Emptiness filled her heart, whose beats slowed. Hollowness encompassed her mind, no more thoughts swirling. Only one remained. Behind her eyes, the pleas, begs, and the cries reverberated with more fervor each time. Her lips trembled, water filling her eyes. Her weeps unanswered, her eyes murky.
Behind them, a casket lies center, surrounded with wilted weeds. They encircled the coffin, digging into it. Remember , in gold lettering engraved into a loose band containing wilted grey petals shone in the moonlight. Her name on a nearby tombstone sent shivers down her spine.
A figment of her imagination took hold of her, yet she questioned its nature.
A premonition of a distant past, but a near future.
Her eyes traveled across the floor as her face turned pale white as snow. The buzzing of jumping flies bounced off the walls. A putrid stench of dried blood and decomposed flesh filled her lungs. She covers her mouth, coughing into her fist, tears peeking out from her eyes.
He laid there in front of her. His dull eyes trained onto her, his skin blemished and raw. The body didn't flinch or twitch. Instead, it stayed stationary, its gaze hard.
Rey shut her eyes, a vein popping on her forehead. Sitting on the cold floor, she stays motionless, her breathing slowed.
You enjoyed his misery to the very end.
Her brows furrowed as she kept her posture upright. Opening her eyes, she looked around.
You murdered him without hesitation.
Rey grimaced, reminiscing about how the knight's sword felt in her hand.
How many had he vanquished before?
Many.
The Knight of Ren murdering thousands of people was probable. He didn't seem too disturbed by the man's wounds or pleas.
You two are alike.
Grimacing at the voice, Rey's eyes grew cloudy. She raised her hands up, examining them. Insignificant scars and marks extended across them.
A little blood now and then doesn't hurt. You never got squeamish.
Rey stares up to the ceiling. The light bulb attached to the top of the room swung around, air particles floating around it.
You're soft now. Whatever happened to the Rey who'd do anything?!
She clenched her jaw, her fingers curling.
What happened to the little girl who wasn't afraid of anything?!
Her nails dug into her hands.
You're a poser! Everything about you is wretched!
Her face shook with great tremors, turning red.
If only everyone knew the monster you truly are, maybe then you'd understand why they left.
Hushed murmurs from the other cells grew in intensity. The desperate clawing of nails grate against the metal bars, producing harsh melodies. The decrepit walls were black with soot and a strange liquid coming out of the pipes. Her eyes stung, the strange smells and scents invaded her nose.
The long tendrils yanked at her brain, her eyes swirled with seeping red. She bends over, grabbing onto the rusty bed frame with her wounded hand. Sweat drops looked for dark treasure on her forehead, settling there.
"No! Come back!"
Her mouth gaped as her throat grew hoarse.
They left you there to rot. Yet, you dream of a reunion. How pathetic.
Screams echoed in her mind, searing it. Her heart convulsed at the bloodcurdling screeches. She threw herself up against the wall, retracting herself from the bed. The feverous howls continued, its volume increased.
Rey seized her throat, holding it as it tingled. Tears expelled from her eyes.
"Please! Make it stop!"
Quiet, girl!
Her skin burned as she looked around. Her bloodshot eyes ached. Her heart thumped in her tightening chest.
Death shall be upon us!
Her skin turned milky white. Rey raised her hands up. Fresh blood soiled them. Her mouth gaped wider. She closed her eyes.
"Not real," she called out, but nothing came out.
The voice cackles, howling with laughter at her.
It's very real, my dearest friend. If it wasn't, how could you see it?
When she opens her eyes, the first thing she sees is him. He stands before her, hands by his side where his sword was.
"My lady."
He kneels down, his helmet glints in the natural light. The ethereal sounds and creaks of the forest come alive, entrapping her with him.
Rey's mouth goes dry as she holds her breath. Her body strolled to him against her resistance. She places her hand on his shoulder left shoulder, kneading it. Her eyes ogled him, as she circled around him before stopping behind him.
"Rise," she commanded.
He obeys her command, rising. Rotating around, he offers her his hand.
She heard faint moans from the ground. Her gaze traveled to the person on the ground. The man laid there, covered in blood.
He hurried his gasps as he wailed.
"Emma."
Her gaze travels back to the knight, becoming enamored with the sight of him.
Inside her mind, Rey cries out in anger. Her internal hisses go unheard or ignored as she captures his hand.
"You'll teach me?"
"Only if you accept the consequences."
Rey gawks, a bad taste filled her mouth. However, a smile painted her expression.
"What are these consequences?"
He doesn't answer as he unsheathes his blade. The blade encased in crimson wiped by his glove gets brandished.
Screams filled her head as she tried to bolt, but she remained still. Her eyes widen as his sword rose. Closing her eyes, she gulps.
She's raw meat. Death allows his penalty on her. The air swished around her. She braced herself for the impact.
Gurgles erupted, but it wasn't from her. Her eyes opened, her features growing more pale.
The sword had sliced through the man's heart, life escaping from him. The knight was behind her, his arms crossed. Her slender form trembled.
She turns back, looking at the knight.
"I did it," she declared. A smirk adorned her lips. Victory blazed within her. She strode towards the knight, embracing him.
That wasn't so hard.
The voice didn't mock her. Instead, it congratulated her to her horror.
She congratulated herself. The voice was her own.
All she could see was the knight, the world growing darker. Her reality shifted.
The footsteps from behind alarmed her. Voices called out for her. She tried to feel her legs, but she only felt a numb sensation. Peering down, her feet sank into the ground.
Walls with metal bars closed in on her. The knight remains there and stares at her retreating form, frozen. The man laid there, dead with the word Emma on his lips.
Rey hyperventilates, clawing and banging at the wall. Her legs buckled from under her, her world spinning. She holds onto a metal bar before slipping.
The violent howls receded before being replaced by another loud cry.
Her own scream trumped them all shortly before the world faded away.
"Remember me!"
Shouts of terror swung at Rey, causing her to toss and turn. Her eyes fluttered open. Her face drenched in sweat.
After a while, she sat up in bed, taking in her sterile surroundings.
A nurse came into the room, holding a clipboard. They took her blood pressure, checked her vitals, and recorded some information onto a paper attached to the clipboard.
"Where am I?"
The nurse pauses, her eyes flickering over Rey.
"A hospital," she replied dryly. "You knocked your head a bit too much. You're lucky."
Rey bit the inside of her cheek, her shoulders slump.
Was she lucky? It seemed more like a curse than anything.
"When do I get out?"
"When your bail and bills get paid. Do you have someone to call to arrange for the transaction?"
Finn and Poe were off in the Bahamas still. Plutt was definitely not an option. She didn't have Maz's phone number memorized. Who could she call at a time like this?
Rey crossed her arms, her eyes focused. Suddenly, a smile crept onto her face.
"My Aunt Leia."