"Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology" by Larissa Hinton (Short Stories)

Genre:  Fantasy

Short Story Type:  Short Story and Poetry Collection

Summary:  An anthology that will quench your thirst for more than the ordinary.

Everblossom is a journey through poems and short stories that may seem ordinary on the surface but dig a little deeper and the world not only shifts. It changes.

From the author who brought you Iwishacana/Acanawishi, she now brings you a dash of everything from dark fantasy to the paranormal to even romance. So prepare yourself to delve into the three stages of the flower from bud to blossom then back to seed, you'll go through them all with a whole new perspective on what it all truly means.

Excerpt:

College Life

The lights were not back on instead darkness greeted me when I opened my eyes. I tried to flicker the images away; I tried to make the knowing pain disappear but it never did. I gripped my stomach, the slice so deep that blood dribbled onto my fingers. Desperately trying to get a move on, I put one foot in front of the other and soon a rhythm developed. The ancient rhythm of fear and regret echoed through my staggered footsteps as I crossed the threshold of the Student Center. The splash of a deep winter night hit me across the face, my breath came in colored fogs. Inhale. Exhale The break came out ragged, and the inhale just burned a deep hole in my throat.

Get a move on.

Denying the impulse to look behind me, I took a sharp turn left and paused. Waiting. Always waiting for the next split second delay tell tale sign of--I took a break and paused. There. Right there.

Right beyond my reach was a panther strolling down the cracked over used sidewalks. The strut of this particular panther seemed to just glide right out of a book and right back into reality. The muscles in his face tensed as he lifted his head and took a scent.

Hunting. Always hunting.

I slid a little bit closer towards the building, hoping to scrub away the detection of fear smell away from my body.

The panther jerked his head towards me, hearing the oh-so-hard-to-hear ripping sounds of my clothes against the ancient brick building. I debated running or staying still. The logic in constant tango with my instincts. Then it happened.

I envisioned then I became the panther.

I didn't feel the change, not at first. The growl from my throat surprised me, then my hands changed, covered with luscious black fur. My eyes shrunk, my nose elongated then well, you know the rest. I stood there, soaking in the hard facts that my body completely transformed from human into a black panther.

Then I ran.

Nice long leaps of running, my paws softly touching the floor each time with a soft clicking sound. When I finally stop at the Memorial Chapel I peeked between the high arches to see that the other panther has disappeared. I suppress the snarl that threatens to rip my throat as footsteps, one sniff designates it as human, came closer. I try to imagine myself human once again, but all I feel is my fur rising, ready for the attack.

A man steps out into the streetlight looking strangely out of place. For one, he's white at an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) that stands out immediately, not only that but his walk seems somewhere out of a model's catalogue. His walk was smooth until it halted right at the other side of the chapel entrance. His all white suit dimmed in the shadows as he sniffed the air then his gorgeous rum-colored eyes connected to mine.

Right then I knew, I was toast.

He trapped me with his gaze which never left mine as he took one step by one graceful step closer. I snarled as he dared to step up to me with no fear in his eyes then he had the audacity to give me a grin.

"Caught you." He whispered.

Before I had enough time to process his response I changed back. My paws turned back to hands which were deep black in the shadow, as dark as midnight itself, but the fur was gone. My back stood ruler straight at exactly six feet. My onyx black hair swished behind me and hid some of my unmentionable parts and shaded my copper-colored almond eyes and luscious lips I had, fortunately, inherited from my father.

I shivered as the cold night reminded me of my nakedness. I clinged to my furless mocha colored skin. That's when I noticed it. My hand skimmed across my stomach and I gasped softly.

The blood, the injury all vanished into thin air. There wasn't even a scar.

The stranger looked down to where I traced the wound that was there, but instead of lingering his gaze he shot his eyes right back into mine, determined almost to get straight to the point.

I licked my lips, then asked, "What do you want from me?"

That damn smile still was on his face as he took a seat on the brick steps right at the entrance of the too gorgeous to believe church. He patted a spot next to him which I hesitantly took. Silence sat between us as comfortable as a blanket full of bed bugs. Until his voice disturbed it.

"I don't want anything from you," He said, "except answers."

I raised my eyebrow. "Answers?"

"Yes, I want to know how you became a shape-shifter." His eyes pierced mine with such intensity I looked away.

I contemplated for some time then asked, "Aren't you a shape-shifter? Wouldn't you already know?"

His laugh came out bitter and bleak. "If I knew how to control my shifts and the history behind it, I wouldn't be chasing you now would I?"

I thought that made sense. Only, how would I make sense of how I changed. How I became who I didn't even know existed until moments before? I looked at him wanting answers, so many answers none appropriate or right but all the same I wanted them.

So I explained. I weaved him a tale that would permanently damage both of our lives. Forever.

 

Buy this short story on the Kindle or on Smashwords.