A Guide in the Darkness – Chapter 7
It was surely late in the evening when they finally stopped talking – and Sarah felt a slight fatigue overwhelm her. „I think as much as I detest this crumbled rag down by my feet, I will have no choice but laying down on it before falling down on it" she said apologetically. Snow White turned her head to look into the depth of her cell „You are right" she said, when she turned back. „The moon is already shining bright so it must be really late. I'll try to get some sleep as well. Good night, Sarah! ... Thank you for being here." she added shyly. - „Thank you for keeping me sane in here. … Oh, and I really envy you for being able to see the moon", Sarah retorted with a grin before she felt herself drift off to sleep.
When she woke she was disoriented. One moment ago she was safe and happy in Eric's arms – and the next she felt like every bone in her body had been shattered. After a few moments though, it all came back: the abduction, the fight, the darkness surrounding her and the feeling of coming to in the coldness of the dungeons... Her aching body told her that she was practically sleeping on unyielding stone, the thin rag doing nothing to give her comfort or warmth. But she had obviously been able to cope with this for hours – so why had she woken up now?
Then she heard it – it was a tiny sound again that had wormed its way into her perception. But this time it wasn't a call – it rather sounded like breathing, a high-pitched panting that was hardly recognizable over the constant air draught in the tunnel, accompanied by a faint metallic creak. Avoiding to make any sounds Sarah slowy got up and sneaked to her cell door. When she carefully looked across the dark corridor her breath got stuck in her throat.
The devil was back.
He stood right in front of Snow White's cell door, in fact, he practically stood in the door pressing himself against the iron bars as if willing them to melt and let him through. His bone-white hands were clamped around the metal so tight, Sarah could see the knuckles stand out. It looked like the claw of a skeleton trying to crumble the thick bars into dust. The devil's gaze was fixed on something deep inside the cell – and Sarah didn't have to hear the terrified whimper coming from within the room to know that Snow White was wide awake and fully exposed to the horrific assault of these dead eyes.
It wasn't a conscious decision, it was more of an instinctive act when Sarah deliberately and loudly cleared her throat. In a heartbeat the devil's head flew around and for just a second the look in his eyes seemed slightly frightened – like the look of someone being caught in the act. But in the next moment all the ice-cold demeanour that defined him was back – with a vengeance. He took Sarah in with his watery eyes and just raised one brow, as if to say: 'Want me to come over to you, girl?' She couldn't help but beginning to panic, gulping in the foul air that always seemed to come with him while she hasteningly retreated to the back of her cell, nearly getting tangled up in that damned rag at her feet.
She paused, forcing herself not to move one muscle, staying utterly still, expecting to see his diabolic grin in front of her door at any moment.
Oh, God! Oh, God! - What can I do? - She felt herself beginning to tremble. She couldn't take this any longer – she felt the urgency to sit down, roll up in a tight ball to keep herself from falling apart. Just when she broke down on her knees, she heard the sound of retreating footsteps – accompanied by a snickering laughter that trailed off in the darkness.
He had left! She couldn't believe it! Suddenly, she was able to breathe again.
And she was able to make out a small voice in the darkness. „Thank you" Snow White whispered, just loud enough for Sarah to hear. „Are you alright?" the older woman asked in an equally low voice. - „Just about." - „What do you think: Should we try to get some sleep at last?" Sarah suggested. - „Couldn't hurt." - Judging by her clipped replies, Snow was still clearly shaken by the nightly terror. All of a sudden Sarah had an idea: „Hey Snow! Mind if I sing us a lullaby? Always helped my sister when she woke from a bad dream." - „That's … that sounds nice. Haven't heard anyone singing in six years … Only a bird that flies in through the window once in a while" the girl's voice seemed a bit steadier now.
So Sarah sung for Snow – the old lullaby that her mother had sung for her and that she had hoped to someday be singing to her own children:
„Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise. ..."
