Spirit Mary

Chapter 5, The Gate

I see my friends: those without eyes, minds, and hearts

I.

Mary didn't want to break free. Wynona's embrace felt so warm. Inside, she was safe, protected, secure--away from the demons that stalked the complex.

When they had finished, Wynona took a deep breath. "T-This place is hell," she said. "This is hell. I want to get out of here."

Mary wanted to scream Me too so, so much, but she had enough of noise. Inside, she was troubled by a storm--a relentless hurricane that just kept growing and growing. In it, she could see ghosts, monsters, cloaks, masks, Pandora, Jacob...

"Mary," Wynona stressed.

She turned to her. "Yes?" Her voice barely made it through.

"I was there--the entire time." Wynona tensed. "I've seen your talk with Jacob and I-I've seen..."

She paused.

"... everything."

Mary's mouth twitched. Her eyes swelled again. "W-Wynona, I--"

"You're not to blame, okay?" Wynona shot. "Y-You're not. Knowing you, you'd probably do--but don't."

"Wynona--"

"Just don't, please."

Mary wanted to speak, but she didn't want to go against Wynona's stern stare. She lowered her gaze and calmed herself.

"What is this room, anyway?" Wynona asked.

Mary scoped to make sense of the room--but she realized she didn't need to. The altar, the books, the empty glass container, the paintings and etchings on the wall--they all made perfect sense already.

"We're in the Sacrifice Room," Mary said.

Wynona turned to her. "How did you know that?"

"She--" Mary restrained herself. "The--"

Wynona shook her head. "I don't think that matters. I have information about this ... cult myself. Care to hear it?"

"Ye--"

"I don't know what they call themselves, but they're psychos." Wynona leaned back on the altar. "They use all sorts of things in their little rituals. They call to the fathers ... whatever they mean. I think they call them the Primordials--or something as ominous and stupid."

At the mention of the word, the runes on the scepter glowed a bit. "Primordials?"

"They kidnap people who stray into the Uwile Ruins and lock them up--just as how they did to us." Wynona took a moment. "All three of us. If we hadn't escaped, we would be sacrificed."

Mary's eyes widened. "Then that--"

"Just so." Wynona straightened her back. "Mary, that's why people go missing. These ... fuckers are abducting!"

They all pieced together in Mary's head. Missing people. That was the central piece of the ghostly rumors surrounding the ruins.

"This isn't much like the sacrifice room I've seen," Wynona sneered. "You know what I would call the 'Sacrifice Room,' Mary?"

"Huh?"

"I passed by it once." Wynona shuddered. "I heard the screams. They're keeping them alive, Mary--maybe even for years. They never kill them. There are chains, blades, spikes on wheels--"