Daughter of Man

Ch 28 A hell cover in snow

It is nothing but snow. Penryn faces down the deep snow, nearly suffocating when she awakens. She gasped a mouthful of ice cold snow, and immediately spits some away. Coldness envelops her as she tries to stand up. Then she realize it is the strong wind keeping her down.

She gathers herself up difficultly as she hissed in pain. She tries to look up, but the snow is covering everywhere, she can merely see anything, but a must of white. She remembers how she falls from a rock, how the hell does she end up here? She tries to move one step, slowly as she picks up a pace. She can smell a snow storm coming and she has to find a shelter, a cave or whatever.

Then after that she will worry about Raffe. Perhaps he flies away, he's got wings and certainly he can escape from this snow hell. Her mind believes that but her heart protests" if he wants to leave you, why would he come down with you at the first place?" She remembers his warm embrace, dark blue eyes like storm at night and his words.

"Heaven or hell, always and forever."

Her mind tries to be rational but her heart is pushing her to another path of understanding what he means by forever. Yet she cannot forget what has he told her one year ago, at the ball.

"I don't even like you."

Which version of story should she choose? The one he will follow her forever or the one he says he doesn't even like her. Anyhow, she cannot be a school girl right now and guesses his hidden meaning.

She gasped in surprise as she saw something like a cave. She hurries and amaze to find she's not alone. Chewing and licking sounds fill the cave. As she realize what's in front of her.

Creatures that she has never seen. White and furry. Lean and petite. Something like a fox but with sharp teeth and pointed yellow eyes. They were enjoying a feast.

A man.

His face cannot be recognized but she smells fresh blood. He just arrive and they are them. His hands stretched out when he died, as if he is holding something in his arms. And something shiny besides him catches her attention, it's a sword, an angel sword.

Raffe?

Penryn's mind blown in anger and somber. As she gasped" No." The creature looks at her direction, crimson blood dripping from their mouth. Their feet covers with blood as they lick their mouth, staring hungrily at Penryn.

Anger consumes her as she screams. She kicks the creatures away, grabbing her blade quickly as she waves it toward them. She kicks the creature's stomach as they scream in agony.

She beats then relentlessly as if it will never be enough. Rage consumes her as she skin them after their death and cast away their bloody body.

She pants, sitting down as she face the corpse, sobbing silently. Then a voice with query asks"Penryn?" It is soft and gentle. Like an angel. She turns and find Raffe standing at the entrance of the cave with the same kind of unknown dead creature in his hand. He scans the bloody scene of murder as he grins" Great job, we get two more for dinner."

Penryn blinks her eye for a few times as she realize she isn't dreaming. Raffe is alive. The corpse is not Raffe! She runs into his arms with force, causing Raffe to drop his prey. She wraps her arms around his waist tightly, head listening his steady heart beat, he is real and he is alive.

Raffe is stunned to find Penryn hugging him but he wraps his arms around her shoulder tightly. He whispers the same thing he had told her a year ago, in the cold night, in the sofa "Hush. Hush. I'm right here."