In the Face of Darkness

It was just after the sun had set, and the sky was still glowing a bright pink from the rays of the sun. I liked looking at the sky just after sunset. This red and pink light was the only glimpse of sun light had I would ever see. It was a reminder that the sun still existed even if I couldn’t see it. I’d had pale skin even as a human, and I spent a lot of time hiding from the sun. I wished I could go back to that time. I would bathe myself in sunlight every chance I got. No one could explain what it was like to never see the sun. It was like there was no happiness in the world; there was only darkness, and the monsters lived in the darkness.

  The graveyard was quiet except for the rhythmic chirping of nocturnal insects and the gentle swaying of leafs in the wind. I could still leave and he would never know. But, I had to know what I was, and what he and Endora wanted from me. I couldn’t go to the Queen without knowing what I was.

  “I knew you would come” I saw Matthias leaning against the trunk of a tree as I walked deeper into the graveyard.

  “Nothing has changed, I’m still not going with you” I said.

  “Then why did you come?” he asked.

  “I need you to tell me what I am, and why you are here” I told him.

  “I can’t tell you that” he said.

  “Can’t or won’t?” I asked.

  “I can’t tell you, but if you come with me I’ll show you what you are” he said. “I’ll show you a different life” he said. “You weren’t meant for this life. You were meant for more” he said.

  “It doesn’t matter what life I was meant for, this is the life I have, and you can’t change that. You can’t change what I am” I told him. “I need to know what I am before I go before the Queen” I told him.

  “No, you can’t go before the Queen” he said.

  “We’re leaving tonight. I need to know what I am before I go” I told him.

  “No” he said. “You can’t go there. You can’t go anywhere near her” he said.

  “I don’t have a choice” I said.

  “You can come with me” he said.

  “We would never be safe. We would always be running from Endora. That’s not a life I want for you” I said.

  “There’s an Island” he said. “No one will find us there. You will be safe there” he said. “Please just come with me”.

  “I…” he was kissing me then. His lips were full and soft as they moved over my own lips. Before I knew what was happening, I was kissing him. Kissing him was a familiar action. Years ago we had kissed often; but this was different. We were different. We weren’t wide-eyed teenagers anymore. There was a passion in that kiss that hadn’t been there before. I would have done anything to make that kiss last forever. I would have done anything to be with him now. I wanted him and nothing else mattered.

  “You’re going to come with me now, if I have to drag you kicking a screaming” he said. I was tempted to watch him try.

  “Yes” was all I could say and it was enough. I didn’t know if we would make it to this Island, but going with Matthias was the best chance I had at finding out what I was. Endora’s wrath was a risk I had to take.

  CHAPTER 6