In the Hands of the Unexperienced...
Author's Note: Wow. This is an OLD piece of writing. From, like, last year. =)
Ellen used her finger to trace the ornate decoration of the golden utensil. She gave it a good look. A few scratch marks lined its surface, bronze against gold. She was now in a multitude of pure danger, Ellen realized. She had stumbled much to close to the edge of death; her life had been only this close to slipping from underneath her feet. Ellen felt her knees grow weak. She had had no intention of taking this object, but now that it was in her possession, she could not let it go. What was it about this ornament that made it so valuable? Countless people had died fighting for it, for its "great power", the King had said. For its "ability to destruct this country, this world, and all of the human race as we know it", the old man had said to her. Ellen felt herself tremble slighty. Then, a soft thud sounded behind her. She turned around, now definitely shaking.
"Who's there?" she shrieked, feeling the sweat in her palms. She held on tightly to the ornament. There was no reply. Ellen retreated slowly, her heart thudding against her chest. Maybe it was a trick of her imagination. Maybe it was just the wind. Maybe...
Ellen screamed. It was drowned out as a rough hand clamped hard over her mouth. She felt a rough sack being thrown over her body. Ellen collapsed. Strange lights swirled in her vision. Reality was slipping away...there was a blow to her face and she tasted blood, and yet there was no pain. She fell unconcious as the intruders dragged her roughly into the wilderness and beyond...
Into the Unknown
Author's Note: I never pre-write or plan or anything, these are all rough drafts. I guess, I'm just too lazy. This was also for an interactive story thing on Writing.com, so it was pretty fun.
***
It was the chill of the breeze that did it.
One by one, each person slowly began to regain consciousness, although stretching and yawning as if awaking from some nightmare. There was confusion in everyone's eyes as they wondered what they were doing, strewn across the insides of the car. The leather was cold against their skin. For awhile, nobody spoke. Then the memories hit.
"What are we doing here?"
The father's voice was steady, but obviously only a sheen to the rising panic below.
For once, no nuisance broke out in the back seat. Lily's eyes were cast beyong the window, wide with wonder.
"Look, Mommy! It's a blue man!" Instead of contradicting then soothing her daughter, the woman looked anxiously out the right window. Sure enough, there was a short, stubby man that hobbled about, but there was something about his movements that frightened her. He didn't seem alive--marching to the right, stopping, then to the left again, as if a predator in a video game. From head to toe he was a dark blue, hair puffed up on all sides, reminding her slightly of a caveman. A BLUE caveman.
The backseat was suddenly buzzing with commotion. Yet instead of shrieking and fighting, they were discussing the strange views.
"Look! There's another blue man!"
"Over there, too!" The mother, Caroline, felt her pinprick of panic begin to build up, as she spotted several of these men hobbling around, back and forth, across the dry, yellow expanse of land that seemed to stretch for miles on all sides. How were they going to get to the camping site now? Soon, the place would be invaded with bugs. No, they couldn't risk bug infections! She cast a worried look at her husband, who was eyeing them suspiciously. There was another glint of emotion. Fear? Worry?
"Honey?" he called for her slowly, but his voice was low enough so only she could hear.
"Hmm?" she replied, struggling to sound in control.
"These people...they..."
He never finished his sentence. He was broken off by a shrill cry of delight, which was stopped dead. Suddenly, everything froze, along with their surroundings.
Caroline realized what her husband had tried to say. The men had appeared out of nowhere, marching. But the way and place they were marching. It hit her like a blow to the stomach.
They were being herded. The blue men had stopped dead in their tracks at the scream of the child, and then, as if in slow motion, turned to face the car. Piercing red eyes bulged out from their head, striking a difference between their blue skin.
Then, Caroline could bear it no longer.
She screamed.
It was a bloodcurling scream, one that seemed to blind your ears, so high-pitched the sound seemed alien. There was hysteria in her eyes as her scream continued...never ceasing as the blue men broke out of their trance, arms aloft, dead fiery burning in their eyes...
...and began to march towards the minivan.
