Dark Hope

Chapter 1

He was coming after her again.

This recurring dream was becoming stronger preying on her fears making it bigger and more prominent in her mind when she awoke. It was getting to be that she was unable to think of anything other than what she was meant to be doing. Again, as it was before, everything was against her - the wind, the landscape, & even her strength. As before she was running. Running away from some powerful evil that was gaining on her. She traced, through her dreams every path she thought may lead to the escape she had begun to yearn. In this latest dream she was running then crawling up a grass covered hill that seemed to be getting bigger, longer and steeper as she tried to crawl to her escape beyond the hill turned mountain before her eyes. Her strength was waning, the wind was picking up to a speed which had her clinging to the grass in order to stay on the ground and still throughout all of this she could feel without looking behind her, that this evil presence that was after her, was getting closer and closer. Gradually she came to the conclusion that with her strength failing and this….thing getting closer there was no way she could escape.

Even though it was a dream, a very strong one at that, her physical body reacted to it through intense emotional strain. She thrashed and twisted in her bed. Sweat pouring from her forehead, neck and back soaking the sheet then the mattress. As the evil presence came closer and closer almost upon her …..NO! Not again no! She screamed I won't go back I won't let you take me back. I have a life I'm free. FREE! The evil presence didn't seem to listen to her; too intent was he on the need that drove him to go after her. And then he was upon her

"NO!!!!" she screamed as she shot upright from her dream. She trembled and panting from its effect of her dream, looking around her as if the evil presence had somehow followed her out of her dream and into reality. With shaky hands she covered her face in an attempt to stifle the sob that raked her body. It was too much; each time this dream grew taking a piece of her at a time until she had no strength left to repress her fear and traumatic past. She had escaped from the cause over 3 years ago but still there was that niggling thought that maybe she hadn't escaped and that one day when she least expected it, he would be at her door. Now Shannon was not a weak woman in the least, her childhood had shaped that part of her but there was only so much she, as a human being, could take. Now at the age of 22 she had completed her degree, had her own apartment, had a career at the publishing house as an editor which was quite an accomplishment for someone of her age and she was good at what she did. She even completed some books of her own to help those who find themselves in a similar position she found herself in not so many years ago. She had her own pet husky, of which she had always had an affinity for. Merlin who at the moment of her inner turmoil laid his head on her lap as a type of comfort. She sobbed uncontrollably unable to stop herself as she found that no matter what she had accomplished since leaving that hellhole it was always there tormenting her. Not a day went by when she didn't give her past a thought. What was to say that what was in her past would stay there? So she went through life cautious and alone….so very alone.

She laid her head on her pillow pulling up the duvet as the only type of warmth available. Curling up on her side in the foetal position, soul wrenchingly sobbing from the fear and vulnerability she felt. At this moment in time she was at her most weak point, she couldn't hide from herself.

"I can't do this anymore Merlin. It's so hard. I'm not strong enough any more" She sighed.

Oh Please someone help me...she whispered in her mind but came as a plea from her mind, body and soul. Merlin whine echoed her sorrow. Shannon was sorry that Merlin had to see her in this state. She never cried never, it was a sign of weakness and she hated to show her emotions of any kind. She sobbed into her duvet at the hopelessness of her situation. A situation thrust upon her and she was only trying to make the most of what was given to her.

Damn it! It wasn't fair this thought didn't help her current state.

What am I to do…?

"What was that?" She whispered to herself. There in the darkest corner of her mind something whispered to her. No voice she had ever heard. Not her own voice working through thoughts in her mind but a completely foreign voice. As she concentrated on it, it grew stronger. Where ever it was coming from it was many miles away. Finally she could make out what the voice was saying this time it was stronger than her own.

Hush love I am coming

It was a male voice to her amazement and in a strange way it soothed her. Whoever or whatever it was was coming to her. She clung to this thought, gently it repeated what it had originally said and gradually faded. A promise. A Hope. A prayer answered in the moment of weakness. Gradually she gave herself up to sleep. Drifting off gently, deeply,