The rumbling deep within the earth’s crust awakened Lucien from his dreamless sleep. How long had he been without awareness? He rode the wave of molten lava to the surface, cat-eye pupils shrinking in the unaccustomed brightness of sunlight hitting the deep blue water.

The island was gone, sunk as they cast him into the crevice. They sealed their doom the day they sought to destroy him. Atlantis was no more, yet he lived on, awaiting the inevitable moment of his resurrection.

Call him demon or jinn, neither label fit nor did it matter. Once more, the world lay beneath his feet, ripe with possibilities. Let the feast begin anew, he thought, and rode the wind to a new civilization.

Lucien grew puzzled as he walked amongst the pitiful humans in this place. No one knew him or seemed to care. He strolled through a park next to the sea, a tall bridge crossing an expanse of it. They called the year 1968 by their way of tracking time. It meant nothing to him, without a reference point from the past to guide him.

His stance didn’t strike fear in the hearts of these souls. A few even handed him flowers. These people intrigued him. He would stay awhile; learn more about them.

A thick haze enveloped Lucien as he mingled amongst laughter and music, causing him to sway in time to the gentle beat. Soon more people arrived, all dressed in blue, intent on harm with their sticks. He set them on fire for their efforts; his new friends nodded their approval and stuck a small square of paper in his mouth.

Lucien soared over the city, lighting fires in each building where the blue men congregated. He noticed the red trucks trying to help, so vanquished them as well. “Groovy,” the man next to him exclaimed, but his face turned into a monstrous visage so Lucien eliminated him. Soon his new friends ran, fearful and no different from the Atlantians of so long ago. Lucien watched the flowers curl into smoky wisps as they caught fire from molten flesh, heard chanting turn into screams.

He awoke the next morning in a park, the city around him a smoldering ruin. He couldn’t remember previous events, but clearly, no one lived in this burnt-out shell. Lucien wondered what had drawn him here in the first place, but gave up trying to recall and headed south in search of new souls to harass.


"Demons And Acid Don't Mix"
Copyright: © 2009 Laura Eno
----------------------------------
Laura Eno (http://lauraeno.blogspot.com) has written two YA fantasy novels and a paranormal romance. Her flash fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Twisted Dreams, The Monsters Next Door, Flashes in the Dark, 10Flash, House of Horror, The New Flesh, Everyday Weirdness and MicroHorror.

38 comments:

  1. Fabulous. I'm attracted to tales of demons and souls, and for this one, you connected it with Atlantis. How brilliant are you? Every day I see you pubbed someplace else. You're damned good. I'm always satisfied when reading your work.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marvellous, a stoned destroyer of worlds - I love it!
    Has a very mesmerising tone, too :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Excellent. I expected nothing less.

    ReplyDelete
  4. haunting. It is what I've come to expect from you, wickedly good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loved it! Demon, jinn, Atlantis and the Age of Aquarius, all tied up with groovy words of description! :)

    Very nice!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cool creative twist, Laura. I love this about your work. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very cool. With the title, I was expecting burning acid, not trippy acid. Yeah, getting a demon drugged out doesn't sound like a good idea. Loved it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ah, an autobiography. Bwahahaha - couldn't help myself. :)
    Excellent job as always. Bravo Laura!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the end, destructor drunk on destruction. Stark with great dark imagery.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very funny. I love mischievous demons - though I'd never imagined what would happen if one happened to get high on acid. The ending is brilliant.

    This is my favourite of all your #fridayflash stories so far.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Demons tripping on acid with hippies -- love it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Out of your #fridayflash I think this is your best one yet. Thank you for posting it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A great piece. I loved the plodding, steady pace. I liked how you held it so ordinary and matter-of-fact as the demon recalls the hazy events.

    Well done. Nice job.

    ReplyDelete
  14. As always Laura I love your writing. It seems to me you set the mood so well in whatever you write including this piece. Rock on lady,

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very nice take on a theme. I've never seen anyone mix acid and demons before. Quite enjoyable. And I belive I've seen Lucien before. He gets around!
    ~jon

    ReplyDelete
  16. Demons, yet still so much fun! Wish I was this good :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Brilliant!

    I feel I can relate to the main character, after having some nights out and awakening to find destruction all around

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank you so much for reading and leaving your comments!

    ReplyDelete
  19. You're still my fave. I never know what to expect.
    love it!
    ~2

    ReplyDelete
  20. Another great read Laura, mixing tropes with fabulous results. Love the description of the blue guys with sticks. And flowers curling from being scorched by molten flesh. Excellent stuff (again)!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Surely this is a new genre, full of promise: hippy demons on acid.

    ReplyDelete
  22. There's no better ad campaign for anti-drug use. Hot stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Groovy!

    I always knew the hippy thing would end in tears (or flames it would now seem).

    Really good romp in this one, Laura. And the good (or, really bad) Lucien move on to the next task (hope, for everyone's sake, he doesn't suffer from flashbacks!)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you all for your support and comments! Lucien is dear to my heart. He's currently playing pool. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Fantastic! Ikes for those in the south...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hell yeah, demons on drugs, what a fantastic concept!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Like, wowsville. Or something! Great story.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm late to the party here, but let me add my thumbs up on a cool concept and terrific execution!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you all and I'm delighted that it's made III's list of the Top Ten of 2009. WOOT!

    ReplyDelete
  30. ***wails****
    My comment disappeared. Must have been the acid. I mean a computer virus.

    Rule # 4 on the list of things Laura Eno has taught me... never EVER give a demon drugs. Got it.
    :0)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wow...thanks, Karen! I've taught you a list of rules. :)

    ReplyDelete