Thomas
Something Amiss

Thomas awoke as the room cooled from the night wind blowing in the front door. The soft Thud of the door swinging in the wind alerted Thomas to something amiss. With foggy eyes Thomas scanned the room hoping to hear the sweet song of his angel. Thomas was met with only silence, this sent shivers of dread into his bones. Annalise was nowhere to be found. His heart began to thunder in his ears drowning out any sound. Thomas left his small cottage and walked the streets calling for Annalise. Thomas’s voice became ravaged and harsh as he, questioned each citizen on his way to the Castle, His question morphed from a query to a plea. Thomas was in great distress as he hurried along the paths of this youth. No longer did they hold happy memories of his Mother, Annalise and lazy days being a hero in his imagination. The streets were filled with despair and hopelessness and Thomas searched for his Annalise. The long journey through the village and then to the gates felt like an eternity to Thomas’s muddled mind.

The sun was rising by the time Thomas reached the castle walls His heart still raced as adrenalin pumped relentlessly through his muscles. Thomas searched for the hidden corridor he and Annalise would use so many years before. The place was grown over and abandoned but it still existed and Thomas thanked God for small blessings as he entered the Castle’s grounds. He straightened himself and quickly moved forward ready to rescue his damsel.

Lord Deter was so furious with Thomas he sent his best assassin to collect and if necessary kill Annalise. The lady meant little to the proud and pompous Lord his only goal was to punish the impudence of Thomas. The assassin returned with Lady Annalise, the Lord no longer in need of the scoundrels assistance threw a bag of gold spitefully at his feet. The Assassin, feeling disrespected by this bloated, pig faced aristocrat, threw Lady Annalise onto the cold hard granite floor just below the Throne at Lord Deter’s feet. With that the assassin bowed with repugnance and left the castle.

“Annalise, you will pay for your insolence.” Deter’s whined at Annalise stomping his engorged feet like a child he continued, “I will not be treated with such disrespect in my own kingdom.” Deter’s swollen face burned red hot as he spat his words at Annalise. Deter made hast with his punishment, he pointed to a small boy waiting in the shadows fearfully trembling, Deter bellowed at the boy, “Boy get me my whips I will teach this Philly a thing or two.” Lord Deter demanded the house boy collect his horse whip and the guards to tie the wench up. As Annalise lay helpless many hands bound and stripped her of more than her clothes. Annalise’s dignity and grace were stolen by Deter and his minions. They all took turns ripping Annalise’s clothes from her body laughing at her struggle to maintain her honor. The minions touched and teased the poor helpless Annalise. There cruel words echoing off the cold stone walls of the Great hall. Deter laughed and hooted a small line of spittle running down his hot, wet, doughy flesh. Annalise’s soft white flesh, exposed and naked she began developing small goose bumps from the cold castle’s drafts, soon she began trembling. The Lord’s minions tied and shackled Annalise to the cold granite floor. Each minion took his time touching and slapping Annalise’s sensitive flesh they bit and tore at her limbs ravenously torturing the sweet girl. Annalise stood ashamed as her body was displayed, arms tied open her body resembling an ‘X’ she hung from the restraints worn and broken from the hours of torment Lord Deter and his minions administered. Annalise struggled with the binds to no avail. She knew that Deter had a fierce temper and never spared the rod when he felt disrespected. It was only a matter of time before she would be truly punished. When Deter finally felt satisfied with watching his minions disgrace the Lady Annalise he donned his riding crop. Deter moved towards the exposed girl and laughed. he lifted Annalise’s head with the front of her crimson locks and licked the side of her face, “When I have finished with you, not even your dear Thomas will recognize you.” Annalise thought of Thomas and cried out silently in her heart for her hero to replace her before it was too late. She could see his eyes shimmering with desire and love. Her Thomas, shined in her mind like a beacon of hope. Just as she smiled in the memory of Thomas, the first whip lash contacted Annalise’s soft pale flesh flaying open her delicate posterior. Annalise cries echoed in the empty hall, great pained shook the very walls and quaked the foundation. The song of torment swam in the room its sound filled with wounded shrieks, wild laughter bellowing from the watching minions, and the moaning of Lord Deter who is in Ecstasy as he partakes in despicable acts.

Thomas hurried to the castle doors replaceing no entrance he moved silently hiding in the shadows of the garden until he came to the large glass Library doors. He moved slinking in the darkness as he came to rescue his fair Annalise. The night quickly turned to dawn leaving Thomas with very little darkness as he made his way through the immense building. Thomas’s mind began to plot and plan his rescue. He knew that Deter would need to lock her up, He knew his Angel could be a fierce adversary, so he moved swiftly to the dungeon where he felt his Annalise would be. The day had now dawned and Thomas was feeling defeated his search was leaving him empty handed and heavy hearted, suddenly he heard a soft cry coming from one of the smaller cells. Thomas vowed if she was hurt the man responsible would die a thousand deaths. As he reached the cell he knelt and looked desperately in the shadows to see his love then a voice low and weary, choked on these few words. “Thomas, my champion you’ve found me.” Annalise’s heart ached as she slid her body towards her awaiting hero she wanted to see his face. Thomas had astounding skills with a lock pick, with expert hand and impeccable speed Thomas removed his kit and dispatched the door with great haste. Annalise lay motionlessly in the shadows of the cell her face and body hidden among in the darkness. “Come into the light my Angel we can go home.” Thomas approached and as he did his heart sank and his blood ran hot with murderous rage. Annalise lay close to death covered in deep lacerations made by a horse whip. Her lovely face split open revealing the soft red flesh under her pale skin. Her back a mangled mess of raw meat blood drying and pooling around her, she was stripped of her cloths and lay naked and still in her lover’s arms. her life was quickly leaving her small body. With the last strength, she had she held Thomas and spoke “Thomas, you came back, I am so happy,” her voice cracked and a wet cough sent blood spraying onto Thomas’s white tunic and ragged face. “I think I am dying Thomas.” Annalise softly whispered with a faint smile that twisted the slashes across her face, she smiled revealing a mouth full of bloodied and broken teeth. Thomas held Annalise in his arms her warm broken body soaking his dry cloths with the blood of his lover. Thomas’s rage made his body shake and tremble as he held his Angel. He could see the light dimming in her bruised and battered eyes. Annalise could no longer speak her words lost in pain and deaths icy grip, she just laid against Thomas’s broad chest and sighed one last sigh, bloodied tears streaming down her face. With a shutter and a cry her life was extinguished like a candle. Once bright now empty and dark Annalise was no more.

The walls of the cells echoed with the monstrous wails of Thomas’s breaking heart and damaged soul. His animalistic screams shook the walls and Thundered throughout the Dungeon. His humanity died with Annalise’s final breath. Justice was his and Death would soon follow, thus began his long journey into hell.

Thomas moved like a man possessed his body hacking and slashing his way through the castles staff. Any man that dare stand between Thomas and his Justice would surely perish. Thomas’s blue eyes narrowed as he made his way to Lord Deter. Thomas moved up the Dungeons steps to come across a mob of degenerates hoping to stop Thomas’s rampage. He looked up with fire blazing in his eyes, each minion shook with fear as Thomas swiftly dispatched the evil before him. Thomas’s moves were fueled by pain and rage, he moved bloodying each hallway with the bodies of the wicked. Thomas finally made it to Lord Deter his bloated form sitting amongst his noon feast roasts, breads, fruits and a variety of cheeses sat before the obese demon. Thomas Stood in the doorway to the Great hall his body heaving with each breath, blood dripped from his finger tips and his long black mane. Thomas grinned a crazed look upon his face as the blood slowly dripped down his expression. Deter stopped mid bite peering fearfully over the feast to Death. Deter knew Thomas came to collect his pound of flesh, this terrified Deter. Deter grabbed the closest knife and double Tined fork readying himself for a great escape.

Thomas would not let Deter leave, he had other plans for the pitiful pig man. Thomas moved with unnatural speed at Deter he leapt over the feast and landed both his feet with a heavy crash onto Deter’s place setting. The dishes clattered at Deter’s feet, he tried to run scrambling he fell tripping over the upturned plates full of decadent treats. Slipping in the remains of food on the floor his massive girth wiggled about like a bloated slug, Deter let his bladder go soiling his princely garb. Thomas loomed over Deter trapping his portly foe beneath his leather boots. Thomas sat himself softly upon Deters massive midsection. Saying nothing Thomas let the moment set in the quiet desperate cries of Lord Deter of Lyons Castle. Thomas looked between his bent knees to the quivering mass below him and though for a moment in the silence of the screams that echoed off the walls, the screams of pain his angel cried as Deter destroyed her. Interrupting the silent thoughts swimming in Thomas’s head Deter began begging Thomas to spare him. “I have money, jewels, and large plots of land take your pick what will persuade you to spare me?” Thomas considered Lord Deter’s eyes and with a heavy sigh Thomas stood from his crouched position atop the jellied mass below him and smiled. With a move, as fast as a humming bird zipping through the summer sun Thomas eviscerated the quivering blob crying upon the floor. The gaping mouth of Lord Deter utter a series of soundless words his eyes wide as his arms moved awkwardly trying to replace his spilling entrails. Thomas leaned into Deters face dripping tiny drops of blood onto Deter’s pasty grey face and spoke. “I want your life.” The last syllable of the word fell on deaf ears as Thomas split the massive useless cranium of Lord Deter in two.

Thomas once again stood over this villainous, pile of human refuse and wiped his blade on the fine linens of the dead Lord. Thomas slowly made his way to the walls of the great room slowly knocking each torch to the ground. He reached down as he moved around the circumference of the Great room and pick up a torch. He laughed in a mad trance dancing as he lit each tapestry alight. The flames rose higher and higher as Thomas danced screaming wildly in the ever-growing smog. Thomas’s mad dance led him to the library where he learned, lived and loved. The books and parchments quickly took to the flames as Thomas threw the torch into the delicate texts. The windows burst open with Thomas’s might allowing a newly created gust to fuel the fire. Thomas walked solemnly out through the opened window the flames flicking the edges of his heels as he quietly saunters on. He was a man condemned, justice completed as the flames demolished Thomas’s entire world, every happy moment, each blissful day, and an eternity of love, lost. Thomas let the angry tears flow from his eyes washing away the ashes. Thomas walked past the garden that smelled of Lilac and his heart stopped short as his nostrils inhaled the sweet familiar aroma. Pain throbbed with each beat of Thomas’s heart his breathing becoming labored. Soon Thomas reached the river’s edge, his knees quivering brought him down upon the very earth where he rested in the arms of a Goddess. He was aware of his location and what happened here just a night before. Trembling he reached forward and felt the mound of grass his head sank to his chest. Closing his eyes Thomas imagined that the earth beneath his fingers held the warmth of Annalise’s body. The thought finished killing the young man’s heart. The sobs that escaped the broken would be hero’s lips were heard throughout heaven and as he sobbed the rain fell upon his broken body. Thomas lay unmoving for what seemed like hours as the rain washed his body clean, he had hoped the rain would wash his soul, he was unfortunately misguided in his hope. The blood stained his demolished heart would forever fuel his deeds. The wicked will suffer for the sake of the righteous.

Now that Thomas had no need for love and the unnecessary trivialities of life he made his way to his mother’s small cottage to say his final good bye to his old world. Socrates stood waiting patiently for Thomas’s return. The young steed let out a welcoming snort as Thomas began to saddle the beast and leave behind all his pain and all this love, Thomas wanted none of it.

Thomas traveled to the nearest town outside of The Lyons kingdom. Socrates was contently nibbling upon the warm hay as Thomas brushed his soft auburn coat his golden main damply hung on the beast neck and shoulders. Thomas laid his head upon the beast’s large chest and sighed. “Socrates, my only friend shall we drink?” Socrates snorted in acknowledgement. The raspy laugh of the worn and beaten, Thomas, sounded good in the air as Thomas left his steed until dawns return. The lights of the open Tavern invited Thomas to forget his woes and just live for a while. He gracefully sauntered into the lively bar slipping expertly about the room until his eyes meet with the bartender. “One apple cider and a cold whiskey.” His raspy voice filled the barkeeps eyes with fear and apprehension as he handed the grizzled man his order. Thomas caught sight of his aged face and greying black mane. Thomas stopped and looked in disbelief had so many years passed. Thomas sat at the hearths edge sipping his hot cider his eyes sad and empty the dancing light that glowed with in extinguished. He sighed and thought. “My heart is cold but at least my belly’s warm.” He smiled a strained smile he lifted his cup and whispered. “Salud”