Infernal SoulBond

2, Cheesecake Pastry

Renzo somehow managed to stabilize my mother and I by placing a single hand on each of our shoulders. He chuckled. "You've always been the clumsy ones." I rolled my eyes while my mom giggled, thanking him. Light flowed like smoke into the cave, blinding everyone for a split second. The portal appeared in the darkness of the mountain, out of nothing but air. It was swirling with the most palest of blue and white, the two colors dancing together like lost lovers who reunite once a year until it became one solid color. Renzo squeezed us together for one last quick hug that I wish lasted a decade. But the absence of their warmth hit me a second later, sending a shiver down my spine.

The portal flickered when the first girl stepped through it, the baby blue shimmer wrapping around her and eating her in one bite. It looked..terrifying. I don't know how she walked in so easily, maybe this wasn't her first time. I watched in silence as the second girl steps in, no hesitation. Once again, the moment she touched the blue it swallowed her alive. My mom shuffles me forward, despite her tear stricken cheeks. "Don't want to miss it, get going." She swats me away like an unwanted pest, looking away from where I stood. I try to smile, but i'm not sure how far it reached.

"I'll visit, I promise." I hope. Renzo gives one nod, his eyes welling with it's own tears. I knew he wouldn't cry in front of us, but part of me wished he did. "I love you both." I take one step toward the portal as the third girl steps through. "And please tell Ivy I said thank you." Another step, it felt like danger. A thrill of sensations ran through my body the closer I got, and like a whisper in the back of my mind, I heard someone telling me to step in. The fourth girl disappeared to the other side. I don't turn around, knowing if I did I might refuse to leave. I had to do this. To save them. A sob broke out behind me as I walk into the portal, carrying guilt and hope with me.

Truth be told, it wasn't nearly as exciting as I hoped it'd be. I felt wind blow my hair, the cold leaving frozen pinpoints along my cheeks. Then I was through, stepping into the dark night of a land i've never been on. My eyes were first drawn to the sky, the oh-so-beautiful sky. Little glittering lights painted the night sky, dozens of constellations, dozens of stars. It was like nothing i've seen before. We could hardly see the sky where we're located. I didn't move from my spot just outside the portal for several minutes. The trees, barely seen in the night air but vast and so pretty. I wanted to touch every blade of grass, I wanted to run my hands along every bark of every different kind of tree, I wanted to smell the hundreds of different flowers. Why were we banned from this? Why were we deprived of such -

"First time?" A woman asked from behind me. I lurched forward, not realizing people were trying to come through the portal. She only stared at me, confused. I was acting stupid, I was acting like i've never seen trees before - i'm going to give myself away in the matter of minutes if I keep this up.

"Um - yeah. I've never gone to a Findings before. Never felt the need." I reply, pretending my astonishment was because of the large stone building in front of me. Lights lit up the entryway, welcoming anyone who wished to come. The double doors were wide open, laughing and music and talking got carried through the wind. I stepped towards it.

"It's not as fabulous as others make it out to be, I come for the food and wine." She spoke honestly, walking past me. I watched her retreating figure, her blazing red dress trailing behind her. While more people walked past me, knowing they had come from the portal, I finally began walking. The cool breeze eased all my worry, if only for a few moments. The smell of thousands of different foods I couldn't name hit my nostrils. I breathed in deeply, my mouth salivating with desire. I've heard of their food, of their pastries and donuts and ice cream. They had so many sweet treats, I couldn't wait to get my hands around them.