Karin: The Demon Sleeping Within

Chapter 4: Golden Eyes

What was that all about? I had wondered. The butterfly seemed genuinely concerned.

I sat up from my lying position and rubbed my eyes. I then looked up at the sky and realized it was darkening. The sun was barely over the horizon. I didn't exactly want to leave this place. Who would have wanted to leave paradise? This was the one place I could consider home, for it felt like home here- warm and comfortable. Back in the town, it felt less like a home and more like a cage. It felt like I was being imprisoned. It felt as though the air was always thinning around me, suffocating me.

I made my way towards the lake and kneeled down. Cupping my hands in front of me, I splashed the water on my face.

"Time to get back to reality," I sighed.

Aren't you already there? I heard a voice from a near distance, soon replying to me. I had thought I was alone.

I dried my hands in the air and quickly stood up. Looking around, I saw no one.

"Hello?" I tried encouraging the voice to speak again. The voice was interesting. It was deep, yet... feminine sounding. It sounded almost... angelic.

No response.

I wanted to hear that voice again. Beautiful and haunting.

I looked around once more. At first, I didn't notice anyone, but then, suddenly, a blue light began radiantly shining, coming closer and closer.

I squinted at the light, lifting my arm over my eyes, until it softened ever so slightly.

There stood before me was a person, with a hoodie covering their face. I scanned their body, noticing the curves and tone of it. She was indeed a woman. But, why was there this strange blue light surrounding her? I had never seen anything like it before. It then had dawn on me that those flames had no affect on her.

What exactly was she? She wasn't human. She couldn't be.

Still, her head facing down, her lips curved into a twisted amused grin. "Don't you know who I am?" Her demeanor changed all of a sudden, catching me off guard. She didn't sound like this before. "Well?"

"I can't say..." I mumbled, in defeat.

Her grin only grew. "You stupid girl." Well, that wasn't nice. "I would have thought you would have guessed. I mean, blue flames? Come on, that doesn't ring any bells for you?" She asked, not expecting an answer. "Perhaps this will clear things up a bit... hmm, the princess of Hell?"

My mouth slowly gaped as it finally came together in my mind. This girl...

"You are... you are-"

"That's right. Satania," She announced.

"Satania," I repeated. From what everyone said, she was the evilest one of all- the one who could cause death in an instant and also one of the ones responsible for every misfortune that had ever happened. She was the second ruler of hell, the most infamous fallen angel, second to Lucifer.

But, for some reason, during that time, I didn't feel any sort of danger from her. I didn't feel threatened. I wasn't too sure as to why I was feeling so calm around her. I mean, after all, she was a devil. I should have run the opposite direction quickly, shouting bloody murder, but I didn't.

I didn't run.

I couldn't while being so compelled by her presence. I soon felt this strange urge to walk towards her. I wanted to see her face, her eyes, her nose; her jaw line. I wanted to see just exactly who everyone's afraid of. I was staring right at her after all. I needed to see her face. That thought alone became implanted in my mind.

"Satania," I repeated her name. "You're looking towards the ground. Don't you know it's only proper to look into the eyes of the person your talking to?" I spoke, feeling oddly courageous.

Satania's lower lip wavered ever so slightly, as if she was stumbling over how to respond to such boldness. She probably wasn't used to responses like that, though I was nowhere near the average human.

"Huh?"

"Your face. I'd like to see your face." I uttered, fixating my eyes on her.

She stood there frozen for a moment before she slowly tilted her head up and removed her hoodie in which had once covered her pale face.

My eyes widened as I witnessed the beauty before me. Her red hair was as vibrant and brilliant as fire, her skin as pale as snow, and her eyes...

I stared at her in awe, admiring her golden tinted orbs in which reminded me of the sun. Those eyes seemed familiar somehow, but I couldn't put a finger on it.

I took a step closer, which didn't faze her, but, once I slowly lifted my hand towards her, her eyes widened a degree.

"Are you... are you stupid?!" She shrieked, in caution, but more for my sake than her own. "Why are you still here?!" She hissed, taking a step back.

I didn't allow myself to be offended by her. Instead, I tilted my head to the side, my eyes softening. I felt... I felt empathy. Empathy that she felt the need to shut the world out. It was clear that she had no interest in me whatsoever, but perhaps that was because I was also one of them... one of the humans who blamed her for everything wrong in this world. Though, I didn't blame her. I had always thought everyone needed to take ownership of their own actions rather than blame all of their pain on another. Satania was simply an easy way, an easy essence or idea, they could channel all of their suffering, deceit and guilt upon.

Understanding her a little better now, I shook my head at her question.

I retreated my hand because it seemed to make her feel uncomfortable. "Why? Is it because I'm isolated out here talking to the devil? Or is it perhaps because, ever since I was a child, I was accused of worshiping said devil? Or no, all of those things are anything but abnormal. It has to be because I like the color red... but not just any shading of red, crimson. Yes, crimson. Yea, that has to be it."

She just looked at me strangely, arching a brow. In her eyes, I must have looked like a psychopath.

"I think you may be insane."

"So what if I am? I've been called much worse. I'd be lucky if the only problem I had was insanity."

She stared at me for a moment, seemingly in deep thought. Soon, her lips separated as she spoke with a more settle voice.

"Well, since you are indeed insane, I must make one thing absolutely clear for you... you do not want to go near me. In fact, you shouldn't be engaging in this conversation with me right now. I'm not the type of person you want to associate with. I only bring misfortune."

"If you were truly this evil, then why haven't you stopped my heart in the couple of minutes we shared merely communicating with one another?" I studied her consistently dumbfounded expression. I mean, it was true. I was right there in front of her, vulnerable, like a mouse in front of a hungry cat.

She continued to give me that look, until she guarded herself, rolling her eyes.

And, with a few words, she left me there alone, feeling the cold breeze brushing my skin.

"You're an idiot..."