Sanctuary

Part Five: The Truth

I'm running through the forest. The same familiar scenery is around me. I'm being chased.

I have to get out of here or I will die.

I stop.

Will I? There's something I'm supposed to be doing. I can't quite place what that something is, but it's urgent. Something tells me to stop but I know that it's risky.

'Follow your instincts,' Daddy used to tell me. With everything inside of me, I stop. It feels like I'm fighting against my worst nightmare as pain fills my being. I'm trying to run but I'm fighting against myself.

The tingling grows stronger. I fall to the ground in pain. A shadow now stands over me.

It's the dweller.

I know this now. It watches me until the pain leaves completely. I stand up and fight the urge to run wholly.

"We meet again," it says, but I cannot speak. No words will come to me. The dweller stares at me with its bright yellow eyes as I can only hear its voice in my head. The voice startles me. It's as if many people are speaking at once but forming one voice. It's chilling and almost so deep I can't understand it. "Come hither," the creature speaks as it shrinks from its massive height onto all fours. It's body is not cloaked now and it has the resemblance of a human only its skin is ivory, emaciated and dry, it's eyes are yellow without pupils, and it's naked without private parts and bald with only a nest atop its head. It's fingers are long with twigs as nails. It's less scary up close somehow and I almost feel safe around it.

I follow it until we reach a tall tree. It looks at me. "We haven't much time. You'll wake soon." He pauses. "The All-knowing Book was stolen centuries ago when Willow's Creek was established. Many have come to know me as the dweller. I've been kept here since it was established. The book used to be with us as we were the messengers. All of the others before me are no longer. They were reincarnated, as I should be right now. Donald keeps me here with the book, for whatever is written in it within Willow's Creek comes to be. I can't take it back because he's written in it that I will never be able to. The reason I've come to you is because you're the only one it will be visible to. He's written that it remain unseen to all Ableists yet you are not one. Yet. If he gains your soul, it will give him the power of hundreds and he will be able to leave town. His soul is bound here unless he sacrifices two hundred others', and with yours he'll be able to leave and what's written in the book will no longer only come true in the town, but throughout your world.

'Why?' I think. 'Why me?'

"Dear girl, you are more powerful than you think. Your arrival was but prophecy, and I've awaited it for long. Donald knows of the prophecy, and the prophecy has no certain end. He doesn't know that you are the one it's written about. You're stronger than him. Your soul is the purest. If he catches you, he will write that I kill you and to my dismay, I will. I can only do so much during the day, but here I can communicate and I'm not controlled. He has no knowing of my travels through dream."

'I'm dreaming?' I think as he nods.

"Indeed. But this is real. The book is brown and old, with no title. There is a gold rim around it with an illustration of a black flower on the front. Find it. Once you do, write in it that all souls be granted to their original owners and freedom and willpower be granted once more to me. I'll find you after that and all will be okay. Now you're waking up. Remember what I've told you, for all of your lives depend on it."

I nod. 'Please tell me... What are you?' I ask as it begins to fade before my very eyes.

"I am Kinabuhi," is all I hear before I'm awakened.

•••

I wake up to find Nate on the floor snoring and I jump over to him. He's startled at first, but listens intently as I tell him all I can remember from the dreams.

It takes him a while to process everything. "So the dweller—Kinaboogie—"

"Kinabuhi," I correct.

"Kinabuhi— he didn't kill my brother? Or at least, he didn't by himself?" I nod with a smile of melancholy. A tear falls quickly from his eye before he wipes it. I grab his hand in mine. "You have to do this. The mayor must be stopped. When you go to dinner, call me if anything goes wrong and I'll come to help. I'll be waiting outside in the bushes."

"It's dangerous," I tell him. "You could go to jail if you break in, or worse..."

He looks at me in the eyes. "I don't care. I'm not going to let you be hurt," he pulls our bodies together as we stand up and hug. "I love you, B."

I smile at him softly. "Thank you."