35.

Hollow...

Bare...

Numb...

Cold...

My teeth lightly chattered as I numbly sat on the cold tiled floor, barely feeling the freezing rivulets trailing down my bare skin.

That utterly consuming hollowness inside of me kept only expanding, threatening to completely envelop my very soul like a thick blanket, pushing me further down until I could no longer feel...at all...

Feeling is pain...

No...no more...

“Please, no more...” The words escaped my trembling lips in a hoarse whisper, words falling on deaf ears as they met complete silence, my hand unconsciously moving to rest in a tightened fist against my bare chest, helplessly begging for it all to stop...

“Just...stop...”

More warm and salty small rivers mixed with the cold water pelting down my cheeks, relentlessly washing away all that bitterness, sorrow and despair...until nothing was left. No feeling, no pain. Just...emptiness.

Hollow.

Bare.

Like an empty shell I numbly got up from the wet floor, leaving a trail of cold droplets in my wake as I quietly walked straight towards the walk-in closet, enveloping my still damp body with the first clothing article I could find, which consisted in a large black shirt.

Why even bother...These are my last moments alive anyway...

Completely ignoring the small cold tremors my body gave away I exited the room and walked to the grand staircase, heading straight to that small secluded chamber where I knew he was already expecting me, ready to grant me my last final wish.

End the pain.

Descending the marble stairs, one by one they gently made contact with the bare skin on my feet, slowly separating the distance between my soon-to-be executioner and I, seconds flying one after another with each slow, steady breath.

So eerily silent the entire house remained during my quiet walk, deep down feeling so thankful for the lack of any unexpected encounters.

Not that they could stop me, anyway...

Nothing can.

Not anymore.

Stopping right in front of the double wooden doors I took a moment to draw a deep breath before my hands landed on the handles. And with a firm twist I finally pushed them aside, soon to reveal the relatively bare, sombre-looking chamber, my gaze ultimately landing on the tall, hulking figure standing by the window, his broad back facing me.

Taking a step forward I quietly closed doors behind me afterwards, watching him swiftly turn around to face me.

Those midnight eyes slowly trailed all over my frame, something unknown swirling inside of them as they ultimately found my own.

“Are you ready?”

I only let out a small nod, watching him walk closer to what appeared to be a long dining table sitting in the middle of the room.

“Come here,” He firmly instructed, crossing his arms over shirt-clad chest as he stood by the table.

I slowly, hesitantly made my way closer, raising my sight to peer once again into those midnight blue skies as I took a halt right in front of him.

His penetrating gaze held my own for a few seconds more, again that peculiar look glinting inside of it as he wordlessly stared at me.

“Come sit here,” He broke eye-contact to move aside, motioning for me to take a seat on the table, to which I hurried to comply. Only the moment I tried to climb on it I lastly discovered that in fact, it was way too tall for my height.

Oh no.

I unsuccessfully tried a few times to hop on it before the unexpected touch of his surprisingly warm hands grabbing the sides of my waist scared the living soul out of me, not even giving me the time to realize what was happening until I suddenly found myself finally seated on the damned table.

Still shook and breathless, I rose my sight to peer up at him, just in time to notice how he let out a shallow exhale, a look of disbelief crossing his features before that oh-so-familiar glint appeared in his lost gaze.

No...

“Oh no...” I lightly shook my head, my breathing rapidly becoming so labored as I could feel his hand gripping so tightly against my hip, to the point where it started to actually hurt.

“No no no!” Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, visibly shaking as I sat there frozen in sheer fright, watching him struggle to regain control of his own body, his breathings so short and uneven.

“No, please snap out of it!” I helplessly begged -since this was the only thing I could actually do, given our current situation- with wide eyes staring at visibly strained appearance, before it all suddenly stopped.

After a long, calming exhale his eyelids fluttered closed, seemingly fallen into a meditative state for a few moments, a small gasp involuntarily escaping my lips as as soon as his eyelids fluttered back open they shone so brightly, a bright blue replacing that midnight darkness in his eyes for the briefest moment.

“W-what happened?”

“I tapped into my bond with her,” He calmly answered back, the faint hint of a smile dancing on his now visibly relaxed features.

“I’m sorry for that...It’s just that...It is already becoming way too strong...”

I quickly nodded, now more than ever just wanting to rid myself of the damned entity inside of me as I anxiously blurted out,
“J-just do it.”

“Okay,”

“I’m gonna touch you now, ok?” He carefully warned, holding his palms up in some sort of surrendering manner as he waited for my response, which consisted in another small nod.

“Just don’t be afraid, I’m not gonna do that again, ok?”

“Okay...” I quietly answered, readying myself as I stared at his slowly approaching hand, practically forcing myself to sit still.

“Okay...Are you ready?”

“Yes...”

My lips escaped an audible gasp, feeling my cheeks slightly burning as soon as he carefully placed his palm in between my breasts, skin on skin right in the middle of my chest. And within the following moments, the torture begun.

Feeling like falling into a deep trance I involuntarily let myself fall on my back against the hard surface, soon after that a horrifying image flashing before my eyes.

Deathly-pale skin, pure white hair, black hollow eyes...

My breath caught up in my throat as I couldn’t comprehend how and why, but I knew who it was.

Him.

And then the maddening pain and screams begun.