A Red Door: Chapter 2

The amp crackled to life. Wesley wailed Nirvana's "You Know You're Right" mercilessly on his guitar. His  anger slowly began to leek out of his fingers, into the instrument. Into the music. By the end of the song, the feeling had left, leaving him emotionally washed-out. An inner liquid state. He swayed, still hearing the notes that had long died off. There was a finality to it.  Muttering inaudibly, he placed the guitar in its stand. He started off toward the kitchen, dragging his bare feet. A serious case of man-eater-munchies had consumed him like nobody's business.1

Once like a torrent of glass beads breaking on tile, the rain had died down to a mist. October's chill air gnashed its teeth at the lone woman standing on the veranda. Avigayle hugged her hoodie closer to her body, sipped her steaming hot chocolate in solemn quiet. Her bitterness was melting away to sorrow. A longing for something she would not wholly have. Wesley. The torrid sigh let loose from her lips blew the white plume of steam from her cup into oblivion. Perhaps she thought too much about these things. Yes, of course. But this didn't bring her solace. It only made her inner demons come to life, more than they had before. Never before had she been more aware of herself. And she desperately wished it would go away. For it occurred to her that she hated herself. In anger and confusion, for her and her beloved, she brought her coffee mug down hard on the railing of the veranda. It shattered. With a fluid motion, she kicked a piece of the mug off the edge viciously. Unfortunately, she slipped on the wetness beneath her feet, sending her falling on her rear. She didn't bother to get up. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she sobbed aloud.2

The sky rumbled, a deep sound that shook the house to it's foundations. Avigayle raised her head. It wasn't thunder. There was a metallic ring to it. Gong-like. The wind picked up. It was stronger, warmer. In fact, it was scalding hot. The hair blown back from her face, Avigayle could see the dark clouds open up, revealing an even darker tunnel, buzzing with white lightening. A faint whistling could be heard above the clashing noise. It continued to get louder.3

That's when the griffin came. It was an enormous thing, ebony feathers glittering like smoky quartz in the flashes of lightening. Sharp with an iridescent sheen. It came barreling out of the sky, spiraling downward. It let out a shriek, clacked its beak. Talons outstretched.4

What was more impressive than the griffin, was its rider. Clad in ebony armor, from head to toe, like some menacing beetle. It carried a sword, long and glinting. It seemed as though the rider was pointing at something with it. 5

The woman could tell what its target was. Fear pinned her to the floor.  The huge beast lowered itself rather gracefully, despite its bulk. It hovered a moment while its rider dismounted to stand on the veranda. It then glided off to perch on the roof, glaring at Avigayle with hateful yellow eyes.6

The animal's master removed its helmet. A thin face with clear aquamarine eyes stared back at her. His hair was cut short, and like that of an ashy blond, with more of a cinnamon color to it. His nose was straight, and neither too broad, or too narrow. In short, he was quite good looking.7

"What is thy name?" his voice was casual. Shakily, the woman forced herself to respond.8

"Avigayle. And who are you?" She tried to shake the caution from her words, but it remained. Though her features were kept untouched by the bubbling uncertainty that was raging in the pit of her stomach.9

"Teivel," he said simply, tilting his head to one side. He extended his hand to her. "I ask of you, please come away from this place." The tone he used was sincere. And she well believed it. With a nod from her, the mysterious Teivel called down his griffin. Taking his hand, Avigayle mounted the beast. And she was taken away to a great castle in the sky where she lived in happiness for many days.10