A/N: Me has returned! I wanted to have this up the other night, but I didn't have time. And this is another short chapter, I'm sorry to say. This is the last nine weeks here at school, so turning in last minute projects n' stuff has been my top priority as of late. By this tuesday though, I should be pretty free once again to get on track with this story. Anyway, on with chappie five:D
Disclaimer: see chapter one.
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"Though We Walk Through the Valley"
Chapter Five - "Knowledge of the Pain"
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Victor was glad that it was still early morning now that he was making his way through the trees. Even though the moonlight was beautiful, the light from the sun made the forest a lot less creepy, and probably much easier to navigate through. He wasn't even sure where exactly that particular spot was, but he knew it wasn't far in at all, because he remembered being able to see the town from it. All he had to go by was that it had been quite a large clearing; there had been a tree stump, and a root sticking far out of the ground, the one Emily had tripped on.
Victor suppressed a giggle at the memory, but a small smile played upon his face for the first time in weeks. It felt nice to smile again, he thought.
Continuing on through the woods, the sounds from the town had finally become inaudible, which Victor was thankful for. As long as he could help it, he would never have anything to do with that town ever again. Sure, the place had seemed all well and good while growing up there, and for most of Victor's life. But now he knew that had only been because he didn't know it was any better anywhere else. So upon visiting the Land of the Dead, it was almost like he had found his other half. He had always loved colorful things, art, music – things everyone in that town considered inappropriate, improper… it just took him until it was gone for him to realize that.
Above him, Victor heard the sharp sounds of ravens crowing. It of course, reminded him of Emily, since they had seemed to be nearly everywhere she was. They weren't very pleasant birds, in Victor's opinion, but they had their own majestic essence to them. Almost how Emily was…
Suddenly, something snagged sharply onto Victor's mind, and all thoughts ceased. He stopped walking on the spot, and his eyes widened.
And then, without warning, an overwhelming feeling of grief washed over him. Victor gasped, feeling as if a bucket of freezing cold water had just been dumped on him, the already cold air dropping about another thirty degrees. Then more horrible emotions came crashing at him – pain, loneliness, rejection, a terrible longing, and the knowledge of having gone through this kind of pain once before. It was so bizarre, though. Victor knew it wasn't him feeling those things, but it was as if he was reading someone else's feelings.
Wait…
Victor finally moved from his frozen stance to turn his head and look around. It didn't take more than a few moments to confirm what he had thought.
He was standing on the very spot Emily had been buried, by the little cemetery in the woods, and… the place where they had first met.
Victor rushed over to the tree that she had been buried under, and fell to his knees. He now knew where the wave of awful emotions had come from. He was right on the spot where she had been murdered by the man she once loved, and Victor being the very man who had rejected her, it had to have brought upon something almost… paranormal. Emily's presence was very strong at that spot, and what Victor was feeling was what she was feeling.
His own grief began to take over Emily's… he had hurt her so much. She had put on a smile as she left the chapel that night, convincing Victor that she was fine letting him to with Victoria. But now he knew that he had been so stupid, not noticing the horrible sadness that must've been flowing through her. Not only had she been through the worst betrayal by the first man she loved, but then when she had at last found someone else to love, he walked out on her as well.
Victor slowly reached out a hand to the ancient tree in front of him, but stopped when he felt something wet fall upon his index finger. Looking down, he watched as the droplet of water slide off onto the ground. He was confused at first, but upon lifting that hand to his face, he felt dampness all the way down his cheek. Bringing his other hand to his opposite cheek, he felt the same dampness there as well.
He had been crying, and didn't even notice.
Not bothering to wipe away the numerous tears away, Victor reached out again to the tree, and placed his hand flat against the rough bark. Then he whispered Emily's name into the frostbitten air.
"Are you there? Can you hear me, Emily?" Victor completely forgot about not wanting to see her right away. Now that he knew how much she was hurting, how she felt, he needed to see her… and soon. He continued on calling her name, getting louder each time. He knew it was crazy, and if anyone were to come across him, they would definitely believe he was. But he didn't care; he had to try and get a hold of her.
"Pipe down, young man!" snapped a voice quite suddenly. Victor nearly jumped out of his skin, and fell backwards away from the tree. Looking around frantically, he saw no one amongst the trees.
But before Victor evenhad time to register this, blackness surrounded him, and he felt as I he was lurched off ofthe ground, flying through darkness.