The Great War

XI

I lay against the floorboards, the fire died out hours ago. My mind blank as I stare at the burnt stairs leading out of the school. The screams of my friends, my peers, my love, engraved in my mind. On constant replay.

It was my fault. All of it, they'd all still be alive if I hadn't hidden them here. If I hadn't assumed this would be a safe place. Nowhere was safe, and no one would ever be safe.

I slowly pushed up off the ground into a sitting position. My hands falling in the dip of my dress. My wedding dress. I crawl down the stairs to the bottom. I'd forcefully put the fire out when it was safe for it to be done.

The faces of my friends and my family are still recognizable as I lift up my freshly declared husband's head laying it on my lap. The left side of his face burnt, along with the left side of his chest and leg. His clothes charred and melted.

I couldn't bear to look at the others. What had become of them.

My eyes blurry as I softly caressed his skin, his face still forever beautiful and soft. Forever the man I loved. Forever my husband. I brush back his loose black curls, away from his forehead.

"I'll fight for you. I'll fight for you all. I will stop this. For you." I whisper like he could hear me. Like they all could. I lean down and press my head to his and sniffle.

𖤐

I rush inside the house, the weight of the dress significantly less as the bottoms practically burned off. I rush upstairs and shove open my door. I move to my bed and fall to my knees. Bending down, I pull a box out from beneath the darkness and open the top.

Papers, pictures, trinkets, money. All of it there. Memories of my family.

Placing the top back onto it I stand up and walk over to my vanity pushing a pile of books away from a specific spot. I set the box beside my leg and hook my finger in a little curved nook, pulling the wooden floor piece up and out of its spot. I grab the nimble box and carefully set it inside.

I sniffle and move upward, opening a vanity drawer. Grabbing a soft velvet cloth out, I place it in my lap and pull my wedding band off. I fold it in the fabric and stuff it inside the nook as well. Grabbing the discarded piece of wood I push it back into space. Moving the pile of books to hide the markings of my way of getting it off.

I lean back, staring at the books as the front door slams open, I glare at nothing as I slowly come to a stand. My body trembles with my anger as I walk downstairs. My sights set on the back of my father's head; he slowly turns his head to look at me over his shoulder.

"Ah, you're here. I heard what happened up at your old school last night. Newspaper said it was an act from the purge. Terrible thing." He hums out as he sets his cane out on the table pulling off his black gloves.

I heave out breaths as I stalk my way towards him in silence. He cocks a brow and fully turns to face me. I already knew it was him. He knew I knew.

"I hid it all. You'll never have anything of worth out of me." I spit in his face as he chuckled darkly.

"I got all that's of worth from you the day you disobeyed me." He whispered in my face, his fingers tilting my chin up as he smiled down at me.

"You took them all! And for what, control over me? You've never had that, and you never will!" I scream at him, his face contorting as he breathes in deeply.

"I do not wish to control you my dear, I just wish you'd listen to me."

I shove his raising arms away from me, "Where has listening to you ever gotten me? You slaughtered us all. This is the last you'll see of me. I hope you rot with your choices." I strain out, I won't allow him to see me cry, I will not break in front of him.

I spin around on my heel and start for the door. I'd get my revenge. I'd watch him rot on his throne of skeletons. Even if it was the last thing I did. I would do it.

"Fine! Leave! See where it gets you, my darling girl. You are nothing without me." He growls out as I slam the door behind me.

𖤐

I stand in the dying field, no one to take care of it. The rain has abandoned our town. Life, nature, and love fleeing for its life. I let out a piercing whistle and within a few long minutes a dark fog slowly masked over the field's floor. Encasing around my ankles, I look up as a strained neigh fills the silence.

I clasp my hands together behind my back as I look up at my lifelong friend. His horned head gazing down upon me. His dark dead eyes glowing beneath the cloak of death he wore.

The sky darkening to an eerie black, the dying trees surrounding us faded from view.

"I see you've returned, darling. To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your beautiful face." Baal's sultry voice eased the dark abyss.

"I sought after your help, my friend." I breathe out, sliding my hand into his awaiting one.

He hums, "I see you've finally defiled your father, my dear girl. Come along," He hoists me up with no trouble at all and he sets off. I grab the dark wispy mane of Altair.

"What is it you've sought my help for, dear girl." He hums into my ear, pulling the rustic reins connecting to Altair's boney neck. We stop in the realm of the In-Between.

He glides off the reaper horse and holds a delicate hand out to me with a bowed head. Sliding my hand into his I hop off the tall creature.

"Revenge."

A grin formed on his face as he allowed me to hook arms with him, walking us through the forever warping, weeping forest. "I do love the sound of that."

I hum, "I know. But it won't be easy,"

"It never is, darling." He steps through the dark spiraling portal that opened in front of us. Landing us in the shadow realm.

"Ah! Ophelia, sweetheart." I'm brought into a cold but loving hug, limply wrapping my arms around the tall woman she pulls back moments later. Her long fingers cupping my jaw as she looks down at me with a dark glint in her eyes. "Vengeance is in your prayers dear girl. What can I do?"

I smile at the devil, her face a soft black hue, runes engraved on her forehead and down her arms. A flowy red dress that split at both her thighs complimenting her long figure.

"We're freezing hell." I spit out, releasing her hands from my face and her expression grows dark, a grin stretching across her demonic face.