Vigilance

 Sarah was poised, motionless, on a large tree branch near the point where the trail looped back around the perimeter towards the footbridge by the clearing. Her eyes were closed and her brow furrowed in focus as she listened. Above the rustle of the faint breeze she could hear the faint sound of the water moving down the riverbed. Birds called and the occasional squirrel darted about.

This is where she belonged, out in the world, losing herself in the flow of time. Her body was like a metronome set to the rhythm of nature. She did not miss a thing. Today she was perfectly in tune. She needed to be. The gang really needed this.

The sun was sifting through the trees, the air warm and calm. She smiled as she watched the birds 

That’s when she heard the scream.  

©️ 2024, Accountec, LLC

Meanwhile...

 “I don’t know vhat you see in this stuff.” Vlad said as he sipped a fresh glass of gnat juice.

Dat bat. Nebber before had ennyone gotten so far under Spidey’s carapace. He was worse den a can ob Ortho Home Defense. Now he had di nerb to insult Spidey’s specialty beverage. 

“I tell you vhat is truly delightful, a nice bottle of A negative with extra platelets. Last time I flew by DI/LO they were having a sale… 4 pint barrels, 2 for a forearm. Vhy, there were undead lining up past the rusted gates. I saw one ripping off an arm near the entrance. It was to live for!”

All dis talk about di dead. And nebber enough about DI/LO. Vlad’s eyes just light up when he talks about blood. On and on, di types and di qualities ob di stuff. Drive an arachnid just plain webby. Worse, now der were udders around, the bat tells me. Humans! 

“Quite dull around this wooden castle. Reminds me of my uncle Boromir. We used to call him Bor. He never figured out why. You know what hits the spot? A vell chilled glass of A negative. I vonder if they still have that sale…”

Spidey almost got him out the window when he thought to stay to see if the humans returned. 

Vlad set his glass down and flew to the rafters again. “It’s getting late in the day.”

He had dat look agin. Good thing Spidey doesn’t bleed.

“I vonder vhen those humans will return.” He said, gazing wistfully out di window.

Spidey crawled to the corner and started spinning thread. Too many guests! Spidey channel his frustration into his labor. Maybe start a whole new cobweb. 

©️ 2024, Accountec, LLC

Hunter and Hunted

 What I wouldn’t give to be more like Sarah. Don’t get me wrong, being invisible has its perks, but it’s not much use if you’re uncoordinated and trying to track someone through the wilderness. Sarah was so graceful that stealth came naturally to her. She could sneak up on people easily, even pick pockets, all while being perfectly visible. It was hard not to be jealous.

I had stopped by every flower on the way here, even picking a few. Flowers, bright colors, and strays were some of my favorite things. 

After many broken branches and falls, I was nearing the reservoir on the North side of the preserve. I stopped to take a breath.

Sarah had become like a big sister to me. She had such poise and presence, could fly under the radar or command attention as she pleased. Yet she never seemed to need attention, somehow social and independent at the same time. She could easily laugh or be serious on the spot. She had a calm confidence, good intuition, and good instincts. Honestly, she almost sparkles. 

She’s out there somewhere…

I caught the scent the moment they arrived, just like I always did after I was bitten by that animal. Three. Distinctly human. The loud one had an aura almost like flowers mixed with fear. One slunk along in near silence, but this nose is not so easily deceived. She had a more natural odor, earthy with a hint of sweat. The third had a most interesting scent of dying embers. A more foolish nose would take it for that of cigarettes, but it lacked the reek of tobacco. 

The sounds and scents were quite exquisite and were notably absent of the contaminations that were so common in settled areas… soaps, perfumes, bug spray, sunscreen, etc. Intriguing. I had to know more, and so I slipped through the brush, circling until I was behind the loudness, creeping ever closer to its source…

©️ 2024, Accountec, LLC

Reprieve

 Ocean waves press the sand as wisps of cloud skirt the edge of the skies.

The bluest waters caress the land as sunlight shines bright in my weary eyes

I built a strongpoint upon a crag, to keep myself true and rest my mind

Watchers, walls and towers with flags, to protect what’s left of my ability to be kind

I strive to release the slights of the past, for wisdom builds what a fool destroys

Night creeps in and the cold wind blasts, yet the flame of faith, the darkness avoids

When someday my strength falters and at last gives way

I’ll rise to the altar, thanking God, I pray.

©️ 2024, Accountec, LLC