LOST LIVES

Chapter 7: Extrication

A boy floats within the confines of the mental connection that his spirit has with him. This is where his dreams will take place if his connection is retained and continued. It is also the place where the spirit can roam freely from its resting mental state. It is dark. But comforting.

Ugh... Where, where am I? Everywhere I look... It's black. It reminds me of the void that I briefly saw back before Francisca rescued me. I really should thank her soon, or else I wouldn't even be here right now. Probably six feet under snow. Anyway, again, where am I?

"Zubin!"

That voice... It's Francisca! But, unlike the other time, I can hear it coming from somewhere in this...void. Is this an actual world I can interact in?

"There you are!"

I turned around in the air (somehow) and saw a sight that I didn't expect to see. It was Francisca, but...different this time. Her skin was void black, with the only way that I was able to see her was with a blue outline trailing her entire exterior. Her eyes were a bright cyan in contrast to her outline being a soft navy color. It was different from her usual appearance with a sapphire center. Was this a dream?

"No, this isn't a dream. It's our spiritual mental connection."

...So she can read my mind then.

"Yep. Anyway, enough of this talking."

Francisca floated in front of me, only stopping when she was a few feet away.

"Zubin. You have to help us."

Help you again? Alright, what do I have to do?

"You have to save us."

...How exactly?

"Our old caretaker, Hyness, is going to resurrect us to continue to serve the dark lord, Void Termina. I cannot deal with continuing with the routine that Hyness has for us, and I don't want to be the reason why everyone dies in the end. You have to stop the ritual he's performing. You have to help us."

Nice usage of "I" there Francisca.

"Zubin, this is serious!"

Francisca floated directly in front of me and held my face with her two hands.

"Zubin, we NEED you to save us from Hyness. I don't want it for either me or my sisters. I want to be saved and free, Zubin. Please Zubin. I'm begging you."

Francisca was tearing up at this point. Well, I guess I have to do it. I'll do it, Francisca.

"Thank you, Zubin," Francisca said as she wiped her eyes.

The void was starting to become distorted, with some colors of a purple room slowly fading into the space I was in.

"Looks like you're starting to wake up, Zubin."

Francisca pulled my face closer to kiss me on my forehead.

"Good luck Zubin. I'm putting all my trust in you for this favor."

Francisca started to fade away from me before I started to open my eyes to the other, real world. Right before I opened my eyes, I saw an image of the ritual that Francisca was talking about. A line of three unmoving girls were laying down in a circle of foreign symbols. They showed neutral expressions with either closing or dead eyes. They cry to be saved, with no sound being made at all. They were in a large room with a fireplace in the middle of one of the walls. The room was familiar.