A Realm of Hell

Chapter 5

I choke as I stare at the beauty in front of me, and then I see it. The midnight eyes that have no emotions, the powerful presence that invades every room, the white skin that is much too hot to touch.

"What are you?" I ask releasing my hand from her grasp. She lets me go but stares at her own.

"Me? I am nothing," she whispers.

"Nothing? What does that mean?"

She giggles, the noise too cold. "I am air, the breathes you take."

"What?"

"You know it's there, waiting for you," she continues, "and just as easy as it gives, it can take." I back off a step. There is something in her eyes, something about the way they are shining.

"What are you?" I ask again, feigning nerve. Her smile widens, barring her teeth, they glisten in the moonlight.

"Darling, I told you I am many things,  some of which you don't need to know."

"And what if I want to know?" I ask, her head tilts. The whole scene frightening me to my core.

"You don't," she observes, before turn her body to walk down a grey brick path that leads to darkness. Instinctively I follow, trying to copy her long strides.

"I do," I say speeding up so I am close behind her.

"Hmm," is her reply. She leads us to a lake at the end of the path. A fog lays its soft blanket over top of the blackened water, the bright moon hazily reflecting its face, the only light in this dark world. I take a moment to memorize the scene. She stops before the water staring at her reflection.

If I were a painter the name of this scene would be "Night". A lonely girl, in a much too dark of a world. She continues to stare at herself. Her hand coming to lightly touch her face, to make sure it's real. When I finally work up the nerve to invade this portrait my eyes do not leave her face. She doesn't pay me any mind and I leave her be, as we both stare at her. It takes my eyes a moment to leave but when I do I look at the water as well, something black catching my gaze.

Smoke.

I stand beside a cloud of smoke. It swirls and dips into the shape of a human, into the shape of a shadow.

"What.." I don't know how to speak. The words still in my throat, catching air with them.

"I am nothing," she breaths, the shadow turning its head to the side. I stare at it, my body begins to buzz with a new found fear. I rip my graze from the water. Hoping, praying that the monster is gone, only to see the same thing staring back at me. My feet peddle backward, knees weak. She..It moves restlessly. The shape of a human, but as it continues to move it turns into a swirling mess. Its existence almost transparent.

"I.." I stutter, fear making my legs continue to scramble backward as it advances forward. Small, excited giggles fill the chilled air. A child finding its new toy.

"You should see your face," laughter shaking its form.

"How?" I breath.

"Wrong question," it hisses, moving so close to my face that I hold my breath, scared that it may invade my lungs. Swaying back and forth it moves curiously in my vision. We study each other. The clouded mess continuing to float. It's swirling particles looking like blackened dust. My hand twitches as I think about reaching out and touching it, to make sure it's real.

Soon the particles begin to combine, becoming dark weightless rocks that float through the air. Slowly the rocks become limbs, black leather legs, a small strong torso, long slender arms, and finally her leering face so close to mine.