Chapter 8- The Surprise

Amira stood, transfixed, unable to process what had just happened.
The old man... she could not understand who he was. The people around him, the stone at the center of the circle, everything confused her. It made her mind go wild with theories and what they could be doing there.


She walked out from the building, the door closing shut behind her on its own.
She noticed the detailing in gold on the door... it seemed to be of a language she couldn't understand.

Walking away from the building, going over everything that had happened to her in the room, Amira just knew that Something or someone was behind this and that all this was way more huge that she could imagine.


The sun had travelled his course for the day, hanging low on the horizon. He painted the sky a shade of red, a color so irresistible, that all she wanted to do was stay there forever, staring at it.

She remembered the draganoid from the other world, his horns gleaming in the sun. A sense of loss washed over her, because she sensed that she could have learnt so much more from him.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't know her feet walking on, retracing her steps back to her home.

She found her parents cars in the driveway, the lights on in the house.

Amira knew today was going to be rough at home. She was way more late than she usually ever was. And Rima was rarely ever a help. She couldn't lie and she never would.

Ringing the bell of the house, she waited for someone to open the door. Amira could see someone walk up to the door, hesitation in every footstep.

Slowly, the door creaked open, the light from inside shining out to the front porch.

Amira was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised to see the person behind the door. She ran in, hugging him, a huge smile plastered on her face. Her eyes showed tears, her laugh echoing throughout the house. He hugged her back, his arms holding her, a strained smile at his face.

Chapter 1: The Road

Mist surrounded her. She was walking on a road, a road she now knew led nowhere. In the beginning it was just her, the mist and the sound of someone following her.

A faint light seemed to illuminate her surroundings, showing her the beautiful shrubs and trees beside her. 

Fear had conquered her the first time she had been here. Unable to move, she broke down and sobbed into the night. She stayed there, till her mother woke her up. It took a long time for her to open up to her parents about this. And even much more time before she could even stand and move around. 

She did not stop walking. A sense of purpose shone through her. And it showed itself in every step she took. She did not speed up, even as the footsteps behind her continued to follow in pace. 

She had never bothered to look back in fear of what she might see. But tonight, coaxed by her parents and her therapist, she finally summoned the courage to turn around. 

And she was greeted by darkness. The light seemed to stop at her. The moment it reached where she was, it disappeared. 

No one stood in front of her. Even the mist seemed to be afraid of what was following her.  

She stood there for a while, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness around. And she was able to make out the faint outline of a being far away. A human perhaps? 

She walked towards it and it walked forward, it's dress rustling in the silence of this grim world. 

As it walked closer, she could finally see what had been following her for so long. 

She saw a hood pulled over its head, it's long dark robes stained. Unable to see its face, she walked closer. 

Closer and closer... She walked till she reached in front of it. At this point, she was positive that 'it' was a human being. 

And finally, face to face, she dared to grab hold of the hood and reveal the face behind. 

The face behind it sent through her waves of shock and exhilaration. 

Her gasp, an unwelcome visitor to this world, reached the ears of the being in front of her. It's eyes seemed amused by the sound, almost laughing at her shock.  

She took a few steps back, her mind spiraling down into an abyss. She did not know how to respond, for in front of her, stood a being that resembled her. If she did not know better, she would have called it her twin. An evil, ugly and monstrous twin. 

It's blood red eyes, pointed ears and sharp teeth reminded her of vampires seen in movies. Even the blood dripping onto its robes and it's thick tongue slithering out from her grinning mouth and her frizzy hair sticking out from her hood ensured her that this being was not even human, let alone alive. 

It's webbed and clawed hand stroked her face, ever so gentle and caring. She recoiled at its touch, but it seemed to not notice it.  And then, in a silky, mesmerizing voice it said...' Soon'

It's tongue slithered around her face, leaving behind it a trail of foul smelling saliva. It noticed her flinching at each movement it took. And suddenly, the laughter in it's eyes vanished. Cruelty took its place, It's smile vanishing.  It's hand turned into a fist and pushed her away, turning and walking away. But instead of the ground greeting her, she felt herself falling into an abyss Unknown. Her breath knocked out of her, she gasped for air even as a drop of black ink fell on her from above.