The Beast Within': Into Darkness

Ch. 7 The Beast Returns

We finish setting up camp, making sleeping arrangements, and gathering firewood. I drag some logs towards the fire for us to use as seats, everyone gathers around the fire and tries to warm up but it is still pretty cold either way.

Nanu) My goodness, today was a very eventful day. I am pretty tired from all that walking and fighting and everything. Is anyone else like this?

I just sit on my log with my head cupped in my hands.

Me) Obviously, he was after me more than any of you guys for some reason. I am bushed.

Lukeon) My body is not tired but my head is, I am stressed like you wouldn’t believe.

Ally) Like what?

Lukeon) Nothing that concerns any of you, just ignore me. I am always stressed about something, whether it matters or not. For example, Stress out if I am doing something like making stew because I don't want to mess it up. But I guess that's just how I was raised. Also, why do you think my hair is already turning grey?

Me) I thought that was just your style or something. Especially with that one little grey tuft on the front left of your hairline. That doesn’t seem natural

Lukeon) No, it is, it is from stress.

Ally) I could try and help with that, I know how bad stress can get.

Lukeon) I am good, it won't help, just trust me.

Ally) Alright.

We all just sit there around the fire, one by one we all eventually go and lay down for the night. Each of us has at least some sort of fabric to cover ourselves and our lean-to. We lay around the fire and all eventually drift to sleep, I am the last to do so. The transition between reality and dream is seamless, it feels as if nothing had even happened. The only reason I know that it is a dream is the overall lightness and dreamy feel of my body, not oppressed by things in reality.

I look around and everything is the same except that it is all monochromatic, there is nobody around me, just dry gray soil. I look between the trees, after the little patch of trees we’re in, it is just a light gray void. I walk towards it, the land ends there, it is like a floating island of sorts. In the void, there are other little pieces of the real world, my home, the Temple of Self-Reflection, none of which are close enough to see in detail or anything. I continue to walk around the outside of this little piece of land, eventually, I see a person. As I get closer I realize that it is Em, I just scrunch up my face and continue to approach. Without even looking at me she talks.

əƜ) You know I never wanted this…

Me) What are you talking about?

əƜ) Any of this, you know is not my fault for anything that is happening around us? This all happened because you don’t know how to listen or act like a decent person.

Me) How is this my fault? I was living my life like normal, and you come and ruin it!

əƜ) I am only here because of your actions, if you just listened to Xzyviuer then we would not be here. Also while Zed was telling you how the anklet could be cursed you spaced out.

Me) How would you know, you were never there.

əƜ) I have always been part of you, the anklet only separated us, and gave me my own opinion.

Me) Well I never wanted your opinion, I never wanted this, and now I have to deal with your constant condescension, cocky attitude, and pessimism. And now I have to deal with you, and your harassment.

She just continues to stare at the grass with her feet hanging off the edge of our little piece of land.

əƜ) You know I can’t control it… I can’t quite contain or explain my evil ways or explain why at times I am not sane. All I can say is this is your warning. The real me, and me while we are awake, are to separate people…

I just stand there and look at her.

əƜ) Just something for you to think about.

A loud snap sound explodes around us.

Me) What in the world was that?

əƜ) That was something from the real world, it could be something bad we better wake up.

Me) We’re in a dream how do we?

əƜ) Just call out to our body, that should wake it up.

I do what she says and shout at the top of my lungs to the void. After I do so everything goes a solid color of gray and then black. 

I sit up in the middle of the night, the moon is directly overhead, I look around and find nothing at first. I continue to swing my head in all directions, I see a set of shining purple eyes staring straight at me. No blinking, no movement, just staring right into my eyes. I realize that I don’t have my cloak’s hood on, I swing it over my head and shout at everyone to wake them up, Ally throws her cloak over her head too as soon as she wakes up.