A Tale of the Unnatural: gypsy

Showing posts with label gypsy. Show all posts

Friday, May 2, 2014

Chapter Four Part Four

Harieen had mixed up the amulets and potions. She liked them better like that organized by size and color. Kalina couldn’t understand why that way was better but she really didn’t care. At least not now. Kalina’s smile led the way out to the encampment. She searched for her regular clothes, switched outfits, and sat on a small bench under a bright orange and lavender sheet. Leaning against a wagon, she let her mind replay the afternoon.

“He was shy, he was tender. He was funny... specially the story about living in an old house with roommates. He understood love..., the way he spoke about his mother...,” reliving the brief encounter. Tyrol wasn’t too inquisitive, taking Kalina’s stories on face value. She felt terrible having to leave him. Tyrol didn’t insist too much she stay and she was glad for that.

As gently as night floated down from the sky, so Kalina’s skin turned rough and colorless. In time, in the darkness, blisters of rottenness would pop open decorating her vanished beauty with a spattering of slimy green puss.

(To Be Continued.)

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Chapter Three Part Fourteen

They always ordered the largest size triple shot latte they could buy. They hardly ever drank it all; they just liked how the large warm cup felt in the hand. Cops, whatever size or shape, are the same. They’re suspicious. Oscar joined the meeting a few minutes late. They had already gone over what they called The Week in Review. Fortunately nothing very important had happened.

“Did you find the TV set?” asked Reginald. They all laughed together.

Oscar was a natural born storyteller so the others sat back sipping their coffee and waited. “By the way, the gypsy encampment is nowhere close to the fair.” he started off. He described the wagons, the sheets, even the color of the flames from the bonfire. He may not have found the TV set but he did find everyone asleep. Everyone. “It was all so picture perfect it was unreal, unnatural.” Oscar said. “Since the other day,” looking at Reginald, “I’ve been thinking. How come there’s no food at the Fair?” The Keepers looked at each other.

“I saw no food at the camp either.” he added suspiciously.

End of Chapter Three

(To Be Continued.)

Friday, April 11, 2014

Chapter Three Part Thirteen

A sign that reads ‘The First Three Questions Are Free’ was what brought Tyrol within sight of Kalina. “No wonder Agros belittles the gypsies...” He hadn’t finished the thought when he caught a glimpse of Kalina. The rest was a matter of wandering uncaringly up to the booth where she worked. Kalina could have thought that she reeled him in with her mind.

After a faltering conversation about love potions and good luck amulets, Tyrol cut to the chase. “At what time do you get out of here? Work, I mean.” “Well, um, it’s like, you know, a family thing and...” Kalina fumbled. “Don’t tell me you work all day, all night, seven days?” Tyrol kept at it. “No, no, no... I mean...” Tyrol interrupted, “How about tonight?” “Oh, no... No! Tonight is impossible!” finding herself in a corner Kalina hit back, “Tomorrow, maybe?” “Sure!” he answered instantly.

Dante found the boy talking to Kalina vaguely familiar.

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Chapter Three Part Twelve

“Are you hiding from someone?” she teased, smiling at the boy in the hoodie. Tyrol pulled back the hood and cautiously smiled. “That woman owns me!” he thought. She was the most perfectly beautiful female he had ever seen. The eyes, the smile, everything was perfect. Tyrol was as embarrassed and shy as a vampire could be. He sort of hovered a little.

“Self control...” Kalina thought. If she still had one, her heart would have skipped a beat. “It’s the boy, the vampire, from that thing in the forest!” Her mind raced through all of the things she had thought of saying to him. “Great!” was all that came out of her mouth. They looked into each other’s eyes and a silent space where nothing else existed grew around them.

“A love potion, maybe?” Kalina almost giggled.

(To Be Continued.)

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Chapter Three Part Eleven

Kalina didn’t lie when she swore the amulets where magical. She had always felt that magic was not about the incantations or the rituals; magic is in the mind. “The praying to the four corners of the earth is ok, like drawing the eight point star on the ground, I’m fine with that.” she thought. Its part of a show designed to impress the onlookers but the power is not there. “A focused mind can do anything!” that was something Kalina knew.

Word had spread and more folk stopped by. Every day the visitors from town became younger. The Tarot reading was a success and a second stall had to be set up. Palm readers and crystal balls had their niche. Curiosity, as usual, is the great motivator. Kalina was ready for all comers. She looked around sizing up the arriving groups. A fluorescent yellow hoodie snatched her attention. The hood covered most of the fellow’s face but there was something in the way he moved, something special.

“Now why would that feel familiar?” Kalina mused.

(To Be Continued.)

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Chapter Three Part Nine

They weren’t really laughing at Reginald; they were making fun of themselves. Dante’s straight forward answer could put an end any conversation, “What use would we have for a television set? We don’t use electricity!” Reginald stumbled a bit, trying to backtrack on what had practically come across like an accusation.

Dante’s’ courteous nature saved the situation. The short tour around the grounds concluded with an invitation to a free Tarot or Palm reading. The Séance couldn’t be free. The spirits that bridged the realms, making contact with the spirit world possible, required a tip for their help. While Dante was all openness the other gypsies kept very much to themselves. The wrinkled skin, aged women who actually did the readings stepped back into the privacy of their cloth enclosures, a very uninviting gesture.

“Maybe a Keeper should take a look around their camp tonight?” suggested Reginald. Oscar agreed to do the job.

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Chapter Three Part Eight

The legend tells that the gypsies or Romani, were the children of Remus who fled from the murderous Romulus and for centuries kept away from the Roman Empire. Remus’ namesake was murdered by his own brother; a heinous deed for any gypsy. Family was the only protection they had from the gadje, the outside world. The Roma left behind their wolf ancestry but kept and expanded their knowledge of the spirit world and magic.

Yet, Remus felt that somehow he was betraying his family, his tribe. He was changing, no doubt left about that. He stayed away from the tribe. Remus didn’t want Dante, or any of them, to see him. Even the horses were becoming jittery when he got close. He could still soothe them with his voice but he knew that whatever he was becoming was not the Remus they had known.

His biggest concern, though, was the emptiness he felt inside. Like a hole where his stomach once was. Remus remembered: its hunger!

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Chapter Three Part Six

It was a plan only a vampire could be successful with. Window shopping until finding the set he liked. Mesmerizing the apartment’s owners into oblivion and calmly floating out with a 55” HDTV was the plan. It took Tyrol a couple of trips to get the complete Home Theater and all. The female looked scrumptiously tempting but Tyrol was very careful not to leave a drop of evidence. The robbery was not reported until late the next morning when the robbed couple woke out of their stupor.

By the time Reginald got to the apartment, the preliminary search for evidence and interviews of the victim had concluded. His deputies and investigators had nothing. Nothing at all! The victims fell asleep watching TV and when they woke up in the morning it was missing, all of it. No sign of a break and entry. Front and back entrances were still locked from the inside. The crooks left no marks outside any of the windows or doors. Baffling!

“I guess they live up to their reputation,” thought Reginald. “Let’s go see the gypsies!” The deputy he called Oscar left with him.

(To Be Continued.)

Monday, March 10, 2014

Chapter Three Part Five

Reginald’s description of the gypsy encampment led everyone to call it The Gypsy Fair. People started to trickle in, for the most part retirement age women. They always had some deceased loved one they wanted to speak to or they wanted to know the future. Dante knew Saturday and Sunday would peak. The early clientele would pay for services; magical, mystical or otherwise, but would buy very little. The trinkets moved better with younger generations, specially the kids. They couldn’t sit down for a full Tarot reading but they’d go for the short-cut of a magically powered charm.

Kalina organized her table by usage. All the love amulets were together same as the good luck charms. The assortment included almost every variable of love interests and potential economic success. Kalina would swear that they worked. The peerage lent credibility to her claim even though Kalina was much older than any of them. Dante continued his walk hoping to bump into Remus.

Remus was kind of missing-in-action. He’d be there and then he’d be gone. “Strange,” thought Dante, “but in a wrong way...”

(To Be Continued.)

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Chapter Two Part Seven

Turning into a vampire isn’t going to make you any smarter. That was the conclusion that ended the meeting. Agros was plain stupid, as stupid as he was when a mortal. He didn’t really break any rules. The gypsies were zombies, not human. And they had camped just far enough away from the vampire nest to be game.

Morrison and his two deputies stood up from the triangular conference table. They had decided to hold a conclave at the clearing by the oak grove on the next full moon. It’s easy to find. All parties would be invited to make peace. They’d go over the rules and why the vampires would not be sanctioned. Maybe have each side make some kind of peace offering, but nothing more than a well meaning get-together.

Morrison’s only concerns were the zombies. They didn’t act like zombies. Their brains didn’t seem to be addled like is usual. During the fight they acted individually, not the mindless throng they had always been finding. But Morrison didn’t share his thoughts with the others.

“Who needs zombies? Damn! Like if vampires weren’t enough.”

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Chapter Two Part One

The human population lived in groups, which they called towns, on the outskirts of the forest and for the most part, were unaware of the ungodly creatures they lived amongst. Occasionally someone would disappear. The humans would talk about it for a while but soon some other urgent matter would make them forget. In short, the crime rate was very low. The humans were content.

Morrison drove his vintage Pontiac convertible cautiously through town. He wanted to be seen. He was doing his job. Tim Morrison had a unique job mostly found in just a few Central European countries. He was an Investigative Magistrate. He was cop, district attorney and judge all rolled in one. He could put you in jail without bail if he thought it was warranted. You could appeal his judgment, though, with the Magistrate in a city far away. Only that first Morrison had to let you out of jail so you could get there.

The Keepers kept all beings in line, mortals and the undead equally.

(To Be Continued.)

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Chapter One Part Four

The growl of disgust mixed in with the snarl of anger from the just aroused gypsies. For a long moment the two camps did nothing more than shriek. The vampires spit with dry mouths trying to get rid of the horrid taste of dead flesh and the gypsies try to get their wits back. It was unimaginable that a vampire could be so stupid. Feed from a zombie? What?

Anger is the only real emotion a vampire can feel and their anger was blood red. “Destroy these animals!” was the mental signal Agros sent to his nest. Quicker on their feet than any zombie could be the hunters attacked their prey again, this time, not with open mouths but claws that ripped into the zombies, tearing bodies into pieces of putrid flesh.

A green and blackened liver explodes into goblets of gelatinous rot. Bones with rotten flesh still attached are used to club and break open the hairless skulls. Guts became whips in the hands of the demons beating the younger ones with their own innards. Brains are scooped up and thrown to burn in the fire. A horror of gore!

But the zombie gypsies are many.

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Chapter One Part Three

Agros’ preference for young children was well known within the nest. He always said the youngest are the tastiest. Their blood was uncontaminated by the trash accumulating in the blood stream over the years. Agros specially disliked drunks. It was too vinegary to enjoy. Good only for the very, very hungry.

He hovered between the wagons searching for his first bite of the night. There it was, a tiny baby that seemed to be feeding from its mother’ breast. Agros dived into the shadows, with his mouth wide open and his pearly fangs glistening.

His move was like a cue. The demons all came down on their chosen prey. Fangs chomped down into necks, groins and chests, each mouth searching for their favorite source of blood. Like wine, the taste of blood varies depending on the region - organ, vein or artery - it was found. Some liked it straight from the heart although it wasn’t easy to get through the rib cage. If you like Pinot Noir you probably won’t care for Merlot.

But Agros’ child tasted like shit!

(To Be Continued.)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Chapter One Part Two

The fanged demons tore into the sheets that covered the sleeping bodies. Slivers of wood scattered in the air as the vampires broke through the wagon doors. The bolts and hinges were useless. One, then another, of the large sheets falls over the fire briefly darkening the surroundings until it too becomes part of the flames. Sparks dance in the air, twirling from the artificial breeze created by the vampires’ own swift movements.

Agros disliked the gypsies. He found them pretentious putting up for sale their supposed supernatural powers when he knew they had nothing of the kind. Today he will dine them. It would be fair. It was going to be like feeding from orphan children.

It was becoming hard to choose the best morsels, there were so many. The nest was acting like children at a candy store where it’s all free. They couldn’t make up their minds which to feed from first. Only a very few of the gypsies, actually turned to face the attackers.

(To Be Continued.)

Monday, November 25, 2013

Chapter One Part One

There is no creature with greater stealth than a vampire hunting. Agros, a prince of darkness, leads his nest towards a speck of light in the forest. Only the night owls turn their head in recognition. The vampires arouse no interest from the little scavengers of the night. It could have been immediately or a few seconds but in no time the nest of vampires was looking into the gypsy encampment.

A central fire is all the light in the campground. Intriguingly decorated wagons surrounded the fire asymmetrically. There were no empty spaces between them. Makeshift tents put together with ropes tied to the wagons and large colorful hanging sheets created the extra living space the tribe needed. No sentries could be seen. Nothing stirred, not even a mouse.

If Agros could feel happiness he would have smiled at the sight. It was going to be a blood fest. Without a signal the nest leaped into the encampment.

(To Be Continued.)