The Shadows Within

Losing my footing, I tumbled over the ledge of a tall building, inadvertently dragging my sister, Evelyn, down with me. Her face contorted in pure dread as we plummeted, her screams echoing through the air. It wasn't just her, though. Everyone who witnessed our fall added their panicked cries, creating a chorus of terror.

The only one who had lost their voice was me. Feeling the wind's gentle caress against my body gave me deep peace.

How did we get there? Oh… That didn’t matter to me. No, all that crossed my mind was if this was what true freedom felt like. Ah… Will I go straight to heaven or hell? Probably the latter…

Evelyn clung tightly to me, her fingers digging into my arm. Her green eyes glanced at me pleadingly, desperately hoping I would find a way to soften the impact of the blow. I thought this was the moment my life would flash before me.

Yet nothing did. Not an ounce of my shitty life did I relive in those moments. No, I only saw the shining moon disappear into the city's darkness.

Ah... What am I even thinking? Of course, my stop is hell. I’m your spawn.

Even so, the strangest of feelings surged through me, and I found myself reaching for the empty air like a hand was reaching to save me.

I don't want to die!

Evelyn's gaze reflected the flashing lights of the police cars below, the only illumination source in the pitch-black city. The darkness swallowed everything, even the night sky above. Despite the lack of visibility, we remained unclaimed by the ground below.

Instead, something else loomed over us. Before we hit the ground, strange, fuchsia-colored circles appeared above and below us, suspending us in midair. In the blink of an eye, symbols I had never seen surrounded us. One thing was clear, though.

We were frozen in time and unable to move.

What the…

Finally, I found you! A voice echoed within me.

Since this morning, voices had erupted in my head, causing me to question my sanity. Previously, I couldn't understand their words, but this time...

Who…

M’ lord! You must — another voice suddenly cut off.

Fuck! They— Again, it became distorted.

The hair on my body stood up, reacting to something that was approaching. In an instant, lightning struck us. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. Instead, it whisked us away into the unknown. It was like time resumed, suddenly causing Evelyn to scream even louder.

They had set a siren near me, and I joined this time. We were twisting and turning, and I could barely determine where we were going. This wasn't the kind of death I had hoped for. All I knew was that we were in what appeared to be a hole where colors blended into many fractures.

We didn’t know what awaited us at the end, but surely, it wasn’t what I wished for. The concept of peace wasn’t meant for me. The darkness enveloped us swiftly, leaving Evelyn and I suspended in an empty void. Surprisingly, the fall didn't cause discomfort, yet I could unmistakably feel her firm grip.

She fixed her black silky hair that had come undone thanks to the fall and, with a sharp tug on my arm, posed a question. “Where the fuck are we?!”

Her touch was like a searing fire, causing me to yank my hand away instinctively. The intense pain jolted me into the harsh reality, confirming that I was indeed alive, at least for the moment.

“Get away from me!” I growled, desperately attempting to break free from her grasp.

I could barely move a few steps before she caught up to me. Every step sent a jolt of misery through my body, but her touch was even more excruciating.

“No! It’s your fault we’re here!" Evelyn peered around, unable to focus her eyes on anything familiar.

The world was enveloped in darkness, yet our bodies emitted an ethereal glow, casting faint light on our surroundings. My blue jacket and jeans were marred with vivid red stains, entirely visible in the dimness. As I took each step, a sense of instability washed over me, increasing the difficulty of grasping the reality around me.

"Where is here?! What did you do?!” Her voice trembled, speaking faster as she desperately tried to reach me again.

She was about to step forward when she unexpectedly collided with an invisible barrier. The surface shimmered, catching our attention. As we both gazed at it, the barrier swiftly turned opaque, obscuring Evelyn from my view.

In front of me, a mysterious figure materialized; it was hazy but still bright against the darkness surrounding us. When it took a step forward, the space surrounding us burst into a mesmerizing array of colors. I stood mesmerized as the vibrant hues intertwined and advanced toward me.

The entire thing felt like a surreal journey, much like the warp-speed sequences often seen in space movies. I cautiously stepped back, my heart pounding with concern about what they might want from me.

Despite my overwhelming desire to flee, my injuries left me completely immobilized. The shape stopped in front of me, extending its arms wide. One palm emanated a brilliant, radiant light, while the other dripped with palpable darkness, creating a stark and unsettling contrast.

“Would you like the power of light or dark?” It inquired straightforwardly.

What the utter fuck is this?

I took a quick, anxious glance around and felt the weight of the imposing wall. In my current state, there was no possible escape.

“W-What?” I struggled to articulate; my mind could not grasp the unfolding events.

It took another step towards me.

“Would you like the power of the saints or the tainted? Of healing or curses?” it repeated differently.

Nothing ever went right when someone asked me what I wanted.

“I don’t want shit. Especially from someone as creepy as you!” I huffed, watching my surroundings.

The world around me didn't feel real. It was as if I had entered a different realm where I was still alive.

Limbo? Not even my death is in my control! I want to stop thinking! Why’s that so hard?!

“Hm... Why don’t you want anything? She already picked. Why won’t you?” Lowering its hands to the sides, it tilted its head.

She? Do you mean Evelyn?

Once more, I found myself staring at the wall, hoping to catch a glimpse of Eve. Disappointingly, nothing had changed. She remained elusive, out of my sight.

Is she being asked these same questions?

It didn’t surprise me that she had picked something already. Everything had been handed to her all her life. All the while, I always worked for nothing, and that wouldn’t change there. The weight of my independence was suffocating.

All I longed for was a path to freedom, an escape I couldn't embrace before.

I should've made my exit before Evelyn even came up.

The reason why I cared for her eluded me. Though it was all to hide, I was terrified to take that step.

Even now, I'm still shaking!

Even though I wasn’t stable, that didn’t change what had to happen.

Something that sounds too good usually is a lie.

No one was ever going to take advantage of me ever again.

“One, I don’t know you. Two, you have nothing I want. So, drop me back where you found me! Or send me to hell already. I know that’s my stop.” I took a step away from it.

I used to be skeptical, but the eerie feeling I experienced made me wonder if I had stumbled into some limbo-like state.

“What a strange human. Usually, those who come here either want to destroy or save. Yet you want nothing? That’s something new.” A soft giggle left the light being.

I smirked, “Why would I destroy or save something I don’t care about? Just take me back already.”

When those words escaped my lips, a sharp, stabbing sensation pierced through my left flank, leaving me gasping for air, but no matter how hard I tried, it never felt like enough. It was getting worse with every attempt to fill my lungs.

“That's so interesting! I think I like you, which I don’t say often!” It clapped its hands, taking another step toward me.

The silhouette shifted, unveiling a captivating woman with flowing golden hair and piercing deep blue eyes fixed upon me. She wasn't entirely human like me; her luminous skin emitted a soft glow. Adorned in an exquisite white dress, she exuded an otherworldly grace that matched her perfectly.

A fucking angel?! Am I dead? No… it hurts too much. Then again, what do I know about death? Maybe this is hell, and I’m suffering for it.

Little did I know, I was close to that mark. Despite being an angel, she was noticeably lacking her ethereal wings.

“My name’s Serena. The other one with your sister is my husband, Xavier. He’s extremely bored with her, but you’ll show us something interesting, won’t you? Finally! If you only knew how long this took.” She shook her head, smirking soon after.

I chose to remain silent, fixing my gaze upon her orb wide.

Is she insane?!

Her stare fixed on the wall, “What’s your name?”

No tricks… Nothing… Just stop.

“No one you'd... care to know.” I huffed, grabbing onto my left flank.

The world around me was starting to blur.

He really didn’t let up. Shit...

I shook my head to keep pace, but it was impossible. My footing became increasingly unstable, causing me to wobble and lean against the invisible wall for support.

“Oh, you’re hurt.” Her dazzling gaze gleamed with intensity, turning her gaze back to me.

In the blink of an eye, I sensed a gentle, radiant aura within me.

“Several fractured ribs. One snapped off, puncturing your lung. Yet you want nothing? Not even help?” Serena narrowed her eyes, shifting her hair away from her shoulders.

How does she… Is she genuine?

That thought was quickly snapped off, triggering me to growl at her.

No… don’t be tricked! Accept nothing from anyone! You learned that!

“N-nothing,” I voiced, shaking, sliding from the wall to the floor.

Throughout the entire ordeal, I had been struggling to conceal my fear behind a façade of bravado, but it was becoming increasingly apparent. The rush of adrenaline was beginning to subside. The world around me was crumbling, leaving me struggling to keep up.

“Not even if I put you in a new world. It's an entirely new start. Isn’t that appealing?” Serena kept trying.

The prospect of a new world didn't fill me with much hope. I couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be any different from the one I was stuck in. While there was a chance that it could be better, there was an equal chance that it could be worse.

Regardless, I never felt confident about my chances. They were already terrible, and the thought of some god-like force interfering only worsened things. All I ever wanted was peace; it didn't matter what shape it took anymore.

Huffing for air, I shook my head, “Nothing’s... free. Do what you... want, but I won’t ask...”

Her lips parted as a gentle sigh escaped. “Heh… I really like you. You know, there's usually only one person drawn here, never two, so you’re a special case. Well, both of you.” Her glance warily shifted towards the wall again.

Just make it one. Simple...

My ability to articulate vanished, leaving only a gasp to convey my distress. As each moment passed, my vision dimmed, enveloping me in darkness.

Oh... am I dying? Did he actually kill me? How... pathetic...

"Oh, no, no! That won't do! Don't you dare die, Sylvia." Serena's voice echoed through the room, jolting me awake and forcing my eyes to snap open.

My name... How?!

Once again, it felt like time had stopped, freezing everything around us. The goddess was before me, allowing me to see my reflection in her radiant blue stare. It was almost like looking into a mirror.

I was such a mess. My brown hair was matted with blood, and my grey eyes were black and blue from the struggle.

“As much as I would like to keep you here. We have little time.” Her glance gleamed intensely and luminously, rendering me petrified.

The distortions surrounding us were expanding rapidly, growing larger with every passing second.

“How about this? I’ll give you everything I have to offer. And all you have to do is live however you want. There will be no strings attached.” Serena's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she leaned in, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

What?!

“Well, if you survive having it all.” She snickered, opening her arms, allowing the light and darkness to drip from her palms.

I wanted to refuse her, but nothing came out of me. No, I only felt shivers rushing through me, unable to do anything even though I was aware of everything. Helplessly, I watched her clasp onto my head.

Pulses of energy rushed through me soon after, scorching my entire being. A few broken ribs were nothing compared to the pain surging through me. If I weren’t frozen in place, I would’ve been shrieking.

Stop! It hurts! Why does this keep happening to me?!

Nothing ever went my way. Not even death.

“Hush, child, everything will be over before you know it.” She whispered as a man appeared behind her.

He also had golden hair, yet his eyes were amber. Letting me go, time continued, allowing me to fall onto the floor, gasping for air. All the agony from before had melted away along with the easier breaths.

What the fuck did you do to me?!

“Are you sure that was wise?” he asked the rogue woman.

However, my voice wasn’t coming out. No, all that left me were pants. Before she touched me, I was in constant pain every time I filled my lungs. Yet now, I felt nothing. Though metallic taste remained in my mouth, my hands were still stained red.

Did you save me?! Why?! And for what?

My temperature rose as my heart pumped faster than before.

“Fuck! I wanted nothing!” I yelled, yet my words were disregarded.

To these two beings, I was nothing more than entertainment.

“Honestly, I didn’t think she’d survive having both elements in her. Especially in that condition. Yet it seems she’s stronger than I gave her credit for.” Serena spoke like I wasn’t there.

I tried to speak up, but no words left me. No, I felt a pull. Something was about to drag me again, which was different from before.

The distortions were getting more significant.

“Found yourself a new toy, babe?” Xavier chuckled, grabbing his wife by her waist.

Turning towards him, she pecked his lips with hers.

“Perhaps. Will she show us salvation or damnation?” she giggled, tracing her hand lovingly on his cheek.

He grabbed onto it, leaning into her touch.

“The other chose light. Once they go to their destinations, the humans will kill this one when they realize she—” Serena stopped her husband, placing her fingers on his lips.

“Well, we shall see what fate awaits them, my dearest. You feel that. Something else other than them is at play.” She pointed out, moving closer to her beloved.

Again, I felt the tug that caused me to fall onto the floor. It was like the gravity had gotten ten times worse. I couldn’t move but could feel their piercing gazes on me.

“My sight is barely ever wrong. But if the demon’s finally stepping in. Then it might change.” Xavier snickered, leaning on his wife.

“Oh, the fun we shall see.” She murmured, allowing him to kiss her.

A second later, I fell through that wormhole again. Next to me was Evelyn, who screamed once again. If aliens or something else abducted us, I wouldn’t know. But whatever awaited us at the end of this wasn’t what either of us wanted.