THE STRANGE DAYS OF DEMONIKKA GOTTIKKA PART THE FIRST - (After the Bomb) The world was at peace. The world had been at peace for some time now. There was nobody left to fight - or so it seemed anyway.

All around was a barren landscape interspersed with rubble. twisted steel and concrete stood like pointers to an oasis of decay, rotting/stinking flesh and radiation.

Nikka popped her head around the door to look out from what had been her home for the past 3 weeks.She squinted at the light.

Blinded by the memories. Deafened by the ghosts...

With all her possessions, crammed into a small rucksack, she headed to the hills. 'If there was life left on Earth (she told herself ) it would be in the mountains!'

The daylight passed quickly - too quickly. The bitter cold that chilled to her bones suggested she had been walking for hours -but Nikka knew it was only '2'.....'3' at the most.

With the light fading she sought shelter - there must be 'something' nearby!

With the mountain tops, sillougheted against the darkenning sky, and the river barely visible below, she was almost giving up hope of finding a place to spend the night. ..to 'hide' from the night...and the horrors that it brings...

Nika set about gathering firewood. 'Best make camp here!', she resigned to herself

She had the feeling she was being watched.In fact, she had had that feeling ever since she left the 'Great Glen', but just put it down to 'perfectly rational paranoia.'

She put the thoughts to the back of her mind and carried on her business.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART THE SECOND - (The Icy Pond) Stepping forward on to a flatter piece of ground; Nikka saw what she thought was a leafy branch - ideal for a shelter - about 30 yards out onto the ice.

She steadied herself and ever-so-gently edged along - thinking now of somewhere warm to snuggle down.Somewhere to rest her weary head.

"STOP!", she heard someone scream at her.

Quickly, Nikka turned herself around and peered into the dusk.

All she could see were two red eyes and a cloud of breath condensing in the frozen air. "Hello!", she called out - not entirely sure if she expected an answer.

A loud crash and then a rumble of what sounded like terrifying thunder.

The whole world shook around her and she felt herself falling as the thin ice gave way.

She crashed into the water with a hefty splash.

Darkness engulfed her. Nikka thrashed around with her arms in a vain attempt to propel herself back to the surface.

The chill was setting in.

A chill so bad it burned.

She felt her body was almost paralyzed as she floated back upwards towards the diffused light.

She lay underneath the ice - hardly able to move.

A few inches of air between a solid sheet of frozen lake and the icy water. "Was this the end?", she thought to herself.

Nikka closed her eyes and pressed her lips towards the smooth ice.

"One last kiss...."

Darkness.

Black....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART THE THIRD (Gottikka Lullabi)

Trombones played and angels sang!

The numbing coldness had gone.

Nikki drifted in and out of consciousness.

She felt something brush past her hand; she looked down

A brightly-coloured fish was swimming around in circles as if beckoning to her to join in!

She felt she should swim down and dance.

The water was life...

Nikka took a gulp of air, spun around and swam straight down, spinning all the way, dancing the ghost-dance of the sea.

What a wonderful new world she now inhabited.

Cares abandoned her.

Worries were a thing of the past.

Memories flashed into Nikka's head - all spliced together like an old 8mm film that's been repaired more times than it's been watched.

She saw herself as a young girl playing on a swing - laughing - happy

She saw herself being pushed off - falling - crying - the trip to the hospital - the plastercast on her leg.

She saw herself at her 8th birthday party - she knew it was her 8th because she wasn't allowed one when she was 7 and she had stopped celebrating birthdays when she reached 9.

She was wearing a print dress that she was so proud of - butterflies sitting on bright flowers! She felt like a princess

Nikka's mood changed....

She saw the beast who had initiated her into the world of womanhood.

She saw him cough his stinky breath over her as he fumbled at her clothes.

Tearing the butterflies...ripping the flowers..hurting her..touching her where she didn't want to be touched

Tearing her dress...tearing the butterflies ..bastard!.

Nikka startled herself awake.She became of the real world.

She was lying at the side of the lake looking up at the most amazing red eyes she had ever seen.

Frozen, frightened and fatigued Nikka tried to speak but nothing came out.

"Hi", said The SpoiltVictorian, "you nearly died!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART THE FOURTH (Dancing with The SpoiltVictorian)

Nikka gasped in shock. But not entirely sure if she was in shock from nearly drowning or just from opening her eyes and gazing on the beautiful creature! The SpoiltVictorian was about her size,had black raven hair, red piercing eyes, a pale complexion and a body to DIE for! Nikka thought that she looked rather 'cute'. "Hey!", said The SpoiltVictorian, "try to stand up...we need to get back to the caves before darkness sets in" "Who ARE you ?", whispered Nikka "A friend!", answered the girl. Nikka stood up and let her new friend carry her to safety. "Nice place!", Nikka said when she saw the cave "It's cosier with the fire burning ", said The SpoiltVictorian and set to work. "Make yourself at home", said The SpoiltVictorian. "There's a gramaphone over by the back wall if you fancy some music." Nikka looked over to the record collection = marvelling at the shiny new 78s "Bit of a posh - girl", she thought to herself," all the latest stuff" Looking through the collection, Nikka picked out one she recognised - 'Into the Bat's Cave by Gothic Lullaby' She placed it on the gramaphone and turned the handle. The sound of sweet violins filled the air and her mind wandered for a minute , bringing back a smile. The SpoiltVictorian appeared beside her. "Come and sit with me....", she half-ordered. Nikka did as she was told. She looked into the girls eyes and was captivated.. Totally... The SpoiltVictorian leaned forward her head and kissed her." "Wow!" , thought Nikka , her mind a-buzz with it all, surrendering to her. The girl lowered her head, pressing her cheek against Nikka's bosom. She glanced up to check Nikka's eyes were closed. They were. The SpoiltVictorian bared her fangs and ran her serpentile tongue over the tips before sinking them into Nikka's left breast. Nikka shuddered but she didn't struggle. Nikka LOVED her new friend...... -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART THE FIFTH (Sugar Rush) Nikka awoke with a start. It was dark but she could still see by the shadows cast from the dying embers of the fire that The SpoiltVictorian was up and about -pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "Come back to bed!?", Nikka offered,wondering if she had done something to upset. her companion either never heard her or ignored the suggestion. "It has started...", she said in the softest of voices - after an unnaturally long pause. "What has?" "They are coming...for ME!" "Who is?..You're not making a lot of sense", said Nikka - now fully awake. "There is a small tribe to the north of here ...where the river meets the sea. I used to belong to them...Then I got the 'disease' "Disease?", said Nikka, "If you're on about radiation poisoning, well, we've all got THAT, in fact...." "QUIET!", snapped the girl Nikka was quiet The SpoiltVictorian continued "Not 10 days ago a girl came into our camp. She said she was lost..had wandered from safety and her own tribe. We...I...took her in. She shared my house, my food, my clothes..and that night she shared my bed. The next morning she was gone. I awoke feeling very drained ; my breast sore where she had bitten me." Nikka looked down at the 2 puncture marks on her own skin but said nothing. The Victorian continued. "From that day I was different.I LOOKED different. People shunned me ..said I was cursed. The tribe leader..he has..HAD..a daughter..'The Princess'.. She was my friend ...I wanted to taste her flesh...I went too far.. I heard the men of the camp plotting to kill me. I gathered my things and left in a wagon. It was said that if anything happened to 'The Princess' then I was to be put to death! Now, I am here....alone...with you." Nikka was crying."You have given me this...disease?" "I'm sorry..so,so, sorry..." Nikka thought for a moment. "We're in this together!", she said confidently. The Victorian sat beside Nikka, put her arm around her and pulled her head closer. Nikka bared her fangs. Sinking them into the soft flesh of her lover's breast. She lapped at the crimson flow. Her eyes glowed red. Yes, she LOVED her new friend. For , come the dawn...they would be warriors!