Deception

10 ¦ Nightmares and Dreams

We continued to meander through a labyrinth of dank stone corridors. The stench of mildew and stale air made me grimace. I proceeded with caution in order not to twist my ankle again on the uneven cobblestone floor.

"This is the Maze of Horrors," the Shadow Rider said. "You will face your darkest fears in these halls. If you stay close to me, we can navigate through the trap unscathed."

"If I don't, I'll get lost?" I asked.

"It's a maze for your mind, not your body." He tilted my chin. "Those who are weak-willed can lose their sanity. You must stay strong and keep moving forward until we reach the end."

"I promise."

When we reached a heavy wrought-iron door, Lord Darius curled his hand around the handle. "Are you ready, Helena?"

I gave a silent nod.

"You must ignore whatever you see and hear," he said, "and keep going."

Sounds easy enough...

A bright blue light shone around the Shadow Rider's fingers. A sharp buzzing noise followed. A series of clicks and clunks released various locking mechanisms inside the door followed by a harsh clunk-thud.

As the door creaked open, I heard the horrendous sound for the first time.

Screams.

Terrifying, blood-curdling screams.

Visions of Mama. She stood before me, a bloody hand reaching for me. "Please, Helena. Stay with me. Heal me!"

I froze like a deer in the forest. Reaching down, I grasped her hand in mine. "Mama?"

"Just kill me!" Papa pleaded on the other side of an iron door. "Take me! Not Helena!"

His outcries morphed into gags and chokes. My blood turned to ice when he coughed and spluttered water--or worse.

"Papa!" I cried, banging at the metal door. "Papa, are you there?"

He gasped for air as though he'd almost drowned. My stomach churned in abject horror.

"Please!" Lena cried out behind me, her throat cut. Her eyes red like the devil. "They're trying to kill me. Help me!"

Lord Hesse pulled her up by the hair. "You're going to die, Little Lena."

I raced towards him. "Let her go!"

"Helena..." Lord Hesse sibilated as he spoke, black ribbons of shadow obscuring his face. "You'll never save her. You're a coward. You'd rather protect yourself."

"Let go of her!"

Lord Darius grasped my shoulders and forced me to look him in the eye. "Ignore the visions. They're not real."

"These ones are," I cried. "I can see them. Touch them. They're dying!"

"Oh? Look again."

When I turned back, everyone had vanished: Mama, Lena, even Papa's voice.  

Tingles traveled along my whole body, crawling like a thousand fire ants across my skin. Mama's and Papa's screams returned, echoing without mercy. 

My body told me to run. Fear had locked me in place like a startled fawn.

"Helena..." Lord Hesse's voice slithered in the air, coiling around me. "Come ... to ... me."

"Never!"

Lord Darius grasped my upper arms and gave me a light shake. "Fight it! Follow me."

My body refused to budge. "I will not join him."