The Thing Inside Me

Chapter 17

I opened my eyes, I was back in the small room with the black haired girl. She stared at me blankly, "What is this place?" I asked as I sat up. "I don't know." she said quietly. "But you seem to like it here, you keep coming back." She said as she turned to the window. "I don't know why I keep coming back. I don't like it here, it makes me feel trapped." I said shifting my gaze to the floor. "Trapped? You feel trapped? I'm the one stuck here while you prance around out there!"she yelled, a black fog gathered around her. "I don't know what you mean." I said picking myself up off the bed. "This room is all in your head, and so am I. I don't belong here. I should be out there! Not you!" She yelled at me. The black fog grew darker as it expanded around her. "You have to go! You need to die!" She screamed. "What?" I yelled as I took a step back, I walked into something behind me. I turned around to see the girl standing behind me, but she was older and more angry. I turned my head to look at the little girl, but she was gone.

"Don't look surprised Sapphire, you know it's me. And we are going to settle this once and for all." She gave me a devilish smile, making me nervous. The bedroom scenery morphed into a field, surrounded by black crooked trees. A raging black fire appeared in her hand, "Lets play with fire." She smiled as she thrusted her hand towards me, the fire leaped from her hand and at me. I dodged by ducking low to the ground. "Didn't your mommy tell you not to play with fire?" She laughed as she created another flame in her had. She threw it at me again, she threw it at me again. I raised my hands creating a transparent shield. The dark fire struck the shield and faded. I lowered the shield, "I don't want to fight you." I yelled across the field, "To bad." She said lunging at me. I side stepped dogging her blow, "Erg, come back here!" She yelled angrily. I turned to face her, she turned towards me flexing her fingers. Her nails turned into long black claws, she lunged at me swiping her claws at my face. I bent backwards evading her attack. "Cortanna, that's enough! It doesn't have to be like this." I said catching her next attack, "Yes it does!" She yelled as she kicked at me and ripped her hands out of my grasp.

"Fine, you wanna dance? Let's dance." I said getting into a ready position and creating a sword in my left hand. The sword was a piercing white that seemed to glow. She ran at me slashing at me with her claws and finishing with a roundabout kick. I blocked her claws with my sword and dogged her kick. I kicked out at her, striking her in the stomach. She stumbled backwards but didn't fall, she charged at me and leaped over my head. When she landed behind me she took my legs out from under me with a swift kick. As I fell backwards I planted my hands above my head, as they touched the ground I pushed off the ground with as much force as I could. I flew through the air in a impressive backwards handspring, right above Cortanna's head. But she was ready for it. As I landed she teleported in front of me, and grabbed ahold of my throat. She lifted me off the ground in her strong grip, my feet dangling above the ground. "This is where it ends. With you dead I can take control, and the world will be mine. And there is no one who can stop me." She smiled. I smiled at her, "Why are you smiling? I'm trying to have a moment here." She said frustrated. "Oh nothing. Just what you said was very... well let's just say it wasn't very original. The whole I'm going to take over the world and you can't stop me thing. Kinda boring." I said attempting to shrug.

"Do you think this is a joke? I'm literally holding you by your throat and going to kill you, and your criticizing my villainy?" She said angrily. "Uh, ya. I guess I am." I said smiling. "How are you this oblivious to death, it's not every day that we go head to head like this. And you all ways have the upper hand, and now I do. So if you could stop ruining my moment I would appreciate it." She said frustrated. "Oh, my bad. Continue your villain rant." I apologized holding back my laughter. "Thank you. Now was I was saying, after I kill you I'm going to take control of your body and take over Earth. Then I will expand my control over the whole universe!" She laughed maniacally, I burst out laughing. "That's your plan?" "What's wrong with my plan?" She grumbled, "Oh, well I don't know. How about the fact that bad guys never win, and there will always be someone to stop you." I said trying to control my laugh. "Your logic and ignorance angers me." She glared. "And I'm done with you."

Her grip tightened around my throat, cutting of my oxygen. I gasped for air and she smiled. "Won't be long, it will soon be over." He claws were digging into my throat, I could feel my blood run down my neck. My head started to spin and my body grew weak. I gripped her wrist with all the strength I had left, trying to pull her hand away. But it wouldn't budge. By hands and wrists stared to burn, I watched as my veins turned black. It traveled slowly up my arms, I tried to scream but no sound came. I stared into Cortanna's eyes, they were dark and cold, but she smiled at me anyway. Her gaze dropped from mine, she gritted her teeth. I looked down. Her veins on her hand had turned white. It slowly moved up her arm making her loosen her grip. I took a deep inhale and kicked her in the chest. She dropped me as she fell backwards. I shook my hands at my side trying to get rid of the burning sensation. She sat up at looked and stared at me with a surprised expression. The sword appeared in my hand again and I raised it to her throat. She looked up at me, "Do it!" She smiled, "Kill me!" I stared at her with a stern expression. "No, you don't deserve it."

I woke up to a nock at my door. I sat up and looked around my room, then the bed moved slightly. I looked beside me, Oh right. I forgot about that. I smiled at the sleeping Wally as I got up to answer the door. I opened it to see Dick on the other side, "Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked sheepishly. "Yah, but it's okay. I wasn't having a very good dream." I smiled brushing my hair out of my face. Wally rolled over behind me, which caught Grayson's attention. Dick went pale, "Oh, I didn't know you had... um... company." She said awkwardly. "I'm not sure what your thinking, but Wally fell asleep on my bed when we were talking last night." I said leaning against the doorframe. "Oh, good. I mean, whatever. It's fine." He said jumping from sentence to sentence. "Right... anyway, I'm going to shower. See you later?" I asked walking back into my room. "Umm sure, I could swing by later." He said from the hallway. Wally moved around in his sleep, "Maybe you should wait for him to wake up so you can take him home." I said nodding towards Wally. "Ya, sure." Dick said as he walked into my room. I picked up a metal orb off of my desk, "Here." I said tossing it to wards Robin. "What is it?" I asked right after he caught it. "It's what you Earth people call a robot. I don't have the right technology to program it here, but your gadgets could be useful." I smiled. "I'll take a look at it." I said as he inspected the orb. I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.