The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Gargouille
by Lydia Prime

On a biting November morning, frost coated grass crunched somewhere off in the distance. Faint, but still, I could hear definite steps crunching – quickening. I opened my eyes to check for whatever signs I could. If something was here, I needed to warn them. I stared out towards the redwood trees and watched as the wind whipped through the orange leaves. The branches not only swayed – but shivered. ‘Something’s coming,’ I thought, ‘I can feel it nearing…’ I moved ever so slightly, with just enough ease that no one would notice. I saw far beyond the wall of flaming branches and tried to focus on who or what was there. CRUNCH-CRUNCH-CRUNCH. No longer on frosted grass, but the fallen leaves that covered the forest floor. Whatever was there was still too far away to tell what sort of danger was looming just past the light.

The day began to fade and I still had no knowledge of what creature could have escaped the pit. I was, however, certain that it knew not only that I was there, but that I was watching. I continued to see its energy pulsing from the forest’s shadows. It’s waiting – but for what? I did not yet know. As the night began to cover the world in a somewhat peaceful sleep, my yellow eyes still scanned the tree line for the lurker. I was growing more concerned by the minute – I had heard a rumble and a crack not too long ago. Whatever was waiting before had unquestionably regrouped – something truly diabolical was headed this way. I began to sense them closing in, now in a pair, the original stepped into my sight with a new-found confidence. “Well, hello Gargouille.” He’d smirked and I cringed as he said my name.

“Surgat!” I roared. I should have known, “Who is with you, Demon?” I demanded. A demon whose sole purpose was to find ways to open doors and portals – even into mortals – was not one I wanted hanging around long. The accomplice emerged from the tree line. “Mephestopheles!” I shouted. I spread my wings and began my howling to alert everyone and anyone who could hear me, of the impending doom approaching. The other gargoyles joined in with my cries, and the two demons dropped to the ground before suddenly seeking refuge deep in the forest. Immediately after I stopped screaming, I looked around the trees. No sign of them, but I could hear something on the wind.

 “We’re coming, Gargouille.”

Fiction © Copyright Lydia Prime
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More about Lydia Prime:

Lydia grew up in a small, ‘Mayberry,’ sort of town, in New Jersey. She thoroughly enjoys gummy bears and laughing through the darkest depths of life. More often than not, she writes about demons and monsters, however, being a recovering addict tends to turn inner demons into fearsome foes to be fought beyond the constraints of the mind. ‘Sometimes,’ she states, ‘what’s inside, is scarier than anything reality throws at you.’

Please visit Lydia on Facebook for more info.