She uncurled from her fetal position and rose up on her arms, the stones slick under her palms. The water dripped, and dark shadows of buildings surrounded her, but nothing else. She sniffed the air.
There it was, a soft scent of blooming flowers, with an edge of decay and death to the perfume. A vase of lilies that had sat out for too long, the stems rotting in the moisture.
Nothing had frozen her more than the sound of the whimpering babe, until now. Fear gripped her, and for a moment she thought she was awake instead of in a nightmare.
From Dead As Dreams, Chapter 2 (novel currently in the revision process)
About Dead As Dreams:
Dreams are in danger and souls are chained to the earth. Aysa, the Shepherd of Dreams, and Lazarus, a spirit seeker, join forces to restore the balance between dreams and nightmares and life and death. They face a rogue spirit seeker and a manipulator of nightmares--both intent on unhinging the world, but there is yet another pulling the strings.
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Lots of good description here...enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with T.M. here - great sensory descriptors used throughout, especially since it's a dream. Helps blur reality. Great snippet.
ReplyDeleteGreat details! I especially liked the description of the scent in the air.
ReplyDeleteVery vivid, and with the underlying sense of doom, despair, and a teeny bit of scary. I likey!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent description. I love the use of scent and the twist of reminding herself that it's only a dream. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, all! =)
ReplyDeleteCreepy, made creepier with the baby. Intriguing, want to follow this character.
ReplyDeleteA really vivid scene. The description is surreal and definitely reminds me of having a nightmare.
ReplyDelete