I am participating in the Snowfest Blogfest over at
Roh Morgan's blog. It's a chance to write something inspired by snow! Go over there and check out what people are writing! Here's mine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
When
she opened her eyes, blackness filled her vision. She threw her
hands to her face, searching for something that might be blocking her
eyes. She found her icy skin and nothing else. She patted down her
face in disbelief; she could not see.
Alice
felt all around her, a wet, fluffy substance engulfed her legs. She
could tell she was laying down on her back in snow. She didn't know
where she was, but she did know that it was cold – the “freeze to
death” type of cold.
This
sudden realization threw her into a panic – was she alone? How did
she get here? If she couldn't see, how would she get to safety?
Hysteria set in as she tried to stand up, but something was holding
her to the ground at her ankles. She reached along her legs down to
her feet, where she felt metal shackles. She jerked her legs away
from the bindings, but was only met with unforgiving hardware.
Alice
tried to scream, but all that came out was a raspy squeak. She tried
again, but her throat was too dry. She heard a crunching noise to
her right. It sounded like someone walking on tree branches. Alice
wanted to ask who was there, but her voice was still silent.
“Well,
hello Alice. So nice that you're finally awake.” His voice was
dark and heavy; it slithered through the air. He caressed her raven
hair, leaning over to smell the aroma of her milky skin. Alice
squirmed under his touch, scooting a few inches; not far enough to
escape his intrusion.
“I've
been waiting for hours. It's not very nice of you to keep me waiting
– I don't like to wait. You'll be rightly punished, but not just
yet.” He paused, gently touching her throat. “It is a shame I
had to choke you so hard, I enjoy a bit of good conversation.”
Alice couldn't see, but she could almost hear his wicked smile.
She
tried to remember how she got here, but she only had flashes of a
memory. Books in her hands, the softness of the gloves, car tires
squealing across the ice. Though her mind tried, it remained a
fractured puzzle.
“Ah,
yes, you don't remember a thing. I can see by the confusion on your
face. Which brings me to why you can't see. I had to make sure you
couldn't see me or where we were going. Sorry about that, my dear.
It must have been painful, having that sprayed in your face. You had
such enticing eyes. Little emerald beauties. But so are the spoils
of my profession. You could regain your sight, but you won't be
alive long enough for that to happen.”
Alice
attempted another scream, but still, nothing came out. A low chuckle
filled the air, his laughter made Alice shiver. He crouched beside
her and she felt his breath on her ear. “You will die; I
will kill you.” His whispered threat
floated through Alice's ears, tickling her fear into full blown
terror. She thrashed around, grabbing the air while her hands were
still free. She wanted to choke the smile off of his face, but
instead felt her nails dig into skin.
“Enough
of that!” he growled. Grabbing her hands with one rapid movement,
he lashed her wrists together with a zip tie. “You seem to be
anxious to get this over with. I have to admit, I'm a little excited
too.” She heard the scrape of a blade against a rock.
She
howled inside, knowing her fate was becoming a reality. Alice felt
him undo her coat, the zipper letting out her soul. He threw the
coat off to her side, leaving only her thin blouse between her and
the snow. The knife slid up the front of her shirt, slicing it in
two. The piercing cold air circled around her body, her smooth skin
giving way to goosebumps. Her nipples raised, peeking through her
bra. He purred with pleasure. He cut the threads connected in the
middle, and she felt the icy touch of his hands on her.
“So
delicate.” He scraped the edge of the knife across her chest. “So
soft.” Alice sat very still, afraid that any movement might take
her closer to the end. “I can smell your warmth.” He placed his
fingertips on her neck. “I can feel your heart beating. Alive.”
He brushed his lips across her cheek. He whispered again, “Are
you ready, Alice?” He readied the tip of the knife on her chest.
The
last thing Alice felt was his lips on hers as the knife plunged
through her heart.
--------------------------------------------------------