Forever and Always
Sonata was scared. She was scared of the darkness that surrounded her, scared of those glowing red eyes that wouldn't stop staring…that wouldn't stop taking in every single move she made…those eyes that she knew weren't Morningstar's or anyone she knew.
Something creaked behind her. Sonata whirled to face the noise, her whole body trembling in fear, but her eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness.
"Go." A deep voice boomed.
"G-g-g-go w-where?" Sonata stuttered, her voice cracking.
A single light turned on, flickering, and weakly illuminated a slightly open wooden door.
"Go." The voice boomed again. The door opened wider, the squeak of its hinges sending shivers down Sonata's spine.
She stepped towards the door, towards the feeble light, and pressed her back against the doorframe as she turned around and looked back at the red eyes. Her teeth rattled, the sound vibrating in her skull, when she saw them blink. She pressed herself harder against the doorframe, willing herself to melt into it, into safety.
"Enter." The voice boomed, ending with a long hiss that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
Sonata stood there, in the still flickering light, staring into the red eyes. She was paralyzed with fear, shivering like a frightened rabbit.
"RUN!" The voice ordered, the glow from the red eyes flashed as a scorpion claw shot towards her.
The order startled Sonata into action, making her scream and dart past the door as the claw smashed into the doorframe, splintering it.
"G-g-g-g-go away!" She tried to yell, but it came out as a small squeak.
A long hiss and the clacking of claws answered her…mocked her.
Sonata ran headlong into the darkness. "M-M-Morningstar!" She finally managed to scream. "Hel-uff."
She slammed into a wall, falling hard onto her back.
"Sonata?"
Sonata looked around her, dazed. It was Morningstar's voice, but why did he sound so far? Where was he? She scrambled back up to her feet, looking behind her. The red eyes were getting bigger and bigger and the clacking was getting louder and louder. Lights suddenly flickered overhead, revealing that she was standing at a dead end, and a monster of a scorpion racing towards her. Foam dripped from its mandibles as it screeched at an unholy octave and reached for her with a claw.
Sonata closed her eyes and threw her hands up to shield herself. "MORNINGSTAR!"
"Sonata!" Morningstar yelled, but the claw closed itself around her.
Sonata screamed and thrashed, punching and slapping at the claw as the monster shook her, but she slowed when her palm struck flesh.
She opened her eyes and saw Morningstar, just Morningstar. She stopped struggling and he released her slowly. He held his hands away from her in a sign of surrender, worry and concern etched onto his face.
Her eyes darted in all directions, but the soft glow from a small cluster of mushrooms illuminated the bedroom- the bedroom she and Morningstar shared. Tears of relief and embarrassment pooled in her eyes as she sat up and brought her knees to her chest. Morningstar sat up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"There was a….a-and then….I ran…" She tried to explain, her breath hitched and tears streaked down her face. "It was so d-dark….and I…and you…y-you weren't….I was alone." She looked down and sniffled; her body shivered and trembled uncontrollably.
Morningstar wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. Sonata rested her head against his chest. Her shivering calmed with each slow beat of his heart.
He looked down at her, whispering into her hair. "It was just a dream. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." He held her closer. "You aren't alone."
Sonata wiped her eyes and her face on her sleeve. "F-forever and always?"
Morningstar cupped her chin, tilting her head upward. He looked into her watery eyes and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. Sonata closed her eyes as he touched his forehead to hers and gently stroked her hair. "Forever and always."