The Ring of Ourob Gothno

Here is my Goth No banner and a rough excerpt from my novel- The Ring of Ourob by JL Denman 2009

The circle and the mother flashes of nightmare (Oct 10, 2009)

She got flashes. In the mornings when the moon faded and the

sun still hide from the world she had flashes. dreams. Those

fine detailed imaginings that never really left her. She

imagine that she had seen monsters. She ran to her mother

every night crying, tears streaming down her face her grey eyes

lightened with the sobs. She'd run to her mother tiny fat

little legs and chubby feet padding against the cold titles down dark

hallways. It seemed interminable, the chases through eh night.

She remembered the nightgown flapping behind her. It was

pink and roses danced across the bottom hem. The ruffle

flounced beneath that and then up the front of her chubby

belly a red vine slithered its way up to the throat of the

nightgown. Here another ruffle pink and rosy fluttered

under her neck. A tiny rose plastic button clasped neath that.

Her red curls cinched up into two pigtails flapped about her

shoulders as she ran to her mother's bedroom. "Momma!

Momma! Help! "

She frantically dashing into the room, breathing heavily, chased my

night terrors and dark demons, she 'd cower at her mother's

feet. the high boy bed with its cherry posters and lace canopy

was safe haven. It was a dream world much better than the

nightmare one Astrid fled from in her own corner of the

house. "Momma! "

" Come child. " her mother held out long arms, comforting

shelter in a dank mansion of a child's imagination..

"What did you see? " Her soothing voice washed over her

child as smooth and silky and tantalizing as warm blankets in

winter. " Her mother's hand, slim fingered and gentle caressed

the red curls and small shoulders in pink rose flannel.

Her little feet tucked up under her frame curled up on her

mother's lap, were warm. The chill of tile seeped out into the

covers her mother provided.

"Monsters. I saw them." She breathed quietly, a tiny thrush in

a barren tree chased by a cat breathed more restfully. " I saw

her. It. She had a tail like a snake. It was over the crib. She

sang a weird song. I saw her.

Astrid's mother slowed her stroking. Her pale face grew wan,

thin lips stretched tightly over clenched teeth. "Now, there

baby. Momma's here with you. The monsters will not hurt you.

They can not come passed the circle. See.?"

She pointed her finger towards the circular etching on the back

of her bedroom door. Like autumn leaves entwined on the

wood, or like flames slightly blown askew, the circlet seemed

to glow in the crevices. "Momma is here and nothing can

attack, or scare or harm you. The circle protects us all. "

Astrid's mother bent her lips to her daughter's forehead placing a

gentle tender kiss there. Her hand resumed is warm

caressing over her daughter's taunt back. In slow low hums, she

whispers soothing chords and rocked her baby to sleep again.

"I saw the monsters. They're coming." Astrid breathed

out slowly. He warmth of her mother's touch, the comfort of

her mother's bed, and the soft flame glow of the circlet the

door, eased her , lulled her back o to sleep. The dreams of the

monsters faded. to be replaced by the sound of her mother's

song and the visions of unicorns and peach blossoms under a

rainbow sky.

When her daughter's mind rested and she returned to quiet

sleep, Astrid's mother gently lay her under the heavy coverlet ,

brocade. In her own white ephemeral gown she slipped from the

bed. Her feet pattered against the cold tiles. She reached

the door and turned the gold knob. hesitantly she pulled the

door open. She leaned from the threshold and peered down the

corridors. Nothing but darkness and cold. She heard no sound

except the scratching of mice. The only light came from

the Gothic window half way down the hall. A single lawn lamp

like the gaslights from England's past shone through the stain

glass monochromatic. Dust bites or latent ghost scales whirled

slowly in the night light like pallid frost caught in winter

winter. She bent further, straining to see in the dark or hear

anything coming from Astrid's room. Nothing. From the

opposite directions a swift gust of wind blow passed her check

stirring a lock of auburn hair against her check. She flinched.

Quickly yet quietly she pulled back into the safety of her

bedroom. Closed the door and traced the circlet with her

finger as she whispered an ancient tune. the flame leaves glowed

red, a plume of red dust ushered from the center. As Astrid's

mother tiptoed back to the warmth of her bed, the leaf

flames died down to a amber hue. The circle will protect us,

she thought to herself. But for how long?