Darkness surrounds me; my ever-present companion, both the bearer and child of my scorched and withered being.
Inky pools of lesser light that beckon me to breach them. A soft, subtle whisper of promised indulgence; the caress of a dank breath never to be drawn that tugs at my soul; the gentle rustlings of the unknown scuttling though my mind that speak of a dusky beauty – things that never were but should always have been.
Dare I step closer only to find myself enamored by the all consuming draw of your call? Do I finally release the pang that I have held so dear and tender to me these years gone by? Do I allow you to exist in the light or shall I surrender to the smothering depths of a mind already drowned in madness?
The pull of the shadows is such a thing of comfort as to blanket itself around me while it slowly suckles my very being into non-existence. But the exquisite embrace this lack of existence offers is such a supple and soothing one; to fade to obscurity, what a delight that would be, yet an injustice to all that you would have been. Year upon agonizing year I have listened to your call and let it go unanswered, keeping hidden the unbridled desire to glance upon the you that never was.
There may not be a path that leads back to the dimmer shadows once I allow myself this wanton freedom, though I do not believe I would seek one. My poor darling Angel who has lived in a trapped darkness for so long, will you no longer torture me if I allow this coupling its place, or will you still haunt every step I lay upon a ground you shall never touch, breathe the breadth you shall never have, feel and see the beauty that you shall never know?
~ Nina D’Arcangela
© Copyright 2012 Nina D’Arcangela. All Rights Reserved.
Let the Damning Begin!
Those cursed with our foul taint, heed this call, bear witness to this Damned offering. The prizes for burying yourself in our Coffin are as such:
Grand Prize:
Jaimie Engle shall swig her poison from a Pen of the Damned Flask!
(Pen of the Damned on CafePress)
Pen of the Damned eBook Anthology prizes:
Yessss, the Damned have been scribbling their demented ravings and collecting the torn shreds for your bemusement. May the eyes and ears of the Four Horsewomen of the Apocalypse bleed upon sight and sound of our collective madness!
Lori Joyce Parker, Mari Wells, Georgina Morales, and ShadowGirl
Coffin Hop Anthology:
One final slaughter to add to the Coffin, a Death by Drive-In – no finer way to depart this existence for the next! Juan Gutierrez will be granted an eBook copy of the Coffin Hop Anthology!
Until the next utterance from the Damned, beware what scuttles in the darkened corners of your own mind…
Pen of the Damned 
As usual, I enjoyed reading!
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Thank you, Marlena! 🙂
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Aqesome, and thank you very much!
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Thank you for reading my post, and appreciating it, Juan! 🙂
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Rich and sumptuous writing for which you are renowned, Nina. I was drawn into the existential darkness.
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Thank you, Thomas! This one is filled with pain and regret. I hope I managed to impart those emotions effectively. 🙂
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Such words to wake up to! And, to have the demented ramblings of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bestowed upon me – I am truly blessed!
Many thanks!
Your ever-faithful Damnling,
SG
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You are most welcome to our demented ramblings, Shadow Girl! Thank you for hopping with us, and for the kind words about my post! 🙂
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While I enjoyed the whole thing, the third stanza “called” to me. It was fantastic. I felt a push and pull of warring desires like the tidal movements.
Its darkness had a feeling of finality that was sublime.
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The passage of decision, the one broaching the true fear behind writing this piece. I’m glad to know it was imparted with enough emotion to ‘call’ to you, Zack! You are very astute in your assessment of it, and I appreciate that greatly! 🙂
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Fantastic work as usual Nina
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Spanks! ;}
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Nina, another decadent story of darkness. Beautifully written…what more can I say? Thank you for the amazing grand prize! My damned husband will be thrilled to drink out of the damned flask. I’ll send pics…
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Thank you, Jaimie, for your kind words!! They are greatly appreciated! And I cannot wait to see pics of the hubbie guzzling from the flask! It’s killer! Psst… don’t tell, but I almost kept it for myself! ;}
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Such a lovely tale, Nina! I am a rather visual person and the very first paragraph set the picture in my mind for the remainder of the story.
“Darkness surrounds me; my ever-present companion, both the bearer and child of my scorched and withered being.”
I kept going back to the picture within my soul and the meaning of the words as they arrived at a conclusion which is merely a prelude to more to come.
Once more: lovely words, sweet lady.
Blaze
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Thank you, Blaze! This piece is very dear to me, every word chosen with extreme care to impart more than one meaning. The final line, well… that’s the final line. Thank you my Damned friend! I truly appreciate your kind words.
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A wonderful tale, Nina. I wanted to say more, but you know why I didn’t. You are a sweet lady. Of course, you did want to have a nut-sack drag for Zack last week, so we all know the Damned side is there as well. 🙂
Blaze
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Yes, Blaze, I understood, and heard the words that weren’t there. I know there will be much howling, both bereft and joyful. And don’t think Zack’s sack is safe now just because he’s been Damned… oh, no. He awaits many nuts ‘a roasting! ;]~
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Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. So much desire and darkness. It is “moody” as you put it, but I feel the hint of something very black there too.
Thank you so much for the prize. I’m so excited…
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Hi Mari! Thank you very much for complimenting my piece. It is very moody, very passionate, and very dark. It’s also very much a message of hope, though you’d have to read with nearly a 6th sense to see through the pain.
And you are more than welcome for the Damned prize! All of us are happy to make ALL OF YOU happy!! (I’m very excited about it too!) 🙂
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I could feel the hope in it. I loved the way you played with it, depending on the reader and the moment its read, the “mood” is picked up. I’ve come back and read it three times now. Picking up a new mood each time. Truly wonderful.
😀
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Thanks, Mari! That means I did my job well! 😉 😉
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I truly enjoy your style, Nina. It’s dark, elegant, and touching. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to read Pen if the Damned antho!!! Yay me! 🙂
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Thank you, Georgina, for your gracious praise!! And I’m sure you’ll love the antho – it’s a beautifully eclectic mix of The Damned souls who roam this blog!! 🙂
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Very poetic. I agree with Mari when she calls it beautiful, as well as with Georgina when she labels it elegant. Very well written; very curious piece. I think I’ll read it again…
-Jimmy
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You should read it again, James. Just saying. 🙂
Blaze
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😀
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Hi Jimmy! *waves out front window*
Thank you very much for the extremely kind compliments. The words chosen for this piece are extremely precise in both their tone and dual implications. 🙂
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Your writing always calls to me and I know I’d be damned if didn’t listen….
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Damned you shall be if you don’t! (loud booming voice) lol – Thank you, Sue! I’m glad you enjoy the moodier side of my prose as well as the lighter story telling! :]
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You know, Nina, whenever I read your work, I’m taken to this world where I’m enslaved by a sometimes cruel, sometimes loving dark mistress, cowering at her feet, wondering what my fate will be. You have a very strong, entirely unique voice that echoes between the lines of your stories. As always, awesome. I bow to you, and await punishment or tenderness.
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Ah, Hunter… Your Mistress is both cruel and kind in showing you her affection of the moment. You do wise to accept and relish in both fear and gratitude. No slave worthy of his collar would consider otherwise…
Thank you very much, Hunter! It thrills me to no end to know that you find my ‘voice’ unique, and understand that there is always hidden meaning behind the obvious perception of my writing. Thank you, again! 🙂
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You’re a magician, Nina; you entwine darkness, somehow control it, will it to prance from your fingertips like a puppeteer from Hades. You’re a masochist; punishing your own psyche as you channel words, emotions from the depths of Lord only knows what. And you are a genius; skilled, brilliant, dancing a fine line known to exist for only a few… I loved YOUR CALL. Just so achingly & beautifully raw… 🙂
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Thank you, Joe! This piece is both particularly painful and freeing for me. I agonized over every word in it, and live them daily. A muse did not whisper this one in my ear, my own soul did.
Thank you again, you are always so gracious and kind in your assessment of my writing – and it’s truly appreciated. :}
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Nina, your beautiful darkness is showing. I adore Your Call for a thousand reasons. It is sublime, tempting and perfect. Nothing more need even be said.
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Thank you, beautiful creature of the night! Your adoration is very graciously and humbly appreciated. :]
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Nina, your prose is always awe inspiring. It’s amazing how much raw emotion you inject into your stories and with such grace and beauty!
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Thank you, Tyr! This one deserves a level of grace and beauty that I’m very happy to know I was able to infuse into it. Some pieces are stories, some muse of fancy or fantasy, others just macabre wanderings of the mind. But this one is one of those few very personal pieces that sees the light of day in a form you, as a writer, hope others will appreciate while you suffer through writing it. Thank you again for the kind words! ;}
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