first chapter ideas

 Chapter one

Watching his victim for longer   

  The sky was bright and clear with no trace of cloud or mist. It was as smooth as glass and every tiny detail of every star could be seen twinkling peacefully in the moon’s shadow against the vast blanket of pitch black. But despite this tranquil outlook, the air was icy and sharp like a skinning knife and there was a cruel, fierce wind like the very breath of the gods. It was like the hand of a corpse hung over the village, clawing at the trees and fields, driving cattle to shelter, blocking roads with snow and debris and bringing disease to the small village. As if my very presence had brought an omen. 

     I had spent some time watching from afar, observing as the merciless sleet attacked the children's frozen bodies as they waded through the thick knee-high snow. I saw them draw their coats tightly around themselves, shivering as they attempted to reach the safe refuge of their homes. But, of course, I was not affected by this. This bitter weather had been going on continuously throughout the past weeks and showed no means of stopping but increased to get worse. But the oddity that caused many people puzzlement is that there is no sight of rain clouds, overcasts or any signs of where the storm might be coming from. But this night felt different. Different from the storms that had so forth passed over this land. Turbulent, unpredictable even. And yet as soon as I arrive in sight of the main streets the entire atmosphere changes. The winds stop blowing and cease to a gentle breeze and the snow stops sleeting and changes to the occasional snowflake falling on my face. It was as though I was blessed in my deeds, thus forth hidden within the guise of unseasonable weather and now given the green light. In truth, this was often the case and, though I never truly understood, I embraced it. The whole place was now deathly still and so quiet like a cemetery at midnight, softly resting the dead. But I was not afraid. The night was waiting.

I perched motionless in complete silence. I would hate to ruin this moment with careless and reckless movement. I have always valued my stealth and precise skill of balancing both patience and swift action to the due events that unfold; events which often can be unpredictable. Over the long time I have been around, I have developed a hunter's demur. The hunting is the essence of the chase and as vital as the capture; only then can you ensure a clean and quiet kill; a merciful death in some ways. And I only hunted what was needed, and only when I needed it the most. I tried and hold out as long as I could, satisfying myself with mere small and insignificant beasts, resisting the urge to indulge unnecessarily on larger more desirable prey - for as long as I could at least, but if an opportunity arises, I cannot ignore it. But it was a rare thing for me these days. 

One such opportunity was occurring now. My senses were sharpened and my mind into predatory stealth. My vision was at its peak; my eyes glazed over growing bloodshot and red blocking out all shadows and absorbing the darkness. Naturally, my pupils dilated into thin strips slicing through the dark, expanding my visual field and heightening it. Nothing escaped my sight now; I could see everything.

Along with my sight, my body was completely pumped with adrenalin. Not a moment too late either for if I left it too long my body would soon lose its fight and hunting is more difficult than ever. It had been such a while since a real hunt, so much so that the chemical change was incredible. My body shuddered with pleasure. My true instincts take over.

I crawled so slowly from my current position, slightly to the right so that my view is less obstructed by foliage. I decided I needed to be close for this so I gently eased myself forward, all the time listening intently. I waited for the wind to pick up again, fiercely whirling between the boughs, and leant my body forward until I am relying solely on my back legs for complete balance. Then I leapt from up high in the branches a couple of hundred feet onto a large fragment of rock concealed by undergrowth down below, the loud howling of the wind covering the impact of my landing. From here my target was in plain sight, a creature dawdling foal-footed away from all the rest; isolated and vulnerable. It stumbled in the heavy snow as it is only small in stature but it will have to suffice. Although all creatures are cautious when in the presence of danger, yet right now it does not seem too wary of me. Maybe it does not fear the oncoming assailant but is only uneasy because of the freezing weather and the uncertainty of the night. It would not matter anyway. Even if it did discover me now the elements are to my advantage.

Despite all this, I felt a disturbance in my mind although I desperately tried to shake it away. The creature was perfectly primed for my attack, all aspects in my favour, but it still felt unbalanced. Unfair even. The being had not a chance in hell of escaping me, it was...for all intents and purposes...innocent. I shake my head furiously. Now was the time, it had to be now, for I honestly could not afford to wait any longer. The only thing left to do would be to savour the moment, for it surely would not come again for a long time. 

So I continued to stalk forward. I allowed my muscles to relax ever so slightly from their poised position to let my reflexes stretch in preparation. My breathing was harsh now and my body quivered with suspense. Saliva coated my lips and I licked them dry. The creature below looked unnerved, maybe it sensed some hazard nearby. His dark brown eyes darted and his rosy cold face crumpled in anxiety, creasing his brow and wrinkling his features. His fear as detestable as it was tantalising to my senses. His head looked rapidly from side to side scanning the darkness but his eyes are virtually blind in the night. He looked like he would run. I could barely contain myself. He abruptly turned to flee but faltered. I acted and struck.  

My descent was swift. He would have felt nothing. On first contact I broke the neck, splintering the spine from the nape of the neck to the brain stem. He would have died instantly. I hated myself for my desperation but after all that suspense I could not stop myself. I ravaged the throat and force my head as close to the flesh as possible, burying my teeth into the carotid artery sucking lustfully at the flowing blood. Some of it sprayed back in my face and in my hair but I did not care. As I gulped down mouthfuls of blood, I could feel every aspect of its solidity, every cell filling me.  It flowed down my throat leading right into my bloodstream, the feeling was otherworldly. I ragged the body and pulled it closer to me, almost as a lover would, draining it quicker and becoming so desperate and pathetic; as a parched man would swallow gallons of water.          

When I finished, I dared not look at his face, even though it is evidently clear to me in the gloom. He looked like a human still in his prime, Caucasian I would guess although most of his features are soaked with blood. I breathed deeply and staggered to my feet, my head swimming with new unbridled energy. I wiped my face on my black sleeve and I stood still surveying my surrounding. There was no other noise than the wind, but somehow the scene felt entirely changed for me.  My body was brimming with newfound strength, each drop of blood that filled my veins caused a burst of energy to shoot through me. My limbs, stature, features, eyes, nose, mouth, and hair - all feel reborn. A small price to pay for my survival? I pondered casting an eye over the remains of the man. Not small to him I would guess. 

I cannot think of him as someone's father, brother, cousin or anything. If I did I would never feed, and therefore I would gradually fade into my own grave in utter agony as my body devours itself. I do my best to avoid it. The others of my kind, my family, would not think about it as I do. I guess I am different in that sense, there are moments when I think about the consequences of my actions while the others do not think twice, at least I have never seen evidence of it.

I pick up the corpse, I do not shudder in repulsion for I am used to messy business and I am quite akin to a living corpse myself. I sling it over my shoulder with its head over my back, furthest away from me. As always, I am watchful for any other movement but there seems to be none so I am safe and secret in my deed. I catch sight of the bloodstained ground; I bite my lip then kick up the dust and bits of gravel over the patches of brownish red splats on the floor. Soon the stains became clotted with dirt and sticky on my boot but were now easily disguised as parts of dead animals. Everything else looks normal as if no murder had ever been committed. I feel compelled to leave now, I do not like lingering anywhere.

I bend forward slightly with my feet apart, holding the corpse out in front of me, allowing my extra limbs to push their way through my back. My wings burst through the skin with a sound of cracking bone as my skeleton rearranges itself for flight. I have never seen it myself, for I have no reflection, but I am told that there is something ferrous about our appearance as we transform into our bat-like state in the fight or flight change. Our skin becomes rougher and our faces look vicious, not to mention the skeletal changes. This is what Serena tells me anyway.

I relax my muscles as my wings push my ribcage forward, alter my jawline and my legs become thicker and springy. My back, arms and chest become covered in rising veins through the pressure. I sweat and breathe steadily. I feel I would not have been able to do this without feeding first. This transformation always sends nerve pains shooting through my teeth, particularly my left canine, sadly I know this to be because of incidents many years previously.

I kick off the ground and I beat my wings downwards hard and project my torso upwards. I speed through the canopy tops of the trees with surprising quietness and shoot upwards above the treetops where I hover just above them and scan the sky around me, beating my wings slowly. The sky is now clouded with grey mist which floats over the trees like a million ghosts. I fly higher up above it feeling the wind scoring over my face and combing through my thick black hair. I feel strangely tranquil even though I am holding the body of a man I killed. My head feels a whole lot clearer than before and less clouded by my need. I feel almost relaxed up high far away from everyone as if I can escape from myself and dive into a fantasy world high up in the cobweb mist; safe.

I take the body somewhere I know it will not be found. Even if an investigation was carried out they would not venture this far into the forests; superstition still stands as truth in these small villages. I take the body deep into the woods, nearing the high rising cliffs in the southern areas where there are many ravines, precipices and peaks. I know this place very well, it is one of my favourite places as it is so secret, even to my family. If you do not know your way around you can be lost for days here, it is a complex maze half sheltered by trees with tops of thick foliage knitted tightly together so that it is cast in shadow and gives one the feeling of mystery.

I throw the carcass into one of the ravines. It is deep enough to not create a sound as the body hits the floor of the ditch but a ringing echo follows its fall. It is a dirty and inconvenient job but it must be dealt with. I turn away from the cliff faces and look up at the purple and black sky; it is beautiful but it seems menacingly watchful as if the eyes of passed-on spirits have just witnessed everything. I shake off my despondent feelings, determined to hold onto the quickly fading blissfulness that came with my feeding. At least this way my body will not be yearning for another humanly feed for a while and considering I had drawn out the hunt for a longer duration my instincts and bloodthirsty desires are quenched for now. I think.

I throw myself down off the high cliff, stretching my black scaley wings out as far as they will go and gliding along searching the world below with my keen eyes. I lazily roll my body back and do a backwards roll in mid-air feeling the night caress me and cling onto me with its fierce air currents. I feel I must embrace the aftermath of the kill as much as possible to keep my needs at bay for although it is addictive it is also dangerous with the watchfulness of the world and many other unseen creatures lurking. I take one last sweeping look at the night scene then I speed higher and faster leaving it behind me and setting off for the long journey back home.