SwEeT MaDnEsS (Watty Awards Winner 2012)

"Not brute force but only persuasion and faith are the kings of this world"
-Thomas Carlyle

              Chapter TwEnTy-SiX

              I was getting use to waking up feeling utterly confused. The first thing I heard was the beeping of machine next to me. I forced my heavy eyelids open. My body started its awakening process. My muscles felt sore and stiff. Pain shot through my wrists, I winced. My eyes roamed around the room to find it empty. Moonlight was streaming through the window.

              What happened?

              I almost died, that's what happened. Even though, I was confused, my mind wasn't fuzzy anymore. The taste of strawberries sweets still lingered on my lips.

              Dagon...

              "I won't let you die," Unconsciously, I raised one hand to my lips. Dagon had kissed me. He saved me. Why would he do that? Why would he defy his master like that? It was obvious Madness wanted me dead. I remembered his cold hand against my mouth and nose when he was trying to suffocate me.  

              Why would Dagon interfere?  I licked my lips tasting the sweetness of his scent.

              Angel...  

              My chest tightened when I remembered my brother. Why didn't I remember him before? Did Raven know about him? Why didn't she ever mention him? He was our brother for God sakes. It's not like I'd forgotten my childhood doll, I had forgotten my brother, my own blood and flesh.

              There was something really wrong happening here and Raven had something to do with it. Sitting up, I grimaced in pain as the cuts on my wrists stung. I looked down at my hands and frowned when I spotted a golden crucifix on my lap. I touched it ignoring the pain on my chest.

              The whistling wind caught my attention; it was almost like a whisper. I could see the windows' curtains slowly moving from the corner of my eye. I swear I could feel the temperature drop a few degrees. I knew this was not a good sign.  I squeezed the crucifix. The room was too dark for my liking the only light was coming from the window. The curtains moving formed scary shadows on the floor.

              I snapped my head toward the door as it started to open slowly... making creepy cracking noises. I swallowed my heart started hammering inside my chest. The door was opened half-way; I could only see dark beyond it.

              "Hello?" I asked with a shaky voice. I watched in fear as a dark hand grasped the doorframe. It had long claws; a red liquid was dripping from them. I was paralyzed in fear than let out a shriek.

              What was happening?

              I heard a low growl that broke my immobility and was what I needed to jump out of bed. My feet met the cold floor as I backed quickly away from the door. I ripped out the IV connected to my arm and the wires glued to my chest. Whatever was behind the door shoved it opened causing it to crash against the wall. My gaze dropped to the floor and screamed because I saw dark, hissing snakes of all sizes slowly slithering towards me pouring out of the darkness behind the door.  

              “Oh my God. NO," I exclaimed when my back hit the metal window frame behind me its curtains tangling around me. There was nowhere to escape. I could sense something staring at me. I knew there was another large, looming presence in the doorway. I could still see its claws and now smoke coming out of the hidden monster's mouth. Fear its icy fingers through my veins once again causing my heart to beat even faster. I screamed as loud as I could hoping help would come but I knew it wouldn’t. The snakes continued to approach me at their steady if slow pace,