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Future’s Cold Hand

Devil’s Trap

Gems of Freedom

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Sebastián Iturralde
August 11, 2021
3 minute read
Dark Light
By letting things take their course, it is possible to find unattainable surprises. Accepting your path is difficult when you can see mistakes in others.

Waiting by a cliff, as the cold twilight wind blew around her, Licana Rose watched the light of a lonely house come on. Darkness surrounded her. Little did she know that Death was standing next to her.

“What do we have here?” asked Death. “Who is our target for the night?”

Licana could not hear Death’s words, nor was she aware of its presence. Her mission was simple. Her weakness had been developing a need to see the life leave the body of her victims.

Licana pushed herself off a tree and started walking toward the farmhouse in the distance. A shadow casted by Death surrounded her. All beings in their path moved to avoid being touched by that dark energy. She was used to having Death around her. In fact, she couldn’t remember the feeling of being far from Death.

Once Licana got to the house, she quickly walked in search of an entrance. It would have been too easy to use her weapon from a distance. She craved the fear of getting close to her victims.

There he was. The man she was hired to assassinate. Walking through the kitchen while his mistress prepares a meal for the both of them. Licana knew exactly who her target was. This was the first time she had to kill someone from the inner circle.

Two for the price of one, she thought.

“Make them suffer,” said Death.

Licana entered the house and slipped into the kitchen. The couple continued with their affairs until they saw her—a woman in a black suit hired to kill them.

“Don’t move,” said Licana.

The man took a knife from the counter… the first shot left everyone frozen in time. Finally, the pain traveled through his body. His immediate reaction was placing the hand on his chest, and pressing the wound to control the bleeding.

“Do you like to play with people’s lives?” asked Licana.

The man paused in shock. Then he opened his mouth but couldn’t formulate a response.

Death floated around the counter until it was behind the couple. Savoring the fear that came from the man holding his bleeding hand, and the confused woman trying to understand the situation.

Licana fired before the man had a chance to say a word. He closed his eyes and tensed his muscles. Nothing. He couldn’t feel the bullet in his body. Then, he heard his lover collapse with a bullet to the head.

“What have you done?” he pleaded. “Please…”

“Do not move!” Licana said, pointing her gun at him.

The man hid behind his outstretched arm, while Death savored every moment.

Licana paused, watching him tremble. Letting his fear reach its highest level before pulling the trigger.

Death enjoyed the sequence of events. It stood next to the corpses as eyes of fire blazed within its skull. Death opened its bony hand and dark smoke appeared, leaving an open book; there it saw her name “Licana Rose” printed on the page. Immediately, Death raised its head and saw a young man rapidly approaching her.

Licana was surprised with a dagger in her back.

The book of Death went up in smoke as its black rope appeared in the real world. The bony creature attacked with its scythe, severing the young man’s head. Then he went to Licana.

Licana felt the pain of pulling the dagger from her body and saw the rope of the creature beside her. Then the fire burned her body and the pain from her wound grew greater than she had ever imagined.

The bone hands of Death were covered in fire, using its powers to heal Licana’s wound.

Finally, the pain disappeared and Licana turned to look into her companion’s fiery eyes and saw the skull disappear. Leaving her alone on the kitchen floor.

Death stood next to her and opened its hand for the book to be repaired, then it noticed that Licana’s name disappeared from the page and closed it, turning it into smoke.

Author

Sebastián Iturralde

Writer of enigmatic tales, weaving captivating narratives that provoke thought and stir the imagination. Unveiling the depths of human experience through words.
75 comments

  1. Is it a political assassination or a hired killer of a broken wife?
    Asking because of the reference to inner circle, thinking it’s a cult killing.

    2. The victim is definitely someone of some import. I get the impression she has worked for this inner circle before.

      The story definitely opens itself up to possible follow ups.

  7. That was a pretty gripping short story. Honestly, it left me wanting more at the end. I especially loved the way you painted the scene for the reader. The twist (or twists, I guess) at the end were well-warranted. Has Liciana made a deal with death to avoid dying herself? Someone already mentioned the inner circle, which I was curious about as well. Way to keep your audience in suspense.

  10. Fascinating take on how death spares you when it’s not your time yet? or did death come to favour her because of the good deeds she basically did assassinating the bad….

  15. Made a deal with the Devil and She Won… you will always be my best friend 💓 💛 ♥

  16. It sounds like a warning of someone on a vendetta who is twisted in her mind. But I like the lead in to this piece. I am a great believer in the power of love and God seeing something through, even if waiting seems like a difficult path. What I have learned is we are eternal and what is not granted to us in this window called human life, is made right by God within eternity and I leave everything in his hands. Sometimes this is extremely difficult and scary when we are under attack spiritually or physically threatened within our human lives. I know the consciousness of evil and it is beyond terrifying, but God always brings the light. Someone who walks with death does not know life eternal.

  19. Very good story. Was the young man who stabbed her another assassin or just happened to be in the house, the subject’s son for instance. Does Death’s scythe have the substance to remove heads or does it just take the life from a body it touches. Maybe Death has a crush on Licana. I wonder if the inner circle refers to Government.

  25. Hi Sebastian! Interesting and impressive story; i like how you leave just enough for us to think about. However, I would love to see more stories in which violence was not the solution. Anyway, thanks for keeping us riveted.

  27. Truly enjoyed this read. Theres a few inconsistencies and an edit here or there id review, but really a fantastic story. It did leave me wondering some of the things from the previous comments. Did Death have an affinity for her or had she made a deal with Death in return for her service? Who was the random young man that stabbed her in the back, where did he come from? Also wondering the significance of the inner circle comment. Who were the lovers and why was there a contract to kill him but not the mistress? She did both anyway. This was dark, but good. I enjoy these sort of dark, supernatural stories. Great job!

  31. You did me the honor of reading one of my articles…so I return the honor Sir.

    I appreciate the name, "Licana Rose" and the artwork is a chilling representation.

    An entertaining read…with a gratifying ending, imho.

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  35. Great story Sebastian! I can definitely relate to being followed around by Death…in my case, Death lets me see through the eyes of other people across space and time. Sometimes I feel like Death is me in the past, and this world is upside down, or something like that. Of course, that’s probably just a byproduct of my schizophrenia…that’s why I write, as art therapy for that. Anyway, I noticed you managed to find both of my blogs (not sure how lol), and left likes on both. Thank you! That means a lot to me! You are a beautiful man just as you are. Love, Daniel.

  38. Very interesting. If you wanted to, I think you could expand this into a great book or novella digging deeper into Licana’s past. I think it would be great to learn how her relationship with Death started and how it grew or changed over time.

  41. I may just be tired, but I see a contradiction in your story. First she couldn’t sense death. Then she was always in Death’s presence. Do you mean that since she’s used to dead people but doesn’t notice the phantom? I’d try to clarify a bit. I enjoyed this work, otherwise.

  47. Does death watch her from afar, keeping an eye on her?!

    As he sees and knows the dangers that lie ahead whereas she does not…

    You could be mistaken that death has some kind of fondness for her I guess. But I doubt it.

    Afterall, he could just kill her too if he really wanted… but he would rather keep her alive and study her because Licana gives him much more alive than she can if she were dead.
    Death sees something in Licana he can’t find anywhere else…as let’s face it, death has probably seen it all…

    In a certain sense, they need each other, but without actually realising it. Just my added thoughts…

  53. I’ve only read a few of your short stories, but I quite like them. I needed to see who was occasionally liking my posts and I have to say, I’m pleased at what I found

  55. Interesting take on Death as an individual, and the idea that secretly he has assassins working for him (perhaps bound for eternal life). Well done. And thanks for reading Baron Montez. Cheers Brian

  57. A treasure of a libre i place before you,

    Jose’; this little book has been with me

    since 1983 from my dear Grandmother

    i try to read it every morning, an lo’ and

    behold it’ is free online! I hope you, too,

    will understand the power the book has.

    you may avoid; it’s your decision
    5o dig, His i am, JAZZ, pray for us please,
    Readings for the home Uncategorized, USA 04/18/2020
    https://wordpress.com/post/onlizinenet.blog

    dig

    music; the voice of Angels; so true

    https://www.intouch.org/Watch/life-principles-to-live-by/gods-pathway-of-brokenness-video

  69. I like this one. Vivid description and cool concept. I could see the main idea expanded into other stories or a novel.

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