Page 163 of Lost in the Dark

It soothes me some, but not enough. Mrs. Aquinodoeslike to play with fire.

“So do we.” Astar’s voice bounces in my head, and I find my mood lightened.Yes, we do, don’t we?

Running into a resident’s shoulder, I ignore the curses thrown my way as I walk back to my room. The day’s schedule for groups is the same as last week. I’ve been here long enough for them to cycle their presented information for the benefit of the newcomers.

Entering my room, I fall face first on the mattress. My nose throbs with the hit, but I ignore it as I use my feet to kick off my half-laced boots. Deciding to take off my shirt as well, I throw it on top of the chair in the corner and stretch out on the bed with my hands behind my head. I close my eyes and let myself drift to another plane.

I’m back at these wastelands again, but there’s no water this time. I can feel my fingers as I lift them up to block the sun’s rays.Why would my mind conjure such a place?

A bestial roar and then a screech has me turning, but not in time. Something jumps on me and slices my throat.

I wake up in a dark cavern. The walls are made of stone, and I can hear cackling in the distance. Standing up, I brush my pants and find that I’m still shirtless. These dreams are going to be the death of me someday.At least I didn’t wake up naked.

Walking randomly, I follow the sound of familiar chitters until I see an opening. Taking tentative steps, the scenery before me is like a living hell: volatile volcanic eruptions, and a sky as dark as the mists that surround Astar.

Something jumps on my shoulder, but the weight isn’t right. Grabbing it quickly, I throw it away from me only to find a strange looking creature roll on the ground and leap up into a dead tree. Its eyes glow like green flames, and the body is covered in a strange, scaly fur. The tail wraps around a branch right before it makes a leap at me. I duck and the cackling gets louder, as well as chitter-chatters.

I’m done with this place already.

Walking away from the spot, I look around to see where I can possibly go, and if I can find my way back to the facility.

The temperature gets hotter and hotter the closer I get to the mountain, but it doesn’t stop me from continuing forth.

I didn’t realize there was an entryway at the bottom until something emerges from it. He’s slapping his head and laughing at something. When he lifts his face to look at mine, I notice his neck reminds me of tree roots attaching his head to his chest. No, that’s not right, but I can’t think of another comparison. His beady eyes stare at me from the distance, and the holes he has for his ears open and close.

“What is this? I do not remember seeing you. Have you come to play with old Sabnock? I do tire of the ones I have. They don’t scream as well as they used to, you see.”

What the hell?

“Just passing through. Carry on with your work; don’t let me bother you.” Best to play it smooth so I can get away from this crazy old…demon.

He rubs his head and cackles before running toward me, and my fight or flight kicks in full gear. Leaping over the dead branches, I head for a location that has more trees, so that I might put him off my trail.

“Pretty, come back! Sabnock should really come out more. Seems there are souls wandering and ripe for the infecting.”

Infecting? Shit.

I jump over a boulder but miscalculate and hit my shin on the rock. Screaming, I land on my face against pebbles and dead grass. I quickly turn to see Sabnock crouched on the boulder, looking down at me with a gleam in his eyes.

“Your skin is so pure, just the way I like it. I bet you’d scream prettily, too.”

The root-like striations on his chest pulsate and I can’t take my eyes away from it. This is beyond unnatural.

His hands reach out to me, and I scramble to scoot back. He laughs and crawls toward me slowly, like a predator that’s playing with prey in a trap.

“I’ll only touch you a little. Come play with old Sabnock. The master has been taking my souls away.”

“You spew lies as easily as infection.” Astar’s voice is harsh, angry; suddenly, Sabnock screams in pain and fury.

His hands grip his head as steam begins to rise from his skin. My eyes must be deceiving me, because it looks like the steam turns into black smoke, and glowing red eyes narrow as a giant gap opens up and a long black tongue strangles the old demon’s neck.

“Get off me, you demon! Get out of my head!”

“The wicked pleasures of your mind entice me, old Sabnock.” Astar’s tongue turns into a spike and dives right into the other demon’s left eye, making him howl in pain. His blood gushes out, dark and foul, dripping down his face and disappearing into the hollows of his flesh.

“No!” Sabnock thrashes side to side, and I wonder what exactly is happening in his mind.Is this what we all look like back at the facility? Crazed and manic, a threat to ourselves?

The sound of a crunch takes me from my wayward thoughts, and I watch with fascination as Astar’s mouth bites down onto the other demon’s skull. His body mists and goes right past him to get to me, grabbing my arm and throwing me out of the range of old Sabnock leaping onto Astar’s now-solidified back.