Tales of the Parodyverse

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ag
Wed Sep 08, 2004 at 07:37:50 pm EDT
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Children of the Night #1. A new on going series featuring Annabelle and Roland!
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GothemMetropolis York, sunset.
The city lights flicker as many, many people go to their night jobs, go out on the town for entertainment or even go to commit crimes.
As we move away from the city into the obscure outskirts we see the lights become more and more scarce. Then we come to the farmlands. Many farmers provide crop or animal product for the country but at this late part of the evening they are all inside, getting ready for their early morning wake up call.
We zoom to one farm that is apparently abandoned yet still owned by an independent party. It’s completely dark and has been so all day.
Going further in a shut window into the rapidly darkened house we travel through the basement door deep into darkness. There’s a chair and computer desk with a computer that is online. Various boxes, covered in cobwebs are stacked against the walls.
Then we focus on the three coffins. Two of them are child size.
One of them opens up. Creeeeeak.
A radiant little girl of eight years in red curls stretches and yawns. She looks around.
The other little coffin opens up. Creeeak.
“We’ve really got to oil these things.” Annabelle comments.
Her brother stretches and yawns. “Yeeessaaawwwn. Excuse me. Yes, we do. Maybe we can pick up some oil at one of the stores during our hunt?”
They appear to be children. He looks twelve while she looks eight. They are far older however.
Her little robe touches the floor as she casually walks over to the computer, “Hey brother, I got mail.”
The bigger coffin opens and their surrogate father sits up, “It’s evening already? That seemed like a short day.”
Roland looks out the basement window into the darkness, “You can check your mail later Annabelle. Let’s go grab a bite. I’m starving!”
“Heh. Firestarter534 set fire to her teacher again. Hold on brother, let me send a reply. There. Done. Ok, let’s go.”
“Father are you coming?” Roland asks.
Their father, Anthony Forsight responds, “No, no children. I’ve got some puttering to do around the house. You go, have fun.”
They go to separate rooms and change into their clothes, complete with their crimson robes. Then they turn to bats and fly off.

The cool night air tickles their bat ears as they head towards the city.
“So Roland, what are you hungry for tonight?”
“Oh I don’t know. Something bigger than a dog I hope. Say, why do you think father won’t hunt with us anymore?”
“I think he’s in a rut. It’s been pretty quiet lately.” She replies.
“Well let’s hope that doesn’t change. For us the opposite of quiet can be dangerous.”
Annabelle looks at the glittering city zooming closer, “I think I might fly to the other city and visit it’s library for more books. It’s been a few weeks since we spoke with the troll there.”
“Before we travel across the bay lets pick up something in town.”
They fly over the city looking at all the lights.
“Brother! Look there!”
Three pit bulls chase some kids down the street. It’s seven o’clock in the evening and these kids aren’t under curfew yet.
“Mmmm. That would be a start.” Roland licks his young lips.
They swoop down.
The two boys are cornered in an alley.
RUFF BARK GRRARRR!
“Oh @#@$%# what do we do?”
“Nice doggy!”
“Yes.” Annabelle, now back to her human eight years old child look, calmly replies while walking into the alley with her brother. “They are indeed nice doggies.”
“Call them off!” the bigger of the two boys shouts.
Roland answers while kneeling down to look at the pit bull. The dogs stopped barking and instead stand mesmerized, “No. Not ours. But I can see they distress you.”
Annabelle practically floats as she steps over to the boys, “Out a bit late aren’t we boys?”
The bigger boy responds, “So? We do as we please.”
“Ah. I see.” She looks into the eyes of the smaller, scared boy. He looks to be ten years old. His brother is twelve, the age Roland is at physically. “Maybe you could tell me what two little boys like you are doing in this seedy neighborhood?”
The boy can’t help but respond, “Hank made me.”
Hank, the 12 year old, “HEY! Don’t Ronnie!”
Ronnie continues, oblivious to Hank’s command, “He said it was just one time.”
“Ronnie you twerp shut the ^^*% up!” Hank shouts.
Roland speaks calmly but sure of himself. For some reason Roland’s calm voice is heard by Hank, “I suggest you let the boy speak.”
Roland’s red eyes shine in the moonlight as he pets the dogs. Hank realizes he can’t exit out of the alley.
“Go on little boy.” Annabelle says while running her fingers through Ronnie’s hair. This doesn’t seem sexual, but instead it seems like what a snake might do before devouring its prey. Hank starts to fear for his little brother.
“Hank’s my brother. He told me if I didn’t help him steal cigarettes from the corner 7-11 he’d beat me up.”
She throws her head back and laughs, “Dear brother! We came to this alley to catch some canine cuisine and we find a bully of an older brother instead.” She steps away, towards Hank, and without a care comments, “Well, you said you were hungry.”
“That I did my sister.” Roland replies as he stands up and walks to Hank. They both are cornering him now. Ronnie just stands transfixed.
“What are you? You kids aren’t normal! You’re freaks!”
“Freaks? No. Just two very old, hungry…” her fangs glint in the light, “…children.”
Her mouth is close to Hank’s throat. He closes his eyes as tears flow freely.
“OW!” He screams as she uses a long nail to poke the skin on his neck. It draws blood. She gently rubs a finger on it and puts his fresh blood into her mouth.
“Mmmmm! So let me get this straight. You have a craving for that tobacco filth. You bullied your kid brother into stealing it while you remained safe. Correct?”
“Yes! Yes! Please don’t kill me!”
She looks at him, “Kill you? Who ever said it was you we wanted?”
Hank then realized Roland was behind his brother. His fangs showing in the moon light. Annabelle started to walk towards Ronnie. The boy was still mesmerized.
“The predator always goes for the weak among the heard.” She says as she strokes Ronnie’s hair.
“NO! Please!” Hank sobs. He grabs Annabelle by the shoulder, she stares at him and he takes a step back, but he continues to plead, “PLEASE! NOT HIM! Don’t kill him! Mom will never forgive me if he dies!”
Roland walks over to the pit bulls while Annabelle moves with incredible speed. No longer can the flirtatious kitten be seen. Now a hungry tiger ready to pounce takes her place. Annabelle hasn’t changed shape, but her demeanor has turned terrible, “Your mother? What about you meat? Would you forgive yourself?”
“No! no!”
“Didn’t think so! I could kill him right now. Bite him. Drain him of all his blood. Care to live a life where YOU led your brother into that?”
“No! Please!”
She’s an inch from his face, she says dripping with menace “Really? You know, I have craving too. Should I risk all to give into them?”
He shakes his head, mute with fear.
“That’s what I thought.” She turns with a wave of disinterest, “Roland. Dig in!”
“NOOOO!”
There’s a sickening crunch as Roland gladly bites.
Hank is horrified as the boy drains the first pit bull of all its blood.
“Go. Take your brother home. Who’s to say these three dogs will fill us?” she bites into the second pit bull. Blood flows from her chin.
Hank grabs his brother’s hand and runs like Hell.



One of the buildings that make up the alley is twenty five feet tall. Sitting on the ledge with her legs crossed, Annabelle moves them casually back and forth as she licks the blood off her fingers. Roland is sitting next to her with his legs hanging over as well but he’s not swinging them like she is. He’s got blood on his cloak and shirt.
“Satisfied?” she asks. She looks like any other eight year old girl. Carefree with the world ahead of her.
“No, but it’ll do. Think he’ll listen?”
“Who can say? He’s a mortal. They’re capable of anything. I think I sufficiently scared him though.”
“You sure did. I believe he’s STILL running.”
“One thing bothers me though brother. Where did the dogs come from?”
“Strays I guess.”
“Three pit bulls? Somehow I don’t think so. Let’s go down and check out that 7-11. I have a nasty suspicion.”
She leads and as usual he follows. In the many years they’ve been alive she has developed quite a capable, strong personality.
They glide behind the store, and then casually walk in. The pimply faced college student working the counter eyes them.
She moves to the counter with purpose. “Excuse me sir, but does this establishment own any guard dogs?”
The clerk, like anyone else she speaks with, is amazed at her manner and language. “Yes, we do. But some boys roughly your age came in and tried to steal cigarettes. The dogs chased them away and haven’t returned yet.”
Annabelle looks at Roland with concern. She then says, “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
“Why?” the clerk asks.
“We saw them chasing the boys. I believe there was a… incident. I’m sure the dogs are long gone by now.”
“Oh man! The boss is going to kill me! What am I gonna do?”
Roland says, “Buy a new dog?”
Annabelle nudges him, “I can’t bring back your dogs obviously, but how about if I find him some new ones? Will that be ok?”
“I don’t know. I guess. But why would you do this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Look, little girl, you’re really friendly and all but you don’t have to do this. You should be home with your parents.”
“Just wait a little while and I will provide you with the puppies.”
She turns around and abruptly leaves. Roland follows.
One outside he asks, “Why ARE you replacing those dogs? It’s his fault for leaving them without a leash. They were tasty and that’s all there is to it.”
“ROLAND! How dare you even think it? Its one thing to feed on strays but someone’s pet? I will not be responsible for heart break.”
“Sigh. Alright. Lead on my sister.”
“Of course.” She gives a spunky grin that seems ironic as her fangs stick out.



The noise in the dog pound is deafening as the two small intruders sneak in.
The cages are full of all manner of dog and cat.
“Annabelle, we come here a lot but you never complain. Isn’t stealing from the pound just as bad as feeding on that store’s dogs?”
“My dear brother how many times must I explain this to you? These poor animals are on death row. They will be put to sleep at the end of the week. Now let’s see…”
She walks past the cages looking for any puppies. Roland looks at some of the bigger dogs with hunger in his eyes.
“Oh you! Always thinking of your stomach. I suppose we could eat a few. But wait first.”
She kneels down in front of a cage. There are six puppies shivering in the corner. None of the animals are scared of the kids because their usual night visits mean some animals are freed and go out with them, never to return. Perhaps they think their absent cage mates were given new homes. Usually they would be wrong, but tonight is different.
She turns into mist and moves through the bars. Then she kneels down to pick up a little puppy, scratching in behind the ears with no malice whatsoever.
“He’s so cute! They all are! Come here Roland!”
He just looks at her and smiles. Right here, right now, she’s no longer a dangerous creature of the night. Now she looks, despite her fangs and pale skin, like a normal eight year old little girl.
He passes through the fenced door like a ghost, turning to mist briefly to do so. He then kneels down and is licked.
“I almost wish we could keep them.” He says.
“Yes. That would be wonderful. But you know Father’s mind on the subject.” She then quotes their father, Andrew, in his exact voice, “Dogs are daylight loving creatures. Who would take care of him while we slept? We’d have to hire day help again and that leads to problems.”
They both remember another time and an untold story.
“We’d best be off.” Annabelle announces as she swoops up three little puppies.
“I’ll grab a few strays for after.” Roland says as he gently breaks the lock. The door swings open.
She cuddles the frightened puppies wrapped up in her red cloak as he pops open a few doors. The owner of the pound never seems to mind that theft is an almost nightly occurrence. After all, these animals will be put to sleep any way.



Ting!
The shop bell goes off as the children walk through the door of the 7-11. Annabelle still has the puppies in her cloak.
“You did it!” the clerk says as she hands them over to him. Little girl, your amazing!”
“Thank you.” She replies. “Please see that the shop owner keeps them on leashes. You never know what kind of things are on the prowl out there.”
“Will do. You kids better get home. It’s the middle of the night.”
She looks at him and smirks. “We’re well within our curfew but thanks for asking.”
Roland comes up to the counter with a can of oil.
“That will be two dollars please.”
“Two dollars! I remember when you could get some for trade. Alright…” he fishes through his pockets and pulls out a gold piece. He places it on the counter. “Will this do?”
“Is this real?”
Annabelle tugs on the clerk’s vest. He spins around in surprise. “How did you?”
Her eyes shine blood red. She smiles as all he can do is think of her, “Yes. It is real. Good bye.”
“G…good… bye.” He mumbles.
They walk through the door with a tingling of the bell then untie their dogs.
In a field of tall corn they feed hungrily on the animals. She is neat while he is sloppy.
She just looks at him and smiles her innocent smile.


The End.





This was the first in an ongoing series. Sometimes we’ll follow Annabelle and Roland’s lives in the modern era; sometimes we’ll visit past events.
Next week, to start off Vampire Week on the board, we’ll have a guest star. Nitz the Tasty, I mean Nitz the Bloody!




a.g.
Amazing Guy






Scott?s Site! Featuring Caption the Pic (where action figures talk!), Amazing Tales on the Web (stories and micros of the Parodyverse!), and JLA Micros (The entire JLA, as micro heroes!)



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