A Reapers Image

A Reapers Image - Short Story

           It was a dark, cold night in the London streets; the lamp lighters were finishing their jobs as the people walked the damp streets on their way back from a night on the town and back to their warm homes, safe from the ever-piercing darkness. With the streets were damp, puddles littered the cobble stone streets after the late evening rain that had fallen not but two hours ago; lights from the houses illuminated the night and the smoke from their chimneys spiraled up to the heavens. The old Victorian London was at rest for the night and all seemed right.

         On the London Bridge, a young couple was having a late stroll on their way home from dinner. The lady had her long, black hair up in an Elizabethan style, with a few strands hanging in her delicately sculpted face. Her emerald green dress dragged behind her, the collar had gold reign stones placed around it and the sleeves were a delicate lace that extended down to her wrists. The color of the dress made her pale skin stand out, soft and as pure as freshly fallen snow. The necklace she wore accentuated her collarbones, it was a large emerald with a gold chain and on the back of the stone was both her and her loves initials; EJ & WM.

            'The night is beautiful, is it not William?' Evangaline Johnson asked her love; William McCloud.

            'It is, but not as beautiful as you my love. Or shall I say, fiancé?' He smirked, squeezing her hand.

            She looked up at her new fiancé; he was a tall, lean young man, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail. His eyes were an ocean blue and skin as pale as the moon, his suit matched her dress with his deep green over coat and gold cravat. He was handsome, no doubt, and the most intelligent of the men in her court. He had just proposed to her over champagne during their dinner, and now they were on their way to her home, he said there was a surprise waiting for her.

            After they passed over the bridge, they made their way to Evangaline's home. They chatted and laughed as they took their time, neither one of them wanting the other to stop. They shared a love deep and strong, a kind of love that made time stop. It wasn't long before they were standing in the shadow of Evangaline's home; it was a large mansion made of grey and black bricks with windows all around it. The columns in the front were made of grey marble and the grand doors the color of white snow with ash black vampire knockers. The tops of the mansion roofs stretched up to the heavens and gargoyles leered down at them from their perches on the edges of their roof-top homes; though they could touch the heavens, they looked to be in Hell. Evangaline looked down the drive and in front of her home, there were at least five different horses with carriages.

            'William dear, what's going on?' Evangaline asked as they approached the door.

            'Ah, I forgot to tell you. I planned an engagement party for after our dinner, however, if you didn't say yes I'm afraid that this would have immensely embarrassing.' He responded with a pink tint to his perfect cheek bones.

            'Oh, my love, I would never do such a thing. I truly love you with all my heart William, you are my world, my life.'

            He looked at his new sweetheart, she was beauty and life herself; her emerald eyes shine like a thousand stars and her lips like sugar plums, sweet yet dark. He stooped over and planted a kiss on her cheek, as she smiled sweetly up at him. Opening the door, they were welcomed by friends and family, they all began crowding around the new couple and started to congratulate them, handing them wine and asking questions about when they plan to marry.

            Everyone began to move to the ballroom but Evangaline started to go up the grand stairs when William grabbed her wrist.

            'Where are you going love?'