Chosen

Echos

Warning: The author may or may not have been on a week long sugar-high while writing this chapter. All characters are not meant to resemble any particular person.
~The editor, JK
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Clarity's POV

I was still staring at the stranger when they appeared. I didn't even notice until one of them tapped on my shoulder, snapping me out of my swirling thoughts.

I turned around, their familiar (PUNS) faces warming me.

"Luke, Kyle! Where were you?!?!?!?" I say, laughing with relief as I try to scold them, but fail epically.

"Uh," Kyle stumbles, looking for an answer, "diving through portals?"

The answer is a odd, but I ignore that and keep laughing until I am nearly choking on my own spit. I'm not sure why, but this whole thing seems funny all of a sudden. Flare, Katy, all of it. I wish it would all evaporate like water off a road, into the air, never to be seen again. But that'll never happen; I know that by now.

"Clarity, you ok?" I feel a hand on my back, and turn around to see Rin peering worriedly at me. I nod, but in honesty, something seems off.

A breeze is tugging at me, but nothing around me is moving. Leaves should be blowing across the blood-stained pavement, and my blonde hair should be whipping in the wind but the world is still, as if it's holding it's breath.

But something is still moving around me, but now I'm not so sure it's a thing. I think it's more of a someone.

"Run," I whisper. I know who it is, and I feel stupid now that I realize it. She's here. We're all dead, unless they run. Then it's only me. I've always hated the whole, 'oh, sacrifice me to save yourselves!' in all those dumb romance novels I read over the years. But it seems slightly necessary right now.

Mainly because I'm being taken over by a demonic spirit. Once she has me completely- well, nobody knows. Or rather, nobody has even survived this kinda thing. But I don't think it'll be good for anyone around me.

The world begins spinning around me, only blurs of undistinguished faces to be seen. Their voices surround me, but I can't hear anything but muffled cries.

Something I thought I forgot desperately bubbles into my mind. Something that could save my life.

Dark dream: A takeover by a powerful demon that send the person into a dream-like state and causes them to go insane before death...

And with that last thought it all caves into darkness.
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   When I woke up, I wasn't sure what I saw. I was sitting on the ground, but it was as hard and cold as steel. Mist swirled around me in the darkness, obscuring the surroundings from view. It was thick and almost solid, and it seemed to curl around me like hands.

But that wasn't even the oddest part. Out of the mist sprouted ghostly white faces, constantly appearing & disappearing. Most of them were frozen, their mouths wide as if they were yawning, with strange ghostly wails echoing out of their gaping black maws. It took me a second to realize that they were frozen mid-scream. I gaped and backed away from the spirits, or at least that's what I assume they are.

That's when I hit the first wall. I slammed into it trying to escape the spirits, my heart hammering in my chest. I fell in an awkward heap, my blonde hair flowing into my face, giving me the stupidest thought ever. Despite myself, I mumbled,"I really need a haircut"

I shook away that thought and stood back up, determined to find an exit. Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it can't. I began running my hands against the smooth stone walls, ignoring the haunting wails of the spirits behind me.

I noticed every couple meters or so, a small waterfall cascaded down the slick stone, emptying into somewhere unknown. I gingerly stuck out my hand and let the coolness wash over me. I grinned as soon as I realized that I didn't spontaneously combust or explode and leaned into drink.

I spit it out immediately. It had an awful tang to it, and seemed well, thick as it slid down my throat. I don't think water's supposed to taste like that. But now I think I know what it is.

I put my hand into the rush of liquid and scoop some up, bringing it close to my face, close enough that I smell it's familiar tang. My suspicions are correct. Instead of clear, the stuff sloshing around is a deep red. Blood red.

I scream and drop the blood onto the ground, and it disappears with a disturbing sizzle. I put my hand to my mouth in horror, but only end up smearing red onto my face. I mutter a curse and use my other hand to wipe it off, hoping to get rid of the 'vampire' look I'm sure I have.

I lean back against the stone wall, still spitting the stuff when I hear a metallic 'CLANG' from across the misty clearing. I turn around, my eyes wide as copper gates creaked open behind me.

Before I could process that they weren't there a second ago, I noticed something about them. Not the spikes lining the bronze bars, or the evil unnatural glint of the thing.

It was the words on top. My blood ran cold at the sight of them, but at the same time, I suppose it cleared the mist as to where I was.

There were three words.

Gates Of Hell

This chapter is not finished I will add on! Thanks for reading!!!!!