"Finally dear, what took you so long?" It was him. He proceeded to walk towards me with his hands behind his back. As I took in my surroundings I noticed that I was sitting on the ground and we weren't alone, the shadows from previous dreams were there.
"You -- you're the one from before."
"Yes I am. What took you so long? I have no patience for lateness." He wore a scowl on his as if I was the problem.
"Why am I here?" He smirked. This question seemed to amuse him.
"That dear you will learn in a little while. But first...", he motioned to his dark servants, "OUT! All of you!" The shadows rushed out with cackles and whispers.
"It's almost time." Time for what?
He cleared his throat to catch my attention. "Here drink this." He removed from behind his back a chalice. As he brought it closer to me, I could see thick black liquid. I scooted away from him. "I said drink it, do really want to see my bad side so early in the game?"
I sighed and took a drink as he tipped it over my mouth.
"Good girl. Now as to why you're here..." , he walked around me- assessing me as if I was his next meal, "you see, you came to my castle. You opened those doors because of this you are now belong to this place-my place."
"That doesn't explain anything." I glared at him. His eyes grew darker at my statement.
"You want the truth then, huh? Don't you mortals know that at times it's best not to know everything?" He shook his head and continued to circle me. "My human name is Samuel. When I was mortal like you- I believe that was a couple of centuries ago- I was an honest man. However one day someone important to me made a mistake of betraying me. They paid for their betrayal of course. I found a way to make it happen," he waved his arms around, "Dreams.
"It wasn't long before I found out that I could escape from the physical world and come here and have my revenge on the people who wronged me. But then I found out something even better, I could stay here for as long as I want. For a price of course.
"This my dear is where you come in. An eye for an eye as they said in Hammurabi's time, in this case however it's a life for a life."
"What! No you can't do that!" He smirked and tsked.
"Oh I can. I have done it plenty of times before. Where do you think my dark ones came from? They weren't always Nightcrawlers, they had bodies once like you but once their bodies died in the physical world their spirits remained here as my slaves." Samuel sent a dismissive wave towards the door where they left.
I got to my feet, preparing myself to run. He sensed my anxiety and he let out a sinister laugh.
"Stupid girl, WHAT PART OF YOU CAN'T LEAVE DIDN'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! You brought yourself here, you condemned yourself to this fate. I am just playing my role in giving you what you came for. Supplying me with immortality.
"I'm tired of entertaining your curiosity, it's delaying the inevitable." Samuel ran at me. He grabbed my arm roughly. "This isn't personal dear, you just have something I want."
Before I could let a cry, his free hand shot out and pierced into my skin. His hand closed around my heart and yanked it out. I gasped trying hard to catch my breath and process what just happened. As he held my heart in front of me, dripping blood, I could feel the gaping hole in my chest. Samuel proceeded to take a bite out of my heart like it was an apple. He smiled a satisfied smile as his black eyes glowed red and blood dripped from his lips.
"You fools can come in now and have your feast." He turned back to me, his eyes still glowing red. "Have fun." He threw me back on the floor. The doors swooped open and in came the 'Nightcrawlers' as Samuel called them. He moved out the way as they came over to me, pushing each other.
"I get the leg!"
"I call the arm!"
"It doesn't matter as long as I get the skull."
I shrieked as they came and teared at my skin. They broke my body apart as they tried to get what they wanted. Through the herd of Nightcrawlers surrounding me, I could see Samuel walking away as if nothing was taking place. I closed my eyes accepting my fate.
~~
I opened my eyes and let out a cry of joy. I'm alive! And it was just a dream. A really realistic dream but still a dream. I smiled and continued on with my regular routine. I skipped to the bathroom to take a quick shower. As I passed the mirror I did a double take. I let out a horrified scream.
My eyes were black. Black all over like Samuel's were. No. NO. NO! I thought it was all over. I was too preoccupied with my eyes to hear the running footsteps.
"Clara dear are you okay?" Gosh she said 'dear' just like he did. My mother's eyes scanned me to make sure I was okay. She let out a relieved sigh when she saw I was fine. Then she frowned.
"Why did you scream?"
"I thought I saw a pimple?" She scowled at then went out the bathroom murmuring to herself how teen girls worried about the most dumbest things.
Huh. If only she knew.
I looked back to the mirror, staring at my black eyes and I could swear I could hear Samuel's voice.
You belong to me now, Nightcrawler.
