Torn Asunder

Chapter 3 Valentine

~~~~~> Cover page for Torn Asunder is by thanks of RockettotheMoon http://www.wattpad.com/user/RocketToTheMoon

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A hot tearing sensation flooded through me. I couldn't feel the limits of flesh and bone, instead everything was a dark red, throbbing, overwhelming pain. Each inhalation was a crushing effort, every pulse of my heart forced more acid into my veins. If I could focus past the pain, there were voices surrounding me, friend or foe I didn't know. But I was obscenely greatful when consciousness fled under the command of the agony.

It was a dream, I was pretty sure of that even as I experienced the beginning. At least I sincerely hope it was a dream, if not I really have to start worrying about my sanity. I was standing in the middle of a silent Carnivale. I could see the motionless skeleton of a ferris wheel silouetted against the dusky blue sky. The last rays of the sun were leaving the horizon and I started to slowly wander the dusty grounds around me. I wandered past the shrouded remains of a fun house, past the empty stages of the bearded woman and strongman and spotted an old trailer off to side. It was painted up gaudy and tacky, a Gypsy trailer for the Magician. The heavy fabric of the dress I wore whispered in the dark, swirling around my bare feet. Looking down at myself, I could see a white dress in thick cotton covering my body. It was somehow intricate and simple at the same time. The dress had a v-neck and corseted up, ribbons catching is closed from ribcage to hip. There it flowed out, canvas thick but somehow still flowy. At the hem of the dress was a faded out design that I counldn't make heads or tails of, it was too washed out to properly see in the dark. Down my back, my brown hair was a silken warmth and I tried not to shiver as a ghost of a breeze caressed my face. As darkness settled across the Carnivale grounds, I finally started to see signs of the patrons, intimidating as they were in their strange masks. I'd see a flash of eyes, like a cat in the dark, then a grinning, masked visage would step into view. Moving in a slow spin, I looked around and realized that I was effectively surrounded. The disguised mob of people leered at me and I could see tearing fangs in their smile. The dark Carnivale around me had a mocking joviality as the masked hoarde circled me, a growing animosity in the air. One masked person in particular had the majority of my attention; a man wearing a white tuxedo with a snowy owl mask covering his face. Everyone else in the crowdwas wearing rich colours, bright jewels and dark costumes. Their masks varied as much as their dress did. I spied a toga clad, mirror masked Apollo next to a heavily brocaded, peacock feathered Countess. But always my eye was drawn back to the white tuxedo. He smiled at me, a happy expression that didn't match the gossiping judgement of the others.

"Valentine." his familiar voice was full of warmth. He reached a blood coated hand out to me, brushing a blob of red across my cheek. "My Valentine." he coaxed. Hot tears dripped down my face and where they landed on my dress they stained red. "Bleed with me." his voice merrily cajoled. I recoiled from the dripping fangs that peeked out of his smile.

I swam back into consciousness as the strange nightmare faded, already loosing the sharp edges of recall and fading into forgotten musings. My eyes were still closed and I hurt everywhere but this time I could focus past that and listen to the voices around me.

"I still don't see why he has to be here." Andros' low voice demanded with an edge.

"Because I don't trust either of you around my girl." Luka's usual joking tone was firmly in place. He was deadly serious, but there wasn't a thing in hte world that could ever make Luka stop smiling. "I've seen what you've both been doing to her. I know how this ends. With her hurt." he paused. "I don't pretend to understand everything you guys are going on about, but I am gonig to be right where I belong, watching my girl's back." he stated bluntly. I wanted to look at them, see what was gonig on, but my body was so weak that I couldn't even make my eyelids flutter.