Chapter 5

REN'S POV;

A memory flashes in my head, no, not the bad ones that I so desperately wish to forget. Rather, this one is one of the very few peaceful memories I find hard to come by.

I remember gazing out the window through the swollen eyes of my thirteen year old self, giddy with excitement as my finger subconsciously bunched up the ends of my plaid skirt. The windows of the sleek black Mercedes my father had bought that week rolled down, the autumn breeze blowing cool against my skin.

I remember the car skidding to a stop and my mother rushing over to my side to help me out, smiling gently at me as her nimble fingers worked to quickly brush back my wild strands of hair.

We walked to the very front of the church; hand in hand with my mom whilst my father led the way with confident strides, my smile never fading as we settled into a row and listened to the preacher's powerful voice booming loudly through the speakers.

Vividly, I recall his parting words before the service was concluded and we shuffled to our feet, head bowed, to say grace.

— “When the appointed time of our Lord comes, all found guilty in his sight shall be condemned to eternal damnation.”

Now gazing at the duo before me after their explanation, I can't help the perplexed expression which slowly creeps into my features. I believe them, seeing as there's no possible explanation for this bizarre situation.

Hell? How?

The clogs in my head are turning. Trying to find the missing pieces of my memory from the previous night. I fail, everything is a blur of colors.

“I'm in hell." I whisper incredulously, my body freezes and I feel tiny ants begin crawling up my skin.

“H-how the fuck am I in hell?” I whisper-yell as I turn my eyes to the man who introduced himself as Matthias.

He shrugs, “I think you got pulled into an ancient portal, don't ask me why tho. The scribes are working on it so you don't have to worry.”

“I can't not worry, I have a job I need to be at early in the morning and a little girl who expects me to attend her birthday party on Friday.” I squeeze my fist in frustration, “you have to send me back home.”

Matthias lowers himself to squat beside me, his misty eyes softening as he gazes at me with compassion. “Sorry love, there's nothing we can do even if we tried. I'm not powerful enough to open a portal.”

A tear escapes my eye and traces a solitary path down my cheek. A quiver seizing my lower lip as my eyes glisten with unshed tears which I refuse from falling.

The other nameless man - the one whose presence I hadn't sensed initially until he revealed himself - rises to his feet and approaches us. His dark demeanor puts me at unease, and something tells me he's the one in control in this space.

“We have to go now.” He says.

His voice is a seductive cadence which holds a velvet timbre, commanding my attention. I finally get a good look at the man; dressed on black from head to toe, a coat draped over his broad shoulders. He is sheer muscle, the lines of his body visible underneath his outfit. His dark eyes speak a language of silent intensity, emotions simmering low behind the obsidian depths.

Behind him something begins to form. It starts out the size of a small round orange with thick black smoke swirling around at an incredible speed, growing bigger and bigger until it's about the height of 7 feet.

He whirls on his heels and steps through it, his body vanishing from my sight. Matthias follows behind him, silently beaconing me to do the same.

I hesitate. Knowing that if I step through, I hand over my freedom to him, becoming his captive for God knows how long. What is this isn't sorted out and I never get to go home? I end up in hell as the prisoner of a reaper whom I know nothing of.

I shake my head and take a step back. I've known captivity before… And I refuse to be put back into another cage.

Before I can make a move however, the same dark mist from before shoots out and wraps around me... pulling me into the void.