Curse of the Goddess

Chapter 5 - The good Samaritan

I pushed myself up off the ground and rubbed my head. The floor was smooth and hard, much different from my sleeping bag. I opened my eyes and scanned around, finding myself in an empty room. There was a single doorway in front of me.

What the hells going on? 

I pushed myself to my feet and stared at the doorway. It was open, but the inside was pitch black.

"Yo! Witches!? Goddesses!?" I called out, yet no one responded. "Seriously?"

I held out my hand to the wall and attempted to shoot fire at it, but nothing came out. My powers don't even work? Before that revelation could really set in, the inside of the doorway erupted into flames. Screams filled the room and I took a few steps back. 

'Gremlin! Help me! Help me!' My sister screamed from the hell fire.

No way, I ran over to the doorway and my stomach dropped. It was…my sister, my sister's corpse! She reached out to me and the sight just broke my heart. Her skin was burnt and bubbling, her hair was scorched and burned away. But what sent chills down my spine, was the completely empty sockets that once held her emerald eyes.

"I'm coming!" I yelled and ran to her. 

Her hand reached out more and I dropped to my knees and reached out to her. Just before I could touch her hand, her fingers turned to ash. I reached out more for her arm, but it broke apart as my hand touched her. 

"Annual! Jump for it! I got you!" 

However, she didn't move. In fact, she just broke down into ash. Falling back down into the flames.

"It's too late. You were never enough to save me after all." 

Suddenly the door slammed shut and shoved me back. I jumped to my feet and ran at the door. 

"I'm gonna save you!" I yelled and punched the door.

"You can't save anyone Zack." 

My body shuttered as I heard his voice from behind. I stood up straight and turned back. My eyes staring deep into his own blue orbs.

"Shut up! Is this some kind of illusion!?"

"You're just a failure that nobody wants." He replied.

"Like you can talk, freak!"

"You tried so hard to be liked." Stryder said and walked toward me. "Yet it only pushed everyone away. Is that why you've been on your own?"

I growled and jabbed at his face, but he just caught my fist. "I said, shut up."

"Is that why you were so excited to have Valentine?" Stryder smiled. "Aww, did you miss me? Best friend?"

I jabbed at his face again, but he caught it with his other hand. 

"As if I'd miss a fake hero like you! All you do is lead people to death! All you do is lie and kill people!"

He leaned into me and whispered into my ear. 

"Is that why Annual chose to follow my path? If that's the case. You must be a real piece of work. She didn't even think about following you."

Suddenly he vanished and I stumbled forward. My heart raced and I frantically looked around. But nothing was there, no Stryder, and no door. 

"It's funny brother. To think, you feel guilty for killing dad. Even though he did such horrible things to me. I guess you just don't care about me."