15 Minute Ficlet

[saitaina]

Title: Ghost of Memories
Fandom: Original---"Vlad" universe
Rating: R (violence, blood)
Pairing: very, VERY subtle hints of Vlad/Radu
Time: 13 Minutes
Word Count: 439

A ficlet inspired by this picture.

Radu stared up at the old church, biting the inside of his cheek as memories of blood and pain washed over him. He bowed his head and whispered a silent prayer before slowly pushing open the rusted and stained entry way, a sense memory of slick blood causing his hand to almost slip, despite the fact that the blood was long gone.

It had been many decades since he had returned to this place, yet the memories were still as fresh as when he had last been here. It had been his home once, and his brother made sure that it was now just home to faded horrors.

The ghosts of the past ignored him for the most part, only one or two turned a face to him, their blood coating his hands still like a pair of familiar gloves.

He headed to the front of the church, past the archways and statues to a small garden on the far side. There he knelt in front of a small angelic statue, tears sliding down his cheeks as he ran a finger over the names carved into stone.

He leaned in close and placed a gentle kiss on the cold marble plaque, lowering his head as he whispered a silent prayer. Images flashed across his mind, blood, thick, choking, his friends, lying everywhere, dying, crying, screaming.

Sightless eyes that stared at the sky and ceiling, gurgling whispers of men damned to die in front of him. The taste of bile as it rose up over his tounge, the burning pain in his heart and lungs.

Radu choked on his tears, leaning against the statue as more memories came. His brother, covered in death, standing in front of the alter, the body of Radu's mentor, tacked to the cross.

A knife, digging deep into him, spilling his own blood down to mix in with that of his family, his kin.

Radu screamed raggedly, still feeling the blade all these years later. Birds took flight, alarmed at the sounds he made, choking, dying on the memories, the pain.

Two figures watched him was he relived the past. One pale, dead. Ghostly blood still coating his robes. The other, just as pale, just as dead, but much more alive. Vlad moved closer to his brother, reaching out a hand that stopped just short of touching the younger boy.

The ghostly figure just watched the two brothers, that fate had cursed. Soon he faded away, out of sight and time, to await the next anniversary. To await the next replay of the pain, leaving the pair behind to try to pick up the pieces.

Comments

[redwolf]

Interesting little ficlet. A most enjoyable read.

[saitaina]

Thank you darling, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[haidee.livejournal.com]

this isn't the first in this universe is it? I seem to remember another one with just a wee bit more torture in it. I, however, being me, may be completely wrong about this.
Oh, I liked it :)

[saitaina]

the ever dedicated reader you are, you are correct. There are actually two other scenes from the actual novel "Vlad" (this was just a spurt for the 15minuteficlet comunity that I'm not sure I'm actually going to put in)

The other Vlad scenes can be found in my memories catche undre the Fiction header. (memories can of course be found on my user info page).

[haidee.livejournal.com]

*feels all warm and happy inside*
I was sure I remembered. Is this going to be a longer story? as in on-going? please say yes and make me even happier :)

[saitaina]

"Vlad" is a novel which is in the process of being written. I have the basics knowledge of what's going on in the begining (Vlad and Radu's relationship, Vlad being all impaler guy) but am unsure about how the novel will end or if there will be more too it considering the characters are, by the end, immortal.

More scenes will come as they are written, as well as scenes unrelated to the book but set int he same universe.

Don't know how soon as I'm currently writing a non fiction book as well which does not yet have a title (It's a collection of "true" American ghost stories, the chapter titles I have so far are Through the Years, Beyond the Past, Echo of Memories and Hidden Spirits).

By the way, wrote a new HP slash which I can post if you want to read it.

[haidee.livejournal.com]

*sits down and holds out hands*
Yes please :D
You really think I'd say no? there is no such thing as too much HP slash :)

[saitaina]

Didn't think you would. Give me five minutes then refresh my journal (or go back to it, which ever) It'll be the first post and behind and LJ cut for the sanity of those who don't read my works.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

what's the source of that non-fiction book? do you live in a haunted town or something? not asking to critisize, i'm genuinely interested. ghost towns and the like fascinate me. will you post an announcement thing when you finish, let people read and whatnot?

also, the vlad-verse thing you've got going on sounds tres cool. don't let that stuff seep out, i look forward to reading more.

[saitaina]

"Namless" (hehe, it's a working title), is about all the ghost stories and legends in America that I deam worthy enough to be repeated. The sources vary,actual interviews, other books, newspapers, mags, websites. it's a re-telling all all the good, old stories without all the crap.

I focus on named ghosts, particular those of lovers feuds or another tragic end. I'm sure I'll put up an announcment when completed but since this one's actually going to the publishers and not being self published like "Memoirs of a Nobody", it'll take longer for you lot to find out. "Memoirs.." was easier as it's print on demand so until someone orders it, they don't print it.

As for "Vlad", I only let bits slip out, not enough for anyone to steal. And half of what slips out won't be in the first book anywa, since that one is dealing with the past and I'm writing on the present for the short stories.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

that old crap gets so ridiculously annoying. why am i not surprised it's the tragic lovers that interest you? ;)

as for vlad, doesn't it suck when people steal your ideas? i'm so terrorfied of putting any of my own work online, just bits and pieces, even, cause i don't want people to steal it.

it blows my mind to see yours on here, being the better writer and all. it seems to come more easily for you, though, so losing one or two may not be so heartbreaking. perhaps just as back-breaking should you ever find the thief, but that's another story. ;) i have trouble getting into a story, always too busy with the whole character developement. bah!

[saitaina]

I rarley write stories darling, I write characters. Hell, most of "The End of the Begining"'s first chapters was just character work. If a plot falls from the characters...so be it.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

you suck, making it seem so trivial. i've lost my touch, that's all. and what a boring, trivial life i seem to lead now. perhaps i'm going at it the wrong way... then again, i'm probably just a slacker, and at this point i just admire your ambition. =P

[saitaina]

Darling I have NO ambition, I've been working on these novels for three years now and have just written the introduction for "Nameless". I am the Queen of the Slack.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

You've got ambition, my friend, like it or not. How many fics do you have, novel-length or not? Finished fics, finished anything? I've got about fifteen shorts, afew of them longer than shorts, about 8 pages and all, but nothing finished. NOTHING finished.

Well, I liked that 15 minute fic thing you have going on. It's a good thing to be involved in, and it's a good excersise. It's funny, I don't get into things enough to write well with it, but I know of all these wonderful little tips and tricks, like the room excersise, you know that one?

You see a room. Tell me what's in it. (bed, lamp, etc etc) Okay, now what's so special about the bed, what about the lamp, etc etc.

I just tried that 15 minute fic thing, and I actually have something finished. Just a piece of something that's been floating in my head for about a year and all, hell, more than that, but damn. I always get the best work done with you, chica. I feel so inferior to your talent and all, have to go out and try to outdo it, I guess. Now I'm wired, bah! Writing under pressure is so much fun, to me at least. Go fig.

[saitaina]

Finished: 50

Novel Fics: 3

But that's with six years of writing too. I write maybe a chapter a year.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

We've been writing about the same length of time, you're still way more accomplished than me. I guess I need to get over my deal with writing cliches and whatnot. Sometimes a character just has to talk about how it's raining cats and dogs, ya know? And sometimes a character just finds themselves walking down a dank, dark alley all alone in the middle of the night, ya know?

Bah. The world of writing is a hard world to dive into. Ar least you can fall into the fanfiction HP thing. I can't even write BtVS anymore.

[saitaina]

Why can't you write BTVS? Just because the shows gone doesn't mean there aren't stories to write.

And character pieces are fine, it's what I do, characters and relationships. very little of it's plot worthy.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

I haven't written anything Buffy since RPing with you. I tried RPing with someone else, but damn it's just wrong. The characters in my head are so different from the characters on the screen. I can't do it right, and since the characters are so different, let's change the names and go with it. Problem with that is nothing gets finished. Ever. When I try to write something new with the old characters, it ends up being another Zeppo or another Gift or another Yoko Factor or somesuch, and it sucks. It's been this way long before the end of the show. I figure I just wasn't meant to write in the BtVS fandom. This old Buffy/Angel shipper is lost in the sea of many, differentiated by the few different characters that really aren't so different from the regulars.

[saitaina]

You should get back into Buffy RPing, could give you a chance to expand your writing skills while having fun. S'what I do.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

Yeah well, I don't have much fun with most people. There's you, and the only other person is supposedly dead, so I'm sorta caught between a rock and a hard place.

I do enjoy the fifteen minute writing things, though. I'd heard about that excersise alot, but never really sat down and put myself into it. Also worked with that scenic thing, have two pages describing a dresser. Kinda long winded, lol

[saitaina]

Dunno what to tell you hun. I always just create a group and play with whomever shows up.

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

See, I'm really picky. I don't go around much, though. Kinda stick to my own places and all. What groups do you frequent?

With that question out there and all, I kinda wonder if you know who this is. Out of respect, I have to wonder if your attitude would be swayed and all, and if so if I should back off. o_O

[saitaina]

I frequent Yahoogroups, one of them has been an rp that's been ging on for going on two-three years now.

As for your identity, Jessica/Kid/Kat, whatever the fuck your calling yourself, I'm pretty good at remembering who I'm talking to.

Of course you could be Chrissy but she never read my works and Oak doesn't contact me anymore...and the only one left our of the old crowd would be Mary whom I talk to regularly when she remembers I'm alive.

Did I guess correctly? And as for my attatude being swayed, well, provided I have the correct ID, I'm still talking to you, and yes there have been issues in the past but...it's been a few years, perhaps it's time to talk "face to face" for once ne?

[sanitiesend.livejournal.com]

Aye, you did indeed guess correctly. I don't even remember specifics of what happened between us. If it makes you feel any better, I've ditched that Junior character. That guy was deadweight, man. How I ever managed to create such a flat character is beyond me... Though perhaps he started out rounded but fell flat over time, much like The Simpsons have over the whole span of fifteen years or some such. O_o.

As far as picking up the ol' friendship, that's up to you. I'm up for it, nevertheless. I dunno how you want to do it, but my AIM name is back to the old NaddaKid13. Always hoping someone from the old gang will feel nostalgic, and I don't want to miss that, ya know?

[saitaina]

I'm creating a temp AIM id to talk to you. We've got a lot of talking to do and it's time I got off my ass and did it. You've waited years for a reason to my silence and I should be woman enought to confront my own short comings. Give me a sec to set up the new id.