House of Dreamers | book 1

𝐱𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖

𓆱

𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀

𓆱

Her body burned as she floated through the never ending shadows surrounding her. Her blood felt as if it were boiling in her veins. She'd forgotten who she was, everything about herself had been stripped away, burning alongside her blood.

Her name was the last thing she forgot.

She'd tried to hold onto it, biting down hard enough that her teeth sang as her name had been yanked past her lips.

She was sobbing, screaming, begging.

Stop this! Stop it! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

She wanted to thrash, but she had no control over her body. She couldn't move. The girl heard commotion around her, but she could not open her eyes. She heard muffled clashes of metal. Another round of fire coursed through her, and she sobbed louder. No one heard.

Reaper. Cool hands cupped her cheeks, cool lips pressing to her forehead, her eyelids. Reaper... the voice called to her again. Slowly, the sounds around her subsided, and the pain disappeared. Her muscles relaxed, and she floated further from her physical body.

Reaper. Look at me.

She opened her eyes, staring at the glowing figure in front of her. The person came into view: deer horns stood out on her head, and her hair flowed around her in a phantom wind. Thick leaves wrapped around her. The goddess of Death offered her a small smile.

"Hello, Reaper."

She opened her mouth to speak. No sound came out. Dabria's smile turned sad. "I forgot. You do not have a voice here."

She reached up, brushing her fingers against the base of her throat. She looked back to the goddess. "Come close." Dabria waved at her. She moved forward, allowing herself to be pulled into a cool hug. She relaxed into Dabria. The goddess laughed, and light flared around them.

She looked around, mystified. Dabria smiled at her. "Do you remember who you are?" Dabria asked. The girl looked to the goddess, shaking her head slowly. Dabria pressed her lips together, wrapping her arms around herself. "I was afraid so. This will make everything that much harder." Dabria walked over, standing beside the girl.

They stared out into the vast nothingness.

"You have a choice to go back the way you came. Or move forward."

The girl studied Dabria, questions fluttering away faster than they appeared. Dabria continued. "If you go back, I cannot promise that the agony will be gone. If you move forward, you can be free. I can guarantee that the pain will not follow you there. Your Reaper duties will be passed on to another." Dabria waved her hand. Doors appeared on the right and the left. Dabria watched the girl closely.

"The left will take you back. The right... I'm sure you can guess."

The girl nodded, looking between either door. Slowly, she turned towards the door on the right. A sad look passed over Dabria's face, gone as quickly as it had appeared. The girl ignored her, walking towards the door. She reached out her hand, the tips of her finger brushing the silver handle when something grabbed her hand.

The girl stopped, hand hovering over the handle. Dabria waited, watching.

Ophelia...

The girl whirled around.

Don't you die on me...

She tried to ignore the voice, the pain in her chest. She turned back to the door. She couldn't bring herself to open it.

You better not die on me...

She turned back towards the door on the left. She dropped her hand, waiting.

Waiting for the voice to speak to her once more. She held her breath. Moments passed, and the voice didn't speak again. She started to turn away when she heard it, faintly there, but there nonetheless.

You better not die on me...

She turned away from the door completely, walking over to the door that would take her back. She looked at Dabria. I'm not finished here.

Dabria dipped her chin, turning away. The girl grabbed the golden handle, twisted it, and opened the door.

All at once, everything came flooding back. She screamed a white-hot pain flooded her system.

Ophelia...

My name is Ophelia Delsarte. I can make it through this.

She curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees as she felt her heart slow to a stop.

My name is Ophelia Delsarte. I will make it through this.