A Tapestry Massacre- Chapter One

         I woke with my head throbbing, rolled over and tasted gritty charcoal on my tongue. Squinting through the teary film in my eyes, I saw cinders covering my body, and ash fell from the sky like black snowflakes. How long was I lying unconscious here? What happened? The sun sank swiftly, making the surrounding burnt trees look even more sinister as they cast skeleton shadows over my legs. If I didn’t move soon I’d be lost in this dead forest. I stood stiffly, struggling to catch my balance against one of the charred trees; it was still hot.
         Without knowing the direction, I walked, using the trees for support. I fell a few times when the bark disintegrated under my hands. I already knew I’d never make it out of the forest before dark, but tried not to think about it. I wasn’t afraid of what creatures might appear in the night; they were either dead or had fled a long time ago. Still, it was unnerving, the thought of being the only living thing in this forest of the dead. At least, I thought I was alone.
         When the last of the light withdrew its rays, I sat down to rest. My bones felt rotten, my lungs burned, I could swear my skull had been cracked by a hammer, and now with the sun gone, I was blind too. I shut my eyes to adjust to the dark and when I opened them again I saw blinking stars. Not stars in the night sky-the forest was too thick for those to shine through-but in between the trees.
         And they moved.
         There was only one thought in my mind as I listened to the crunching of brittle branches-the sound of those glittering eyes advancing on me.
         I ran.
         My only concern was escaping far away from my pursuers. Where had they come from? There were absolutely no signs of life anywhere while the sun was still up. It was as if they’d formed from the darkness itself. I ignored the pain in my legs and the burning in my nose and lungs as best I could, but already my body was giving out. Panic was the only thing pushing me forward now. Panic and the clear picture of being eaten alive by the darkness, with its starry eyes.
        The undead branches tore at me from every side, snatching at my face with their claws. The forest wanted to devour me-I was sure of it. But no matter how much I screamed in revolt, the battle was lost. Tears stung as they rolled over the scratches on my cheeks. The adrenaline coursing in my veins depleted and I slowed, succumbing to the intensity of my wounds.
          A thick tree root flung itself up and caught my foot, twisting it as I fell. The forest read my mind and delivered a final attack to finish me off. I tried to get back up and acid shot through my ankle, forcing a helpless yelp to escape my lips. I gave up on ever escaping the dead woods and, gritting my teeth, turned to face my pursuers. I stared into the numerous orbs of my death and waited.
         They continued to blink at me.
         The sound of snapping twigs told me there were pacing bodies attached to those eyes, but they didn’t move away from the darkness into my space.
         Into the light.
         Fear subsided just enough for me to realize that I was sitting in a soft blue glow. It came from a few feet behind me, from off the ground, and it wavered. The trees were spaced out enough for moonlight to sneak through, reflecting off a thin river. I pulled myself across the ashen floor, gathering splinters in my skin, until after what seemed like hours, I faced the sluggishly running water.
         And my heart choked.
         The reflection I saw belonged to a monster. Its hair was matted and sticky, I learned, touching myself. My skin was caked with dirt, and when I ran a dry tongue over my lips they had the thick, metallic taste of blood. My dress was mere rags that somehow still clung to my body. What happened to me? I tried hard to think, to remember, but my mind only became foggier the more I searched it. This made me come to a new realization-even if I did miraculously manage to leave this forest alive, where would I go? Was there anyone waiting, searching for me?
         Something inside told me I was completely alone. There was nothing outside this forest for me.
         I watched the river curiously; it was out of place here in a dead forest, just like I was. Something living didn’t belong here. An idea occurred to me that was so absurd I laughed, and stopped short because of my scorched throat. I pictured sinking into the serpentine river and letting the cool water fill my raw lungs; slowly my world would go black-and the thought was somehow comforting. I would float away and out of this tragic place. Although I wouldn’t be alive, the forest still couldn’t claim me.
         I’d be the triumphant one.
         A calm came over me after deciding these moments would be my last, and I leaned in closer to my horrifying reflection, ready to slip in. Just as my nose touched the water, a velvety voice stopped me. It echoed through the trees and sent a very pleasant shiver down to my toes.
         “What remarkable luck is this? I’ve discovered a single red rose in the midst of this black forest.” The figure of a man in a long white cloak materialized next to my image in the river. At first I was paralyzed by surprise, but it transformed into wonder after absorbing his reflected features. I’d never seen a man like him, and blinked, thinking burnt embers ruined my sight.
         He wasn’t in any way feminine-yet beautiful was the first word that flashed into mind. White-blonde hair fell around his porcelain face, with lash-filled eyes that shone a bright green so light they were almost yellow. His lips curved in an amused grin as I stared blatantly at this reflection. The area was brightened by his presence-like a single candle in the night, but with a white glow. His image swayed slightly with the water’s current.
         No doubt, he was an angel who’d found me lost and desperate, and he’d come to save me. How else could this beautiful man appear from nowhere, if not from heaven?
         I couldn’t face him because I feared he was an illusion my mind conjured up to ease my solitude. I’d turn and there’d be nothing but darkness and shining eyes behind me.
         His handsome image opened its mouth and that voice caressed my ears again, “Turn around so I can have a better look at you, lost one.” I turned, keeping my face pointed to the ground, unable to forget the bloody mess I was.
         Yet something stirred inside me, driving me to meet this angel’s gaze, no matter how nightmarish I appeared. I lifted my head.
         As soon as our eyes met, his widened and he stumbled backwards like he’d taken a blow to his chest. My appearance was worse than I thought, and this pure angel was obviously disgusted with me. Hot tears flooded my eyes and I hung my head again, my chest aching now with more than exhaustion.
         I felt his cool hand take hold of my chin, turning my face back to his. He bent down towards me and my stomach flipped as his warm breath touched my lips. His eyes pierced into me like he was searching for something, and instinct made me struggle to break free before he discovered what awful secrets hid inside. But I couldn’t break his firm hold. A satisfied look replaced his seriousness; maybe he’d found whatever he was looking for?
         “What’s your name?” He spoke sharply. A tear escaped my left eye to burn my scraped cheek. While his incandescent eyes drilled me, I racked my brain for an answer, my name, with anything…but there was nothing there! I was alone, had nowhere to go, a notion that I was being hunted, and a dread of actually remembering the truth.
         I glanced over once more to the welcome river promising to sweep me away.
         “Excuse me, but can you break away from your thoughts of a watery grave long enough to answer my questions?”
         Was he irritated with me?
         “I-I don’t know. I don’t know my name.” That was my breaking point. Now the tears overflowed, unable to be quenched. The angel jerked his hand away before my tears could reach his skin, but his eyes never left mine, and I wished I could drown in their clear green ocean.
         I felt a strength dwelling in him I needed to cling to-something much more appealing than the cold river. He stood, quick and decisively.
         “Come with me then. I think I’ll call you Elleos, because Elleos means “to have mercy,” and mercy has certainly been given to you tonight. Wouldn’t you agree, my red rose?” He held out his hand, offering me hope, a future.
         I looked back at the water, seeing my death, then back to his pale slender hand. I couldn’t be that lost if this beautiful angel wanted me with him.
         I took his hand.
         “Where are we going?”
         “My castle fortress.” Did he say castle fortress? He couldn’t be serious. A giggle slipped out of me and he smiled. Looking into his face, I forgot about the dreadful forest and stalking eyes. Maybe I was dying and this was all a dream; he was taking me off to wherever dead souls go. I was okay with that too. Far better than the snake river carrying me off as its prey.
         He pulled me up, but I stumbled trying to balance. I fell at his feet with my cheek in the dirt. How embarrassing.
         The world rocked as he lifted me into his solid arms and I sunk into him like a small child, glad he couldn’t see me blushing through all the ash. As he carried me back into the darkness, I thought of my hand being so sticky inside his-but he didn’t seem to care. My eyelids grew heavy, my thoughts distant, but there was one more thing I had to ask.
         “Are you an angel?” The question sounded hollow and far away.
Abrupt laughter sent a rush of icy wind up my skin, leaving me a little confused. After a moment, his amusement faded.
         “I’m your master now, and that’s what you can call me. You know, you’re the first to ever think I was an angel,” he sucked in air to keep from laughing again. The safety I felt in his arms relaxed me, and my body gave itself over to exhaustion.
Is it a strange thing to fall in love with your salvation? At that moment, as he carried me through the darkness, I was sure I loved him-even if he wasn’t an angel.
          In my sleep I dreamed of him gazing into me, though he looked different somehow, and heard his voice clearly.
         “Eyes like a violet flower and unlike any other. What a marvelous creature this bloody maiden is. How fortunate for me,” he sighed. "But will she be useful?"