STRANGE DELIGHTS (1)

I have decided to try and post my story in short segments as it is a real pain to copy and past it to this page (I am sure there must be an easier way but I can't figure it out).

Strange Delights

copyright Tristan Alexander all rights reserved

*Shadows*

Three in the morning, the cold winter wind sang in the dark as if alive. Shadows from the moon spread across the snow in shapes born of distant times and nightmare thoughts. It was the time of the timeless hunters, those who seek life's most precious gift. The small form seemed to materialize out of shadow into real. Black hair, like strands of night flowed around the shoulders barely seen under their dark cloaked cover. Silently this solid shadow passed into the light thrown onto the snow by some sleepless humans flickering television.

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*Joshua*

Sleep seemed to be out of the question, nothing on TV but bad old movies and rock videos. Feeling like life was really not all it's cracked up to be Joshua Shelly sat staring at another mindless Guns & Roses video. He hated their music and their videos but nothing else was on. Thank God for the mute button he thought as he stared at the silent screen.

At 16 he was bored with everything, being someone others considered a genius didn't help. No one his age ever wanted to be friends with him and grown-ups only thought of him as a smart kid, not someone to talk to or be friends with.

The gyrating women on the silent screen were not holding his attention, so Joshua began to wander around his small bedroom. Finding himself in front of the window he looked out on the frozen landscape. His own face stared back at him reflected in the glass, pale and thin. Looking into his reflected eyes he was surprised to see a hint of red. His gaze became very intent as he tried to see this odd coloration more clearly. Suddenly he began to notice differences in the face, it was smaller and more angular than his, the eyes were somewhat slanted and larger than his own. Then the wind blew a long wisp of dark hair across the face in the glass.

"Josh!", "Joshua!" At the sound of his mothers voice, Joshua jumped as if struck. He spun around to see his mother standing in his doorway. Her diminutive round body wrapped in a fraying pink bathrobe, a look of concern on her face.

"Jill", "What's wrong?" Joshua had never called his parents mom and dad, he didn't know why.

"Honey, I just saw your light on and thought I'd see why you were still up." "Are you feeling alright?" "You look pale."

"Sorry Jill, I just couldn't sleep, I'm OK." "I'll go to bed in a little while, good night." He crossed the small room and kissed his mother on the cheek. She smiled, nodded and went off to bed again.

Joshua quickly went back to his window, the face was gone. Only his own green eyes stared back at him. Outside the wind sang.