Chapter 71: Terrified (3)
I took a step back when the appearance of the person before me slowly changed. Gin’s face disappeared like smoke then everything suddenly spun around. My words were like a switch as it turned upside down that small perfect world I was in. It was a world where we found each other and finally became together. That Gin was now gone and I wasn't sure if I'd see him again as the surroundings returned to foggy. But curiously, nothing seemed to have changed which I ignored as I ran away. I needed to go back to Luna. I didn't know what’s happening to her.
I jumped shock and immediately stopped when I felt the shaking of the path I was going through. It was as though everything I saw was slowly melting and then starting to spin around. Even the ground I was stepping on was disappearing and I quickly fell into it. I had to close my eyes, nauseous with the feeling it brought with. Shit. I’m still inside the illusion.
A few seconds passed before the movements slowly stopped and I was back on steady ground. I stood upright and immediately opened my eyes. I cursed out when I saw that the surroundings had changed. Looking around, I saw the soft carpet I was stepping on, an expensive sofa and a fire place ahead of me and the bright and glowing chandelier above. I was no longer inside the forest but in a luxurious room within a mansion.
“Jane?”
I snapped my head, turning to the door as a beautiful woman entered the room. I just blink, unable to speak. And then I realized that I've also changed. I was now wearing an elegant crimson dress, all cleaned up, no soot whatsoever from the forest. I touched the silver necklace by my neck as even my hair was arranged in a long braid. I watched my reflection on the mirror located in the room.
“Jane, are you ready?”
I watched the woman wearing that elegant and cream colored dress. She's Corrine’s mother. A Stanford. I shook my head. This is not true. Why should they even join this messy situation?
“Jane—”
“No,” I strongly said.
“Jane, are you okay?”
“Stop this,” I said as she watched me. “I don't know who you're calling for and I don't know you.”
“But Jane Elizabeth—”
“Shia! Shia Sheridan is my name and I have nothing to do with you!” I snarled at her. Enough! Stop torturing me. I need to get out of this illusion.
Corrine’s mother came to me. “Jane, stay here, this perfect world is just for you. Everything you need is here.” I was astonished at what she said. “Your dad is in the living room as well as your teammates. They’re waiting for us.” She then hugged me. “You don't have to go back to the Linus Cup, Jane. What are you getting back for? To kill and then die? Or that uncertain tomorrow?”
Her hug tightened around me. I just wanted to believe on what she was saying.
“You don't have to face it all, Jane. We’re here now. You don't have to go back.”
She stroked my back with her delicate hands as she kept her embrace with me. And I suddenly remembered how I was put to sleep when I was a child; the delicate hand, the soft strokes on my back, a warm voice singing a slow song.
Sleep well, my little one,
For another day has gone.
Close your little eyes
And let the moonlight shine.
Let your dreams take you
Into a wondrous view.
And tomorrow when you wake up,
I’ll be here waiting for you.
I slowly closed my eyes as a strange feeling struck me. This song reminded me of the feeling I’ve long forgotten and steadily it brought me back to those times I used to hear this song.
“Mommy, will you still be there when I wake up?”
“Of course, sweety.”
“You’re not going to sleep?”
“I will. After I ensure that no monster can harm my daughter.”
“Mommy?”
“Yes, sweety?”
“When I grow up and no longer afraid of the monsters anymore, will you still be there when I sleep?”
“Of course, sweety. And when you wake up, I’ll be here waiting.”
But you weren't. I woke up one day and you were not there. I woke up one day and I was alone in a dark place and the monsters grew up with me because you weren't there to drive them away. I stayed terrified.
“I’m here now, Jane. You can sleep well now.”
I nodded.
“Goodnight, my daughter.”
The warmth and calmness of her embrace enveloped me.
“Goodnight, Mom—”
“SHIA, NO!”
I snapped opened my eyes with what I heard. The calm atmosphere that's wrapping me was completely shattered. The things around me and even the carpeted floor were all crushing down. They were quickly demolished as if being absorbed to somewhere. I turned to the woman in front of me. I was shocked to see that she's melting like a candle.
Suddenly, I heard noises, those natural noises of the place that I didn't want to see again; the sound of the wind, of the trees. I looked around and found everything was back. I got back in the arena.
I heard a cry, a deafening scream of a dying man. I turned to his direction and saw a man struggling while a strange thing was covering his body, black shadow or an ink. It almost covered the man; his body, the neck, as it looked like it’s alive and was strangling him.
“NO! AAHH!”
The man struggled and tried to get rid of the black thing but he couldn't touch it. His skin became ash gray as if he's a person who's quickly ageing and soon slowly dying.
“STOP IT!”
The black matter finally engulfed his entire body up until his head. The last one I saw was his left eye staring at my direction.
Everything went silent. I blinked in disbelief as I watched the black thing slowly leaving the place where the man and victim was laying. He looked like the life was sucked out of him and only his body was left.
I didn't move to where I was standing. I followed that thing with my sight. It’s like a black snake slithering on the ground, going back to its boss. And then, my eyes found a man standing a few meters away from me. He looked like he siphoned the shadow back into his hurt hand. I was stunned and unmoved because I knew the person holding this ability.
I looked up to the face of that person and found him watching me. He was wounded and was holding his left hand where the mixture of something black and red blood flowed out from it while the sleeves of his cloth was already torn. And yet, I couldn't see any pain in his eyes. He only kept staring at me.
I have no idea what to do next. Please, don't make this another illusion. Please, make this real. Slowly, I closed my mouth with my shaky hand to prevent the sob that wanted to get out from it. He stepped close to me and I felt the tears in my eyes. I was shaking, my legs, my hands and my fingers. I didn't think I could keep on standing any longer.
He stopped just as he's almost before me and I finally let it broke, my cry and tears that's been trying to escape me. My shoulders shook involuntarily due to the overwhelming longing and pain. I felt his touch over my shoulders and slowly, he pulled me closer to his arms. He hugged me and I buried my face to his chest, and cried silently.
“I’ll die if I ever lose you again, Shia.” He tightened his embrace on me.
He then held the both sides of my face and kissed the top of my head. I hugged him back, afraid that he’ll disappear again. I stayed in his arms as if I was born to do so. And in that moment, a terrible realization finally sank in. A feeling I never wanted to put into words. A feeling I can never run away from no matter what I do now.
I’m in love with Gin.