Darkness Comes

42 Replies

A Childhood Fright

I remember going to the Saturday matinee at our local movie theater when I was a little girl. We would usually see comedies like Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein or a Jerry Lewis movie and eat a lot of candy. Those movies weren’t scary but made me laugh hysterically. I loved the scenes where the monster keeps appearing to Costello and then, when he tells Abbott, the monster has disappeared from sight. The old horror movies were not so funny but would be considered campy and dated today. There were a couple that stuck with me for a long time and in a bad way. These were ” The Fly”, ( 1958), screenplay by James Clavell and “The Tingler” (1959), directed by William Castle. Both had Vincent Price in the cast. He was great in all those old horror films. Which reminds me of “The House on Haunted Hill,” (1959), also directed by William Castle.  Now I want to go out and get that one. The others still creep me out too much. What was disturbing about The Fly was how the main character ends up with a fly head, for a head, and then in the end is going to get eaten by a spider. AAAAH! With The Tingler it was that creepy centipede like creature that was supposedly in our spines and the bathtub full of blood with an arm reaching out of it. The centipede creature is supposed to break your spine if you don’t scream. Vincent Price plays the mad pathologist who uses LSD in his research and autopsies executed murderers for the state. I probably shouldn’t have been allowed to watch those movies…. 

Posters via IMDb: 

The Fly (1958) Poster377px-House_on_Haunted_Hill

Now for my story:

Darkness Comes

On Samhain, the villagers tell of a stone circle that is in a grove of ancient oaks deep in the forest. There you can see upon old pikes the severed heads of the Cinn Dorcha. They were placed there by the Druid Priestess Aine in the olden times. The heads are covered with rotting flesh, the eyes bulging, and mouths contorted. People swear they can hear them talking to each other when they walk through the grove late at night.

The Druid Priestess

I am a Druid priestess. Some say I am a witch. I descend from a long line of Druids through my maternal side. My earliest memories are of my mother making beautiful swirling clouds of color appear over my crib and hearing the voices of all my maternal ancestors singing enchanting lullabies and cooing to me, “Aine, the blessed one, our beautiful child, and joy of our hearts!”

I watch over the village near the sacred grove. The people come to me for divinations and interventions with the gods. It is a peaceful time but it has not always been so. It was around this time of Samhain, two years ago, that a dark evil descended on our village.

I stood in the sacred grove after the Samhain bonfires. I was in despair about what had come to our land. Darkness was descending. Ta dorchadas a thagann. Ta dorchadas tar eis titum thar ar dtalamh. Cloisim an caoineadh mo mhuintir. Mo mhuintir caoin amach. Ta fulaingt i bhfad. Ta fulaingt i bhfad.

The Darkness comes in the form of the Cinn Dorcha, the Dark Ones, and their quest to coerce my people to their ways. Whether it be by tricks or by intimidation. They speak against the old ways and call them evil superstitions. They tell the people that in order to survive they need to reject our old ways and practices. They tell us how we have to dress and how we are to behave as men and women.  The women of my country were used to freedom and shared with men equally. The Cinn Dorcha tell us that this is no longer to be allowed.  Women who resist this are made their slaves and are abused and violated. They replaced our old holiday celebrations with their own. They destroyed the ancient temple of Tlachtga. Their leader, Olc, labeled our Druid priestesses as witches. The people are afraid and do not know how to fight them. Ni mor dom a cabhru leo. Ni mor dom a cabhru leo!

I have been in hiding in the forest. Olc has proclaimed he will give a great price for my capture. I have been able to shield my cottage with a powerful ward. The enemy have searched the forest many times and walked past it only seeing an old burnt out ruin.

I began a campaign of harassment against the invaders. I use my shape-shifting ability to become first a falcon strafing them with my talons and next a wolf tearing at their throats. The shape-shifting takes a lot of energy and I am exhausted for days afterward.

The Day of Fire

I was resting in my cottage when I heard the raven. Bran alerted me with his shrill cries as he swooped down into my garden,  “Aine, hurry they are near the grove and they have Isibeal!”

I questioned Bran as I ran toward the grove, “Why would they take Isibeal?  She is only a herbalist who mixes potions for the villagers. She is not a threat to anyone.”

I was able to blend into the surrounding trees with my cloak and from there I watched them. Olc was with them.They dragged poor Isibeal by a rope that was wound around her neck. Her hands were tightly bound behind her back and her face streaked with dirt and tears. They took her to the stone circle in the sacred grove and tied her to a tree.

I stepped out from the trees and called out, “Olc, I heard you will give a great price for my capture.”

” You will join your friend at the stake,” Olc snarled. ” Seize her, seize the witch!” he cried to his men.

I raised my arm and called upon the powers of the wind, Thogairm me an ghaoth!  A dark cloud blew across the sky covering the sun and the sky turned a metallic grey. The air, cold as ice, circled around the men like a whirlwind.  It blew with such force it sounded like the wail of a thousand banshees. The cinn olc were all immobilized with fear. I quickly untied Isibeal and told her to run into the forest. Stepping outside of  the stone circle, I raised my arm, and recited the ancient incantation, Teacht chun cinn laochra mor. Scriosann ar naimhde!

The ancient oaks in the grove began to sway and moan. With a loud roar the trees released their sharpest branches like spears toward the enemy. The Cinn Dorcha and their leader were impaled where they stood. I raised my arm again and called upon fire, Thogairm me tine! , and an arc of flame shot out from my fingertips setting them all ablaze. They met the fate they had planned for Isibeal.

Like the Cinn D’aois in long ago times, I placed the heads of my enemy on pikes at the entrance to the sacred grove. The villagers say that when you walk through the grove in the dark of night you can hear them talking to each other.

 

 

 

Aine
The Sacred Grove
Tlachtga
Isibeal the Herbalist
Bru na Boinne
Cnoc Aine
Bran
Sacred Grove
Aine’s cottage

Goddess by Banks Vevo on You Tube:

Rhiannon [a cousin of Aine]  by Fleetwood Mac via muzicchnl on You Tube:

WEP Halloween Challenge

Word Count: 888

General Criticism and/or gentle appreciated.

42 thoughts on “Darkness Comes”

  1. Yolanda Renee

    I remember the Saturday night thrillers, with various announcers, Chilly Billy, or Elvira Mistress of the Dark, and all the old movies that were fun, with a little chill. But I don’t ever remember seeing The Tingler, and I could’ve sworn I’d seen all of Vincent Price’s movies. He was the King of Horror at one time. I don’t think I’ll be looking for it though, your description of a bathtub full of blood – not something I desire to see.

    I love your short, Darkness Comes, especially as the priestess got her revenge. So many lives were changed in real life when others invaded with what was promised was all the answers. I love that the Druid Princess is a shape shifter and determined to defeat her enemies. I sometimes wonder at the creation of a world where women were designated as the cause of all-evil, when the truth is they are and always were the stronger sex! Is this part of a larger piece? I’d love to read it!

    Thanks for participating in the WEP Halloween Challenge!
    Happy Halloween!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      I remember Elvira, she was great. Thank You for your nice comment on my short! I do not have a larger piece as yet. I enjoyed participating in WEP Halloween. Happy Halloween! 🙂

      Like

      Reply ↓
  2. Denise Covey

    Wow, this is so atmospheric! And I love the ancient language! Adds a fine touch to the story. The images add to it also. I was with the Druid Priestess all the way. It’s beautiful the way you begin with her birth.

    Vincent Price just has the look for horror, doesn’t he? I enjoyed hearing about the early days of cinema horror.

    Thank you for participating in WEP for the October Halloween challenge!
    Denise 🙂

    Beauty and the Beast

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  4. Nilanjana Bose

    Hello,

    Here from the WEP and enjoyed your flash. Loved the atmospheric details and the way the end is looped into the beginning, neat. Like the ancient language too, intriguing and evocative. Very satisfying ending – so glad she got her revenge.

    ‘The Darkness comes in the form of the Cinn Dorcha, the Dark Ones, and their quest to coerce my people to their ways. Whether it be by tricks or by intimidation….They tell us how we have to dress and how we are to behave as men and women.’

    That’s still happening all around us, and is more scary than any monsters or zombies that we can dream up.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  5. dolorah

    That was great. I love a really good witch story; and druids are even better. What a great story. I’m glad she got her revenge. Thank you for the awesome story, and that language was a cool addition. The world needs more druid stories.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  6. madilynquinn01

    I need to go see these movies you mentioned. I haven’t, what’s wrong with me!? I need to catch up on my horror movies haha

    Cool story! I like the whole druid thing and those guys definitely got what was coming for them! This flows really well.. are these established characters of yours? For like another story?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      Yes those are classic horror movies meaning you will have to rent or buy them. Thank you very much for your comments about my story. Yes Aine has been in a couple of my short posts. I am not sure where I am going with it yet.

      Like

      Reply ↓
  7. madilynquinn01

    I haven’t seen the movies you’ve mentioned! I really need to. I’ve loved all the old, campy horrors I’ve seen thus far. Need to step up my horror game!

    I really liked your story! Not overtly horrific, but reminiscent of some pretty crappy things from history. Also, I really like druids. My D&D character right now is a druid 🙂 Great job!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  10. desk49

    A witch or a warlock
    my demon heart glowed
    With evil of spirits
    All before me will go
    Blackest of hearts
    Hatred in tow
    I bide my time then
    send them below

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
      1. desk49

        no evil of heart did
        I mean for Aine
        we of this world are
        sometime insane
        witches and warlocks
        some good some bad
        it’s just my way
        of being a silly lad

        Liked by 1 person

  11. DG Hudson

    Vincent Price was very good in the old horror movies! I liked the Pit and the Pendulum with VP, and Psycho (the original). I have seen The Fly, it was creepy seeing a human head on a fly and hearing its tiny voice. I find the Druids interesting and so is your story. The story flowed very well and kept me reading. Kudos!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      I think I saw parts of the Pit and Pendulum and that reminds me of House of Usher? when a woman wakes up in her coffin, buried. Yikes. Yes the tiny human head and tiny voice. eeek. Thank you very much!

      Like

      Reply ↓
  12. rxena77

    In certain theaters in larger cities, William Castle had buzzers put in the seats with the Tingler and when the monster attacked, your seat would tingle beneath you! He also had a fake skeleton on a rope and pulley set up to seemingly come out of the screen during one part of THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL! Loved your story. You have a real skill with words. Thanks for your comment on my story 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      Yes I read about his special effects. Pretty good for the times. I do not remember the buzzer but I believe it. In The House on Haunted Hill the scary housekeeper with the white eye and wild hair? She would suddenly pop up behind another actor in the movie. And it looked like she floated a little above the ground. I heard he had her on some kind of rolling stand to create the floating effect. Thank You!

      Like

      Reply ↓
      4. Deborah Drucker Post author

        I usually don’t like to think of impaling people but I thought it was a good idea because it was similar to the stake they wanted to tie Aine to. And the trees are considered sacred to the Druids…Yes I believe our writing is based on our own life experiences and what we have read about in the past.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. any1mark66

        Experience modifies the point of view. Historical guides make for good bridges to a character. There’s Always a reality check looking for mistakes. But it helps most people relate well

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Deborah Drucker Post author

        Well my story does have a magical side of course but there is not a whole lot known about the Druids and Celts because they did not have a written language that we know of. I used Gaelic because that is believed to be their spoken language. The magical stuff was inspired from some legends and my imagination. The good thing about not having a lot of hard history to follow is that you can use your imagination and no one can argue with it. And I was thinking about all the violence against women by extremists and it was nice to have my character give it back to them, the perpetrators.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Feather Stone, Author

    I have never understood our fascination with horror. Ghost and goblins and things that go bump in the night don’t scare me. However, so many movies and books go into a realm that I just can’t trespass into. I’m pretty okay with ghosts, having many out of body experiences and connections with non physical beings. Never had a bad experience except once. Something tried to smother me but knew a being of light intervened. Thank you for sharing your chilling stories. Blessings.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. Deborah Drucker Post author

      We all have a dark side even if we don’t want to admit it. The films I mentioned were pretty tame compared to things that are out there today. I don’t like graphic violence either. Lately I have explored the darker side and this story is not just about horror but of someone fighting back against the oppressors.

      Like

      Reply ↓
  15. artman413

    The first time I saw Vincent Price was as the villain Egghead in the old Batman TV show. My jaw almost dropped when I later discovered he was a horror legend!

    I love a story that weaves history and mysticism together. The shape-shifting sorceress, the Cinn Dorcha and Samhain…it’s built up an intriguing world! I’d love to read a sequel where people from the modern day reawaken Aine or the spirits of the Cinn Dorcha.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

Comments

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.