Choices for a Fated Destiny

Chapter 8

~◇~ Siblings might be close, and blood might be thicker than water, but a friend of the soul can be even closer, and the bond can last through lifetimes. ~◇~

"You have somewhere else to be," Carolaine's Light Being says.

"Will Paisley be going with us?

"Yes."

Darkness swallows the women, and they once again find themselves adrift in the black void of nothingness.

Even though she can't see the glow of her Light Being anymore, Carolaine can still feel its protective warmth around her. She's amazed at how different the nothingness feels this time. Not only because Paisley's right next to her, but especially since she has seen her guardians, and now knows how protected she is.

"It's not nearly as terrifying as it was the first time I found myself in here," she whispers to Paisley,  "I- "

That statement is immediately tested when an ominous voice suddenly thunders out from somewhere in the darkness.

A deep, gravelly voice shouts angrily, "FIND THEM!"

This is followed by an ear-shattering unearthly roar that reverberates throughout their bodies, echoing in the darkness around the women long after it has ended.

Carolaine shivers and instinctively reaches for Paisley's hand.

Paisley appears alert, yet calm. She has the heart of a warrior, and besides, she most likely had encountered many such scenarios in the black nothingness before.

Squeezing Carolaine's hand reassuringly, Paisley signals her to be quiet.

"Be calm," her protector whispers into her ear, "you are invisible and well protected."

Grateful for that reminder, she nods into the darkness and quietly takes a deep, calming breath.

But she can't suppress the simmering panic, and that nervous quivering in her stomach when she thinks of what kind of dangerous creature lurks behind that terrifying sound. Nor can she prevent her imagination from speeding from one scary, imaginary, life-threatening scenario to the next, each with an even worse disastrous ending.

Smiling at her thoughts, her Light Being sends another wave of warmth as a gentle reminder.

Paisley's protector strengthens the ethereal barrier around the two women to prevent their presence from being detected.

"B-but master," the fear in a squeaky, tinny voice is unmistakable, "i-it's only a rumor, w-we aren't even s-sure they e-exist!"

A low growling starts, soon escalating into a powerful terrifying roar of frustration.

"QUIET!"

"Y-yes, m-master."

A few seconds of silence follow, which feels like an eternity to the spooked Carolaine.

'This is why I never watch horror movies!' She thinks to herself, 'It stresses me out too much! If only I was more like Paisley, more courageous...'

She looks at Paisley, only to find Paisley staring at her with a deep frown, looking more than a bit worried about something.

Paisley is thinking, 'Oh, Caro, please, please, please stay calm! You're safe! Oh, if only I could remove that fear blocking your strength, hiding that warrior's heart!"

She squeezes Carolaine's hand in encouragement. Making a swirling motion in the air with her other hand, followed by a thumb up, she mouths, "We're safe!"

But still, Carolaine can't help but wonder, 'Who or what is lurking in the black void this time?'

"Where are we?" She whispers, hoping with everything inside her they're not about to witness a scene from one of their future cycles that includes the thing behind that ominous sound! "What cycle-"