chapter 2.7

note: Suddenly, he felt her eyelashes flutter. "Could it be? Of course not, she had been long dead!" he mutters, "It must be hallucinations."

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Dakara is somewhere else. She just couldn't figure out where. Everywhere seems dark. Could this be hell? She's in a room, a very dark one. Suddenly tension runs across her bloodstreams, and prompted her to start running. She remembers running... from something, or someone. She looks around the room -- trapped! Suddenly, several doors appear from nowhere with small dim lights attach on top of them. She heads for one of the doors. Her terror slowly eating her from inside out. Whatever or whoever she is running from, she knew it was capable of harming her.

The loneliness and distress magnified twice as much as soon as she starts running.

"You can't run away from me!" A voice cried with a menacing laugh, "There is no way out!"

She stops, and turns around. Her blonde hair glows and shimmer under the dim lights. It is coming, and close. She couldn't afford to slow down now, and starts searching for a new door. She is in luck! There is a door. She desperately tries to unlock it. Locked! She keeps on trying. Useless. The sounds of footsteps draw nearer and nearer. 'I can't give up' she mumbled, her knees still shaking, 'Unless I am out of hope.' She hits the door knob several times, and wonder if sheer optimism can save her.

Clicked. The door unwinds itself. 'Must have heard my prayers,' she heaves in a deep breath. A relief. She pushes another door, and another, expecting a ray of sunlight to brighten up wherever she was. The chilly atmosphere surrounding her just rips out her warmth, bringing in nostalgia from the past.

Alas, her prayers just came to an end. There is no trace of light, the surroundings hardly visible unless you squint your eyes. Yet, she knew she was outside. Outside a building. One of which it was abandoned ages ago. The cement on the walls mostly fragmented and worn out. Several wooden beams scattered around, hanging from one side, which leads to nowhere. She was on the highest floor of the building. The highest floor. No sign of life. Silence creeps past her, along with the cold breeze.

The sound of footsteps are closing in. She starts to run again. Going somewhere. Nowhere. Her panic drowns her senses. She couldn't feel anything but the urge to run. But from what? She slips, and fall onto the ground. Her body lying on the floor, exhausted from the running and mental torment.

It came. She couldn't see it at first, just shadows. But the lights betrayed the owner, and lit up the face partially. That smirk. That horrifying smirk in her expression. Dakara hoist herself up slightly, still unable to get up, trying to reach her hands out. Perhaps there might be some power left.

"Don't bother trying." The dark shadow said. "It won't work. I control this place."

'But how does this owner of the voice knows what she's thinking?' She shrugged.

"Who are you?" Dakara asked in a terrified manner. "What do you want?"

"You SERIOUSLY don't know?"

"I'll ask this question one more time," she pauses, this time, sounding confident."Who are you, and where am I?"

For a while, there was no reply. Then  laughter erupt throughout the area, an evil one, nothing friendly. The voice chooses to reply by revealing itself. It steps into Dakara's field of vision.

"So, sister, do you know me now?"

She does, as a matter of fact. How did she miss the cue. This important cue. She should have known that the voice sounded familiar, and the footsteps alike hers. And that haunting misery when she felt while running. How could she have mistaken it for somebody else? It's her sister, not a biological one, but her, in the image of the people of her land. Her sister with a total reverse personality, cruel, wicked and unforgiving. She knew her since young. Grew up with her. But she seldom show up, unless someone toyed with her anger, her patience. Until recently, the urge for her to show frequented. Dakara knew she had to stop her.

" Rubbish. You don't even exist!"

"In your image I do. And that's all it matters."

"I will not let it happen."

"You have no choice. Only one of us can live."

"Stop trying to manipulate me."

"No, you stop making yourself sound as if you're the nicest people on the planet."

The voice hardened in a harsh tone. Irritated.

"You ARE me!"

The girl's patience has reach it's limitations. She will now destroy Dakara. She waves her hand. Instantly, Dakara was hanging on a beam, with nothing below it. Just total darkness, like a black hole, waiting to pounce on her, and devour her whole. Dakara flinched.

"Ah, we both know pretty much that these are just illusions." Dakara said wryly.

"Wrong, sister. Real pain exist in MY world!"

Dakara doubts but not fully.

"Let me give you an example." She snaps her finger, a flame lights in between her fingers. She looks at her fingertips and glances towards Dakara. She rolls the flame into a fireball. She makes an aim for Dakara, and hurls it in high speed. Dakara manages to dodge that fiery flame as it flew a pass her hair, barely a few inches. She felt the intense heat swept pass her cheeks. Still, the fireball had  done some damages of its own. Dakara inspects a few strands of burnt hair above her shoulders. These illusions can indeed inflict pain.

"Now." She said. "Where were we?"

Dakara gave her a frown.

"Jump!" Evil Dakara shot her an evil look.

Dakara looks beneath. There seem to be an endless journey, she wonder if it  is bottomless. The picture was horrifying enough. Alone. Scared. Miserable. 

"Are you crazy? I am a part of you."

"My patience have limits. Jump or I'll make you!"

"Oh, is that so, how?" At once Dakara regretted provoking her. She should have just shut up.

"Like this!"

Evil Dakara summons her trusty companion--the leader of the hound pack--the massive beast! 

"I'm sure you're familiar with Little Shuck here. Unfortunately he does not remember you." She gives an I-am-so-sorry-for-you look. The hound takes its role with much pleasure and closes in with much fast pace towards Dakara, satisfied to be able to prove his loyalty towards the master.

       

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