And so it is within all the struggle the pain of fighting that within the animal who feeds on what scraps we in our darkest nightmares lay down for them and yet with the rising of the sun the animals belly remains empty starving for the taste of the primal the essence of life sweet and rich as wine it waits to lap it up and smile knowing pain only as pleasure having trancended the chains of moraility and here feasting on the full meal of life at last.

And here lays at last the explanation of this being what I am the cross of false morality and true humanity as you melt before me begging at last for me to reach in and feed that fleddling creature that is and always has been the center of your life the primal the animal

As my fangs find your flesh I take from you bondage and bring unto you true freedom that which cannot be granted by piaty for in this it was never intended that man should in all quiet bow

but bare his fangs and feast upon the kill

and this at last is the gift I bring you

die no more

It had been a lie, a pointless threat intended to frighten the towns folk into an oberservation of dark and pagan rituals.

Did this demon really believe that the heart of this village was so easily swayed by the word of a sinner a whore who suckled on blood hoping to live forever?

It had been nearly ten days since the bitch had prophecide of the death of the towns souls, and in ten days not a person among them had suffered any ill fortune.

In fact in that short time the town had thrived crops and children had once again been sown beautifly among the village

fear and sadness had lifted their ugly shroud and the time of peace so long prayed for seemed to have finally been allowed to take root.

Such is the folly of the human spirit to take comfort in the calm and ignore the eye of the storm even as it stands at their door step, waiting to destroy all it touches.

The eleventh day brought with it the promise of a sweet night fire flies lit up the night sky and the air carried the faint aroma of babies breath and lillies not a soul among them stired for fear they may spoil the painting of the evening instead they all sat nestled before glowing fires dreaming of the promise of kindess from their god.

Then it came the sound of bells soft at first leading all to believe it was merely an evening mass and so nothing to worry about.

Slowly the bell grew louder and more brazen like an angry mother calling her children to her soon every man among them was about the streets seeking the bringer of this cold song

at length they found him a young man curled in a little ball before the church steps his eyes where red from lack of sleep and his skin was covered in puss filled boils despite this he smiled wildly at them

and began to shrill out

"The leaves the leaves are speaking to me pittiy pat pittiy pat oh I wonder where their at, laughing giggling can't you see?

blood and eyes they have eaten me"

"No wood no cross shall comfort me save the softness of the tree

hang me there and you can tell listen listen pretty bell!"

ring and swing devil's and hell I see them here and they stink as well"

The priest knelt before this broken man and began to speak in soothing tones

"Tell us of your pain my son what is it your soul craves that

god cannot give thee for thou knowest he is giving and kind

tell us what does your soul desire?"

The mans smile widend revealing a picture of broken and yellowed shards his hands reached out grasping the priest by his coat front his breath smelled of bile and decay slowly he breathed out

"YOUR SOUL! GIVE ME YOUR SOUL HA HA HA GIVE IT TO ME SO I CAN MAKE LOVE TO IT LIKE THE DIRTY WHORE IT IS GIVE ME YOURS OR YOURS OR YOURS! ALL OF THEM!'

he pointed with a bony finger at each member of the crowd

finally falling back in a stupor of brass laughter

his hands jabing at his clothing ripping it to rags

he pulled as if from no where a shard of broken glass and cut into himself savagley the men tride to restrain him but to no avail every hand that touched him was brutally cut and met with the same dark laughter

This was the curse of the children the people of the town would now die as they should happy and diseased in pools of their own

blood

on this calm and beautiful night

ha ha ha!

The following is a recorded conversation between Dr. Thomas Warlow and Patient Amos Markove, dated October 4th 1945.

Warlow: Good morning Amos how are we feeling today?

Amos: Did I split in half?

Warlow: I beg your pardon why would you ask that?

Amos: you said we there is only one of me unless that bastard is hiding under a chair in here where are you keeping me?

I sure would like to meet myslef it could be fun

Warlow: Now Amos lets not talk nonsense what I meant was...

Amos: but you started it you opend your mouth and said weeeeee

so stop asking me and talk to him before he feels left out and kills you with a spoon good idea! do you have a spoon?

Warlow: So you feel there is someone else in the room besides you and me?

Amos: No you brought him up you think there is someone else in here and there is you know but you are to blind and stupid to know that.

Warlow: So you feel I am lacking in intelect and blind as well

I beg your pardon Amos but I can see you and this room just fine and I see nothing other than myself and you

Amos: Thats because you are stupid and blind just another sheep walking towards the cliff you better behave or you will fall off

she's watching you know

she says she dosen't like you cos you put me in that room

Warlow: and who is she

Amos: Everything nothing confused and making sense inocent yet guilty the clock which ticks right there every day

Warlow: Does she have a name?

Amos: all of them including yours she keeps them and kills them when they are naughty and holds them when they are good.

Warlow: But what is her name specificly?

Amos: You mean you don't know?

Warlow no I don't how can I

Amos: What is red what is there in life and dry when dead

what is sweet and kind and merciless and blind ready to kill ready

to spill answer me this riddle if you will

Warlow perhaps another time we must now conclude I am afraid

Amos Doc you have no idea how close to the conclusion you really are! ha ha ha!

The town was silent not a one among the crowed dared breath as they waited for the comming of The Deamon yet why should they worry for on this night they had full filled their obligation before the Oak Tree were placed two plump and happy children warm and prepared for sacrafice.

Despite this insurence they remained quiet ever paralized by their fear of the darkness

At length the bells once again tolled and the playful songs of dead children began to fill the air "She is come they whispred mother is come maybe she will give you to us as toys oh how nice to have our own puppets to dance!"

Slowly the mists parted and she who was most loved of Upri appeared

The town priest stepped forward boldly and proclaimed

"See here before you dear lady not one sacrafice but two see this and show us mercy leave us in peace for we have appeased you"

She smiled but said nothing

"Did you not hear lady we have given a sacrafice we beg you leave us in peace"

"You have done nothing she said save please your own greed for you have felt no need to share your homes and lands with that which you a sinful and dirty breed of filth would call unclean

Can you not see they are but children?

You are truly cold and selfish people your children have died and still you remain defiant and now you offer innocence not because you do love my Upri but because you are a selfish and dirty people falsely comforted by a cleanliness you shall never understand"

"You saw these children as your salvation?"

"I say unto you nay for they shall be your curse and every night as you close your eyes you shall find no rest for they shall feast upon your souls and shreak the song of death in your ears!"

"This shall be your reward dirty and selfish people"

"May the Goddess bless you for you do so love false blessings

she laughed and taking each child into her arms she vanished

leaving behind a shocked and bewildered town

of fools and liars.

The Dawn came and with it the soft raise of the sun yet not an eye within the village had tasted of sleep although the Woman had promised peace upon that day

the pain of a sacrafice still weighed upon the hearts of each towns person

How could they comply with such a demand and yet how could they not?

Did god in all his love still require humility in such suffering as this?

or was this so far beyond the inocence of god that it could not be considered a sin if it were in the name of peace?

Could the people find within themselves the resolve to give up one of their own

as a sacrafice to this demon?

All these questions and more played like a dark symphony on the heart of every man woman and child of them

At length it was the town preist who offered what seemed to be a decent solution to the problem for if this demon was sin incarnate then why should they not appease him with the seed of sin children born out of wedlock?

Yes this would give solice to the demon while also ridding the town of this folly of children

It was under this pretence that they entered into the home of a young peasent girl known to have given to many men freely what was reserved for the wed and did take from her her to children so that they may be offered unto the demon

As the night came and with it the moon the people of the town strolled confidently to the oak tree taking with them the thought that at last their suffering would come to an end

Poor misguided children for they did not realize that the Goddess and her children see all and knew of their intentions and the injustice they had done unto the woman

Justice for this misdeed would be swift and merciless for where their bodies had only suffered now their very souls would suffer as well.

The following are written conversations between Patient Amos Markove and Dr. Thomas Warlow

Amos Markove was admitted to Blackwell Asylum in 1945 after being found smearing the blood of a dead cow all over a statue of the Mayor.

When approched Amos merely smiled and said that he was about holy business and that it would be very naughty of our doctors to stop him.

Despite this protest our orderlies surrounded him and anttempted to place him in a straight jacket assuring him that this was for his own safety and in the best interest of the public.

To this Mr. Markove replied "my safety is never in danger for I praise that which is true and ancient The Blood of The Goddess you know what the problem with humans is?"

"They can never see the truth even when its right in front of them but I can help with that watch this is a really nice trick"

Upon compleating his statement Markove proceeded to pluck out the eyes of one of the orderlies and smear them with the blood he had been using on the statue

he then replied see your eyes like blood they have seen it before you know in fact you are full of it why are you so scared to let it out?" He then proceeded to laugh and explode into a fit of hystarics and hyper religious babble.

It was only by the intervention of a needle of sleepers that Mr. Markove was sedated and brought to the Asylum.

Upon examination Mr Markove looks to be a gentleman and I do use that term loosely, of about 30 he has no visible hair and a discoloration of the skin causing it to appear pale and ashen undoubtedly this is a result of being under norished and should be correctable by the proper dietary regimen.

It is also noted that Markove has a slightly larger set of Cainine teeth which hint to inbreeding within the mans family, also apparent is a discoloration of the iris giving it a yellowed color undoubtebly this man has suffered sever emotional, psycological and physical trauma over the course of his life and this doctor can only hope that he will become stable through the appropriate thereputic interventions

Thomas Warlow

Head phsychiatrist Blackwell Asylum

Febuary 12 1945

examination conducted 9:23 pm

The moon rose casting a soft glow upon the town yet it brought no peace for the people were frozen under the ever seeing eye of the demon.

As they sat huddled around their fires in death like silence a very odd thing began to happen the bells of the church tower began to ring dolling out a soft and sad hymn which for reason not yet explained compelled each man and woman from the warmth of their homes and out into the streets.

There they stood as if in a trance like children egar not a one of them breathing as if in fear of missing a moment of understanding.

Slowly the sound of the bells began to fade replaced by the sound of child like voices giggling in the wind "she has come to paly with us, she has come to play with us she is our mother for our mothers have abandoned us by the water and by her hand we are found and we are happy and free!"

The she came her skin was now pale and delicate and her movments glided as if drawn by the breeze it self

she wore a gown black as night and her blind eyes filled each member of the gathering with fear

"My people she began in an earrie sing song voice though I cannot see with these eyes the Goddess has blessed me with her vision and because of this I can see your fear I can see your pain

I can see that with each passing of days your faith in the god of wood falls.

"I ask you my people those I have called friend why do you fear the love of the moon why do you run from that which beckons you home? "Do you not hear your children laughing in freedom and yern to join them?"

"If any of you should answer nay then it shall mean that you never truly loved them and your hearts are cold and it is for this reason that my love sees fit to punish you"

"Yet do not asume that my love is cold for as you see he is kind and shall give eternity unto the faithful."

"You have blasphemed screamed one member of the crowd you have allowed yourself to be decieved by the darkness and shall burn forever in hell for your sins"!

She moved and grabed the speaker lifting him up off the ground

"Sinned she hissed I have sinned?"

You bathe your self in false purity each day and you say I have sinned!" You abbandon acient truth for the love of a lie which is convinent and you say I have sinned!"

Despite your arrogant words I have not come to punish you I am my loves heart and so I am kind I have come to say unto you that this night shall be a night of peace for a sacrafice has been given and blessed for this you should thank me"

Tonight rest and live well for with the comming of the Red Moon my loves wrath shall be awakend and should you continue your foolish actions you shall all suffer"

"You know what we ask do not fail"

Lemura bless you

The choice lay before the people of this once peaceful town that had by some chance been chosen to bare witness to the Black and Unholy, should they suffer themselves to honor the request of this creature?

Or should they remain in their faith hoping god would save them?

Through out the day the people talked and talked

Preists admonished their flock to remain stead fast in their faith for the punishment of god would be far worse than any this demon could bring.

While others plead that they should remember the children and their fate

and out of rememberance to them they must offer the sacrafice in order to bring their spirits peace.

Heracy many yelled witch craft!

They fought like starving men over a crust of bread

and yet she was unmoved by their confusion for her choice her destiny was clear

she would follow him into whatever darkness he lead her to for she had seen that he was in truth kind and she wished to bathe in his sweet love

With the coming of eve she headed for the oak tree and to the one she loved

once there she knelt and began to speak softly

"Upri sweet Upri will you come to me?

"Upri sweet Upri will you share with me this night

"Upri sweet Upri will you hear me and call me loved?

"Upri...silence blessed child you have called and I have heard what is it you wish of me?

He stood before her and though she could not see him she could feel his warmth and compassion for her and for a moment she was struck dumb

"Speak child desires should not be silent the Goddess hears all and has sent me to satisfy your heart"

"Speak"

Upri I have come because I...

"Stop Upri said what you are about to say is of a deep manner should I satisfy this want of yours this love you must understand that the rays of the sun shall never again touch your face the birds shall never sing unto you save the owl

"You know that the Goddess has blessed your home and your loved ones with peace and safety why then are you unsatisfide?

"Because you will not be with me if I remain with them she said

do you not understand the pain my heart feels at knowing I can only feel you with the coming of the moon?

"I suffer in mortality my love!

"I give myself willingly unto the darkness if only to be with you!"

she began to cry

Upri stood silent

"Sweet Lemura is it meat for me to pass unto this child the gifts of your love?"

"He closed his eyes he could feel her pain her passion the inocence of her love and it was sweet then the whisper came

"Son you once asked for freedom to release your passion let it unite with mine and bring this child into my embrace"

He held her she rested her head on his chest

"That which you desire shall be given

sleep now child and dream of Lemuras embrace"

let the darkness be joined

he sank his fangs into her neck

The rays of the sun shown bright on the village that had become host to the "twisted plauge of the demon"

and for once the towns folk breathed a sigh of relife for each child was found just as they had been left sleeping peacefully in their bed.

Perhaps their god had protected them or perhaps the demon had shown mercy and left them in peace, whatever the reason the towns folk were filled with cheer for the dark prophecy had not come to pass.

The day passed calmly there was even talk of having a celebration to comemrate the joyus ocassion of the passing

yes all seemed right with the world

that is until the water

A young child could not have been more than ten at best having not seen so many seasons had stoped at one of the fountains for a refreshing drink a mistake that would have catastrophic proportions

for even as the cool water touched his lips his eyes rolled back in his head and blood poured from his neck and with this event each child in the village suffered the same fate

The blood ran in streams down the streets washed with the tear of mothers pained by the loss of their children.

"Why? they screamed why have you done this why must you cause so much suffering as to take from us the inocence of the children?

you are truly black and unholy demon and on this night every mother shall pray that god smite thee as thou has smited us."

Suddenly the dead children began to sing

You have prayed for you you have prayed for me and still no god do we see"

I offered you peace and mercy sweet and still you left me no holy treat"

And because of this each child has fell by the water of the well

Justice comes and justice goes will you learn now

the acient has rose"

The wrath has come and shall continue lest you show humility and give unto me a sacrafice

you have till the comming of the moon

and unless you wish furthure punshment not only by me but those who would follow me you will learn or you will die the choice is yours.

The night had come and the streets were silent

the leaves rustled errily in the trees as the towns folk hudled in their homes praying to god for deliverance from this demon and every so often checking the rooms where their children slept hoping with tearful eyes that with the coming of the moon they would still be there dreaming their gentle dreams.

Yes this was the way of the people to pray and to hope that a demon would not harm them.

But not her, she moved down the streets alone and calm believe or perhaps merely wanting to believe that this demon was not as the towns folk had portrayed but really a blessed creature yerning for love and rememberance

from those who had forgotten it.

Her name was Miriana she was the daughter of what the towns folk called "the mad man" or "the relic" yes her father had spent many a night sharing with her tales of the "children of the oak" and how important it was to love and respect them for they were not beasts or demons but the protectors of what was sacred and holy, and how in times past these creature had not been killers but noble spirits who had such love and devotion to their family or loved ones that they chose to remain and protect them for all the ages.

Yes on this night she could not help but smile she would prove that her father was not a mad man but the last prophet to the truth and the only one who understood it.

The oak tree was drawing closer she could not see it but she could feel its presence and unlike many of the fools who lived amongst her she was not frighted by it but loved it and wished to understand the creature who protected it

She placed her offering before the tree feeling around she could sense that no other offerings had been placed yet she did not weep for this was the way of the children of the oak they offered peace but were not above delivering justice

She cast her eyes skyward and let the breeze play with her red curls

quietly she whispered

"That which is known as Upri take of this offering and be glad for I shall never abandon thee!"

Sundenly she realized she was not alone

a warm presence had enfolded her and if she was not mistaken was humming as it spoke

"Blessed child though the god of man has seen fit to steal your sight let us bless you with what most men shall never see let us show you what was and will be again

The night began to pulse the very energy of the whole village sourounded her

she felt as though she was dreaming and in her heart she wished never to wake up

"Feel all things child realize that all is made to one spirit and through your blessed eyes see that spirit and call it friend"

"Who are you? she whispered why have you come?"

"The who is not important my child only know that your father may rest this night for his heart has not been shaken in the loss of truth and he shall be regaurded a king among the court of the Godess.

I my child am no more than a dream returning and soon I shall be made remembered among all people.

Slowly the warmth and pulse faded and she was alone once again

her eyes filled with tears

and she breathed "I...love you"