Echoes of Emotion (Sebastian Sallow x OC)

Chapter 30 - Kindred Spirit

I was awoken to the sound of screams.
They echoed around me, coming from every direction.
I sat up in fear, wondering where they could be coming from, but was instead met with a new problem.
I was in a cell.

I looked down to see that I was laying on the cold stone floor, pressing my hands against it to check if it was real.
This had to be a dream, but even so, as I pressed my palm down against the cool stone, it still felt all too real.

A shiver made its way down my spine as a new feeling filled my body.
The room suddenly became so cold that I could barely move, and the feeling of death and fear made me okay with that.
It felt like even the slightest movement would lead to my end.

However, I knew I couldn't stay down here forever.
I had to find out why I was here.
I needed to wake up.

Reluctantly, I managed to find the will to move, my legs aching in protest.
As I finally got onto my feet, I slowly made my way towards the cell door, grabbing it to give it a quick tug, testing my luck.
To my surprise, the door swung open.
But I couldn't tell if that was good or bad.

I cautiously stepped out of the cell, wondering what was in store for me next.
But as soon as I did, I couldn't help but let out a gasp seeing what was before me.
I was met with a long corridor, lined with other cell blocks filled with people, screaming as they stretched their arms through the bars, begging to be let out.
But that wasn't what surprised me most.
There, flying above the corridor, were Dementors.

I was in Azkaban.

I slowly began walking down the corridor, still curious as to why I was here.
Was it because of my guilt?
Had my subconscious finally decided to teach me a lesson?
Or was this just another of Isidora's tricks?

However, these thoughts were interrupted as I noticed something at the far end of the corridor.
While all the other cells were filled with desperate arms, flailing aimlessly at the chance of escape, there was one cell at the end that seemed... quiet.
Peaking my interest, I began making my way over to the cell, seeing if that was where my subconscious wanted me to go.
Yet, as I approached, I could see that there was a singular person inside, curled up in a ball, pressed against the wall.
I couldn't quite make them out at first, edging closer to get a peek, but as I did, they seemed to move their arms, and I let out another audible gasp.
It was Sebastian.

I instantly moved closer to the cell door, all sense of danger replaced with fear and worry.
He looked so tired, like he was a shell of himself, muttering as he hid as far from the door as possible.
No doubt the work of the dementors.
But even his clothes seemed worn as he clutched them for dear life.
It made it look like he had been here a while.
But why was he even here?

"Sebastian?" I asked, my voice breathless as I tried to grasp the situation, my heart breaking at the sight of him.
He didn't acknowledge me though, he only continued to mutter incoherently.
Yet, after he went on for what felt like years, he seemed to stop, before repeating one word over and over.
"Why?"

"Sebastian, I'm here!" I exclaimed, trying harder to get his attention as I grabbed the cell bars, reaching a hand out towards him.
I had to get him out of here.

He finally stopped muttering as he heard my words, his entire body freezing.
I thought that it was because he was in disbelief, his mind playing tricks on him.
But as he moved his arm to look at me, he gave me a glare so cold that I couldn't move.
It was like he was looking right through me.
Like he wanted me dead.

Before I could regain my composure, Sebastian did something I never expected.
In a moment, he had lunged towards me, grabbing the arm I still had through the bar tightly and yanking it forward, causing me to slam my head into the cell door.
I yelped in pain, fear filling me as I tried to take back my arm, but his grip was so tight, I thought he might actually break it.
It was like he was an animal.