#gothic first chapter

[coopsgirl]

Vampire Thranduil-awesome!

Blood - Chapter 1

A vampire story that will feature many characters on either side of the divide between life and death.

Here's the first chapter...

Words: 1,3k

Warnings: a little unsettling, a tad suggestive...it's a vampire story, what did you expect :p ?

Chapter 1: Thranduil

Aggie touched a tentative hand to the back of her sore head; she had fallen hard onto the cold ground, veined with tangled roots, and covered in sharp stones that mercilessly dug into her tender flesh.

Struggling to her feet, she blinked a few times but the uncanny impression of having been thrown into a flat, painted scene didn’t abate; everything around her – the forest, the hard-packed earth beneath her feet, the dark sky overhead – struck her as uncomfortably static.

It was as if time simply stopped existing in the pervasive shadow of the tall trees that stood motionless around her, like malevolent sentinels.

As she narrowed her eyes in distrust and confusion, her gaze was inexorably drawn to a narrow path winding through the impenetrable obscurity ahead; it was akin to a faint ray of light cutting through a menacing labyrinth and her body moved towards it before her mind could even clear completely.

Weary and more than just a little scared, she pressed on tirelessly, her eyes glued to the forest floor – littered with dead leaves and tiny twigs – until she suddenly could feel the silver moonlight pour over her head like a shower of light.

She had no idea where she was and how she had managed to stray so far from the route she had mapped out in her head prior to her departure; ever vigilant, Aggie had of course heard tales of the man-eating forest she’d have to pass by and had resolved not to set foot into it if she could help it.

“Don’t even look at it,” the elderly aunt she had visited had warned her, “strange things happen within that wood!”

Starting early and making good time, Aggie had been confident that she’d reach the small village on the edge of the vast woodlands before nightfall, but somehow, she must have gotten turned around.

It was only then, after musing pointlessly about her uneventful and tiring day, that she realised that she had been walking for many an hour and that she had reached a clearing, bathing in a pearlescent shimmer that told her that it was the dead of night and she was no closer to finding her way back than before.

At the far end of the slightly oblong space, the boughs of the old trees seemed to tangle into a sort of natural awning that plunged the ground beneath them into inky blackness.

For a moment, she thought she heard the echoes of a song and the hint of woodsmoke caress her tired senses and – once again – she was set in motion by forces beyond her own reckoning.

Not long after, she reached a stair braided out of old, creaking roots that led ever downward.

Every fibre of her being objected to being drawn under the earth never to surface again, but a leaden fatigue descended upon her now and the idea of finding shelter for the night became so overwhelmingly appealing that she ventured on.

As soon as her nimble right foot touched solid earth again, lights flared up as if her mere presence had ignited the torches lining a high corridor that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

“No,” she mumbled, but – even to her own ears – her voice sounded feeble and muffled by the ambient silence that had a positively physical weight to it as it settled on her shivering frame.

Aggie knew not if it was her weariness or a trick of the light, but the corridor seemed to contract and shorten before her very eyes; she now could make out an intricately carved and richly decorated double door and – despite her better knowledge – she hastened towards it.

As if they had sensed her approach, the doors swung open noiselessly.

Stumbling once more, Aggie found herself in a dimly lit room – cavernous and huge – that was as devoid of life or movement as the rest of this accursed forest.

“Hello?” she called tentatively and shrank back as she caught a movement ahead.

Stepping into a pale ray of light falling through an opening in the dark ceiling that seemed comprised of roots and packed earth, the most marvellous creature she had ever beheld extended his arms as if in welcome.

“Good evening,” the being said in a voice that reminded her of the terrible wrath of an unleashed river, “little one. I am Thranduil, Lord of these Halls.”

Thranduil, Aggie thought with a shiver of apprehension, was as white as if someone had poured pure starlight into the approximate shape of a man; his long, gleaming hair flowed like water down broad shoulders and his piercing eyes shone with a cold light. 

From this distance, everything about him seemed unnaturally pale; he looked colourless as if someone had drained him of all the usual signs and tokens of life and there was something distinctly frightening about the stiff elegance of his movements that gave the impression that he was holding his breath to avoid moving so swiftly that he’d blur like lightning cutting through the darkness.

“You look tired,” he went on when she didn’t reply, “allow me to offer a humble repast to a very welcome traveller.”

Aggie felt herself nod – amazed and entranced – and step forward at his discreet beckoning motion. 

Servants materialised out of the shadows, laying out a marvellous feast on a low table that she had not seen upon entering the ever-shifting room. Candles were brought in and lit by eager hands, but Aggie’s mind was cloaked in an obscuring fog.

“Come now,” Thranduil urged, “and tell me of the world outside.” The way his eyes – grey as an overcast sky and yet iridescent with reds and violets – flitted over the bare skin of her wrists and throat made her flinch, but she was overcome with a ravenous hunger such as she had never known before all of a sudden.

Everything about this place terrified her and yet, she could not muster either the courage or the will to stand and leave.

Moreover, Thranduil was compelling in his motionless, rapt attentiveness so she told him more about herself, her movements, her family, and her village than was rationally advisable.

An orphan, an unmarried woman, lost and alone in a strange forest, she all but screamed her own vulnerability at him.

“Indeed,” he purred, leaning forward eagerly. “You will make a great addition to my coven. If you would be so good as to follow me to my rooms; I have some truly excellent wine set aside for situations like this one.”

“Will I die?” Aggie asked brazenly, struggling against the supernatural sense of calm and comfort radiating from the sharply smiling creature. If these were her last moments of motion, sound, and colour, she would embrace the frantic beating of her heart and savour every second of blood-curdling fear if that was all that was left to her.

“Die?” Thranduil laughed, revealing sharp teeth that glittered like blades in the flickering candlelight, “oh no! Everything but that. I will make you mine. I will steal you.”

“Steal me?” Aggie echoed in a hollow voice; she was nobody’s property and she had made that quite clear, or at least she thought that she had.

“You’re one of theirs,” Thranduil smirked, “and I will poach you, if only to see which one of those terribly distasteful monsters they’ll send to retrieve such a treasure.”

Curiosity now drove Aggie to follow him; not only was she almost certain that he was some unholy demon – frozen in time forevermore – but she had apparently been rubbing elbows with his kind before. 

She had a good idea who, in her immediate vicinity, could be meant by his cryptic words and she was desperate to find out if she was right.

So, that was the first chapter...Stay tuned to see how this goes on!

-> Chapter 2

[secundareforged]

Adored!

And such went last departure of our delicate elation - till further time, till next of morn.

Next day first chapter to be spoken out, a crawling of tall feather - please do so hither come onward, for us to share and shed along!<ззз

[will-the-ghosts-go-away]

me coming up with different backstories for eglee

[greenerteacups]

Hey GT! Do you hope to be a published author someday? What would you write?

No, I don't! Writing is a beloved hobby for me, but I don't aspire to publish. Fanfic scratches the writerly itch without putting too much pressure on the output, not least because I'm not asking people to pay for my work. It also means I don't have deadlines or expectations of output except those that are self-imposed. It's a nice middle-ground between locking up my projects in a secret folder on my desktop, never to be glimpsed by human eyes, and pitching my naked heart like a fastball in the general direction of the English-speaking universe.

If I ever had an idea for an original novel that I liked enough to finish it, I might try my hand at getting it published, but I see a bit of a difference between that and wanting to be a published writer. Like, if it happens, great; if it doesn't, I'll be just as happy.

[skeletonpoett]

Henry Wotton is the Mean Girl of gothic literature

[quaranmine]

what is the tumble town gothic au? i am interested 👀

aha! tumble town gothic is a wip that i have had since...august of last year. i've only written 4k of it and have completely and utterly been able to come up with a workable plot instead of just some loose ideas strung together. however, last week i sort of had some new ideas for it so it might be back in the running? as a workable plot?

calling it "tumble town gothic" (which might as well be the real title at this point lsdjfslkfj) is in reference to all those tumblr posts that would be like [location] gothic and have somewhat unsettling things listed. i once described this au to a friend in discord and was told it sounded a bit like nightvale. while writing it, i felt like it reminded me of the episode Midnight in doctor who (and fanfic i read once in another fandom.)

strange things happen in tumble town. there is a creature living there, who has lived there since the very mountains were raised up. tumble town knows it is real--other than that, only pixl knows of it and only within ancient myths, not real life. we never get a good description of what it is because that in itself would be revealing it, and my friend this is an entire fic about not revealing yourself. the creature keeps the town safe. most who enter the valleys and canyons of the mesa do not make it back. those who attempt to heist the town's bank do not make it back. tumble town never receives invaders, because those people do not make it back.

the mesa was here before you, and it will be after you. the creature was here before you, and it will be after you. respect is absolutely key in tumble town--the survival of the town is predicated on it. they respect the land, they respect the creature, they respect each other. respect is also a very real matter of life or death to jimmy, because the continued existence of tumble town depends on it. the creature does not intentionally protect tumble town--tumble town simply exists because it has crafted its entire way of life around keeping the Things in the desert pleased. if the town were to stop respecting the creature, they'd also be killed.

you should never show your true face--you won't be killed if it thinks you aren't human :)

[wetcatspellcaster]

Ok you def dont have to answer this if its spoiler-y, but im dying to know what condition you think the underground room for rose is in; is it covered in dust because he made it and then couldnt bring himself to visit it after, or is it spotless and kept up because visits it when missing her and holds out hope she could return at anytime....? 👀

Hey anon! Thank you for your ask!

So the answer to this one isn't spoiler-y, nor is it perhaps as spicy as you were hoping. The entire upper floor of the dungeon, with it's new aesthetic, is a lie wilfully held in place by a lot of enchantment/illusion magic (Rose didn't cast Detect Magic, the whole floor would've lit up). In order to keep up that facade of sterile perfection and keep the shadow of Cazador at bay, there is a lot of magic at work to keep that entire place clean, spotless, and seemingly un-cursed. So the room is by definition spotless.

But in answer to your question... the bedsheets were freshly changed? :-)

[hazysayonoria-themultifandomer]

I FINISHED FINALS YAYYYYYYYYYYYY

I'm finally free from hell 😭

In honor of FINALLY finishing 8th grade after what felt like a decade,I shall show one of my bendy ocs

Her names chloe ! She was my first bendy oc,first fandom oc,and first ever oc

(I totally didn't decide to show her after redesigning her for the 10283747383th time)

She can hide her wings and halo !!!

Different poses

3/4 has no wings or halo because she perfers hiding them

Even after all these years of her existence since I created her when I was 7,She is still shipped with our good boy sammy (YES,OC X CANON,SHUT UP)

Old design before redesigning her today

There's more older designs,I'll probably show em when I find em

Anyway,I'll probably be playing bendy : secrets of the machine soon !! Maybe later today or tomorrow when I have free time,most likely tomorrow 10pm or 11pm GMT+3 (Egypt time)

I'll add my channel link in my bio and pinned message after I post this

[livlepretre]

When you get a comment on chapter 13 that FE is too fucked up to be read, knowing that that’s not even the tip of the iceberg

[mycological-mariner]

I read the first two chapters of my book to my brother who only had this to say: “Why do you like making fake people’s lives suck?”

[godlizzza]

another sneak peak

“It would seem then,” began he slowly, “that you saved my life.”

“Oh, doubtless I saved your life,” answered West easily. The smile he gave Dan was a slow, curling thing, stretching across his pallid cheeks while his eyes remained wide and fixed on him. “Thanks are not necessary.”

[watcher0033]

Foreordained (91622 words) by shounen_to_satsujinsha Chapters: 14/? Fandom: 僕だけがいない街 | Boku dake ga Inai Machi | ERASED (Anime & Manga) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Fujinuma Satoru/Yashiro Gaku Characters: Fujinuma Satoru, Yashiro Gaku, Kobayashi Kenya, Katagiri Airi, Hinazuki Kayo, Sugita Mirai, Sugita Hiromi, Kitamaru Kumi, Fujinuma Sachiko, Sawada Makoto, Kazu (ERASED), Osamu (ERASED), Nakanishi Aya, Yanagihara Misato Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Canon - Anime, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Manga Elements, Another Record Elements Summary:

They were truly alone here, together, for the first time in nine years, no strangers to eavesdrop, and Satoru couldn't help but feel like he's taken back to that hospital roof in 2003, damp air and the smell of rain and drops of water stuck glittering like marbles in the spider web.

 ...The person in front of him was a dead man. His ending was inevitable. Satoru knew death row took a while to be executed, but how long would it take, three more years, ten more years? Yashiro would receive his final punishment for taking these lives, and that would be that. No epilogue.

"Actually," Satoru said, "there is one thing. The one thing I can reveal to you and only you."

Bookmarker's Notes:

They are a true OTP of obsessive little freaks

[bembembembis]

reading summer sons by lee mandelo ( and oh my god !!! / positive) however its making me want to reread these violent delights ( by micah nemerever not the other one) which i feel is an accurate representation of where my mental health is at rn lol.

[polysprachig]

30.09.2023 | Dracula lesson prep by hand for spooky season 🧛‍♂️🏰🦇

Illustration from Fernando Vincente's Illustrated Dracula

Imho the design is a bit too cute for how wild the contents of this scene from Harker's journal are, but sometimes you have to work with what you've got. Recently, I've been relying too heavily on standard doc apps, so I thought to test out different applications to format the student worksheets until the end of the year and see what else is out there. It's been super fun so far. Yes, I know how boring that must sound.

[malusokay]

5 Classics for girly girls 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Emily of New Moon

The bittersweet process of growing up and finding where you truly belong... The perfect read for the start of a new school year. After her father’s death, Emily Starr is sent to live with her snobbish relatives at New Moon farm. Thrust into an unfamiliar and often cold environment, Emily faces numerous challenges. However, as time passes, she begins to adapt and discovers the beauty in her surroundings. With the support of her new friends—Teddy, Perry, and Ilse—Emily not only finds solace but also discovers her own creative talents, helping her carve out a place for herself in this new chapter of her life.

“If it's IN you to climb you must -- there are those who MUST lift their eyes to the hills -- they can't breathe properly in the valleys.”

Jane Eyre

A true classic for all my fellow gothic-lit enthusiasts, Jane Eyre, reminds us that everyone deserves a love that consumes, challenges, and transforms the very core of your being, offering both profound joy and deep heartache (we love a good situationsship). Following Jane Eyre, an orphaned and mistreated girl who endures a harsh upbringing but grows into a strong, independent woman. As she takes a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall, she encounters the enigmatic Mr. Rochester, sparking a profound and tumultuous romance. Their intense connection is marred by secrets and personal demons, revealing the complexities of their relationship.

“Jane, be still; don't struggle so like a wild, frantic bird, that is rending its own plumage in its desperation." "I am no bird, and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will; which I now exert to leave you.”

The Secret Garden

Mary Lennox, a spoiled and neglected girl, is sent to live with her uncle after the death of her parents. Initially ill-tempered and withdrawn, Mary’s curiosity is sparked by rumours of a hidden, abandoned garden on the estate. As she explores and begins to restore this secret garden, she experiences a beautiful shift (glow-up era). The once gloomy and sickly Mary starts to bloom alongside the garden, rediscovering happiness, vibrancy, and a sense of belonging, making the story a heartwarming tale of growth and recovery.

“At first, people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done--then it is done, and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago.”

Pride and Prejudice

Truly a classic that has shaped my romantic expectations hahah... Elizabeth Bennet battles societal expectations and her own misjudgments in 19th-century England. When the aloof Mr Darcy (he'd totally be a ghoster in the 21st century just saying...) first crosses her path, their initial encounters are fraught with tension and misunderstanding. However, as Elizabeth delves deeper, she uncovers the complexities of Darcy’s character and her own heart.

“I could no longer help saying that I loved him. I loved him not only for his sake but for his own sake. I loved him because he was the only person who had ever really loved me for myself. I loved him because he had made me feel that I was worthy of being loved.”

The Little Prince

A young, otherworldly prince from a tiny planet travels across the universe, meeting various inhabitants and learning profound life lessons. His journey brings him to Earth, where he encounters a stranded pilot and shares his reflections on love, loss, and the essence of human connections. Through whimsical adventures and encounters, The Little Prince explores the importance of seeing with the heart rather than the eyes and reminds us of the value of friendship and innocence.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched; they are felt with the heart.”

you guys asked for more academia/book stuff so I thought this might be a nice start, especially since I know that many of you are just getting into classics; these are all very much suitable for beginners!! <3

love ya ･:*₊‧✩

[neil-gaiman]

Hiya Neil! You seem to be the only author who gives actually good advice so do you mind if I ask for some? I’ve had severe writers block for almost a year now and I still don’t know what happens in chapter two and it’s seriously doing my head in. I’m writing a gothic mystery but I still don’t even know who my antagonist is! Not to be dramatic but my brain is collapsing I’ll take any advice you’ve got

Write an outline. Write down everything you know that happens in your book (it doesn't have to be complicated. Jack is turned into a ferret. The bank robbery is a disaster. The moon explodes. )

Then reread what you have written so far pretending you've never read it before. Add anything that occurs to you to your outline. Jack expects to be transformed into a ferret but instead becomes a wereferret, only transforming by moonlight.

Then push forward. If there's a bit you are stuck on then skip it for now and come back to it on your next draft.

Remember that you are telling yourself the story on your first draft. Later you can make it look like you knew what you were doing all along.