Good to see some of the people whom reviewed my previous fic. Hello guy! .. Well, yes anyhow.
Gerfan: Aw, well thank you! I liked the rain too. Hope this is soon enough.
Shortstef: It will go all over the place, I am writing this to be as strange as possible, because it is fun!
YiyangYoung: Well, the symbols are not easy to catch. This whole fic should make you have to think. Or, at least I aimed for that.
...Fears Within a Dream
The Paris byroad was alive with conversation that January afternoon along with footsteps of hurried strangers and the sounds of public houses. Meg stood before the vast black gates, looking back at the street. Something did not feel right. Whilst staring, an overwhelming feeling come over her. That if she passed beyond these gates, she would never return again. Meg let out a long breath, the cold making it visible as she turned her back to the face the gate. After so many years of avoiding, she was surprised that she still had to lift her head to gaze upon the top of the statues. She sighed, turning her attention on the gateway.
Meg stepped forward, laying her right hand firmly on a bar and pushing. The gateway creaked as it was opened a few feet, stopping, the chain carrying out in an eerie ring as it settled. Meg hesitated, slowly stepping forward onto cemetery ground. Leaves crunched below her feet as she warily continued, glancing over repetitively. Her current setting made her uncomfortable, it wasn't much the thought that she was wandering through a graveyard, but that it felt as if someone were there with her. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage and forcing herself to look ahead. Meg would no longer avoid this place, despite how much she despised it for making her loneness real.
Minute after minute brought her further into the bleak maze, past the many headstones, past the wondrous, but dreary, statues of religious individuals. Soon Meg could no longer hear the noise of the street, or feel the simple relief of knowing others were around. Though, she could not say she felt along, on the contrary, with each grave she pasted eyes seemed to be following her. Meg fought the basic reaction to turn and find who was watching her, if anyone at all. Perhaps it was just paranoia?
Meg stopped, listening to her surrounds. Everything seemed normal. With a small "huh" she turned around. The stalking eyes seemed to disappear. A small shutter ran down her spine as she turned to look at the headstone in front of her. Meg's expression turned to on of grief as she knelt on the ground. A sob caught in her throat as she reached out her hand to run her fingertips over the engraved lettering. "Maman.." Meg said softly, drawing her hand away from her mother's name. Tears filled her eyes as she stared in pain at the lettering. "I am so sorry.. forgive me. It is so hard to come here." She murmured, trying not to burst out in tears. "Maman." She repeated, bowing her head in a prayer like motion.
When Meg lifted her head, tears were running down her cheeks. She wiped them away carelessly with her hand. Sniffing as she stared with blurred vision at the headstone. It was then a voice reached her ears, confused, Meg glanced around. Still it continued, even when she pinpointed its direction. The strange voice seemed to be calling her, beckoning her. She stood precariously, staring listlessly in the direction of the voice, trying to determine the gender. Though the voice seemed to be beyond human coherence, Meg wondered if it was even saying anything at all, it seemed to just be whispering. All she could understand was her name. It was then Meg realized how much closer the voice was becoming, getting closer with each unearthly word it murmured. Meg fought the curiosity to follow the calling voice, and instead, she turned and ran.
Fast, panicked breaths passed from Meg's lips as she ran. Weaving in and out of the many grave markers. Still the voice never seemed to leave her. Perhaps its owner was faster then her, or inhuman. Meg looked back, stumbling slightly and cursing herself from committing the normal mistake of looking back. Whoever looked back when being chased was sure to fall as a victim. Finally, Meg stopped, breathing irregularly as she listened. The voice had stopped, and Meg leaned against a statue of a young lady kneeling with a bouquet of flowers, trying to catch her breath.
She remembered years ago, when she had heard the beautiful voice from within this very graveyard, and saw the bizarre things she did. Although, the memories of that day seemed to have fogged over and she only remembered small parts. But the voice, she remembered that well. It had been that of a man and was certainly not the one she had heard minutes before. Who would be out here with the mind to haunt her? What had she done? Hastily, Meg began to walk erratically in the direction she thought the gate to be, her legs hurting from the panic driven run. She heard a noise from behind her, startled, she spin around to look. As she did, whispers sounded around her. There seemed to be no direction they were not coming from.
Meg whirled about, unsure of what way to run. Confusion clouded her mind as she aimlessly ran off in a direction, stopping to look around randomly and change direction. Gasping for breath, Meg stopped, looking behind her. The whispers had stopped and Meg turned her head slowly to look ahead of her, yelping loudly at the face of chipped Alecto. Meg placed her hand on her chest, a weak huff of laughter catching in her throat. The statue of the kindly one had frightened her unintentionally.With another deep breath, Meg readied to turn around, screaming when she felt a strong hand wrap itself in her hair. She thrashed though was brought back and forced forward. Meg closed her eyes as her head connected with the base of the statue and was released.
Whimpering, Meg crumpled down to the floor before Alecto's feet. Her head throbbing as she grunted, clumsily turning onto her back. Her vision was blurred from, not only the pain, but also the blood dripping down her forehead from the large cut just below her hairline. She stared up fearfully, not being able to focus on her attacker. All Meg could make out was the silhouette of her attacker as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Meg awoke, grumbling as she uncomfortable shifted on the cold cobblestone floor. She trailed her hand across the stones, grunting as she pressed her palms against the ground, trying to push herself up. Meg failed, hitting the ground with a soft thud. She growled in frustration, turning on her back and staring up at the heavens. Night blanketed the sky above her, surprising her. How long had she been unconscious? Along with that thought, came the questions about her attacker. Cautiously, she pushed herself up, fearing she could come face to face with the aggressor, but no one was there. Her brow contorted as she looked around, finding herself no longer in the graveyard; instead she was sitting on a large stone bridge.
Meg stood shakily, staring up at an enormously large manor like structure. The windows were draped and open, leading into darkness. Meg shuttered wrapping her arms around herself, realizing how much colder it was here. Now confused, she looked back down the bridge, which was lit poorly by street lamps. The end of the bridge was not visible; it actually seemed to never end from her current position. Meg reached up to feel her head where she guessed the cut was; though when she touched her head, nothing was there. Come to think of it, her head did not hurt at all. She looked back at the manor, which did not look much different then one Meg would see when taking a victoria through wealthy parts of Paris. The only difference was that this one look entirely abandoned.
Stepping back, Meg decided the smart thing do to was to make her way down the bridge and trying to find some indication as where she was. Turning, she began to make her way away from the manor. When she realized something strange. The cobblestone ahead seemed to be disappearing. Meg stared, blinking to make sure it was not her imagination. Yes, the cobblestone was defiantly disappearing and the rate was increasing the more she walked. "What in the name of God..?" Meg said aloud, staring in fear and stopping dead in her tracks. Even as Meg stopped, the cobblestone continued to disappear. Fear hit her like a brick. Meg turned toward the manor and began to run.
Meg looked back; yelping a bit as the row of disappearing cobblestone was only a foot away. She stumbled as the stones around her feet began to fade, leaping forward once before the stones were completely gone. Meg stopped, staring down in terror at the nothingness below her feet. Though, she did not fall. Meg would have been confused if fear did not have such a hold on her. Hesitantly, Meg stepped forward, closing her eyes as she walked. Soon enough, she hit a wooden door, the doorknocker clanging with the force. Meg opened her eyes questionably, surprised to find herself at the white manor door already. She looked back; gasping a bit as the bridge was visibly present. Meg grabbed at the doorknocker, still staring in puzzlement. Where in the world was she?
Unlike my last story, I will not explain things much. But I will tell you this; Alecto is on of an Erinyes from Greek mythology.
Next chapter will bring more horror, and probably Erik. I am currently sick. Yes, the cough. It hurts the throat and the medicine makes me tired. So review to encourage me! With motivation, I will update tomorrow afternoon. Or Friday.
Please review and, goodnight! Afternoon, something. o.o You know.
