The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!
Twisted Triangle of Love
by D.M. Slate
Eva’s feet pound against the forest floor as she sprints through the frost-covered trees. Small branches scrape against her pale skin and tangle into her alabaster hair, ripping strands from her scalp.
She follows the familiar path, knowing that she is close.
Tears of frustration stream down her cheeks, and she hollers into the glade, “Stop! Don’t do this!”
Eva ducks below a low-hanging branch and finds herself in the clearing. Her breath catches in her throat.
Both men lay crumpled on the ground, just feet apart. Their discarded swords are smeared in blood.
Small grunts escape Max’s lips as he presses his hands against his split abdomen. Gabe pants with terrified effort, trying to hold his flayed thigh muscle against the rest of his leg.
Eva lets out a sobbing wail.
Rushing to Max’s side she drops to her knees. His eyes have a far- off stare and he struggles to breath. She can see her lover’s innards under his blood-soaked hands.
He manages a whisper. “Do it, before it’s too late. I love you.”
Sensing that death is near Eva brings her lips to his, giving him a final kiss. Then, she inhales, sucking his soul from his body. As she backs away from his corpse her hair shifts to a brighter shade of ivory.
Turning her attention to Gabe she scrambles to his side. Blood pours from his gaping thigh. His body shakes as he states, “I wouldn’t let my brother have you in life – and he won’t have you in death, either. Take me too, my love.”
She lowers her mouth to his, gathering his soul.
Morose and grief-stricken, Eva sits between their lifeless bodies and weeps – as her hair lightens to a bleached shade of white.
Fiction © Copyright D.M. Slate
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
More from D.M. Slate:
Roots of Deceit
Fueled by the underlying currents of her daughter’s death, Gianna vows to unravel the mystery surrounding the foreboding apparition who keeps making appearances in her new home, but she’s not prepared for the grisly trail of clues that’ll unfold before her; testing not only her sanity, but her guilty conscience as well.
Zack and Gianna call on a team of paranormal investigators to start them in the right direction, and after the initial terror of the ghost’s presence begins to dull, Gianna finds herself sucked into a web of deception, lies and murder, as the ultimate questions are posed: who is the terrifying pale-faced ghost, and what does she want? As the secrets of the past reach their gnarled fingers out beyond the grave, grasping firmly onto Gianna’s soul, she starts to suspect her only neighbor, old farmer Peterson, of committing the unthinkable crime.
But finding evidence to prove a twenty-three year old murder is more difficult than Gianna anticipated, and when the ghost gets tired of waiting, she takes matters into her own hands; at which time the distinction between the two women begins to blur…
Be sure to check out the other fantastic events and people participating in
Women in Horror Month 9
Spreading the Writer's Word 
A terrific story.
Nicely done!