Published writing

The dark inky sky hung over the peaceful village. The lamps flickered violently casting shadows onto the the slimy cobblestones. As the first flakes of snow fell, a girl arrived at the library. She was no ordinary girl. She was a girl with a mission and her name was Raven. Raven stood at the doors of the library as she admired the architecture. A thin sheen of white covered the windows. Its sandstone pillars loomed above her. Raven pushed open the creaky mahogany doors and sat down in a chair. The library was eerily quiet. Raven was about to pull a book off the shelf when the hairs on her back shivered. Someone was watching her. Slowly she turned around. In front of her was a figure in a khaki jacket with a belt and a rifle. That was the last thing Raven saw before everything went black. The moment she regained consciousness, Raven could tell something was wrong. A haunted feeling had crept into her chaining her feelings. Raven remembered the glowing figure and looked around to find a trace of where it went. She was horrified to find it had been watching and waiting all along. Suddenly, it began to speak. If you put yourself in mortal danger, you shall meet a prowling stranger. Diamonds and opals are known as nobles. To kill this creature, use your feature. A glinting object, you must protect. It'll save your life, the silver knife. The ghostly poacher reached out towards me. It was as if I was in a trance. Hypnotized. His icy cold hands gripped me. Memories of the past came flooding back to me. I was part of the legend. The legend of the Umbre Anima. The shadow wolves had wispy shadows for fur, claws as black as obsidian and eyes as red as rubies. It would let out haunted hollow howls to let their victims know their fate was sealed. The poachers had hunted them down one by one but perhaps they missed one. Raven shook her head trying to get the spooky image out of her mind. She slowly walked over to the glass cases of artefacts chilled by the lifelike encounter. She saw a ring emblazoned with the royal crown and curiously, she slipped it on her finger. She tried to open the catch but it was jammed. As Raven took a leather case, she asked the poacher if anyone had tried to kill the umbra Anima and made it out alive. One person had and that was her great grandmother. Raven opened the case and a bright aura of light flooded her eyes. It was the silver knife. Captured by the beauty of the blade she wasn't prepared for the blood curdling scream. Raven was unsteady on her feet. Together, all these events made sense. She had finally realised that her destiny was entwined with the legend and she may lose her life trying to kill the beast. Raven heard a light click come from her hand and she saw the ring had opened and from inside fluttered a sheet of paper. It was a diagram from the book of animal anatomy. To a normal person it was rubbish but to Raven it was the key. Raven ran to the shelf that had the book of animal anatomy and pulled it out. She heard a metallic grinding sound as the shelf pulled away becoming a doorway. Raven stepped inside clutching the silver blade. The creaky hinges of the shelf were closing. Now there was only one way to go.

I was here again. The thought ricocheted in my brain as I stood in front of the train station. The lights flickered time to time giving the station an abandoned sense. Paint peeled from the walls and the railway was rusted and cracked. Benches lined the pavement beckoning you to a world of boredom. The monotonous sound of the clock ticking filled the room. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. It was enough to drive you mad. I turned and walked up the stairs eager to be released from the gloomy prison of the dark station. The wind smacked me in the face making me gasp. It stung my cheeks and made my eyes water. What now? I had gone all this way yet there was no reason. The sun had surrendered to the moon and now an inky blackness crept across the town. The warden approached me slowly. Desperately, I looked for any form of escape. Behind me was a fence that lined the pavement. I quickly scrambled over it, tumbling onto the road. I ran as fast as I could and when I reached an alley I stopped. The warden's shouts had reduced to almost quiet murmuring. Catching my breath, I slowly walked through the dark path. Each breath rattled in my chest like coins in a tin box. At the end of the alley, a silver gate stood. Behind was the library. The moon showered light onto the sanstone pillars giving them a silver glow. Everything else was webbed with shadows. I slowly walked up to the gate and pushed it. Creaking, it swung open. I shivered, not from the cold but from a foreboding sense. It was like someone was watching me. I slowly walked towards the heavy doors of the library. Each minute seemed to pass like an hour. Finally, I managed to yank the doors open. I stepped into the library surprised at how warm it felt. My spine prickled yet I was sure that no one else was there, right? Venturing deeper inside, the sense that someone was watching me intensified. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. A voice was talking, but where did it come from? It was chanting a song like it was a spell, and as I stuggled to hear the words I felt goosebumps snake up my spine as I listened. Tendrils of smoke curled around me making my eyes water. I sat up and immediately surrendered to a bout of coughing. I could see shelves of books in front of me and concluded I was still in the library. My hands were tied to a flat bed with ropes of a dark material. The smoke rose around me creating a barrier from the shelves. On further inspection, I realised that the books were all black and the titles were written in gold ink. A particular one caught my eye. It was a thick book around five centimetres. Instead of black, it was pure silver and decorated with gold symbols. The symbols were sharp and angled like broken sticks. The title was written in red ink and I squinted to read the letters, 'Umbra Magicae'. A figure crept into the room silently. It lifted its head as it entered and I let out a soundless scream. The head of the figure was deathly white like wax, and where the eyes should have been, there were sunken holes of black. The figure was neither human nor monster, it was a skeleton. Bones clacked as it walked closer towards me. I felt its hand wrap around my skull and I gasped as bones dug sharply into my skin. I was paralysed to the spot, the menacing aura holding me in a tightening grip. I tried to scream but no sound came out. The shadows engulfed me and I was thrown back at the force of it. The glowing purple light intensified and my arms tingled as the light brushed them. Nowhere to hide now. A voice spoke in my mind, slurred but enticing. I leaned in. No one will remember. I have come. A powerful blast of light threw me against the wall and the room glowed white, pure white that danced in spots across my eyes blinding me, then it turned black. It hurt to look. Every light seemed intensified and sharp colours blinded me. Rubble and loose books created a nest around me, and I turned around painfully to see that a chunk of the wall was gone. I lay there in the rubble when something caught my eye. A shadow danced across my vision and I reached out to grab it. Though it was small, a shiver went down my spine as I held it, unnaturally cold. I quickly let go of it and it flitted around my head before retreating into the shelves. I stood up slowly, digging my feet into the ground as I wobbled. I was about to leave when something shimmered in my next. I bent down and pulled it out. It was a medal rusted with age. It shined a dull silver and it was tied to a thick rope. I held it in my palm and stood back up. The shadow had returned and it was now examining me curiously. A book on a shelf caught my eye. It glowed a deep purple and floral emblems covered it. Reaching out I pulled it, but what came out was not the book, but a passage. Cogs whirred and the mechanism twisted into a door. Where the shelf was, there was now a stone archway with the words 'Umbra Regni' engraved onto it. I looked at the shadow and as if a cue, it disappeared into the archway. Taking a breath, I followed it into the unknown darkness of the passage.

The dark inky sky hung over the peaceful village. The lamps flickered violently casting shadows onto the the slimy cobblestones. As the first flakes of snow fell, a girl arrived at the library. She was no ordinary girl. She was a girl with a mission and her name was Raven. Raven stood at the doors of the library as she admired the architecture. A thin sheen of white covered the windows. Its sandstone pillars loomed above her. Raven pushed open the creaky mahogany doors and sat down in a chair. The library was eerily quiet. Raven was about to pull a book off the shelf when the hairs on her back shivered. Someone was watching her. Slowly she turned around. In front of her was a figure in a khaki jacket with a belt and a rifle. That was the last thing Raven saw before everything went black. The moment she regained consciousness, Raven could tell something was wrong. A haunted feeling had crept into her chaining her feelings. Raven remembered the glowing figure and looked around to find a trace of where it went. She was horrified to find it had been watching and waiting all along. Suddenly, it began to speak. If you put yourself in mortal danger, you shall meet a prowling stranger. Diamonds and opals are known as nobles. To kill this creature, use your feature. A glinting object, you must protect. It'll save your life, the silver knife The ghostly poacher reached out towards me. It was as if I was in a trance. Hypnotized. His icy cold hands gripped me. Memories of the past came flooding back to me. I was part of the legend. The legend of the Umbre Anima. The shadow wolves had wispy shadows for fur, claws as black as obsidian and eyes as red as rubies. It would let out haunted hollow howls to let their victims know their fate was sealed. Whispers caught towns like webs and the only way to ward them off was through something pure like a diamond or an opal. The poachers had hunted the shadow wolves down one by one but perhaps they missed one....

I was here again. The thought ricocheted in my brain as I stood in front of the train station. The lights flickered time to time giving the station an abandoned sense. Paint peeled from the walls and the railway was rusted and cracked. Benches lined the pavement beckoning you to a world of boredom. The monotonous sound of the clock ticking filled the room. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. It was enough to drive you mad. I turned and walked up the stairs eager to be released from the gloomy prison of the dark station. The wind smacked me in the face making me gasp. It stung my cheeks and made my eyes water. What now? I had gone all this way yet there was no reason. The sun had surrendered to the moon and now an inky blackness crept across the town. Suddenly, a warden patrolling the streets caught my eye. "Oi! Ain't ya Marie's girl? Whatcha ya doin' after curfew?" The warden approached me slowly. Desperately, I looked for any form of escape. Behind me was a fence that lined the pavement. I quickly scrambled over it, tumbling onto the road. I ran as fast as I could and when I reached an alley I stopped. The warden's shouts had reduced to almost quiet murmuring. Catching my breath, I slowly walked through the dark path. Each breath rattled in my chest like coins in a tin box. At the end of the alley, a silver gate stood. Behind was the library. The moon showered light onto the sanstone pillars giving them a silver glow. Everything else was webbed with shadows. I slowly walked up to the gate and pushed it. Creaking, it swung open. I shivered, not from the cold but from a foreboding sense. It was like someone was watching me. I slowly walked towards the heavy doors of the library. Each minute seemed to pass like an hour. Finally, I managed to yank the doors open. I stepped into the library surprised at how warm it felt. My spine prickled yet I was sure that no one else was there, right? Venturing deeper inside, the sense that someone was watching me intensified. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. A voice was talking, but where did it come from? It was chanting a song like it was a spell, and as I stuggled to hear the words I felt goosebumps snake up my spine as I listened. Follow us to the tracks of dead, follow us down the line. Follow us 'till you drop dead, forever you shall be mine. My heart stopped at the last line and I blacked out. Tendrils of smoke curled around me making my eyes water. I sat up and immediately surrendered to a bout of coughing. I could see shelves of books in front of me and concluded I was still in the library. My hands were tied to a flat bed with ropes of a dark material. The smoke rose around me creating a barrier from the shelves. On further inspection, I realised that the books were all black and the titles were written in gold ink. A particular one caught my eye. It was a thick book around five centimetres. Instead of black, it was pure silver and decorated with gold symbols. The symbols were sharp and angled like broken sticks. The title was written in red ink and I squinted to read the letters, 'Umbra Fatim'. A figure crept into the room silently. It lifted its head as it entered and I let out a soundless scream. The head of the figure was deathly white like wax, and where the eyes should have been, there were sunken holes of black. The figure was neither human nor monster, it was a skeleton. Bones clacked as it walked closer towards me. I felt its hand wrap around my skull and I gasped as bones dug sharply into my skin. Suddenly I could feel the library changing. It warped into a desolate forest filled with creepers and tall trees. A man stood in the setting and he slowly changed into a deer. The deer ran into the forest and I could feel the wind rushing past its face. But then the setting changed once more into a dark room. Someone stood inside and they were bent over a small table. And above them, was the head of a deer. The memory disappeared like a flame on a candle and I was back in the present. The skeletal figure looked at me and suddenly I could feel its pain. It wanted so badly to be free, but it was stuck in here forever, chained in this library. But not for long.

The dark inky sky hung over the peaceful village. The lamps flickered casting shadows onto the slimy cobblestones. As the first flakes of snow started to fall, a girl arrived at the library. She was no ordinary girl. She was a girl with a mission and her name was Raven. Raven stood at the doors of the library as she admired the architecture. A thin sheen of white covered the windows. It's sandstone pillars loomed above her. Raven pushed open the creaky mahogany doors and sat in a chair. The library was eerily quiet. She was about to grab a book off the shelf when the hairs on her back shivered. She was not alone. Slowly she turned around and in front of her was a ghost in a top hat and black cloak. That was the last thing Raven saw before everything went black.

Yes, I was here again. A bitter smile hung on my lips as I stood in front of the train station. The lights flickered time to time revealing the truth that the station was long from new. I don't know how long I stood there but it must have been an hour for another train had stopped by to empty out a sea of passengers. I was consumed by a wave of chatter as people went about finding destinations like scattered ants. I took a breath. Putting my head down, I walked out of the dark metro station and braced myself for some painful memories. The last rays of sun danced across the sky in ribbons of pink and yellow. I stopped to tug at Mum's sleeve. "Will we go back to Aunt Marie's house again? She said I could help for Christmas" I looked up at her with pleading eyes. A smile played on her lips. "Of course. I promise." Mum whispered into my ear. But her promise was useless for she died before she could fulfill it. I was breathing heavily as I leaned against a lamp post. How long had I been standing there? Darkness had enveloped the town and everything was quiet except for the occasional cricket chirp. I ran through the street holding my breath when a rock skidded or a leaf rustled. Turning a corner, I reached the library. At night, the sandstone pillars were almost silver as the moonlight reflected on them. My sight clouded as tears threatened. This was the last place I had been to when I was at the town. It was 8 years ago. 8 long painful years. Just trying to get out of bed was a struggle. Every day was drained of happiness after Mum died. It was like I was falling through a never ending abyss. I walked towards the door. It was bolted shut. I suddenly felt foolish. Had I expected it to not be? Scolding myself, I scoured the building trying to find a way in. Underneath the windows, a tiny gap was there. Heaving, I yanked it open pushing myself through. I held my breath as my feet touched the ground with an echoing thud. I had landed right in the Mitchell vestibule. It was eerily quiet, only my heavy breathing could be heard. The marble floor was dimly lit through the windows. Something felt wrong. My heart thumped in my chest, each breath excruciating. I finally found the courage to venture deeper into the library a few moments later. Each of my footsteps stemmed to echo around the building. Something brushed against my foot. I froze. A cat sat near my leg. It looked up at me with a piercing red gaze that sent shivers down my spine. It's voice echoed in my mind. "Hello Rhiannon." A bright light flashed before my eyes sending me sprawling across the ground. The world spun then went black.