Prologue

"We reside in the Realm Between. You can either choose to become enveloped with the Darkness of your heart, or the Light which stays dormant within."

 

On either side of me is a road, long and winding. On my left is a promising journey; the path may stretch for miles, going beyond my sight range, but the ground looks soft and easy to walk on with my bare feet. It's a dirt road smack-dab in the center of a grassy field, dotted with an array of different breeds of flora. The sky is a briliant azure blue, without a cloud in sight. 

 

In contrast, on my right is a much different way to travel. The path, littered with all sorts of rubbish (have it be chunks of wood, concrete, glass, dead plants and corpses of who knows what), is set in nothingness. The ground, the sky, the path; they're as good as nonexistant. I can only tell where it- the road- is, because of the rubble on the (ground?). I cannot tell where it leads or how far it may go. All I see is inky blackness and junk on the (again, is it the ground or what?).

 

Where I am standing, I am on the line where these two very different paths divide. Above me, the sky fades from blue to black- and below me- the grass goes from lush, to patchy, to dead, and then poof! Nothing.

 

"Choose," a voice seems to say in my head, "you must choose and seal your fate. You cannot change this decision. Once you are set on one path, you may not turn back. So choose, my child; the fates of many rest in your palms. Whether you walk on the path of Light or Darkness is not our choice, but you mustn't remain in the Great Divide."

 

Once again, it repeats itself, "Choose."

 

Whether or not this is real, I do not know. Something within me is urging me to listen to the voice in my mind, but then there's a part of me that wants to stay put and wait for this dream to end.

 

Sadly, I am aware that this is no mere dream.

 

I look to my left, at the beautiful scenery, at the peaceful aura of the place. I smile warmly. That's the place- It's where I want to be. It seems so safe. So secure. So.. me. Meant for me. Perhaps I'll be led to my mother and father if I go that way. I'd like to see them. We've never met. I wonder if they're there. I wonder if I'm on the Great Divide between Heaven and Hell. I wonder if I'm-

 

Wait, what's that? Something out of the corner of my vision stirs. I whip my head to the right, and I am startled by a person- (is it a person?)- in a blue cloak, standing only paces away from me.

 

Tall, fantastic posture. Something about him/her is eerie, from the way their face is covered by a hood, to the way they are only a couple of heartbeats away now. The person inches closer and stops when they're directly beside me. 

 

Where was this stranger, moments ago, when I was studying the scenery of the path to my right? I saw no one. I was alone. I was alone. I was all alone with no one around. Where did this person come from?

 

I want to run but they've got me fixed to the spot where I stand, transfixed by their very presence. I'm awestruck. 

 

He/she bows to me and then resumes his/her flawless posture. Extending a gloved hand, he/she takes me by the shoulder and looks me in the eyes.

 

I'm unsettled by this stranger's behavior and I want to step back, but alas, I'm still frozen to the spot in which I stand.

 

"Choose," the voice in my head repeats once more, "choose, or soon it will be too late."

 

Is this person the voice?

 

Or are they merely a wanderer such as myself? My lips curl into a weak frown and I realize that a lump has been forming in my throat from the anxiety. I hadn't even realized I were so nervous. I wipe my sweaty hands on my plaid uniform skirt and I stare back at this newcomer.

 

"Hello," I fumble with my words and I stammer, "Don't know who are." Crap. "I mean, um, I don't know you."

 

The person chuckles. It's an unusual sound. It doesn't sound like one person. It sounds like multiple. Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. Millions. Billions.

 

"Of course 

course you

you

you know us

us."

 

Oh my God. Oh my God.

 

Oh my..

 

There are too many voices to count. They surround me. They swallow me whole. I'm overwhelmed. 

 

"So are

are you

you

coming to

to

to a 

a decision?"

 

I swallow yet another lump that has been forming in my throat and I manage to croak, "Yes." I point to my left.

 

"But my

my dear

my dear you

you are

standing in

in the

Darkness."

 

My heart drops. No. No. No. I look down. Sure enough, the emptiness that had scared me so much, had somehow seeped through the dead grass. 

 

The voice in my head returned and said matter-of-factly, "You waited too long, so your fate has been decided for you. It appears that the Realm of Darkness has chosen you."

 

No. No. No. This can't be it.

 

It can't be.

 

I turn my back to the Darkness, wanting to step into the Light, but to my horror.. the reassuring comfort of the Light is..

 

Gone.

 

I've been plunged into total Darkness.

 

No. No. No. No. No. Please, no.

 

The voice(s) of the hooded stranger pipe up.

 

"You hesitated

hesitated

hesitated for far

for far too

too long."

 

I feel the hand on my shoulder again. It gently pulls me back towards its owner.

 

"It

it is time

is time

time to depart

to depart into

the Corridor."

 

Ignoring whoever the heck this person is, I sink to my knees to grieve. I let out a mortified wail. "This isn't what I wanted. This isn't what I picked! I chose the Light! I even said so! Please, oh please, let me go into the Light! Please..."

 

Hot tears stream down my flushed cheeks as I crumple to the ground like an abandoned rag doll. I whimper pitifully as realization hits me, and against it, I cry, "Please.." 

 

I know that begging isa lost cause, but I just don't want to accept it.

 

I hear the fabric of the cloak shift. I peek out from my hands that have been covering my wet, swollen face. I see that the person has squatted down to- what?- comfort me?

 

"I didn't want this," I sigh.

 

"We are

are well aware

well aware.

We

we are deeply

deeply sorry

but 

you cannot

escape

escape

escape

your fate.

It has

has been

been sealed."

 

They extend a hand and I hesitantly take it. He/she stands and pulls me up with them.

 

"Thank you," I offer a floppy grin, much too forced. "My name is-"

 

"We know

know your name.

It is

is Valora.

Is Valora. Valora. Valora."

 

"Well," I'm taken aback by him/her already being familiar with my name. "I suppose you know my age and address too, huh, ya creep?"

 

The stranger with the many voices chuckles lightheartedly.

 

"We are aware

aware that

you meant no

meant no offense.

Answering your

question,

question..

Indeed, we

we do."

 

 I am flustered and pink in the cheeks. "I'm sorry," looking down at my toes, I say, "So. What now..?"

 

"Come.

Come.

Come. Come.

Come."

He/she begins to lead me deeper into the nothingness.

 

I don't know where we're going- our direction seems so aimless- but I trust my new (friend?). I don't know why, but I just do.

 

Neither of us say a thing as we trek further into the blackness.

 

* * *

 

After who knows how long, we arrive somewhere worthwhile. Before us is a great door.

 

It's silver, and has two handles to pull it open. There's a crest at the top.

 

"Open it

it and

and enter."

 

 I obey.

 

I reach up to one of the handles and pull. It won't open. I pull harder. Still no click. Still no open door.

 

I notice that there's a keyhole on the crest. 

 

"I don't have the key," I say.

 

"Of 

of

of course

course you do.

Allow

allow me."

 

I'm struck by something.

 

My back is filled with a searing pain and my chest feels like it's on fire.

 

I look down and there's something sticking out through a gaping hole where my heart should be. 

 

Is it a key?

 

I look ahead of me as my vision blurs and I collapse. The last thing I see is my heart, and it's floating into the keyhole.