Streams of Consciousness & Thoughts~~~

[tourist]

How I came to be in those dark woods on that moonlit night I have no idea. Two things I do remember, however, was that I was lost and it was cold. The dirt path in front of me was rugged and the forest towered on both sides leaving me with the impression that creatures not quite right inhabited these woods.

I pushed on until the path widened and broke free of the forest. By the light of the moon I could see a quaint two story wood and field stone cottage in the middle of a meadow. Light streamed from the downstairs windows and as I approached so did the sound of conversation. The path ended at a solid oak door that was both inviting and intimidating. I knocked deliberately.

“It’s open!” voices cried in unison. I pushed the door open and walked into an entryway. Directly in front of me was a long winding staircase that reached upward to the second story I presumed for it was too dark to see where it ended. To my far right was a kitchen and in between a living room with a couple the like of which I had never seen before seated on a Victorian couch staring directly at me. They motioned for me to close the door and enter so I complied and took a seat directly across from them in an old rocker next to the fireplace.

The woman was waif with the bluest eyes and whitest hair. Pale, slender, and dressed black from head to foot, it was as if she had just returned from a wake. The man, who was obviously her husband, looked very different. He was a strong man with big hands and a face that looked almost violently mean yet hid a crafty smile.

The man spoke first. “Always coming and going, we’ll die of a draft,” he stated somewhat somberly.
“Forgive me,” I replied, “To my recollection I have never seen this place before and am quite lost. While I appreciate your hospitality might I inquire as to my hosts identity?”

The woman answered next. “Of course dear,” she said leaning forward to pat my hand in a gesture of feigned empathy, “This is Mad and I am Ness. We are the Starks.”

“He knows that already,” the man snapped, “don’t you ever tire of reminding him.” I raised my eyebrows. “Your room is upstairs,” Ness added pointing toward the entryway stairs. After suffering several more minutes of Mad’s glare, I decided to leave the living room.

Following the entryway to the stairs I stared up into the blackness and felt suddenly alone and fearful. What was that? Was it the stress of my current predicament and the strange discussion I had just engaged in or was that actually the sound of something shuffling ominously above me. A cold shiver ran down my back. I stepped back into the light and called to the Starks, “Is anyone up there?” “No dear” Ness replied, “just you.” “He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed,” Mad muttered. Stepping back to the stairs and not wanting to offend my new hosts any further, I stood there quietly for a long time before summoning the courage to continue.

Once my eyes acclimated to the dark, I took the stairs one at a time and made my way to the top. There, I surveyed the upstairs. Several doors were locked save one. I turned the knob and pushed the door open. The moonlight streaming in through the bedroom window made it easy to see a dresser and stool in a corner of the room. I entered and saw a simple bed in the middle of the room with a wooden chest at its foot. On the bed were the remains of some poor unfortunate. As plain as day it was and fear gripped me as I moved in for a closer inspection. The skeleton appeared fresh and completely intact with not so much as a speck of dust evident.

My stomach tightened as I contemplated the situation. Obviously the Starks were aware that a skeleton was lying in one of their guest rooms and were not bothered in the slightest. Furthermore, they had offered me the use of the room for the night. This was not good.

Somewhat timidly I bent down and opened the chest searching for some manner of identification. I was at a loss for words at what I found. All of my personal belongings were present in the chest. My clothes were neatly folded on top and underneath were my tools and other assorted items that I carried when traveling. None of this made sense and it was at this moment that I looked up. Looking directly at me was the skeleton now seated on the bed rather than lying lifelessly on it.

I grabbed my chest in an attempt to still my heart as I stumbled to my feet and stepped back. The skeleton appeared to be enjoying my reaction and laughed eerily as it got to its feet. I could not believe my eyes.

“You’re standing,” I finally managed. My face felt like lead. “Yes I am,” the skeleton replied seriously, “and I want my body back.” “Your body?” I questioned, “Who are you?”

The skeleton rose to its full stature and fixed its hollow eyes on me as it spoke these words, “I am you!”

Horror overcame me and I heard hysterical laughing from the Starks who had made their way to the bedroom doorway. “Give him his body back sweetie,” Ness said menacingly. In a twinkle of an eye, I grabbed the stool and smashed out the window. Leaping into the moonlit meadow I ran for the woods saving to look back only once. It was then that I saw the skeleton climb through the broken window, drop to the ground and begin its pursuit.

I reached the woods and tried to escape by running randomly through the forest. Soon, however, the forest hemmed me in, the trees arching strangely allowing only one possible course. I followed the pattern for some time until the great towering trees relented and I found myself on a familiar dirt path. The wind rose moaning and whistling and it grew colder still. I grew dreadfully afraid and pushed on through the darkness. Then I heard footsteps in the distance and ran even faster. Once I glimpsed the awful creature and felt a sort of paralysis one only feels when face to face with such horrors. I ran for what seemed like an hour. I ran until my lungs felt as if they were on fire and I believed I could not take another step.

Finally, breathing heavily I crawled into a tangle of bushes. I lay on my side in the moist dirt looking frantically for some sign of the skeleton. A long time passed without incident and I began to think perhaps I had indeed escaped. I closed my eyes, rolled onto my back and breathed a sigh of relief. To my horror, I felt something hard yet supple and warm brush against my cheek. I opened my eyes and came face to face with the skeleton lying next to me. “We are one again,” were the last words and the last thing I remember as the skeleton ripped open my chest.

I've had days like that too. Seriously, your story was a good read and was well written.

 

[zeroturbulence]

 

[lil_christian]

House cleaning day! Yaaay...

 

[Siberian_Khatru]

We can't fall any further if
We can't feel ordinary love
And we cannot reach any higher
If we can't deal with ordinary love

What should I do this weekend? If that replacement motherboard arrives in time, I'll probably be working for part of it. Apart from that, I don't think I have any plans. Suggestions?

 

[MissCris]

I drove past mile marker 68.99 today.

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

During a very stressful period of my life, I would occasionally have a bad dream. I thought they were interesting though and so wrote them up into short stories... lol.

I had no idea what to do with them afterwards as they certainly aren't "Christian" so I created a blog and posted them here: <title>Sunny Side Down

Just view them as a bunch of bad dreams during a stressful period for that's all they are. However, I thought it interesting the way our sub conscious works under stress.

Do you write often? Is this your story or someone else? Is there more? I like scary stuff...... I know this Blond is a little strange....... You certainly had my attention......

 

[ChandlerFan]

Every now and then I will get caught up in listening to multiple covers of the same song, and I absolutely love it. It's really cool to me how people all over the world can be united by a single, beautiful song.
I have a YouTube playlist of my favorite covers of "Skyfall" by Adele, and now I'm caught up in this song called "Hero" by Family of the Year. Here is the original followed by one version that I really like. (Also, I'm sad that you can't post more than one video!)

[video=youtube;mHeK0Cwr9sg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHeK0Cwr9sg[/video]

 

[ChandlerFan]

[video=youtube;6MjHA3cLKn0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MjHA3cLKn0[/video]

 

[lil_christian]

That moment when I see a thread or a facebook status go south (as in turning into a debate) and I'm just like

 

[MissCris]

Memories are a strange thing.

This morning when I walked back into my house after a quick trip into town, I was caught off-guard by a mental image of walking into the apartment I lived in last spring; despite being able to smell my house (a subtle hint of fresh laundry, the vanilla air freshener plugged in near the door, and a lingering trace of coffee), I clearly remembered the way that apartment smelled (old carpet, a hint of smoke that never went away from the previous occupant, and something that smelled like paint). I was looking at my living room, but seeing the apartment. I was standing in my kitchen, but I felt like I was in that apartment.

Another weird memory instance this morning- I saw a man walking along the side of the road who vaguely resembled someone I knew over a decade ago, someone associated with what was probably the very worst time of my life. My heart started beating faster before I even understood that my brain had made the connection in appearances. Of course I was fine as soon as I realized that this wasn't the same man, but I find it so absurd that a memory could be that powerful, that fast.

My mind seems to be on high alert for these types of things today. I think I'd better not let it get the best of me.

 

[wisebeardman]

I KILLED THE QUEEN!!
At least I think I did.
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That is there were all these ants that had taken up residence in the box that held my foil wrapped tea bags. And there was one that looked lots bigger than all the others. And it looked like there were some eggs or larvae or maggot like things there as well. And then I took the box out to the porch and sprayed raid into it and they all died, though I couldn't pick out the exact corpse of the big one that I thought was the queen.

Also, another advantage of foil wrapped tea bags is that you can rinse off all the ants on them without damaging the tea bags.

gonna start calling you Chemical Ali.

 

[Siberian_Khatru]

Clocks by Coldplay makes me feel nostalgic. Coldplay was never a group I really followed, either, so I can't figure out why I associate it with a certain memory ─ there's just something about the song. Riptide by Vance Joy sometimes makes me feel that way too, even though I only recently began listening to that one.

Curious thing, nostalgia is! It's interesting that we can have remorse or longing for things come and gone, or yet anxiety or hope for things that haven't passed. What of feelings of the present? I mean, Matthew 6:34 tells us to, "not be anxious for tomorrow, for sufficient for the day is its own trouble(s)." Why, then, do we seem programmed to dwell outside of the now so much?

That moment when I see a thread or a facebook status go south (as in turning into a debate) and I'm just like(...)

It's so amusing that those foxes hunt that way, haha! Kind of impressive, too.

EDIT:

Memories are a strange thing.

Huh, what a coincidence that you posted this right as I was harping on about nostalgia. It's like we're connected.

 

[lil_christian]

I'm going to be staying with my grandma on Thursday night, aka tomorrow night. Dunno how I'll be able to pull this one off emotionally but she said she doesn't want to be alone, which I understand.

Yuck.

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

Would you care to argue about your assertion further? *snort*

That moment when I see a thread or a facebook status go south (as in turning into a debate) and I'm just like...

MUHAHA!

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

Thanks, I know the mechanics of writing fiction in addition to either APA or MLA styled research papers .

I've had days like that too. Seriously, your story was a good read and was well written.

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

Oh lil Christian where are you? Come out come out and play. I want to argue with you...

 

[lil_christian]

 

[AgeofKnowledge]

HAHA! .

 

[DuchessAimee]

I have chronic migraines. They last hours to days for various reasons. My doctor prescribes Imitrex, and my insurance company will only dispense nine at a time. I didn't think anything of it until today when I found out it's not nine a week, it's nine a MONTH. I have a migraine five to seven times a week, and I'm out of meds. My insurance company can be petitioned, but in the meantime, I've got nothing.




I'm super excited.

 

[thezachattack]