The hands were strong, too strong, and Laice knew she couldn’t escape their hold. She twisted around as she was pulled towards the water, and her heart stopped.
Swollen, gray eyes glistened at her from deep within a wide, curved skull. The creature’s black skin was nearly transparent, and Laice could see glowing, red blood pulsing through the veins in its face. A crimson, bleeding tongue wriggled between rows upon rows of needle-like teeth, and its massive, gaping mouth stretched open wider and wider until the corners of its lips began to tear apart.
She screamed again, feeling her body slide into the pool, then her head disappeared below the surface of the water. The pool was deep, much deeper than it had appeared, and through the murkiness she could now see that the gems she had admired only a few moments ago were not gems at all.
Bodies, thousands of bodies, littered the bottom of the pool, their chests ripped open and their faces contorted with pain. They were still alive, their mouths screaming in soundless agony, but that wasn’t what caught her attention.
Floating beside the bodies, tethered on thin, golden chains, were pocketwatches identical to hers, each lifeless, unmoving hand displaying with cold finality that its owner’s time had run out.
She sucked in a burning lungful of water as she let out a gurgling cry of horror, looking back at the creature as it squeezed her in its grasp. Countless ropes of vein-like threads protruded from its slender form, each end buried deep within the still-beating hearts of its victims as the stolen blood pulsed into the creature and fed it life. Now, it tore into Laice’s chest with its sharp claws as it prepared to send her down to join its hoard, and she closed her eyes against the excruciating agony.
Then, the creature let out a high-pitched screech of terror that rippled through the water, and its many hands suddenly released her. Laice’s eyes snapped open to see it flee to the bottom of the pool, cowering amid the bodies it had conquered. She felt strong hands take hold of her, and before she could blink she found herself sitting at the edge of the pool, coughing and gagging as water and blood poured from her torn, exposed lungs.
She wiped her eyes as she tried to focus through the pain, fearfully searching the water for any sign of the creature. But the surface of the pool was perfectly calm; her soaked clothing and the horrible images that were seared into her memory were the only evidence that anything had happened.
Looking up, her mind finally processed that Eli was kneeling beside her. The sleeve of his robe was still wet from pulling her from the water, and as he gazed at her, Laice felt the tranquility in his eyes begin soaking into hers.
Her voice came out in a harsh whisper when she tried to speak, but Eli put a finger to her lips to silence her.
“Just give it a moment.”
She gasped as tears streamed down her cheeks, her shredded flesh clinging to her bones as he gently brushed her wet hair out of her face. The hiss of air leaking through the holes in her chest filled her ears, then, as the wounds began to close, she managed to draw a deep, shuddering breath.
“That thing…those people…it was….”
Her voice broke, trailing off into sobs, and Eli pulled her into his arms.
“This is the Pool of Avah,” he told her, stroking her head soothingly. “It is filled with the dark desires of the hearts of men, and that is the darkness that feeds on them.” Laice squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the memory of the horrible being out of her mind.
“You aren’t meant to be here,” he continued, lifting her to her feet. “You need to walk the path I showed you.”
“But the bridge…it…it fell,” she whispered, staring down at her hands. “I didn’t know what to do.”
“It was illusion, Laice, nothing more,” Eli told her. “You must trust me.”
“I thought you said the camp was illusion,” she said, furrowing her brow. “Not this place.”
“They are both the same in a way, but different nonetheless. You had to step out of the first before you could enter the second. This is the heart of the space between two realities, one which is gone, and the other which approaches.”
Laice sighed.
“You said I had to come here before I could understand, but it still doesn’t make sense.”
Eli’s face was grave.
“This deception will not give you up easily, Laice. It will linger until you choose to cast it aside.”
“But how? I don’t know how!”
“Just trust me,” he told her, giving her a reassuring smile. “Walk with me, and you will be restored.”
He turned and gestured.
“Shall we go on?”
Laice looked in the direction he had pointed. She could see a path leading out of the cavern, but she couldn’t help hesitating for a moment. Seph was looking for her, and if she left, he wouldn’t know where she had gone. Despite Eli’s warnings about him, it didn’t feel right to leave her only friend behind.
“You don’t have time to wait, Laice,” Eli reminded her, as if reading her mind. “We must hurry.”
She lifted her hand, absently patting the watch in her pocket. He was right.
As she followed Eli towards the path, she stole a quick glance back over her shoulder. Seph was nowhere to be seen, and she sighed, hoping he was okay.
CHAPTER TEN
Laice followed close behind Eli as he led the way across the cavern, and it wasn’t long before they reached the other side. Now, as they stood before the mouth of yet another tunnel, Eli turned and gave her a serious look.
“You must listen to me carefully,” he began, his voice firm. “Do not let go of me when we get inside.”
Something about his tone raised a bead of cold sweat on her forehead, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
“Why?” she asked, her voice cracking as she stared up at the daggers of sharp rock that hung above the shadowed opening. “What’s in there?”
“There is nothing to be afraid of,” he promised. “But you will be tempted to believe otherwise. As long as you hold tight to me, you will be safe.”
Laice swallowed hard against the lump of fear that had appeared in her still-aching throat, feeling it slide down towards her stomach only to instantly bob back up into place.
“You must not be afraid,” Eli repeated, seeing the dread in her eyes. He reached out, placing his hand on her cheek. “Just don’t let go.”
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous flutters in her stomach as she nodded and took hold of his hand.
The tunnel was pitch black, and Laice couldn’t see more than an arm’s length in front of her. She focused on Eli’s back as she followed behind him, gripping tight to his hand. Light seemed to emanate from his feet, illuminating the path as they walked, and as each moment passed uneventfully she felt herself slowly begin to relax. He had made it sound like she needed to be cautious, but other than the darkness, the way was relatively easy.
“This isn’t so bad,” Laice commented, looking around. “I thought it would be much worse!” She squinted, trying to make out their surroundings, then sighed. “Another cavern?”
Eli nodded.
“The mountain is on the other side,” he replied over his shoulder. “We’re nearly there.”
“That was quick! I’ll have more than enough time to―”
She stopped mid-sentence, feeling a sudden, hot breath tickle her ear. A hushed voice whispered her name, and she froze, her eyes wide, as Eli turned around. She watched as his gaze shifted to look past her, and she felt goosebumps race over her skin.
“What is it?”
Her voice was strained with anxiety, and she held her breath as she tried to read Eli’s face. He opened his mouth to speak, but she couldn’t bear another moment.
She spun around, only to find herself staring at Seph. Surprised relief instantly flooded her heart.
“You made it!” Laice cried, throwing her arms around his neck. “You found me!”
“Of course I did,” Seph told her, the meager
light from his small torch casting a shadow on his grave face. “And not a moment too soon.” He seemed afraid, and Laice cocked her head as she studied his expression.
“What’s wrong?”
Seph raised a finger to his lips to silence her.
“Don’t you see where the bastard led you?” he whispered, pointing up. He lifted his gaze, and Laice followed suit. The light of the small torch flickered in the darkness, casting its weak flame on the ceiling above, and her blood ran cold.
Thousands of red, glittering eyes stared down at her from faces split with wide, cackling grins, the black fangs that lined each gaping, elongated jaw dripping with saliva. Strings of sinew were sewn through their patchwork skins, holding the pieces together, and blood dripped from raw meat and shards of bone that protruded from their mangled skulls. Burnt scales covered the deformed bodies of the hulking creatures, and gnarled, twisted arms with spindly hands were set in the middle of their chests.
They dangled from the ceiling, rotten claws attached to bent, deformed legs gripping tight to the rock above, and Laice couldn’t breathe.
She was surrounded.
Somewhere in the distance, far away from her reeling mind, she could feel the vibrations of Eli’s pleading voice reverberating against her skin.
“Take my hand, Laice.”
The words were muddy and distorted, and she glanced down at her fingers, trying to remember when she had let go of him.
“You’re safe, just take my hand.”
She told herself to obey, but her body was frozen in place, unable to process anything beyond the sight of the gruesome creatures. They didn’t move, almost appearing lifeless as they clung to the rock, until they noticed her looking at them.
With one single, terrible voice, they began to screech with bloodthirsty howls of excitement that shredded the silence of the cavern, echoing off the walls to drive daggers of fear into her heart. The ground shook as they fell from the ceiling, their bodies trembling with hunger as their eyes rolled back and forth.
“Take my hand,” Eli whispered once more, but Laice couldn’t hear him past the pounding of the gnarled, clawed limbs that were carrying the beasts towards her.
Their jaws snapped at the air as they shrieked, and time seemed to stand still as Seph took a defensive stance, brandishing his torch as if it were a weapon as he shouted at her.
“Go back, Laice! RUN!”
The first of the creatures launched itself forward, its gaping maw ready to strike, and the horror that had petrified her gave way to movement as she finally found her voice.
She bolted, blinded by the dark and screaming with terror, only to feel the ground disappear from beneath her feet after just a few steps.
“Seph!” she wailed, but her voice was whisked away by the air that whistled past her ears as she plummeted through the darkness. Her stomach heaved into her throat as the breath was sucked from her lungs.
“SEPH!”
A shroud of nothingness engulfed her as she fell, swallowing her in its void. With each passing moment, she could feel a layer of fog begin to settle over her mind, and she struggled against its weight as it started to suffocate her thoughts.
Seph. The word sounded suddenly foreign, and confusion filled her mind.
Who’s Seph?
Laice focused, trying to picture his face, but the fog was too strong. It overpowered her, and his image faded from her mind as she began to relax, giving herself over to the emptiness. There was no fear, no memory, no emotion, and a strange calm blanketed her amid the silence of the dark.
Then, the sudden pressure of gravity weighed down on her body as a solid surface materialized beneath her. The scent of lavender filled her nose, and cool air gently brushed its fingers against her skin.
Where am I?
She opened her eyes, finding herself lying on the polished, stone floor of a massive room, its walls draped in rich, burgundy tapestries. Tall, marbled columns stood sentry around the perimeter, each crowned with ornately-carved chapiters that held the vaulted ceiling in place. Framed by gilded molding, a perfect image of the night sky twinkled high above her, the moon and stars shining bright, and her mouth dropped open as she gazed up with bewilderment; for a moment, she almost thought she was really staring up at the heavens.
“I’m dreaming,” she whispered. “I must be dreaming.”
A light appeared in the corner of the room, and Laice sat up, its alluring warmth calling to her. As she watched, it began to shift and move, undulating in on itself for a moment then bursting forth in a cascade of brilliant light.
She lifted her hand to cover her face, blinking as she waited for her eyes to adjust, then she dropped her hand.
The painting on the ceiling had changed from the night sky to a sunlit morning, with wispy clouds dancing across the sun’s warm face. The dark tapestries had been replaced by lace curtains, revealing tall windows that stretched open their colorful, stained glass panes to welcome in the cheery song of birds from outside. She could see a garden full of trees just beyond the windows, the sweet scent of flowers wafting in and lingering in her hair.
Antique-white furniture was strewn about the room; several dressers and a wardrobe sat against one wall, and a dove-colored sofa against the other. A floor-length mirror stood before her, and Laice stared at her reflection, stunned by her disheveled appearance. She looked so out of place amid the clean, pastel crispness of her surroundings, the ugly, purple bruise on her neck starkly vivid against her pale, dirty skin. Her clothes were torn to ribbons, and she suddenly felt overcome with shame at how hideous she looked.
“It’s okay, Laice.”
The voice was barely a whisper, and she jumped, startled. A tall, slender being stood across the room, soft light radiating from its skin, and her eyes grew wide with awe as she drank in the beauty of it.
Feathery wings unfurled from its back, their tips gently kissing the ground as it stepped towards her with a slow, mesmerizing gait. Its flowing, white robe swayed as it moved, and stillness fell over the room.
“You’re beautiful, Laice. So beautiful.” Its soft, pale eyes crinkled as it smiled. “I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as you.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she glanced back at her reflection.
“But I’m not,” she whimpered, swallowing hard. She turned to the being, her face etched with anguish. “Just look at me!”
It pointed at the mirror.
“Yes, my love. Look.”
Laice glanced at her reflection once more, and her breath caught in her aching throat.
Her shredded clothing had disappeared, and now she felt the gentle embrace of a billowing, gauzy nightdress against her skin. The dirt on her face was gone and the smooth strands of her long, black hair flowed down her back in a soft cloud. Only the bruise on her neck remained, and as she stared at herself, the being moved behind her, a lace scarf in its hands. It reached around her, lifting the fabric in place to hide the ugly mark.
“Thank you,” Laice whispered, mesmerized by her new appearance.
As she stared at herself, she caught sight of the outline of the watch showing through the lace nightdress, and she cocked her head, concentrating on the shape. There was something she needed to remember, something important, but she couldn’t quite place what it was.
“I think…I think I need to go,” she stammered, reaching down and clutching the watch. “I don’t have very much time.”
“Time?” the creature echoed. “But you have all the time in the world.”
“No…no I don’t,” Laice said, feeling lightheaded with confusion. “I…I have to go…to the mountain.”
“Don’t you want to stay with me?” it asked, and Laice was overwhelmed by the intoxicating power of its words as it took hold of her shoulders and turned her around.
It gazed down into her eyes, its sculpted, waxen face filled with love.
“You’re safe with me,” it breathed, and the last bit of Laice’s mind slipped away as pea
ce washed over her body. “I will care for you.”
Its arms were strong, and it enveloped her in its grasp, pulling her tight against its form. Laice closed her eyes, breathing deep of the scent of lavender that emanated from its body.
It released her and she stepped back, her lips moving soundlessly as she tried to think of what to say.
“Is this…real?”
The creature nodded.
“Are you an angel?”
The being touched her lips to silence her.
“Of course, my love,” it sang, smiling as its bright eyes twinkled with joy. “Your angel of light.”
Somehow its explanation made sense to her, and she nodded in understanding.
It led her through a pair of glass doors and out into the garden. Trees budding with purple blossoms encircled the small yard, their branches weaving together to form a solid, protective hedge. Wildflowers were scattered across the fragrant grass in the middle of the garden, and along its edges, deep, red roses bloomed. They walked a curved, cobblestone path until they reached the grass, and Laice sighed with happiness as she stepped forward to feel the soft, green carpet caress her feet.
The angel moved to the center of the grass, then slowly sank to its knees. It beckoned to her, patting the ground beside it, and Laice felt suddenly drowsy. She lay down, placing her head in the angel’s lap and closing her eyes against the beams of green-tinged sunlight that warmed her face as she drifted off to sleep.
The morning light soon faded into a rose-colored dusk, and Laice felt her body shift as the angel lifted her in its arms.
“Sleep, my love,” it whispered into her ear, its lips brushing against her cheek. It carried her back into the room, and her bleary eyes peeked open long enough to see that a large canopy bed had appeared, the bedposts draped with pink satin.
The angel gently placed her under the downy covers, then leaned down to kiss her.
“Just sleep.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
She was standing on a mountaintop, gazing at a staircase carved into granite. She tilted her head back; a massive bridge hung in the air high above her, and she could feel it calling to her.
The Moments Between Page 7
