The Weight of His Chains

Chapter 12

As I walk, the silence and darkness seem alive, candles casting eerie shadows on the wall. Ahead is pitch black, barely penetrated by the tiny candles. I feel a nagging at my heart, like something hides in the darkness, as if it remains to wait.

I hold my breath, my heart racing as the candles flicker and die, plunging me into complete darkness. I know what's coming, I can feel it.

I remain still, frozen in terror. My visibility is limited, crouched down as I am with Skys weight on my back. I strain my ears, searching for any sound.

The silence is oppressive, the darkness swirling around me like a real thing. I'm trapped, helpless, and alone. The spirit could be right next to me, watching me, waiting for me to make a move.

And then, I sense it. A presence, looming just out of sight. I dare not to flinch, but my eyes flicker upwards, ahead to the tunnel. And there I see it, the spirits damned face, hiding in the darkness. My heart races as I try to hold in a scream. Its face is grotesquely long, its face white and its eyes two large empty voids. Its mouth is a distorted, slashed up smile wide open, a terrifying maw of long barbs seem to water in hunger.

It stares at me from the edge of the darkness, its eyes unblinking towards me. I dare not to move, to even breathe. My eyes flick down, saving my mind from the nightmarish sight.

I lie still, Skys weight on my back making it difficult to balance. The cat hides behind my boot, motionless and afraid. Just like me.

Suddenly, one of the candles flicker to life, creating eerie shadows on the wall. The flame crackles, a tiny spark that makes me jump.

Then, it suddenly dies, leaving us in an even deeper darkness. The spirit screams. A sound I've never heard before – a raw, unworldly, terrifying wail that makes my blood run cold. I narrow at the sound, trying not to scream myself.

The spirit zooms through the tunnel and past us, the cold wind seeping through my veins and bones. I feel it pass through me, a chilling, dark presence in me as if my organs had been freezed.

The spirits' screams fade in the distance, and the candles flicker to life again. I'm left gasping, my legs trembling beneath me. Sky's cat hisses, her fur standing on end. I feel her trembling behind my boot.

My heart races and doesn't stop, my breath uncontrollable. I'm thankful I survived, but I know that spirit will come back. And maybe, next time I won't be so lucky.

I continue to walk through the candle tunnel, every step a tremble. I take deep breaths, staring at the ground. I don't know how much I can take from this anymore. My heart thumps out of my chest, my back aching from the weight and my own burns.

I don't dare to even stop and look at my wounds, the spirit can come back, and it can be game over for me. I'll get cut in half, just like the creature I had sacrificed when I first started this hell of a journey.

I need to get out of here, and fast. I walk a little quicker, the path twisting and turning, the candles settling eerie shadows on the wall, like cursed spirits dancing.

I adjust Sky's weight on my back, lifting him higher on my back so he stops slipping. If he survives this, I'm going to tell him all about this. He'll hate the fact that he got piggybacked by me, and how I had to cover his body.

I break a smile, remembering all the times we had, both painful and mellow. This bittersweet feeling pushes me on, for this monster that I barely know, yet love so much. It's a strange relationship, I don't know whether he's just staying to one day eat my heart, or if he really loves me back.

I turn to his head on my shoulder, the wounds on his lips and eye daunting. But it's still him, his perfect features and the scar on his lip. His blue and black hair, though matted, tangled, and loose, still kept its color. I feel his strands tickling my neck, his pale skin even more colorless than before.