Void

It’s pitch black.

It’s cold.

The ferrous taste oxidazes my mouth.

I try to breathe, but it’s tight, they press against my chest, only blood enters my lungs.

It burns, I feel it flowing through.

Are her nightmares also like this? Or are her thoughts even deeper than my sins?

Can someone transform this place? With nothing but thoughts as a tool? The ones we spent all our lives running away from…

In this lake of corpses—Can I find Tiara’s? Or does she belong somewhere else?

Who dragged me? Who chose to descend to these depths just for me to better grasp them? I admire you, for having the courage to show me this nightmare, for possessing the un-transcendental glory necessary, for dragging me with you, for reminding me I won’t find her as long as I’m stuck beneath you, as long as I don’t find a way to climb up to the surface, and watch the sun which cannot reach this place.

So I’m sorry for what I’m about to do… I’ll squeeze my way to the surface, even if it means disturbing your rest, even if it means disregarding your efforts.

I forgot how many there are… I forgot how deep in this hell I am.

We used to bathe in this lake, mom would watch over us. When did it become so filthy? Exactly when did it become home for the ones who lost a place to call it so?

After forcing my way through them, I can see the sun! I can see it turn the void into crimson. But before I could breathe again—a pile of them grabbed me from the legs—resigning themselves to never forgive for the sole purpose of making sure I never see the sun again.

But the sun couldn’t stand such, so he sent an angel for me to corrupt, an angel who offered her hand—and when I took it, everyone of us got got to be catharized by her, dooming her to eternal nightmares, dooming her to eternal reality, as we breathe again, and she drowns in the void never meant for her.

This sun I see bathed in crimson, this air filling my lungs, expelling the blood, they are only so gentle for me to submerge again, and bring her to the surface, so that the void she has fused with can become our home, a wonderful new world born from metamorphosis, born from a bond deeper than the lake, deeper than the nightmares we so deeply fear.

So I’ll dive how many times necessary—for catharsis to turn us back into humans.

I dive deeper and deeper, without any way to find her but to keep searching in the abysmal darkness… until finally…

————————————————————————————-

Horizontally along the bed she’s sleeping, her legs on my torso, sheets twisted.

It’s such a relief—The bliss in her face suggests there were no nightmares for her this time.

I carefully get out of bed, noticing the pillows all over the floor.

How can someone make all this mess while sleeping?

I align her properly and fix the blankets.

But then her expression changes… And a tear runs down to the pillow.

Should I wake her up?

“Don’t lweave mw alwone.” Tears followed.

So I sat on the bed and ran my fingers through her hair.

“I won’t”

She opened her eyes, somnolent. And when she saw me she said: “Good morning.” Returning to her upbeat self.

“Good morning, are you ready to escape the castle?”

“Escape the castle? How?”

“Uhum. How else?”

——————————————————

“No way, no way, no way! Impossible! Forget about it!” She said, swinging her arms.

“You say that but you have the maid uniform already on.”

“That’s because you said I would look cute on it…” She toyed with her hair.

“And you do! It suits you well. No one will get suspicious.”

“Where did you get this from in the first place?”

“That’s not important…”

“Don’t tell me… you stole it? While I was asleep…?”

“At this point it doesn’t really matter… As long as it gets you out of here…”

“It does matter!”

“Listen, this is the best bet we have, either we make it work or we hide until we get caught, it’s your choice.”

“Fine… but if someone talks to me I’m screwed.”

“If that happens then I’ll handle it.”

“How?”

“I’ll figure it out…”

“*sigh* Why did happiness have to last this shortly…?”

“Don’t over react, It’ll be alright. Just get into character, ready?”

“Ready is a strong word… how would one describe being ready?”

“Forget it… let’s just go… The more you think about it the worse it’ll get.”

The doors have opened, the mission has started: Let’s get Sofia out of this mess.

“You see? you are doing it well!”

“I don’t think my legs trembling can be called well…”

“Just hang on. Once we reach the main gate you can just turn invisible.”

“Yeah…”

We almost reached the main gate without any incident until we heard his voice.

“I spy with my little eye”

Sofia froze.

“Someone who shouldn’t be here.”

“You said you weren’t gonna say anything.”

“Oh! That only applies if she stays inside the castle… I can’t let her go, I can’t take that risk. So please stay, we can hire you as a maid if you wish. Wouldn’t that be great?”

Sofia’s legs’ strength gave out, she collapsed, hyperventilating, curling up.

“Lloyd!!!” I grabbed him by the collar.

“Do you really want to make a scene out of this?” His annoying grin persisted.

“Tch” I let him go.

“Be thankful no one saw your tantrum. It could’ve been real bad.” He said while he fixed his shirt.

“What’s happening?” William appeared.

“Nothing, this maid had a panic attack because she saw a spider, right Rey?”