His Tears, Her Demons

Chapter Sixteen: A New Dream

Cristine

I was back in the woods in the dead of night. I had no idea what I was doing there or what was going on. But somehow I lead myself to a path. I had no idea how long I had been walking down it, for all I know it could have been hours. Eventually, the trail ended and I found myself in front of a small, stone cabin-like building with a strangely large door.

Before I even opened the door, I only stood in front of it; observing it for a mere moment. The stone cabin didn't even have a window and the door was too large for it. "Who could ever think of staying here?", I wondered. But I couldn't help but be curious to know what was inside the place.

Once the door was opened, there was a brightly burning torch hanging on the wall as if it were expecting to be held.

I gasped with an almost horrific surprise once I heard the door slam after I entered. My body quickly turned in its direction as it happened. I wanted to shout out of fright and to hopefully get help, I even had the urgency to rapidly bang on the doors. But somehow I couldn't. All I did was stare for a moment, only feeling the horror of being locked into this unknown place.

I then turned to the torch and took it from its hanging place. There were stairs close by. Feeling as though I had no choice, I made my way down the stone steps.

The stairs made me feel as though I were climbing down a mountain, long and risky. I only describe it as a risk since the steps were absolutely small and the walls were a bit too far apart for any support.

Thankfully, they eventually ended. What I saw was a large room that could be mistaken for catacombs or tombs. But strangely it wasn't. There was no shelf or storage for any number of coffins. It looked more like the interior of a church. Only the atmosphere was damper and there was nothing to be considered holy in this room. I set the torch to a new hanging place as the room was already lit by many candles in a form of another trail. At the end was something or someone familiar. It was that red-robed figure from my other dreams.

" You again?", I wanted to question but somehow I could not say a single word. Only it could and only said the same word as before which was " Come" as it extended its black-boney hand.

I didn't wake this time, not yet. What I did next was what it requested. I came to it. My breath shook with each step I took towards the creature.

Once I was within arms reach from the creature I could finally ask," Who are you?". Though, I was not answered immediately. I had no idea how long I'd waited for my answer. It could have been minutes or more.

" If I told the truth, it will be in your ruin.", its voice made my skin crawl. It spoke as if it were losing breath or was whispering. I could even hear two voices from it, though I could not tell whether or not they were from a man or woman.

" Why?", I continued to question it.

" Soon, you will see.", it responded.

" Are you Death or as somewhat some would call Samael?", I questioned further.

" Neither.", it answered. Though it may seem like a relief to some, it only brought me more unsettling horror to me. What was this creature? If not a creature, who was it?

" I have searched for you for so long, Cristine.", it startled me when it spoke my name.

" How... How did you know my name?", I had asked it.

" I have known you longer than most would know me. I have watched over you since you were a child.", it explained," I only was able to speak to you because something inside of you had finally stopped."