The Approach of Shadows
Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:07 am
Hello everyone this is my first time posting on these forums, but I have been following the development KS for quite some time and would like to take a quick opportunity to thank 4LS for their dedication in making KS a reality.
Only recently have I looked at the fan fiction boards and have been impressed with the quality of some of the stories on here. Thus I felt inspired to try my hand at a small story of my own.
Please provide feedback, as I am working to improve my writing skills. This story focuses on an original character and I do hope you enjoy it!
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Hour of the Wolf
I awaken with a start and catch myself, as I'm about to fall over. I look around confused, surrounded by the pitch darkness, and a shot of panic ripples through my nerves a moment. I wonder where I am as I pull myself up from slouching on a hard surface. The wind murmurs through the trees around me and the breeze is filled with a nighttime chill. My memories trickle back, I recall the stinging memory of fireworks and the blur of events earlier in the day. I rub my neck and shoulders and groan as I feel around the hard bench. Dozing off here was impressively stupid.
It was the evening of the Yamaku Festival, the last few days preparing for the festival have been so busy I've missed a lot of sleep. After fulfilling my obligations for the festival I went off on my own to relax. Finding some quiet spot on the edge of campus I watched the fireworks show. Apparently some time after the show ended I dozed off.
I gingerly get to my feet, still rubbing my neck with one hand, trying to ignore the disquieting stillness that had descended over the school grounds. The rushing sound of wind washing over the trees alone breaks the silence and the sound of leaves seem to fill the whole world with their noise. I take a few tentative steps forward and feeling the edge of the sidewalk, I turn and start my walk back to the dormitory.
"Well, this wasn't one of my better ideas." I mutter to myself as a branch snaps under my foot and stumble. I look down at the inky darkness spread out before me, can't see my feet or the sidewalk I know that stretches out in front of me. I sigh, at least I know where I am and I've been at Yamaku long enough to avoid getting lost walking around the school grounds at the very least.
The piercing brightness from the constellation of lamps lining my path make it apparent that I am heading back to the center of campus. I glance up at the row of lights, 5 to go, I am just coming up on the main building now, I quickly turn my eyes back to the inky darkness as they begin to water. Despite my difficulties, it is not as though the path isn't properly lit for most people.
I've lived with night blindness for almost as long as I can remember, so I ought to have known better than to go off on my own late like this. However something about the crowded festival and the organized chaos of the class 3-2 food stand made the fireworks seem like something I needed to take in on my own. The thought that the next time I am at a fireworks show I might not even be able to see them drifts unbidden into my mind.
I shake my head, tightening my grip on my cane and push the thought down, no that's not likely, even in my case, I will not lose vision that quickly. But still, that fact is there, it is inevitable someday I will really and truly be blind.
Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP, is a degenerative condition that will leave me irrevocably blind by the time I am 30. Of course it could be worse, as my doctor often likes to remind me - people with my condition often suffer from other serious congenital disorders, causing everything from dementia to heart failure. On the other hand I like to remind myself that it could be a lot better, my eyesight is failing rather more swiftly than most cases.
My thoughts drift back to the fireworks show, they were really something. Almost unbearably bright, like suns exploding and dying in space, terrible, but beautiful. Despite the hassle of walking back, it was worth it. After all, this will be my last year at Yamaku.
Suddenly I slouch to a halt as my cane runs into something large across the sidewalk. I think to myself that fortunately I noticed the hazard this time as it seems I'd been tripping over a log instead of a branch. As I am puzzling over this new obstruction the smell of booze reaches my nostrils and a memory from home leaps into my mind. I'm standing in the pitch darkness, gripping the stair railing, listening to a screaming voice as the smell of cheap whiskey wafts up from downstairs. I shake my head, trying to dismiss the memory and focusing my attention on what is in front of me.
Probing the object at my feet with my cane, it doesn't feel like any part of a tree, as it gives slightly to the touch. An icy wave of realization washes over me, this is a body, somebody is laying on the sidewalk.
"Hey, hey you there, a-re you Ok?" I call out, my voice cracking.
I drop down and extend my hands out, feeling a broad mass of cloth, from the material it feels like a coat. The lack of buttons or zippers makes me realize that this must be the person's back. But something is wrong, they aren't moving at all! I move my hand to the left, up to what I realize are the shoulders. They seem pretty broad and I move my hands towards the head. I think it's a guy. My fingers brush against his neck, which is covered in something sticky and cold. My stomach lurches as I identify the stench of blood and jerk my hand away.
"Shit! Fuck!"
His neck feels twisted and unnatural, like a thick, knotted rope. I imagine a pair of empty fish-like eyes staring at me. My blood smeared hand shakes as I grab for my cell phone and fumble with it, pressing the speed dial for Yamaku's head nurse. He picks up after the second ring.
"Hello, Yamaku's Head Nurse speaking," from the edge in his voice I can tell he already suspects something must be amiss.
"There's someone here on the sidewalk, he's not moving... I think he might be dead! I'm on the north side of the main building, I don't know what happened to him."
"What? Are you sure? What is his condition?"
"I... I don't know, he's laying on his stomach... he's cold, his head and neck are bloody and his neck... it's messed up. He's not breathing."
"He's cold?" there is a pregnant pause on the line before the Nurse continues, "Is he a student at Yamaku? Do you know who it is?"
"I'm blind damn it, I don't know who the hell it is!"
"Whoa, stay calm, we'll be there shortly - stay on the line." I hear some muffled dialog on the phone directed at someone; the nurse is barking sharp orders at the staff. Then I hear the sound of wind rustling on the line. "Just stay where you are, we're on our way. Who are you? You must be a student, correct?"
"Yes... I'm Kousei Takaya, I'm a 3rd year at Yamaku."
"Are you injured in any way?"
"No, I'm not."
"Is there anything else you can tell me about him? Don't move him, just tell me anything you can."
"I don't know, he's not breathing... his head and upper body are on the sidewalk. Maybe he hit his head, I don't know. I... I think he's been drinking, I smell booze on him."
Only recently have I looked at the fan fiction boards and have been impressed with the quality of some of the stories on here. Thus I felt inspired to try my hand at a small story of my own.
Please provide feedback, as I am working to improve my writing skills. This story focuses on an original character and I do hope you enjoy it!
---------------------
Hour of the Wolf
I awaken with a start and catch myself, as I'm about to fall over. I look around confused, surrounded by the pitch darkness, and a shot of panic ripples through my nerves a moment. I wonder where I am as I pull myself up from slouching on a hard surface. The wind murmurs through the trees around me and the breeze is filled with a nighttime chill. My memories trickle back, I recall the stinging memory of fireworks and the blur of events earlier in the day. I rub my neck and shoulders and groan as I feel around the hard bench. Dozing off here was impressively stupid.
It was the evening of the Yamaku Festival, the last few days preparing for the festival have been so busy I've missed a lot of sleep. After fulfilling my obligations for the festival I went off on my own to relax. Finding some quiet spot on the edge of campus I watched the fireworks show. Apparently some time after the show ended I dozed off.
I gingerly get to my feet, still rubbing my neck with one hand, trying to ignore the disquieting stillness that had descended over the school grounds. The rushing sound of wind washing over the trees alone breaks the silence and the sound of leaves seem to fill the whole world with their noise. I take a few tentative steps forward and feeling the edge of the sidewalk, I turn and start my walk back to the dormitory.
"Well, this wasn't one of my better ideas." I mutter to myself as a branch snaps under my foot and stumble. I look down at the inky darkness spread out before me, can't see my feet or the sidewalk I know that stretches out in front of me. I sigh, at least I know where I am and I've been at Yamaku long enough to avoid getting lost walking around the school grounds at the very least.
The piercing brightness from the constellation of lamps lining my path make it apparent that I am heading back to the center of campus. I glance up at the row of lights, 5 to go, I am just coming up on the main building now, I quickly turn my eyes back to the inky darkness as they begin to water. Despite my difficulties, it is not as though the path isn't properly lit for most people.
I've lived with night blindness for almost as long as I can remember, so I ought to have known better than to go off on my own late like this. However something about the crowded festival and the organized chaos of the class 3-2 food stand made the fireworks seem like something I needed to take in on my own. The thought that the next time I am at a fireworks show I might not even be able to see them drifts unbidden into my mind.
I shake my head, tightening my grip on my cane and push the thought down, no that's not likely, even in my case, I will not lose vision that quickly. But still, that fact is there, it is inevitable someday I will really and truly be blind.
Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP, is a degenerative condition that will leave me irrevocably blind by the time I am 30. Of course it could be worse, as my doctor often likes to remind me - people with my condition often suffer from other serious congenital disorders, causing everything from dementia to heart failure. On the other hand I like to remind myself that it could be a lot better, my eyesight is failing rather more swiftly than most cases.
My thoughts drift back to the fireworks show, they were really something. Almost unbearably bright, like suns exploding and dying in space, terrible, but beautiful. Despite the hassle of walking back, it was worth it. After all, this will be my last year at Yamaku.
Suddenly I slouch to a halt as my cane runs into something large across the sidewalk. I think to myself that fortunately I noticed the hazard this time as it seems I'd been tripping over a log instead of a branch. As I am puzzling over this new obstruction the smell of booze reaches my nostrils and a memory from home leaps into my mind. I'm standing in the pitch darkness, gripping the stair railing, listening to a screaming voice as the smell of cheap whiskey wafts up from downstairs. I shake my head, trying to dismiss the memory and focusing my attention on what is in front of me.
Probing the object at my feet with my cane, it doesn't feel like any part of a tree, as it gives slightly to the touch. An icy wave of realization washes over me, this is a body, somebody is laying on the sidewalk.
"Hey, hey you there, a-re you Ok?" I call out, my voice cracking.
I drop down and extend my hands out, feeling a broad mass of cloth, from the material it feels like a coat. The lack of buttons or zippers makes me realize that this must be the person's back. But something is wrong, they aren't moving at all! I move my hand to the left, up to what I realize are the shoulders. They seem pretty broad and I move my hands towards the head. I think it's a guy. My fingers brush against his neck, which is covered in something sticky and cold. My stomach lurches as I identify the stench of blood and jerk my hand away.
"Shit! Fuck!"
His neck feels twisted and unnatural, like a thick, knotted rope. I imagine a pair of empty fish-like eyes staring at me. My blood smeared hand shakes as I grab for my cell phone and fumble with it, pressing the speed dial for Yamaku's head nurse. He picks up after the second ring.
"Hello, Yamaku's Head Nurse speaking," from the edge in his voice I can tell he already suspects something must be amiss.
"There's someone here on the sidewalk, he's not moving... I think he might be dead! I'm on the north side of the main building, I don't know what happened to him."
"What? Are you sure? What is his condition?"
"I... I don't know, he's laying on his stomach... he's cold, his head and neck are bloody and his neck... it's messed up. He's not breathing."
"He's cold?" there is a pregnant pause on the line before the Nurse continues, "Is he a student at Yamaku? Do you know who it is?"
"I'm blind damn it, I don't know who the hell it is!"
"Whoa, stay calm, we'll be there shortly - stay on the line." I hear some muffled dialog on the phone directed at someone; the nurse is barking sharp orders at the staff. Then I hear the sound of wind rustling on the line. "Just stay where you are, we're on our way. Who are you? You must be a student, correct?"
"Yes... I'm Kousei Takaya, I'm a 3rd year at Yamaku."
"Are you injured in any way?"
"No, I'm not."
"Is there anything else you can tell me about him? Don't move him, just tell me anything you can."
"I don't know, he's not breathing... his head and upper body are on the sidewalk. Maybe he hit his head, I don't know. I... I think he's been drinking, I smell booze on him."