Friday, June 24, 2016

T.N. Romans diary: The symbols

"Dear diary,
       I'm writing this to document my studies into the mirror by which I have been transfixed for so long. It seems like a normal mirror to the untrained eye, but despite my best efforts, it simply won't break. I've been doing some studying into the nature of the mirror, or more specifically, the nature of the symbols that surround it. They don't all have the same origin nor come from the same language. Some of the symbols are Greek, some are merely Latin writing, and some are merely circles with symbols drawn in. It doesn't make much sense as to why someone would decorate the enter outside of the mirror with symbols from so many different cultures, unless of course they wanted to ensure only a select few could decode them.
       The symbols around the mirror have a purpose, I can feel it. They're there for a reason, as if someone wanted to keep something out, or something in. In all of my studies I've never seen a mirror like this one, not with the kind of circle of protection it has on its outer rim. Some of the symbols are occult in nature as well, symbols of protection and longevity, some of sealing. The words all seem to go together, but the nature of what they say is what bothers me. The way they're written, they spell out nonsensical words, ones that don't make any sense when used in context. Perhaps they're meant to keep the mirror from breaking? I am curious as to what will happen if I say them aloud, as I haven't even been able to write them down just yet. It seems as though there are a total of four symbols on the mirror, and each of them something different.
       The first symbol is of three leaves entwined in the center and surrounded by a circle. This is a symbol for immortality if I remember correctly. It's located on the left side of the mirror, right at the handle that attaches it to the stand beneath it. The second symbol is where the twelve would be on the mirror if it were a clock, a pentagram with an upside down pentagram drawn within the pentagon made by the pentagram, a symbol of god ruling over the world of matter. The third symbol is on the right side where the three would be, and is directly across from the symbol of the three leaves. It's three sticks, each crossed at the top where they all are interconnected by a circle, it looks almost like a very poor drawing of a wheat bundle, likely to represent harvest. The fourth symbol is an upside-down pentagram with a right-side up pentagram in the pentagon made by the upside-down pentagram. A symbol of the world of matter ruling over god, Lucifer's symbol.
       The writing between each of the four symbols vary from symbol to symbol, each seeming like riddle, however, beneath the riddle there's two words from each that seem separate from the rest. The words between each one seemed very different, each stating a different fact. The one between the right-side up pentagram and the three leaves roughly translated as " It is through god you receive this blessing.", likely referring to the immortality the leaves represented. The one of the leaves to the upside-down pentagram said "It is through me that you see the truth.". The one between the right-side up pentagram and the wheat said "Your harvest will be plentiful under my divine light.", and the last one read "Through the black sun and the blood moon you are enlightened.". It seemed religious mumbo-jumbo to me, but the words beneath didn't translate at all, they translated to " Hear religious me fool curse angel fallen the." Going clockwise. That being said, when reading them normally as they are meant to be read, in their own language of, many different languages, the mirror shifted. The words on the mirror physically shifted around! I've never seen something quite like this before, originally I'd thought myself crazy, but now I see that I'm perfectly sane doing this! All things considered, it's remarkable!"

       "The mirror shifting by itself? I can't by that." I thought as I finished reading the diary, that being said, the words were still on the mirror, they'd been what Romans had described, I figured why the heck not? I read the words aloud, the mirror suddenly beginning to vibrate, the words shifting and squirming among it's letters. When it stopped it was a language I'd never seen before. My reflection had changed slightly as well,shifting during the course. I kept a straight face as I waved at my reflection.

It didn't move, only smiled back at me.

A song so familiar

       "This place was once a home, now it is nothing." I thought as I walked through the old house, scheduled to be demolished soon. There was nothing I could do, my father had sold the house and the new owners were tearing it down. I was twenty-five, so it wasn't like this place was my home now, but still, I was born and raised in this place, my first home. I pushed open the door, the old wood groaning in protest as it skidded across the even older floor. Light filtered in through the old window, wavy and yellowing, lighting up the room the way the lights didn't anymore. I walked through the house, the floor creaking beneath my feet as I did so, the result of it being built a hundred years ago and enduring the weather and hardships that assaulted his place. It smelled musty, like it hadn't been lived in in a while, which it hadn't.
       I looked in the living room, the place where so many things used to happen, so many memories filled this place. I saw a ghostly image of a younger me chasing the family dog, a puppy at the time, through the living room as dad sat in his recliner. I looked over and saw my little sister and myself, me a little older, playing with the dog, him fetching the stick we threw back between us. I smiled in spite of myself, I was gonna miss this old place. Suddenly a melody came wafting through the house, soft at first, barely noticeable, but then it got louder, and louder, until eventually I could make out what it was. "Lilium." I thought as I followed the tune to the bedroom. I found the source, my mothers old music box, one that she had open whenever it was time to put us to sleep.It had been one of the few things I could remember from my days as a young child. I grabbed the box and opened the lid further, a familiar smell coming from inside.
       It smelled the same way my mother always did, the perfume she always wore that was so strong at points it would bring tears to my eyes, just like it was right now. I shut the music box, letting the dead silence fill the house once again. I stuffed the music box in my coat, I wasn't legally aloud to take anything, but I won't let it get destroyed with the rest of the place. I walked up the stairs to the attic, one of the few places I almost never went, and opened the hatch, waving my hand in front of my face to clear the dust. I took out my flashlight and looked around, the place hadn't been disturbed in years, decades even. It was covered in so much dust that you could clearly see my footprints on the ground, and the dust storms that kicked up with each step were astronomically large.
       I walked over to a mirror, it covered by a large, gray sheet. I pulled it down, revealing the perfectly pristine mirror behind. "Wonder why this things up here?" I thought as I brushed my hand against the mirror. I don't know what I was expecting, something to jump out maybe, but nothing like that happened. I walked to leave the room when I saw something that caught my eye, a book, a blank black cover with the name "T.N. Romans" printed on it. I reached over and picked it up. It was, surprisingly, even heavier than the music box I was carrying. I opened it to one of the pages randomly and saw some inane text scribbled on it. I turned the pages to the front cover, but only the first ten pages were like that, the rest were in neat, well written paragraphs, even with chapter names at the top, perhaps an old book? I turned back to the inane text and scribbles on the first page and looked around, they seemed familiar somehow. Then it hit me, the mirror had the same text on it, written along it's border. I turned and walked over to the mirror and saw something laying down beneath it I hadn't noticed before. A black marker. I looked in the paragraph section of the journal and saw that it was written in diary format. "Dear Diary," it said at the top of each page. My curiosity got the better of me as I began to read, the song playing in the background from my mothers music box, despite the fact I didn't remember re-opening it...


Lilium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWW8DMpfI9U

New messages

       "You have three, new, messages. Playing message one, June 18th." the automated voice said."Hey Rickie! It's me Tommy, it's been a while huh brother? Anyway, I'm calling to say, sorry about what happened to Christi, but we all have to go eventually huh? You'll get over her eventually. Anyway, call me back when you get the chance. *click*" the automated system said, the click filling in the dead air space. "Delete." A deep, male voice said, it distorted by the mask the figure wore.
       "You have two, new, messages. Playing message two, July 18th." the automated voice continued. "Hey son, it's me calling again. Listen, it's been a month now and, I know how hard it is to lose someone you care about. Listen, call me back when you get the chance, your mother and I are worried sick about you. Bye. *click*" the answering machine ended as the tall, masked man clicked next before stepping over the mountain of empty beer cans and take-out boxes, heading for the open window.
       "You have one, new, message. Playing final message, July, 20th." the automated voice said, that was today's date. "Sweetheart, it's your mother. Listen, I know you cared about Christi, but she wouldn't have wanted you to moping around so much over her. Call me back if you can and try and clean the place, I'm coming over. *click*" the machine resounded. "End of, new messages." it said as a loud dial-tone played, filling the dead quiet apartment. The window had been flung open, the mask man to never go back to this place. It was an hour later that Rickie's mother entered the apartment, using her own keys. "Son, are you-" she trialed off at the sight before her.

The man called Rickie lay in the floor, facing the open window, a knife buried between his shoulder blades.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Don't blink

       Time ticks forwards, we all know this, but some use that time better than others. Look at the world from the eyes of the camera. Take a frame, you see a crowd walking through, a tall man wearing sunglasses,indoors. He's looking at a girl, and she sees him. Take another frame, a few things are off. The girl and the man are gone, but off to the left, in the very corner of the frame, you can see the back of the tall man's boot, and a single fingernail, polished red.

That's how fast the grick moves. Blink, and you miss it.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Who's the monster?

Is it the goblin
who stalks us in the night?
Or is it the wolves
who scratch and claw and bite?
Is it the skeleton
who was once one of us?
Or is it the slime
the disgusting blob of pus?
Is it the vampire
who steals our bodies blood?
Or is it the Barroth
who wallows in the mud?

Is it the witch
which turns us into frogs?
Or is it the beasts
that dwell in the bogs?
Is it the bears
that defend their young?
Or is it the sirens
when their songs have been sung?
Is it the dryads
who stay within the trees?
Or is it the fairies
who hide among the leaves?

These are not monsters
Not ones we should know.
Humans are the monsters
we steal the show.
We kill hundreds of our own
claiming we're sane.
Maybe they're the cure
and we are life's bane
We attack them hard
Give them the third degree
They call us monsters
I'm inclined to agree

Perhaps you will think
before killing again.
Perhaps this violence
will finally end
Perhaps we can see
no one has to die
Perhaps this will end
or is this a lie?
Perhaps you will listen
or maybe you won't
Perhaps you heed my words
or maybe you don't

The place few dare tread.

       I walked around, the fallen leaves crunching under my feet. I took a deep breath and kept going. The little bit of sunlight that was fluttering towards me through the cracks in the leaves giving me just enough vision to see in the evening light. I'd been dared by my friends to go into the woods, and not come out until it midnight. I swallowed my terror and kept walking, always thinking that someone, or something, was behind me. "Meh, light must be making me jumpy." I thought as I looked around, only to slam into something. Reeling back and clutching my aching nose as I prepared to spout profanities at the top of my lungs. Though, when I got a look at the structure, I immediately went dead quiet. In front of me stood an old bus, the white and red paint scheme barely showing through the thick layer of rust and moss. The whole thing screamed decay and neglect. How it even got here, I don't know. I walked around, looking for an entrance. It was in remarkably good shape despite it's outside appearance, the glass in almost all of the windows was tinted dark enough that I couldn't see in, but that wasn't the strangest part, the strangest thing was that they were all intact, as though someone had done some upkeep on them to keep them spotless and unbroken.
       I walked around to the back of the bus, I assume it's the back anyway, and saw one of the twin doors open. I felt my heart in my throat as I swallowed my terror and looked inside, ready to run at a moments notice. Nothing, the only things even remotely remarkable about they place was that all the seats of the bus were still intact. I exhaled, releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding, greatly relieved that my suspicions were wrong. That didn't really explain why none of the windows were broken, or why the seats hadn't been removed to make room for animals. I walked forward towards the entrance and pulled out my phone, it was 10:50 pm, I only had a little bit left. I sat down in one of the seats and thought to myself, "Why don't I just stay in here for a while? It's protecting me from the elements for the moment, no chance anything could get in either. I leaned against the window, feeling my weariness from the day kick in, sending me into sleep, but not before I set an alarm.
       When I woke up again, it was because of the screeching of an owl. I looked at my phone, it was 12:30 am, I'd overslept. I went to stand up, only to stop when I heard something that sent shivers down my spine. Footsteps, heavy and human, and coming my way. I moved over to the back as I heard them approaching the front door and ducked right behind the far backseat. "Ah, another fine days work if I do say so myself." I heard a deep voice say. I looked around the corner, and I immediately regretted it. There, only a few feet in front of me, was a tall man, his entire appearance shrouded by the suit he wore, a black hazmat suit with red swirls and a black mask.He was rather broad shouldered, his eyes merely red pinpricks in his mask as he looked in my general direction, thankfully he didn't seem to notice me. He reached behind him and grabbed something, a red bladed ax. That's when I put two and two together, the man that had been doing the arson in the town, the man who'd murdered three people, was standing a few feet away from me. I was only a few feet away from a monster. That's when I had a horrifying realization.

I'd set my alarm to go off at 12:32 am.

       I grabbed my phone but froze, the light would give me away, but so would the sound of the alarm. I checked the time on my watch, 12:31 am, the second hand on the ten. I could hear the doomsday countdown timer as I thought of what to do. Ten, nine, eight, There has to be a way out of this, think! Seven, six, five. Running out of time, do I run or hope for the best? Four, three,two. I'm out of time, I'm out! One,

DO,DO,DO,DO,DODOOOOOOO!!!!

       My phones alarm went off as I dashed out the door, slamming it shut behind me, the dumbfounded killer looking back. I didn't stop running, I just booked it all the way to the edge of the woods, only to trip over a root as I was nearing the edge. I stood up, adrenaline coursing through me at the thought of being killed. I stood, my leg penalizing me for it. I started hobbling to the edge of the woods, towards the light of the moon. I burst into the clearing and looked up, seeing that no one was here, just my truck. I walked over and reached for my keys, jamming them in the lock and turning, slinging the door open as I climbed into the car, turning my keys in the ignition, the car purring to life. "Where do you think you're going?" I heard a familiar voice say. I looked over to my side and saw the man standing by my window with an ax, I immediately pulled out my phone and snapped a picture, the flash blinding him for a moment as I slammed the car into reverse and gunned the gas, flying backwards as I slam-shifted gears, heading for my home. He knew what I looked like, he probably saw the license plate, he'll know where I live if he sees this car.
       I drove as fast as I could until I arrived at my house, running through the door and slamming it shut before running to the computer in the living room and hooking my phones computer cord up to it, uploading the picture and sending it to my uncle Anthony. A few minutes later, I got a call. "Sport, what's this picture you're sending me?" he asked me. I told him everything, he was a police officer after all. "Stay put and don't answer the door, I'm coming over. You can stay at my place for a while." he said. I nodded, "Alright." I said as he hung up, closing out the computer programs and clearing the browsing history. I waited, and waited, until I heard someone at the door. I felt my heart pound in anticipation, only for it to be resolved a second later when my uncle walked in.
       "You can hide out at my place for a while, since this killer obviously knows your address. Until this guys caught, I suggest you leave your phone in the safe here. I'll let the department know about the picture you got, and the bus." he said as he walked outside, me following close behind him. I suddenly got a shiver up my spine as I looked behind me, no one was there. "You alright?" my uncle asked me. I nodded, "Yeah, thought I heard something." I said. If only I'd looked more carefully, if only I'd seen it.

The two, red,spots, staring at me from my bedroom window, the shine of moonlight evilly gleaming off of the red ax blade beneath them, an insane smile plastered on his face the only other things visible, making him look like a glowing pair of eyes, smile, and hands.


"Hope you have sweet dreams, they'll be your last."

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Dear Igneel, victim profiles

       Dear Igneel,
I'm going to be writing only the three profiled victims today. We managed to identify two of them, but the third remains a Jane Doe, we can't find any information about her anywhere.

Name:Jackie Stevenson
Age: Forty-five
Height: 7'0"
Description: Had green eyes, graying black hair, and wore glasses
Occupation: Was a local firefighter
Notes: Lived just outside of town, had two kids, one eighteen and heading off to college, one in college, husband pronounced dead three years ago, time of death:midnight

Name: Jane Doe
Age: Twenty-one
Height: 5'6"
Description: unknown, body too burned to make out much
Occupation: unknown
Notes: Time of death:midnight

Name: Krista Cartwright
Age: Seventy-seven
Height: 5'8"
Description: Had gray hair that was previously auburn,jade green eyes,
Occupation: Was a nurse at her husbands clinic
Notes: Lived towards the center of town, had two children, one in her forties, one turning thirty this year, husband pronounced dead one month earlier, time of death: midnight

Huh, writing all of this out, I'm starting to notice some pattern's, both of the one's we've identified so far had green eyes, and each was a woman who's husband had died before her death. All of the victim's were female, so we're more than likely dealing with a male killer. Not just that, but they all died at midnight. What was so special to the killer about midnight? Why didn't he kill them at anytime? This man might actually be a serial killer, these patterns are consistent so far. Maybe writing in this journal was good for something after all.