Page 19

Aisling

I wake up, gasping for air, my lungs burning as they try to catch up to my brain.

My eyes crack open, and I see familiar blood red walls surrounding me.

I push myself into a sitting position and notice a light sound swirling around the room.

Curious, I rise to my feet as my eyes adjust to the darkness.

I stand in astonishment at the sight before me. Hundreds, if not thousands, of luna moths circle the room. The eerie sound of their flapping wings linger in the walls around me. Their light green color is a stark contrast against the crimson room.

Looking up, they dance around me, their wings brushing my body as they circle. Placing my arms out in front of me, I hold my breath. A single moth flies toward my open palms, its silky wings beating in my hands. So small and fragile, but so beautiful.

A tear slides down my face as I appreciate this ethereal moment. More of the moon-winged creatures lay their weight on me. Grounding me. These little misunderstood night butterflies, a symbol for the freaks, the ones who find their spark even when the darkness is trying to suffocate them.

My heart races, and I take in a small breath, careful not to disturb the little dream flyers.

“Charming little monsters, aren’t they?” A smooth voice echoes around me. The words speak to me like a siren’s call.

A shadowy figure emerges from the darkness, draped in lace and leather. Wielding her power like a sword.

Her body is wrapped tightly in a corset, showing off her curves. Dark hair falls to her shoulders, a similar color to mine. Piercing yellow eyes that look as if they were dipped in gold stare back at me .

“They’re enchanting,” I reply shakily.

My voice gives away how unsure I am of the stranger in front of me.

“Yes, you could say that, my child. I assume you’re going to ask where you are, correct?” She responds sharply, dismissing my comment.

Before I can respond, she raises her hand in front of her, pointing towards me in a come-hither motion. Taking a step forward, the sound of wood scraping across the marble floors reverberates in my ears.

My skin pebbles at the sound, and I bite my teeth together in reaction. The back of my knees are taken out by a cold, hard force, causing me to fall back into a sitting position. My ass hits a chair, hard, as the breath is taken out of my lungs.

“Sit,” the woman says as she takes a few steps toward me.

She looks weightless, like she’s floating rather than walking, maybe gliding? I don’t fucking know, either way it’s weird as shit .

“A long time ago, I was created alongside another, we were made of the same fibers. One soul split into two, or so they had convinced me.”

Her hands begin to clench at her sides, grabbing and releasing her dress, a nervous tick, from the looks of it.

Her face twists as she continues. “I was under the assumption that because we were born equal, we were meant to be treated equally . But I was so very wrong,” she sighs deeply, her voice drawing me in deeper with every word.

“When I would try to explain my concern to them, I was met with cold nights, alone. They would beat me until I could barely stand. Leaving me in puddles of my own blood and bruised bones.”

Her voice shakes, and her anger shows. Small cracks in her strength are breaking through.

“Yeah, great story. Why should I give a fuck?” I say back.

I don’t know who this lady is, but I can feel my body retracting, like she’s a poison I shouldn’t be messing with.

“Stupid girl!” She spits back at me, taking a step toward me. “You know nothing of the powers that hold your pathetic world together.” Her voice pulsing with power.

“It’s become consumed with nothing but evil and heartache. Not every happy beginning has a happy ending, sometimes its only purpose is to chew you up and spit you out. Leaving you gasping for breath once it’s consumed its fill of you.” Her voice is smooth and smoky, finding its way under my skin.

Is she seriously trying to use some devil powers on me or some shit?

I try to stand, but a heavy weight forces me back down before I make it a couple of inches.

“You are the outcome of their mistakes. I was forced to fill the world with my offspring. To create an army of servants that will do my bidding. However, someone has been removing them from this world one by one. But you are different, my precious little sin. You were created with a being of light, allowing you to hide from this death bringer,” she chuckles mischievously.

I shift uncomfortably in my seat, digesting each word slowly.

“Sooo… you’re saying I’m your daughter?” I let out a pompous laugh. “There’s absolutely no fucking way! You’re batshit crazy!” I screech back at her, straining against my invisible restraints.

She takes another step toward me, not backing down. “Ah, my darling disappointment. What a lovely mess you’re making of my legacy.”

“You need to kill that boy,” she states blandly, as if she’s telling me what she’s having for dinner that night.

“Yep. Absolutely fucking insane,” I affirm, more to myself than to her. “I’m not killing anyone. Sorry, but that’s not really my thing. You got the wrong ‘little sin’ or whatever the fuck you tried to call me,” I fire back, completely exhausted by this conversation.

My brain snaps back into place almost immediately. Fucking sleep..duh .

Closing my eyes, I breathe in deeply, calming my nervous system. I release an exhale and can feel the air around me becoming cooler, a warmth growing on the top of my head.

My body suddenly feels as if it’s dropping through the chair, falling through dimensions. And then it all goes black.