When Change Finally Comes...

in #fiction6 years ago

“Apocalypse”-By-Michael-Lehenbauer-is-licensed-under-CC-BY-2.0-via-Flickr.jpg
Photo credit: Michael Lehenbaue

Change blew in on the air that morning, whispering through a sleeping town. An eerie quiet rested along the main road, early commuters not yet disturbing the grey dawn. A wisp of waning moon, brushed pink with the gentle glow of the coming sun, hung low in the ombre sky.

A subtle shift rocked the heavy foliage of scattered trees, rippling between the houses. The cool silence of night still clung to the shadows. A lone ginger cat stalked between the sentinels of bins guarding the curbs. It paused, hair bristling along it’s back as it sensed a disturbance rushing past.

A lone mournful howl echoed in the streets, erupting into a sorrowful symphony as others took up the canine call.

Not a single harsh bark interrupted the lament that awoke the town that morning.

Back doors opened onto gardens, not quite the same. Concerned residents in an array of dressing gowns, coats and slippers, padded outside to find the same, inexplicable sight.


Theo hadn’t been home in months. He had told his mum he was getting clean. It was a lie. He hadn’t been clean in years.

The dark country road snaked before him, a twisting river of retreating night. She had insisted he came home for the wedding. Theo couldn’t stand her boyfriend, but his mum had half chewed his ear off over it, and he couldn’t deny, he owed her this.

He swore under his breath. The rising itch was dancing across his skin. The hard edge cutting inside him. He needed another hit. He had been driving since 1am, he loaded up before he set off, but the ragged scraping of the comedown was consuming.

He glanced at the road, he hadn’t passed another car in hours, and he knew these twisting roads.

One hand on the wheel, he fumbled through the bag on the passenger seat. He couldn’t face that c*nt sober, Aunt Hazel would help.


His skin flushed with the intense bliss coursing through his veins as he approached the sleeping streets. Dawn was pushing towards the horizon, her soft pink glow catching the clipped moon.

Theo was speeding when he got to the town. He heard the hair-raising call of neighbourhood dogs, raising their cry as one.

Then he saw it. The change.
He couldn’t look away. He didn’t see the tree...


A faint ball of light illuminates three figures, sitting in a triangle. A large basin filled with water stands between them. They all stare intensely at the water filled basin, while unspoken fears only threaten to break the deafening silence which enveloped the room.

"This is wrong." One of the figures eventually breaks the silence, taking his eyes away from the basin. The other two act as if he hadn't spoken, their eyes focused on the water.

The silence returns for a moment, heavy and thick on the shoulders of the three of them. But the breakout figure is unrelenting.

"We should never have sent it out."

"What would you have had us do instead?" The second of the figure now reacts angrily. "We are dying out. There's only three of us left. The humans on the other hand, are too many for themselves. It's a win for all parties. Tell me again Zeld, what would you have had us do?"

"We have made a decision already." The third figure lends his voice to the argument, not taking his eyes off the water.

"We do not have such rights. It is... is unfair and dangerous." insists the one called Zeld. "Our kind has changed from all of this a very long time ago. This would only bring back unwanted attention to us again."

"Or rejuvenate our bodies instead? Give us our cores back? Extend the spans? Don't be so negative Zeld."

"But this will change everything, in a way that cannot be undone. We can still recall it."

"We can't." says the third figure. "The first change has begun."

Zeld and the other figure both turn and look, first to the basin and next to the far side of the room where a figure was taking shape.

What used to be Theo materialized before the three figures...

But it didn't look like Theo...

There was no difference between the four of them...

THE END?

#SladenSpeaks

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Written for @f3nix's Finish The Story Contest hosted on the @bananafish account.

First part was by @calluna.

So this is a cannot-sleep-do-something write. Just had to encourage the hidden unspoken supernatural in the story eh.


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This cries for development. You could make a long story out of this one. Interesting perspective. Kind of diabolical, and yet not overly cruel. Good job at creating a scene and mood.

This cries for development.

I noticed too. I've been lazy recently. May just look into it.

Kind of diabolical...

Yeah. @calluna didn't leave me much choice, lol.

Wow! This was totally unexpected!

Ahh I love this take, them slowly being turned into other lifeforms, and where did they come from and why are there so few left? So much to wonder (which isn't a bad thing) - I wonder if Theo will see his mum in their new forms.. A pleasure to read!

Awesome twist! I love that final line!

This is really promising!! If only it was a bit more focused.. amazing scene and idea to be developed.

Finish the Story Contest - week # 25 is waiting for you, brave storyteller!

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