The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

The Feathered Witnesses 
by Kathleen McCluskey 

The flock of birds rested silently on the electrical wire, their feathers ruffled with an uneasy tension. They were to become the silent witnesses of the events unfolding below. A small convenience store stood at the end of the silent street, its neon sign flickered intermittently in the eerie twilight.

As dusk began to settle, casting long shadows across the pavement, the atmosphere grew thick with anticipation. Suddenly, the store’s front door burst open. A figure stumbled out clutching a blood soaked bag in one hand. His other hand was waving wildly behind him, as if he was trying to shoo away a housefly. The birds stirred, their eyes fixed on the scene below. The figure shrouded in darkness, staggered forward, its movements erratic and jerky. It seemed to be pursued by an unseen force, a malevolent presence that lingered just beyond perception. With each step the form contorted and twisted as if being manipulated by unseen strings.

The birds watched in horror as the figure collapsed onto the ground, writhing in agony. Shadows coiled around it, tendrils of darkness snaked across the pavement like living entities. The air grew colder, thick with the stench of decay and despair. Then, from the depths of the darkness, emerged a shapeless mass, its form shifting and morphing with rapid fluidity. It hovered above the fallen figure. It slowly lowered itself beside its prey. The ground trembled beneath the weight of its hooves as it created large cracks in the concrete. The birds cawed in terror, their cries echoed through the abandoned parking lot.

In that moment the true horror of the event unfolded. The figure was not being pursued by a mere mortal assailant. It was being hunted by something far more sinister. A creature from the depths of the supernatural realm. As the night descended into madness, the birds scattered into the sky. Their wings beating frantically against the oppressive darkness. For they knew that whatever had emerged was not meant for mortal eyes. They were but silent witnesses to a horror beyond comprehension.

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Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!