Tales from the Crypt

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

Tales from the Crypt

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

So this is what the world looked like from great height. Being carried was one thing, ridding piggy back on a vampire's shoulders was entirely different. Everyone looked so small from this height. Crawly was loving it. With her little fingers wrapped securely in Tino's hair, letting the silky strands run over her little fingers. Harley's hair felt like a dolls. Dry and synthetic, Nori hardly had enough, and Mommy's always had stuff in it. Aside from Crawly's she had no ones hair to play with. Diego ... yeah right. God forbid a strand was out of place, the world would blow up. Boys. So the little snake enjoyed the feeling while she could. Tino's legs were way too long for Crawly to keep up up a normal place. Even with her speed and agility it looked like she was always trying to catch up. And since she didn't want to be carried around like a baby (she was nearly ten!) they compromised. Piggy Back it was.

Crawly got her very own Roman Pony. Although after she tried to urge him on with the noises she knew ranchers made to get their own mounts to move, she got a pinch on the leg for it. After that, she was just content to let him saunter through the crowd. It was nice there on top of the world. No one bumped her, no one dodged at the last minute and called her "sorry kiddo" or "oops didn't see you." Weird names, but then again adults were weird. Tino was, but not nearly as much as some of the others she met. For one he didn't shrink away when he met her. And Crawly kind of...liked him. He felt as cool as she did, although his skin had a warmer undertone to it now that she found fascinating. Her little legs hung down his chest as she held on to his hair. If he was the belle of the ball then Crawly was his tiara. Little teeth flashed in an ear-to-ear grin, as she squirmed atop of the Roman's shoulders. Man it was so tempting to just give a good yank to his hair and make him break into a gallop. But she didn't want another pinch. They stung. But she could wait and be patient. A snow cone awaited at the end of the ride. Funny how out of all the women who wanted to ride Tino, Crawly got there first...

"Sssso" said the hissing little voice as Crawly bent down over his head, her own mane of brown hair falling down like a waterfall to obscure his vision. "Are we sssere yet?"

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

Crawly was very lucky indeed that the male even allowed her on him like that, so si, she got little pinches when he didn't like what she was doing. He was enjoying the touches to his hair, giving him that accepted feeling, even if it was with a child. His hands came to rest on her knees as her words drew him out of his reverie, forcing him to walk once more. That was when his eyes caught sight of a voodoo preistess tent. He wasn't so sure how his little compainion would feel about it, but then again, she might enjoy such things.

"Il mio piccolo angelo scuro, let's see what pretties she has, si?" He nuzzled her leg, a tiny show of affection, then calloused hands went around her waist, lifting her up and over his head with ease, setting her to the ground next to him, offering his hand to her. "I am sure she hasn some things of bone."

He was enjoying her coldness, her demented little mind, a beautiful child that would grow into an amazing woman, once she shed her skin. He had always kept the oddest of company, Crawly, the least likely, because of her age, but she was keeping him on his toes. He opened the tents flap for her to enter, following the child in and looked around for the proprieter.

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

With a happy squeal of delight Crawly let Tino pick her off his shoulders. The trip to the air made her heart trace for the few split seconds she was without solid ground beneath her feet. Say what you may want about heights but snakes were not made for flight. The feeling of weightlesness never sat well with the snake. Maybe that's why she hated airplane rides. Big, noisy and her ears never poped. But just as quickly her feet were on the ground and she worried herself for a moment with adjusting her clothes. Shorts, T shirt with glitter and her necklace that matched it. Finger bones covered in sparkly crap from the arts and crafts store. It made the bits of people look less real. Humans stared, thought it was child's whimsy out on display and smiled shaking their heads while thinking "ahh...kids. They do the darnest things." If only they knew the truth.

With her hand in Tino's larger one, Crawly gave the tent a once over, her little lips pressing into a semblance of a pout. She bet her necklace there were no snowcones in there, like she was promised. But adults will do as adults will and always do weird shit that didn't made sense to her. She wanted something, she took it, she had it. They talked about it. Who knows why. Still, she let Tino lead her to the tend, just nodding absently at the bone comment. What concerned her were the smells that were coming from within. Spicy and full of something heavy. The scent positively slithered down her throat like mercury. Coating her taste buds with its sticky flavor. Glancing up at Tino, Crawly flashed a happy smile, adults like it when she smiled, and stepped inside, shivering as the wash of warmth slid over her skin. Creepy. She LOVED it!

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

He would get the little snake what he promised her, he was not one to go back on his word. But this was a little piece of home, and he wanted a taste of it. He felt the little ones hesitation, eyes dropping to her, coming to a complete stop. "Are you alright, il mio angelo scuro?" He did not want the child uncomfortable in any way, and if the tent did that, he would not venture further into it and just get her the promised snow cone.

That was when the dark carameled coloured woman stepped out into the light, her blind eyes settling upon Tino. She had seen Tino, but not with her eyes, but with some darker power that Tino could feel crawling along his skin. He glanced to Crawly to see if she felt it, or if it was just him. Eyes flicked back to her when she moved closer, murmmering something in Hatian, a brow quirking up.

"We just wanted to see what you had for wares." He wasn't sure what he wanted any more as she came to a stop before them both, the sightless eyes focusing on Crawly now. Such a beauty is hidden there within her to be untapped at the right age.

"Si, Priestess, I agree. She will rival those near her."

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

My but her ears were burning. Crawly didn't speak a lick of Italian, or what ever language the woman spoke. It didn't sound entirely unlike the tongue of the Aborigines from home. The sights the smells, the bones and stones almost made her feel like home. The scent was different, but underneath it all it was all the same. Earth and Blood magic. Something as old as time if not older. Time was a relatively recent concept if you wanted to take into account all the scientific discoveries made in the past few cen.... Sparklies!

Crawly's eyes were glued to the black bits of Jet that laid spread out on a colorful rag. It had symbols on it and if they meant something to someone, it wasn't Crawly. Grinning she fingered a little shiny, it was as slim as a bone and came to a sharp point. It was like a dagger made of volcanic glass. Maybe Tino would get it for her? With a tilt of her head she turned the full power of those pretty gray eyes on the Vampire, her dark hair like a frame for the expression as it cascaded around her face. Lifting the little bit of blackness she wiggled it between her fingers at the Vamp, curious to see if he'd fork over the dough for it. Of course he would. As if he wouldn't. Hah. Crawly made herself grin with that thought. The last comment from the Voodoo lady made Crawly blink as she frowned at the two adults. They were talking about her. Adults did that, a lot. "I'm not little, I'm almost ten!" It came out a little louder than necessary, and maybe just a touch on the bratty side. But damnit, she was almost ten!

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

Tino listened to the woman, knowing she was not some dimestore priestess trying to make a buck, she was real and he could feel it dripping off of her. Tongue swept lips as the swirling eyes looked to Crawly as she held up a little trinket. He was about to agree to it, but the Vodun Priestess gently took it from her hand and set it down. Tsk tsk, child. You need something befit a princess... Here, take this. She was handed an obsidian athame, razor sharp, at the edge of the handle was the face of Kali, Goddess of Death. For the hilt, two quartz crystals on either side, wrapped in bronze with baby rose pearls. Dead center was an ancient amber chunk.

(http://www.cherylbriggs.net/images/IMG_2677%20edited.jpg)

This will bring you luck one day, Gabriella. It will protect you when you least expect it, and that which you love. Protect thye cold one before you, then he will always take care of you. You take care of Kali and she will serve you til the end of time. The priestess lifted up and looked to Tino, as if she was looking into the very depths of his soul. You feel too much pain, Pilate. You must let go of the past to have a future. Not all is lost, unless you refuse to see it for what it is. She reached out beside him and plucked an item off of the table and held it out for him. I believe this was yours, Senator. Taking the item from her, he almost gasped. It was the ring of his first General, who had struck down Jesus in the square, against his wishes, asking the crowd if they would die for him. Tino killed the man for it, but well, we all know how that history went.

He placed the ring on his right hand ring finger and went to say thank you to the woman, but she had vanished. Looking to Crawly, brows furrowed with a shrug as he offered her his hand once more. "Want that snow cone now?"

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

Crawly watched as her pretty was snatched away. Opening her mouth she was getting ready to protest or spit venom or say something venomous, but the woman pretty much rendered that impossible when Crawly was handed a knife. Excuse me, athame. Gray eyes shifted to black as she stared at the sharp and pointy thing in her hand. It downright, felt nice. Despite being an object it felt warm, and if Crawly concentrated on it, the child could have sworn she felt it vibrate between her fingers. Immediately she wanted to shove the blade into someone. Looking from the priestess to Tino, she didn't know who it was meant for first. Right now any warm body would do. Licking her lips, Crawly took a step towards the dark skinned woman, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards before the woman...was gone.

That took the child by surprise. Frowning she stared at the spot where the other was supposed to be and just blinked. The blade went quiet, clearly just as stunned. Or maybe it never hummed in the first place. When Tino spoke, Crawly sheathed the thing, and stuck it into the belt loop of her shorts, letting it hang there like a sword of old. It looked pretty damn fake unless someone took a closer look. Not that they would, Kids wore the darnest things these days. Blame Harry Potter and MTV. Flashing those little teeth at Tino, Crawly reached out, finding his cool hand with hers as she nodded eagerly. "And hot dog, and cotton candy, and deep fried sssssssssnickerssssss bar." She was a growing girl with a growing appetite.

Flashing back to the words, she kind of had to wonder as to what she could possibly protect Tino from. He was an adult, and from what the TV said about vampires, he was probably older than Mommy...Still. Tilting her head to the side, Crawly looked over at Tino. Maybe she could put him in a cage like people did to exotic pets. They were safe in cages, right? But wait she was being impolite as Crawly forced that shit eating grin off her face and tried to simply smile instead. "There anything you want to drinnnnnnnnnnk?"

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

Tino led Crawly out from the tent and breathed in a rather deep breath, as unneeded as it was. That had unnerved him some, though he was not about to let the little one know. She seemed very pleased with the gift that the Voodoo Priestess had given her. Guiding her towards the food area, he watched her and the others around him, though his thoughts ocassionally steered towards the ring he now wore. It had been centuries since he had laid eyes on the bauble, though to him it represented so much more.

"Here we are, cara." He let her order what ever it was her heart desired, paid for it and ventured towards the picnic tables with her treats to let her sit and feast. Was he thirsty? Si, he was very thirsty. This little gift had made him hunger, out of the past resurfacing once more. "I cannot partake of your drink, cara, though I wish I could." Fingers gently caressed her cheek, brushing the hair out of her eyes, such tenderness from a man like him. Even his eyes beheld a moment of tenderness to the child, which was odd for him.

"Do you know who the Goddess Kali is, bella?" He looked around him then back to the child, watching her shovel the food into her mouth.

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

Once the two left the tent, Crawly managed to find all that stored energy within her little body, that she didn't use up on walking when she rode piggy back on Tino's shoulders. So to better spent that energy the child skipped. It was a tricky maneuver, with one hand attached to the vampire, she had to leap frog from one spot to the other till they reached the food stands. There the child partook to her little heart's content. What she really wanted now was something with a bit more flesh on it's bones, but something laden with sugar and empty calories was just as good. She could always get something more "nutritional" later.

With her little tray full of deep fried evil goodness, Crawly settled down to much. Something about the Lycan constitution insured that she could pig out and not get sick. So with the single intent of stuffing her face, Crawly went to work. Chips, and soda, and cotton candy, and something deep fried and filled with chocolate and dough and..."Kalee? No..." She even took a moment to think about that. "No, what's a Kalee?" Lifting her head, Crawly stared at the dead man as she wiped her mouth clean with the back of her hand before cleaning that against the pantleg of her shorts. But discreetly. She wasn't entirely without manners. When he spoke, Crawly descided that she did not want to sit across from him, but be closer. The bench wasn't nearly as comfortable as say a ...lap.

Moving faster than a human child should have, Crawly slipped around the table, and made herself a home to call her own, on Tino's lap. Once again her teeth flashed in a happy little grin as she slid her skinny arms around his neck, using it as leverage to keep from slipping off as she turned those big gray eyes on full power and stared at the vampire. "Will you tell me a ssssstory about her?" There was almost a note of pleading in her hissing little voice as she settled in to make herself more comfortable. He was cooler now, like her own little air conditioner in the muggy night air. And Bonus. Story time!

beauty never dies · il morte fa parte

He let that cool aura circle Crawly, enjoying her company emmensly. She wasn't afraid of him, nor minded who he was, or the fact he had a turbulant past with half the people in Hawaii. She was still a child, uninfluenced by the minds of others, and their opinions, she would forge her own. As she crawled up onto his lap and wrapped tiny arms around his neck, he gave her a heart felt smile, fingers of free hand to brush the hair from her eyes once more, the other to wrap about her waist, keeping her securely there.

"A story about Kali?" Lips persed, as if he was debating on whether or not to divulge on such precious things as Kali. "Well, bella, Kali is a Goddess of the Hindu religion, bent on Death and Destruction. The name Kali means 'force of Kala or time' which makes all things transient." He looked around them, gaze stopping on several people who paused to watch the man who could stop traffic being so careful and doting on a child like he was. His focus returned to Crawly, the irridescent silver eyes searching her face as he spoke.

"In Kali's most famous myth, Durga and her assistants, Matrikas, wound the demon Raktabija, in various ways and with a variety of weapons, in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation, as for every drop of blood that is spilt from Raktabija the demon reproduces a copy of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates. Durga, in dire need of help, summons Kali to combat the demons. It is also said that Goddess Durga takes the form of Goddess Kali at this time." Tino's voice becomes very animated as he tells her the story of Kali and her bloodthirsty ways, several people stopping and gathering around them, interested in what he has to say, many seeming as if they are hanging onto his very words.

"Kali destroys Raktabija by sucking the blood from his body and putting the many Raktabija duplicates in her gaping mouth. Pleased with her victory, Kali then dances on the field of battle, stepping on the corpses of the slain. Her consort Shiva lies among the dead beneath her feet. It is said that Kali, becoming drunk on the blood of her victims on the battlefield, dances with destructive frenzy. In her fury she fails to see the body of her husband Shiva who lies among the corpses on the battlefield.Ultimately the cries of Shiva attract Kali's attention, calming her fury. As a sign of her shame at having disrespected her husband in such a fashion, Kali sticks out her tongue. Which she becomes famous for."

A little shrug is given as he looks to Crawly. "Shiva was asked to kill Kali at one point in time."

Crawly · Creepy Crawly

Once settled comfortably Crawly's attention was all for the vampire. Who knew the lap of a dead man could be so comfortable? Pale, gray eyes watched those gathering around them. Mostly women, with a man here and there, their eyes as big and wide as plates. Like retarded baby seals just waiting to be clubbed. Somewhere half way through the story, Crawly felt herself drifting away, focusing instead on things around them. The smells and sounds of the Carnival, the stench of humanity with it's both tasty and repugnant flavors rolled into one. The warmth that tingled her skin from those gathered, everything was pulling her senses each and every way till Tino finally came to a part in a story that the child liked. Blood and fighting.

That got her attention. With her little face scrunched up in a frown of concentration she watched Tino tell the tale. And...questions began to rise in the little one's head. And as they came to her head, they went straight out of her mouth "But if Shiva was dead how could she hear him crying out?" It was a valid question, at least she thought so, but when he hit upon the sticking out of the tongue, oh the child laughed then as she stuck out her own tongue and made a disgusting groaning sound at a couple who were getting a little too close to them and giggled. Was it juvenile? Yes, but considering Crawly's age was still in the single digits, it felt just right. "Ssssso then what happened? Did Sssshiva kill Kali? ... And if ssssshe killed him how could he kill her?" Oh the questions that made the world spin they were.