The area appeared eerily abandoned, devoid of any signs of life, save for a sparse scattering of solitary street lamps that intermittently cast feeble light. I mustered all my strength to fight and scream, but my efforts proved futile as I was mercilessly beaten. The desolate streets offered no solace, devoid of any witnesses to come to my aid. With callous determination, they forcefully dragged me into a dimly lit yard and subsequently forced me inside an ominous garage, the shadows closing in around me.
My heart raced with an intensity I had never experienced before.
Doubt seeped into my mind: was this brutal ordeal a harsh reality or yet another product of my deranged imagination? Though their actions mirrored those of goblins or orcs, these were not mythical creatures. Beaten and raped, that was the horrifying truth.
As time painfully dragged on, the weight of despair settled upon me. Half an hour later, I found myself yearning for death, consumed by the depths of my anguish. And an hour later, as I continued to endure unimaginable torment, I couldn't help but question why death had not yet embraced me, releasing me from this living nightmare.
As their hands violated my body, a seething cauldron of hatred and despair bubbled within me. Never before had I fathomed that my heart could harbor such intense emotions. In that harrowing moment, I yearned for nothing more than to inflict upon them the same pain and horrors they had inflicted upon me. Yet, a peculiar numbness washed over me, and I began to detach myself from the grim reality unfolding before my eyes.
Perhaps, I thought, this was simply another horrifying nightmare, and this body that bore the torment was not truly mine.
The physical pain faded into the background, eclipsed by the consuming flame of my hatred. Resigned to my fate, I surrendered to the cruel whims of this twisted nightmare. I convinced myself that if I endured this torment until the bitter end, I would awaken once again in the comfort of my own home, free from the clutches of this abominable reality.
In a bizarre twist, my detached state of mind seemed to manifest as a surreal experience. The pain gradually receded, and a peculiar sense of detachment washed over me as if I were merely an observer in my own twisted dream. It was akin to watching a movie unfold, disconnected from the reality of the moment.
"This is just another one of my crazy, nonsensical dreams," I reassured myself, trying to make sense of the strange and disturbing scenarios my mind conjured. Yet, as the assailants grew increasingly feeble, one succumbing to slumber and the other following suit, I found myself still bound and lying on a worn-out mattress. Curiously, my body began to move of its own accord as if guided by an unseen force. In the logic of a dream, it made perfect sense; after all, dreams often defy the rules of the waking world. Curiosity compelled me to continue, to see what further absurdities awaited me in this perplexing dream realm.
In the midst of this bewildering situation, a glimmer of hope flickered within me. In a desperate attempt to make sense of the inexplicable, I silently called out, "White Flower? Is that you?" Alas, the void echoed back, providing no response or reassurance.
This was an entirely new level of absurdity; nonetheless, I clung to the belief that, eventually, I would awaken in the comfort of my own bed, just as it had happened before after the harpies' dream.
My body, seemingly under the control of some unseen force, moved with an eerie grace. Slithering along the floor, I rose gradually to my feet, my hands instinctively reaching out for a knife amidst the jumble of scattered tools on a nearby table.
As I untied my bound hands, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind. Was this a twisted manifestation of my subconscious, a projection influenced by my experiences with Joe?
I hesitated for a moment, watching the motionless figures before me, contemplating the symbolism behind their presence.
Seeking solace from the haunting scene, my gaze shifted, landing on a corner of the room where a black rubber hose and a gully caught my attention.
With a mixture of determination and trepidation, I made my way over, drawn to the idea of cleansing away the physical and emotional residue that clung to my being. As the ice-cold water cascaded over my naked body, a shiver ran down my spine, and a sense of liberation washed over me. It was as if the chilling water carried away not only the grime but also the pain, the suffering, and some of the weight I had been carrying in my mind.
How could this be real? How could I find myself here, washing away the remnants of such a harrowing experience, in close proximity to the two men who had subjected me to such cruelty? The dissonance between the surreal nature of my circumstances and the raw power surging through my body left me bewildered yet strangely invigorated.
My other half, the part of me that had remained calm amidst the chaos, worked swiftly and methodically. She scrubbed away the traces of trauma, drying my skin with the blouse, her touch firm yet gentle as she sought to reawaken my circulation. I dressed, hastily donning my trousers and shoes before slipping the now-damp blouse back on with a final sigh.
As my alter ego surveyed the surroundings, an unsettling determination took hold. Her eyes were fixated on the row of canisters lining the wall. Curiosity mingled with a sense of purpose as she opened one, inhaling the acrid scent that filled the air. She grinned, and without hesitation, she proceeded to open each canister, releasing their contents in a cascading stream that coursed toward the scattered cigarette stubs strewn on a small metallic plate.
A morbid fascination compelled me to witness the impending spectacle, contemplating how long it would take for the combustible elements to ignite. Would it be a mere twenty seconds? However, a flicker of rationality and self-preservation prevailed, urging me to abandon the scene. I swiftly closed the door, distancing myself from the impending chaos.
With a considerable distance between us, I found myself approximately twenty yards away when a deafening explosion shattered the silence, the forceful blast ripping open the garage doors and unleashing a voracious inferno that devoured the entrance in an instant. The sheer violence of the erupting flames caught me off guard.
Clutching a lighter in my trembling hand, a contingency plan in case the initial ignition failed, I instinctively hurled it into the blaze before swiftly retreating, navigating through the relentless downpour that drenched my surroundings. Familiarity struck as I recognized the path that had been forced upon me earlier, and with each step, a mix of adrenaline, fear, and a glimmer of hope propelled me forward.
After a moment of uncertainty, my other self posed a question that jolted me from my thoughts.
"Now, where to?"
The fact that she was addressing me, engaging in conversation, sent a chill down my spine. Memories surfaced of a boy in our neighborhood who used to talk to himself, isolated from the other children. And here I was, doing the same thing. It only reinforced my suspicions of a fractured psyche, a manifestation of a split personality. I let out a resigned sigh, accepting the reality of the situation.
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"Where to? Home!" I replied, but she remained motionless. It was clear that I had to take the lead, guiding us toward safety and some semblance of normalcy.
Then, a realization struck me.
"Oh, wait!" I exclaimed, recalling that my mobile had been discarded by one of the assailants.
A flicker of hope ignited within me as I ventured to the spot where I believed it had been thrown. Surveying the surroundings, I braced myself for the possibility of finding nothing but disappointment. However, to my astonishment, there it was, resting near a bench.
The area where I found it was a small children's park adorned with a couple of benches. It was in this tranquil setting that a fleeting gleam had caught my eye, leading me to my phone.
Probably just a reflection of light on the phone's smooth surface. Happy to have found it and surprised that it seemed to still work even in this wet state, I started jogging again through the downpour of rain.
A surge of disbelief coursed through me as I recalled the harrowing ordeal I had supposedly endured. How could it be possible?
Physically, I felt intact and unharmed, contradicting the vividness of the memories that haunted me. The thought that such a horrific event could have happened seemed unfathomable.
Yet, as I turned my gaze toward the distance, my eyes widened in shock. Illuminating the night sky was a glaring blaze, casting an ominous glow over the surrounding area. My heart sank, realizing that it was indeed a huge fire. Dread and confusion intertwined within me, grappling with the realization that I may have ignited that inferno.
Fear propelled my legs into action, propelling me forward in a desperate sprint toward the safety of home. With each stride, doubts and questions consumed my thoughts. Was this all real? Or was it another layer of the distorted reality I found myself trapped in? The pounding rain and my racing heartbeat served as a relentless soundtrack, echoing the tumultuous storm raging within my mind.
I turned to my other self, seeking confirmation or perhaps even a shred of reassurance.
"Did that really happen?" I asked, my voice laced with uncertainty.
Her response came swiftly,
"Sure, it did happen! Ahm, what part of it are you asking about?"
Instead of providing an answer, I posed another question of my own, my voice trembling slightly.
"Who are you?"
Without hesitation, she replied with a single word that reverberated through the depths of my being.
"Cala."
The name hung in the air, resonating with that familiarity that sent shivers down my spine.
Confusion engulfed my muddled mind as the name "Cala" echoed through my thoughts. How could it be Cala when I felt no surge of power in my muscles, no indication of an altered state. It was still me, the same weary and fatigued version of myself, struggling to maintain a light trot toward the solace of home.
Before I could unravel the meaning behind this confusing fact, my attention was abruptly diverted as my phone began to ring in my trembling hand. I almost dropped it.
Far behind me, in the distance, the blaring sirens of firefighter cars pierced through the night, traveling towards the blazing inferno unfolding somewhere behind me.
Sweat and rainwater mingled, cascading down my temples, further clouding my already tumultuous thoughts. What could this phone call possibly entail? Only Matt's mother possessed my new telephone number, but a call at such an ungodly hour from her seemed peculiar. I glanced at the screen, revealing a number that offered no immediate clarity. With trepidation, I mustered the courage to answer the call, my lips sealed as I silently listened.
The voice on the other end of the line grew increasingly frantic as he pleaded for my attention. It was a voice that sparked a flicker of recognition within me, but I couldn't quite place it. The urgency in his tone amplified my confusion and disbelief.
"Dolores? Is that you? Can you hear me? Hello?" he implored.
Caught off guard, I hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yes?"
The voice erupted with a mix of desperation and anguish, shattering the stillness of the night.
"Dolores, Hew here! Something terrible has happened, Dolores! Matt has been in an accident!"
The words hit me like a freight train, my mind struggling to process the gravity of the situation. Matt, the connection between Hew and me.
How did Hew have access to this new phone was another question that I pushed back. Not important now!
As I remained silent, my breath quickened, and my thoughts raced to comprehend the incomprehensible. Hew's voice trembled as he continued, relaying the dire circumstances that surrounded Matt's condition.
"They say he may not survive! They're considering an operation, but they're uncertain if he'll make it. They've even discussed the possibility of organ donation if he doesn't make it! We need to convince them otherwise! I'm going insane here at the hospital. Please, can you come and see him? But you have to hurry!"
Shock and disbelief washed over me, a maelstrom of emotions colliding within. Matt's life hung in the balance, and I found myself torn between the urgency of the situation and the questions about my mind. Was this real?
The implications of what I heard hung heavy in the air, overwhelming me. I could not answer, but my other half took over for me.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with determination. "I might be able to help him. Can you help me get there fast?"
There was a sigh of relief on the other end of the line while I was mute, not daring to ask my alter ego the how, how was I going to help him?
"Where are you?" he asked, his voice tinged with urgency.
I quickly scanned the surroundings, searching for a street sign or any indication of my current location. It was a stroke of luck that the house nearby had the street name displayed beneath its number. I read it aloud and explained to him my predicament.
"I am on foot, Hew, and I have no money with me. There are no taxis in sight. Can you pay for the taxi if I order one?"
There was a momentary pause, and then Hew's voice crackled through the phone with determination.
"Wait! I know the place, you're not far away! I'll be there in less than five minutes!"
As he closed the call, I looked at the dimming light of the phone in my hand.
"How did you think that I could help Matt?" I whispered to myself, the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
And then, in response to my question, my own voice answered, speaking words that I couldn't believe were coming from my own lips.
"You've awoken my heritage and used it," the voice said. "That must have been what woke me up. As a succubus, you can extract and even overload health. That's why you feel so good now. You could still push something back into him. It's not much, but it may save his life."
I closed my eyes, trying to process the enormity of what I had just heard. Succubus? It felt like a bizarre twist, an unexpected turn in the already chaotic journey of my unraveling reality.
"As a succubus?" I repeated, my voice trembling.
What did my crazy brain now do!