Dark Tales of Frostville

Prologue

I watched the glowing full moon from the window of my prison cell. I had counted the days, until they spilled into just hours and now all the time I had left were merely minutes. All that while I had hoped that he would come and save me. Ever on time, my knight in shining armour. But as the days drew closer, I gave up hope and resigned to my fate. A fate that was just a few minutes away now. If I had one regret, it was that I didn't get to see the Eiffel tower as he had promised me. As for my life I never thought I would get to live right into old age, in fact the thought of growing old to have wrinkling fingers and feet scared me and I never really considered it beneficial to live long enough to see one's generations. I was still caught in my thoughts when with a loud creak the door to my cell swung open with a force that almost sent it off its hinges. There he was. The stranger his beautiful soft flowing hair almost perfect like the mane of a horse, as usual just like other days that was the first thing I noticed. His finely shaped model like blonde body shone with the glistening reflection of the moonlight. I was so captured by the sight of him that I didn't even notice that he was talking to me, I only jolted back to reality at the mention of my name. "Nuella, we don't have much time! Let's go!". He said a weary caution evident in his voice. Although very inappropriate for the situation, grabbing me by the hand and dragging me out of the cell room brought fantasies of being swept off my feet, I held my breath as we ran out of the cell room. We sped into the moonlight our feet pattering too loudly against the strong hard concrete floor, headed towards the thick thicket surrounding the enormous castle where I had been held captive as aimed arrows and daggers flew past us missing us just by an inch, thanks to my knight in shining armour literally. At one moment he asked me to dock, at another he nudged me, as we kept dodging everything thrown our way his reflexes were almost godlike. I had never seen a human move that fast and with so much grace, even in the moment I felt distracted by his gracefulness caught in a dreamlike sequence of sleekness and good hair so much it made my head spin like a pendulum ball. By the time we reached the extreme end of the forest a large enormous gate blocked our path looming over us as it cast a shadow of dread, my stomach sank, there was no escaping this. But I was wrong before my thoughts could process it my knight he yanked it with a strength unknown to man but even though the gate rattled with all its might making a sound that stole through the night. It didn't bulge. "Give up, there's nowhere left for you to run" The voice loomed behind us. I turned to see a huge beastie man fully clad in body armour, two enormous about fourteen centimetres long clubs in both of his hands yet he held them like they were just small knives in his gigantic hands , the blades glistening in the moonlight. The sight of him alone sent chills down my spine as those eyes pierced right into my soul. I turned around to look at my knight in shining armour. He seemed fearless unphased by the sight of his opponent as he readied himself in a battle stance. "Not if I can help it". He said with strong defiance. What was he thinking there's no way he was taking on that giant by himself. But the doubt remained in my head as he arched his arms backwards, crouched like a wild cat and pounced at his opponent. The battle had begun. They were engaged in a duel too fast for my human eyes to register as they collided continuously against the backdrop of the moonlight sending sparks from the clanging of metal and what I had come to notice were my protector's fingers. I was frozen in the moment, chills ran down my spine, my hands trembling, I didn't even notice the changes in my immediate environment until I felt strong hands grip me from behind. "Imagine how it feels, all of this for her, this pathetic human" The voice was that of a woman. Yet, I was too frozen in place and afraid to turn and see who my captor was as I felt strong arms glide around my body, making my skin crawl and what did she mean by "this pathetic human?" was she perhaps something different or was it just a figure of speech. The parry slowed down for a bit then it halted completely the stranger and huge man had abruptly stopped fighting. An awkward silence as tension filled the air. Then he spoke. "Trisha, let her go" but her grip tightened and I felt like she was piercing to reach my bones. "No, this is where she dies" She said with a defiance and in a quick motion her right hand left my waist to firmly grip my frail neck. "Trisha, no!" he screamed. As he flew leaping towards me, at that with two quick motions the huge man swung his club getting his shoulders, this sent blood spewing all over, as he crashed to the ground just inches before he could reach me incapacitated. Trisha tightened her grip on my neck and as the air started to leave my lungs, my face turning purple vision blurred I watched his eyes swell with terror and fear as lay helpless bleeding on the floor. "Sorry it had to come to this" Trisha said as she snapped my neck. Slowly, the lights began to dim from my eyes as my body trembled and began to grow numb. At that moment I noticed his lips moving from the floor where he lay, watching me die in her hands helpless. Something about… "Nuella!" The call of my name snapped me out of my dream, forcing me to seat up in my bed. It was my roommate "Katrina" she was looking at me with confusion, worry in her eyes. I sighed and laid back into bed feeling more relaxed realising it was all a dream it had seemed so real and surreal.

CHAPTER ONE

"Girl, you gave me a scare. Did you mean to sleep for the whole day? Your dad has been hitting up your phone none stop".

She handed me my phone.

"Jess" I screamed jolting out of bed.

"What is it?"

Katrina asked face swelling with concern.

"five missed calls, why didn't you wake me up?".

She shrugged her shoulders and just looked with indifference at me giving no answer.

I dialled his number. It rang for a while as I exchanged killing glances with Katrina who seemed totally unremorseful of her actions as I waited impatiently for him to pick up. I sighed with relief when my phone beeped and I heard the voice from the other end.

"Hello Pumpkin".

Dad's voice was as soothing as ever.

A wide smile stretched across my face as I heard my pet name even Katrina smiled back at me when she saw my countered had changed.

"Hello Dad, how are you doing?".

I replied with enthusiasm.

"for a second, I'd say I was worried that some bad men had abducted my favourite daughter but now that I hear your voice, I am fine. How's life over there, hope you're coping?"

There was concern in his voice.

This was the tenth time I had to answer that question just two days since I had moved to Frostville.

He had reason to worry, I wasn't adjusting well, even though I didn't tell him that. Him worrying about me only made me feel guilty that I was leaving him alone.

My Dad's life was quite socially restricted, losing the love of his life to cancer just five years after they tied the knot had done a number on him. Twenty years had passed and all the four little kids she had left him to fend for were all grown, well educated in morals and skill, but yet he never remarried and now finally, he was all alone, when his last child; Me getting a job in Frostville at the St. Garrison College moved out of the big Murphy mansion.

I forced a smile as though he could see me from where he was far away in New York and between clenched teeth I forced out the words "fine".

"That's good stay safe my pumpkin and make sure you call your old man frequently, yeah"

Dad said with a tone that signaled he was fine.

I nodded my head as though he were there to see me and with that, he hung up the phone.

Hanging up the phone I noticed Katrina staring at me judgingly.

"What?". I asked letting her know I noticed her disapproving stare.

"Why are you lying to your dad?"

She said, prying.

I turned away avoiding her gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about"

I replied surprised at my trembling voice, my hands too had begun to shake from anxiety.

I don't know how she did it but Katrina was good at reading people and she made it well her duty not to mind her business especially when it concerned me.

"You know very well what I am talking about, ever since you moved over here to Frostville in just the space of two days you have laid out complaints worth over a year. Nothing absolutely nothing seems to be to your taste". She said with a tone that made me guess she was irritated by my behavior much more than I was with her not minding her business.

"Am I that obvious".

I replied.

"Sister, even if you try to pretend, you're no Meryl Streep. Your performance is as flat as they come".

She said almost choking back the words as it left her mouth.

I couldn't help but laugh at her comparison, Katrina seriously put me and Meryl Streep in one sentence, unbelievable, I noticed she too was laughing probably couldn't help her self. She got up from the small stool she had been seating on and walked to the bed to seat beside me, she took my hand in hers. My arms were still trembling but not much. She stared daggers right into my eyes, I looked back with a defeated glare on my face. There was no way I could avoid her gaze as it pierced my soul.

She sighed.

"Look, Nuella I know how it feels to leave a place you've been so attached to and I know you miss your dad but sweetie he is going to be alright. He is a strong man and that's what he expects of you. Now I am not asking you to jump right into your miss independent role just yet. But ever since you got here, all you've done is stay in this house, sleeping and mopping all day long. Sweetie, you've got what three days before you resume work, go out, get some fresh air, get to know the place. Frostville, I know is no big apple but this city is whatever you make it to be. On that note 6:00 o'clock I expect you to be all dressed up we are going out!"

Finally, free of all her bottled concerns she let go of my hands in a quick motion and got up from the bed repeating the words "going out" purposely as she walked out of the room, not allowing me an ounce of protest.

I watched her in silence, amused, confused but she was right I needed to go out if not for anything at least so I could get to know the place.

I got up from my bed and picked up my towel from the bedside drawer. I kept smiling on my way to the bathroom colloquizing, one thing was certain

"This girl was sure going to be the death of me".

***

Kristina drove me around town in her 1964 Chevy with the windows rolled up. The temperature was chilling in Frostville at this time of the year, the sky was dark full of clouds. I had heard the town was always foggy and the sun hardly ever came up, If I had doubts before, everything I saw while riding in her car had more than confirmed what they said to be true.

Kristina had advised me to put on a jacket. I was wearing my favorite blue leather jacket, it was kind of a way to fit in with the new city, it gave me confidence.

Yet even with this air of confidence around me, I couldn't say I liked it here.

Frostville was reminiscent of those cities you saw in the blockbuster Hollywood horror movies. It was creepy to the bone, strange and eerie. At one point I had noticed something strange while we passed a couple of trees, it seemed the trees had waved at me. I resigned that it had all been in my head and something of that nature was not, in the slightest possible.

My thoughts began to drift back to my dream, I didn't even notice when the car halted until Kristina shouted with excitement

"We are here"

She was looking at me right in the eyes when she said it.

We had stopped in front of what looked like an antique store with a big crab painted on the roof. I glanced at Kristina confused.

"What do you mean, here?"

I asked her bemused.

"Here, at the oracle lady"

She said motioning with her hands, somewhat amused.

"The what?

I asked, not wanting any of this.

"Come on let's go inside don't want to keep her waiting, do we?"

She was out of the door and headed towards the store before I could even protest.

Reluctantly I got out and followed her, I grabbed her hands just before we entered the small shop.

"What are we doing here by the way?"

I asked.

"What else, here to read your destiny"

she said mischief in her voice.

"Come now"

We entered the shop, if the shop looked old outside entering it fully confirmed that it was a place misplaced from the old centuries into the 21st century. There were trinkets hanging on its walls most of them labelled, dream catcher, a touch of destiny, love sprinkle and for some the names were too blurred to read them I found it all kind of confusing but in an amusing way.

"What was this place, really? Kristiana was surely without doubt going to be the death of me."

We walked further into the shop as Kristiana led me towards a loose curtain that seemed to be the closure to the entrance of a small room labelled in bold gothic fonts "know what the stars align for you". Right before we could enter the room a voice came from it

"One person at a time, it is bad luck to read what the signs have aligned for you in the presence of another".

It was feminine.

I turned to leave but Kristina grabbed my arm and nudged me to go in before her.

"Honestly, it wouldn't hurt dear just try"

she said trying to convince me.

"Alright"

I replied I took a deep breath and reluctantly went into the room.

The room was tiny with a small table that had a glowing orb that looked like a globe behind the table sat an old lady with scattered hair. I didn't even get time to really take in the room fully when she spoke

"Nuella Murphy, the girl with so many doubts yet so many questions, seat some of them will be answered today".

She said all this without even glancing at me.

If I was shocked by her knowing my name the words that followed were more shocking and I was held spellbound. I slumped into the small bench that I found in the room.

What followed was a grave silence you could hear an ant crawl on the floor if you listened hard. I noticed she was looking at me rather sternly this creeped me out, I stared back avoiding her gaze. Then she took out a bunch of cards from a bag that was kept on the table and proceeded to shuffle them and scatter them on the table

"Pick"

she said to me.

I picked one of the cards on the table, it had in it a picture of what looked like a young woman. I had seen this sort of thing before in the movies, something called tarot cards. I displayed it before her she nodded her head and signaled me to drop it open as it was on the table. She motioned me to pick another card, this time around it had in it a young man who looked sort of weird and out of place, she motioned me to drop it on the table and motioned me to pick again. I picked this time the card had in it what looked like a grim reaper with his sickle and all.

"Hmm, how very curious, the maiden, the messenger of death and death himself" she said. "What does it mean" I found myself asking her in spite of myself.

"Hmm, by the fates you the maiden will meet and fall in love with the messenger of death for a period of which you will experience happiness unbound and joy but I am afraid it won't last for long my dear, this relationship will bring you immense sorrow and ultimately death".

***

I was silent the whole drive back home, even though Kristina didn't shut up about how fate had good things in store for her and how she had started seeing the signs immediately we had left the oracle all I did was nod my head in support of her blabbering. I was not one to believe in the telling of destiny and all that nonsense. What the old lady had said kept reechoing in my head even though she had made me pay ten dollars for the tarot card reading which at that moment made me settle in my head that she was indeed a sham, what she said coupled with the nightmare I had earlier kept ringing in my head.

When we reached our apartment, I quietly got out of the car, rushed ahead of Kristina into the apartment and headed straight for the bathroom. I turned the shower knob and stood there the thoughts running in my head as the hot water poured over my head. The events of earlier played in my head again.

"When, do you suppose the meet up will happen" I asked the old lady curious for an answer. "I don't know when but it won't be long, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe somewhere along the line, the fates are not specific with time but they never go wrong, never" The words echoed in my head springing up all my fears and worries. I sighed applied soap to my body and gently washed.