His Stubborn Mate (ManxMan) SAMPLE

Chapter 1: Cursed Suitcase

^ Orion ^ 

Everett

The air carried a bitter chill that nipped at my exposed flesh and sent a shiver down my spine as I carried the last of the boxes out of the house and to my truck. Carelessy tossing it in the backseat with the rest. By the rest, I meant the other two boxes. So I travel light, sue me. I only took the essentials with me; food, clothes and all that crap. It's not like I owned anything of sentimental value, just alot of memories. Anyway, today was moving day, yet again, and I found myself more than happy to leave. The town, if you could even call it that, was decaying around me. The paint on the houses were faded grey and peeling off, revealing the wood beneath; it reminded me of flesh being torn away to reveal bones. The walls of these houses were twisted and worped from harsh weather, making them even creepier. The windows were all smashed to hell, only a few jagged pieces still remained and the doors were barely hanging on their rusty hinges. And at night when a howling wind picked up the houses groaned and shrieked like they were in pain. In summary this place looked like some sorta horror movie clićhe and a really depressing one at that. There's just something sad about watching houses, once life-filled homes, rot and die around me.

At least today I would be moving out of this sorrowful little excuse of a shanty town. But then in another six months it'll be moving day all over again. The thought made me frown. Moving never really bothered me before. Infact in the beginning I was glad to do it. But now having to move around just made me feel so . . . empty inside. I was nothing more than a ghost, wondering the earth in search of peace I would never be granted. Because the devil himself was after me, he hid in every shadow and behind every corner waiting for me to drop my guard so he could claim my damned soul. And I wasn't ready to boil in hell's sulfur yet, so until then I was going to stay on the move. I was doomed to a life as a drifter, a pretty meaningless existence but at least it was a painless one. I was about to get into my truck when I felt a nagging feeling at the back of my head, a voice practically tainted aren't you forgetting something? I grit my teeth, clenching my fists so hard the bones felt like they were moments from snapping under the pressure. I stepped back from my truck and rested my palms flat against the roof, taking a deep breath before turning back to the house with a scowl.

If you don't want to go in just get in your truck and drive away. Leave it behind. I tried to reason with myself. I wanted to leave it behind so bad that my chest ached, but I just couldn't find it in myself to do it. To leave it behind would be to lose what little I have in this world and denying it ever existed. And I couldn't do that no matter how much I wanted to. "Fuck!" I cursed myself, slamming my fists down onto the truck roof and with a groan of metal the roof dented. I looked at the dent with a frown, but right now it was the least of my worries. I turned away from my now dented truck and to the place I had called my house for the last half a year. It was a simple one story home with creaky hardwood floors and rat infested walls. But it wasn't the rats that had me so tense.

Dread pooled in the pit of my stomach as I started towards the door, the porch steps squealing and groaning under my weight. I opened the door and took a step inside, a rat jumped in fright at my sudden entrance and turned to hiss at my before running off. "Home, sweet home." I muttered with a bitter sarcasm, turning left and going into what was my bedroom.

The lumpy, stained mattress lay on the bare floor in the corner, and was the only thing left in the room after I packed up my clothes. My eyes trailed from the mattress to the closet which was straight ahead from where I stood. The dark mahogany closet was a sharp contrast to the light beige wall, the silver doorhandle glinting in the light like a deadly dagger and striking fear into my heart. I hesitated, I had to make my choice of whether to run in the other direction or to do what I came here to do. I took a step forward, and another. My heart started to beat faster and faster with every inch closer I got. I came to a stop a foot away from the closet door, my heart pounding in my ears.