The Possession-Draft 1

Chapter 8

"Nettie, no need to cry

Let me wipe those teardrops from your eyes

If you fall, I will catch you

When you're lost. I'll be there soon.."

The radio played in the Eye Room, picking up where it had left off before the Goat destroyed it. Chim had taken up a position on the floor, his head buried in his arms, his knees pulled up to his chest, and his back against the wall. Surrounding him were bottles of emptied banshee wine and cinnamon whiskey. All he wanted to do was to sleep, to forget everything that had happened. It helped that Amenta had removed the Goat's memories from his mind, but the shame of having been possessed, of being controlled, of having his will ignored, it still was too much to bear.

He reached for another bottle of the wine, it glowed a faint blue against the floor of the eye room. As he picked it up he stared into the bottle, looking at the azure light swirling and dancing inside. It was beautiful really, but he tore his eyes away from it.

He rubbed his hands through his hair and down his face, whimpering like a wounded dog. His chest ached, the incision beneath the bandage on his chest seemed to burn with every breath, but worse yet was the ache in his heart, the emptiness and guilt that weighed him down.

He heard her voice calling to him, and he squeezed his eyes shut. No, not now, please not now.

"Go away ghost...", he mumbled as he hunched up and turned his side against the wall, placing his hand against its cool surface.

"Chimney, it's me.", the voice was closer, but he couldn't bear to even open his eyes. It was impossible, no one could come back from that.

But that scent, it was hers, but different. His eyes flew open, and he slowly looked over his shoulder, his eyes pinpoints of terrified white light, "Impossible..."

She was standing there, wearing a grey shirt and pants, looking as alive as the day he first met her. She was vibrant, her body radiating a sort of energy he hadn't sensed from her before. As he looked he saw at her core what once was a blue and purple swirling orb of a soul was replaced by a burningly bright turquoise fire.

He shrank away from the sight, and turned his head away, "You're not real, you can't be real."

He tensed as he felt soft warmth approach, the scent was so like hers, but with a layer of fruit and herbs...it reminded him of when he had crossed Lilith's Realm. It felt like forever ago now.

"I'm going to take care of you, okay? It's my turn now."

He was like a tightly packed spring, waiting to violently explode out in any direction when released. He shivered slightly, still refusing to look. There was a moment of hesitation, he could hear her breathing, and he felt her hand tenderly brush his shoulder.

A gust of miasma came out in a sigh, the touch didn't hurt. He let his eyes open and slowly turned his head to finally look,

"Dollface?"

"Hellboy", she smiled at him, brushing her fingers up his shoulder to grace along his jaw, "It wasn't your fault...I don't blame you, it will be okay..."

He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hand as he felt a telltale burn in his throat. He gulped it down, keeping himself from breaking down completely in front of her, breathing out a heavy sigh and letting his cheek press ever so slightly against the softness of her hand.

"Come on, let's go to the living room okay?"

He gave a slow nod, and let her guide him to the couch. He felt like heavy bones in an empty skin, creaking and ancient, made of forgotten dust and rusty nails. She gave his hand a reassuring stroke, "I'll be right back. I...uh, want to get something from the bedroom..."