[b]DAY 11: BURN – HUMAN CANDLES[/b]

The Queen was a monster. She probably looked like a fragile and beautiful maiden, but looks are deceiving. Inside her was beating a dark heart of a fiend. Everyone was afraid of her. She was a possessor of magical abilities of darkest kind, so nobody really dared to oppose her in any way. She ruled the kingdom with an iron fist, enjoying every bit of it. She had turned this domain into a realm of despair and distress. Even the skies had turned gray because of her wicked heart. Sun barely even showed up, the moon remained dark. The citizens were too scared to flee, for they were afraid of the Queen's wrath. Dark creatures guarded the borders of the kingdom, ripping apart anyone who would try to escape. Incomers were able to enter the realm, only to get trapped as well. The poor people could only suffer in silence and hope that someday someone brave and powerful enough could come to help them. However, many had already lost their hope.

Sowing fear into people was the Queen's favorite type of keeping everything under her control. Of course, her black magic was the thing people were mostly terrified of, but there were also other ways to induce terror. Torturing was also one of the methods she liked. But there was something else as well. Like that night, she visited the prison cells that were located at the bottom of her castle. The people held there were imprisoned because of wide variety of reasons, they hadn't necessarily done anything bad, the Queen just wanted them to see them there. She would walk among them, speaking with a tender voice about what would happen to them. Her voice was so beautiful, but the words were poison. They would bring terror into the hearts of people. On that night, she told a group of people that they would attend her little feast the next evening – as light sources. And with that, she would leave the prison cells, her mad laughter echoing through the area as she ascended back to the castle.

Some of the prisoners were about to get set in fire. What a horrifying way to die. Their hearts were beating fast from absolute dread, some were crying, some prayed, some would walk back and forth in their cells, not knowing how to process this horrifying announcement. But one thing was for sure: they all hoped for a miracle that would save them all.

But of course, something like that was impossible.

The next evening came way too soon, at least in the minds of prisoners. It was dark night, since even the moon was afraid of the Queen, but servants had erected few torches to the castle's garden that was located in the courtyard. That was where the Queen's feast was taking place. A long table had been carried over to in the middle of the garden, as well as a fancy chair for one person. Little by little, the table started to be filled with many delicious foods, the scent of them lingering in the air. However, this scent would soon gain a rival.

Eight columns were standing in the garden, each had a stack of dry twigs at the bottom of them. Eight people were tied up into the columns, crying, pleading for mercy. Then the Queen came to the garden. She nodded approvingly, as everything was how she wanted them to be. She walked to the lone chair and sat down. She took a deep breath – and then shot eight small fireballs from her hands, igniting the stacks of twigs. The poor people who were forced to stand on them started to scream in pain as the fire licked their feet. They were wiggling, trying to desperately get away, but in vain.

The Queen was smiling a little, sipping her red wine from a fine glass. It was so enjoyable to listen to the cracking of fire and the screams of people as the fire consumed them slowly from bottom to upwards. It was also pleasing how these human candles provided such an atmospheric lighting. The smell of burning flesh was foul, but she was an odd one and enjoyed that too.

She took another sip from her wine.

What a perfect evening this was.



[b]DAY 12: BARBED WIRE – ADORATION[/b]

I remember the day when we met. It was a beautiful sunny day, but not as beautiful as your smile. I was just a simple wanderer, my only purpose was to travel around the world, seeking for a better life for myself. I had just got thrown out from a tavern and I were laying on the ground face down. Then your royal carriage came by and you saw me. As our eyes met, some sort of connection happened between us. On that day, you saw something in me and you descended from your carriage and helped me up. I fell in love with you right on that moment. Your handsome features, your deep yet tender voice, the kindness you showed me… Then, you offered a ride to your castle, and I gladly accepted. You took me under your wing and gave me a new purpose for my life. I became your trusted servant, and I would only serve you.

I loved to be by your side. I still do. I have been loyal like a dog, fulfilling your every wish. All the little things and even serving you in bed. I allowed you to do everything to me. And I loved it, because for you I would do anything. I have loved the attention you have given me. Only for me. I'm your only one. You don't need a woman to become your queen, because you have me. This is our little secret. There may be people whispering about our relationship, but does it matter? Though, I have to admit that our forbidden love makes things even better.

Then you changed. I blame myself for that. It's because I wasn't by your side when it happened… You purposefully left me behind, but now I know that I should have persuaded you that you would have taken me with you. You faced extreme danger by yourself, you wanted to be a hero when that monster emerged. I thank the gods that you survived and slaughtered the horrid beast. But its black magic did leave a scar on you – a scar on your soul. Little by little, your mind started to get infested with dark thoughts. You were pointlessly wandering around the castle, getting angry at people for no apparent reason. You started to spend a lot of time just by yourself. You avoided even my company. I was so worried about you… But as the time passed, I think everything started to work out just fine.

And no matter what, I will always love and cherish you. Even this new you.

You suddenly became more dominant, more proud. And I have to admit, I like this new person you have become. And you started to love my company once again. Oh, how much I love you, how you make me happy! I absolutely adore you, my master.

And now, as I'm naked and kneeling on the floor of your bedroom, I'm excited, filled with feelings of lust. You have tied me up with barbed wire, it's embracing my body all around. These thorns of metal are tearing my soft skin, sinking into my flesh. It drives me mad; it fills me with ecstasy. My blood is dripping from the fresh wounds, and the sight of it seems to please you. You are staring at me, clearly enjoying what you're seeing. And I'm waiting, panting, I want to feel your touch.

You grasp a part of the barbed wire, from a part that goes around my chest, for you want to feel it too. You clench it in your fist, soon the blood starts to drip from it. Grinning, you look at me, you press your sweet lips against mine.

Torture me. Do whatever you want to me.

I'm ready.



[b]DAY 13: BURIED ALIVE – BURY THE BEAST[/b]

Even though the moon was bright that night, the sky was oddly dark. But darker than the night were the hearts of people. A group of townsfolk had gathered to the graveyard, men, women, children… All led by a priest. Some men were holding torches in order to light the way for everyone else, but even the fire seemed cold tonight and the illumination it offered was scarce. Everyone was in a foul mood as it had occurred that they had to turn against one of their own. Few of the strongest men in town were dragging a man, completely tied up with chains, mouth gagged. The tied-up man was struggling, trying to form words to beg for mercy, but nobody cared – or at least didn't show such emotions. This was a grim incident taking place. In a community where everybody was pretty close to each other and knew everybody, something like this was very heart wrenching.

Nobody had expected that they would have a werewolf problem in town. The townsfolk had suspected that there was something strange going on when their livestock had gotten attacked. Dead, completely mauled and half-eaten. At first, people thought that common wolves were the culprit, perhaps they don't have enough food in the woods or they just had realized that easier prey could be found around the settlement. But then, the attacks became worse. Whatever had been assaulting the animals grew bolder, now targeting humans as well. Founding the torn body of the first victim from the streets was a dreadful event to the whole town. In a small quiet settlement this was very shocking occurrence. However, it required few more victims before people became so scared that they wouldn't come out of their houses after the sun would set. They begged for help from a skillful hunter from another town, so they would catch the terrorizing beast.

The hunter tracked down the beast. It didn't happen overnight, for the werewolf was cunning and a master of hiding among the shadows, running swiftly and silently. This wasn't the usual prey he would hunt, so this mission really did test his skills. Somehow, he had to find the beast, then follow it until dawn – it wasn't wise to get in a combat with such terrifying creature, it would be much easier to get rid of it when it would turn back to human. Such a difficult task, but in the end, he triumphed. One night when the sun was about to rise, the werewolf led him to a mill. That was when the identity of the beast got revealed; he was the old miller. With this knowledge, the hunter informed the townsfolk, then they went and captured him right after.

So, there they were now, in the graveyard. Tonight, one grave would be filled. During the daylight, some people had been there digging a burial place, and now, it was time to make it occupied. The old miller was dragged to the edge of the pit, he was crying and whimpering, but got no pity. He had killed people. Now it was time for him to get punished. The townsfolk were usually kind, but this beast man had broken their peace, so they didn't show any remorse.

The priest gave a sign to the men. The miller got thrown into the grave. He crashed into the bottom with a thud. He was still struggling, and as the people started to fill the grave with soil, he started panicking. He was getting buried alive. What a horrible way to die. Bit by bit the soil was staring to bury him, eventually muffling his whimpers. The people just watched as the grave was filled, showing no emotions.

The deed was now done. The townsfolk stayed there for a while, giving a silent moment for their former friend. But just as when the people started to make their leave, they heard an odd noise coming from the grave. It was like metal had been snapped. And with a tremendous might, something clawed its way from the soil back to surface. It was a huge werewolf. It snarled, striking fear into the hearts of people. They had tried to get rid of this beast, but now it was back again to fulfill its revenge.

It let out a horrifying howl, it was like from another world. The people were screaming in fear, running away. Nobody dared to oppose the beast. But the werewolf was much faster than anyone and its claws and teeth would bring demise in a second. One by one, it hunted down the people, slashing with its claws, biting heads off, shedding blood to the ground. Body parts got torn, skulls crushed, organs ripped from the bodies. Blood was everywhere. Tonight, the beast would hunt, hunt more than it had ever before.

And nobody would be able to get away.



[b]DAY 14: LACERATIONS – DANCE, MY DOLL[/b]

The show was about to start. That's why the hall was so dim at that moment. There was a strange blue hue lingering in the air, almost like a mist. The room was full of round tables and chairs accompanying them, with white tablecloths and neatly set cutleries, waiting for guests. But currently, almost all of them were empty, only one was in use. A rather obese man, dressed in fancy clothes, was sitting on a chair next to one of the tables, pretty close to a stage that took quite a chunk out of the hall. The stage had seen many performances during its lifetime, entertaining guests. And tonight, even though there was only one seeing what the stage had to offer, there would be a show once again.

The observing man was waiting patiently, smoking a cigar. The smoke from it joined the hazy kind of air, swirling together in a small vortex. He scratched his grey beard as he was expecting the performance to start soon. And the wait wasn't long. Soon the darkness of the room was partly banished by a set of blue spotlights that illuminated the stage, as a sign that all the glances should be directed onto the platform where the magic would soon happen. Then ensued a short period of silence. The man took a deep inhale from his cigar. After a brief moment, from behind the scenes, a fragile figure appeared. It was a very skinny woman, dressed in a gorgeous pale blue dress, it glimmered in the radiance of spotlights. Her dark brown hair had been tied to a bun. For a little while, she was standing on the stage in a sheepish manner, looking down to her feet. The man was eyeing her intently – but perhaps that was her intention.

Then a beautiful melody started to play. First, she raised her hands in the air, then lifted her head. As the music kept playing, she started to move, it was like the tune had taken a hold of her. She began her graceful dance, the spotlights capturing her every move. The man watching this performance looked pleased, tapping his leg in the rhythm of the music. This was a private show just for him. But as the dance kept going on, his mood changed. Perhaps somebody else wouldn't have noticed, but he saw some flaws in the otherwise so smooth performance. And that was unacceptable.

With a swing from his hand, a sudden crimson slash appeared at the dancer's arm, leaving behind a fresh wound. But the woman didn't let this hinder her dance, she didn't even whimper, and just kept going on like nothing hadn't even happened. She tried her best to dance so elegantly that it would please the man, but unfortunately, he spotted even more flaws. For every mistake he saw, he would cast a new slashing burst, making an additional wound on her arms. Slash after slash, her arms were filled with lacerations, bleeding abundantly. This state started to get a toll on her and she collapsed onto the stage, falling on her knees, starting to cry slightly.

The music stopped. The only sound filling the hall was now the woman's sobbing. Her fresh wounds were bleeding on the stage, staining it red. The man shook his head, disappointed in her performance. He took one final inhale from his cigar before he extinguished it against an ashtray. He heaved his large body from the chair and started to make his exit from the hall. The crying woman was left behind, soon even the light abandoned her as the spotlights turned off.

This had happened before, her dancing, but unable to face the man's tight standards… Every wound making it clear that she had to do better.

But she knew that she would succeed one day. She just had to try harder. Even though she was now stained in blood and tears, she would rise again.



[b]DAY 15: GLITCH – COLD MECHANICAL HEART[/b]

In that desolated corner of the world, an everlasting darkness had enveloped the region. Not many creatures could survive on this sinister and forsaken place, and those that could, were material from nightmares and definitely something you didn't want to cross your ways with. However, somewhere in this barren land, a research facility of some sort had been built, but for what reason, this question remains now as a mystery. Even more secrecy added the fact that this place has been long abandoned, so nobody knows the origin and downfall of the facility. Perhaps the story of this place will never be discovered.

Maybe the ruins of the laboratory would have remained deserted, but one day, a peculiar man, a cyborg, came across this place. He decided to reside in there, it was perfect for his research. This man, half human, half machine, was studying humans – and not really in a kind way. He was especially fascinated by how they would react to pain and torture as his own body didn't respond to physical ache, not much anyway. He also wanted to know how human psyche works.

So, on that day he had brought yet another test subject to this laboratory, which he had turned into a new facility for his research. Capturing the man had been so easy, the poor guy had been lost in the dark wilderness, all alone and helpless. The cyborg had sprayed a special gas that would make one lose their consciousness for a while. That was how he managed to carry the test subject back to his laboratory without resistance.

The captured man was laying on an operation table when his consciousness started to get back.

“What…? Where am… I?”

He was blinded by a flickering light above him. He tried to move, but soon realized that he had been tied to the table. This was when he began to panic a little, for it was obvious that something was wrong. Before he started to scream for help, he noticed movement in the dark corner of the room. A tall man appeared from the shadows, his appearance frightening the man a little bit. The cyborg was eyeing him, his red mechanical eye glowing a little.

“Hey, can you help me out?” the man asked, though feeling wary. “I have to get out of here.”

The cyborg walked closer, right next to the operation table.

“I'm afraid, my friend, that you're not going anywhere”, the cyborg spoke, pointing at the man with the finger of his metallic hand.

Before the man could reply, the cyborg transformed his hand into a blade and struck it against the man's shoulder. The man screamed in pain, the volume only rising as the cyborg twisted the blade in the wound. Then he pulled it out, watching how the blood poured from the injury to the table. The cyborg let his normal human hand explore his test subject's body, stopping to the guy's hand for a while. What a smooth skin. He gave more work for the blade and began to cut the man's fingers off, one by one. The victim was screaming, pleading for him to stop. But after all of his fingers had got chopped, he whimpered something that stirred something unexplainable within the cyborg.

“Please, I have a wife, and daughter… I love them so much… I want to see them…”

Love?

Like a glitch in his cold mechanical heart, the cyborg felt something. It was a feeling he had forgotten long time ago, just like his memories. Was it love? Had he loved someone? He couldn't tell, for his memories had got vanished. He hadn't really felt pain before, but for some reason, now he could detect agony in his artificial heart. He grasped his chest, started to breath heavily. Something was wrong with his body. He coughed up blood, there was also blood bleeding from his eyes. It was driving him mad, and in this enraged state, he cut the man's head off, instantly killing him.

He was gasping for air for a little while. Eventually, whatever had just happened to him passed. He looked at the eyes of the dead man. Such a shame. This operation hadn't gone like planned; it had come to a halt way too early.

The cyborg shook his head a little.

Whatever that occurrence had been, he didn't want to experience it ever again.

He left the room and the dead body, disappearing into the shadows.