Smells like home,” his sister whispers, a spasm making her lurch forward. She lands at Dawn’s feet and slowly cocks her head to the side, the woman’s wiggling toes mesmerizing her. “One that wasn’t one. Tearing bodies apart because the skin feels wrong. False beneath the fingers. The depths are greater lies that flow to poison all. Nothing ever smelled like home before.”

“I think somebody is sniffing at my naughty little prank,” Dawn whispers as she crouches in front of Aurora. Stroking the young woman’s cheek, the brunette licks her lips and grins like a hungry shark. “I always knew where my soul was, but that had to be the last part. No real reason aside from it feeling right. My fun wouldn’t be much fun if I was hunting a kidney or my liver at the very end. Unfortunately, my soul was rather potent and baby Apollo didn’t do well with his first dream. Odd how he went into the hospital with a fever and came out with a twin sister that nobody ever questioned. She helped take the pressure off and allowed my wounded spirit to ripen perfectly. Possibly my second-best creation. Nothing could ever surpass the one I will always miss, but she comes close. Now, I believe it’s time to put my affairs in order and take back what’s mine.”

Flexing her fingers, Dawn is about to drive her hand into Aurora’s stomach when her other arm lances out at Apollo. She gleefully punches through the young man’s skin and twists, causing him to scream. His voice is drowned out by the ravens as they take to the air, their calls echoing across the campus. Dawn digs around inside her victim for several seconds that feel like years. When her arm finally retracts, her fist is glowing from the ephemeral liquid coating her skin. She coos at the sight of her soul while sliding her fingers into Aurora’s face, the flesh parting with ease. With both hands covered in her missing soul, Dawn presses her palms to her chest and runs them down her body. Shimmering lines run along her skin, the energy following the veins and arteries below. A thin tendril leaps off her tongue and plunges into Gemma, who stirs and moans as she is revived.

Feeling a comforting warmth seep through her pores, a sense of euphoria washes over Dawn and she starts to dance. The instant her knee touches Aurora’s frozen chin, she growls and kicks the young woman over. The empty husk shatters against the stones and turns into dark green moss, except for a single eyeball. Plucking the slimy orb off the ground, Dawn blows some dirt off of it and rolls it between her palms. As her soul finishes sinking into its proper place, she claps her hands and transforms the body part into a golden patch. Wind whips her hair away from her face, exposing an empty socket that she covers with the protector. Delicious pain ripples through her body as flesh fuses with metal, the sensation making her coo and wiggle in place.

“Everything is in its place,” Dawn whispers as she sprouts a crimson dress. Fixing her skirt, she looks around for Apollo, but finds that the young man has disappeared. “Guess I should have done something about that. Maybe remove his legs or take his soul instead of turning it into a balloon animal. Oh well, what’s life without a few loose ends?”

(Dawn dares you to look back. Nothing goes wrong when you turn around in a horror story.)

Lewis & Clark Community College

With the back door opening to a brick wall, the twins are forced to rush up the stairs and search for a window. The idea of a broken bone is more welcoming than facing whatever the cult has planned for them. A cheer is heard in the distance, but it is cut off by an eerie silence that tells them that their escape has been discovered. Taking the steps by twos, they come out near the history section and race through the stacks. To their horror, the drab walls are covered in posters that are easily tore down to reveal concrete behind them. Pushing at the solid stone, the siblings hear glass cracking from the other side, but nothing gives way. Apollo grabs a nearby stool and strikes the wall, which swallows the weapon and launches it out of the building. They stand in silence while listening to the faint crash of metal on the street below.

A chorus of stomping footsteps can be heard below, most of their pursuers still searching the first floor. The siblings stay away from the stairwells, fearful that they will be seen by someone and cornered. Heading for where they remember seeing a closet, Aurora takes the lead while Apollo watches for enemies. They can hear shelves being pushed over and doors getting kicked open, but the chaos is too far for them to worry. It is when something shakes the building that they stop and crouch behind a cart with a single book on it. For a brief moment, the siblings hear flapping wings and look around for the ravens. When nothing appears, they fill the cart with books and use it as a moving shield in case somebody is upstairs with them. Only a few dull thuds come from the same floor, the sounds resembling a falling book more than a desperate search.

The twins almost believe they are going to escape when Professor Soleman steps out into the aisle. Dropping to their stomachs, the siblings hide behind the cart and watch the man through two tiny spaces in their shield. Leaning against the shelves, he stays at the far end of the path and calmly cleans his glasses. He continues to stare in their direction, but never moves from his quiet spot. Knowing that it is only a matter of time before they are found, Aurora nudges her brother and points at a nearby intersection. It is only a few feet away, but it is far enough that they will be seen if they move too quickly. Getting to their hands and knees, the twins keep an eye on Professor Soleman as they slowly push the cart forward. They only make it an inch before the man tenses and takes a step to investigate, but pulls back when a minute passes without any more movement.

A long creaking of a door opening behind them makes the twins sweat and they look around for another way out. Apollo looks over his shoulder to see a shadow getting closer, the feminine appearance making him think it is either Gemma or Charlene. He turns to whisper to Aurora, but stops to find that she is pulling books out of the bottom shelf. Getting the idea, he crawls over to help and they carefully take out the divider that makes a metallic wobbling sound. They glance to their left to see that Professor Soleman is coming and hear the other person starting to jog in their direction. Tossing the thin barrier to the side, the twins push the other books out of their way as they squeeze into the next aisle and escape. They hear the cart getting pushed over and a slew of curses, but are too busy retreating to check for signs of pursuit. A rush of air hits their backs at their former hiding place is thrown through the shelves and sent crashing across the upper floor.

Weaving through the stacks, the twins do their best to head away from the sounds of Professor Soleman and at least two other people. Turning a corner, they spot a shadow against the far wall and rush in the opposite direction. A woman that Aurora recognizes as a philosophy professor jumps out in front of them, but the pair leap away from each other when she tries to tackle them. The cursing teacher crashes to the ground between the students, whose legs she wildly flails at. Not wanting the twins to escape, the woman crawls after them at an alarming speed and swipes at their ankles. She is so caught up in the chase that she fails to hear the screech of breaking metal coming from ahead. Apollo grabs his sister by the arm to make her run faster as one of the shelving units topples over. The sharp edge strikes the professor on the back of the neck, decapitating her with its weight.

Clambering over the broken furniture, Professor Soleman takes up the hunt and charges after the siblings. He hurls books at them in the hopes of hitting their legs, but his shots are always short. When the pair split up at an intersection, the man skids to a stop and whistles for help before running after Apollo. The sound of the other followers charging up every stairwell shakes the second floor and several shelves collapse from the tremors. Glass breaks as the impatient pursuers shatter the short walls at the top of the steps and clamber through the shards to cut off those who are ahead. Furniture is knocked over or tossed aside as a hungry madness sets into the mob, their desire to please their revived master growing stronger by the minute.

Determined to claim at least half of the reward, Professor Soleman frantically hunts for Apollo, who he spots ducking around a corner. Knocking over the nearest shelving unit, the teacher tries to cut the student off, but finds that his prey has gone back. Leaping through the gap with his arms stretched out, he tackles Apollo as he passes and pins the startled young man against the opposite shelves. The victory is short-lived as Aurora sprints down the aisle with a cart that she slams into Professor Soleman. Still clinging to the brother with one hand, he lashes out to catch the sister by her wrist, but the twins rear back to pull him off his feet.

Wriggling free of his grip, the siblings drop him on the cart and run with it held between them. They shove it toward the balcony that oversees the lobby and watch the screaming man get thrown over the railing. As Professor Soleman crashes into the front desk, the cart tumbles through the breaking glass and falls on top of him. The twins take a moment to see if he is dead, but they are swiftly driven away from the balcony by a large group of Dawn’s followers rushing from their left. Charlene is in the front of the crowd, her toothless mouth dripping red-tinted foam. The narrow path makes it difficult for all of the people to move as the siblings start to run, so the more ambitious of the followers casually hurl their friends out of their way. Several bodies are sent falling to the first floor and others are slammed into the shelves that begin a domino effect that threatens to crush those searching within the stacks.

Spotting a door at the far end of an aisle, Aurora grabs Apollo by his collar and practically drags him along. They can see that the falling furniture is heading to block their only escape, so they sprint as quickly as they can. Listening to the screaming mob behind them, the twins narrowly avoid ducking around a large man who bursts out from behind an empty display. The wire frame falls in his path as he lunges for Aurora, his eagerness snapping both ankles and causing him to collapse across the aisle. With the injured man blocking the others, the siblings are able to get ahead of the approaching crowd and reach the door. The exit swings and moves as the building shakes, proving that it is not locked. Running faster, Aurora and Apollo swear that they see trees outside and have caught the scent of flowers. Coming to the door, an enormous shelving unit is about to fall on the twins as they crash into the metal door and let their momentum take them to safety.

(This opening link gag definitely peaked a long time ago.)

Exeter College in Oxford

The fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling are harsh and bright, causing the twins to shut their eyes once the black bags are taken off their heads. Staring at their bare feet, they are surprised to find that they have not been tied to the chairs. The only thing stopping them from moving are flexible resistance bands wrapped around their ankles. With a few experimental movements, the siblings manage to free their legs, which worries them more than if they were tightly strapped down. A loud scream from behind causes them to jump, but they cling to the chairs out of fear. They finally get the courage to look around and discover they are in the library, all of the shelves having been cleared of books. The carpeting has been rolled away to expose the feather-covered linoleum beneath and there are tarps covering the tiled section. A quartet of cops stand near the doors, which have been chained shut and painted black. Ahead of the twins is a strange collection of flowery sheets that are covering something that is oddly shaped and dangling from the ceiling. The only parts of the mystery object that they can see are chains that have been bolted to the crossbeams and an enormous hand crank. Raising their heads higher, they realize there are hundreds of ravens quietly sitting on the shelves and they can hear more flying about on the upper floors.

A door slams shut behind the prisoners, who rush to get the flimsy restraints back on their legs. The resistance bands are grabbed and tossed away before they can finish, the cafeteria worker stopping to pat the twins on the cheeks. Aurora’s mouth falls open when she sees her lab professor step out of the shadows, her expression copied by Apollo at the sight of the school psychologist. More members of the campus staff walk out of the stacks and take their place around the cleared floor. The siblings do not recognize everyone, but the glint in every set of eyes makes them fearful that every move they have made has been meticulously watched. Their nerves are strained as their minds race for an explanation, both of them silently praying it is another dream. A mild acceptance has fallen over the pair by the time Professor Soleman and Charlene come down a nearby staircase and walk to the center of the circle. The administrator removes her jacket and places it on the floor, allowing her to kneel in front of the prisoners and place her hands against their stomachs.

“All of the pieces are here and have ripened,” Charlene says as Professor Soleman walks behind the siblings. She holds up a hand to stop him from touching them, the man obediently stepping away. “We’re only minutes away from the ritual. The world will become right again because a real goddess will be reborn. Aren’t you two happy to have such a pivotal role in history?”

“It would help if we knew what was going on,” Apollo replies, shoving Charlene’s hand away. Seeing that his sister is shivering, he kicks the woman back and jumps to his feet in case the professor attacks. “You people have been watching us since we got here. We demand to know why. Is this about Dawn Addison? My sister and I have nothing to do with some dead hotel owner.”

“Actually, you do, but none of us are in a position to explain,” Professor Soleman states while cleaning his glasses. He takes Apollo’s seat and leans back until the front legs are off the floor. “Mr. Porter was very good at investigating, which is one of the reasons we had to make things along. The last thing we wanted is for one of the pieces to move beyond our reach. After all, we’ve worked for eighteen years to make sure everything came to us. The perfect programs and scholarships for bait. Placing expendable guidance counselors in the high schools was the hardest part. Yet, our savior wanted it done. Did you know that all of us were in Heaven’s Nest when it collapsed?”

Charlene rushes her companion and knocks the chair over, the man’s head thudding against the floor. “That is not for you to say. My job is to hold the records while yours is to give my orders to everyone else. Now, where was he? Ah, yes. We were in Heaven’s Nest and our protector made sure we lived. All of us were chosen to do her bidding and assist in her rebirth, which hit a little snag at the beginning. As you can see-”

Without warning, Charlene’s teeth fall out and she gurgles out whatever she was going to say. Falling to her knees, she spits out blood while trying to put the pieces back. The twins back away, Apollo helping Aurora move until she snaps out of her stupor. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, they turn around expecting to see the woman from their nightmares. Instead of Dawn, it is Marcy walking backwards without holding the railing. The librarian’s hair gets redder with every step and she grows a little in height due to a faint curve in her spine disappearing. Her black dress bends and shifts until it is a pair of pants and a t-shirt, both of which have a police insignia on the back. Flipping up her hair, the woman’s hands come back into view with a polished handgun and a rusty badge. Placing them on her waist, which has no belt, Marcy turns around and hops onto the railing. Her green and blue eyes glint in the light, giving them a golden hue around the edges. Leaping over the circle, she lands behind the twins and lunges forward to drape her arms over their shoulders.

“These pesky followers have no patience, do they?” the librarian asks while licking her lips and purring. Looking from Apollo to Aurora, she sees fear and confusion in their eyes, which makes her sigh. “I’m not Dawn, but I am the one who can answer your questions. My name is Gemma Cooke. Tensing up means you’ve heard of me. I was the one hunting our dear and foolish savior until she snapped like a little twig. Not a day has gone by without me wishing I walked away, but nothing I can do about it now. You see, she did die that day. Only a monster like Dawn Addison isn’t one to let that stop her. She’s been riding my brain ever since and pushing me to put all of this together. It’s such an interesting sensation. I despise every speck of her existence and wish she would erase herself. Yet, I also refuse to live without her and want to see her whole again. Perhaps this is what madness is for those who weren’t born to survive such trials.”

“Tell us why we’re here!” Aurora demands, regaining her strength. She freezes when she feels a gun press against her chin, the click of the hammer making her want to cry. “Please don’t do anything hasty. It’s obvious you need us alive and mobile. Otherwise, you would have tied us up or killed us. Did you kill our friends?”

“One question and demand at a time,” Gemma explains as she releases the twins. Bending down in front of Charlene, she waves Professor Soleman over to help the woman put her teeth back in her mouth. “Such obedient sheep, but why wouldn’t they be since they were spared and have been promised power? When Dawn returns, she will know what she truly is. Unlike before when she thought Corvus was the master. The woman will still be the maddest thing in the world, but her powers will be controlled. All she’s missing is her body. Our first mistake was trying to have me use her powers to rebuild it. That failed and only accomplished . . . removing pieces from the original. Not our fault since we didn’t know where the body was. Toothless Tammy over here is the one who stole it and united the others. I was only too happy to take over and have them do my dirty work in finding the pieces. This is where I ask you if you believe in reincarnation.”

Apollo opens his mouth to answer, which causes the woman to inch closer to him. “At this point, I’m willing to believe anything. Although, it doesn’t sound like this has anything to do with reincarnation. More like resurrection, which failed? Unless you mean one of us is the reincarnation of Dawn Addison.”

“Pretty smart for someone who pays more attention to clouds than people,” the red-haired woman snaps, her eyes momentarily blinking out of synch with each other. Shaking her head clear, Gemma strikes Professor Soleman in the stomach to make him double over and she perches herself on his back. “Move and I kill you twice. As I said, these idiots were messing with the body when we tried our resurrection. The result is that six parts were reincarnated in children that were already born. Your friends in the mythology club had her brain, heart, lungs, kidney, and liver instead of their own. Those are actually inside me to help us find them and watch to make sure they ripen properly. As for you and your sister, you’re holding Dawn’s soul as well as your own. We’ll be taking all of the parts back, so don’t be happy or get attached.”

“Don’t you have part of her soul too?” Aurora asks, stepping between Gemma and her brother.

“I have most of it, which I will gladly hand over for my freedom.”

“Then, can’t we do the same?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s far too boring for such a big event.”

“You’re insane.”

“No. I’m normal and Dawn is insane, but she’s in my head, which makes me insane too.”

“That makes-”

“Screw you and the time for talking is over.”

Gemma violently shoves the twins back into their seats before clapping her hands over her head. The followers hurry to take down the floral sheets and connect the end of the thinnest chain to the hand crank. When most of the coverings are down, Aurora and Apollo see that their five friends are hanging from hooks. They are still alive, but unconscious, the only movements being their shallow breathing and occasional twitch. With a groan, Thomas tries to lift his head, but is immediately injected with another dose of tranquilizer. Only one sheet remains, which Gemma half-heartedly skips over to and yanks off with no ceremony. The followers cheer at the sight of Dawn Addison, the lifeless corpse naked and suspended by padded chains tenderly wrapped around her shoulders. Her skull and ribcage have been opened and there are holes in her stomach to expose gaps where the organs should be. The thinnest chains run from the students and to the wounds before coiling together into the one ending at the hand crank. Picking up a crooked chalice, Gemma walks around the six bodies and flicks sugary water on their feet.

Once all of the preparations are done, the crowd attempts to swarm the area and are driven away by the ravens. The birds circle the sacrifices and angrily peck at anyone that gets too close for the liking. Gemma is the only one allowed to stay within reach of the bodies, her grinning face moving throughout the flock. She stops at the crank and begins to turn it, the creaking drowned out by the ravens’ song. The chain is gradually retracted and it takes the connected organs out of the students, the bones splintering like rotten wood. Once free of the shuddering victims, the parts fly into Dawn and her wounds are stitched together by the metal links. They turn hot and fuses to the skin, which shifts like there are worms underneath. With a loud snap, the remaining chains burst and the brown-haired woman falls onto her feet where she stands looking down at the floor.

“All we need to do is add the-” Gemma starts to announce as the ravens swarm the fresh corpses. She scowls at the empty chairs sitting behind the followers, the twins having escaped during the ritual. “Did anybody think about watching them? We went over this every weekend for the last ten years! All of you are a severe disappointment to this beloved institution. You know how this is going to work. A sweet reward to the one who brings me the souls. Blah blah blah. Move it!”