Gathering Twilight of a Normal Life

[Anime Monster]

Author's Note: This story is my new baby. I'm going to be abandoning all other writing projects that aren't essential to write this.

This story idea pounced into my brain this morning. I was on my way to the Library and Rite Aid (to drop of Labyrinth and buy some supplies, respectively), as I was about to cross the street a random man driving an SUV stops traffic and said he wants to "Obey Me." Now I was freaked out, I mean, it's not every day you hear a pick up line like that and I was walking by myself. So I was a little scared, but as I got away from the intersection this idea started to blossom in my head. And I was reminded of a picture I had seen in my search for something to write about when these contests were first published.

"Gathering Storm" by Nene Thomas:

As well as the movie Labyrinth, and the experience above has lead me to write this story.

Rating: T

Gathering Twilight on a Normal Life
Prologue

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The man who walked into the store looked like he belonged there. The store, Hot Topic, was a store dedicated to punks, Goths, and everything freaky. He had waist length white blond hair, the tips of which looked as if they had been dipped in blood. He wore tight black leather pants, a black poet’s top, a floor length duster, and shiny black riding boots. His eyes were hidden behind darkened shades, which to the people of the store were the most peculiar thing about him, as it was dark inside the store and outside.

He walked through the store, gloved hands not touching anything until his eyes landed on a grey sweatshirt. There was nothing particularly interesting about it. It was a plain grey hoodie with the picture of Stewie Griffin in grey and the words “Obey Me” written under him in a red that matched the tips of his hair perfectly. Reaching out he stroked it, almost lovingly.

Had anyone been paying attention they would have seen the electricity leap out of his fingers and onto the garment, at least what looked like electricity, had a normal human, for despite being labeled as freaks by the rest of their peers they were all just human, seen it. He grinned to himself and whispered in a language that sounded like every language and yet none at all, “Qooe tp kobx,” before he was gone as if he was never there. The only evidence of his being there was the shirt, and even that didn’t have any evidence that the humans could notice.

[Meluivan Indil]

I love the concept, Anime and yes I caught the reference to Labyrinth when the guy told you he wanted to Obey you. What a coincidence there. Sort of scary. But I guess every thing happens for a purpose and you were meant to write this story.

So I am eagerly awaiting more.

M.

[Anime Monster]

I'm going to try to write the next chapter tonight...I don't know, I might skip Karate Club...but I shouldn't, I'm Treasurer...

[LadyRiona]

Like I told you on MSN, the pic you used is similar to the one on my perfume. xP To everyone else reading these: I have solid perfume (called Gathering Storm, as well) with a similar pic as Anime's, and I bought the perfume from Hot Topic. We thought that was interesting. o.O

Anyhoo, as I said already, kinda kinky about the dude. x.x At least he didn't try anything, since he was in his SUV. Anyway, hope to read more soon Anime. ^^

[Anime Monster]

Thank you, Ri.

Yes, the dude was a bit kinky sounding...

[Anime Monster]

Author's Note: I finally remembered where I really bought the hoodie that I was wearing. It wasn't at Hot Topic, but Kohl's. Oh, well, it doesn't really matter. We'll pretend it is sold at Hot Topic because it fits better with the story.

In honor of Labyrinth, I've named one of the characters Sarah, they are very different, however.

Chapter 1: Liz

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“LIZ!” a flying blur of black and blue sent the girl to the ground.

“Nice to see you to, Sarah,” the girl, Liz, said after regaining her senses. She was tall with an otherworldly appearance. Pale skin looked even paler against her long, thick, wavy jet black hair. Her green-blue-grey eyes were hidden behind thin-rimmed, wire framed glasses that looked as if they should have been replaced ages ago. She wore khaki slacks and a faded red, pink, purple, blue top with running shoes.

Sarah, the flying human, had hair dyed blue hair with red roots showing and wore all black, slacks, t-shirt, and boots. She was tanned and had the most vibrant blue eyes that anyone had ever seen. Sarah and Liz were best friends, yet as opposite as they were similar.

Liz slowly extracted herself from under her friend and shut her locker, putting her backpack over her shoulder. “So you ready?” Sarah said, standing.

Liz sighed. She really didn’t know how she got into this situation. She wouldn’t step foot into that store, yet Sarah had begged her, and she agreed. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, with a defeated look.

“Come on,” Sarah said smiling brightly, “it won’t be that bad.”

Liz nodded and followed her bouncing friend. Liz sometimes wondered if Sarah had multiple personality disorder. Sarah had a rough childhood. Her father was abusive to her mother and her baby brother saw her as his mother, do to the fact that she did more of the raising of him than her mother or father did. However, where one thought she should be a morose girl with an “I hate the world” attitude, she was actually a very happy girl. At least, that’s how she acts. Liz, though, knew better, having seen her friend standing on her doorstep holding her brother to her chest to protect him from the rain while water dripped down her face, whether they were rain drops or tears, Liz didn’t know, nor did she think she’d ever.

Liz was brought out of her musings when the pair reached the store. Liz looked very out of place in the store. It was obvious by her looks that she didn’t shop there, or shop there often, in fact she told Sarah, on several occasions, that she hated the store. Sarah either didn’t believe her or had made it her personal mission to get Liz to enjoy shopping in her favorite store.

Sarah headed towards the back to browse the shoes while Liz decided to browse the shirts. She was rounding a stand in which several shirts were when she saw one that for some reason stood out to her. She really couldn’t guess why, maybe it was because it was grey, when all the others were black, maybe it was because it was a long sleeve hoodie and the rest were t-shirts, maybe because it hung on the shelf all alone, like no one wanted it. She reached out and touched the material, it was soft and felt warm, a wonderful sweater, she knew. “It can’t possibly be in my size,” she mumbled to herself as she checked. She was shocked to find that it was indeed her size and that, surprisingly, she had enough money to buy it. It was almost as if the sweater was met to be her’s.

Sarah came over carrying a shoe box and a pair of jeans, “Found something?”

“Yeah,” Liz said, her voice having a far away quality of someone who wasn’t really paying attention.

“Well than, let’s pay for these things and go,” she said.

Liz snapped out of her daze and smiled to her friend, “Yes, let’s.”

The cashier rang up Sarah’s purchases and she paid for them and then took Liz’s.

“Finally,” she said, “I thought for sure no one would by this.”

“Why?” Liz said, confused.

“Well, had you not bought it today it was going to be taken off the shelf and put in a dead stock box in the back, we would have to ship it back to the warehouse.”

“Is that why it’s so cheap?” she asked, wondering about the five dollar price tag.

“Yes, we wanted to get rid of it,” she replied accepting the money Liz handed her.

“It’s almost as if it called out to me,” Liz said accepting the bag with her new sweater in it.

The pair of friends left the store and began heading to Sarah’s. The two usually studied together for a few hours everyday, well Sarah studied, Liz usually tutored her friend. As they walked Sarah looked over at her friend and said, “So why’d you really get it?”

“Get what?”

“The hoodie.”

“I don’t know, it IS almost like it called out to me. Maybe I’m insane, or maybe it’s true, I don’t know. She looked up at the sky and then said, “It’s going to rain.”

Sarah looked up at the cloudless blue sky and said, “No it’s not.”

Liz looked up again and said, “Yes, it is.”

They studied at Sarah’s for a couple of hours. Sarah’s mother, a nice lady who loved her children very much, served them drinks and dinner, asking after their schooling and shopping. Liz, whose parents were not around anymore, loved the attention and answered all the questions, Sarah, on the other hand, was just glad her mother was well enough to do this and was home. Sarah’s father had not been home in three days; Sarah was worried about how her mother would be treated when he did arrive.

As the sun began to descend beyond the clouds in the western sky, Liz bid goodbye to Sarah. She opened the door to step outside, but was assaulted by a blast of chilly air. She slipped her sweater out of her bag and put it on, loving the soft warmness of it. Sarah watched her leave, watched her best friend enter walk away into the cool air.

End Note: The next chapter will be longer, I promise.

[LadyRiona]

Yay updates! lol I like the characters. And, the phrase..."they were opposite as they were similar"

Keep up the good work, Anime