Unleash the Red

I need to find him. All I have is his voice to lead me by on this unending path of mine. I close my eyes and suddenly I'm tumbling down. Head over heels, I'm falling through the void.

What I see at the other end reminds me of the world in my dreams. I'm walking through a midnight forest, following his voice, and before I know it, I somehow come to a room that is filled with clocks that vary in size and were in every shape. A solitary black table with a chessboard upon it sits at the very center of the odd room. I look around, marveled by all that I see. The constant ticking of the clocks starts to give me a headache and I want to leave.

There are about a dozen different doors, each completely different from the others.

His voice is suddenly accompanied by a piano playing a slow, melancholy tune. It almost sounds like he's calling my name. It's coming from the crimson door to my right and I know immediately I must go through it.

A Heartagram within a 7-pointed star that is encircled by a snake adorns the door. Enthralled by the sudden familiarity of it, I stare deeply at the symbol. I can't look away. I reach up and begin to trace it. I jump back a little as it warms up beneath my fingertips.

The door opens and I step through, relieved to be closer to my destination. I gasp, taken aback by my surroundings. I'm standing on a huge chessboard in the middle of an endless ocean of tears. All around me are giant chesspieces, but they aren't average by any means, because they're topped with more of those Heartagram symbols. His voice, the enchanting music, it grows louder as I maneuver these giant chesspieces.

there he is, across the board from me. I start to run, and just when I cross the halfway point, the smaller pieces on this side begin to vibrate in place then finally crumble to dust. The ocean rages around me and I realize the chessboard is grumbling beneath me, as if revolting against me so that I cannot reach his voice, my beacon in this dark, strange world.

chessboard splits down the middle with a loud and violent rumble and I look up to see a man in a black, high-collared frock and top hat standing on the other side. He holds a black and red walking stick in his hand, and he's singing again. He points the walking stick at the ocean of it tears and it finally calms. I jump the gap ahead of me and run towards the man.

As I get closer, I'm not surprised to see the walking stick is also topped with a Heartagram. He finally speaks, startling me.

"I've been waiting for your call, Autumn."

puzzling as that statement was, it woke something in me and I feel like I finally remember why I'm here. My heart awakens as I stare at the man I have been searching for, for so long. He is easily the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. His skin, pale and gorgeous, looks soft enough to caress. And those eyes, those deep emerald oceans, they're pulling me down just like they always do.

Memories of our past flood my brain and I'm almost overcome with the love I feel for him.

I suddenly find myself in his heavenly embrace and the music starts again. His breath is warm on my skin as he whispers my name and my heart's already lost this war.

The kiss is unlike any other, and I feel like I'm at home as he holds me in his arms. I steal another kiss from him, pressing my lips so hard against his that they seem to feel numb.

Just when I think we're going to stay like this forever, he pulls away gently. He points at the ocean of tears then takes my hand and leads me over towards the edge of the chessboard. We both kneel down and stare at our reflections in the tears, our cheeks are flushed and our lips have gone blue.

"Stay with me, Autumn. This is where you belong, by my side. I love you. I've been trying to tell you all along." Ville says. "Those dreams you've been having, well, they aren't dreams at all, love. I was trying to bring you to me, but something always took you away from me. I spent so many nights, sleeping on the scars I gave myself when I was overcome with pain at the thought that you'd never come back to me. When our love started to die, so did I."

"Well I've been trying to reach you for a long time now. I'd chosen to wake up every time you brought me here because I was scared. But this time I think I'm finally ready to stay with you." I touch his perfect face, running my finger down his jawline.

I kiss those gorgeous lips once more; I never wanted to let this man out of my sight. He rests his head on my shoulder and we close our eyes. The music that had been playing in the background stops, and this time I don't wake up.