Strength Of The World

I had barely slept that night. After Lillian left, I explored the new room I’d been placed in. The wine cabinet was filled with more bottles of blood, and I’d quenched my thirst with most of them. There was a chest at the end of the bed that had been filled with journals, all of which had been sealed. I couldn’t help but notice one labeled “Lillian”, however I wasn’t much on invading privacy, so I it be.

The night sky outside my window was beginning to turn a light pink and I knew the sun would be rising soon. Not too long after I tossed on the purple corset and leather pants that had been laid out for me the night before, a light knock came from the bedroom door, followed by Lillian entering the room.

“Jimmy is ready for you to accompany him” she spoke softly, extending her hand toward the door, gesturing for me to follow.

I nodded, fluffing my fingers through my hair in a small mirror on the wall before beginning to trail behind her. I followed her through the narrow hallway and down the stairs, into the first room I’d entered the night before. She took me into the room across from the front door. The large white room contained a large wooden table with no more than eighteen chairs. The chair at the far end was larger than the others and like the one Jimmy sat in outside the castle, it was golden and bedazzled with a thousand diamonds; we had entered the dinning room.

Past the table and on the right side of the wall, two doors had been pulled open, sunlight filling the room. I glanced over at Lillian, a soft smile placed on her lips “It’s okay” she assured me.

As we neared the light, I stopped, hesitantly extending my hand into the rays. I speechlessly watched as my pale skin began to glow. Just as the night before, it didn’t burn; I could feel the heat radiating off my flesh. I felt one of Lillians fingers wiping away a soft tear from my cheek and I placed my attention to her. It was something I’d missed for eight years and I was over whelmed.

She placed a hand on my lower back, nudging me slightly, and I took a few steps forward. My entire body submerged into the sun and I lifted my arm to shield my eyes of the blinding light. I saw Jimmy sitting at a small table in front of me; looking back to smile. He stood, holding his hand in front of me and I kindly placed my free hand in his.

I slowly dropped my arm as my eyes began to adjust and I followed him around the small table, sitting as he pushed my chair in for me. He returned to his own seat, smiling at Lillian as she placed a bronze tray which held two cups of tea and cookies in the center of the table.

“Thank you for joining me” he smiled, picking up one of the cups and placing it before himself, twirling a small spoon through the liquid.

I followed suit, nodding, turning slightly to look out over the balcony. We were surrounded by a vast green field with large mountains in the distance. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought I was gazing into a picture. Everything about this place was flawless. I felt as if I were in heaven; it was everything I’d ever imagined or dreamt.

“It’s so beautiful” I softly whispered, looking back toward Jimmy.

He picked up his glass, taking a small sip, before setting it aside and standing once more. He held out his hand toward me and I took hold, standing. We walked to the balcony railing and stopped. Jimmy released my hand and walked behind me as I placed the palms of my hand atop the railing, staring out into the land once more. I felt him close the space between us when he pushed his body against my back. His fingers trailed along my shoulder blades and down my arms, stopping when his hands rested over my own.

I inhaled deeply, letting myself relax against him.
“All of this could be yours” he whispered, rubbing one of his thumbs over my own.

I furrowed my brows curiously “What do you mean?”

“I’m going to give you two choices and you will be able to choose which one you’d like. You could stay here with me, live in Sheol, in this palace. Have everything you’ve ever wanted. Spend your days in the sun without worry. You can visit any place in the world you’d like, whenever you’d like. You could become my queen.”

My eyes studied our hands as he spoke. Just like this place, everything sounded unbelievable. I knew there had to be something he wasn’t telling me. Some kind of twist to this happy, fairy tale ending. He wanted me to stay here, but had promised me my mortal life after I had rid of Matt and his followers. I knew I had Matt left, but Jimmy had given me his word.

“What’s my other choice?”

“Or” Jimmys tone of voice had changed, slightly iniquitous now “You can stay here with me and be locked away like Matt, starving until I decide to kill Lillian and make you my own personal little slave…”

I tensed and he gripped down onto my hands, pressing his body harder against mine to hold me in place. My breathing had quickened some and I became still. He pressed his lips to my ear, ghosting them against my skin “…for, whatever, I want, when I want.”

I could feel him grin and I swallowed hard. “What about my mortal life you promised before?”

He chuckled softly, loosening his grip some “What do you need that for when you can live like a human here?”

I quickly turned, facing him, my eyes searching over his face. His crystal blue eyes had turned dark, almost black.

“You promised me once I finished off Matt you’d turn me back.”

Jimmy nodded once, looking toward the sky, taking small steps forward until I was pinned between him and the railing.
His eyes met mine as he used his index finger to trace the outline of my face, trailing down my neck and chest.

“Please don’t make the same mistake Lillian did. You’re beautiful and hold too much value to me.”

I pushed his hand off my chest, looking past him, staring at the wall, becoming frustrated and angry.

“You lied to me” I growled lowly, letting our eyes meet once again.

He laughed “Life isn’t fair Angel, I thought you would’ve realized that after your parents were killed and you were turned. Especially after killing all those men who hurt other people. You knew life wasn’t fair for those people they hurt, that’s why you killed them.”

I felt his hands trailing along my sides, a loud groan escaping my lips when I felt him grip onto my sides, squeezing roughly as he pulled me closer to him. I doubled over slightly, closing my eyes tightly.

“I don’t want to hurt you Angel; so please just be a good girl for me would you?” As he spoke, he squeezed tighter, making small tears slide down my cheeks.

“Jimmy please!” I begged, taking hold of his wrist, trying to push him away.

After a few more seconds, he released me, quickly stepping back, watching as I fell to the ground, grasping at my sides. I curled into a tight ball, his laughter echoing through my ears. I felt used and hurt, and suddenly I found myself questioning the past week. Jimmy had lied to me about my mortal life, and if I didn’t agree to stay here with him as his queen, he’d make sure I’d spend the rest of my eternal life in misery.

I was beginning to wonder if Zacky, Johnny, and Brian had been innocent all along, and I killed them for nothing. They were now spending their eternities burning, because of me. Matts confusion all this time was beginning to make perfect sense and now he was here, in Sheol, only God knows where. For all I knew, he could’ve been tossed into the pits with the rest of the fallen souls.

My stomach began to turn at the thought. I had become my worst nightmare, one of the people I’d killed for hurting innocent beings.

“Who really killed my parents? Who made me this way?” I slowly pushed myself into a standing position, grimacing.

Jimmy snarled, grabbing my wrist and dragging me back into his home. He made his way up the stairs and back to my new room, tossing me in. I let out another loud cry of pain as I landed on the palms of my hands; looking back at him standing in the doorway, staring at me.

“I wanted you, I did what I had to, human life means nothing to me. I wish you‘d stop whining about poor mommy and daddy and realize what I‘ve done for you” he spoke with a blank expression, watching me for a only another moment before turning to leave, slamming the door shut behind him.