The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Am I Beautiful?
by A.F. Stewart

Her laugh floated from the throng of revelers, a harmony of symphonic chimes infused with pure joy, rising above the raucous Carnival. Peering through shifting bodies to see the source, a vision appeared as the crowd parted; a petite woman draped in beads and feathers and sequined folds of cloth. She swayed to the street music, the primal beat of drums, and her movement reminded him of water, a winding rhythm, free flowing. Entranced, he moved forward, drawn closer by her hypnotic dance, shoving people aside to reach her.

She smiled as their eyes met, and the light of the stars shone on him.

“Hello.” Her voice rivalled the sweet music of a symphony.

He whispered, “Who are you?” 

She laughed, twirled, beads clinking, feathers shaking, but didn’t answer the question. He reached out, but she playfully swatted his hand.

“Do you think I’m beautiful?”

Her words sailed into his mind like a summer wind and melted his will. He wanted her.

“Oh, yes. Incomparably exquisite.”

“How sweet. Come with me…” She took his hand and led him away into the shadows. They stopped in an alley, where she touched his cheek and his body trembled. He wanted to kiss her, but he felt frozen in place.

She tilted her head, her fingers caressing his face. “Tell me I am beautiful.”

“You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen.”

As his words faded, she smiled and kissed him, and reality faded away. Bliss engulfed him, crowding out his thoughts and will. The kiss ended, and she playfully shoved him. He stumbled back against the alley wall. She pressed against him and nipped his lip with her teeth.

Her very sharp teeth.

Claws tore into his arms, pinning him to the brick. Her face morphed into a growing maw, slavering with rows and rows of fangs. A raspy growl rumbled from her throat as he screamed, unable to move or escape.

She asked, “Do you think I’m beautiful?” before she sank her teeth into his face. In one motion, she tore off his flesh and chewed, his skin and meat dangled from her mouth as she feasted…

The next morning they found nothing but his bones and dried blood stains decorating the alley.

.

Fiction © Copyright A.F. Stewart
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

More from A.F. Stewart:

Visions and Nightmares

Tragedy spares no one… and takes no prisoners.
In the twilight shadows, secrets are revealed past the whispers of madness.

Wander into the realm of the old gods with Elenora, where humanity and marriage are a prison.
Step through a looking glass of dark horrors with an Alice you never knew.
Join with Zenna to seek the truth as her death by magic grows closer.
Journey with Olivia as she crosses paths with a monster of the forest and runs for her life.
Watch Isobel summon the faerie to solve her problem of an unwanted husband.
Shiver as Doctor Killbride experiments with corpses to create life from death.
All that and more await within the pages.

Ten stories. Ten women.
Who will survive? Who will fall? And who will succumb to their inner evil?
Find out in Visions and Nightmares.

Warning: This book contains disturbing scenes that may be upsetting to some readers.

Available on Amazon!