Darkest Death

Chapter One - Penelope

The room was completely dark. There was nothing but screams. Horrifying, loud, headache-giving screams.

I grabbed my ears, not sure whether to cover them or rip them off. I closed my eyes. Everything stayed dark. I suspected it would. The screams continued. I fell down. The screams stopped abruptly.

It was bright all around, so far away from the darkness of before. Someone was grinning wickedly.

"So, Penelope," I turned as the person came into focus against the blurry background. Liam Thelonien was smiling at me leaning against something I couldn't see. "We're here at last."

I closed my eyes, forced them shut, as Liam's evil grin reached into my head making my ears ring. I let out a small cry and the laughter stopped.

The only sound remaining was my heavy breathing. It sounded as if I'd decided to run a marathon, only to realize halfway through that I was asthmatic and very much out of shape. I stood up. I hadn't realized I was sitting down. I tried to focus on calming my breathing. I couldn't.

Somewhere a sound a glass being smashed erupted. It sounded like a bottle breaking. I followed the sound. A white door lit up the dark space. The dark was quiet, but the door was bouncing slightly, a hum of noise coming from behind it, like a cat purring quietly. I stepped closer and turned the door handle.

The bar was empty. Shattered glass covered the floor, chairs were broken. On the bar desk, two glasses stood. One was only half empty, the other was full as if the owner had had one taste of the golden liquid in it only to realize they didn't like it.

High-Lord.

A whisper. Goosebumps spread as I recognized the voice. My heart started beating faster.

"Noah?" I whispered to the air looking around the bar, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I'd advise you to get out of here.

Another voice, this one unknown. Someone walked past me. I felt the rush of air, but I couldn't see them. I blinked, but no one appeared when I opened my eyes again. A grunt broke the silence and the sound of someone being kicked. Someone collapsed to the floor. Laughter. Evil, melancholy laughter rang from all around me. I looked around trying to find the source. The scene was empty.

Can't just leave you behind, can I?

A faint curse. I turned towards this voice. It was another new one. It seemed to come from the floor as if someone had squatted down above something. Was the red dot on the floor the source of the voices? I squatted down next to it. Someone coughed. I tilted my head as I reached forward and touched the red dot. The thick liquid that painted the floor had not yet dried.

Only after the bar blurred in front of my eyes, I realized it was blood.

A couch. That was the first thing I saw. It looked lovely. There was someone on it. I stepped closer, silent as a mouse. Or as a ghost? The person was completely still. His breathing was ragged as if he was struggling for his life.

I moved closer.

I knew him.

My heart was racing as a cold sweat broke through on my forehead

"No," I gasped as my breathing caught. Why was there blood on the stomach? Why were there nasty cuts on him? Why wasn't he breathing regularly? "No, please don't be," I mumbled moving closer. My prayer went unheard, as he remained the same person. As he kept on taking ragged breaths. "Noah! NO!"

*****

My eyes sprung open as I sat up. My back was sweaty as goosebumps ran over it. I breathed hard. On a madras on the floor, Ad was sleeping peacefully, his hand above his head. I haltered out of bed, the weight of the covers strangling me.