When Reality Diminishes

Her arm flailed, the sword still in her hand. It hit the demon’s shoulder, but if anything, it made him even more mad; more determined. She couldn’t help but let out a whimper as he slammed her shoulders into the ground. Her teeth clenched to stop the scream coming out, but that didn’t seem to matter to the demon. He was enjoying the fear in her eyes.

“Tell me why you’re here, and maybe I’ll spare you some pain.” He sneered, his face way too close for comfort. She struggled again, but he pushed her down with little to no trouble. Her hand tightened around the sword and she swung again, however, this time he grabbed her wrist. The sword was hovering over his head, now frozen in his grip. Her arm was straining to keep the sword where it was, and all he was doing was holding it.

He smiled now, his teeth showing. Definitely not vampire. She had no doubt what he was now, but that didn’t help ease her fear. In fact, it only increased it to a rate where she had trouble breathing. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly so afraid, so panicked? Why was she suddenly hoping for her own blade to come down upon her throat?

He grabbed the sword and threw it away, her struggles not even there anymore. She was still struggling to breath as his hands went to the side of her head. He gripped her face tightly, forcing her to look at him.

Her eyes shut tightly and her head spun. Lack of oxygen was getting to her, why couldn’t she breath? She tired over and over, trying to draw breath in, trying to do anything, but it was hopeless.

“Look at me,” he hissed. He dug his nails into her cheeks, drawing blood. This pain she couldn’t hide. With a gasp, her eyes flung open. Pain, fear and helplessness hung in her eyes and she didn’t even bothering try to hide it. She was dying. She couldn’t breath. So what was the point? Everything was already spinning.

Her eyes met his which were now even more black, if that was possible. He held her gaze and though she tried to turn away, tried to close her eyes, she couldn’t. That only added the fear to increase, to escalate.

“Your nightmare has only begun.” With that, everything swayed.

Faster! She had to move faster. She had to get up faster, she had to do everything faster. They were coming back, they were coming right now. If she didn’t get out, if she didn’t -

Oh gosh, she didn’t want to think about that. Blood already stained her hands, stained her body... stained herself. She was a stain in the horrible truth. She was a part of all the killings, she was a part of all the deaths. The images wouldn’t leave her head, they wouldn’t stop playing over and over again in her mind.

The eyes; the looks; the screams...

Her head turned as vomit came out of it. It made such a sickening sound, as it hit the cement floor, but it was the least of her worries. That sound was peace compared to what she had heard.

Her body shook as she forced it to her feet. She had to move now. One step, two steps... on the third step, however, her body collapsed onto the ground. She didn’t utter a sound. She didn’t do anything, besides planting her hands beside her body again, attempting to push up. Her arms shook, trembling with her weight. After hanging an inch off the ground, suspense and determination eating her, her body collapsed again. This time she took a sharp intake of breath as some of her older wounds re-opened.

The cuts on her hands were stinging with agony and the hit on her head... well she didn’t want to think of that. That was too... too everything. Too graphic, too painful, too horrible of a memory. Then there was the wounds across her body. Various cuts, various chain and whip wounds... various every type of wound. Her wrist was still broken from a pervious injury, and after attempting pushing herself up again, she was sure it was only worse.

Footsteps. Her heart beat faster and her breathing lost control. No! She wouldn’t sit there and wait for her death. She wouldn’t just wait for them to kill her, to dispose of her... to torture her. She wouldn’t give in!

As that thought entered her mind, so many more did also. Mainly the faces of the ones they made her watch them kill. They only asked for a simple price, a painless one, to her anyways. They wanted to know who was behind the operation, who was behind everything...

She should have told them, she would have told them... but her loyalty was all she had left. She had no one, no dignity, no strength, no where to go... no life. At least she would die with one thing. Although the ones slaughtered in front of her wouldn’t think of what she did as heroic... actually, they wouldn’t think at all; they were dead.

She convulsed, falling to her side. Her breathing was very ragged and she was having troubles drawing in air.

Their eyes stared back at her. The ones who had died because of her. The fury in them, the fear, the hope... then all wiped away. Flashes of their lives would flash through their eyes before regret, sorrow... and usually, with the males, hatred, then nothing. Nothing at all because they were gone.

And she had to watch them die, some in the most painful of methods. Some in ways she would never live to get out of her eyes. Never live to forget, but if she was correct, she wouldn’t live much longer. She wouldn’t, and a part of her thought it would be a blessing.

For all the years of suffering, for all the years of pain... it would all end. All the images, all the everything... it would be gone. Finally she would be in peace, finally she would-

The door opened. She didn’t move, only whimpered. Footsteps drew towards her, murmuring among them. Were they happy seeing her so broken? Seeing her so wasted, so drained?

The footsteps stopped, and soon hands held her face. Her body trembled more and more vomit threatened to spill from her throat.

Her face was moved, and soon a figure was above her. At first she saw nothing but darkness, and for a brief moment, she thought she was dead. That it was the end, that it was all over. But then she saw the eyes. The eyes that she had last seen before, the eyes of the demon.

Upon meeting his eyes, all breath left her. She struggled to regain it but nothing happened. His lips moved, saying something, but she mise as well have been deaf. Her mind didn’t take in anything. He drew closer, his eyes still on hers, and with one more mumbled word, everything was gone.

She gasped. Her body jolted, only to be slammed back down with a heavy force on her body. Her eyes blinked rapidly as her chest heaved, still trying to obtain that oxygen. What had happened? Where was she?

It took a few more blinks, but her vision finally came back. She was in the armor still, the weapons strapped to her. The demon was still on her, the vampire standing off to the side. She was still laying on her back, him pinning her down. It was all the same, so what happened?

She glanced briefly at him before quickly looking away. Whatever had happened was because of him, and she did not want a re-run. She did not want to experience that again. She could still see the faces and she could still hear the screams, what had he done to her?

“Nifty trick, isn’t it? However, I’m more fond of the strength.” Her mouth flew open, but he had already picked her up. Without a thought, he threw her. What was with them and throwing her?

Her body held that sensation of flying, the wonderful sensation, the feeling of freedom... until she hit the tree. Her body rammed into it, a sickening crack from the tree and her erupted into the air, and then her body plummeted to the ground. She heard another snap as her body landed, but this one wasn’t her. Not even close.

Followed by the snap was a beeping. Oh no... before the demon could reach her, her hand shot out for the bush. He jumped, but she rolled before he could come down on her. Her eyes glued to the screen, disbelief in her eyes. No! The screen was flashing red, flashing with all of its mite.

“It’s been activated!” She said shrilly, desperately hoping the ear piece still worked. “You have to get out of there!” She could still hear what Damon had said, Run fast.