The Darkness in the Light

Chapter Three

I woke confused. My body felt battered, but that was slight pain compared to my . I blinked in the sudden light, seeing nothing but crystallized patterns as tears filled my eyes. A few more seconds passed as I blinked them back. Then I found myself staring up into the dark eyes of a stranger. My mouth was glued shut; my lips so raw they refused to open. Which was good, otherwise I may have made a sound, and that I could not do.

"You can speak now, it is safe," the dark eyes said.

I didn't listen. For all I knew it could be a trap.

He is right, within these walls you may sing again.

I sat up suddenly, my head spinning as soon as I did. The man fidgeted, looking like he wanted to help me, but unable to. I couldn't take my eyes off his. They were so dark and treacherous. They reminded me of the drains.

"Do you want a drink, or something to eat?" the man asked, his voice that of the darkness, yet aloud and real.

I continued to stare. He turned away, giving me a chance to study both him and the room. The room was white, like an infirmary, with bright lights and clean surfaces and cabinets full of bottles and bandages. There were two doors, mirroring each other on the walls. I sat atop one of two beds in the room. I was the only patient in this ghost of a .

Then there was the man and the monster. He wore dark clothes against his normal skin. Black jeans and a black shirt and a black hoodie. When he turned to me, I saw his hair was black as well. Yet his grey eyes were careful as they met my gaze. Wary and cautious of my reaction. I held as still as a rabbit in a spotlight, prepared to bolt off in an instant. He saw that and made slow movements, not willing to snap the stick and scare me of into the bushes.

"Please, you must eat something. You look like hell swallowed you up and spat you back out."

"It did."

He blinked three times. I let my words sink in, unaware as to how he would react to them. As he rolled them about in his head I took the bowl from his hands, as quick as a kookaburra.

When I sat back and sniffed the bowl suspiciously, I saw his eyes relax somewhat.

"I'm not going to poison you. Gees, who do you think I am?"

"A monster that kidnaps children from their families."

"I'm not the monster," I expected his voice to grow dark, but instead it adopted a sad expression. My fingers worked the spoon in my hands, my mouth remembering to chew and swallow, my body remembering to digest. My mind was elsewhere, away on a journey as I tried to make sense of the situation.

"How long has it been?" I asked.

"Since when?"

"Since you took me."

"About half a day. And I didn't take you, you practically let yourself in."

"Because you stole my brother."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then seemed to think the better of it.

"Where are all the children you stole? All the mothers and fathers that left their children parentless because they were snatched up by your darkness?"

"Ouch. It is way too hard to defend myself against your tones. Do you want me to show you everyone I stole?"

"Not particularly."

He looked at me, genuinely confused. Flashes of grotesque skeletons and mauled children played across my mind.

"I am not fond of graveyards."