Black Enigma 1 (Mythical Dark Fantasy Adventure Collection)

  Chapter Seven

  I HADN'T REALIZED I had fallen asleep until I woke up.

  The cobwebs of my drowsiness heavily clung to me as I squinted in confusion at the darkened room, recognizing nothing. Silver splashed over everything, let in through the bay window, and I slowly recalled my transfer into my great grandfather's estate. There was no sign of my mother's corpse.

  As I sat up in my bed, I could feel my heart thudding painfully against my ribs. Something had roused me from my sleep, but I couldn't remember what. The heat in my body was unbearable and I moved to get off the bed. My muscles screamed in protest, causing me to gasp in shock.

  My entire body felt as though it had been mercilessly beaten with bags of sand. I took a moment to massage my legs before standing and limping over to the window to press my sweating forehead against the frosted glass. The cold felt incredible.

  Almost as soon as I had cooled myself down, I was hit with a pang of ravenous hunger. I had eaten only sporadically the past few days and now I felt my stomach growling in desperation. I limped over to the double doors and opened them, relieved to see that, Bast had left a covered tray on a little stand just outside.

  I brought it into my room and removed the cover to reveal a steaming bowl of soup, a plate of assorted cheeses and crackers, and a piece of mousse cake. Ravenously, I tore into the food, tasting nothing in my desperation. Nothing had ever been so satisfying to me.

  "Ju -- das!"

  The disembodied voice echoed throughout the room, swirling into every nook and cranny, swelling in volume. The fork clattered onto my plate, and I raised my hands to my ears, my body twisting horribly with discomfort.

  The voice grew louder and louder in my ears until it was no longer a voice but a powerful, clangor of enormous bells.

  "Ahhhgg!" The scream ripped from my throat and I threw myself backwards onto the bed. "Stop, stop, stop!" I shouted, but my voice was drowned out by the unbearable racket. I was sure my head was splitting open. I bit my lip until I tasted blood.

  Then it stopped. The horrible ringing ceased just as quickly as it began, leaving behind a void of deafening silence.

  Shaken, I opened my eyes and looked around in confusion.

  "Mother?" I whispered hesitantly, half-hoping that she would respond.

  More silence. I stood to grope the wall for a light, but as I got to my feet, they curved under me like jelly and I crashed to the floor.

  "What the..." I tried to stand again but my legs refused to cooperate. The room was spinning and I blinked furiously, trying to clear my head. I managed to drag myself up but it was all I could do to wobble back to the bed, which seemed miles away. It was almost impossible to string two coherent thoughts together.

  Only one notion stuck with me: Had I been drugged?

  It sounded crazy just to imagine it. Who would want to drug me? I had no money. I had nothing of value on me at all that anyone would want to steal. Nothing made any sense.

  I couldn't entertain these alarming ideas anymore for I was then drowning in a deep sea of silk sheets. The following passage of time might have been as long as a lifetime or as short as a few minutes. The exact amount, I shall never be certain.

  My mind drifted in and out of coherency and my thoughts and nightmares became garbled with my reality.