The Black Annis

The Black Annis

Black Annis, also known as Black Agnes, is a bogeyman figure in English folklore. She is imagined as a blue-faced crone or witch with iron claws and a taste for human flesh.

But what happens when these nightmares are really true?

John Robertson was any regular American, he had a job, a home, a family. And he was a trucker. On his way back to the company station, he went down a thin, old road that he usually used for a shortcut. There were barely any lights to light the road, so he turned his truck lights on; it was getting dark quickly. As he passed Dolly's Cafe, a rundown cafe from the 50's that he usually at dinner at, the air became cold. He glanced at the air conditioning. It was on cool. He shivered, and turned it up to heat. Suddenly, his radio became fainter, fainter, and fainter, before John could only hear the static. Oh well, he thought, Bad signal out here anyway. Suddenly, John saw a figure, in a scarlet red cloak, walking up the side. So he pulled over and opened a window.
"Hey, you need a ride?" He shouted out. It was a teenager girl. She had raven black hair, braided in the sides, pitch black eyes, porcelain skin, and a slim build. Her lips were blood red. She looked at him , her eyes staring him down. "Well?"
"I guess so. Thank you, John." Her voice was steely and experienced, like the teenager was older than he thought. He wondered how she knew her name. Oh well, maybe his tag was still on the side of the door. John started the truck up again, pulling back onto the road and nodding.
"The weather seems cold tonight, don't it?"
"The weather does not bother me."
"Oh, are you one of those trekker kids? I heard about you on the news. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you...." The girl trailed off.
"What is your name, again?"
"Annie."
"Nice name, I was about to name my daughter that. She's my special girl." He smiled, nodding. The girl chuckled.
"I don't remember my parents. I guess you can say... I'm a foster child."
"Poor you! You must be going to college soon, anyway. Think of any colleges yet? I graduated from Ole Miss."
"No.... Anyway, John. Have you heard of the Black Annis?"
"In history when I was in high school!" John laughed. "She was the witch that ate humans, right?"
"I suppose so. I don't being called blue-skinned, though." You could hear the smile in her voice.
"You just said "I don't like being blue-skinned."" John glanced at her, frowning. Was this teen implying that she was The Black Annis?
"I know I did. And you know what, John Robertson?" She said, a menacing tone in her voice. The air was growing cold. John looked the the windows, which were frosting. His fingers were blue. Annie came closer.
"What? Stay away from me girl!" There was a tone of panic in his voice. The girl put her hand on his arm.
"I just love the way humani's wild, untrained aura pops up when they are afraid. You are a cinnamon smell, the aura burgundy. Your aura shall be a feast to never forget!" She giggled, like a schoolgirl. "Well, at least I won't forget for tonight."
"Get away... Please! I- I- I just wanna see my family!" He said. She smiled again, and she launched herself onto him, her fangs planted themselves on his temple, which was perfect for aura-drinking. The truck swerved and hit a large oak tree, and Black Annis looked over for a second. The front was totaled, the windshield cracked beyond repair. Her eyes were now a deep burgundy, just like John's aura. She held out her claws, scratching deep pits into them so he would look like any other crash victim. She ate some flesh, smiling. Tasted delicious. She punched the windshield, and jumping up, and walking over the smoking engine like it was nothing. She jumped onto the ground. She kept on walking, and smiled again. She had the man's thoughts now, just like all of her other victims. No, scratch that, Annis thought, her meals. She searched the memories, like a great computer, for recent news. It was yesterday's news, and the surroundings was a small fast food joint, full of sleepy, annoying humani. The headline was:

Black Annis smiled.

"Oh, my humani foods, my hunt has not even truly begun. And John Robertson is only my start." She murmured. She kneeled down, like in a runner's starting position, then set off, running, her cloak whipping around her small, lean frame. She was wearing a black tank top, with black pants, and black tie-up boots. A necklace hung at her neck; It was a gold coin, from Danu Talis itself, with a small hole punched at the the top to fit a black leather string, which tied at the top. It was the only reminder she had of her sisters, Kali and Nemesis. They were usually with her, but at the moment, they were on other continents, starting their Plan. They were Great Elders after all; They needed to re-shape the earth like the others.

"The Plan has begun." Annis whispered as she stopped at the top of a hill, a shimmering city waiting in the distance. "Nemesis, Kali, I do think we shall succeed." She took out a dagger from her belt. It was a bright silver, the blade covered with exotic writings from dead languages and the handle decorated with jewels. This blade was very old, much older than Annis herself.Once Annis found The Aura, she would use it to kill the petty humani. "For its own good." She nodded, and started running again, making her way down to the city. She did not know the city's name, it wouldn't matter in a matter of days. What mattered is that none of the annoying immortal humani were in the city. They would put up a fight.

Though The Black Annis truly did like to fight.
It reminded her of the old days.

Chapter two

Ana peered out from her airplane window, nervous. "Mary, are you sure that this is safe?" A woman in her mid forties next to her chuckled. She had greying curly red hair, put up in a loose ponytail, and bright blue eyes that reminded people of the ocean.
"My dear, a hundred years ago, I asked myself the same thing. It's completely safe." Mary nodded, and went back to reading the newspaper.
"Whatever you say." Ana said cautiously. She was a bit antsy about taking any type of transportation. Anyone who knew who Ana truly was would know why. Ana was Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna. Although history said she was murdered by the Bolsheviks, Mary rescued her from murder, brought her to Artemis, who taught her magic and made her immortal.
"Will you look at this," Mary said, pointing to her newspaper. "Killing spree in the Western U.S. Any ideas?"
"Well.... what happened to the bodies?"
"Extremely mutilated, pieces of flesh gone, bite marks on the temple, the works." Ana looked at her, her blue eyes icy.
"An aura-drinker.... Maybe it is Kali?" Ana asked, twisting a bit of her straight firey red hair.
"Probably not her. Artemis said she saw her taking a portal to Asia. Back to old stomping grounds."
"Not Nemesis... People say she is dead."
"Then who?" Mary demanded. Ana bit her lip, and looked at Mary.
"Maybe..." Ana quieted down. "The Black Annis."
"Don't say that name! That name is never said aloud!" Mary exclaimed quietly. "Anyway, she's in the Catskills anyway. She promised to not leave there." Mary shook her head. "Who then? Those three are the only aura-drinkers known."
"I don't know." Ana leaned back, smiling faintly. "I guess, Mary, this shall be the mission Artemis sent us on."

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Annis stopped at a small little cottage right under the highway running through the city.It was white wood, with a little cobblestone entrance path. Little flowers decorated the premises. The windows were illuminated by lamps on the inside. Annis walked up, her boots making a small clicking sound as she went. When she got to the door, she pressed her hand to the door, her aura briefly flashing around her, a bright crimson, and the smell of copper tinging the air. There was a small crunch, and the door opened. The inside smelled like what you think any old grandparent's house would smell like, flowers and cookies. A figure stepped out from the side. Annis quickly looked at it, it was a woman, and the smell of rotting bodies filled the room, and the figure's aura popped up, a black. Annis chuckled.
"Badb, is that you?" Annis ventured. The aura died down, but the stench of death remained. The figure moved to closer to Annis. It was an old woman, with wrinkles like no tomorrow. Her hair was pitch black, as were her eyes and lips. She was dressed in a black granny dress, but no shoes. There were long claws on her feet. Her hair was rolled up into a right bun, a black feather sticking from the top.
"The Black Annis, I thought I'd never see you leave the Catskills." Badb smiling, laughing. Her teeth were black and scary sharp, her laugh like a piercing crow's cry.
"Well, times change. And I see that the Change has already affected you," Annis replied quickly. "I need to see your husband, Badb."
"Geras?"
"Who else?"
"Well, I mean, why? He's old and the Change hasn't fared him very well." Badb looked around, her voice becoming high pitched.
"I need to... Let us just say I need some favors exchanged." Badb was holding her hands together, squeezing them anixiously.
"I guess I can let you see him..." Badb finally agreed. "Follow me," She said, gesturing down the hall, and started to walk. Annis followed her, and looked at the house as she was walking. It had a floral wallpaper, and pictures of crows were everywhere. Badb finally stopped at a door at the end of the hall. It was cracked and old, the white paint peeling.
"This is... Geras's room?"
"Geras's Shadowrealm."
"Ah. I see." Annis said, nodding. Badb put her hand to the door, her aura flashing, and it opened. Instead of some room, it was another hallway.
"Geras always liked the Victorian ages." Badb explained. She walked down the hall with Annis, and an old man walked out from a door.
"Badb?" The man said, the gasped silently. "The Black Annis. Never thought I would see you of all the Great Elders. I thought you were in the Catskills."
"I was. Now Kali, Nemesis, and I have started our Plan. You know what I mean, correct?" Geras paled.
"Of course I do. Come in, let us have some tea and we shall talk over this."


NOTE: All of these people were actual or were myths. Mary was actually Mary, Queen of Scots.
Ana was actually Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia.
The Black Annis was a sort of bogeyman figure in English folklore.
Badb was the goddess of war, death, and crows in Irish mythology.
Geras was the god of old age in Greek mythology.
Kali was the goddess of destruction in Hindu mythology.
Nemesis was the goddess of revenge in Greek Mythology.

This fanfic is based on the Alchemyst series by Michael Scott.

More coming soon ^^