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?
