Relena ran thru the garden

The Evil Lurking in The Darkness
Prologue: Relena's Nightmare
written by NemKess

Relena ran thru the garden, her white nightgown fluttering behind her. She was too frightened to pay heed to the ground beneath her and tripped over an uneven patch.

A pained grunt was the only sound she allowed herself as her exposed knees came in contact with the pebble strewn pathway. Silence. It was important that she stay as quiet as possible.

The thing was after her again. For over a month now it had haunted her dreams and last week, it had moved into her waking hours as well. She'd tried to tell Heero, but he'd brushed it off as her overactive imagination. Even Milliardo and Noin had basically ignored her pleas. No one believed her. Sally had even given her a sedative to help her sleep.

They didn't understand. No one did.

Last night the creature had taken advantage of her inability to fight, to run. It had sat next to her bed, stroking her hair and telling her -in that chillingly alien voice it had- just how it was going to enjoy hunting her down and taking her life. How it would then move on and kill everyone that gave mankind hope.

She'd had to lay there and listen to every horrid word, feel every sickening caress, unable to do more than shed silent tears.

She didn't understand what it wanted. It wasn't like the enemies she'd faced in the past.

This thing was evil; plain and simple. It didn't seem to have any rhyme or reason for its actions. It just enjoyed the chaos and fear that was left in its wake.

Why had it decided to haunt her?

She didn't know and at the moment, she didn't care. The only thing she was focused on was escape. She had to escape this monster.

She wasn't insane, she hadn't lost her grip on reality. She was just scared witless.

Her feet skidded a bit as she came abruptly onto the edge of the cliff that served as the rear border of the garden. Gazing downwards, she gasped for breath and contemplated her choices. She could hear the monster's footsteps approaching. In minutes it would be upon her.

A monster behind, a sheer drop ahead.

It really wasn't much of a contest.

Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer, whispered for Heero one last time, and stepped off into the oblivion below.