If Carpets Could Rule The World (and other stories)

In The Dark

Heart pounding, I flick the switch of the flashlight. When it doesn't turn on, I throw it into the darkness around me- where it rattles to a stop.

The world isn't all pitch black, I realize, remembering the violet skies of Aradov- and then I remember something more important.

My name is Erika Diarno, they've captured me, and I'm going to die.

The realisation is subtle, but everything I know about Renaki death chambers floods through my mind. Cold, dark places... where each ray of hope is another strike of death.

Every object in this room is a death instrument. Everything I touch, designed to kill me.

Relax, Erika, I tell myself. Death chambers have doorways, too.

Not this one.

You're Erika, the girl who managed to bring down half of the Renaki empire yourself, and the other half...

"Kumi," I whisper. "Kumi, appear."

It's a while before the flickering essence of my guardian spirit appears, but she's here.

"Kumi, we're going to die." Bright spots begin crowding my vision.

"Relax," Kumi hums, coming to rest by my shoulder.

"Yeah, but I'm a Renaki prisoner, trapped no one knows where, and everyone I love could die- heck, I could die, too..." Kumi places one cool hand on my forehead, and I sigh. "I just don't know anymore."

"You do." Kumi hovers in the darkness before me, her little sprite form translucent. "You know."

A sick feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. "Kumi, tell everyone I know that I love them. Except the Masters and Emperor Actaeon. Them, you have my full permission to murder. Brutally."

"You know what you have to do," Kumi repeats calmly, and as she touches my burning, sweating, skin, I realise what she means. And I would rather die.

"Kumi, tell me there's another choice," I say, my voice cracking. "There has to be- there's nothing you and I couldn't get out of together!"

"No," she says. Her powers as a Guardian spirit must be limited here.

"Kumi, don't you understand?" I yell, not caring now if any guards hear. "I would rather die!"

"No." Her voice is small, but powerful. "Don't."

I consider grabbing any of the objects here, pray it might finish me off quickly. Anything above what Kumi offers. But she's right. It's my only hope to carry on, to escape in any form at all. I've heard about what she's going to do.

That it's worse than death.

But death for me is better than condemning everyone else, isn't it?

I've denied my heritage as a Guardian, yet it's the thing I fight to protect. Now is the time to see how much I'm truly willing to sacrifice.

"Do it." She smiles. "Tell everyone I know that I love them... except the Masters and Emperor Actaeon. We're going to murder them- together."

"Together."

Kumi and I close our eyes, and my body hits the floor as our spirits unite, ready for our revenge.

[an Aim To Engage entry]