Chapter Eleven

Chapter XI

"If things could really be that simple, we'd make quite a pair."

          I pause.

          Where am I?

          Am I alone?

          I bite my lip and turn, looking behind me. "Is anyone there?" I call. 

         Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Anyone there? Anyone there? There?

              My voice echoes, bouncing off of nonexistant walls. 

         This world is infinite. Isn't it?

         Wait, what's that? I squint and can just make out a deep blue, cloaked figure in the distance. 

        I've seen you before.

       "Hey," I call desperately, "hey!" I begin to move my feet and run towards this mysterious figure. "I need to talk to you! My name is Xaroval, and I--"

       Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! I need to talk to you! Talk to you! Talk to you! You! You! You!  My name is...! My name is...!!

       My name is inaudible. I begin to wonder why. "Xaroval!" I call.

        No echo.

        " Halt! Silence!" a magnificent voice booms, startling me. I can't tell if it's a male or female. It's painful to listen to, like nails on a chalkboard.

        This voice does not echo.

        I'm slowing down rapidly. My body feels like it's carved from lead. I attempt to open my mouth to speak, but my lips do not budge. "Mmmf!" I grunt. "Mmmmmmmfff!!" 

       I come to a stop.

      The figure is nearing me.

      Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. Step. One foot after the other. Slowly, patiently, carefully.

      He-- or she-- is in front of me now, directly, maybe ten feet away. I can't see any of the man-- or woman's bodily features-- I only see a body covered by a thick, hefty, blue cloak. 

      I want to say something. I want to scream out loud. I want to ask this person-- or creature-- where I am.

      "Welcome home, daughter." 

      "Yes, welcome home!"

      "Welcome home, indeed!"

     "You're ready to join us!"

      "Join us! Join us!"

      "Become one of us!"

"One of us! Become one of us!"

      There are many voices speaking to me. None of them echo like mine did. They're all identical, but somehow I can tell that they're coming from seperate beings. It's overwhelming. 

     I'm confused. Daughter? Home? Join you? Become one of you? What? 

     The cloaked, mysterious being drops it's hood.

     I begin to sweat. I've been conquered by fear.

     I'd love to be anywhere else but here.