Deviation Actions
Literature Text
Gasp
By: CSKazaam
Summary: The risk of discovery. (1920s Detective AU)
Genre: Suspense/Action/Adventure
Pairing: None
Setting: 1920s Detective AU
Rating: G
Status: Complete
Type: Blurb/scene
Disclaimer: All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted © by the almighty Square Enix! This story is all me, however. Enjoy!
They were frozen together on the sheer, shadowed side of the glacier, as footsteps crunched past somewhere above. Sephiroth had eased himself onto a narrow shelf; he lay there, stilled, glancing downward at Zack, anchored in a dozen feet above the water. They met each other’s eyes, silent, listening and waiting. Their empty transport bobbed along, continuing with the current; hopefully they wouldn’t need it anymore. Zack held his breath as it struck the ice. Would they hear?
A sprinkling of ice and snow dislodged and spilled down the glacier toward him when the toe of a boot appeared from a ledge further above. Zack ducked his head and hugged the cliff side, praying the guard would not think to look down. Sephiroth grew even quieter, if possible. The snow rained onto Zack’s spikes and tickled down his neck. A light breath of wind stirred their heavy clothing.
The crunching of boots continued, as whoever was up there turned away. The two detectives breathed a collective sigh of relief. When Sephiroth nodded, Zack resumed his upward climb; Sephiroth turned his attention to the wall above him.
Crack.
Ping.
With deceptive abruptness, the anchor spun loose from the ice and Zack plummeted toward the water. Frantic, he latched onto the rope, but it snaked down with him. With only twelve feet to fall, he hit the glacial liquid before it could pull taut.
The sharp gasp as icy waters wrapped around him drowned out the sound of the splash in his ears. His fingers were white upon the rope beneath his gloves, and, for a long, excruciating moment, after he remembered how to breathe, he could hear nothing but his helpless hyperventilating, desperate and shallow. His muscles had seized.
When coherent thought returned to him, he had the presence of mind to wonder why he hadn’t fallen beneath the waves. His head and face remained above the water, though it lapped at his chin; jerking his gaze upward, he found Sephiroth once again lying upon the shelf, arm outstretched and gripping the rope. The man’s jaw was clenched as he fought to keep Zack above the water. Urgent voices above them indicated that they had been heard.
Sephiroth’s eyes met Zack’s. There was an interminable moment where they stared at each other, waiting to be discovered.
Then Sephiroth let go.
Zack slid beneath the waves.
Don't you just hate it when authors post those blurbs that come from nothing and lead to nowhere, and you're left going, "What? That's it??? But I want to know what happens!!!" and then there are no real plans to continue the story beyond what's there?
Yeah... this is one of those. So I'll just hand you a tomato and make my escape right now, shall I?
Honestly, this was prompted by a spur of the moment urge to write something, when I only had an hour to do it, so I dug out my prompt lists and this is what popped up in my head. I was experimenting with trying to create a certain, tense atmosphere with minimal description.
I would be happy to continue this, if I had a clue how Zack and Seph got there, or where they were going, or what on Earth they were doing on a glacier of all places. So, for now, it'll go into my stockpile of future mystery ideas, and if anyone else has any ideas about it, feel free to tell me! All I can say is that it takes place in the future of where the detective series currently is. A fair distance in the future, too.
Written for prompt #25 - Gasp (Table 1) in 50 Scenes on LJ!
... I think ... I pick on Zack too much.
Very good job with the atmosphere though, I could almost feel the snowflakes on my neck. Nicely done as always.
