Midnight Pleasure

Chapter 6: Seraph

 I backed up as far as I could into Jackson, hoping he'll offer me some protection. What have I done? I should have known it was too good to be true, that Colby wasn't alive. Whoever or whatever that thing is, used my weakness against me. I wish I had never wanted to come here and that we had just stayed at Cherry's apartment. Here we are though, in this mess because of me; because I just couldn't let go of what was and focus on what's here now.

"Show yourself." Jackson put himself in front of me. I felt bad hiding behind someone I barely even knew, letting him take the brunt of whatever was going to happen.

"Show yourself, you coward! Come out of the darkness and let us see you for what you really are." That sinister laugh returned as if it was mocking Jackson's command.

"Oh Seraph, you and I both know we don't need to come out for you to know who we are." I felt Jackson's body go rigid. Who the hell is Seraph?

"Why don't you come in here with us? It'll be just like last time. Don't you remember that? Of course you do." Last time? Has Jackson done this before?

"Alyas, don't tempt me. Remember who won last time? Daliah, I know you're in there, cowering behind him. Why don't you come out and play?" Alyas? Daliah? What the fuck is happening? Who are these people?

"Why have you come here, Seraph?" Jackson took a step closer towards the darkness, his body tense and rigid.

"You know the reason. You are the reason I have fallen. I have been cast out forever, condemned to roam the Earth." Condemned? Cast out? Fallen? I feel lightheaded.

"Jackson, let's leave. I..I don't want to be here anymore." I whispered to him, hoping he'll heed my request. My hands were shaking, how long have they been doing that? Where are Cherry and Levi? Oh God, I hope they're okay. I glance around and try to spot them, but it's too dark to see anything.

"I'll be honest, Seraph, I hadn't expected you to come here. But now that you're here, why not have a little fun?" Jackson was torn from my grasp, being pulled into the darkness by some unseen force.

"Jackson!" I screamed, but there was no answer. I looked all around me trying to find any source of life, but I was alone. I'm isolated in the darkness. I slowly turned towards the blue lights and gasped. A pair of glowing green lights were shining in the darkness alongside the familiar blue ones.

"Jackson...please come back. I can't do this alone." Silence was my only answer, it's surrounding me. Everything is so dark, I'm surrounded by the darkness. Silent thoughts keep running around in my mind, making no noise, just reminding me of everything that has happened. Oh God, it won't stop screaming. The silence is screaming my name over and over again, never letting me forget anything. I just want it to stop. I need it to stop. Is this what death feels like? I hope Colby experienced something different, something lighter, happier.

A deafening scream comes out of the void, snapping me back to reality.

"You will not touch her." I heard Jackson say. My heart pounds, excited to hear something else instead of my intrusive thoughts.

"Who's going to stop me, Seraph? You? You're disgraced, fallen, He doesn't want you anymore. There's nobody to help you, nobody will come to your aid this time."

"I'm here, Jackson! I'm here!" I scream. He needs to know that he's not alone. I might not be much, but I'm something. I push the panic and anxiety to the side and take a step into the darkness, inching closer and closer towards the lights.

"Stop! Don't come any closer! I won't let them hurt you!" I ignore Jackson and keep walking, feeling my way around, my only light source coming from the small glowing lights. I follow them, knowing it will lead me to Jackson.

How did I end up here? In this situation? Why is Jackson fighting so hard to protect me?

I'm getting closer to the lights, they're getting bigger and brighter.

"Eliza, I'm warning you. Please don't come any closer. There's still time for you to turn around!"

"No, Jackson. I'm not leaving you!" I'm surprised at how much conviction was in my voice. Suddenly a pair of the blue lights disappear, I stop in my tracks and search all around me. Where the hell did it go? Suddenly I feel a rush of wind blow past me. I spin around, but nothing's there.

"Daliah!" I hear Jackson yell. A woman's laugh emerges through the darkness right behind me. It sounds so familiar.

"Who's there?!" No answer. Another rush of wind blows past me, this time something slices my skin open on my arm. I scream in pain, grasping for anything to hold onto in the darkness.

"Enough!" I hear Jackson yell. Suddenly the darkness is gone, replaced by a bright beacon of light coming from....Jackson?! What the hell is happening? Okay, this is crazy, I'm definitely having a mental break. This isn't real, it can't be real! I see two figures scurrying towards the darkness, they're completely black with glowing....blue..eyes.

Wait, have these blue lights been their eyes this entire time? That means that the glowing green lights are...oh my God. If Jackson isn't human, then what is he?