Bloodlines: Severed Ties

Chapter 16: Let's Do the Time Warp...Again

Sylvia found herself face to face with the bent, decrepit door. She had snuck out of the Jenkins's residence after everyone had fallen asleep, including a slightly restless yet snoring Darian beside her in bed. Careful not to make a sound, she had left into the dead of the night.

And was now staring, waiting as if the door would jump out and attack her. She was afraid, but unsure why.

Peering inside the crack, she saw only the same thing she had left. It was still day inside the box, the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The flowers were in full bloom, bright vivid colours dotting the green landscape. Sylvia could not see the man she had met, but knew he would be nearby.

Sylvia took a deep breath in, and exhaled as she stepped back into the dimension rift. She finally spotted the man, who was still exactly where she had left him, picking mushrooms. Sylvia began to run towards the man, but soon felt herself shrinking.

Back again so soon?

The condescending voice asked, as Sylvia shrank and shrank, her hands and feet growing small and more pudgier with every passing second. By the time she reached the man, she had been reduced to a small child.

"How original..." She muttered under her breath. She looked down, noticing that not only had she grown smaller but her dual scimitar also. They practically looked like toothpicks, but she knew size didn't matter.

"Oh, that was quick! You only just stepped out," the man said. He was eye level with her, as he was kneeling. However, despite Sylvia's changed form he still had recognised her.

"What's your name?" Sylvia asked, her voice shrill and clumsy. Although she still had her mind, her voice apparently was that of a child's.

"Thomas," the man replied, somewhat startled by a toddler asking demanding questions.

"Right, Thomas time to go," Sylvia declared boldly. She grabbed him by the wrist, practically yanked him off the floor, and began marching for the door. Thomas didn't seem to mind, making no audible complaints. However, the demon had other ideas.

Oh don't go, I've got so much more to show you.

The voice taunted Sylvia, and although she did try to block it out she found herself becoming irked by it.

"Sylvia?" A soft voice asked from behind her. Sylvia stopped, dead in her tracks. She slowly turned, looking down at the arm in her hand. Instead of Thomas's thick, stubby fingers she saw a soft, delicate hand. It still had some callouses, indicating a hard life lived.

Sylvia's gaze followed up the arm, over the shoulder, to rest on the face looking lovingly down at her.

"Mum?" Sylvia whispered, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her mother smiled, teeth shining white.

"You've gotten my tiara again silly!" She cooed. Sylvia felt with her free hand atop her head, realising her mother meant the haemomancer tiara.

"I was just... Borrowing it," Sylvia muttered, still unsure how to feel about the whole situation. She knew it wasn't real, knew it was an illusion, but couldn't quite bring herself to let go.

Sylvia gazed up her mother. She looked exactly as she had the day she died, down to the clothes she wore. How the demon had known, was beyond her. But in this moment, she was content.

So many failures in your past....

Suddenly, her mother's expression changed into that of pain. She let out a blood curdling scream, as she slowly began to ignite. Flames slowly swallowed her body, with Sylvia still holding on to her mother's arm. The fire reflecting in Sylvia's wide, tear riddled eyes.