Chapter Eight-Nightmares Are Dreams Too

Chapter Eight-Nightmares Are Dreams Too

The leaves were soft against my bare feet.  A gentle breeze caressed my skin, causing shivers to rain down my back.  Yet, I could barely feel the cold.  I rested my hand on the rough bark of a tree as I slowly made my way around it.  

Soon, I came to the edge of the forest to find grasslands spread  across rolling hills.  But it didn’t last long.  Soon, the land morphed into a town.  A familiar town… but I couldn’t quite place it.  As if my body were connected to strings, I walked forward and into the town.  I followed a main road down towards the center of the town.  The sound of voices grew louder and louder until I reached the center of the town, where a huge crowd of people were gathered at the base of a platform.  I slipped in between the people, who didn’t seem to notice me, until I was able to see what was going on.  The sight horrified me.

There on the podium was a girl, metal cuffs attached to chains bound her wrists; forcing her arms upwards and back.  She was on her knees, and I could see chains on her ankles as well.  Her clothes were tattered and torn in several places, revealing large, deep, reddish-purple burn marks.  I could’ve counted every one of her ribs.  The girl had mahogany hair the spilled down to the ground, pooling around her knees and legs.  She had piercingly amber eyes that shone with magnifying emotion.  Dirt and tear stains streaked her cheeks, and her jaw was darkly bruised.  She looked like she had climbed bare handed from the deepest depths hell.

A man stood, finely robed, in front of her.  ‘He must be these peoples’ leader,’ I thought to myself.  A flail was gripped tightly in his left hand.  

“What is your name, demon?!” Boomed the voice of the man, so everyone could hear.  She tilted her head up to look at him, cold blooded hatred in her eyes.  “Ebony,” she said slowly.  It was as if a needle struck my heart, but I didn’t get long to let the name sink in before the man spoke again.

“Why have you cursed our lands?!”  She snarled at him, fangs protruding obscenely from her lips.  “I haven’t touched your lands.  I’ve tried to fix what you’ve destroyed.  You’re the real monster here!!  You come with your soldiers; with your sheep!  Stealing my freedom.  Taking my home, my peace, and my life.  I’ve done nothing to ruin the peace in your kingdom, have I?!”  “Enough!” Shouted the man, drawing back the flail and letting it whip down upon her chest.  The girl, Ebony, let out a blood curdling scream of agony, throwing her head back.  She choked and gasped for breath, blood rushing from the wound in her chest.  

“You are a taboo.  You are a demon, a disgrace!” he spat.  The thick chains clattered as she shifted against them.  “I am not a demon.  I am nowhere close to a demon.  I am what you fear most and that is why you chain me here.  You talk about trying to bring justice and purity to this land, but you’re the most tainted of all.  It only proves that humans are savage creatures.  In the end all you lust for is power.  And you’re willing to do anything to get it.  So go ahead.  Go ahead and cheat away my life.  Do it in the name of heaven, you can justify it in the end,”  She spoke, so deadly calm it sent chills down my spine, and everyone in the crowd around me shifted uncomfortably.  The man looked both furious and terafied.  His hand was shaking as he gripped the flail tighter, starting to draw it back.  Ebony’s cold, hard glare never left his eyes.

 “This is a cruel, merciless world… I will have no regrets in leaving it.  I came here to do what I must.  I have no regrets in knowing that it was never accomplished.  But don’t worry…” she smirked, a victorious glint in her eyes.  “I will not forget to tell Shi about the coward who chained down his angel.  I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say about that…”  “Enough-!” he shouted, his voice shaking just as much as his hand, his eyes flicking back and forth, avoiding her gaze.  The man drew the flail all the way back, ready to bring it down in a final blow.  The rest, I never saw.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist from behind; the other one gently covering my eyes.  A soft voice hushed in my ear, as I was slowly and silently carried away.  “You’ve seen quite enough, Ebony.  You should’ve been more careful, these are bloodstained grounds you walked on,”  “Death…?” I squeaked out.  A gentle male voice hummed lightly near my ear, confirming my question.  “N-no!!” I started to struggle weakly.  “No!! you’re keeping something from me!  Death, stop!! I want to know,” I cried.  Death did nothing, just continued to carry me away from the scene.  “I’m not a child anymore!” I struggled even harder, but I was no match for him.  His voice was still soft and gentle, as if he was trying to calm a baby to sleep.  “You are but a child, Ebony.  You are still so young.  Please… stay innocently in this world a little longer.  Let me hold you like this a little more, for I know you will hate me when the snow finally melts.  Please, Ebony… live quietly, like a doll.  For me…”  

I jerked awake, my eyes snapping open, sweat running down my freezing cold skin and my breaths coming out heavy and ragged.  I waited until my racing heart slowed down before swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and standing up.  I swayed slightly, my head pounding from the screaming memories of the dream I just had.  ‘They were my memories…’ I thought as a shiver ran down my spine.  

I walked over to the window and looked out.  It was still quite dark.  Clouds covered the sky and fluffy snowflakes danced their way to the ground.  It almost looked like a painting.  “Why do you do this to me, Death…?” I whispered, my breath fogging up the glass.  “You didn’t even tell me your real name.  You dragged me away from the past I can’t remember.  You wouldn’t tell me.  Why?  Why must I live as a doll, unable to breathe on my own?  Death, what happens when the snow melts?  What are you hiding that will make me hate you?”  I didn’t realize I was crying until I felt the burning hot tears fall onto my hand.  

“Ebony?”  I spun around to see a tired looking Saft standing in the doorway, rubbing his eye tiredly.  I quickly tried to wipe my tears away with the back of my hand, but the feeble attempt didn’t fool him.  “Ebony, what’s wrong?  What happened with the mirror?”  I choked back a sob, words failing me.  I bit my trembling lower lip, tears falling faster.  Why did Saft always have to see me weak like this?  “Ebony…” he said softly again, walking towards me.  “D-Death-!” was the only thing I managed to choke out before I completely broke down.  He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close to his chest as I continued to cry.  When I finally regained myself enough to speak he pulled away, but remained close enough that I could feel the warmth of his skin radiating off of him.  “He won’t let me...  H-He won’t let me see everything,” My voice shook, threatening more tears.  Saft put a hand on my shoulder and let it slide down and grasp my hand.  “Maybe he just doesn’t want to lose you...” I stared down at my feet.  “Death has saved my life so many times.  I owe everything to him.  He holds my past, is my present, and controls my future.  What could he ever do that would make me want to leave him…?”  Saft let out a small sigh.  “Maybe it’s not about what he could do.  Maybe it’s about what he couldn’t do…”