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HIS DARK INK
By Melissa L. Webb
Jack sat up in bed, sheets clinging to him as his heart thundered in his chest. The image still lingered in front of his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to pull himself from the faint grasp of sleep still clinging to his mind. Jack quickly untangled himself, rising from the bed. Padding silently into the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, sitting down at the table. What was going on with him?
Every night this last week he had woken up the same way; heart pounding, an image in his mind. He never remembered anything else except that image. Even now, it still burned in his mind. Taking another sip from the bottle, he grabbed a notebook and a pen from the table, carefully recreating the image from his mind.
Suddenly Jack stopped, staring down at the paper. The picture he had created was breathtaking. Black lines swirled together in complex patterns forming an exquisite sight. A perfect duplicate of the image haunting his dreams.
A tear slipped from the corner of his eye. These black lines stirred feelings he had never experienced before. It was all encompassing, yet comforting; as if being wrapped in a mother’s embrace. Looking at this design, he knew he belonged. Someone was out there who loved him, who cared about him. This was their sign all would be well.
Leaning back in his chair, Jack took another sip of water. He needed to find a way to keep this feeling; to hold on to this gift he’d been given.
A smile spread across his lips. He knew exactly how to make this symbol his forever.
A week later, Jack left the tattoo parlor and glanced at his bandaged bicep. The symbol was now his. It had become a part of who he was, who he could be. It was now part of who he was destined to be. Grinning, he made his way to the car. He would carry this beauty with him forever.
***
The God rejoiced as he felt his reach flow into the man, slowly taking him over; turning him into a willing pawn. This mortal would become the first of his new soldiers.
Soon, the God would have his army. Rising up, they would reclaim the world in His name. It was only a matter of time now.
He turned his sight from the anointed mortal and started to search for the next victim to wear his mark.
© 2011 Melissa L. Webb
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Nice… and that’s why I’ll never have a tattoo. Well, one of the reasons anyway
Yep. I’m now firm in my decision to go tattoo-free. Nice turnaround and the end.
Oooh, this makes me kind of leary of doodling ever again, and I do a lot of doodling.
Nice creepy story Melissa.
Good story! Just proves that our subconscious isn’t always trying to help. Sometimes it’s being invaded by a new God.
A nicely written short this Melissa, a situation with possibly far-reaching and dangerous undercurrents.
I could imagine you writing a follow-up to this as the army expands and strengthens.
I like how Jack’s perception of the dream, wasn’t anything close to reality.
Glad I didn’t feel as happy as him when I got my ink. Whew!
Oops! Think I gave too much information here. *hides*
Wow, that was a very unexpected twist. I had gotten all comfy in the warm glow of his sense of being found and of belonging. Never saw the sinister side coming at all.
~jon
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