My apologies. It is merely a story and nothing more.

I'm reposting this for any opinions. I'm considering making it a psuedo-weekly sorta story or something like that. I'm mostly posting here though so I can access it from anywhere.

Prelude to Darkness

Nights like this were always cloudy. It seemed to be dictated by fate. Only half of the street lights actually even seemed to work and the air had chilled considerably from earlier when she decided to wear the short black and red skirt instead of the her favorite tight, stonewashed jeans. Krysta sighed deeply as she thought back to the party. How boring. Just another excuse for a large group of teenagers to augment their stupidity with a drunken or smoke filled haze. She still wasn't sure why she bothered going at all anymore. Not for the first time, she remembered that she really couldn't think of anything else to do if she didn't go. Besides, she might meet someone there. Hadn't yet, of course, but maybe. Regardless, she wasn't getting anywhere by standing in the middle of the sidewalk watching her breathe coalesce in front of her. With resolve firmly in her grasp again, she headed north silently wishing that something would happen to make this night not such a disaster.
Her moderately new Taurus lay just steps behind her, unmoving and apparently unmovable. At least, not until she got it unwound from around the light pole that it currently occupied which looked like it was going to take the work of either a miracle or a tow truck, whichever came first. She put her faith in the tow truck, personally. Krysta still couldn't figure out why no one had heard the sound of a vehicle screeching across asphalt and slamming itself into a large metal pole or how this section of town managed to end up this deserted on a Saturday night. Even as late as it was, surely there would be others out. Or not. Only her luck could end up this bad. Her dark chuckle only continued as she considered the endless examples she could give. Thoughts for another day. For now, her first order of business seemed to be to find a phone and fast. Her legs were beginning to feel like hams in the grocery store's frozen food section.
As she continued her path for the next fifteen minutes or so and lost sight of her car, she realized that she'd been down this road a million times but had never thought to look for a phone and now her lack of observation came back to haunt her ten-fold. Ironically, that brought to mind a comment she had made earlier about the origin of the word "haunt." A place where animals feed. Great, just great. No one creeps you out better than yourself because only you truly know what you fear. Now, every sewage drain she passed contained clowns and she'd be too paranoid to even look at them to prove herself wrong. We all float down here. Just great. Nerves thoroughly on edge and mind racing, she never heard the car or saw the lights till it was already upon her. Startled out of her dementia, she realized that it was slowing down as it approached, apparently intending to stop for her.
Immediately, she put on her mask of nonchalance that she wore on a regular basis, intending to put whomever it was at ease and not betray her fear and anxiety. As the large, 80's, ex-luxury car pulled to a stop, she leaned forward to obtain a glimpse of her possible savior and decide whether or not to pursue a ride to a pay phone. The window slowly rolled down in the fashion of old motors, working still after long years of abuse and trying desperately to cling to their final days. Well, so much for a random limo but hey, you get what you can take. The face that peered back disappointed Krysta more than a little. The man had simple light brown hair, brown eyes, a small mustache and a goatee. Nothing special. In fact, he was actually quite bland. Not unattractive by any means but neither was he handsome. Non-descript would be a nice way to put it. Politically correct, at least. She was in the process of hiding her disappointment when he spoke.
"You seem to be having some trouble. Could I interest you in a ride somewhere?"
Even his voice lacked a distinguishing mark. No accent whatsoever. So much for Prince Charming or Rhett Butler. Oh well, he'd do. He seemed innocent enough. Krysta smiled charmingly and brushed her hair away from her face in a subtle attempt to get his attention even though she knew she already had it.
"Actually, I could. I was just headed home but my car seems to have had a mishap. Now I need to find a phone." she replied simply.
"Well, if I'd wrapped my car around a pole, I suppose I'd need a phone too. Hop in. You have change?"
Without even thinking about it, she realized she didn't and couldn't figure out why she thought she would be able to use a phone without some. She shook her head and shrugged. "I guess not."
He frowned and arranged his face into a look of embarrassment before replying. "Well, I'd give you some but unfortunately, I don't have any on me either. I could give you a ride home if you like. Of course, that'd require a little trust but then again, you don't seem to have too many options at this point, eh? I promise I don't bite. Well, not until I know you, anyways."
A slight grin couldn't help but scratch the surface of her face again as her apprehension lifted. His face seemed to have shifted a little from her first glance. Not literally, just to her perceptions. She noticed that he had small dimples when he smiled and she couldn't explain it, but that set her at ease a little. He also had an interesting little hook in his eyebrows granting him a slightly devilish manner. He turned and moved an assortment of CD's and other small objects including a small, black and white speckled notebook with a purple gel pen sticking out of it from the passenger seat. Most of it, he tossed into the back seat without a thought but the notebook he slid under the armrest. She wasn't at all sure why she noticed, but she did. He motioned grandly to the seat and spoke as though he were addressing nobility.
" Care to sit down, milady?"
Krysta smiled confidently, falling into the role he set upon her, and nodded before unhurriedly walking around the front of the car. Squinting as she passed the headlights, she could feel his attention still on her. She should have been concerned about that but she wasn't. It was natural. After all, there were only two people within screaming distance, who else would he be paying attention to? A few more steps brought her to the door and she found herself reaching for the door handle till the door opened of its own accord. She looked back up in time to see him sitting back into his seat from having leaned over. Another smile was sent his way. Maybe not a prince but possibly charming. At least she might enjoy the ride home, it seemed. He smiled shyly, obviously a little more uncomfortable with her close to him and Krysta couldn't help but press it, just for fun. She reached over and placed her hand on his arm. "Thank you so much. I appreciate it. My luck has just been hell lately. Oh, by the way, my name's Krysta!" She shot her hand forward, placing it so he could shake it in greetings. He slowly reached his hand out for hers and hesitantly shook it, nodding slightly.
"I'm Lucent but most people just call me Luc. It's a pleasure." He quickly retracted his hand, placing it securely on the steering wheel. His next words came out forced, obviously trying to shift her attention. "So, where to from here?"
Ending her barrage on his confidence, Krysta looked around for a minute before realizing that they had already started moving and had apparently passed her poor Ford. Another glance told her which direction to go as she finally regained her sense of direction. She must be tired. She was never this spaced.
"Just follow this road till the intersection. Then take a right. I'll guide you from there." No point in telling him all at once. He'd just forget and she hated repeating things.
His voice interrupted her thoughts. "What brings you out so late?"
"A party." was all she could think to say right off.
"Have fun?"
Her response came quickly, without any effort. "Not really. I never really do. Ever go somewhere or do something for no reason than a lack of options? That's pretty much it. Someday something'll happen worth my time but you know."
"Perhaps."
"Yeah, it'll happen. Surely I can't be destined for mediocrity. It's too boring. I'm bound to do something interesting like, cure cancer or start a world war or something. Just something other than breathe." She noticed him smirk at her list of choices and smiled. "It's true you know. I could start a war pretty easily." She took on a mock conspiracy-like tone as she spoke. "Yep. Seduce the right people, incite the rest. I've got it covered."
"You sound like you've got it planned out. A real devil's child, eh?"
"Nah, I always more saw myself as his bride. Pulling strings on an equal level. None of that
subservient bullshit. Of course, that'd require a seduction of a much more grand level, ex-celestial being and all. It'll be tough but," she paused to pop her knuckles as though preparing for a challenge, "I think I can do it."
His reply came with a smirk of his own and in a matter-of-fact tone. "I bet you could."
Krysta smiled again though this time with a much more devious and seductive twist but still with the joke in her voice. "You truly think so? You think I could attach myself to the arm of the most beautiful angel? Well, ex-angel as the circumstance may be."
His smirk deepened, his voice inflecting her name as he spoke. "Krysta, I have the feeling that if you put your mind to it, he wouldn't have a snowman's chance in hell."


The rest of the ride home went quickly, almost too quickly for Krysta's taste. The conversation had been light and pleasant and he had proven to be not only witty but a gentleman as well. It was kind of refreshing. Especially after the conversation prior to it being on the strength of beer cans by brand and resulted in a demonstration that left more than a little blood on the carpet of the apartment that harbored the self-inflicted ignorance. Arg! She had to get that image out of her head. She looked to tonight's savior and smiled warmly, glad that for the moment, there was a way to do so. They had grown quiet after she mentioned that they had turned onto the road where she resided. It seemed that it had heralded an end to their meeting and neither of them wanted to mention it, thus bringing a finality to the moment. Unfortunately, it was forced to draw to a close as she quietly informed him of the drive way coming up that led to the house at the top of the hill. She nearly sighed as he pulled in and drove slowly up the twisting drive, finally coming to a stop behind the large extended cab pickup truck already occupying the large concrete slab at the top. Turning, she noted the shy smile on his face and couldn't help but mentally note that this may have been the first time he'd ever driven a girl home at night. She smiled in return and spoke quietly.
"Thank you for the ride home, Luc. It's been perhaps the most pleasant part of the evening. Now, for the least pleasant part, where I tell my parents why I'm late and where my car is." She sighed and reached for the door handle, halting briefly as he replied, his voice mimicking hers in tone.
"On the contrary, thank you. You’ve been a delightful person to talk with. Hope everything goes well and I'm sure you're parents will understand. Take care."
As his words drew to a close, she smiled again and turned, opened the door, and stepped out with a final "Thank you," before she shut it and walked inside quickly, leaving a trail of breath in the cold night

Oh the pleasures I conspire,
Once within your sweet embrace.
Oh the pains I'll soon forget,
As you stroke my fallen face.
I feel the rapture in the darkness,
Where I soon will find my place.
So Lady Oblivions sing your song
So I can sleep.

Whisper softly to my senses,
As you lift me from your dreams.
Pull the thread to my emotion,
Till I vanish at the seams.
Put your finger to my lips,
Setting silence on my screams.
Please Lady Oblivion sing your song
So I can sleep.

Well, I can't seem to even almost complete any sort of writing so I'm just going to randomly post my incomplete poetry and then be done with it. Mayhap I'll try again to finish something but I'm not holding my breath. Hell, it'd be a waste of time anyways.

Random post. Did comment thingy work?

Anonymity is a strange thing. Something I want and fear at the same time. Oh well. Just wanted to let you know that right now my laptop has become a heating pad and I have a jumpdrive on my back. It's fucked up. My back and the laptop, not the jumpdrive. It's actually okay. Except for being in my mouth. Poor thing. Oh well. I can feel the laptop jarring with each heartbeat. That's just damned weird. Neat. Well, talk to you later, perhaps. Still not decided if I'm back or not. Mayhap.

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