Novels by J. Crown

"I look forward to it" The words wandered from John's lips to his tremoring hands as he gave her fingers a gentle goodbye squeeze- for once glad that her expression was veiled by his mask. For a goodbye, he mused, it was the first which tasted like wet morning dew upon his tongue; and while the pain ached within his bones, it was also refreshing. No- invigorating that there was a soul he wished not to depart from- unlike every fleeting connection he had ever had the instance of creating. When her hand retreated from his touch, a cold feeling oozed from the crevices of his fingerprints- and watching the carriage draw further and further down the lane, his eyes felt the same chill as her image receded from the imprint of his irises. As if she were a goddess of Spring, he could have sworn there was a winter shadow bubbling up from deep within the Earth. No; maybe, he mused, his grounds was simply being summoned back to the Underworld- in more ways than o

It was another quant morning- there was a comfortable quietness to the house that leaked in from the still air- enchanted by the dew kissed grass as it dripped into the cold, thirsty earth in light of what would become a hot, still day. But now, it was still in its yawning stages: the birds were already lost to the shade of the forests beyond the fields, and the skywas a soft pink reminiscent of a young child'sblushed cheeks or a tulips first bloom. Serene- that was the word Viera was looking for as she looked at this scene from her usual seat at the breakfast table- her warm tea sparkling with the same tepidnessas the dewdrops which glittered like crystalsupon each blade of grass. The steam rising up to her face as she looked at this view was familiar too now; just like the fog collecting upon the windows in the early morning was faintly remembering the night cold which

All through the night, John couldn't stop the buzzing in his veins which held him from sleep- the beat of his heart as thrumming and chaotic as a bee hive. The jittering sensation seemed to stem down into his bones; and after tossing and turning most of the night, he decided that they would leave as soon as his letters returned. Rising from his bed, he dutifully set to putting on his gloves, his tired eyes straying to the shattered mirror which loomed like a door to Hell; taunting him. In the inky darkness of the night, his own motions seemed as if they were followed by misty shadows- his entire body a vessel of corruption. Pulling his mask over his eyes, he ignored the still unfamiliar vision of his face, the hollowness within his stomach growing with each passing second. His mind was back where he had gratefully been able to escape from ever since Viera took place in his house, and while it weighed on him heavil

The world was soft. It was warm-like a ray of autumn sun. At first, a flash of panic whipped through his veins, the events of yesterday immediately choking out the flames of anxiety. A stressed sigh slipped through his teeth, the faint sound of light breathing causing the tenseness in his stomach to relax. A part of him wanted to stay like this for as long as possible- the deep darkness of the study, the quaint feeling of not waking up alone. It was another luxury that stung his eyes slightly, as if it were a cruel punishment. The mask seemed like it was latched to his face, smothering him- the gloves were a strange medium that numbed the entire world. Every touch, every notion- they were translated through a thick film of fog. If she vanished, he realized he would never know what her hand felt like. He would never see her face un-obstructed. Were there small details he would never see? A small freckle above her brow- a faint hig

They stayed that way for awhile, clingingto each other as if one of them would puff into smoke. Neither one of them was sure how to break the silence- how to return to how things once were. Viera felt her chest tighten with a small desire, one that hesitated at the gate of her lips. The feelings from before rushed to the surface. He knew the truth now- didn't that mean there was no use to hide it? Her fingers gently pushed further into his back, memorizing the cool warmth exuding from him. "Will you help me?" She barely whispered, her grip on him relaxing as she retreated back. The vine-like grip in their arms slivered down to their joined hands, still too afraid to let go. He nodded mutely before standing up and offering a hand, her legs trembling slightly as the room swayed. Catching her effortlessly, he pushed her back down into the chair, grabbing the basin and rag as he walked around the large wings to

TW: Thoughts of Suicide She could see the blood pooling at John's feet and feel it soaking her back as she looked onward, the grip on his gun slacking. "Through the Eyes Of God, this man has done no such thing." The tone of her voice was deep and raw, like the threatening growl of a cornered animal. Though John stiffened in her grasp, all shecould think of was the warmth under herhand- John's heartbeat dipping into herpalm. The room silenced, their eyes widened. Shelooked to the gun expectantly, herwings tensely coiling around them bothlike a shield. "You will leave this place in God's grace today," Booming and demanding, for a brief moment the men wondered if they were indeed hearing the voice of God.Hereyes darkened as shelooked at him- at those men. R