Blood & Juniper

I run my hand through my hair one more time, giving my body a final scrub before shutting off the water.

I reach for a clean towel hanging nicely on the rack, aggressively ruffling the towel over my hair leaving a damp mess of strands when removing it. Pressing my face into the soft cotton, I then pat my neck and collar bone dry. The fibers brushed against my pores in a delightful way as I work my way between and under my b.r.e.a.s.ts. I now took a moment to examine my new body, immediately taking notice of my b.r.e.a.s.ts. Nicely rounded, were they a bit bigger? Maybe, just more perky? I raised my eyebrows in a shrug.

I slid the towel down my toned stomach and around the curve of my backside, enjoying the fluffy fabrics kind c.a.r.e.s.ses. The towel descended from cheeks to t.h.i.g.hs, drying off the muscular calves and dainty toes. My head wanders from side to side taking in the improvements from all angles. I was awed and a little freaked out, it almost didn't feel like this enhanced body belonged to me.

I secure the outfit laying on the vanity, pulling the baggy shirt over head then stepping into the bottoms. Collecting all the remaining garments, I cross the hall back to the elegant bedroom.

I toss them on the floor and reach for the silver key waiting for me on the dresser. Time to figure out what this will unlock. I grab my stuffed tiger from the duffle as my brave companion while we explore the mysterious house.

I creep into the hallway entering the bedroom next door, scanning the room to see if there was anything of immediate interest. The bedroom is very blue. The shades, the spread, a rug, all light blue but nothing else really grabs my attention.

I leave to explore the recently discovered study next. I rummage through a few drawers and a cigar box sitting on a desk. Some interesting looking texts filed away but not the *treasure* I'm seeking. I make a mental note to snoop around this area more later on.

I find one room with a huge walk in closet overflowing with clothes, a jewelry box which I dipped my hands into like a pirate, and a locked c.h.e.s.t that my key, unfortunately, didn't belong to.

I'm at the end of the hall now standing at a fancy door, waiting for me to step inside. They say there's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, maybe there's one at the end of the hall too. My fingers wrap my eagerly around the handle, stepping inside with enthusiasm. The enthusiasm is immediately replaced by fright, I don't like this room at all.

There was one other thing in the otherwise empty room and it gave me the creeps. A lone mannequin, which really startled me when I spotted the stupid thing. It was smack in the center of the room. Seriously, disturbing!

I quickly try the switch, s.u.c.k.i.n.g my hand back into my body just as fast. Of course, the lights don't work in this room. I warily eye the mannequin making sure it doesn't move from its designated spot. I'm getting the hell out of here!

I back away, shutting the door tight, refusing to turn my back on the looming dollish figure for a second. I squirm as my ears perk up, bawling my fists before talking myself down. 'Just a dumb mannequin! It's not going to do anything. Besides, I'll just sic Scars on it. Stuffed tiger verse dummy!'

"Haha!" I shouted triumphantly, then feeling like a dork, I look around, kind of glad no one was here to witness that.

Pathetic! I broke a door with zero effort, man handled a guy almost twice my size and I'm getting all worked up over some harmless, but creepy mannequin.

I chuff at the door and wave at it dismissively.

I come to the last unexplored door in the hallway which happens to be locked. I examine the knob, excited to find a large keyhole. I kneel down to peer through the hole.

Bookshelves, a collection of interesting things on those shelves. I'm itching to go through the stuff in that room. Why did a fun room like this have to be locked? I already know the silver key is too small but I try it anyway.

I peek in the hole once more, imaging the secrets locked behind before getting up to leave the hallway and explore the rest of the house.

I spot a door that had absolutely no light shining from the bottom crack, most of the doors had at least a tiny bit of light peering through the bottom. I shuffle over wondering if it's a storage pantry but the door looked wide and more important than a mere closet.

I peer in to find many stone steps descending deep into the house. Clutching my tiger, Scars, I puff out my c.h.e.s.t, determined to brave the bas.e.m.e.nt.

Examining the walls for the switch, I see a pull chain dangling above the bottom step. What a stupid design! That needed to be updated, I could see in the dark but your average person couldn't.

I swallow hugging Scars as I make my decent. As I reach the halfway mark the heavy bas.e.m.e.nt door closes behind me. 'For the love!'

I sprint the rest of the way down in about half a second, I should have done that earlier. I yank the chain hearing a plink, the harsh light almost makes me want to turn it back off.

The bas.e.m.e.nt is unfinished and unwelcoming. A high tech washer and dryer hug one of the walls feeling very out of place in this vintage style cottage. It smells dank and earthy down here, a bit unpleasant, likely due to severe deterioration.

I'm not liking this bas.e.m.e.nt too much but I came all the way down here, I've got to explore a little more, at least. I use the rest of my fleeting courage to check out a few of the doors, making haste for the first door only fueled by my seemingly insatiable curiosity. Just an empty cement room. A drop of water echoes in the room like a cave, I can tell it's coming from the adjacent room behind me.

I drift over to the oppsite entry, curling my fingers around the metal door. I rip it open while making a small roar sound like I'm trying to scare someone. My stupid attempt to lighten the mood of this scary bas.e.m.e.nt.

It's empty of course but this musty room reaches far back turning into dirt and gravel, the short ceiling eventually recedes to half size like a crawl space. 'Ew, I really don't like that!' I duck down for a quick peek. It goes farther back than expected and it gives me the chills. I slam the door immediately, shaking off the ghostly feeling, almost wanting to run back up the stairs.

'Two more doors and then I go.'

Fortunately, the next room wasn't nearly as off putting. It's an impressive food storage. I don't know what a vampire would need with a food storage but it's remarkable nonetheless. There were enough supplies to probably feed a small family for about a decade.

My lips curl in disgusted hearing and smelling the pests that had made a home here. Multiple spiders and a few rats I'm sure.

"Ugh"

I seal that section off and check the last mystery room.

I gape in fascination revealing the last part of the cellar. It was like a sewing department store in this segment! So many different fabrics and spools upon spools of all different sizes. Ancient sewing machines and other mechanisms I'd never seen before. A pile of mannequins trying to ruin the experience but they fit in, not being so out of place like the one in the ballroom.

I take a step forward touching one of the exposed cl.u.s.ters of fabric. The texture is complex and alien. There was quite an impressive collection in here, I was tempted to run my fingers over every thread stowed away on the dusty shelves.

Satisfied with this find in the eerie confines if the bas.e.m.e.nt, I turned to head out. I'm about to make my way back upstairs but then I spot one more door I missed, hidden away in a thin pass. The door looked worn and unfriendly but I had to know.

I approach with this feeling of dread and contemplate turning back. The round knob reflects back, it seems to stare at me like a magic eyeball. I cautiously reach for the latch, hardly aware of the genture like it was pulling me forward.

Ever so slowly, I give the knob a twist but it halts with a metal click, refusing to open. I thought to myself how I could easily force my way into any of these door recalling my staged break in, but I won't dare, especially with this door. There was something very off about this particular part of the house. The earthy smell of dirt was strongest here. Damp and rancid, like rotting wood and…. Rotting meat?

Recoiling from the thin pass, I look Scars in the face and with a deep voice imitated what Scars would sound like.

"Curiosity killed the cat! Time to blow this popsicle stand!" I grumble, bobbing his head up and down with my crappy ventriloquist impression.

I reply back in a regular voice, "You said it!"

I locate the bottom of the stairs with the chain swinging below the harsh fluorescent. I march over but stop when I hear a hollow wooden sound while stomping over a thick rug.

I grind my teeth weighing what's more important, my sanity or my need to know.

I huff, stooping over to roll the rug away. A trap door is laying underneath. My wide eyes glitter in horror and excitement. My fingers float over as I attempt to lift hatch. It stops, bolted. There's a lock, will my key fit? My trembling fingers reach for the key in my pocket.

"*Thawmp!*"

"Squeeeeee!! Hsssshh!!"

A short scream erupts from my mouth, jumping to my feet at the sound. It came from the sinister room I couldn't open. I scramble out of the bas.e.m.e.nt pulling the light as I leave which flings backwards upon release, tangling itself in the beams above. I don't care and I don't look back, zipping up the stairs and slamming the door behind me.

I slump over, attempting to get a grip, all burned out for the day. I'll have to brave the rest of the house later. No more for now, I'm way too freaked out.

I hurry back to my room closing the door, sprawling myself on the silky spread. I dig into my pocket pulling out that nuisance of a key, glare at it and rolling over to place it on the nightstand.

'I'm such an idiot, no wonder I was murdered…' I chastise myself, wondering what that sound could have been. Thinking more clearly now I come to the conclusion it was most likely a rat squealing when something tipped over. That's the hope anyway...But what tipped over?

I roll over on the pleasantly comfortable bed, absorbing the safe haven. I wasn't tired at all, shouldn't I be? Did I need sleep anymore?

I got underneath the covers, closing my eyes if I were going to nap, sleep off my jitters. It was silly, I was completely stocked on energy. Maybe it was that scare in the cellar but it felt like I was hyped up on caffine, ready to run a marathon. I shut my eyes anyway, quickly realizing I could will myself to sleep. I drifted into a dream world as I subconsciously commanded myself into a slumber, it was immediate. My eyes shot open, 'Woah! What the?'

My eyes flitter around the room as if locate someone casting a spell on me. Intrigued, I shut my lids again, willing myself into that dream state. It was like floating in black water. No sight, no smell, no touch, no sound. Calming, meditating, drifting.

Suddenly, I'm in a field of flowers with the warm sun shining overhead. I'm sitting cross legged, I reach for a cl.u.s.ter of orange flowers, pulling them out of the ground. The loose soil separates and the audible vibration of tiny roots snapping c.a.r.e.s.ses my ears as I pull the flowers by their waxy stems. I observe the patterns of gingham blanket beneath me, glancing up to see I'm picnicking with my family. I look at my two siblings, then my mother and father.

"Dad!" I embrace him first.

I've missed him. His smell is so good… So delicious, I feel a shift in my mouth. Fear shoots into my brain like an icy pick. I leap back, but he's gone. Nowhere in sight.

They are all gone.

No more flowers in the field, no gingham blanket, no sun. Just a massive pearly moon beaming down over head in the barren stretch of blues and blacks.

I see a thin figure in the distance. Dark blue hooded robes swirling in the wind. Their back is turned.

I call out, "Hey!"

The hooded head turns to me, I pale in horror to see a skeleton wearing the hooded dress. Bleached bone hands pull back the cap to reveal a b.a.r.e skull with jagged teeth of a wild animal.

I shrink in terror, cowering into a ball.

The swirling robes are waving in front of my wake as I peek through a shielding arm.

"What's wrong?" a silvery woman's voice asks.

I glance up, afraid. It's a beautiful young woman who looks like a dark haired angel with the bluest eyes imaginable, it's Juniper standing before me.

A look of regret spread upon her face, "I've made quite a mess dragging you into this, I'm so very sorry."

She extends her hand out to me and I gawk reaching out for it.

The floor gives way and I fall, watching Juniper and her outstretched hand fade from view as I free fall into darkness.

I plunge into the pitch so black for such a time that I'm no longer able to tell if I'm still falling.

Three pairs of glowing rings appear in the pitch. Two pairs of bright red irises and one pair green. The glowing red eyes in the center furrow and shining sharp teeth reveal themselves shimmering white in the blackness. The floating teeth speak to me as the eyes glare.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stop this struggle!"

I flinch back looking to the second pair of red eyes holding a much softer expression, his mouth opens to speak, "Yer in too deep, now."

I whirl around, running blindly in the dark to get away from them.

I keep running until I bump into someone, stumbling back startled.

I squint into the darkness to reveal a man with shaggy hair, his back to me. He looks over his shoulder as green eyes light beneath his black hair. He looks sad and confused,

"Ashlen?"

"Sam!"

I reach out trying to touch him but he's always somehow out of reach no matter how I attempt to grab him.

"Ash, where are you?"

He turns to look around. I can no longer see his green eyes, he appears to be blindfolded.

I shout desperately, "I'm here! I'm right here!"

"I can't see you. Where are you?"

"Reach out in front of you!"

He reaches out with a strong arm, confused, obviously not able to see me.

A blinding light starts at the tip of his index finger, the rays flare like a flash of a camera until I can't see anything but a painfully bright light. My skin begins to burn away, catching fire in an unbearable heat and searing pain. A blood curdling shriek cuts though the space.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hollering, "Stop!"

My eyes shoot open to see silks hanging above the canopy posts. I'm back in bed, in my new room. I twist my fingers in the silk sheets with a deep inhale and exhale. 'That was intense! What a trip! What time is it?'

I get out of bed cautiously, still shaken from that vivid dream, if you'd even call that a dream, it felt too real. I'd had crazy dreams and nightmares in the past, the kind that would make you feel disoriented and question reality, eventually realizing it was all in your head, this was different. Maybe, it was the level of heightened awareness that made it so unusual. There were no hazy parts, it didn't fade. It was crystal clear and etched into my brain. I didn't know what to call it other than a mind bending experience!

I pull the pocket watch out of the pants lying on the floor and my eyes bug out of my head. '3:13? Where the hell did the time go?'

It felt like I was in that trance for about twenty minutes but if that's the right time, at least six hours have gone by.

My mind didn't seem as cluttered and I was more relaxed, even though the majority of that dream was chaotic.

'It's two in the afternoon not passed midnight, right?' I waltz over to curtains putting my back to them like a spy sliding against a wall.

I take a handful of fabric in my hand and pull the edge back a bit. A soft light sliced at an angle. It was definitely daytime though, it wasn't nearly as bright as expected. I didn't hear any rain but I suspect the sky was overcast.

Feeling confident in my prediction I stretch my free hand ove, putting it in the triangle of light. A bizarre heat coats the surface of my skin before I yank it back. It didn't burn. I reach out again, leaving it in the light a bit longer. I twist my hand around, exposing it to the light. The warmth was almost like a warning rather than a comfort, like playing with fire.

I pull back the dr.a.p.es just enough to stand in front of the spotlight. I peek around the fabric with a groan as the bright daylight is extremely unpleasant on my eyes. I squint up to see dark clouds blanketing the majority of the sky.

I remember the comment Sam made about *direct* sunlight. I guess I could go outside since the sun wasn't technically shining, but with my lousy luck as of late I opted to stay in.

I put the curtains back in place, feeling noticeably more comfortable in the dim room. I leap over the king-size bed clearing it in one hop. Glancing back to look at the distance I soared, I give a smug look to Scars.

"Did you see that? Pretty good, huh?" honesty impressed with how easy that was.

I kneel down to rummage through my moving bag to pull out my sketchpad and modest case of art supplies, throwing them in the bed.

Drawing will be a great way to pass the time. I pull out my laptop for some background tunes.

I get everything thing arranged, throwing open a blank page. I had a lot of material from that dream-trance to borrow from.

I began to sketch the lines for a swirling cloaked figure, looking like one person but actually two separate figures back to back almost melting into each other.

On the right side I began to draw Juniper, on the left a skeleton reaper.