The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Six Seconds
by Scarlett R. Algee

He breathes, afterward, for six seconds.

You teeter on the riverbank, feet not quite certain on slippery rock. The crimson well you made of his throat is beautiful, but you force yourself to back up and brace properly, to tuck your prize into a well-lined pocket and heave him into shifting water.

Hardly anyone comes out here. Something wild will take care of him.

You step back further onto firmer ground and pull the vial out to look at one last time. Those last breaths had wisped out not from his nostrils, but from that glorious wet-edged breach you’d created; collected in the mouth of a glass bowl, they’d cooled, condensing into pale grains that glitter in a capped tube. Grains that will fill your own hourglass, extend your own life.

You turn the vial, admiring the sparkle, and put it away. Time to trek back to civilization, to find yourself another target.

You’re going to be immortal.

Six seconds at a time.

.

Fiction © Copyright Scarlett R. Algee
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from author Scarlett R. Algee:

The Lift: Nine Stories of Transformation, Volume One

The hall is dark and the overhead light flickers. Sounds echo, and there’s a creaking and clanging that gets louder as you stand in the semi-dark. The elevator opens and you’re offered a ride. Step inside and ride it to the story chosen for your transformation. Don’t be afraid, for Victoria, the mysterious girl who operates The Lift, waits to guide you. Set in the same world as the award nominated audio drama, The Lift’s first written anthology features nine all new stories by fan favorite writers and special bonus content by creators Daniel Foytik and Cynthia Lowman. The collection is brought to life with beautiful illustrations by Jeanette Andromeda for each story.

Available on Amazon!