Thursday, June 19, 2014

Excerpt of "Curse of an Angel"

Hello - today I would like to share a recently written (yet unedited and rough draft) excerpt from my new urban fantasy project - Curse of an Angel.


Before she could do anything to interfere, the man stood tall on the base of the statue stretching his body to its full length to reach his lips up to the face of the Angel. "Nooo!" She screamed but the man's body collapsed onto the stone slab. Running as fast as she could towards him, she pulled back her mask and rolled up her sleeves. She climbed onto the slab and reached for the man's neck. "No pulse. Dammit," she whispered. After glancing around  the darkness and finding nothing but the tombstones, she reached down and positioned herself over the man's chest. She started chest compressions as she prayed.
Even thoough her mind begged her not to, her eyes drifted to the lifeless face of the man beneath her. She paused as recognition flashed through her. "Ivan? What the hell?"
Reminding herself he would die if she stopped, she resumed her desperate compressions. "Why? Why?" Tears built behind her eyes even though she had only met the boy once. She'd never had to encounter a familiar face during her work before. "You will not die on me, Ivan. I demand it. Wake up, you fool."
As her arms began to burn and tremble, she heard a gasp as she felt resistance in the lungs inflated beneath her palms. As she pulled back, his hands grasped hers. With eyes wide and wild, he sat up peering blankly into the darkness.
"Oh thank God."
"I...knew...it," Ivan mumbled.
"Knew what?"
"You are..." He pointed between the statue and her.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Don't be...don't lie."
"You should go to the hospital. I'm calling an ambulance."
"No. No, I'm fine."
"A minute ago you were dead. You are not fine."
"I'm alive now. Thank you." He gave her a weak seeming half smile.
"What the hell did you think you were doing anyway."
"I didn't think anything would happen. I don't.. I mean, I didn't believe any of it. I was only hoping to find you."
She pulled her hands free from his. "You really are a fool." 
He grabbed his chest and gasped. "Argh."
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry." She moved away.
"No. Don't go yet. I'm fine."
"You keep saying that like I will eventually believe you. I won't." She frowned.
"Who are you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Can't or won't" His smile faded.
"Both. It is better you don't know."
"Then I will just have to repeat this performance every night until you change your mind."
"If you are that crazy, you deserve what comes to you, then."
"We shall see," he moved to stand, eyes locked on the bronze face above them.
"Alright. Ingrid, my name is Ingrid. Please don't!"
"Okay, Ingrid. It is nice to meet you. Why is it that you spend so much time in the cemetary?"
"I don't. You just happened to find me here."
"Three times."
"Yes. Three times. Thankfully for you. I almost did not come out tonight."
"So you do spend many nights here, then?"
She cursed herself under her breath. "No. Just recently."
"Why?"
"Because it's that time of year."
"What time of year." He shifted closer.
"The time of year idiots like you pull stunts like this." She moved back.
"I see. So why is that any of your concern."
"Because unlike you, I believe the legends."
"Fair enough. So you just hang out and wait to rescue poor souls like myself every night?"
"Not exactly." She looked away.
"What then?"
"Let's just say I have no choice."
"Why not?"
"Because when you know what I know, it's hard to stand by and let it happen, okay."
"I don't understand."
She stood. "I really have to go now, Ivan. Please don't do anything else stupid. Okay?" She turned and stepped off the stone.
"Until next time?" Ivan bowed.
"That's not funny."
"Then meet me tomorrow."
"I can't."
"We will talk about anything but Her." He nodded to towards the statue. "I promise. Just meet me."
"Why?"
"Comon. I'll buy you lunch."
"Why?"
"You just saved my life, it's the least I can do." He smiled down at her as his hand patted his chest.
"Okay. But only because I want to make sure you're still breathing."
"How about Hamburg Inn?"
"Fine."
"See you at 1?"
"Sure."
"It's a date then."
"No. It's a lunch meeting."
"Sure. Whatever." He laughed.
Feeling her cheecks flush, she turned and pulled her mask over her face.
"Good night, Ingrid."
She did not respond as she grabbed her things and left the cemetary. What have you done? she thought.

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