creative minds

The taste of poison rimmed her lips as her tongue licked at the excitement of inheriting a lonely old lady’s fortune.  Her ill health digging at her grave - day by day - as a rare disease ate agressively, her thoughts of her family  a flash of bright light as she sank into the thickness of her king sized bed, the thick silk duvet folded neatly up to her chin as she lay listening to the brewing storm within the distance of the comfort of her million pound mansion.
   The maids were all she had within her life; as she struck all members of her family from her life due to her greed.  Her money all she ever thought of. Her children and grand children a burden to her freedom. 
It wasn’t until the old lady found out she was going to die that she chose to see her family. But they didn’t want to know.  She had brushed them away at much needed times, now it was her turn.  As cruel as it may seem, they really didn’t know this old lady any more.
  Gracy - the longest serving maid - planned on killing the selfish old lady.  Her years serving the un-greatful cold hearted beast span her mind from all normality.  The illict thoughts breathing life back into her exhausted body. She was going to be free, but at the same time, claim the inheritance she soley deserved.
Raising the wine glass to her lips as she sat within the candle lit kitchen, she relaxed from her long and exhausting shift.  The other maids retired to their - not so comfortable - bare and cold rooms.
The wine went straight to her head. Her empty stomach absorbing the red wine like a sponge, and her teeth grinding as she thought about how much she hated the cold hearted beast, even in her illness there were no kind thoughts.
   The old lady rang the annoying servent bell which echoed around the steel kitchen appliances.  Gracy placed her glass upon the table and pushed herself to stand. The illict thoughts raced through her mind.  She strolled towards the kitchen door and glanced up the stairway to her right. The darkness glazing her view.
Each step she took alerted her presence. The old lady knew someone was emerging through the darkness.  Gracy stood by the door as the old lady’s distorted voice called, her weakness disabling her attempts to sit.
Gracy stepped back and knocked a vase from the small table by the door. The pieces shattering by her feet and her nervous breath surrounding the darkness around her.
The old lady called through the darkness, but she received no reply. The eerie silence now her enemy - she was too sick and frail to move, she knew someone was there, and she knew she was in danger…but in danger to what…or who?

The diamond upon her finger glistened under the moonlight on this very warm summer night; as she stood upon the balcony that over looked the sleeping seabed.  Her red silk dress hugged her curvy figure that she worked so hard for through her healthy diet and personal fitness trainer. 
The corners of her mouth raised as her eyes gazed addictively at the ring. The dreams of her future with her fianc’e - a flash of summer flowers and golden beach strolls…topping up the tan to keep the look her fianc’e comments on everyday.
   Candice is a thirty year old business lady - not so much delving into the business herself ; she owns the company of fashion, employing others to run her golden business while she spends most of her time with her equally rich partner - Joe - jewlery stores glistened with rare, and the most expensive diamonds you could wish for. 
The couple had been seeing one another for three years before Joe plunged into proposing to Candice.  Their world rocked with parties, holidays and fancy dinners with friends and collegues.  To top it all off - they purchased a Yacht within the Carrabian Islands. 
   It was here on the yacht that Joe proposed.  The candle lit dinner upon the deck of the vessel was very much  romantic.  An approaching violinist played a soft tone as the important question slipped from his lips - his eyes drowning within his tears gathering from the happiness swimming through his veins.  A few silent minutes as the violinist paused - the ocean tapping gently against the vessel as he waited anxiously, her positive reply like music to his ears.  He strolled towards her and embraced her within his arms. The atmosphere a dream like state as they plunged into the deepest kiss. But suddely the dream was soon to end. The violinist reached into his pocket and pulled out a hand gun, and then BANG! a single bullet struck Joe through his heart, his body falling slowly and lying within a pool of blood.  
Candice glanced at the violinist, his voice whispering to her ears…’we did it babe.’   
Candice stepped over Joe’s lifeless body and embraced the violinist. His arms held her tight before he made his way into the lounge.  She looked down at Joe’s body swimming within the pool of blood before making her way to the balcony. The calm ocean under the moonlight a silent witness - a life insurance scam planned by two con-artists - the money to better her business.
  Candice held a glass of wine as she glanced at the ring - her mouth raising at the corners. Who now will  fall victim to their tedious plans and their greed? 

Everyday life passes as I lean against the cold glass pane within my bedroom.  The heavy traffic passing with no idea of my entrapment within my family home. 
Im a young boy - a twelve year old who use to go to school and was quite bright, and I never spoke out of line to anyone.   
   When I was seven, my father died in a car accident, and of course my mother missed him, but she had to move on - well, that’s what she told me anyway. 
We now live with Darren. He pays for everything.  He even told my mum to give up her nursing - I heard him, he was the jealous type, he insisted she gave up work so other men wouldn’t look at her. 
My room is like a place where the bad people go when policemen take them away, only seeing the door open for a scrap of food handed through. All my toys and games were taken from me too. They were bad for me - he said.  Instead I work, school work, only Im not in school.  Maybe he took me out of school because he was afraid that someone would see the bruises from his heavy hands when he gets mad, or notice the despair within my eyes when I look at them.  You’re probably thinking the obvious - climb out the window. I thought of that, but my window’s too high. He also put a lock on it to stop me opening it.  I can’t bang on the window either.  He said if I did, then, well, he would hurt my mother.  You’ll probably thinking; why doesn’t my mother do something?  If I were you; I would too, but he’s a psychotherapist - one word from my mum and she’ll end up back in the hospital - where she met him. 
   My mum was in the hospital not long after my dad died. She couldn’t cope.  I was there for her and other relatives were too, but now we’ve moved to America, we only have him. 
   Days, then nights move. Different faces on the busy streets and the blanket of lights from busy city light my room.  Every morning and every night I look out of my window.  A little hope that someone might glance up and notice the despair within my eyes - but I know that’s not going to happen. I know because we live in an appartment, eight floors high. Knowone will ever beable to see the despair within my eyes.  
   I count every day, he forgets that I won’t always be a child - maybe I’ll become as big as him, or maybe even bigger - but I know, when I do, he will pay…

My distorted breath carried through the darkness as I nestled terrified from a presence surrounding me.   A tree amongst the wooldland within the darkness of the night protected me from the intrepidation of the un-known, but still, solitude from any human life greatened my fear.  
I had previously spent the day with friends.  You know how young and foolish girls like to show off and to become popular with their mates - until it all goes wrong…
Im seventeen, slim build with a funky style of fashion.  Well, let’s just say - I get noticed - with my purple and yellow layered hair.  My friends are all simular - some people like to name us as punks or just  ‘waste of space.’  I wouldn’t say that though, all we wanted was to be different…and boy…did we get what we wanted.
   The woodland everyone avoided because of rumours of a multiple of murders years previously - seemed a great day out for myself and my five other funky friends.  It was all fine during the day, swinging off branches, climbing the trees and playing hide and seek.  Then darkness crept in, that’s when the fun really began…
A sudden mist crepted through the woodland from the distance, but within it, the mist carried a presence.  This presence was evil and wasn’t going to let us go without a fight. 
The whistle from the strengthening breeze added to my fear and the call of the wild stood hairs upon my body…like defensive soldiers on guard.  My body shivered as the darkness greatened, my call to my mates who I’d seperated from due to the thickening mist, went un-noticed, and the presence that was taking notice - I wanted to ignore.
The coldness sliced at my revealed skin as I waited for a response from my mates, but still, the waiting proved I was still alone.  Suddenly a whisper carried past me as I nestled for protection - the whisper - deep and thretened from my presence, but It was me who was trapped, I wanted to run but couldn’t. An icy touch upon my shoulder startled me, the touch springing me to my feet - but there was nothing there - then my attention was alerted by a sudden scream echoing from the distance.  I called to the cries which suddenly faded into the distance.  Was it one of my mates?  I was terrified as one by one, screams echoed witin the distance, only to fade like the first - it was difficult to tell if it was them.  I tried to control my emotions but was beaten by my fear.  My eyes filmed with tears as I broke down.  All I wanted was to go home. 
   From the distance a light slowly approached me, with it, a cry for help filtered through.  Again, I experienced the same icy touch, but also endured visions, the visions like flash backs of a troublesome past-life, pain, torture and death.  I was taken over by this presence, the lives flashing hastily and my body enduring the pain within my vision, which soon caused me to pass out at the base of the tree.
   Hours passed and the night soon became day, my trembling hands wiping at my eyes as I focused.  The sun beamed down upon me and the clouds passed slowly within the blue sky.  I returned to my feet but was unable to see any of my mates - prehaps they’d found their way out and made it home.  Upon the tree trunk a message carved within the wood caught my eye.  ‘This tree is the protector, those who believe…will survive.’   I stumbled as the statment rolled from my tongue, a whisper following, carrying with it -  lonely souls - prehaps the rumours were true all along - but were they murderd by some nut case or is there a killer within the presence of the woodland.  One thing I knew…was that I wasn’t hanging around to find out. 
   When I did eventually make it back home, I found out that none of my mates had made it out of the woodland.  Who ever carved that statement into the tree knew of the dangers lurking within the darkness - the tree protected me, but I guess I’ll never find out what happened to my mates, are their souls lurking within the darkness?  All I know is that they’re now listed as missing.