Chapter Forty-Three
“Y’know, I don’t think I’ve attended a single class since the first day... do you recon people will notice?” Perdita asked as they stepped outside into the gardens, letting out a little squeak of awe.
“I doubt those brainless zombies will,” Areli grinned.
“You told me not to call them that!” Perdita poked fun at him. “Then why’re you allowed to?”
“Because I’ve been here longer than you,” Areli said smugly.
“Where are we going?” Perdita asked. “The garden is pretty, what else could be nicer?”
“You’ll see,” Areli said, leading her into another building and through a maze of corridors.
“I don’t recognize anything,” Perdita said. “And it’s so cold in here. I don’t like this place.”
“It’s just a little further,” Areli said steadily.
“Areli! You’re acting weird! Please stop now! Hey, can we just go and get lunch? You’re scaring me....” Perdita muttered, tugging on his arm in an effort to slow him down.
Areli spun around and snarled, causing Perdita to freeze.
His red eyes were cold, not showing any emotion.
“Who are you really Areli?” Perdita asked, her hand tightening around the stone he had given her.
Before Perdita could ask any more Areli forced her against the wall, his hands tightening around her throat.
“A-Areli?” Perdita choked, hearing the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She began seeing red and found it hard to breathe.
“W-why are you doing this?” she gasped, her voice cracking, tears stinging in the corners of her eyes from lack of air.
Areli’s expression softened only for a split second.
“I’m sorry Perdita. I can’t have you getting away from me that easily,” he said, averting his gaze.
“I guess I wouldn’t mind dying here- since it’s you.... I’m sorry if I made you hate me Areli... tell Jakko he’s an idiot for me....” tears flowed from the tight pain in her neck. Her hands reached up to brush his bandaged hands, squeezing around his and then growing weak as her eyes closed and she fell into unconsciousness.
#
Perdita awoke in a small room, lying atop a bed with nothing but a sheet to cover it. It was not cold, but she shivered anyhow, wondering where she was.
The room she was in was not much more than a closet space, the bed barely fit in on its own, and next to the bed there was a sink, a toilet (separated by a little screen) and a large wooden door.
There was no window in the room. The only light came from a flickering light bulb above her head. She hoped it would not go out, because then she’d be left in the dark alone to think about the strange dreams she had been having.
She knew they were important, but not why. She could not quite recall them, nor forget. They were always right there in front of her, but she could not reach them.
YOU ARE READING
Ashes
Mystery / Thriller"Once a being has been named, it has power. Be sure to take care of yours. I'd know how important it is, because I lost mine." Joshua is always fretting over the "what ifs" in life, but never trusts his gut feeling because it's always wrong... at...
