Chapter 25: …Lurks the Unknown
Emmy had stopped screaming.
Layton tried not to dwell on the sound that followed, or what the proceeding silence meant. His mind went to consider the speed of sound, the fact that she had it the bottom before he heard it. How many seconds had passed? Not many, it happened so fast. The chasm couldn't have been too deep.
He peered over the edge; the black fog obscured the bottom.
"Emmy!"
His voice shook, but he still held a glimmer of hope in his heart.
"Emmy... Emmy…Emmy…." The only response was the reverberating echo.
"If you can hear me, please say something!"
"Say something… say something…."
Layton got to his knees and followed the edge of the chasm. He came to an extended ledge, and found the remains of the worn staircase carved into the stone. It was difficult to see what lay ahead. The dim glow could only cut through so much of the dark fog.
"E-emmy?"
"Emmy…Emmy…" jeered the echo.
He continued forth on shaking legs. He stumbled after tripping over a loose stone. His palms dripped with sweat and he realized how much the scrape on his hand stung. The cut bandaged with Emmy's ribbon. His eyes began to water, but it was too soon to cry, the chasm wasn't too deep, he had to remind himself of that. There was a good chance she could have–
The dim glow of light uncovered a body in the dark. Layton felt his spirits drop right there. His eyes darted up to Emmy, his Emmy, splayed over a bed of stones. He managed to crawl to her side, a sickness coming to his stomach at the sight of her broken form. She gasped, and the sound of life filled him with warm relief.
"Emmy, my dear, can you hear me?" Her mangled sides heaved for breath, and it came in short grinding hiccups. He brushed the hair from her face, and her eyes found his. She looked scared. Scared and in pain.
The fog drew itself tighter, threatening to suffocate them, whispering its doubts in his ear. It was clear to him now that the darkness wished him to doubt. Layton had to get Emmy out of there; he picked her up, careful not to move her too much. She gave another sharp gasp as Layton made his way up the staircase.
"Stay with me," he told her. His voice caught in his throat.
The darkness followed them from the chasm, rising up and flowing over the crag and obscuring everything. Layton didn't know what had become of Nando or Mildrew or if they would be any help. He didn't know which way they had come. Even if he could find the exit it may still be blocked. How long ago had they left Luke?
Emmy whimpered, her breathing worse, more pained. He sat down, and placed her head in his lap, trying not to break down at the sadness in her eyes. Her arm was still bleeding; the gunshot had hit just below her shoulder. He removed his jacket and pressed it to the wound.
"I'll get you help, you just need to stay strong."
It was too hard to look into her eyes. She knew. He knew, yet how could he accept it?
"I'm sorry, Emmy. I'm so sorry", he pressed down harder. If only there wasn't so much blood….
Her trembling arm brushed his hands. He was forced to look at her, forced to watch the fear on her face. Tears rolled down his cheeks and landed in Emmy's hair. She made the hiccupping sounds again, her lips moving ever so slightly. She was mouthing something.
He leaned closer trying to hear, his top hat tumbling off his head in the process.
"…ple…se…d..don…cr…y…"
Layton pressed his ear to her lips. "I don't understand, my dear".
"…you…loo…k…"
"Sshhh, it's okay. Everything's okay." He sat back stroking her hair and listening to her choked words.
"…m…he…here…"
Yes, here they were, trapped and alone underground with Emmy in his arms. Together at last.
"I love you, Emmy." And perhaps it was too soon to say such a thing. But if he waited any longer it would be too late. "I love you, and you need to know."
Emmy coughed blood and he wiped it from her cheek as if it were no big deal. She kept looking at him with those brown eyes of hers. The darkness spread around them, whispering for him. "Professor", it said, and it dawned on him that this was the Dark Entity.
They hadn't destroyed it after all.
Layton told it to leave them be, and brushed the fog away from her. It crept back, tapping his shoulder, "Professor, professor" the entity said, in a cruel mimic of Emmy's voice, as if taunting him for what fate had dealt.
The spreading darkness was inevitable. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. It surprised him when she kissed him back, a small, tender peck.
"…you…me…" she croaked.
He sat there for an unprecedented amount of time: stroking her hair, whispering his love for her, sobbing. He placed a final kiss to her slacken lips; her fingers grew stiff in his hand. It was a moment he wished not to let go.
"Hershel…" The darkness cooed, and continued to call to him with her voice.