The Wanderer: The Story of James the Gray

Chapter 7

As we walked, the walls seemed to close in around us, step by step, narrowing the passage. I could feel Vin's breath on the back of my neck, it was subtly cold. "James," she whispered, "I think I should've stayed outside. Every step I take feels like something's eating my soul. It's like, I'm not just feeling tired, but that I can actually feel my strength being taken."

I stopped, so abruptly that Vin walked right into my back. "Vin..." I turned my head to look into her eyes, "I feel it... It wants to take me..." The place started spinning around me, and I felt faint. "Don't let me..."

"You're alone... no one... let it go..." Blocking out everything, one quiet voice swept through my mind. "Blind... deaf... numb... dead inside..." It was such a nice voice, so calm, and comforting. "Mistake... worthless... failure..." I couldn't see or hear anything, nothing existed but the voice calling to me.

"You know... how weak... you are..." it paused shortly, "Let me... make you... strong..." I knew what it was saying, and I didn't like it, but the voice was so captivating. It was like a drug, and I couldn't get enough of it. "Just let me... come out..."

"James, are you alright?" Vin asked, kneeling over me. I could barely see her, as if my eyes were almost completely shut, and most of my vision was a black canvas. "What can I do for you? Do you need anything?"

"What... happened?" I croaked weakly. My vision flickered, and I almost passed out. "Are we... where... are we?"

"You started to talk slowly, and then you fell down. You were talking about something 'wanting to take you'." My head was throbbing, and I groaned in pain. "What do you need James?"

"You got... any water?" She smiled and put her hand on my chest. I felt her energy cover my skin, washing over me, soothing the pain. "That's some kick ass water." I whispered.

"Don't make me laugh," she said, "I need to concentrate." She moved her hand up to my head, moving slowly and bringing me back to my senses with every passing second. "You falling down like this, you do that a lot?"

I grinned at her. "Only at the worst times." She giggled a little and moved her hand to the back of my neck. I felt a wave of ecstasy rush through my body, and I felt better than I'd ever felt before.

"Are you feeling any better now?" I nodded, and put a grand on her arm. "Think you can keep going?" I showed her my fangs. "Alright, but don't do that again, I'll leave you here next time."

She helped me up, and we began walking again. As the passage continued to narrow, the air progressively got colder. "How much longer are we gonna be in here?" I asked. "I don't have the time for spelunking."

"I don't know, I was told where to go and how to get there. I've never been here, and I only know a little about it." I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. "I really hope it's not much longer, I want to get out of here just as bad as you."

Suddenly, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I put my arm out, and Vin stopped behind me. "Divinity, stay close, get ready." She positioned herself so her back was against mine. "See anything that should concern me?"

"Nothing I can see." I shifted my gaze from side to side, looking for anything out of place. "I don't sense anything, do you?" I shook my head. "You think it's safe to keep moving?"

"I guess so. You'll save me if something's up anyway." I heard her laugh as we started to walk again. "Wait a sec," I said, "What's that?" At the end of my vision, the farthest thing I could see, looked like there was another wall.

Vin stepped forward to where I was, and took a second to look. "No way... this is ridiculous." I really hate this place right now, this is just annoying now. "How could this be another dead end? Where is the damn exit?"