Natalie Gray
Bio
Welcome, Travelers! Allow me to introduce you to a compelling world of Magick and Mystery. My stories are not for the faint of heart, but should you deign to read them I hope you will find them entertaining and intriguing to say the least.
Stories (84/0)
The Samhain Chronicles: Ch. 10
Danny's palms began to sweat as he stood before the mystery woman, his eyes darting back and forth between her and Penelope struggling in her grip. "I don't know who you are," Penelope grunted, "and I don't care! Daniel is not going with you, and that's-" Her eyes widened as she trailed off abruptly with a choking gasp. The woman's arm had pressed tighter to her throat, cutting off her defiant chirps.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles: Ch. 9
"NO!!!" Danny cried, reaching out in desperation toward Penelope as the rifle's muzzle flashed. She was a good two meters away from him, yet somehow he made it to her side in under a second. operating fully on raw instinct, he held her close to his body and turned his back to Kane, bracing for the searing pain that was sure to come from the bullet impacting his flesh. To his utter shock, however, the pain he expected never came. He staggered from the impact, but instead of feeling the bullet sink into his flesh he heard a high-pitched crystalline "ping", and a confused string of expletives from Kane. When he peeked open one eye to brave a look around, everything was white around him.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles Chapter 8
The kneehole of the desk was quite cramped, barely able to accomodate Danny's 187 cm frame, but he didn't dare move a muscle. He covered his mouth with both hands, silently begging for the large intruder sitting just above his head to leave. To tell the truth, as terrified as he was for himself he worried more about the students; by his watch, it was after five a.m., which meant very soon the Academy would be waking up and starting the day with no knowledge that a madman with a gun had made his way onto campus. That part alone had Danny flummoxed. Brighton Academy had one of the most top-notch security systems in the country, not to mention a fleet of highly trained guards patrolling the grounds at all hours. How in the world then had a man as large as a bear waltzed past the guardhouse armed with a hunting rifle and not been noticed? Danny knew he had to take action to protect his students and colleagues, and he had to act sooner rather than later.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
Cosmic Crime Files
Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of Space, or so they say. I've always considered her a cruel mistress; cold, empty, unforgiving...and yet, that's part of her charm. As bleak and lonely as the Void can be, she's quite the alluring and talented seductress, a vast, untapped resource full of mystery and intrigue. To put it simply, she is at the same time my worst enemy and my greatest lover. It may seem bizarre to some, but I've always felt at home in the velvety embrace of her star-studded bosom, and today was no different.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
When Danny finished unraveling his tale, Dr. Horace sat back, removed his small, round spectacles and began polishing them with a deep sigh. "It would seem your tolerance for your medication has increased," he observed, tutting softly under his breath, "Full-blown hallucinations and blackout spells in the middle of the day... my, my, my..."
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
The boy sat in the corner of the room, huddled and sniffling. He trembled with cold and fear, as he had no idea where he was or how he got there. There were two women and a man in a long white coat who often came into the room and tried to talk to him, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. Once or twice the women tried to touch him or move him to the bed across the room, offering him food or a warm blanket. He didn't trust any of them though and didn't like being touched, especially not after the man in the white coat tried to poke him in the arm with something long and sharp. It hurt a lot and scared him terribly, so he'd scrambled away from the man and hid in the corner. He'd been there ever since, pressed close to the wall and screeching like a wounded feral animal at anyone who drew near. The last time he'd seen them felt so long ago now...but then again, his concept of time seemed a bit skewed. How long had he been in this strange place anyway? Hours? Days? Weeks? He couldn't say for sure. His stomach hurt, and his skin itched and prickled badly all over, particularly so on his back just below his neck. He scratched the spot, then whimpered as his fingernails raking over his skin triggered a flare of pain.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
Danny's freefall into the abyss was halted suddenly when he crash landed onto a bed that was slightly too small for him. The wind was driven from his lungs on impact, and he was greeted by another sharp flare of pain from his upper back. Two women were leaning over him as he struggled to catch his breath, both looking deeply worried and alarmed. "Daniel," the shorter, slimmer woman said sternly, "Daniel, it's alright... just relax and breathe. Do you know where you are, Daniel?"
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
Every inch of Danny's body ached severely. He felt, oddly enough, like he'd been cooked alive from the inside out via a cataclysmic nuclear blast...and yet, somehow, he was still breathing. The warm, comforting scent of chicken soup greeted him as he came back to his senses, and to his deep confusion he thought he could hear someone quietly singing. With a groan, he unglued his eyelids and looked groggily around his environment. He seemed to have lost his glasses, but the blurry landscape of his apartment was quite familiar and unmistakable. The sky was a hazy pink to purple ombre outside, barely visible from the last dying rays of sunlight dipping below the horizon, and he could barely make out the pale light of the first evening stars winking into existence. Very stiffly, he turned his head toward the kitchenette and squinted at the source of the low, tranquil melody playing on his ear.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
A shrill, chirping noise finally roused Danny from his deep sleep, and he sat up with a groggy groan. He squinted at the morning sun shining in his eyes, wincing at the impressions his glasses had made in his face, "Och... wh-what time is...?" He gasped at the time on the digital display of his alarm clock after he silenced it, "Mercy me, it's nearly half-eight!! I slept in!" He sped through the fastest shower of his life and an equally brisk shave (nicking himself twice in his haste) before throwing on a set of clothes that were wrinkled but reasonably clean. He brushed his teeth and tied his shoes simultaneously, leaving his toothbrush by the kitchen sink as he hurried out with his briefcase in hand. Miracle of miracles, he managed to unlock his classroom and plop down at his desk mere seconds before the first bell rang.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
One-Way Railway
I never should have taken this job. My mother begged me not to leave Savannah, but I was too hard-headed to listen. "The Future is out West, Ma," I'd said, "Everybody knows that!" The Future... if that wasn't the worst, gall-darn excuse ever, I don't know what was. In truth, I had to get away. With Pa gone and me being the oldest, I was put in charge of taking care of my brothers and sisters while Mama was working at the Mill. I love them, honestly, but you try babysitting seven young'uns at once sometime...for five years straight. That, and I was afraid if I'd stayed any longer Mama'd marry me off to that low-down Buford McClain. I've seen the way he used to look at me in church, and how friendly Mama had been to him lately. I don't care if he is the richest tobacco farmer in six counties! Let someone else hitch their wagon to that rat-faced old coot.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
There were very few instructors at Brighton Academy that had the patience for teaching the usually rowdy bunch of first years, but Danny absolutely lived for it. True, they were definitely a handful, but something about their fresh faces and wide-eyed excitement over everything warmed his heart greatly. It was similar to the feeling one may experience watching a young litter of curious puppies exploring a new environment: messes and new discoveries were made, and all the while their antics were equally adorable, hilarious and just a touch clumsy. Danny was well versed in several subjects, but his personal favorites were History and Natural Sciences. The latter of the two is what he taught at Brighton A. He was in the habit of taking roll and starting class indoors, then, weather permitting, he would move his students outdoors to finish his lecture in the fresh air...and today was absolutely perfect for just such an occasion.
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction
The Samhain Chronicles
A young boy crashed through the heavy brush, his lungs burning as if they were on fire. The dense forest was pitch black, and an eerie, chill wind gnawed bitterly at his flesh. Branches and thorns tore at his clothing and skin, causing numerous deep scratches on his arms, legs and face. His heart thundered against his ribcage and hot tears of absolute terror poured down his thin, flushed cheeks but still he ran, never slowing for even a second. He glanced back over his shoulder repeatedly as he ran, putting on an extra burst of speed as the crunching and creaking of the underbrush behind him steadily grew louder. A loud, angry brogue directly behind him made him quiver with fear. "Get back here, ye rotten wee brat! Ye'll be sorry ye e'er tried to escape when I get me bloody hands on ye!!"
By Natalie Gray2 years ago in Fiction