Ghost of You
A Perfect Picture
"Thank you for the meal, Gerard." The Master's voice was much better now as he dropped the husk of a body that had once held the soul of a child. Gerard didn't even flinch, as he once would have, at the sight of the now dead child; its sickly grey body on the floor of his underground home. His Master reached out to caress his cheek, giving Gerard pleasure. "Now, I would enjoy a walk through my home. On the surface."
"Master, I don't think you're yet strong enough." Gerard began, only to be smacked by his Master across the face. It had been centuries since he'd spoken to his master for any length of time, and he had spent large amounts of time on the surface learning from this new age of humans. Defiance had come naturally to the Thrall, but he had to hide it now that his Master was yet again awake. Defiance would mean his death, or banishment from his beloved Master.
"I will walk on the surface, with you to guide me, and we shall do it soon." The Master said in a quiet and deadly tone. "And you would do well to remember who you are speaking to, Thrall." The disdain in his Master's voice broke Gerard's heart for a moment before he steeled his resolve and stood straight, with a nod. "I will, from the look of your way of clothing yourself, need to change my attire. Do you have something from this age, whatever the age is, that will fit me."
"I have prepared for your awakening every decade, as it seems humans change their way of dress so often. The way of talking, too, has changed Master. I fear if you talk to someone for too long you will give yourself away. I beg of you, servant to Master, to be careful with whom you converse." Gerard said as he walked to a beautiful Rosewood armoire to grab clothes for his Master.
"I won't be on the surface long enough to do anything of the sort. So long as the child you snatched will not be missed for a little while, I will be upon the surface long enough to grab a… a guide… to this age. I find myself rather lost, and although I trust you and know I shall learn from your experiences out of our home," The Master stopped with a laugh, seeing his Gerard stiffen with his knowledge of the betrayal of leaving- if only for a while. "I will always know where you go, even when I am sleeping. I know you left, for periods, and returned. You did well, Gerard, so I will not punish you."
"Thank you Master." Gerard said as he handed his Master clothes that would fit in completely with the younger people of the age. They were tight fitted, dark, and had bright words on them that were all names of bands of the current years. Not that Gerard had ever listened to them, his researched had stopped there, as he'd only wished to make his Master fit in better with the humans for his often excursions out of their home. "You will need to cut your hair, and I have gotten rather good at the styles of today. If you will allow me, Master…"
"If you can be quick about it, Gerard. We have little time."
As Gerard hurried to get the things he would need to make his Master look proper for the era, using the speed he'd gained as a non-human, he thought. Why would his Master require a guide? He'd never used a guide before, not as he had known. The other Thralls, all of whom had died over the years, had not known their Master to keep a guide. For humans, as the ages passed, would not know the new era. And would then be disposed of.
What was his Master up to?
It took around fifteen minutes to complete his Master's hair, leaving the front longer than the back and allowing the natural dark brown to stand out against the paleness of his skin. One could barely tell the hair wasn't black at first, and that saved Gerard dyeing his Master's hair. The front, or bangs, of the haircut hung low on his Master's face and partially obscured one eye. But it looked just like the fashion of younger men; Emo or Scene the humans called it. Which worked best, as his Master did not have the look of anything but those fashion types anymore. Two hundred years in the dark had created a beautifully pale picture.
"We must go, Gerard. I feel my guide is preparing to leave, and I cannot allow that. I am not yet strong enough to leave the grounds here, and I must have my guide." And with that Gerard and his Master ran towards the opening of their home. With each step the Master felt himself coming closer and closer to the soul that had awakened him from his slumber. This one soul, beautiful in its human imperfections, was the one he had been waiting for.
The perfect soul for him.
"Master, I don't think you're yet strong enough." Gerard began, only to be smacked by his Master across the face. It had been centuries since he'd spoken to his master for any length of time, and he had spent large amounts of time on the surface learning from this new age of humans. Defiance had come naturally to the Thrall, but he had to hide it now that his Master was yet again awake. Defiance would mean his death, or banishment from his beloved Master.
"I will walk on the surface, with you to guide me, and we shall do it soon." The Master said in a quiet and deadly tone. "And you would do well to remember who you are speaking to, Thrall." The disdain in his Master's voice broke Gerard's heart for a moment before he steeled his resolve and stood straight, with a nod. "I will, from the look of your way of clothing yourself, need to change my attire. Do you have something from this age, whatever the age is, that will fit me."
"I have prepared for your awakening every decade, as it seems humans change their way of dress so often. The way of talking, too, has changed Master. I fear if you talk to someone for too long you will give yourself away. I beg of you, servant to Master, to be careful with whom you converse." Gerard said as he walked to a beautiful Rosewood armoire to grab clothes for his Master.
"I won't be on the surface long enough to do anything of the sort. So long as the child you snatched will not be missed for a little while, I will be upon the surface long enough to grab a… a guide… to this age. I find myself rather lost, and although I trust you and know I shall learn from your experiences out of our home," The Master stopped with a laugh, seeing his Gerard stiffen with his knowledge of the betrayal of leaving- if only for a while. "I will always know where you go, even when I am sleeping. I know you left, for periods, and returned. You did well, Gerard, so I will not punish you."
"Thank you Master." Gerard said as he handed his Master clothes that would fit in completely with the younger people of the age. They were tight fitted, dark, and had bright words on them that were all names of bands of the current years. Not that Gerard had ever listened to them, his researched had stopped there, as he'd only wished to make his Master fit in better with the humans for his often excursions out of their home. "You will need to cut your hair, and I have gotten rather good at the styles of today. If you will allow me, Master…"
"If you can be quick about it, Gerard. We have little time."
As Gerard hurried to get the things he would need to make his Master look proper for the era, using the speed he'd gained as a non-human, he thought. Why would his Master require a guide? He'd never used a guide before, not as he had known. The other Thralls, all of whom had died over the years, had not known their Master to keep a guide. For humans, as the ages passed, would not know the new era. And would then be disposed of.
What was his Master up to?
It took around fifteen minutes to complete his Master's hair, leaving the front longer than the back and allowing the natural dark brown to stand out against the paleness of his skin. One could barely tell the hair wasn't black at first, and that saved Gerard dyeing his Master's hair. The front, or bangs, of the haircut hung low on his Master's face and partially obscured one eye. But it looked just like the fashion of younger men; Emo or Scene the humans called it. Which worked best, as his Master did not have the look of anything but those fashion types anymore. Two hundred years in the dark had created a beautifully pale picture.
"We must go, Gerard. I feel my guide is preparing to leave, and I cannot allow that. I am not yet strong enough to leave the grounds here, and I must have my guide." And with that Gerard and his Master ran towards the opening of their home. With each step the Master felt himself coming closer and closer to the soul that had awakened him from his slumber. This one soul, beautiful in its human imperfections, was the one he had been waiting for.
The perfect soul for him.