Shadow: The Origin Of A Legend

-Chapter 68

My eyes are stapled open wide as I lay down on my side, staring straight forward at the wall below the widow, moonlight streaming down onto my face. I can't sleep. I can't even close my bloodshot eyes to blink. Worry drowns me, my thoughts consumed, as per usual, with Rouge. What forces her to act this way? I ask myself as one very tired eyelid starts to twitch. She spoke so softly—and I know she was telling the truth—but why? Why? Is someone listening in? Paranoia bleeds into my heart. Is she being watched? Is she being threatened?

...Is it my fault? For the fourth time today, or maybe the first time—is it after midnight?—liquid gathers in the corners of my eyes, and I finally blink, trying desperately to keep it at bay. My breath hitches in the back of my throat, a tremor running through me, and my fingers tighten around my sheets as I bite the inside of my lip to keep a sob from escaping; Rouge would no doubt hear it and wake up, something I can't have happen. Sucking in a deep breath, I try to calm my nerves, but it's pointless—I haven't been stable in a long time. Rolling onto my back, I stare at the ceiling again, sure that by now I've got the patterns of cracks on it memorized—after all, it's been my best friend these past few months. Letting my eyes blur, world out of focus, I take a mental step back to analyze the events of the past month or so. Each and every time we speak, she acts so cruel, speaking with an acid tongue... It hurts, but—my eyes narrow as I try to vicariously, through an imaginary bystander's eye, relive all of those moments. I don't think she means it, I conclude. Taking into consideration the context I was given today, where she spoke as if someone else was listening in, I think— My blood runs cold again. Yes. There's no "I think" or "maybe" about it. She's definitely being manipulated. The question is, can I help somehow? Or will I only make it worse?

Sitting up, I blink a couple times, trying to process this new revelation; faintly I hear Rouge's alarm go off, and an angry bat's responding growl. A tired smirk tugs at the edges of my lips, and I fall backwards much more quickly than I'd sat up, finally feeling exhausted enough to sleep. Just my luck... I chuckle quietly, vision fading to black as my eyes roll over to the subtly-lightening window just starting to paint pale pink across the room.

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It's dark here, very dark, and I'm not entirely sure how I got here, but I'm even less sure if I care. I'm sitting on something, legs crossed, eyes half-lidded and looking down at my hands folded in my lap. The floor has a thin layer of gelatin-like black liquid over it, and I realize the same fluid is slowly dripping from an unseen ceiling, slithering down my back, through my spines. I shiver as it chills me.

Splash.

My ears twitch, and I slowly raise my head, eyes not moving. Something is walking past me in careful, measured paces, but not with an aura of stealth, just one of precision. I know those feet, and I know their owner. A sigh escapes me as they stop a few feet ahead, arms crossed behind their back. They don't react, lifting their hand to the blackish goop which solidifies into a thin branch, stretching forth to meet the demon's claws halfway. I watch for a moment as the darkness twists and warps into a wiry bough, complete with delicate royal violet leaves and bright purple flower buds that rapidly bloom then begin to slowly fall off, drifting about like gravity doesn't effect them.

"Why are you here?" I ask, and it twists to look over its shoulder at me; to my surprise, its face is peaceful, a far cry from the sadistic smiles or furious glowers I'm usually treated to.

"It's almost time," they answer, and I frown, puzzled. Time? Time for what? "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately," the being continues, looking back up at the tree branch from nowhere. "Would you mind if I shared my thoughts?"