When Reality Diminishes

“Oh come on, just a small taste.” The voice taunted, fangs rubbing against her neck. She sucked in one short breath before holding as still as she could. Her eyes remained open, horror struck at the events happening. “Just...” he brought his lips to hers and brushed them briefly against them, only adding to her urge to gag, “one little,” his hand wound around her hair and yanked her head backwards, “taste.”

Her heart beat faster. And faster. Her eyes closed and she gave into the shaking. At first it was just one simple shake of her body, then it got worse. Her body convulsed. Her limbs twitched, her body burned, and her overall state began to shatter.

Her hearing was fuzzy, but what she could make out made her sick. The man was laughing. Laughing at her pain, laughing at her fear.

Her head whipped to another direction, yanking the mans hand with it. Her cheek, which had sustained the blow of the backhand, burned. It would bruise, but with her already bruised body, it wouldn’t show through. It would blend in perfectly like a well picked foundation.

His hand wound around her chin and forced her face to him, his other hand still squeezing her hair. Tears stung her eyes but did not fall. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. She never would.

“Come on,” he hissed now. “I could make it all...” the hand on her hair slid down her head to her neck. It wrapped around it, but did nothing. “End.” He breathed into her ear, his fangs now once again at the top of her neck.

“No,” she barely rasped out. As soon as that one syllable word left her cracked lips, his hand squeezed. He wouldn’t bite her. He couldn’t. Not without her consent. Too bad that left a lot of leeway in the situation.

Her eyes bulged as his other hand went to aid his first. Her breath completely left her and her mouth was left gaping, like a fish out of water. She tried to hold as much dignity as she could, tried to muster as much self appearance to just take it, to accept it... but it hurt. It hurt so bad.

Her lungs were on fire. What they needed was all around her, what they sought was right there, so close... yet so far away.

Her eyes met his briefly before everything began to darken. The edges of her vision blacked and the only thing she found herself able to see were the cold eyes that stared back at her. The eyes that were killing her.

She tried to scream, to fight him, but nothing prevailed. Nothing worked.

“Goodbye,” he hissed just as the pain reached a whole new level. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream...

Her body bolted up, gasps coming from her mouth. Sweat beaded her forehead, slowly trailing down her body. Her breathing was now deep and ragged, and her body was shaking uncontrollably.

Her arms wrapped around her knees, pulling them to her chest and burying her head within them. Tears leaked out despite her attempt to hold them. They stung her eyes like a foreign substance, but she couldn’t stop. They just kept coming, and soon after they came, sobs accompanied them.

She didn’t know what was happening. Ever since that encounter with the demon, nothing had been right. Every time she closed her eyes she saw an image that made her want to end her own life. Every time she let her body slip into sleep, she was given a new... vision? She didn’t know what it was, but she did know it wasn’t right. Not even close.

The first night it happened, she woke up screaming. No one could help her, they didn’t even know what was happening. She didn’t even know.

The dirt was once again matted in her hair. She didn’t bother trying to get it out. To do so in the dark would be pointless. She was sure of one thing, though, her body wouldn’t be getting any more sleep that night.

When Damon had said they were going far, she figured hours, maybe a few days. It had now been a little over a week and they still weren’t there. She still didn’t know where there was. Damon didn’t find the need to tell her, so she didn’t have the slightest idea.

Despite the one stop in a town, to get her clothes and food, they remained to the forest. The forest helped hide them, seeing as many were now on the search for them. Including the king.

“Audrey?” Her head lifted out of her knees and she rested her chin on them instead. Tears were still coming down, but the shaking and sobs she had manage to control. Soon after the voice had uttered her name, a face appeared in front of her.

Caleb sat down in front of her, leaning back on a tree. Damon and Austin were sleeping farther away, not wanting to be woken up by her. Caleb had offered to stay with her, and since Brian was a heavy sleeper, it worked out.

“It’s a peaceful night, isn’t it?” She wiped her eyes and attempted to bring back her cold attitude. She didn’t like the fact that they were continuously seeing her weak and vulnerable. “I have something that may make you feel better.” She didn’t say anything. What was there to say? “Try to contain your enthusiasm.” He said, sarcasm dripping off his voice. “When I was younger, I had this friend. He was around my age, so we were close. Always hanging out and that type of stuff. We would always dare each other to do stupid things, to prove how fearless we were.

“One time I was dared to go into this really scary house.” He paused and scowled. “Don’t give me that look, it was scary, really scary.” She rolled her eyes, already feeling a bit better. “Well, as a return dare, I dared my friend to watch this video. Not as bad as going into that house, but I knew if I dared him worse, he would retaliate. And frankly, I had intended to avoid that house like a plague afterwards. So, my friend watched the movie... and was fine. Or so I thought. That is, until the next time I went over, I got in shit from his father saying for the last two nights he was woken up by my friend, his son, screaming. Turns out the movie gave him such horrible dreams that he even threw up twice.” He paused.

When she didn’t say anything, he rolled his eyes, his smile growing.

“I haven’t told you the best part... unless you figured it out,” he said, his eyes twinkling. She shook her head. “You know my friend?” She nodded. “That was Damon.” That’s what cheered her up. Her laughter rang out loud, and even Caleb laughed with her.

Damon shoved his fists further in his pockets as they continued to walk on. His anger was beginning to boil, and that urge to cause someone pain was beginning to return. Mainly to Audrey. She seemed the easiest prey, but he managed to contain himself.

They had to be getting close by now. He knew the way, and he was sure he took every turn and path correctly. But just because he knew the way, didn’t mean he would be able to do it. He had never personally been this way, but Caleb had.

He glanced at Caleb who was beside him, holding a sleeping Brian. He couldn’t help but notice how much that kid slept.

At least he could sleep, unlike Audrey. She had been screaming bloody murder since they began this little journey. His admiration for her being able to hold up was slowly shrinking. From what he had heard about the encounter, the demon must have done it. But he didn’t know of any types of demons that could do that. He knew of the basic weather demons, all with different elements, and that was about it. Even Caleb was at a loss for words. Caleb was half demon, and to put it simple without using all the big technical words, he was a dark demon. The only demon he knew that had powers outside of the four elements.

What being a dark demon meant, was he could call upon it if he wished. Usually he didn’t, and when he did, it used a substantial amount of his energy. If he wanted to, he could cloak the darkness around him, becoming invisible in a sense. If he wanted, he could make every lit spot in the forest by the moon, turn dark. He could even cover the moon itself, though that would take a lot of effort on his behalf.

“How close are we?” He finally asked. Caleb wouldn’t lead them, even though he knew the way by heart. He said that he would rather make sure Brian was fine instead of concentrating on the winding trails. Stupid demons. He could of watched the kid, but Caleb didn’t trust him with anyone but himself. Although, he had caught Caleb allowing Audrey to hold him, something that aided in making his anger grow.

Caleb’s eyes glanced up now, his eyes scanning the area. After a few moments he spoke.

“Give it a day.”