Friday, October 2, 2009

Little, Awful Things


The first of them hits a window with a wet thunk. Valerie jerks upright at the sound.

“What the ‘ell was that?”

Richard mumbles, rolls over and pulls a pillow over his head.

Valerie clutches the quilt, listening. A few more smacks—amplified noises like insect kamikaze against a windshield at high speed—echo from the kitchen.

“Richard, wake your lazy arse.” Valerie shakes Richard’s shoulder.

He moans, sucks a breath into his lungs, and opens his eyes. “What you want to go and wake me for?”

“Something’s outside the house.”

Smack, ping, crunch.

“Probably cicadas.”

“Too big for cicadas.” Valerie clicks on the bedroom lamp. “It’s so damn hot in here besides…”

“My allergies,” Richard says, sniffing as loud as he can. “You want me to suffer?”

Valerie hops from the bed and shuffles to the window. “I got to have a breath of fresh air.” She shuffles through the hallway, into the kitchen, and unlatches the sliding patio door. Tiny shapes flit in the darkness as Valerie pulls her nightgown close to her throat.

Bit chilly, she thinks. Then she hears the sound, soft and flapping. Tiny wings. She reaches backward, pulls open the patio door without looking, and fishes for the light switch. The tiny shapes sharpen in the light.
“Fairies?” she mutters.

Drawn to the sound of her voice, the little creatures flap their bat-black wings, swarming toward her. They reek of rot and decay with gray, poisoned skin. Valerie stumbles on the patio steps, bangs her knee against the glass, and struggles with the door. The minute undead dive bomb Valerie’s semi-prone form, seeking bare skin with their yellow, pin-prick teeth and snatching fingers. She moans, and the flitting, black leather of their little zombie-fairy wings cover her body like an undulating shroud.

In the bedroom, oblivious to Valerie’s plight, Richard stifles a sneeze and calls out, “Shut the damn patio door, will you?”

* This one's for Cate Gardner. Photo by René Ehrhardt.

17 comments:

Katey said...

You did it-- and I love it! Undead bat-winged fae are my monster of the week. Very, very cool.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Sweet! My daughter would be mortified that Tinkerbell could have a dark side. :)

Unknown said...

fly zombie fairies fly!

Alan W. Davidson said...

We had to know the leather wings would come back to haunt us! Great job.

Aaron Polson said...

Katey - A simple story, but it's all in the details.

Jamie - Tinkerbell is evil.

Samantha - They sort of stumble/fly.

Alan - Cate made me do it. Really.

K.C. Shaw said...

Love it! And I'd forgotten Cate requested it so I was totally surprised. Yay for my bad memory. :)

Aaron Polson said...

K.C. - definately no "surprise" ending here...but I had fun writing.

Cate Gardner said...

Woot! Made my day, thanks Aaron. Now must twitter a link to it.

Anthony Rapino said...

Ha! Very cool.

Jeremy D Brooks said...

I do believe in zombies! I do! I do!

Aaron Polson said...

Cate - I made mention of the things. Cursed little fairies!

Anthony - thanks

Jeremy - I believe in a whole lot of things, but I hope they don't bite.

Fox Lee said...

Zombie fairies? That is pure win : )

Tyhitia Green said...

LOL@ Jeremy.

That story was awesome, Aaron! Zombie Fairies. That would make a lot of fairy lovers cringe. ;-)

Aaron Polson said...

Natalie - Too bad they keep hitting the windows.

Tyhitia- And fairy lovers should cringe...oh yes.

Doug Murano said...

Nicely done, sir. I doff my cap to you.

Danielle Birch said...

Love it.

Carrie Harris said...

So awesome. Tinkerhell rules.