Asmodeus

Asmodeus-chapter 1: The start of something new...

Raymond woke with a start in an alleyway, his whole body pulsed with agony and fatigue, he'd been running again, because it seemed that's what his life has been reduced to. 

Endless running, he didn't know why he needed to run, but he didn't care he needed to get away from it all.  

His body struggled to move due to the various painkillers and other medicines that were coursing through his system, no matter how much he jerked around and struggled, he couldn't move it felt like his arms were made of concrete and he felt tired..so very tired, suddenly a strange sound broke the silence, a very faint..click..click...click.

Was it a junkie looking for a place to call home? or was it someone from the authorities that had tried to apprehend him at the hotel, whoever it was, it's not like he could run, least of all move, he tried to move, but he just flopped on his stomach, he was tired and his eyes felt heavy. 

Soon the strange clicking grew louder and louder and soon a pair of black high heels and the start of some black stockings, she knelt and spoke something, but it was muffled due to Raymond's current state..but some words were able to be heard, these two were prevalent.

"She's been looking for you.."

the strange figure soon put a soft, chalk-white hand on Raymond's cheek.....it felt warm, and loving in a peculiar way.

"Don't worry, sweetheart" said the voice  in a calm sweet tone "you'll meet her soon, this will all get better....look for the trees, we'll meet soon enough."

..Raymond's eyes grew heavier and heavier... and soon..sleep found him and he passed out.

When next he woke up, he was in a strange but almost familiar place...a bed..a bed in his home, Raymond had forgotten that he'd even had a home.. As much as he wanted to stay in the comforting hug of the warm blankets but seeing as how the medicines had clearly run their course he wasn't going to stay in bed, something about the encounter before was weird and didn't sit right with him...and what she said.. was weird, "look for the trees?" what did that mean? who was that girl? And by  "the trees" she didn't mean the pine barrens did she? what sensible person would go there?

I guess Raymond was that person. so off he went, out of his house,  and into the growing dusk.

It had started to rain, it was only a light drizzle but he could practically feel the oncoming downpour so he steadied himself... and soon he arrived at the mouth of the ominous pine barrens.

"Good to see it hasn't changed..." Raymond said with a sigh " welp, not like staring 's gonna get me anywhere" , with that he set off into the Pinelands. The sun was still slightly up so there was enough light as he made his way through the trees, he's heard the stories, about mother Leeds and her unholy 13th child, and how he stalks the marshes of the pine barrens, Raymond was always open-minded, some had even said that it was "to a morbid extent" but he just kept on trudging, hours went by and at the sun had fully set and he was surrounded by darkness, thankfully he always kept a small pen light that had just enough power to help him see, noises where plenty, there where plenty of creatures that pranced around the pinelands, bobcats, wolves, raccoons and the like, he joked that the noises where the jersey devil coming to sell him house insurance or something, he has no idea why his brain conjured that up but it made him laugh. 

After hours of walking and getting nowhere, he decided to turn back.. but he was stopped when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a dim light in the distance... remembering the blurry vision of the girl he, stopped himself from leaving and continued to follow it little did he know,he was being followed.

he kept walking ad walking, almost falling on his ass a fair amount of times the dim light started to get closer and closer until he stood on the outskirts..

Of a gigantic..gothic. Mansion

                                                                                        TO BE CONTINUED...