Through the Veil

Chapter Six

She was falling. She didn't know how long she'd been falling but it felt like an eternity. The nausea and light headedness making her head swim and her breath catch in her chest. Without warning she landed hard on the ground, the wind knocked from her lungs for a few moments. She squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to not panic as she tried to suck air back into her aching lungs. Her throat raw and mouth dry as dust, she finally managed to breathe in sweet oxygen, the raspy sound as she gasped making a chill run down her spine. Taking a few deep breaths, Jynx shook her head to dispel the dizziness and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. She looked around and felt terror start to creep through her veins. The house. The neighborhood. Everything was gone and she was alone on a piece of empty land covered in dry grass and sand from the ocean.

Her mind was spinning from confusion and fear when she saw a young woman running towards her, a bright smile on her face as her long red curls bounced wildly behind her. She was holding hands with another woman, pulling her along as they both giggled, their bright smiles proving they hadn't a care in the world. Jynx paused, watching them and feeling her fear start to dissipate. She smiled as she watched them dance together in the sand, letting their hair fly free. Suddenly the red haired girl pulled the other close to her, looking into her eyes with a spark of passion and adoration. It was at this moment that Jynx realized that the women were both completely naked, skin glowing in the light. She felt jealous, wanting the freedom they were enjoying so openly. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Jynx moved closer quietly so as not to disturb their play as they shared a tender, passionate kiss. Jynx felt an ache start to throb between her legs as she watched them, blushing at her own feelings of desire as she watched the women in front of her.

Suddenly the peace was broken by the sounds of men yelling and the scent of burning oil. The women's joy quickly melted into abject terror as they gripped each others hands tightly and frantically looked around for their clothing, rushing to cover themselves. Jynx moved to help but her feet were stuck to the ground, holding her in place. She tried to scream for them to run but her lips felt like they were fused together. She was helpless to do anything to stop what was coming. The women slipped their shifts over their heads and looked around them, seeing the firelight from the torches and froze in a moment of fear. Then, turning to face one another, they shared a look of grieved understanding and resignation. Tears in their eyes they embraced, the love between them obvious as they submitted to the fate that was coming for them. Holding hands they began to chant quietly, lips trembling and tears streaking down their faces as they spoke in unison.

Jynx leaned forward to hear what they were saying but the shouts of the murderous crowd closing in drowned out their words. A group of enraged men and women surrounded the two girls, still whispering and holding on to each other as though they were the only ones there. The men began waving their torches and screaming at the two women. "Vile" they yelled, "unholy"... as if the love the two girls had for each other was something from hell itself. Jynx felt tears of rage and terror burning in her eyes as she watched the men light the dry grass around the girls ablaze, the angry village women just watching them and doing nothing. Flames quickly engulfing the two lovers, their chanting getting louder and louder, using their screams of pain to force the words from their lips. "It's a spell..." Jynx whispered to herself... "They're working a spell... but what is it...?"

Suddenly one of the men whipped around and looked directly at Jynx, the flame of his torch emphasizing the hatred in his glassy eyes. She felt her heart pounding painfully in her chest as she tried to step backwards away from the evil man who was staring at her. He slowly stalked towards her, pointing his torch at her as if to indicate that she was the next to be burned alive. Jynx put out a hand and screamed as loud as she could, the sound echoing in the darkness and sending the man flying as she felt something yank her backwards.