Antichrist

Speak No Evil

He wakes up to silence.

A scenario he never thought he would wake up to again.

Yet, he doesn't open his eyes. Instead he starts praying. It's his defense against everything that's been testing him. The act is the only thing that saves him everyday. And he can only wish that it can save him and... her from all this madness.

Her.

Richard never cared. Not until she came. Suddenly, he wants to scream. He wants to fight. He wants to... live. Catherine's existence becomes his hope. He doesn't realize exactly when it's sealed. All he knows is that, that night when he saw her finally break down- he made a vow to do everything he can to protect her.

From what exactly, he doesn't know. Not one of them knows.

Not one of them remembers.

Until now, their are like dry, barren pieces of land. Their minds exist, but they never know what for.

He doesn't utter his vow to her lest he dies first before her. He promises her something similar to forever, no matter how twisted that version might be.

If... if... they ever make it out alive from whatever this shit they are in, he vows to never let her go.

He utters the last of his prayers, makes the sign of the cross, and opens his eyes.

The sight that greets him explains the lingering silence.

The once empty space is filled to the brim with desecrated flesh and rotting bones. Severed limbs are everywhere, the pieces reminding them that each one of them succumbed to the weakness within them in the past few nights. Blood paints the floor with death and debauchery, mocking them, taunting them as it screams the silent tune of injustice.

Richard exhales, a lingering breath that remains as the only noise.

Fear. The last few nights have been all about fear.

Fear. Fear is a parasite that silently consumes even the strongest soul.

Fear. Fear is the absence of faith.

Faith. Faith is fueled by fear.

He doesn't understand, yet he does.

His eyes lift towards Catherine, her sleeping form seemingly peaceful despite the hell surrounding her.

His eyes soften. Nothing else matters as long as she's all right.

"Richard."

He turns his head to the other side and sees the little boy looking at him with something in his eyes. He looks more composed now, with no trace of what happened to him a few nights ago. He is now clothed too, with a new robe. Richard wonders where he got it.

"Follow me, Richard," says the boy. He stands up and starts to walk towards him. Richard finally realizes that the boy is not chained anymore.

"What?" he finally asks, his voice finally finding its courage.

"Follow me. You need to see something," he says before padding his way across the room, not minding the things scattered on the floor.