Creatures Caves

If you've read "Beonorn", you may recall that I said I'd be making a Creatures version of something else. Well, about a month ago, I found that something else.

A creepy horror story called "August Heat". Now, I'm not the kind of person who reads horror stories all the time, but this one I was rather compelled to. It took me a long time of editing to make it what it is now.

Here's Albia Heat!

Albia Heat

August 20th, 3224 was the most spine-tingling day of my entire life. While I?m thinking about it, I will write it down for you to read.

My name is Christopher DeGuilio the Bruin Norn. I?m (in Norn time) 30 years old and in perfect health, and I am an artist on the Shee Ark. My works aren?t as successful as those of the other artists out there, though in trade they give me the food I need to survive. My closest relative, a sister, died a year ago. I?m completely alone.

Early this morning I had a tasty breakfast. I read a short book while I ate to search for something to draw today.

My little patch of the Ark, which lay nearby the lake in the Norn Terrarium, was disturbingly hot. Sweat rolled down my brow, making my fur smell oily and disgusting. But I didn?t care. I was working on my next piece to get myself a piece of Shee Cheese and four apples.

Around the beginning of sunset, I was finished. Even though the sketch was hurried, I thought it was my best work so far.

The drawing was that of a Grendel in a laboratory somewhere just after the Hand had passed a sentence. This Grendel was fat?insanely vast. His flesh made huge dips on its stumpy neck. He was also bald. His expression was that of absolute terror.

I rolled up the sketch and placed it in my small messenger bag which I got in a trade. With the rare confidence that I did something wonderful, I headed out the door to take a short walk before bedtime.

I was noticing the awful heat all through my walk; it came up from the dried dust like solid waves. I longed for rain to come soon now that the dry season was coming to an end, and I prayed to a dark gray cloud for a mighty storm.

I found myself upon a hilltop after I sent my prayer. I was standing before a gate, behind it being a sweet garden filled with gorgeous flowers. Above the entrance, a sign stood high, blaring:

Gordy Heavystep--Tombstones for the Crypt
Worker in all forms of marble and obsidian

From the yard a joyous humming, a hammer knocking against wood, and the sound of steel embossing stone reached my perking ears.

Surprising myself, I entered the garden.

A Grendel was sitting with his back towards me, working with a slab of beautiful white marble. He turned around as he heard my footsteps and smiled.

It was the very same Grendel who I made a portrait of earlier! In my messenger bag, I clenched the sketch nervously. ?Sorry for intruding.? I sighed.

The Grendel just continued smiling and shook my hand, as though we were friends since hatching day. ?It?s certainly a hot today. Take a seat, good sir!? I politely sat down.

?That?s a very nice piece of marble.? I commented.

?Yup, it?s a beauty, isn?t it?? Gordy smiled.

We continued talking about marbles and obsidian, and how good they were to work with. In a little while, he wiped his head, muttered about the heat, and continued working. I was starting to feel rather uneasy. Something felt very unnatural in meeting this Grendel.

Gordy grunted happily, snapping me out of my thoughts. ?What do you think?? he asked proudly. I hunched over and read the inscription:

CHRISTOPHER DEGUILIO
BORN FEBRUARY 13TH, 3194
DIED ON AUGUST 20TH, 3224
?Nel mezzo di a vita siamo in morte?

I was stunned for a moment. Then I asked, voice quivering, ?Where did you see that name??

?Oh, I just thought of it.? Gordy replied, still smiling. ?Why??

?That?s my name.? I said shakily.

Gordy looked surprised. ?What of the dates??

?My birth-date on there is correct.?

?That?s odd.?

There was what felt to be hours of silence. My growing fear made me sweat even more. The heat seemed to send my thoughts spiraling.

Gordy took a deep breath and offered, ?Want to come inside for supper.?

I was too polite to refuse. When I entered, I saw a cheery Grendess, who I assumed to be Mrs. Heavystep, cooking a bubbly concoction upon a stovetop. She served a sweet-smelling stew to us.

We resumed talking. The conversation let to my asking Gordy if he had done anything to get him to be questioned by the Hand. He didn?t say he did. I?m not so sure.

?Bah!? He shouted after a moment?s pause. ?This weather is no condition for travel. Do you live nearby, Christopher??

?My home is about an hour?s walk away.?

?It?s getting rather late. Are you sure you don?t want to spend the night??

?Why not you stay until midnight?? asked Mrs. Heavystep. ?There will be less activity by then, so you?ll have a safer trip home. It?ll probably also be cooler.?

?An excellent point!? Gordy beamed. ?Come, Chris. I?ll show you to the guestroom.?

The ?guestroom? which I was ushered to was actually a small room nearby the very place the tombstone with my name on it was made. My teeth began to chatter. I gazed at the clock.

It was 11:15. In less than an hour, I?d be gone. I could hear Gordy sharpening his chisel with a special tool of his.

The heat felt as though it were trying to choke me.

It?s enough to send a Norn into insanity.

_______________________

Creepy, isn't it?

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to ask!