Short Stories (without happy end)

Callum (part. 3)

I wander in these interminable corridors. Everything is black around me. Here, it is impossible to find one's way, at the slightest doubt, an intersection appears. I stop in the middle of an intersection, surrounded by the mist that prevents me from distinguishing my feet. I am not resigned, no, I look for a solution to leave here. I raise my head to the sky, I can make out the stars. The moon dominates everything, it taunts me. A powerful halo surrounds it but on the ground, everything remains dark. I close my eyes and when I open them again, I rise towards the sky. The wind flows along with my wings, but no matter how high I climb, the distance between the sky and me remains the same. Nevertheless, I almost do not distinguish the ground anymore. I am lost in a space that seems to stretch to infinity. My feathers start to burn and -

I was awakened by the sound of a guitar in the background of drums. I got up, opened my shutters, and went to the bathroom. On the bathroom sink, I found a note written by Anna: "June and I have gone to town, we will be back by noon, don't wait for us". So I was alone with Jake. The day did not start in the best way. I went upstairs and entered his room without knocking. He was sitting on his bed, glaring at me. I sat down on the floor, on his carpet, in front of him. He continued to stare at me, but I smiled as I listened to the music - much too loud - coming from his speakers.

No, no more sorrow!
I've paid for your mistakes!
Your time is borrowed!
Your time has come to be replaced!

I see pain, I see need,
I see liars and thieves abuse power with greed.
I had hope, I believed,
But I'm beginning to think that I've been deceived.
You will pay for... what you've done!

Jake seemed upset by my behavior, which is what I expected. The end of the song came quickly. A heavy silence now stretched between us. ''If you don't want to hear the music, just...'' he began. No, that's right," I interrupted him, "I came to enjoy the sound better. It is true that you have good speakers! You can hear the bass very well without it taking over the other instruments," I commented. ''Are you kidding me?" he said. ''A little. But-" "No! You-" he tried to cut me off. ''I just wanted to tell you that it wasn't your fault and that no matter what you think, we've all been through the same thing as you here. Even the younger ones. Anything else you want to know? When she arrived, Anna had even more anger than you do. Do you see her now, as she is? She's managed to channel her emotions. Do you know how that happened? We both got into a fight, we both came to blows. No one ever knew, but that was the day she broke down and let it all out. So again, it's not your fault what happened. Just like it's not Anna's, John's or mine. Well, now I leave you. Don't forget that you are stronger than your demons''.
I left the house without looking back.

As I reached the back of the house, I heard Jake call out to me from his open bedroom window. Callum! Thanks! I turned in time to give him a wave and entered the woods.

A great spotted woodpecker flew past me and stuck its beak into an ash tree. It began to hammer the tree in a steady rhythm, as if to accompany the song of the many birds that populate the trees.

A sweet sylvan scent accompanied my solitary walk. Leaves of different trees such as chains, sweet chestnut trees, or hazel trees covered the ground and crackled under my feet. The golden and bronze reflections gave life to the woods which were asleep until then. The soft murmur of the trees, carried by the breeze, brought warmth to my face and allowed the different avian melodies to spread between the trunks. I felt like I was at peace. At the heart of my being, from the depths of my soul, I felt soothed.

I walked for another hour or so before I began to wonder if I had not dreamed of this pond. I should have found it a long time ago, but no matter how much I searched around, I couldn't find a drop of water. Suddenly, I heard a rustling sound beside me. Turning around, I saw the fox - or rather Eden - staring at me. When it began to move, I knew what it wanted. I wanted the same thing. So I followed him until we finally arrived at the place where we had met.

The fox started to enter the water and without a word, I followed him. Before the water reached my shoulders, I turned around because I couldn't feel Eden anymore and I saw that the fox was out of the water. I tried to turn around but my feet were stuck in the mud.

Once again, the fox metamorphosed. Eden looked more beautiful than ever. She approached me and gently took my hand. She began to whisper in my ear, suggesting that my life would be better. She whispered sweet nothings to me, making me give in little by little without me realizing it. I started to move forward again until I was blocked. Eden placed herself in front of me and pulled me until she was facing me. Her face began to change, her skin became even paler, her eyes turned black, her mouth stretched into a wide inhuman smile and her hair became like a volcano in eruption. A strange glow came over her eyes and she pulled me forward until the water flooded me. Before my eyes, her hair floated like scarlet seaweed.

I began to suffocate. The water-filled my lungs and numbed my limbs. I couldn't struggle, my eyes began to close on their own. I began to suffocate. Water filled my lungs and numbed my limbs. I couldn't fight it, my eyes started to close by themselves.

I see myself sinking to the bottom of this black hole. Her long flaming hair is the last thing I can see.

* * *

I am perched on a branch, it is twilight and the moon, quite round, starts to rear its head. I shake my wings and see that there is something under the tree on which I am. It is a human. His hair is as black as my feathers and he is hunched over, lying on his side. He is inert and his skin is unnaturally pale. Bending down a little, I can see his face. It's me. A few feet away from him, something is standing next to him. It is a foul being with long flaming locks, a red tail, and a fiery gaze. It approaches me and grabs me without difficulty. I try to struggle but I see that I have now the appearance of a kind of white vaporous ball. The creature opened its disgusting mouth, revealing a row of sharp teeth, and said in a voice straight from the underworld, "Now I will devour your soul''.She brings me close to her face and everything goes black.