Eternal Embrace [Discontinued For Now]

Chapter 7

M

y eyes slowly fluttered open. The world around me seemed still a little blurred at first, the dimly lit room coming into focus. I was wrapped snugly in Lyra's arms, the cold of her touch more comforting than they had before. Thoughts of the recent agonizing pain echoed in the back of my mind, but it felt distant, like a fading nightmare. But I knew it had happened, that pain was so surreal to be fake.

Turning my head slightly, I caught sight of Lyra's face. She didn't move, no hint of breath or life, just that stillness again. As I started at her I felt this urge, this need. It was strange, but I felt drawn to her, it was stronger than it was before. I couldn't explain.

I felt an involuntary twitch in my fingers, reaching out to touch her arm. There was a pull, something that nudged me to get even closer. I didn't understand why, but the need to burrow deeper into her embrace was overwhelming.

I nestled my head against her shoulder, taking in the silence, the close contact. Everything felt so new, so different. There were so many things I didn't understand, so many questions. But for now, the quiet and the closeness were enough. I could deal with my emotions later, I'm just glad I'm no longer in pain.

Lost in my thoughts and overwhelmed by the comfort, my eyes lazily scanned the room. Behind Lyra's peaceful, resting form, something caught my attention. Squinting slightly, my eyes widened in realization: the door was slightly ajar. It wasn't completely closed!

A surge of hope welled up within me. This could be my chance. 

ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᶦʳᵉ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉᶜᵗᵉᵈ ˡᵒᵛᵉᵈ

I startled at the voice in my head. It wasn't even really a voice, it was like this feeling. It was telling me to stay but I can't. I have to leave, I don't belong here, and I don't belong to her. I have to escape to go back to my life.

I hesitated momentarily, my fingers still grazing the fabric of the onesie where Lyra held me. I took a deep breath, trying to push aside the barrage of unfamiliar emotions and the voice that plagued my mind. All I knew was that the open door meant a potential escape, a ticket back to my old life, away from this madness.

ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᶦʳᵉ

Ignoring the voice, I slowly and carefully began to slip from Lyra's grasp, it was easy this time. I was drawn towards that sliver of freedom presented by the door. Each step was a battle, both with that voice in my head and the strange feelings that wanted me to go back to Lyra.

She kidnapped me! I'm not going back to her! I screamed to myself, to this weird voice inside of me.

However, as I neared the door, that internal voice intensified, becoming a rhythmic chant that was hard to ignore.

ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᶦʳᵉ ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵃᶠᵉ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᵗᵃʸ ˢᶦʳᵉ

I shook my head forcefully, trying to drown out the voice. "No," I whispered to myself, hoping me saying it out loud would quiet the voice. Each step towards the door felt heavier than the last, as if invisible chains were trying to pull me back. The magnetic pull towards Lyra was unexplainable.