Bindings To The Past

by InMyMindsEyes

She was just a quiet girl who worked in IT when she crashed into a situation that started a cycle of events that changed everything. Wanting to get to the very heart of it all to stop a life changing alteration before it gets too far, Elodie discovers the location of a certain Village and sets things in motion. Some for the better, some for the worst.

5. Romania

My father always told me that life is about choices; some that are impossible to make, while others we live to regret. But we're human after all, born to make mistakes. Humans are faulty, Elodie, we are both good and evil – a perfect yin and yang.

What he forgot to tell me was that… some choices would haunt me forever.

A choice I made…

A moment of impulsiveness.

A destiny I couldn't rewrite.

After all, we can't stop time, right?

And all it took was a second.

A keystroke, really.

My emotions were all over the place as my legs ate up the concrete with each hurried stride of my legs. I was not a sprinter last year, and yet now, I am moving with a speed that baffled me. I pushed myself harder to get away from Tricell as police cruisers flew past in a blur of coloured lights. My heart was a thundering drum in my ear as I pushed onwards, my arms pumping at my sides, helping to propel me forward. Things seemed to blur together to the point where I could have sworn I was seeing things again. Hydro poles shifted now and altered; I could have sworn they were being to look like tall trees. My feet slapped at the hard cement, each landing jostling my legs with the force they generated that I almost didn't notice the sensation dulling slowly, like my feet had come into contact with something softer, like earth. My lungs heaved air in and out as I passed people, some who jumped out of the way and others I think I hit with my shoulders, but never once did I slow.

My lungs burned as I inhaled and could have sworn, I tumbled a step at the scent that hit me.

Was that.. saltwater and pine?

No sooner had I thought it, my senses were catapulted into a feeling of freefalling, the sensation much like when I had stood on my balcony and my hand shot outwards to brace on something and landed on what looked and felt like a tree.

Gasping against the feeling of light-headedness, I swallowed. Or tried to, with my throat feeling like it was trying to push down dust. Glancing to the tree under my hand I tried to inhale oxygen as fast as I could. Gone was the scent of the city and all around me were the scent of woods. It didn't feel real under my fingers and when I laid my hand fully on the tree I heard something that made my back cease up.

A low snarl, like a dogs but the sound was .. wrong.. off. Turning around I saw a line of thick brush just off to the right and when it shifted greatly, I had an overwhelming urge to run once again. But for a different reason that eluded me. When a long dark veined limb moved out of the bushes, my feet picked up once again. I didn't look where I was going and simply bolted away from the menacing sound and sights.

Was that a dog? It couldn't have been. To long, and the joint in the middle was- I didn't get far before I felt the ground under my feet tremble like something had fallen, like something exceedingly heavy. My legs shifted as they recovered from the sensation and continued to propel me forward through the forest in a blur. My head swirling with questions as I sprinted. I could hear more of those menacing growls, many more. It sounded like a pack of wolves but I didn't look behind me to check. I could taste my fear and it wasn't sea salt or pine for that matter. I abruptly turned right at a slight clearing and nearly became deaf at the sound of an animalistic roar that was unlike any that I had ever heard echoed around me in the treeline.

Looking in the direction of where the sensation had come from, my whole body stopped moving abruptly.

Just stopped.

Halted.

My whole body met with something solid, immovable and with a rush of something cracking deep in my face and the taste of blood filling my mouth, I am falling backwards, the sensations leaving me as I hit the hard ground, my backpack digging into my spine to the point I can't even manage a pained cry. I lose the air I had in my lungs and my sinuses flare up with a burning pain that has me swearing loudly, my hands flying up to cover my face and am met with a warm wet feeling.

I knew the sensations of bones breaking. Dear god did I know it well. I didn't need to look in a mirror or hell, open my eyes to know that my nose was broken. I could hear the sounds of car horns, people calling out to me and yet I didn't stay down long. I struggled to get onto my side and against the stinging pain, used the back of my wrist to push away the blood that dribbled from my beneath my nose. My eyes cracked open and I was looking directly at one of the large metal lampposts. With my lungs finally managing to fill with air, I found my left hand lifting a little to flip off the post. I don't know why, but it made me feel better. Dropping my bird-flipping hand I looked around through tear-filled eyes and notice some of my things hand fallen out of my bag. I waved off people who offered to help and though it was a struggle, I pulled my things together.

The silver glint that tumbled out of my bag had me swiping it up and clutching it to my chest like a goddamn lifeline.

My USB.

This small piece of technology was what held.. well everything. Its what I had used to download everything from that lab. Everything that chemically made me into what I was, the research that Tricell had been doing, the experiments they had preformed, the scientists notes, personal memo's, journal entries, lists of names and.. My handheld beeped slightly and after tucking the USB into a small inside pocket, I made sure I had everything that had fallen from me, I stand and look around. I was closer to the inner parts of the city than I had thought or anticipated. Finding a small alcove, I say a few 'I'm fines' to a few passersby and open up the menu. It held several notifications from when I had bolted from the building. There was the usual 'Connection Lost from Server' but the others had me smiling.

All information from their servers had been successfully copied and sent to the BSAA before I had installed and detonated a digital bomb. I blew out a breath as I leaned my back against the alleyway to catch my breath.

Using the command SHRED was no simple thing. Thinking back on it now, I let out a chuckle in shocked awe even as my legs continued to tremble. The command I had placed was not to just delete files, but in a sense re-write them so that the files themselves would be much more difficult to recover, even with specialized forensic software, if at all. Like taking a piece of paper with an image on it and putting it through a shredder several times over. I had never used it before and had no reason too, but in the instant I knew what Wesker had been doing, to me, to others… I felt no inclination not to.

I walked through the alleyways and stopped cold when a small glimpse of a helicopter flew overhead, several cruisers raced by in the same direction of it, the lights and sirens blaring. I stepped out of the alley and trailed that helicopter with only my eyes. I don't know how to explain it, but I knew..

He was on that thing.

Wesker.

Hand on the bricks beside me, I watched until it was no longer in sight. It didn't deviate from a certain direction and that had me feeling a small bit of comfort.

Whistleblowing on Tricell, as well as Wesker's whereabouts, being the location of our building and how much chaos Wesker had been causing and creating, and how fast the BSAA had shown up, Wesker would have had no choice but to run a fair distance away. The systems had been crashing all around him while he himself was trapped. That had me smirking to myself as I managed to cross the street, my movements slow as I absently rubbed my nose.

Didn't feel good, did it? I mentally project with an audible scoff. Feeling trapped while things all around you are becoming ruined beyond your control.

Control. My steps slowed when I reached the other side. With my head down, I brought my hand to my nose again and checked for more blood. My head felt like it was screaming at me, and I did my best to not let it send me into a state of disbelief or shock when my fingers came away clean and dry. The remnants of the break earlier were crusted on my upper lip.

My lack of control drove me insane so I tried to make a plan of some sort on where to start to take it back but before that even happened, it begged the question of; where could I go?

Logically, I had no where to go but to go home. I certainly couldn't go to a friends place and I couldn't go home since in the odd chance that someone would be waiting for me there but… with a glance back to the air, in the direction the helicopter had flown away in a blazing hurry, I went with my gut and started for my house anyway.

It took me a while, getting home. The way people stared at me certainly didn't help, I no doubt probably looked like a rugby player took a swing at my face. When my building was in sight, I made sure to approach slowly. No sights of cars waiting on the edge of the road, no suits waiting in the lobby. It was a small inkling of relief that had me let out a sigh when I pressed the number for my floor. Leaning my head back against the wall of the elevator, I let out a slow breath and took a moment to enjoy the quiet. Only that was quickly extinguished when I felt a small tingling in my face rear up. I blinked once in confusion and gasped when I felt an outwards pull of suction from the bridge of my nose followed by jagged rocks shifting under my skin along my cheekbones. My face filled with heat, burning heat that had me feeling a wave of panic. I recognized it; it was the same as when I had been in the hospital. Razors of white-hot pain that filled the micro thin spaces that had a bone setting crunch jerk me backwards, nearly falling to my ass. My hands flew to my face once again before the light-headedness followed the now fleeting sensation.

No longer flat and broken, my nose held its small upturn once again. My hands shook as they linger over my face before dropping to my sides.. My bones.. reset themselves? I gently pressed on the bridge, one, twice. Solid.

Holy shit. I swallowed. I open my mouth and do a few small face scrunches as my eyes watered. When I thought of self healing, like in books, they never explain what it felt like. I always figured it was like magic. Like zip, all good.

NOPE! It fucking hurt.

"Ahhhh." I groaned and stepped out.

To my relief, no one jumped me when I walked into my apartment.

But still, I waited.

I waited for a few hours, my eyes on the door and forced my ears to listen, the smallest sounds beginning to amplify. I straightened in the dark when the natural light of the day drifted away and yet, I didn't move to turn on a light. I was being cautious, prepared.. I made myself a simple meal and ate it in the kitchen. If anyone where to break in right now, at least I had weapons nearby. Not that I had any training with knives, but I did learn a few things with towels from Jin. Finishing my soup and sandwich, I drifted to my couch and plopped down. My eyes were burning holes into my door and my head was humming with pressure.

I should probably take something for the pain but from what I learned was that I got several different kinds of headaches. And the worst ones, the ones I got when I… did things…

'Only the beginning'..

Ugh. Wesker's voice drifted in my head, causing me to drop my head into my hands I let the banked wave of my realization in, slowly and with each pass, I felt my shoulders shake, my eyes burn. I tried to brace myself for the onslaught but I felt the wall give way. Felt it crumble enough to let out a sigh as tears rained down from me.

I was back in that batting cage taking pitches to the face but on the last few, I had swung back.. That was something. That thought had me sniffling and standing up to fetch my laptop. No point in sitting around crying about things that I didn't have the ability to fix or control as of yet. Not only that, Wesker had said that my abilities or whatever he had called them, tied with my mental and emotional state. I still didn't know what happened to me on the street, but I did make a mental note to NOT be sprinting through rush hour when things like that happened again. I rub the bridge of my nose and frowned. It still felt tender, but the bone was still solid beneath my touch.

Sitting back down in my living room, I opened my laptop and started a quick search.

I could send my collection of papers to maybe more than half a dozen labs to see if anyone could figure out how to fix me up. Going over papers and researching biolabs for about a good hour when a thought has my stomach dropping out.

If Umbrella was able to buy Tricell and make it their own, without anybody else knowing, then how many other places have they been able to sweep in as well? How many places would be thrilled at the thought of the idea of 'superhumans' and asked for any and all research? How many would use me as just another test subject and not look for a cure? How many would turn me away out of fear of Umbrella? I felt like my back started sweating at the thought. I was at a loss. And its not like I could go to a hospital or just ask for a doctor to draw blood to run tests or- I close my laptop with a small snap.

Shit.

And that, I found, wasn't even the biggest issue.

I wouldn't want any malevolent person to get their hands on what coursed through my veins. It would be like helping out a new Wesker, potentially worse if the idea of power went to their heads as well. If the idea of this made them eager to continue or to rival Umbrella…

I was scared, but not that desperate. Yet.

Even if I wanted to get this… virus out of me, there was no where in any and all files that my USB held, that explained what exactly they had done or made. Not even the Latin or scientific terms that I could search. It went unlisted, no doubt for that reason.

Setting that aside I went over it all in my mind. Logically I didn't have anything to worry about until things got to what I would group in as extremes. Pain wise, I got headaches that varied. Tingling sensations and dizzy spells. Nosebleeds had come to the surface but that I was thinking amounted to pushing too much too far.

Pushing what though? I blew out a breath and rubbed the heels of my hands to my eyes. The sensations had happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to process what had happened. I had, in a sense, ridden the wave and seen where it took me.

Take stock in what you know. Make it logical.

My eyes moved to a few feet from me and recalled that it was right here when I had spoken to Isaac and Jocelyn. I had wanted her to leave and asked her to, but my throat warmed and echoed in a way that had startled me, but like before, I hadn't paid it much mind. I had kept talking and soon, she had left, like she had been compelled to do as I had asked.

But in the boardroom, I felt something different when I had spoken my suggestion. The mental latching onto and the unstable mental grip I had… I had been angry and irritated. And when an outside source had moved him, snapping the connection it felt like I had been struck.. but then lower.. In the labs, I had pushed my way through Dr. Colton's flailing mental wall. Hacking away at it until I had felt it in my grasp. But my anger, my pressing on the facts that I wanted him to not speak a word of… Broke. I could feel the way it gave in, in my mind. And Wesker… saying he couldn't mutter a single word about it… I got the sense that I must've broken that particular line of thought. He couldn't say anything. And how he had reacted to it all..

Well…

If someone broke my line of thinking or took that away from me when it was a big part of the very foundations of my being… I would be left feeling a little blank too. But Wesker to just get rid of him.. Like he no longer had a purpose to serve.

All because I made the forceful suggestion to- My mouth gapped open as a piece of the puzzle slipped into place.

No… No way… Grabbing my laptop again, I did a little digging.

Through several articles I had discovered, I had a few that filled in several blank spots in my mental thought process but what floored me was the wording.

'The power of suggestion.'

'Human beings have incredible imaginations, but they also have the potential to turn those imaginings into reality. When someone suggests the possibility that could happen, we tend to imagine what that possibility would be like, and our bodies may start preparing for that possibility becoming a reality.'

That left me feeling a little unsure but mentally remembering and moving on, I found another that had me pausing to read.

'The subtle use of particular language to slip suggestions straight into a persons subconscious is a mixture of selective social proof, reverse psychology, the illusion of choice and a dominant capability to make charismatic arguments. Some phycologists have coined this term as 'human hacking'.

What each human 'hacking' technique has in common is that they each need to get access to their intended targets. Whether it be though direct eye contact, verbal hearing distance or physical contact. Some have speculated that mental projection is also a capability but it is rare since the human mind is the most guarded place in our whole body, barring vital organs. Many humans are exposed to events that would have created mental 'blockers' that would hinder exploration of how it could be exploited (and defended). But it's also worth of noting that physical contact also proves to be a great help when making suggestions. From what research has been collected, some humans are capable of feeling the indicators of this and will struggle to protect both themselves and other information that they don't want to let out. While some could be far more open to be influenced by suggestion, others will not. Much like increased mental security. Touch seems to help increase the percentage of successful 'hacking'.'

It goes on and on. But there it was. A perfect example of what I had been feeling. Doing.

'The hacking of the mind.'

Son. Of. A. Bitch.

I'm still just a girl in IT, but I suppose in a way I was… branching out.

Huh. Fuck.

Well, that was… something.. Half of me didn't want to believe it. The other half was screaming that I already had proof of what I was doing. I suppose, it was just.. coming to terms with it.

That had been one thing. But the other, my eyes moved to the balcony. The other was harder to pinpoint no matter what I searched.

First there were… glimpses of places. Looking back on it now, I got the feeling like I wasn't fully there, but.. much like when you are reading a book or see a photo, you can still imagine what it would be like to fully immerse yourself in what you could see, hear, taste, and imagine what it would be like to touch. Only my senses had been heightened to such a degree that I felt like I was there. Like standing on a balcony or running through a forest. Or walking out of a house. Each time, it felt so real but whenever I had been…

Pulled.

Pulled was the word that suited the sensation perfectly. I was pulled up and out of the sights and feelings I was experiencing and back to where I had been originally. Taniesha had had physically touched me, so I doubt I could teleport. And running face first into metal pole like a goddamn cartoon solidified that. Okay.. I didn't know what that meant and just set it mentally aside.

So I had a vague idea of what I had been doing, feeling but that still begged the question of what they had pumped into me to make it happen. And where had they gotten it.

Grabbing the USB out I plug it into my laptop. Several hours went by and yet, I could only understand so much of it before my brain felt like mush. To keep my sanity, I had to dust off my home printer and print out a few copies of several lab notes and others that I had been finding interesting like this one in particular.

The date wasn't specific but the information was worth the lack of a timestamp.

It had been noted on a spare document that Spencer, as is, the Ozwell E. Spencer has made into what looked to be a written e-journal/biography and in a few pages I had manage to uncover amongst collected emails between a few high names on the bioterrorism page, spoken of wanting nothing more than to visit a 'quaint village' from when he was a young man once more, however, he had been unable to get around to it due to being incredibly busy... If only for the satisfaction on how far he had come from being just a medical student cold in the snow.

It then went on to say that it was there that he had the idea to start a company with his friends and colleagues, dedicated to virus' research while paying homage to the symbol he had found in a cave whilst in this village…

The rest of his written e-journal entry had been tarnished too far for even my capabilities. But it had been a miracle find amongst several others.

But it had been there, in those few notes that I had found my hope blooming. It was my starting line. What if… What if what he found there, could be traced and cured with if brought back? Or maybe, from the loose wording I was reading, he knew someone who had put him on this journey. If they had any books or leftover notes, I could gather what I could and take it to the scientists at the BSAA. I could hand them the makings of a cure for myself and who knows, potentially others! I could…

Be me again.

It was a long shot, like a small ice cubes chance in hell, but I had to take it.

I must've looked like those people on tv who had red string tying things all together in my bedroom. My wall across from the bed was like a mental map of my mind. Notes, papers, pictures, maps and Post It's littered all over.

'Umbrella is nothing but a tool for the research of strengthening and improving the virus. Even without that tool, the research still survives. We will have to deal with anyone who has a Level 10 security clearance as they are the only ones who know of the regulation of the flow of important information. Everyone else will be summarily disposed of.'

Looking away from the newly printed paper I try to eat something even though my hands still shook looking at this. Thinking on it some more, I pop a baby carrot into my mouth.

'If the secret research involving the Progenitor virus is protected, then I can always rebuild anew. I've already made preparations for such a plan.'

Well, I am sure this guy wasn't expecting someone like me.. Walking back to my room I look over my horrible string collage and narrow my eyes.

Spencer's electric copy of his biography describes finding the Progenitor virus, so this must have been written between 1966, when Spencer began searching for it, and 1968 when Umbrella Pharmaceuticals was originally founded. So, with those dates established, one would know Spencer visited 'the village' he mentioned sometime during 1951 and 1953. He wouldn't have been much older than a teenager.

I chew on my bottom lip and twist my index finger until it gently cracked.

From what I had managed to uncover, Umbrella had a research lab located in the Caucasus region, in the south of Russia. On the surface, it appears to be a government-operated chemical processing plant, but no doubt it had been taken over by Umbrella after the fall of the Soviet Union and maintained as a front. Umbrella could have built facilities beneath the surface to perform viral and B.O.W. research.

Just like Tricell…

Looking up about Ozwell E. Spencer, I gathered that while he was in school, he went on a research trip and when he got back, he had an inkling for Umbrella. Going through the school records was a tad bit difficult, but they do have their previous school trips listed that have since been negated due to their lack of interest from years past. Many of which placed them in colder climates. Gotta love boarding schools.

During Spencer's teenage years however, Europe was plunged into the Second World War. Nothing is known, online or off, of Spencer's life during this period of time, though it is known that his experience living during the war helped form his world views… but he hadn't been at home or at his school when this had happened. He had been over seas.

Running a hand over my face, I set my vegetable plate aside and stood up from my bed to look over the map I had printed out and placed.

So where did he go? Where had this all began?

I had to think logically.

A man like Ozwell wouldn't want to be to far away from his discovery on either side.

There was Africa.

That was where he found the Progenitor plants, but after looking over the research reports, not till years later. I needed something from an earlier stage. I laid a post it note over the geographical marker, taking it out of the process.

This took place during WWII. My fingers danced over the map.

Russia was where all the tech was improving around that time, but being British in a world war, he would've had to stay a safe enough distance away so as not to attract detection, let alone killed on sight or be conscripted into the army, and since I couldn't find his name or any Alias thereof in any military logs, my guess is; he had been deeply tucked away...

My eyes moved over the map.

That took out Germany, Austria and Poland. Ukraine was involved with the invasion of Poland as well so that also ruled out. I covered them with Post-it notes and mentally trekked onward on a blown-out breath.

From his mentioning's of the weather one could obviously rule in it's located somewhere cold, or at least had colder climates and vaguely the village was described as appearing to be quite old. Isolated.

Mountains and cold…

That took out Italy, Greece and… Spain would have been way too far west. Turkey had hills but not cold mountains. It also would have been too low geography wise. He wouldn't have been able to get that far in the stirrings of a war.

It had to be in a place with loose ties to the war, but not unwelcoming of any Brits. Old and isolated… while being well known for villages…

My fingers moved over the map, my mind flicking and pushing away smaller towns that I ruled out. I was lost in thought for a time, wondering where he had gone, what he had done and felt a tremor move through me when my hand passed over and stilled on one country. Laying a finger over its name, I let out a victorious chuckle.

"Romania."

Cold mountains, isolated villages that often would have gypsies or Romani moving in and out freely and frequently. He could have blended in no problem. He would have been young and not seen as a threat to these people who had eccentric and sometimes baffling ways of life and accents that varied. Also historically known for being able to cross borders without having attention drawn to them! I shouted out my joy and spun around. Looking at the chaos of my room, I had a pit in my stomach form as an emotion filled my chest as I realization hit me, my body hummed with knowledge and a quiet came over me.

I now knew where I needed to go. I could feel it, almost right down to my bones the longer I looked at that name on the map..

But.

I would have to leave… everything behind.

Again.

My eyes flicked over all my things, my small knickknacks that I had picked up over the years. Just little things that I had found in different places that had made me smile. I wouldn't be needing any of these things with me where I was going. And I didn't get the feeling that I was going to be coming back anytime soon that I could just put a hold on my place. I could-

My cell ringing had me panicking a little, the sound blaring in the silence of my room. Moving to it slowly, I caught the name on it and grabbed it by the third ring.

"Taniesha?!" I shouted into the small device. When silence met my ears, I felt blood leave my face. I didn't even think about call tracing, if she had been taken and they had called me to- I moved the phone away from my ear and just before I pressed my thumb to the End Call button I heard a deep voice on the other end.

"Elodie?" My movements halted as did my breathing. "Elodie, you there?" I heard some vague sounds before it came out clearer. "Els, it's me, it's Andrew." Taneisha's boyfriend! I gripped the phone tightly and pressed it back to my ear.

"Andrew?" I didn't intend to whisper, but his name left my mouth before I could stop it. I heard the sound of a relived sigh fill my ear..

"Els, thank god. I have been told to try to get a hold of you! I heard about what happened at Tricell and have been worried sick!" His voice sounded accusatory but more in a familiar way. Almost.. brotherly.

"It certainly has been crazy." I still spoke so quietly, like I was afraid of someone listening in. Hell, they could have been.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story and I don't want to talk about it… at least not over the phone." There was a pause before he responded.

"I understand. Alright uh, then where are you, you alright?" That had me inhaling and looking around my apartment. I moved to the wall and started to take it all down.

"I'm safe and I'm okay." I certainly wasn't fine or unharmed but that wasn't up for discussion.

"That's good at least." He sounded genuinely relived.

"What about Taniesha, have you heard from her?" I asked, waiting with baited breath.

"Yeah, she's here with me. She's alright. Shaken up, but she's alright." No words had ever comforted me more. My legs gave way once again and I landed on my bed with a hearty thump. The sound of a broken sob had me covering my mouth to stifle it.

"She's not hurt or-or," I couldn't think.

"Nah, she got your message not long before all hell broke loose. She got out of there before the sirens started blaring. She said you uncovered a few things. Bad things." He ended grimly.

"Can I- can I talk to her?" I ask and he lets out an unsure hum.

"She fell asleep when she got home, to much activity tuckered her out. But I'll try. I think she'll rise for ya." I heard him jostle a little on the phone before I heard murmurings on the other end. "Sorry Els, she's out cold. Today.. took a toll on her."

"No, I get it, its fine. Don't wake her." She was safe. That's what mattered.

"Alright. You wanna tell me what's going on?" Andrew asked and all I could manage to do was swallowed harshly.

"I- I need to leave and sort out a few things. Get things under control."

"What-where?"

"I can't say for certain," I lie and glance to the half torn down wall, "but I have an idea and-"

"But-wait, what? An idea? You can't just… leave, that doesn't even make sense."

"I can't tell you why, but I can't be.. here.. There's something that I gotta do." I look to the wall again and still feel that gut feeling. That impulse. The pull.

"What you have to do is go to the authorities and give them all the details we can! We can figure this out together! You don't have to deal with this all alone!" His stern words rocked me to my core but not as much as the caution that I felt spike. "You can't just leave and not tell us what's going on!" I hear Andrew moving, no doubt away from Taniesha so she could continue to sleep.

"Andrew, Andrew, listen to me!" I shout back and huff a few breaths at the silence I am met with. They deserved to know.. Not only that, I needed to say… something.. tell someone. "I'm Sick." The line goes silent. I don't even hear him breathing, but I know he heard me. "For a while now. They… I'm sick." I stress and the gasp that he let out had me squeezing my eyes tightly.

"Your eyes… hair.." I heard him murmur so softly that I strained slightly to hear and just bobbed my head a little. The line filled with him saying 'no' rapidly over and over along with a few curses and I think I heard a dish break. I could just picture him pacing back and forth.

"Andrew, please I need you to focus for me." I called out to him in hopes that he would calm down. I needed him to listen to me. "I need to find out how to get better… my way. And I can't do that here. Or go to anyone just yet. I don't know who they have their hands on and I can't trust just anyone. So.." He doesn't say anything and no doubt, he is in shock and just listening. "To do that, I have to go and.. do what I can. But that means I have to ask you a huge favor after I leave." I hear him inhale softly.

"Anything, girl." He returned weakly; his voice tight.

"I need you to get my things after I leave. My.. knickknacks."

"Like your weird ass fruit bowl?" He asks softly and I find myself letting out a soft laugh.

"It's not weird, it's antique, But yes. Things like that… I just don't want another Isaac coming in and taking my stuff and I would feel better if you guys had them. If you don't want to look at 'em or use 'em, then just.. put 'em back in storage, I don't know. But it wont be much."

"Y-yeah. Of course. I'll.. we'll be there." He speaks so softly that I almost strain to hear him. "I wish I wasn't doing this to you over the phone, but I just want to say that… I am glad you got out. And glad you gave Teeny a heads up." He returned and I felt better. "Do… you know when you will leave? How you will leave?" He asked as I finish taking down the wall art.

"Earliest I can get out of here when the coast is clear." I admit as I snagged my laptop and searched flight times. There was a plane leaving for Sibiu, it was just shy of twenty hours. One way ticket and 1 stop along the way. 19-hour flight time, including layovers. I didn't have time to waste. I bought my ticket online, my mental timer starting as I set it aside to print..

"So soon." His voice.. sounded so tormented that I again wished I could hug him.

"I have to get.. ready. Set things in motion." Even as I spoke, I moved around my room picking things up and setting them aside. Snagging my canvas bag out of the back of my closet I drop it onto my bed and start to walk towards my dresser.

"Can we see you before you go?"

My hands stopped as I bent to open a drawer. Then tightened. If I saw them, I knew without a doubt that Taniesha would try to change my mind. And like I had said, she could be put in danger if they were looking for me. So could Andrew.

"It wouldn't be wise.. So no." I grit out, a pair of shirts clutched tight in my hand..

"I have one question before you go then."

"Shoot."

"If push comes to shove… if me and Teeny need to leave as well.. Is there going to be something amongst your things that you want us to specifically keep.. in case we get to see you again?" He asked and I closed my eyes. This man.. It made my chest ache.

"First of all, its when. And.." I turned my head towards the top shelf of my closet and settled on a small slender box.. "No." I said finally. "I'm taking the things I need and can't go without. Sell or store the rest."

"Alright. Okay.. Well… You be safe.. and smart, okay?"

"Always am. You do the same. If I get good news, Ill call you."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay.."

Our goodbyes were heartfelt and short and after hanging up the phone I closed my eyes as the feeling of loneliness encapsulated me.. I could just imagine Andrew holding Taniesha tight as she went through the various emotions when he told her when she would wake up and felt a twinge of envy that I pushed down as I walked to the box in my closet while I dialed my landlord. I spoke to my her about me leaving and paid her in advance for my apartment. I explained to her that I was leaving the last of my things to be collected and though she gave a hard time, she eventually accepted it.

When I got off the phone with her, I blew out a breath as a familiar bitter emotion started to sweep me up as I looked to a slender box on top of my closet shelf.. I couldn't get lost emotionally now. I was on a timer and time was… everything. Taking it out, I gently blew off the dust that had settled. Taking off the lid, I blew out a strengthening breath.

A thick red leather-bound journal I hadn't used since I was a teenager met my sight first. Opening it up, I frown when I see my old notes and drawings in the lined pages. Some have dates at the top or bottom of the page, others don't. My early sketches have so much anger you could see it in the lines.. So much of.. everything all at once. My fingers touch the dark pages as a pained reminiscent sigh passes from my lips. I had used this when I needed an outlet of the thoughts I had in my head before learning how to store it all comfortably in my mind.

Flipping from page to page, I found my hand stilling on the one that had changed my life when I had turned 15.

'Hyperthymesia'.

A condition that leads people to be able to remember an abnormally large number of their life experiences including written and spoken word in vivid detail.'

My penmanship was horrible back then, but it had been the word that brought a revelation I hadn't known I needed. It was the best thing I had ever had tagged to me besides 'orphan' or 'different.'

Tearing out the pages before that written section and keeping as close to the binding as possible I clenched them tight. I didn't need to look at them. I knew what was in those pages. Most of them were coloured fully black since the most traumatic memories in my mind took place in the dark. I hadn't been able to see a thing in front of me back then.. But I could hear it. Like it was still happening..

Their cries.. The screaming.. so much screaming. When I had been able to see anything…

I braced a hand to my dresser as flashes of my parents came and went. Breathing harshly I toss the book into my canvas bag. I could keep it to document things with.. My clothes were packed with a fervor that kept my memories at bay and I made sure to be able to accommodate the weather that Romania was known for. My paperwork had me rolling my eyes. My passport was still good, but the photo was going to give me a problem no doubt. My old face stared back at me and I couldn't resist sticking my tongue out at it. Childish action be damned.

Throwing it at my bag, I started on getting the few things I would want Tanisha and Andrew to keep aside. It wasn't much, that was the honest truth.

My life fit into 2 boxes. And one bag.

How's that for a kick in the ass?

The only things that weren't packed away were kept closer to me. My fathers brass pocket watch. Even as I pulled it out of a secret compartment of my bedside table, my fingers run over the metal. Around the edges still held the red metallic tint that no amount of polish had ever been able to scrap away. The time stood still and I hadn't been able to find it in me to fix it since.. Tucking it away on the inside of my windbreaker, I touch my mothers handcrafted gold bangle. The decoration was simplistic and beautifully carved around it. That was placed on my wrist and I bent the metal just enough so that it wouldn't slip or fall away.

The rest of the stuff around my apartment, my furniture, dishes and small appliances I was able to sell quicker than I had imagined. That put more money in my pocket and didn't have to worry about that. I had movers coming by to clear it all out, almost around the time that I would be on a plane.

Should have been a record for me. My affairs were in order in just over 6 hours..

I had a few hours still, but strangely I didn't feel tired. At all.. I was turning to walk out of the room when a thought hit me. I went to my kitchen counter and dropped my Tricell IDs onto the flat surface. The light colour contrasted with them so well that it made me smile. I was leaving it all behind. Looking around my apartment one last time, I pick up my bag and head for the door after a cab is called. My hands admittedly stalled when I locked my door. I dropped the key off at the front desk with the note for the bellman to let Taniesha and the movers in.

The cab ride to the airport was a silent one. Even the music on the radio was drowned out by my inability to focus on anything in particular but it came to a pinpoint as we were hitting the freeway to the airport. Tricell was able to be seen from certain points in the city, and now, it came into view between buildings. My mouth gapped open as I looked upon the skeletal remains of the building, even from our fast pace and distance, I could see the charring from here. When it was taken from sight I leaned back against the leather of the seat and for just a moment, I smiled. I hoped that everything that had been in there went up with whatever had caused the flames. Everything that Wesker had found so valuable. I watched the fare on the cabbie's dash tick upwards with each flare of light from the over head passing lampposts.

The sky was darkening with the coming night and I was leaving with it.

---

Hours Later….

They moved silently through the corridors of the apartment building. A set of six men dressed in dark clothes with hidden weapons holstered. Reaching the numbered door, they waited as their informant stepped forward and unlocked it. It swung open freely and the informant stepped in and called out. They filled in after and were momentarily shocked to see the apartment cleared out. No furniture to be seen, but two boxes that lay off to the side with Ms. Carter's first name on both boxes. Peering inside, it held photo frames, a few small ceramic animals, a single cup and a knitted throw. Jerking to the box, one of the agents moved around and checked it without uttering a word. Ms. Carter's boyfriend stepped in as well, looking unsure and also moving around the apartment, shocked. He joined her side and rubbed her back as she dropped to her knees and lifted a photo frame out of the box. It held a picture of her and another young woman, this Buchanan woman no doubt. She clutched it to her chest as her shoulder shook. His men did a full sweep of the house and came back to him.

"No signs sir. She cleared out."

"Must be pretty paranoid to have gotten out of here so fast." His second in command added as he passed and he could only scoff.

"Umbrella could do a number on any civilian and I wouldn't blame 'em." He countered with a small shake of his head. Moving into the kitchen, sharp eyes caught the laminated tags resting on the counter along with her cell phone that had been dismantled, credit cards sliced in half..

She couldn't be financially traced now. Or by phone. Huh.. Smart Girl indeed.

"Orders sir?"

He looked to his second in command and then the tags once again, scooping them up..

He turned and started for the door when the informant stepped in front of him, a medium sized box in her arms that shook gently.

"She said she didn't have much.. I didn't believe her." She sniffled, not looking up from the box. Ms. Carter's partner stepped beside her and held in his hand a misshapen multi-coloured glass bowl. One look at it and the woman became a sobbing mess.

When they left, he stood in that apartment and studied it. This one woman had made clearing up everything look like clockwork. And from the slight scuffs on the walls and floors, it had been recently removed of anything furniture based. They could look into the security footage of the building, see what the mover had taken and see if there was anything to note of there. Even the garbage was empty but there had been slips of tape on the walls of the bedroom. To sporadic to have been posters or anything decorative. She had a layout of something there.. When his team came back, they all awaited his word.

"She's on the run from Umbrella. We'll monitor all outgoing boats, trains, busses and planes for a little while. Mainly to see if anyone from Umbrella comes after her. If no sign of anyone.. she is to be left alone." He turned on his heel and headed for the door.

"So, were not going after her?" His second asked as they walked out.

"No. Umbrella is our concern right now. Until we get a bigger picture as to why they could go after her, and for what purpose, we focus on the main task at hand." He sent a sideways look to his second. "You didn't get anything else out of Ms. Carter?"

"No, she just said she would tell us everything she knew about what she and her colleague did at Tricell and that they preyed on her co-worker." He scoffed, voicing his building doubt. "She has to know more, but she clams up every time we press."

He shook his head. "We'll give them time. I want surveillance on them as well in the meantime." They took the stairs, their boots clamoring down.

"That's a lot of effort for just a few IT's."

Pulling out his earpiece, he casted a look to his team. "It's more than that." He muttered quietly as they stepped out from the back entrance to the building. "Its gotta be. Wesker showing up in a place like this for a few test subjects? It had to be serious. Still, gotta give them some credit for taking a shot at Umbrella at the very least." He looked sideways to his second and met his doubtful and unsure stare. "Just make it happen, Piers."

Raising his hands, he nodded. "Alright, Chris. Whatever you say." He walked to his side of the SUV and got in.

He was close to getting him. Wesker was almost within his grasp. Getting into the passenger seat, he settled in while the team loaded up. Soon, he thought to himself as the engine turned on.

Soon.

---

I was riding on nerves that I was going to get pulled aside but… no one stopped me. I thought it was a trick to give me a false sense of security, but no. They gave me a little trouble with my photo on my passport but nothing overly vexing. I was checked in, boarded and sat in my seat.

The plane ride was interesting.

I hadn't flown in years, and I still hated the feeling of taking off. My hand gripped my chair arms tightly and for a moment I think I heard and felt the hard plastic crack. The engines roared and the winded buffeted, it was up and when it levelled out, it became like a sky-born cradle, rocked by the winds far above the ground. Even as the engines turned, my mind relaxed into pliant mode, there were thousands of miles to go and all I had to do right now was let this large metal bird fly me there.

I filled time with my journal that I had kept out to make a few idle notes here and there, and my MP3 that tuned the world out. As The Tragically Hip sang about constellations revealing themselves a star at a time, my on-board meal arrived.

Say what you want about airplane food, I look forward to it. In those hours that pass, sitting, sitting and more sitting... even if there are movies or music... I look forward to eating that food. The tray is so stupid it makes me smirk, it's as if someone got a school dinner, shrank it and added a few plastic cups of whatever was at hand. It made me think about my traveling to Atlanta for university.

Hours passed and now, I was waiting for my connecting flight in a small café. The coffee helped me along. I would be able to catch some sleep on the last leg of the second flight but until then..

From my bag, I took out my notebook and pull a charcoal pencil from its inner sleeve and just start idly writing things down, my situations that I had and the dates they happened on. In between, I watched and clocked the attitudes of the passersby, the kind of shops that populated the connecting airport. Just to keep my mind busy.

I sketched them, finding my lines ragged and unsure at first. Then as I let go a bit, the contours of things took on more confidence. After a time, my hand had become as skilled as my eyes. I watched the crowds around me as my pencil raced across the page. I had forgotten how cathartic it was to do this. In my early teens I had found this to be an escape or I suppose an outlet would be a better term. Even now, my mind wandered as my pencil moved in quick lines, curves, like my mind was at the tip, acting before I could think. I often didn't have a clear idea of what I was going to be drawing when I started, unless it was for a very specific purpose. Most of the time, like now, I had sat down and drew a line, and it wasn't really related to anything, not like this vague feeling of movement or atmosphere. That line would often lead to another, and then forms and figures will start to appear. I usually start things very intuitively, and sort of watch the process, almost as a spectator like… now.

I lost myself for a few minutes and felt my vision lose focus on the crowd ahead of me and for a moment, I thought back to the tree. I could still see it, in such detail. The one surrounded in fog that smelt like the sea, the thick branches with the crow perched on it, looking down at me..

The sound of connecting flights now beginning to board over the speakers brought me out of it. Absently I started to gather my carry-on bag and when I looked back down to my page, I nearly dropped the pencil. There, on the paper was almost a splitting image of the sight I saw. One part of my mind couldn't begin to comprehend the detail I had captured while another part of my brain was busy inspecting the curves of the branches, the placement of mountains that lingered in the back, the composition as a whole, reflecting that I had created this scene on a blank piece of paper. The only thing that had seemed to have been difficult for me to capture was.. I suppose the blur was the crow? Frowning, I closed the book and got on my second flight.

I don't know how to describe it, but the more I thought about where I was going, the stronger a need in the back of my mind filled me. I spent my time going over my journal since sleep eluded me while I travelled, looking back at my earlier pages. The date of one that had me smiling put me at maybe 17. The image was of a baby, asleep in a pair of arms that ended at slender shoulders. The cherub face was soft in sleep with little feet poking out from under a knitted blanket. A small beauty spot on the highest point of a cheekbone, closest to the right eye. Little clenched hands. I don't recall where I had been or what I was doing, but it was rare for me to see something and have an urge to draw it back then. It wasn't as clear as my most recent drawings, but it still made me smile. Oasis was singing about champagne supernova's and soon, my eyes closed granting me some rest for a few hours.

The airplane lands upon the brightly lit tarmac, wheels kissing earth with a small and joyous bounce waking me. After clearing security, I step out into Sibiu and have to take a minute. In the crowd of people that moved so quickly getting from place to place, I can't help but take it all in. Everything from the architecture of the homes and buildings to the very air felt different here and for the first time in years, I take my time in going to where I needed to go.

A car rental not far from the airport arranged a decent ride for me. Keys in hand I almost laughed at the car they've given me. A little burgundy two door Dacia Carpathia, I know I don't have much on me, but I had to walk around the little car and take it all in. America and Romania have a different take on vehicles. Never seen a car where the gas can was in the back between the licence plate and the brake lights. But she certainly moved decent enough. Within hours I was already on the road with a map they included open on the passenger seat.

I've been driving for several hours and it almost felt aimlessly with the sole goal of finding remote places. I had to find a sperate point from main roads to off-roads and that took a while.

Glancing down to the lights and dials, I note that my cars got less than a quarter tank by the time evening rolls around and there's no telling when I'll find another gas station in this area. Taking to a small rural town with a name I couldn't pronounce right if I tried, I located a gas station. Filling up all the way will set me back at least thirty American dollars, leaving me only a couple of dollars for food to quench the growing gnawing emptiness in my stomach.

More importantly, the next time I run out of gas and not close to anywhere in specific, I'm screwed. I need to get an idea of where to go.. Something. A small library had me taking a small detour after I grabbed a few things to eat and walked in. Couldn't have been much bigger than a coffee shop, but the woman behind the counter was going over a few books to put away and looked up at me..

"Excuse me, ma'am," I say, approaching the woman. She looks up, her wrinkled face looks a little shocked. "Sorry to bother you- oh- wait, do you speak English?"

"Yes. Not much." She returns, her accent thick.

"Do you live in this area?"

"Why, yes, dear." A smile brightens her wrinkled face. "Born and bred."

"Great. You wouldn't happen to know of a village with a large mansion or castle, would you?"

She looks over her reading glasses and squints at me. "Huh. We have, ah, fancy building deeper in town, but you say a.. a village?"

My head bobs up and down. "Yes, it would date back before the second world war."

She looks up, rheumy eyes blinking behind the thick lenses of her glasses. "Well, I can't be certain, dear. My husband would know more, but he died." My disappointment must've been clear on my face but she let out a thoughtful hum. "He would say we did have… ah, small and uh, old villages way in mountains. No one goes there."

"Do you have a map of the known villages?"

She shakes her head. "No, no one's goes out to find them. They could be anywhere, and none with that kind of, ah, money, much less a castle."

"Anything that's connected to salt water then?"

"Hmm.. Some places deep in the mountains have water, maybe a few rivers." She shrugs.

"Close enough." I say on an exhale. She gives me vague directions and with a warm smile, she adds, "You have nice day now, hear?"

I'm almost out the door when a local newspaper catches my eye. It's in a bin labeled "FREE," so I grab it before continuing on to my car.

While I eat a small sandwich, I go straight for the WORLD NEWS section in the back. It's a long shot, but maybe- My hand lets go of the quarter left of my sandwich and falls into my lap as a topic jumps out at me.

TRICELL UNCOVERED AS FACE FOR SILENT PARTNER UMBRELLA- SHUT DOWN GLOBALLY THANKS TO WHISTLEBLOWER.

I am glad I was sitting down. Reading the small article I send out a silent thanks that names weren't named, but it did mention that bodies were found amongst the rubble that was left over. Seems Umbrella had taken precautions and a fire was set to ensure no secrets were discovered. BSAA had come in and cleared out as many as they could and were still looking for any information about said whistleblower. Throwing the paper into the back seat, I blow out a breath and tighten my hands on the wheel as I set in in drive and head in the direction that the librarian had directed me in. I find myself randomly turning onto narrow, winding roads. The tension drained me more than I thought as my eyes drew heavy as the night swallowed my car. I drove farther and longer than I thought before I decide to pull off onto the side of the road. A clearing in the woods where I can park behind the trees, out of sight of anyone driving by is just what needed.

With the car safely situated, I open the trunk and take out another sweater from the canvas bag. Rolling up the sweater, I stretch out on the backseat, place the makeshift pillow under my head, and close my eyes. This whole day seems to have blurred right by me and I got little to show for it. My eyes crack open and look to the newspaper.

Well, I got a headline. That was something. But what I wanted.. needed I couldn't find in a newspaper. I still had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I was headed in the right direction. Kind of. When I'm tired but my brain keeps on going as if it were on some Olympian over thinking sprint, I use that energy for trying to figure out the best way to go about finding this place.

My last thought before sleep drags me under is the hope that I stay alive long enough to get answers, or hell, find whatever it is I felt compelled to find here.

---

I heard… voices… My eyes opened and found myself in… a hallway? I looked around and took in the white banister and walls with its paint peeling. A chandelier with several pieces missing hung limply from the ceiling but I was almost level with it. Leaning over the banister, I saw that I was on a second floor. When I turned back around I nearly screamed when a woman with wild grey hair came up behind me with a tray with a steaming pot. She didn't seem to care for my presence, or from her blank stare, I doubt she even knew about it. Pressing a hand to my chest, to calm my breathing and my racing heart, I watched as she placed the tray down so she could take out a key to unlock a door to my left. Opening it wide, I leaned slightly as she walked in to peer inside. I saw a grandfather clock immediately to the left, and after she took several steps, I looked deeper into the room. It was dark but I followed in after, compelled by curiosity. I nearly gasped. A man was laying on a bed with a hand bolted to a table that hovered over his waist. He looked rough, several cuts over his face, his clothes ripped and dirty. He watched the woman as she walked in with a scowl that had me raising my brows.

She suddenly stopped, her head moving around as she looked around the room, then drifted a few steps and I walked in deeper. The room was illuminated by a few candles and a dim lantern and nothing more. Paintings on the walls, random broken furniture, a faded couch, windows that were covered in planks of wood. I wandered over to the man in his bed and not once did he look away from the woman as she turned around and brought in the tray with the pot.

The look on her face now gave me the creeps, her mouth moved, but I heard no sound. The man in the bed didn't say a word, just watched her. She set the tray down and started out the door. I debated on following her but after looking at the man in the bed, to his arm linked to the small table, I decided to linger. When the door closed, he waited for maybe a second before he was wiggling at his cuff. When it open, he was up and moving fast. Picking up a lantern beside his bed, he moved about the room. He moved to the dresser and bent down and picked up something behind it. Standing back up he moved to open a door to the left of his bed and entered the adjoining room. I walked to the pot and peered over the rim and though I couldn't smell anything, I gagged at the sight. I think it was.. intestines and other body pieces that had me pressing my fingers to my mouth.

Who are these people?!

The door behind me suddenly swings open and the woman is back, her eyes wild and frantic as she's looking around. She looks to the room where the guy had entered and starts towards it. It busts open and they're all hands, grabbing and fighting for the upper hand. I start towards them to try and break it up but the glint of a knife has me pausing before he stabs her square in the throat. I can't help the gasp as I watch her fall backwards and write in pain. He's also holding a large.. bar? Key? It was strange looking and covered in thorns. He glances to her and the bed as he somehow, makes it shift and slide away revealing a door in the floor. Using the key in his hand, he manages to get it open by the time the woman finishes flailing and writhing. Pulling the knife from her throat, she looks towards the hole in the floor and I think she calls after him when he drops down. Her arms begin to stretch, elongating to horrific lengths, her body reshaping before my eyes and like damn bug, scuttles forward and into the hole after him.

I hear his pained scream and-

---

-I wake abruptly. My heart beats fast and there is a buzzing in my brain and together I fly forwards and grab onto my steering wheel with a harsh breaths.

What the fuck was that?

My hand lifts to my forehead and I can't manage a thought to make sense of it.. Looking out the windshield, I groan when I see the early signs of light brightening the sky. It certainly felt like I had only slept a few hours in the collective days. Getting out of the car, I stretch and yawn as I head to the trunk for my canvas bag. Managing to pull out my notebook, I let out a small curse as I drop the pencil. I bend down and grab it and by the time I straighten up, and open my notebook…

I don't remember the dream.

Like I knew I dreamt but the more my mind woke up, the more I forgot. I struggled to recall anything and frowned. Snapping the book closed, I go about my morning. I wash my face, brush my teeth and soon, I am back on the road. For a few hours, the rougher terrain proving difficult when I was without coffee and trying to wake up but the jostling certainly did the job just as well. When the road evened out a little more I ate a granola bar for breakfast.

I was on a dirt road, somewhere surrounded by trees, rising and falling terrain and with my window down when I got a strong sensation that I had just entered the right place. I almost didn't notice it, but my radio went a little skittish before it finally dies out. No static, just dead. I hadn't been paying attention to it much anyway but it was the subtle way I caught my breath. I had been looking for a way to get off the off beaten path that I was currently on when I saw my exhale leave my mouth and flutter in front of me before disappearing.

That was the only warning I got before my car jerked suddenly, making me lift my free hand up as if to brace myself on the dash. I glanced to my dials and saw that I still had some gas in the tank, no other warning signs but the car suddenly stuttered till it started to slow. Mild panic had me veering it off to the side of the beaten path and nearly flinches when I saw that I had a decent slope downward on the passenger side. I hadn't even realized I was rising uphill. When the car finally stopped I gave a rueful laugh.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I set the car in park with the e-brake as well and turned the ignition off then tried to turn it back on again. Nothing. No sound, not even the stuttering sounds of a car trying to come to life. It couldn't be possible that the battery was dead. I also still had gas in the tank. I would pop the hood, but I didn't know a damn thing about cars, let alone ones that had their manuals in a different fucking language. I didn't even have a cell to try to call someone, but hell, I didn't know where I was, or if there was even reception out here. I glance to the radio and frown. If there was no radio, then I doubt there would be cell towers out here. "For fucks sake." I mutter and rub my hands over my eyes and face. Just when I had been getting the feeling that I was.. Ugh. Grabbing what little I had in the front seat with me, I get out and make my way to my trunk and grab my bag.

This is what I get for going full hog without thinking of everything. But its not like I was planning a fucking vacation, so there's that. I still had food and water to last me a little while. Closing the trunk, I look around. "Alright.. Now, which directing?" The road around me split into different directions and as I start to reach for a map, I hear someone whisper;

'Left.'

I jerk around to find the source of the sound, but there's no one. Nothing but a sensation that has my eyes lingering on the ground that rises ahead of me. That was what was left. Right side seemed, compared to the other side, more traversed and established.. With a long steadying breath. I start off left and start a slow climb.

I don't know how long I was walking for, but it was the sounds of hooves on the half-beaten road that drew me up short. I looked around and saw nothing, that is until I looked uphill more. A horse drawn buggy was making its way in the same direction I was seeming to be heading.

I kept walking forward, even when he and I converged on the road, though I did keep to the far side of the makeshift road without falling down the decline. Occasionally I would look out of the corner of my eyes and clock him. The driver had me blink a few times. He was very.. rotund. Well… Obese would be the clinical term. From this distance, I could see he wore a dark blue jacket that buttoned up in the front with just two buttons that I could swear were straining against his body. His pale undershirt didn't cover all of his underbelly, showing some skin. His hands that held the reigns were thick and had several rings that looked to be almost cutting into his skin on different fingers. His legs were covered in what looked to be dark leggings but the red cloth wrap around his waistline is what made me think of a wandering Romani. It, to me, put the whole image together. But that wasn't what threw me off. It was a bit cool here and steadily dropping with the later hour and this big man… wasn't wearing shoes.

Where were his shoes?

He seemed to be lost in thought, or maybe perhaps he was just enjoying the ride and hadn't noticed me. But after a few feet, he seemed to clue in to my presence with a slight turn of his head and widening eyes and yet, I was still concerned about his feet.

"You seem a little out of place here." The statement had me slowing to a stop. The way he had spoken, his tone wasn't hostile but more polite.. friendly even. I did find it a little… sketchy. He could have just kept going, even picked up the pace but instead he chose to speak to me. Looking between the two of us, I couldn't find any response to his words. He certainly wasn't wrong, even when traveling through a place such as this. He must've read my discomfort and with a small bow of head, he smiled in a from of greeting. "Forgive my manners. You can call me, the Duke."

"Uh, hello The Duke." I say slowly, righting my pack strap.

"Duke will be fine." He says with a smile. "May I ask what is a lady such as yourself doing, wandering in these foothills?"

I glance to my pack and shrug. "I'm backpacking."

"Backpacking?" He echoes, looking me over. The way his eyes look me over is more out of curiosity rather than hostile. "We don't get much wanderers out this way. And by the way you look, someone would say you look very suspicious."

That had me swallowing and taking a step back.

"Some would say that you do too." I gesture to his cart with a jerk of my chin. He takes in my words and then with his head tilted back, laughs, warm and amused.

"Touché, my dear. But I am actually just a humble merchant." He smiles and bows his head again.

"Really?" I ask, looking around. "Out here? I don't see any towns nearby." I gesture all around us. He chuckled once again.

"That's because there aren't any. Not for miles. I am heading from the more populated areas to villages bringing my wares." That had me taking in a sharp breath. "I have things from clothing, jewelry, healing salves and even weapons with ammunition."

That had a chill roll over my shoulders. "Weapons and ammunition? What would you need them for in places like this?"

He frowns, and re-adjusts the grip on his reigns. "I take it you haven't seen some of the more… dangerous wildlife that we have in these mountains." I shake my head no and glance around. I hadn't seen anything, not for miles. "The further in you go, the more dangerous it gets. And if it wasn't for that, then it's for the farmers in these parts that keep the creatures off their livestock. Can't go chasing wolves or bears with shovels when some travel in packs." That made me feel a little better. "But anything one may desire; I can provide or acquire." He looks at me and no doubt takes in my state. "Would you be interested in anything?"

"Directions!" I say quickly. He leans away, not a flinch, more like in surprise of my outburst. "Sorry." I let out a humored huff of air. "I would appreciate some directions."

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" He asks, his voice changing a little. He now sounded like a cheerful business man. Like one that tries to sell you vacuums or cable. Strangely, it put me at ease.

"I'm- I'm just looking for a place, a village I believe." He frowns in thought.

"I would need a little more information than that. There are a few places in these mountains."

"Alright, uh.." I chewed on my bottom lip in thought before letting it go. "I don't know the name of the village, but I think I know about a few places in it." I explain. "Its near bodies of water, I think, but also accessible to mountains, a large house, mansion or castle maybe? It has a courtyard and.."

"Oh." The Duke's tone lowered at my mental grasping at straws. He looked over me and slowly nodded. "Not many know of that village. How did you come to know about it?" His voice sounded curious again and I struggled to put it into words. Gesturing with my notebook in hand, I gave a weak shrug.

"I've.. I've only seen it. But I've never physically been there.."

"You've seen it?" He asked, raising a thick hand to thoughtfully scratch at his chin. "But you've said you have never set foot here before. Forgive me, my lady, but I am confused."

"So am I." I don't know why I admitted it, but I found myself scratching at my forehead. "I don't know how to explain it.. It's like.. I've dreamt it. Being there."

"You've… had visions of it?" He asks and I feel torn at agreeing or disagreeing.

"I.. don't really know but somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I am heading in the right direction."

"I wont say you're wrong. But if you are sure in going there-"

"I am." I state and meet his eyes and don't waver. A moment of pause between us stretched for a time and it looks like he is debating on it but soon, his face softens once again.

"Well then, I can offer you a ride."

"Really?" He nods and smiles once again. "You would just… offer a stranger a ride for free? Why?"

"Why, its all part of our first-class customer service. Wouldn't want you getting lost out here either."

"I haven't bought anything from you."

"Yet." He said cheerfully.

"Alright. If its not out of your way."

"No, no. No hassle at all. I am actually headed to the area to sell my wares." He gesture to the buggy he currently rides, rings glinting in the light.

"Well, I could pay you for the ride."

"Oh?" He waits while I dig out my wallet and hand him a few bills. He looks at it, then me with a chuckle. "I'm afraid I can't accept that type of currency my dear. I work with payments in Lei." He reaches over to open a small little drawer and takes out what looks to be a silver coin. He leans over and holds it out to me. I extend my hand and take the coin from him and look it over. The emblem on the front was a wolf that was howling at a moon behind it. Latin was written around it and on the flipped side, was a crown with 100 Lei stamped on the back.

"I've never seen this kind of currency before." I say softly.

"We do use that strictly in these parts. Romania and a little in Moldova." He explains. When I reluctantly start to hand it to him, he waves it away. "Keep it." I nod and look back to it. I flip the coin over and over in my fingers, tracing its shape. Memorizing its size. It was no bigger than a nickel.

'Ipsum dolor sit amet lorem cons.' It could be translated a number of ways, but from what I recall from my lessons growing up… It loosely translates to 'The pain itself is the main vehicle.' Then again, Latin was not my best subject so I could be wrong.

"Hop in and we'll be off." He gestured to his right and slowly I started walking to the door.

Duke's Emporium was carved in a plaque on the side of the buggy. Stepping up the slender stairs, the smell of garlic hit my nose and I almost flinch at the overpowering scent. When I climb in, I stand a little shocked at the sight before me.

Greek pitchers made from what looked to be pure white marble with blue painted designs. I almost reached out to touch the little carved depictions of humans along the middle and trace them. Silver steins with fancy filigree on them, powder boxes that looks years old but still in brilliant condition, an old-world globe, wooden barrels, carpenters tools, vegetables in wicker baskets, links of cured sausages hung on the walls, oil lamps that were dimly lit, brown packages wrapped in twine, notebooks, parchment paper, a typewriter and still so much more.

"I could get lost in here." I say and hear him laugh from outside. There was so much I wanted to see. I dropped my bag down and seated on a few boxes covered in thickly knitted blankets with a relived sigh that I was now off my feet.

"Good to go?" the Duke called back to me; his voice muffled a little from the wooden partition.

"Yeah." I called back and with a subtle clicking, the buggy started to move.

For a while, we travelled in silence.

Dangerous.

The word whispers across my mind, but this time, I can't convince myself of it.. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I can feel it. A month ago, the blinders I'd worn my whole life—the ones all normal people wear—were violently ripped away, and I can't unsee the darkness in the world, can't pretend it isn't there. But as time went on, I relaxed enough and found that, though he was a large man, he was friendly, well, downright jolly and made for good company.

"I never did catch your name." He said after telling me a little about the land.

"It's Elodie."

"How lovely." He went on and spoke about how he had travelled far and knew many other merchants, one in particular in Spain was a good friend of his who also did his trades in smaller villages. He liked to cook and offered to make a good Romanian dinner for us in welcome to the land. I played some music from my mp3 and found that Duke really liked Abba. I found out that his horses name was Chutney.

The rug on the floor of his buggy, or carriage, as he had corrected me, drew my attention. An owl, wings spread wide with what looked to be a faded crown that hovered just above its head. He told me that it was his family crest. He was telling me about it when I had begun to nod off.

When I woke, the carriage was no longer moving. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and felt a little better. I opened the door to start out and saw that a small creek was a few feet away and Chutney, leaning down was having a rest. The sound of the door had him turning his head and greeting me with a smile from his drivers seat.

"How long have I been out?" I ask stretching my arms. I vaguely hear him hum in thought.

"I'd say for the better part of hours. I tried to wake you when I stopped to make some dinner, but you wouldn't stir. Left you some food on the hutch back there." I blinked and stretched my neck from side to side and looked to my right. A plate with bread, rice and fish met my sight. Picking up the plate, I ate with appreciation.

"Sorry I passed out on you, Duke." I say after swallowing a good mouthful. Even cold the flavours were surprising and welcoming. He chuckled low and hearty.

"I can tell you have had a long journey that has worn you down. Sometimes its best to leave one to rest."

"Thank you for the meal. Its delicious." I say as he nods and goes back to counting Lei.

"My pleasure. Its been a while since I have had female company that has been so.. intriguing." He admits as I finish my plate.

"I would hardly call someone like myself that." I stand and stretch. The forest we were in was so dense I almost couldn't see much of the sky. It was so quiet that I heard almost nothing except the wind in the treetops, the sound of Chutney's breathing and Duke's thoughtful humming. "Duke, do you mind if I look around while I stretch my legs?" I call back to him.

"Not at all my dear." When his head lifts from the Lei to me he nods. "But try not to wander to far, miss Elodie. We are almost there and I would hate for you to get lost. The footing around here can be a bit tricky." I smile at his words and idly walk outward into the line of the forest with a sense of accomplishment.

Almost there.

We were close. Those were Dukes words and yet, the deeper into the brush I walked, the more I got the sense of Déjà vu. It looked familiar. Then again, all trees could look the same to some. I inhaled deeply through my nose and grew almost lightheaded with the scent of woods, earth and.. water. Saltwater. With a small gasp my hand lifted and touched one of the trees as my heart began to race with a mixture of excitement, alarm and wonder. I had seen this. Felt it, but now the sensations weren't muted. They were strong and real. Holy shit. I had been running in Atlanta but I had seen myself running here..

I frowned. Running from what though? It was.. vague and couldn't fully recall when I tried. I might've written it in my book. My hand dropped and I started heading back to Duke's carriage, I was surprised when I realized just how far away I had walked. I was about to call out to the Duke when I heard the sound of a twig snapping a few feet ahead of me.

I stopped and peered all around me.

There was nothing now but deep shadow.

Okay. I picked up my pace when I saw that Chutney was no longer by the stream but attached to the carriage once again. Duke however was getting settled back on the drivers seat, leaning towards him. The lanterns were fully lit and glowing all around becoming a beacon. I hadn't even realized how dark it was getting.

Another twig snapping and the sound of quick footfalls had me spinning around to look to where I thought I heard the sound. Twice now and yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was out here..

"Not only quiet," I mumbled, "but fast. Okay, okay." To bolster myself a little, I paused to take three deep breaths. "There's nothing in here that wasn't here when there was more light. Just go back the way you came and stop being an idiot." As I walked I came more and more conscious of the air. With the lack of light and heat from the sun, the air grew heavier, and more damp. I watched as like a tide, a thin fog slid over the ground, white as smoke. I lingered and watched as it moved around me, creeping up till it was just past my shins when I could have sworn I'd heard something, like… bells? The faint ringing perked my ears and had me looking up and around to locate the source of the sound but it was the Duke who called out once again.

"Elodie?!" I heard a flicker of panic before I saw it register on his face. He was also looking off in the distance as the sound drifted out then back to me. "We have to go. Now."

I started a decent jog when a breath stuttered and froze in my chest when I came several feet away from Duke's carriage. I saw the glint of gold eyes peering out from just behind it. Chutney's ears tucked straight back and shifted uncomfortably.

"Duke? What's happe-" I called and regretted making a sound as growls drifted to me with more rolls of fog. I stopped dead when they grew louder and Chutney reared up, his panicking hoof shuffling had the Duke grow alarmed and when Chutney bucked and pulled until the carriage was moving, he casted a look that had me grow chilled.

He looked afraid, but I got the sense that his fear was for me.

"Chutney, slow down!" I watched as the carriage moved aggressively from side to side, the sharp erratic turns making the carriage almost go onto two wheels. Duke looked back as Chutney began a full gallop. "Elodie! My dear, run!" The carriage was going off in a direction that took it away from the glowing eyes. I swallowed as my heart picked up its pace, my limbs trembling. I didn't know what to do, chase after the carriage? Run in a different direction? It was growing dark and I could barely see a damn thing. I could hear the sound of Duke's carriage as it quickly moved away. Slowly backing up, I felt a tree press against my back and moved slowly trying to put it between whatever was near me between us. My hand lifted to brace against the bark, my whole-body trembling.

A loud snapping sound had me turning towards it and out of a thick brush a long limb crept out, human like but the colour was wrong. It looked like it was decaying, dark grey and black with claws that looked too pointed to be human. It connected to a large body that stayed low to the ground as it slowly crept towards me and I took a stumbled step backwards when its head lifted.

Human. But not. Long wispy hair that covered most of the face, but what I could see was a mouth covered in dried blood with ragged jutted teeth.. Limbs covered in ragged and ripped clothes, dirt and other.. god knows what. It rose up unto two legs and sniffed harshly in my direction. It looked.. male, but the descended jaw wasn't the right shape. Its eyes though..

That had me retreating another step before I held my ground. I watched it move, its whole body looked ready to pounce and yet, it just seemed to watch me. The low growl had me inhaling sharply, glancing around for something, anything. My bag with all my gear was with the Duke and he, by the sounds of it, was long gone. My eyes landed on a stick about two feet away from me and then back to the.. whatever this was.

It growled again and lunged forward saliva dripping from its mouth and instinctively I sidestepped and brought the heel of my hand to the back of its head. The connection was solid, wasn't much but it let out what I could only imagine was a pained snarl before shaking its head, its steps wavering a little.

Okay, so it still could get a little dazed. It's body was human but the sounds and movements were animalistic but rather than stay around to analyse it, I turned on my heel, dug deep and booked. My legs carried me as fast as I could push them. My breath coming in harsh gasps, heart beat in my ears when I heard an animalistic roar from behind me and the sound of encroaching footfalls had me glancing behind me. It was fast, and catching up on me quickly to the point where I begun to zig zag when it tried to lunge several times. The sounds it made sounded like it was becoming more and more angered when I moved fluidly around it, dipping and sidestepping. I moved around on one side of an upcoming tree and didn't see it coming. I tried to jerk my body out of reach but a wide swipe of an arm clipped the top of my right thigh.

I felt the warmth before the pain registered. My hands clamped down on my right thigh and saw my leg jaggedly sliced from its long black claws even through my jeans. My cry of pain is what seemed to make it roar and jump at me, knocking me back until it was leaning over top. Letting go of my leg I brought my arms up to block it from trying to make any more wide swipes downwards near my chest or throat. Fear was starting to choke me as I struggled to get my feet planted to get this thing off me, but its weight was staggering. Its face bent down to mine and its teeth bared at a menacing growl that had its saliva dripping on my neck. Its knee landed on my bleeding thigh and a scream left my lips before a surge of.. I don't know if it was adrenalin, fear or anger filled me.

Timing an open-handed jab just right, my hand shot out and latched onto its thick neck. It struggled but when my fingers tightened on its airway it started to jolt and jerk around and gasped.

"Get. Off. Of. Me." I punctuated each word between its movements and feeling heat build up in my arm, I pushed it back enough for it to lift up so I could bring my good leg up and with a full body swinging momentum, my knee rose up and connected with its jaw. Blood dripped from its mouth before the sound of bone crunching from my knee to its joint earned a pained howl that gave me enough time to get up and start running once again. I was trying to go in the same direction that the Duke had gone, at least if we met up somewhere down a road, I could hop back in and we'd be off.

A girl could hope...

My legs burned like something fierce, and with each hard step I felt my leg tear a little. I pushed harder needing distance from that thing and with a glance backwards, I was relived when I saw nothing behind me. Bracing a hand to a tree I took a second to catch my breath when a ferocious roar nearly deafened my ears followed by the ground under my feet shaking when a large spiked metal ball landed inches away from my left, I recoiled away from it as my legs tried to get steady once again under my feet.

Spinning to put my back against the tree I gapped at the sight. "HOLY FUCKING HELL!"

It was another one of those.. things but this one is unnaturally large and muscular, with a wild mane of grey hair around his face. He wore what looked to be half of a large coat on one side, but the other side was covered with thick sheets of metal, with several tendrils protruding from a large growth on his back. Dark pants with rusted chains wrapped around one knee with worn down leather boots. He could have been at least seven feet tall and the spiked ball was half the size of me width wise and connected to a large metal rode that he held in his hands. His face was nothing but animalistic rage as the large spiked mace lifted once again and this time he brought it up and around his head to take a sideways swing with a resounding growl.

With a panicked inhale, I dropped right down to the ground and horrifically heard the sounds of the crude weapon crunch through the tree that I had leaned against clean through, sending slinters and chunks of wood all around me. I closed my eyes as they fell but snapped open when the sound of the tree began creaking and groaning as it started its slow but steadily faster fall. Rolling out of the way it landed with a loud crash, my body bouncing a little from its harsh landing. My chest heaved in and out as I rose up on my elbows and nearly screamed when the large tendril covered creature peered over the edge, one hand resting on its weapon and the other reaching for me. Its hand nearly the width of chest and I struggled to move fast enough.

When its large hand gripped me around my neck and shoulders and begun to pull me closer as if I weighted nothing to it like a ragdoll, I kicked out, my legs going for its arm, its shoulder and twice to its face earning a menacing growl that with my bad leg, I lifted it high enough and put all my focus into a solid dropkick that landed square on what must've been the bridge of its nose. The sharp crack had its hand spasming and I was suddenly falling to the ground, the air knocking out of me with a new sharp pain pressing deep in my shoulder as it roared in pain and I was struggling to scramble to get up. My shoulder felt wrong. I got moving but with each pump of my arms, my left shoulder stung something fierce. Without stopping, my good arm lifted and reached over my shoulder and came into contact with something solid. My vision darkened in the corners as I pushed my fear and pain down and wrapped my hand around what must've been a large splinter from the destroyed tree. Holding my breath I pulled it out from my back and screamed at the tearing sensation. Looking to the chunk my eyes lifted to see more, dozens more of those smaller looking things.

But it was the heavy impacts on the ground that made my body surge forward. Throwing away the piece of wood, I kept pushing. My leg was throbbing and blood soaked my jeans to my knee, my shoulder made my left arm almost immobilized from the stick. The forest was so dense that I couldn't see a damn thing, but all around me I could hear the screeching, the roaring, feel the commotion all around me.

I felt like I was using a half-assed version of echo-location. Twigs from nearby branches scratched my face and hands as I moved through. I was ducking under a large fallen log when I think I could see a forked footpath in the ground ahead of me.

Heartbeat in my ears, my breath ragged, roars and screeching howls behind and all around me, I could have sworn I heard the sound of rushing water, like an echo of memory, and turned unerringly onto the left fork of the path. What began as a whisper became a roar, and I started to hurry, my body was slowing down and no doubt it was from the loss of blood. My boots clattered as I climbed up rocks, my arm and leg revolting the whole time. I pushed aside a few long branches and groaned when one snapped back and hit my mouth, the taste of blood filling it.

Clearing past the last of the thick treeline, I skidded to a halt when cold damp air kicked past my face and tore what was left of my braid loose when I stumbled to a halt as I came breathlessly to the top of the rise. I thought I would come to a lake but instead, the roar of the water came from a waterfall, large and powerful with fuming white waves that threw themselves in fury against the rocks below. The drop was… it made me swallow and feel a new fear right down to my soles. I heard the growling become closer and turned, my back to the thunderous water. One by one, the creatures came up and over the stone. Some had what looked to be crude metal gauntlets on their hands, others held.. pickaxes? Bows and arrows?

What the actual fuck was going on?!

One lunged, a wood axe swinging high. Stepping sideways, I grabbed the handle and twisted my body so that the ugly brute moved with me and pushed the blade downward and abruptly back up behind his back. His arms moved with it until it reached his stomach and credit to it, his grip never released. His own momentum curled him down and inwards flipping him into his back when I pulled the axe out of his grip. They didn't speak, just made animalistic grunts, roars and snarls and approaching slowly all around.

Another came at me, pickaxe swinging for my head. Ducking my head under the motion I brought the handle of my axe to its face like a bat, shattering it. I was left with a foot of handle and blade at the end. Flipping it around I bowed my body inwards at another that lunges arm straight to my chest, claws out, and grabbed hold of it by its wrist.

"Hands off!" I brought the blade down mid forearm and embedded it 3 quarters the way through. Its pained howl didn't last long when my foot came up and kicked it backwards, its midback landing on the edge of the stone and with the rest of the momentum, fell backwards, its cry echoing with the crashing of the water below. One with metal gauntlets came towards me and face covered in thick metal plates and almost like a boxer, took a quick and heavy swing. It was faster than I would have anticipated for having such heavy looking metal strapped to its body but dropping down into a quick roll after a solid swing, I kicked at the back of its knees effectively knocking it down. I rolled once again and with a heavy breath I managed to get to my feet. Gauntlets got up and turned towards me and raised a metal covered fist when a deeper snarl came from the tree line and all at once, they lowered their heads, back away. They parted way until the big one came out, its face covered in dark blood that ran to its chin, its tendrils whipping around erratically. I felt my breath stutter in my chest as he closed in on the cliff. Looking back behind me I swallowed. I wasn't more than a few feet away from the edge but while he got closer, they also encroached slowly.

I couldn't take on all of these guys and the big one there wasn't giving me any room to maneuver or..

Fuck.

I was trapped. No way around it. The rock under my feet was slick and I wouldn't have good traction if I wanted to try and slid around. I also noticed that my blood was now dripping onto the rocks under me and did my best to control my breathing. I tried to calm myself, even as the fear and cold mist from the falls made me shake almost until my teeth rattled.

None of them fully human, none of them beast either. Like they were all.. spliced. Genetically altered.

By the way they don't rush me en-masse I get a sickening feeling in my stomach. The large mace wielder of them all seemed to be the alpha of this.. group? When he let out a roar, they stopped encircling me, and giving him space.

Pack, I settled on from the looks of this hierarchy. As he steps towards me, I briefly wonder if this is what Ozwell Spencer saw. Or perhaps he created and left behind?

I don't linger on that thought long when the large one spins his mace once again and brings it downward swiftly. I don't have room to move to either side thanks to the other creatures around me and instead, jump backwards. I don't know if it was sheer luck or bad judge of distance on both of our parts but my heel tipped backwards over the edge of the rock, making me throw up my arms to balance myself when my momentum nearly sends me over the edge before I manage to right myself. While the mace landed hard a foot in front of me, if I hadn't had moved, I would've been squashed flat. When my hands stop flailing I meet this big guys stare and don't back down when a menacing growl emanates from him. Licking my lip, I spit blood onto its mace.

"Heh, missed." I don't know why I goaded but it eased some of the pressure in my chest, that is until I see something in its eyes change and with a growl he regrips the metal pole and starts to lift when I hear a thunderous crack followed by a crunch.

I look down and see the indentation of the large spiked ball and a sharp inhale fills my lungs. Oh god.

The stone cracked, the lines moving like lighting from each of the points the spikes had left, the way it loosened and crumbled underneath my feet had me hold my breath and braced for when it gave way. The roar that filled the air rattled me to my soul as I tipped over and backwards. My eyes squeezed shut and I let out a piercing scream as I free fell with chunks of stone falling all around me. I am flipping round and round as I fall, cold water hitting me from all sides as I plummet. I open my eyes as I inhale again when I hear another shattering roar, this one more menacing and vengeful then the last and catch a glimpse of the large body over the now broken edge of the falls.

The scream that tears through me as I continue to fall is one that I can't place. The sound ringing out with a burning sensation as it left my throat before it is quickly silenced with my body slapping against the cold churning water with a pain so violent that my whole body locks up and goes numb as wave after wave of agony choked me as the water churns me this way and that.

I choke on water as air is punched from me when my back comes into contact with jagged rocks and that takes the last bit of strength I have in me.

My limbs are weak, eyes stinging from the saltwater, my wounds throbbing but the last thing I feel is myself being carried away, weightless on a current as the last bubble of air leaves me along with consciousness.

And its strange. Because this.. this is where my story truly begins…

---

"Hmm.. You mean 'our' story.."

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AN:

WHOO!

Hello everyone and sorry this took so long to get out. Things have been a little rough lately but I hope that with a longer chapter, you all can forgive me, at least a little.

Please be sure to tell me what you think about it. I can't tell you how much I love your comments. They give me fuel to keep going! Don't forget my inbox is always open and so it my Tumblr! If you have any requests, questions or thoughts! Be sure to message me!

Until next time!

Stay safe!

IMME.