Red Haven (Title in Progress)

Chapter One: The Voices

The bright light seemed out of this world. It didn't shine like a lamp would, nor was it projected by a tangible source. I couldn't explain it if I tried. I could only say that it submerged everything beyond in boundless darkness. I could spy nothing, save for the countless motes that danced about me. Could hear nothing, save for the sound of my own breath, shooting hard and fast in my lungs, along with my own heartbeat thudding loud in my ears.

    That was until the Voices spoke.

    "Do you know where you are, dear Sam?" It came in layers of high and low pitched tones, sharp as iron and hard as stone. Although it sounded guttural, I doubt it was anything living that posed the question.

    "By that point I wouldn't be surprised if this was hell itself," I said, chuckling to no one in particular.

    "You find this amuzing."

    "On the contrary, I find this abusing."

    A gust of wind almost pushed me over. I labored to stand my ground, raising my hand to shade my tired eyes from the light. "Impressive," I paused. "Sad to say I've been intimidated by worse."

    "We know. We weren't trying to scare you." More joined in the chorus, children's voices, male and female. And in-between, a screetching wailing echoed. "We were merely yawning."

    "I see." I shook my head at the ridiculousness of it all. "If I bore you so, why not let me get back to wherever you snatched me from?"

    "All in due time, dear Sam. Would you mind telling us why you think we brought you here?"

    "I assume it has something to do with Euna?" I raised an eyebrow, "or hang on, it could be Sorrel. You don't happen to know where she went now, do you?" I clicked my fingers. "No, don't tell! I got it! It's because of what I did to your kind after you fucked my sister over, isn't it? That must've struck a nerve, assuming you posses any." I shook my head.

    A hiss, so deep and pulling, felt as if my own soul was being torn away from my body. Sharp pain lanced through my chest, digging deep as if it had been a tip of a knife that punched into me. I couldn't help but buckle over, hands criss-crossed against my torso. A squeal escaped my throat. I slobbered all over my self, tears trailed down my cheeks as I finally managed to scream, "stop!"

    "Beg."

    I groaned, fell to my side and curled up into a fetal position. None of my movements helped ease the pain. In fact, it grew more excrutiating by the second. "Please!" I had to beg. I would've died otherwise.

    "Good boy."

    The pain vanished as if it had never existed. I struggled to climb to my feet, snorting and sniffing. Ran my hands over my mouth to wipe the drool with my sleeve. I could feel a faint breeze buffet me, tickling my tear-streaked cheeks. "Let's not repeat this experience ever again."

    "We'll see. Perhaps you might start recounting the events that transpired? Maybe this way you'd come to the realization of your current predicament." The voices churned and seethed.

    "Beg." I don't know why I said that. Perhaps I was done feeling humiliated. Perhaps I was trying to fein courage, as if acting strong would somehow disuade whatever-that-being-was from torturing me. It didn't, for the pain that came afterwards was a tenfold more intense.

    I might've died at that moment. For all I knew, I might've been thrown to the underworld to suffer for eternity. Wouldn't dare say I didn't deserve it. But that might've been me being too hard on myself. I wouldn't know either way. All I knew was that I wanted the pain to stop and it did. Albeit after a long, long time. And when the Voices grew silent, I couldn't even stand straight. So I laid there sprawled on the ground, drawing long and labored breaths.

    "Would you like us to repeat ourselves?"

    "Fuck no," I managed to utter the words.

    "We are all ears then." The Voices crowded with laughter and screams and howling and screeches. I pressed my palms against my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. Sweat had glued my clothes to my skin and my throat grew parched. "Jesus. All right. all right!" I grunted.

    Silence.

    Then I started recounting the events from all the way up to my father's death.