THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS - BWS

thirteen

I kept my promise and didn't lunge at him, despite the strong urge I felt. William was standing in front of me, not moving, his eyes narrowed on me. Did he think I wouldn't keep my promise?

"What's the problem?" I asked when the silence became too heavy.  His thick brows flexed. "You said we have a problem, and considering the fact that I am still breathing, I can only conclude that you need me alive to solve it. So what is it?" I marked a brief pause as he continued to scrutinize me. "Is it the creature? Are there more victims?"

He remained silent for a moment, as if deep in thoughts. Was he questioning his decision to keep me alive?

"The breach in the Gates expanded," he answered casually and my eyes widened. Why didn't it occur to me before that the Gates could be opened? The prospect of what would happen to the world if they did left me shivering.

"How?" I asked, my heart racing again. "How do you even open the Gates of Hell? And why now?"

I realized that there was very little I knew about the Underworld. A million questions popped through my mind. Were the Gates physical gates that anyone could open? Did they require a key? If so, who held the key? I certainly hoped that it didn't work like that, because that meant us humans were in a much bigger danger than I thought. If there was a key that anyone could use, they could unleash the greatest evil that the world has ever known. We would all be doomed. I swallowed hard. But if that was the case, if someone in Bath had the key and was trying to open it, why did William look so worried? He was a creature after all, shouldn't he be celebrating? And why did he need me alive?

"With blood," he answered my questions and my eyebrow arched.

"Blood?" I repeated as I shook my head. Certainly, more was needed to open the Gates, or they would have been opened a long time ago. "Is that really all you need to open the Gates?"

William's gaze was so intense I felt like he could read right through me again.

"Not any blood," he said, his jaw clenched. "The Gates only open with the blood of God."

My entire body froze at his words. I must have misheard him. How did everything that came out of his mouth sound crazier and crazier? If God was real, he certainly didn't roam the streets of Bath. So how could the Gates have a breach if what he said was true? Was God real? Was he really in Bath? No, that was simply impossible. There was only so much I could believe, and that was beyond the line.

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am?" I asked, and surprise marked his features. He sighed again.

"Why would I lie about this— Why would I lie about any of this for that matter?"

"I don't know!" I snapped back, throwing my arm in the air. I didn't know what to believe anymore. What possible reason could he have to lie to me? Especially after telling me he wouldn't let me leave? He could kill me in the blink of an eye, why bother telling me the most insane stories? "Are you really telling me that God is real? Then why do you exist?" I emphasized the word 'you'. "Why would he let creatures exist and kill innocent people?"

"God's been gone for a long time," William explained nonchalantly, as if we were talking about an old acquaintance of his.

"Then how—"

"His blood runs in his children's veins."

A pounding headache had found its way to my head. Everything that came out of his mouth made absolutely no sense. How could he expect me to believe him?

"So now you're telling me that all humans have God's blood in them, and that basically we can open the Gates at any time— then why are they not opened yet?"