Just a Boy

1. The Boy

The sweet sounds of music moved with a life of it's own.

A presence.

It couldn't be heard in the still night but it was there, growing more powerful as more voices joined in.
This music wasn't meant for the ears. The ears of man could not receive the melodies; they were meant for the soul.

Strong souls.

Souls strong enough to feed the multitude singing them.

Young men sleepily wobbled into the dark mouth of the cave. They were in their beds sleeping soundly dreaming about stupid unreasonable things that came along with changing plains of existence to the dreamworld and not walking to their inevitable deaths.

The pitch raised as the singers became filled with ecstatic feelings just seeing the numbers turning up for tonight's meal. Slowly, one by one, the voices dropped away till it was one.
             
The one voice carrying the song belonged to the young Queen Meridyth. She was young, inexperienced and had no idea about the ancient traditions of the clan but damn she could sing and was powerful enough to use her voice to feed them like never before.

Soon, she too stopped with a smile. She flew out from the water, her wet talons like the grip of a crane. She was beautiful even in this form. As her wings kept her above water she called out to the mindless young men standing in front of her.

The first was a deliciously gorgeous human male specimen. He had hairs of shiny yellow. Blonde. Like a leprechaun's gold coin.
            
"Walk in," said the Queen in a careless seductive whisper.

The Blonde man strolled groggily into the river. He kept walking till he was completely submerged. Untill the last bubble popped and disappeared like it never existed.

Sounds of joy filled the cave as they all made noises to honor their powerful leader. The next young man walked forward ugly and sickly. The smile faded from the face of the creature levitating above the water.

A stray.

He wouldn't even be enough to feed the WORMS!
             
"Go back to your bed. Remember NOTHING."

With this, the young man walked out of the cave sleepily. Till the day he would breathe his last, he would never know that his ugliness; had saved his life.

The next man walked forward. He was big. He was athletic. He looked like a fighter and the river vibrated in anticipation.

"Walk in. . ."

This continued for a good part of the night. The creatures below the surface of the river were almost full. Yet they still wanted more.

             
The next young man walked forward, eyes shut closed. His jet black hair were as long and rough as the body of a raven. He looked extremely handsome and his soul felt strong.

"Walk in," she whispered. It was the same seductive whisper she had used to lead scores of men to their deaths.

Yet, the young man stood still.

Nothing happened.

It was like he had been glued to this spot or maybe he didn't hear her.

"Walk. . .in!" She repeated a little louder.

The young man still didn't move. He didn't even raise a foot. His knees didn't bend forward. He was planted firmly to the spot he stood.

The Queen was visibly angry. The rest must have noticed this. They must have thought she had already become tired and that her powers had reduced.