Horror Short Story : Old Vengeance
1. Awakening
He slowly moves the blade up his forearm. The incision is small and shallow, but the blood gushes out immediately. He rolls his eyes in pain, but holds out the open wound to his counterpart.
Through the fog of pain, the other person’s voice comes across only softly and weakly: “You know what it means.”
“Don’t waste any time,” the man gasps and presses on the vein. The blood flow doesn’t get stronger.
“Do not be sad.”
“It is my will. My decision, ”stammered the man. The person opposite nods barely noticeably and pulls back the hood. Then he puts his lips on the cut and licks off the blood that has already flowed. The current begins to slowly dry up again when it rams its teeth into the flesh and begins to drink properly.
Later he carelessly slides the empty shell onto the floor and wipes his mouth. Freshly strengthened, he moves the still somewhat stiff muscles and shakes out the gray, long hair. Countless numbers fall out, underneath you can see the fresh, dark brown hair.
“Are you feeling better?” Asks the observer, who had been standing in the shadow of the corner the whole time.
The vampire is massaging his wrists. “The ropes have dug deep into my flesh. I’m going to need more to close these wounds, ”he explains.
“I’ll bring it to you. However many you need, I’ll bring them to you. Master?“
The vampire is silent and pushes the curtains to one side. It’s not dark anymore, the sun will rise soon.
“Master?” The observer repeats his question.
"Where can I sleep? I am tired.”
“You avoid my question. You probably know what I want. “
"It’s still too early. I don’t want to talk about it yet! ”Says the vampire in a rude tone and underscores it with an imperious gesture. The observer bows slightly and then points to the cellar.
“There is a place for your coffin there. I’ve already prepared everything. When you wake up, the next drink will be ready. ”
“Well. Good day.”
“Master?” The vampire turns around questioningly. “Time heals all wounds. You know that?”
The vampire grimaces and growls. “Is that why you left me in that hole for almost 400 years?”
“You had to be forgotten. Before that, someone could have remembered! ”Defends the observer.
“Pah! Nobody lives 400 years. Not even the Inquisition survives that long. She’s forgotten, just like me! ”Snorting, he comes closer and grabs the observer by the throat. He lifts it up and pulls it into the light. The observer is young, maybe twenty. The brown curls hang low over his face and there is an expression of naked fear. He gasps for air, but the vampire persists. “That was your intention, wasn’t it? That I will be forgotten. That you continue my business. I will? Answer! ”
“No, master. You don’t understand, ”the boy gasps.
“Don’t tell me lies!” Hisses the vampire and looks deep into the boy’s eyes. He tries to avoid the piercing gaze of his master, but the grip only hardens, so that he immediately discards the plan. The vampire is digging somewhere in his soul.
Suddenly the vampire lets go of the boy and collapses on an armchair. “I need silence. I’m sorry.”
The boy gasps too. Nevertheless, he raises his hand and waves it away. “I understand, master. But I never lied to you. “
"Now I know,” smiles the vampire and drags himself to the cellar. He silently closes the door behind him. The boy gets up shortly afterwards and draws all the curtains. Then he checks again that the door is locked before he goes to bed. It is wrapped in dark cloths, which he carefully closes.
A woman lies wrapped in the sheets, gently puts her arm around him and blows a kiss on his cheek. “You let him sleep in the basement?” She smiles.
“He does not know. You were a good teacher, ”replies the boy. At the same moment they fall into arms and kiss deeply.
2. Heretic
Somewhere in Germany, around 1600:
The square was full of people again. Although the morning was freezing cold, they stood close together in front of the gallows and loudly demanded the demonstration.
The hangman was already standing next to the rope and nervously twisting the rope in his hand. Nobody could tell what was showing on his face, because he carried a black sack over his head that only had slits for eyes. This time it wasn’t the town’s executioner either, but an executioner brought along by the Inquisition.
The city hangman himself stood in the front row with his son, clutching the ax in both hands. The priest had forbidden him to use them in this case. What a waste.
Suddenly a murmur went through the crowd. Heavily armored riders made their way through the mob and often gave way with the stick. A team of two oxen trotted along behind them. On top of the wagon was a steel cage with what was hanging. The three priests of the Inquisition walked in front of the team. Their eyes were lowered and they nervously clutched their Bibles.
Some of the mob threw rotten vegetables at the cage, but the prisoner hardly noticed them. He was crouched in the corner, wrapped in a dark blanket, with the blanket pulled over his head. Only his eyes gleamed evil in the twilight of the shadow.
The riders dismounted in front of the gallows pedestal and stood to protect the inquisitors and the prisoner. Because some in the mob waved knives and other small weapons over their heads.
The priests walked with dignity up the seven steps to the gallows, while the prisoner had to be driven up with strokes of a stick.
The sun felt with its rays over the roofs as the prisoner was led under the gallows. The priests said a short prayer and blessed the rope.
"Last words?”
“I still want to get rid of something,” giggled the prisoner. He stepped forward as far as the guards would allow and spread his arms. “Look at me, you villagers. I am still here! You have led me to the gallows a hundred times and I am still alive. I can’t die! Not even these worms with their words about God will be able to change anything. I can’t die! Your God has left you and sent me to sow the seeds of the devil! “
The crowd backed away in alarm, then the guards interrupted the prisoner’s speech and beat him. But not a word of complaint escaped the prisoner’s lips, not even when they pulled the black sack over his head. Then the executioner put the rope around his neck and stepped back.
Once again an inquisitor blessed the rope and then gave the sign. The gate opened and the prisoner slumped down.
It was suddenly dead silent. The crowd stared spellbound at the motionless body on the gallows. They waited, but nothing moved.
Finally an inquisitor stepped forward and spread his arms. “God’s will is done! This form of the devil has entered his kingdom and will never return. Bless God! ”
The crowd fell on their knees in prayer. Then they heard the soft laughter. The figure on the gallows began to move again. The laughter got louder and louder and the body moved more and more. The ropes tying the hands cracked under the strain.
“Devil!” Shouted the inquisitor. “Devil!” The three priests immediately put a cross. Even the knights backed away and dared not go any closer to the gallows. The executioner even tore his hood down and fled into the crowd.
The mob, when they were not frozen in fear, broke out into roaring laughter.
Only the city hangman remained calm and nodded to his son. Then he picked up the ax and went up the steps to the gallows.
“What are you doing, guy?” Yelled one of the priests. He tried to stand in the way of the hangman, but the hangman’s son was faster and pushed him aside. “He’s doing God’s work. With this ax he will cut off the devil’s head! “
“He doesn’t have the right! Only God…”
“God had his opportunity. He did not come. Now we’re taking it in hand! “
"Blasphemy! You will burn.”
The hangman had reached the gallows, pushed a courageous knight aside and swung back. The blade cut the rope and the prisoner fell heavily to the ground. The executioner wanted to jump after him to finish his work, but the knights held him back. They quickly overpowered him and his son and reassured the mob.
“Get him out and tie his arms with chains. Then burn this monster! ”Ordered the priest. “And to you! Take them to the castle for interrogation! Perhaps their souls can still be saved. “
Two knights tied their hands and led them away. The others dragged the hanged man out of the hole and dragged him back to the cage.
In the crowd a young man threw his hood over his head and strolled leisurely away.
That same evening the body burned in front of the village. The prisoner laughed until the flames burned him completely. His body was not freed from the chains afterwards, but consecrated and buried.
The Inquisition posted two guards in front of the grave, who were not allowed to leave their post until thirteen days after the burial.
The two executioners, father and son, were burned the next day for heresy. Before that, they confessed to having been in league with the devil during the interrogation and attempting to help this creature of Satan escape before the eyes of the Inquisition.
After thirteen days, a figure in a long robe detached itself from the bushes at the edge of the cemetery and strolled between the graves in the moonlight. Flowers that grew on the burial mounds withered and the water in the puddles became bitter. In the last few days it had rained heavily and the ground was soft and heavy.
When the figure reached the grave of the satanic creature, which had been buried far away from the other graves, it soon began to dig with its bare hands until it hit the roughly timbered wooden box. For a full hour the figure then just sat on the coffin and stared at the sky. The full moon was suddenly covered with clouds. Nevertheless, there was an evil glow from him. The figure buried the box again and disappeared.
3. Interrogation
The sun is just about to set when the boy wakes up again. The woman has already got up and is making coffee. Yawning, he too shuffles into the kitchen and opens the refrigerator. Then he rummages around until he finds half a can and opens it with his mouth. He spits the cap on the floor. "Is he up yet?”
The woman hisses something incomprehensible and opens the lock. “Without me it would be a pigsty,” she protests.
“Oink oink”, answered the man and goes into the cellar. She only hears the floorboards of a box creak, then the rumbling footsteps. Your mate comes running upstairs. In the back of her head she sees the blood seeping into the ground. What a waste, she thinks.
“He is gone!”
“Then you should find him. With time he will probably not get along. “
"We should have had him signed yesterday and then ended the thing!” The man swore and quickly changed. Then he put on a coat and hat. In the meantime the woman has pushed the curtain back a little and is peeking outside.
“Bad weather, it’s drizzling. He can be over the mountains in the weather. “
“I don’t want to hope so,” the man whispers and opens the door. With giant steps he runs to his Fiat and fiddles with the lock.
The woman watches him as her friend drives off with screeching tires and disappears. Shaking her head, she pours herself coffee and turns around. Startled, she drops the cup and touches her chest.
“So, I’m supposed to sign something. Will you tell me something too, old friend? ”Asks the vampire and grins angrily. There is still a residue of blood on his teeth.
"What are you doing here?”
“I should ask you that. What did you tell the boy that he would let his master run into the knife so easily. “
"You probably know that very well.”
“I only know that someone told me about four hundred years ago. That I burned and then lay with the wounds in a coffin for two weeks until someone had the kindness to give me at least enough blood to heal these wounds, ”the vampire growls and grabs her hands. “So, Black Soul, tell me now what I want to hear. Then maybe I’ll break your neck and leave it at that. “
„Lass mich zuerst los. Sonst sage ich gar nichts“, droht die Frau. Daraufhin lacht der Vampir und verstärkt den Druck. „Ich kann auch anders, Schwarzseele. Ich könnte dir auch die Kehle zerfetzen und dann ihn fragen.“ Er entblößt seine Reißzähne und verstärkt den Druck auf ihre Handgelenke noch weiter. Sie windet sich in seinen Armen und keucht vor Schmerz als er beginnt ihr Handgelenk zu verdrehen.
„Ich werde reden!“ schreit sie schließlich.
4. Zwei
Was der Junge zu der Zeit seiner Wache nicht wusste, war dass er nicht alleine war. Die andere Gestalt hatte jedoch eindeutig feminine Züge und zog es vor in einem Bretterverschlag zu warten. Dort gab es auch ein kleines, wärmendes Feuer und etwas zu essen.
Abgesehen von einer Ratte hungerte der Mann die dreizehn Tage lang.
Auch befleckte die Frau ihre Kleidung nicht beim Ausgraben sondern zeigte sich in der zweiten Nacht erst als der Mann den Sarg wieder freigelegt hatte.
„Deine Loyalität gegenüber deinem Meister ist bewundernswert. Viele hätten ihre Existenz genutzt um selber zum Meister zu werden“, begrüßte die Frau den Gräber. Er warf die Schaufel weg und zog ein Messer von seinem Gürtel. „Wer bist du? Was willst du?“
„Meine Namen sind zahlreich wie die Sterne und tun im Moment nichts zur Sache. Doch vielleicht solltest du erfahren warum ich hier bin, Gräber und loyaler Diener.“
„Dann sprich, bevor ich dir das Herz herausschneide“, befahl der Junge. Sie lachte. „Das würdest du nicht schaffen. Denn wie du und dein Meister bin ich von einer besonderen Statur. Obwohl ich eine Leere bei dir fühle. Hat dein Meister dir bis jetzt etwa verwehrt was uns allen zusteht, von Geburt an und immerdar?“
„Niedere Tiere stehen mir erst zu“, bestätigte der Junge leise.
„Er lässt dich Ratten und anderes Kleingetier aussaugen?“ fragte die Frau ungläubig. Der Junge nickte und ließ das Messer langsam sinken.
"That’s why I ask myself what I’m doing here.”
The woman whistled through her teeth and then jumped into the pit with him. She put her hand on his shoulder and stroked his cheek. “He doesn’t deserve to have a student like you, my young friend. That’s why I ask you what you want. “
"I think you know that. Maybe he’ll give it to me if I free him.”
The woman laughed and wiped a tear away from him. “I promise to give you what you want. For that you only have to do one thing for me. “
"What do you demand?”
“Fill this ditch again and let it suffer for a few more years. For this I will take you to places that you have not even heard of and you will experience things that even your wildest dreams did not occur to you. At my side you will conquer the world for yourself as a being of the night, equal and masterful. Create servants and empires for you, and get rid of them again when you feel like it. “
"Is that all?” Asked the boy in disbelief.
“That’s all,” she confirmed, smiling so he could see her teeth. Her eyes shone like red diamonds as she arched his neck and kissed him gently. He barely felt the bite, and when she let go of him he didn’t sag like he usually did when his Master drank from him. She smiled before pressing her bloody lips onto his and sliding her tongue into his mouth. A feeling of strength spread throughout his body from his mouth. He closed his eyes with relish and let it sink in until she broke away from him. When he opened his eyes again he was a different person. Because everything human in him was gone.
5th transition
“So that’s how it was,” sighs the vampire. “In revenge you condemned me to a shadowy existence, Black Soul.”
“Just like you did with my master!” Replies the woman.
“He deserved the stake. You know that as well as I do. I was only the executioner, neither judge nor jury! “
“Still, I hate you! Nobody had the right. He never endangered our cause. ”
“It should have burned in my place. If I had known what was coming, I would not have inserted the stake and left it to the people. Then he would have sung the song under the gallows, not me! “
Outside the door opens and the boy returns. "I haven’t found him,” he calls out as he undresses again. When he wants to enter the kitchen, he stops in the door. “Oh, so you met,” he stammered. The master silently averts his face, but she nods.
“Then does he know?”
“He asked and gave me no chance.”
“And?”
“You will have to choose. Either them or your master! Do not decide right away because the decision will be final. You are selling your soul with it. “
"I sold them centuries ago when I came into contact with you and offered my neck as naive as I was”, the boy hisses and waves his gaze between the two.
“Either the woman who gave me the best years of my life. Or my master, who made me what I am, but denied me everything that makes up my existence. I don’t think the decision will be difficult for me. “
The master looks down and nods. “Then that’s how it should be,” he whispers disappointed. “But allow me one more thing, my young student. One last sip. ”
The boy looks at Schwarzseele, but she avoids his gaze. “It depends on you. You are free. You were always free, at least by my side. ”
The master throws back his head and then walks towards his old disciple. The latter lays his head back and offers him his neck.
“Eternity once lay in my eyes, and I made you immortal. But your thanks leave a lot to be desired ”, he whispers before driving his teeth into the flesh. His victim’s eyes widen when he feels the bite. It is by no means as gentle as usual. The bite is more like an animal had bitten its throat. An uneven dance begins in which the boy tries to push his master away. Schwarzseele wants to intervene, but a punch from the master throws her across the room.
When he releases the bite from the throat, blood splatters from the wound. Panting, the boy staggers across the room and tries to close the wound. But his strength is too little, what the master has taken too great.
He wipes his mouth in disgust and goes to Schwarzseele, who crouches dazed in a corner.
“There can only be one, my old friend. Our enmity will end here. Do you have any last words? ”He asks grimly. Schwarzseele briefly closes his eyes and then looks at him again with a crystal clear look.
“You took everything I ever loved from me. What more can I say? So let me die upright, as one of ours should. “
The vampire sighs and then offers her his arm. She takes him and is then pulled to her feet. She slowly opens a drawer behind her while the master bends her head back roughly and stares at her neck.
She grabs a knife and makes a deft cut across his face. The vampire screams and backs away. Although the wound closes immediately, he jerks his hand up to protect it.
“You will pay for that!” He rages. But before he can attack, she stabs again. The sting is accurate and pierces the vampire’s heart. His eyes widen in disbelief. He grabs his chest and wipes the blood off, then looks at his hand.
"What did you do?” He gasps.
“I will finish what started four hundred years ago!”
6. Graduation
Behind Schwarzseele lies the burning house that has long served as a shelter. In his basement, the victims are laid out neatly and doused with gasoline. In their midst is an open coffin with their young companion. He is neatly bedded down, cleansed, and has a peaceful expression.
There is a freshly dug grave in the garden. Inside is another coffin in which the master lies. The knife is still in his chest, a sealed letter on his face warning any finder to remove the knife.
Schwarzseele waits in the shade until everything has burned down and the ruins are no longer glowing.
Then she gets into a car with tinted windows and takes a deep breath. “Back home,” she commands quietly. The driver turns around and looks at his mistress. “Everything OK?”
“It’s done,” she replies. The driver smiles and reaches into his jacket. “Not quite, my lady. One person is still missing. “
He draws a pistol and shoots Black Soul in the chest at close range. He then fires three more shots in her head before getting out of the car and lighting a cigarette. Then he rummages for a cell phone and dials the first speed dial. “We got rid of all of them. It’s complete. Definitely. ”
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