Incubus

18. Velvet Scapes

               Filled with enough pain for the week to fill an entire planet, I groaned, rolling over. The air around me feels vibrant and silky, like an electrified silk sheet. Wanting to wrap myself in it, I opened my eyes to see. Bright and blinding lights hit me full scope like a 180 spotlight. Gosh, more pain. Shielding my eyes, I tuned into the sound of someone screaming.

I whipped my head to the right, peeking my eyes open a bit to find a brown complexioned, naked woman covering her face with her hands as she shrieked. Lilith. Lilith and I must have been separated after the wound to my third eye. Shocked, I stood on wobbly legs to feel the silkiness of the room transfer to me more, like velvet falling from the sky. I closed my eyes to feel its warmth, its love, and its generosity.

Tenaciously, I approached Lilith, planting a hand on her shoulder. As soon as I made contact she gasped dramatically, opening her eyes to see me. I have no idea what she sees, but she is staring at me reverently, eyes wide and filled with love. Tears spilled from her eyes and she dropped to her knees, head in her hands again as she sobbed.

"Lilith, what's the matter with you?" I asked, my words seeming to wrap the velvet sheet around me even further. What is this? I looked around the white space in marvel and wonder.

"Y-you...y-you're..." she started.

Turning back to her I asked, "I'm what?" It's as if the velvet is trying to speak to me. The words sound and feel like love. I never want to leave this space; I never want to know anything else but this love. But whose love do I feel? It doesn't feel like my demons' or any other love I've ever experienced. It's all encompassing and unbiased. Is this...God? I wrapped my arms around myself to keep it inside of me. "Lilith where are we?" Lilith continued to sob and I began to grow frustrated. "Lilith, where are we?" I demanded and the velvet of the room ripped in the corner.

Gasping, Lilith cowed away from me. "Please, I'll do whatever you say, forgive me."

Frowning, I looked down at Lilith who is on her knees before me. "Lilith, are you afraid of me? Are you on your knees before me?" What is going on?

Lilith cowed away further, eyes wide like saucers. "I promise I don't love Lucifer, I want to destroy him. Please, you have to believe me!"

Who is she talking to? I looked around, frowning further and the velvet of the room continued to rip away yet I still feel the love around myself. Whose love is this? Is it staying due to my arms wrapping around me? Is it my own love for myself?

"I felt your love for him." I felt it before I was stabbed. Where are we right now?

"No, I swear it was the love I feel for Adam. I've only really ever loved Adam." Her eyes are spilling tears.

"Who are you afraid of?" I asked again.

"Don't strike me down, I beg of you."

I frowned so hard the velvet completely tore away until the room was plunged into darkness. "I don't have that kind of power."

"Don't you?" she whispered, eyes even wider than before.

I looked into the darkness of the space to find tiny shining lights. Squinting my eyes, I peered into the darkness further. The shiny lights are glowing and I can feel them calling to me in joy. Is it their love I feel? No, it's a singular love not multiple. Where in the hell am I? "Is this God? Are we with God?"

"No, if you were before God you would not be able to speak," Lilith answered, still staring at me with reverent fear.

"Lilith I am going to ask you one more time. Where. Are. We?"