Post by biali on Aug 5, 2010 17:35:37 GMT -5
(I got some Idea for a short story on my vacation last weekend, when I visited an old castle ruin ^^)
Tito was a very careful person. But he had to be. If not, he would be seen by the visitors of the old castle ruin in the Taunus mountains, which he called his home. Well, to be exact he lived in a wall crack which led into a small cavern where he found shelter from the rain and cold. For about three years he lived on his own, because all the others moved into the forest to be away from the humans.
But Tito did not want to go. He liked it here. He enjoyed to watch the visitors from his hiding place and when all of them were gone in the evening, he had the whole ruin for himself, including an awesome view at the valley. When he was alone, he had enough time to look for food, which mostly were nuts or berries from the nearby trees and bushes.
Sometimes he had to admit, that it was a bit lonely up here and several times he thought about making contact with one of the huge humans... but he was to scared that they would mean harm to him.
One evening, about two hours after the gate for the visitors was closed, Tito stood on one of the low walls who faced the valley and enjoyed the sundown. When the last light had nearly died, he saw something from the corner of his eye.
He quickly turned around and saw a human coming close to the wall. He jumped down as fast as possible and hid behind a stone that lay in the grass. Slowly he peeked out of his hiding place and saw a young woman standing several feet away from him. She wore a long white dress which almost touched the ground and her curly black hair made a big contrast to her pale face. She did not move much, but just stood there and looked down into the valley.
Tito was confused. The gate was closed and nobody could get inhere unless the would climb the high walls near the entrance. But she did not look like she had done this. Her dress was stainless and not ripped in any way. He just watched her in awe and did not move from his spot.
After about half an hour, the woman suddenly turned around and walked in the direction of the exit, which was not to be seen from Titos spot, because two high walls were blocking his view. He followed her with his eyes until she was not to bee seen anymore. And as soon as she had disappeared, Tito realized that it was completely dark now. Good thing that he knew this place by heart and found his way back to his home.
From this night on, the young woman in white appeared every day after sundown and stayed for half an hour looking at the valley and then left again. And every night Tito would watch from his hiding spot, asking himself why she came here every day.
When he looked at the visitors that came by, he noticed that they were so very different from that young woman. their cloth, the way they walked or stood had not as much grace as her.
Maybe this was a sign. Maybe she was the one he could make contact with...
About a month after the strange visits of the woman had started, Tito decided it was time to make his move. He waited until she stood at her usual spot and then cautiously climbed up the low wall. As he approached her, his heart was pounding in his chest. He still was scared that it could go wrong, but he had waited long enough. When he was just two feet away from her, he sucked in a deep breath and shakily spoke: "G-good evening." he felt like this was quite stupid for a first sentence, but now it was out.
First she did not move, but then her face changed from her neutral stare into a little smile. Without turning to him, she finally said:
"I almost thought you would never come and speak to me." her voice was very soft and full of grace, just like her whole appearance.
"Y-you knew I was here?", Tito asked perplexed.
"I knew you were here before I even came here for the first time.", she stated and now turned her face down to him, smiling warmly.
"But... I don't understand.", he just manage to reply.
"Maybe it is not important to understand... maybe it is just important that we finally speak.", she answered. Tito was still confused, but maybe it was easier not to question that.
"So... my name is Tito... nice to meet... uhm, speak to you.", he stammered. It had been a long time since he had spoken at all, and now talking to a human was still a strange thing to him.
"My name is Kathla, I'm happy to finally meet you."
"So... you seem interested in the valley.", he tried to keep up the conversation
Kathla giggled a little, which sounded wonderful to him.
"No... not really. Although it is rather nice, I just came here for one purpose."
"R-really? May I ask what this purpose is?", he asked curiously.
Instead of answering directly, she asked a question:
"Tito... when was the last time you went out to look for food?"
He was quite confused by the question, but then it confused him much more that he could not answer right away. When was the last time he looked for nuts... when was the last time he did even eat?
"I-I don't know... maybe a few weeks ago? But that is impossible... I would have starved to death...", he said loudly. Then he felt something touching his back, which made him flinch. he needed a second to realize that it was Kathla's hand that was trying to comfort him.
There was a nice warm feeling that was created by her touch... somehow he felt like he was lighter than air.
"W-what is that feeling?", he asked a little nervous.
"You just got closer to the border.", Kathla said in a comforting voice.
"What border?"
Kathla smiled again and now she shifted her hands to gently scoop him up in her palms. Strangely enough he was not scared as she did so. He felt safe in her hands.
"You will leave this place Tito. But don't worry, you won't go alone.", she said calmly and reassuring.
Then it hit him. He did not eat or drink the whole last month... a normal person... a living person would not survive that.
"I am dead...", he said and the feeling of lightness grew stronger. He looked up to Kathla and now she looked like she was glowing.
"Yes, my little friend... but have no fear, I will accompany you on your way to the next world."
Now Tito saw that she had huge feathered wings, which changed their color every second. She was the most beautiful being he had ever seen.
"What are you, Kathla?", he asked amazed.
"The humans would say I am an angel, But I would say I will be your friend.", she chimed.
Tito tried to take all of that in. Shouldn't he be scared? He was dead and was about to go on a journey from which he would never return. But Kathla's presence calmed him.
"We have to leave now, my little friend. I can't stay in this world much longer and I don't want to leave you behind as a ghost...", she stated and looked like she really did not want that to happen. Tito nodded.
"All right... I will come with you.", he agreed, and although there was a little hesitation in his voice, he was sure that he wanted to go with her.
Kathla nodded and spread her wings. but instead of beating with them like a bird, she just began to ascend to the air. cautiously Tito looked over her fingers, down to earth and saw how his old home, the castle ruin of Falkenstein got smaller and smaller. Inwardly he thanked the old walls for giving him shelter and then looked ahead. In the middle of the night sky was a bright, warm and welcoming light.
He hugged one of Kathla's thumbs and looked up to her. He gave him a reassuring nod.
"Only good things wait there for you."
And then she flew towards the light and the two were engulfed by the warmth and safety of it.
Things went on as if nothing had happened in the old ruin. The visitors came to see what their ancestors once created here, but of course paid no attention to the small wall crack, which once was a home.
The End
Tito was a very careful person. But he had to be. If not, he would be seen by the visitors of the old castle ruin in the Taunus mountains, which he called his home. Well, to be exact he lived in a wall crack which led into a small cavern where he found shelter from the rain and cold. For about three years he lived on his own, because all the others moved into the forest to be away from the humans.
But Tito did not want to go. He liked it here. He enjoyed to watch the visitors from his hiding place and when all of them were gone in the evening, he had the whole ruin for himself, including an awesome view at the valley. When he was alone, he had enough time to look for food, which mostly were nuts or berries from the nearby trees and bushes.
Sometimes he had to admit, that it was a bit lonely up here and several times he thought about making contact with one of the huge humans... but he was to scared that they would mean harm to him.
One evening, about two hours after the gate for the visitors was closed, Tito stood on one of the low walls who faced the valley and enjoyed the sundown. When the last light had nearly died, he saw something from the corner of his eye.
He quickly turned around and saw a human coming close to the wall. He jumped down as fast as possible and hid behind a stone that lay in the grass. Slowly he peeked out of his hiding place and saw a young woman standing several feet away from him. She wore a long white dress which almost touched the ground and her curly black hair made a big contrast to her pale face. She did not move much, but just stood there and looked down into the valley.
Tito was confused. The gate was closed and nobody could get inhere unless the would climb the high walls near the entrance. But she did not look like she had done this. Her dress was stainless and not ripped in any way. He just watched her in awe and did not move from his spot.
After about half an hour, the woman suddenly turned around and walked in the direction of the exit, which was not to be seen from Titos spot, because two high walls were blocking his view. He followed her with his eyes until she was not to bee seen anymore. And as soon as she had disappeared, Tito realized that it was completely dark now. Good thing that he knew this place by heart and found his way back to his home.
From this night on, the young woman in white appeared every day after sundown and stayed for half an hour looking at the valley and then left again. And every night Tito would watch from his hiding spot, asking himself why she came here every day.
When he looked at the visitors that came by, he noticed that they were so very different from that young woman. their cloth, the way they walked or stood had not as much grace as her.
Maybe this was a sign. Maybe she was the one he could make contact with...
About a month after the strange visits of the woman had started, Tito decided it was time to make his move. He waited until she stood at her usual spot and then cautiously climbed up the low wall. As he approached her, his heart was pounding in his chest. He still was scared that it could go wrong, but he had waited long enough. When he was just two feet away from her, he sucked in a deep breath and shakily spoke: "G-good evening." he felt like this was quite stupid for a first sentence, but now it was out.
First she did not move, but then her face changed from her neutral stare into a little smile. Without turning to him, she finally said:
"I almost thought you would never come and speak to me." her voice was very soft and full of grace, just like her whole appearance.
"Y-you knew I was here?", Tito asked perplexed.
"I knew you were here before I even came here for the first time.", she stated and now turned her face down to him, smiling warmly.
"But... I don't understand.", he just manage to reply.
"Maybe it is not important to understand... maybe it is just important that we finally speak.", she answered. Tito was still confused, but maybe it was easier not to question that.
"So... my name is Tito... nice to meet... uhm, speak to you.", he stammered. It had been a long time since he had spoken at all, and now talking to a human was still a strange thing to him.
"My name is Kathla, I'm happy to finally meet you."
"So... you seem interested in the valley.", he tried to keep up the conversation
Kathla giggled a little, which sounded wonderful to him.
"No... not really. Although it is rather nice, I just came here for one purpose."
"R-really? May I ask what this purpose is?", he asked curiously.
Instead of answering directly, she asked a question:
"Tito... when was the last time you went out to look for food?"
He was quite confused by the question, but then it confused him much more that he could not answer right away. When was the last time he looked for nuts... when was the last time he did even eat?
"I-I don't know... maybe a few weeks ago? But that is impossible... I would have starved to death...", he said loudly. Then he felt something touching his back, which made him flinch. he needed a second to realize that it was Kathla's hand that was trying to comfort him.
There was a nice warm feeling that was created by her touch... somehow he felt like he was lighter than air.
"W-what is that feeling?", he asked a little nervous.
"You just got closer to the border.", Kathla said in a comforting voice.
"What border?"
Kathla smiled again and now she shifted her hands to gently scoop him up in her palms. Strangely enough he was not scared as she did so. He felt safe in her hands.
"You will leave this place Tito. But don't worry, you won't go alone.", she said calmly and reassuring.
Then it hit him. He did not eat or drink the whole last month... a normal person... a living person would not survive that.
"I am dead...", he said and the feeling of lightness grew stronger. He looked up to Kathla and now she looked like she was glowing.
"Yes, my little friend... but have no fear, I will accompany you on your way to the next world."
Now Tito saw that she had huge feathered wings, which changed their color every second. She was the most beautiful being he had ever seen.
"What are you, Kathla?", he asked amazed.
"The humans would say I am an angel, But I would say I will be your friend.", she chimed.
Tito tried to take all of that in. Shouldn't he be scared? He was dead and was about to go on a journey from which he would never return. But Kathla's presence calmed him.
"We have to leave now, my little friend. I can't stay in this world much longer and I don't want to leave you behind as a ghost...", she stated and looked like she really did not want that to happen. Tito nodded.
"All right... I will come with you.", he agreed, and although there was a little hesitation in his voice, he was sure that he wanted to go with her.
Kathla nodded and spread her wings. but instead of beating with them like a bird, she just began to ascend to the air. cautiously Tito looked over her fingers, down to earth and saw how his old home, the castle ruin of Falkenstein got smaller and smaller. Inwardly he thanked the old walls for giving him shelter and then looked ahead. In the middle of the night sky was a bright, warm and welcoming light.
He hugged one of Kathla's thumbs and looked up to her. He gave him a reassuring nod.
"Only good things wait there for you."
And then she flew towards the light and the two were engulfed by the warmth and safety of it.
Things went on as if nothing had happened in the old ruin. The visitors came to see what their ancestors once created here, but of course paid no attention to the small wall crack, which once was a home.
The End
