Seduce Me ~ The Path To Forgiveness

Path Three, Step Thirteen: Where Monsters Play

The robed womans hurried footsteps, accompanied by the eerie rattle of her chains, fade down the hall as I stare down at the blade in my palm, its handle cold and heavy in my hand. Though I try to weigh my options I know I don't have much time and I'm only delaying the inevitable; there is only one right choice. I bring the knife to my neck, pressing hard enough to feel its bite against my skin, as I attempt to gather my courage. I close my eyes, bracing myself for the pain to come, before drawing back and slicing with all the force my shaking arm can muster.

'No, no, no!' I struggle, fingers digging painfully into my scalp as I watch the blood flow freely from my butchered flesh. I squeeze my eyes tightly in denial, though it doesn't block out the vision before me, the sight of an unnatural violet glow that stems the scarlet river.

'NO!'

The illusion shatters, my mind falling blank and vision black, and I sigh in shaky relief, though it's short lived as I chance opening my eyes.

I stand in my bathroom, the web like cracks spread along the glass before me almost completely obscuring the creature on the other side who smiles sweetly. Wider and wider the grin creeps along her face, silent giggles rising to a crescendo of manic cackles that echo through my mind, as she crawls onto the counter, her motions feral and sensual in equal measure. She taps delicately on the glass, as she's done many times during her imprisonment, and it shatters into a silver cascade. With my back pressed to the wall I sink to the floor as I watch her crawl through, the hopeless sense of dread rising as she slinks from the counter and crouches before me. Her eyes are as wild as the heart of a tornado, reaching out to me with manicured nails as I squeeze my eyes shut.

Her fingers wrap tightly around my throat, nails drawing scarlet rivulets from the tender flesh, and I thrash in her crushing grip. She reels back and strikes me, again and again, until my struggles cease.

'LOOK AT ME!' She demands and my eyes open, the cruel glimmer in her gaze as it locks with mine filling me with fear.

She smiles, almost sweetly, as her demeanor turns on a dime, her arms wrapping softly around my back as her lips graze my cheek. 'Look at what you've done to me.'

I feel a dampness, sticky and warm, where her body presses against mine and for a moment, as she draws away from me, her form flickers. I'm met by hollow eyes and sallow skin, an abundance of wounds gouged into her flesh, and the crimson ichor that coats me remains even as the visage fades.

'I.. I don't understand!' I whimper, confused and terrified as she strikes me again, tearing at my hair as she pulls me up, seething.

'LIAR!' Her breath is hot on my face, teeth bared as she jerks my head up and forces me to meet her crazed eyes. 'Cut me away, CHAINED ME, tossed me in a dark cell, MUTILATED ME!" She strikes the wall beside me, plaster crumbling beneath her fist as the hellfire in her eyes simmers to disgust. 'And then you wiped my existence from your mind to free yourself the guilt of knowing what hell you left me to.'

She laughs dryly, a bitter sound, as she watches me in contempt. I can feel the poisoned memories as they begin to surface but I struggle against their tide, denying them vehemently.

This can't be real. This must be a trick.

'All because you hate me, fear me, though clearly not enough to keep you from prying open the bars of my cage and draining me of every last ounce of my strength.'

Her accusation is laced with pain as she takes her rage out on my delicate form, beating me savagely against the wall.

'What?' I manage as she gives me a moment to recover, staring up at her in fear.