Chapter 2

“You will live.”
Why? Why couldn’t she die in peace. She layed on the ground as the blood continued to pour out of her torn wrist.
You are so annoying! Morgana thought.
Nuri Domanoff plagued her mind. She wondered if she was with Guy at this exact moment.
“He’s not someone you should be worrying about right now.”
Did her Angel not realize that it was too late. Morgana brought her wound towards her eyesight. She noticed that her skin was now gray.
“Touch the wound, Morgana.”
“Why?” Morgana wondered.
“It’s the only way.”
Morgana did not want to touch the wound. All she wanted was death to approach.
Maybe I don't need to cut the other side. This seems to be doing just fine.
Her Angel groaned in protest.
“Must I do this myself? The more I intervene, the harder it is for me to communicate.”
This caught Morgana’s attention. What did it mean by intervening? How was it intervening?
“Touch the wound or I’ll have to do it myself.”
Last night when she walked up towards Guy and Nuri, could it have possibly been her Angel that had control of her body?
“Did you take over my body?” Morgana spoke softly, wondering if she truly was speaking or if it was all in her mind.
“I go away when I do. Please don’t make me go away. There is something bigger.”
Morgana could sense a sadness that did not belong to her. She had no idea why her Angel wanted her to touch the wound. There was nothing that could be done. Her heart was no longer pounding in her ears and her body felt heavy, like her eyelids. However, she mustered whatever strength she had left and with her right hand, covered the wound.
“Now what?” Morgana asked.
But there was no answer. Instead, her eyes shut and she felt as if she was falling.
She was falling until she began to float deep in her mind. Darkness consumed her for a moment until she began to see a light.
“BURN!”
Where did that come from? Morgana heard voices, angry voices. She heard the sound of crackling wood. It smelled of fire, heat seemed to engulf her very essence. Am I going to hell? She wanted to cry out to her Angel but wherever she was, her Angel was not. She suddenly felt frightened, wanting to get up from the ground and forget what she had done.
“There is something bigger.”
What is going on? Morgana thought as she noticed that she was suddenly surrounded by gray. No, not gray, but a thick fog. Was she dreaming? Morgana wondered. She realized then that she was standing barefoot on a bed of water. Morgana dressed in a white gown that went down to her ankle. Her feet walked forward and with no purpose. She had no control over what she was doing. She wanted to call out to her Angel but her lips did not obey. What was happening? Where was she?
Morgana shielded her eyes from a sudden light that blinded her. It was the sun peeking its rays from the thick clouds. As she continued to walk, silhouettes of various kinds seemed to dance right before her. Morgana tried to focus on what was right before her. She gasped as she realized that there was a grass covered hill. The sun emerged from the clouds as if guiding her towards the hill. A light breeze welcomed her as the smell of jasmine engulfed her nostrils. Morgana stopped and looked up above the hill and noticed something standing.
She began her way up and as she neared to the top she realized that it was a long black wooden mirror.
“A mirror?” Morgana heard herself say.
She stopped right in front of it and stared. What she saw in the reflection had Morgana in utter shock. She expected to see herself. Instead Nuri stared back at her with the same expression of shock. Even in death Nuri plagued her.
Maybe I am in hell!
“Why!” Morgana cried. She noticed Nuri mimicking her gestures.
“I - I don’t understand!”
Anger emerged from the pit of her stomach. She could almost spew it out like fire! Why was Nuri here, mocking her every move! She felt shaken to her core. With all her might, Morgana placed all her anger towards her hands. As she cried in fury she began to pound at the surface until the mirror shattered into pieces. Tears swelled from her eyes as the anger and frustration seeped out from her body, leaving her weak. She fell to the ground and continued to cry.
“Please, Angel, help me! I don’t know what is happening!”
Thunder clapped from above her. The sun was gone. Only dark clouds surrounded the sky. The wind picked up drastically. Morgana felt iced to her bone. She hugged herself tightly. She felt alone and hollow inside. She never realized how much she got used to having her Angel with her.
“Morgana.”
Angel, is that you?
“Follow my voice.”
Indeed it was her Angel. Had it come back to save her? She looked around to see if she could see anyone.
“Morgana.”
Her name crescendo through the wind as it lingered towards the bottom of the hill. That is when she noticed the woods for the first time. The trees were bare with only the branches reaching up towards the sky like skeleton fingers. There was a path that seemed to come from nowhere. Morgana felt herself move towards it. At first she walked slowly, uncertain as to where it led to. However, as the wind howled and her name was being called repeatedly, Morgana felt anxious. She began to run down the hill and into the woods.
“Angel! Where are you!”
“Almost there…”
Morgana did not stop until she saw something right before her. She approached an old cottage house. It was small and made of stone. A large window was closed with broken shutters. In front of the house was a water well.
Breathless, she took a moment to rest. Cold sweat poured out from within her as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She felt an eerie sense as she neared the door. She knocked once and waited.
No answer.
“Hello?”
Morgana entered after a few moments.
It was a simple home. It had a large living space with a fireplace. There was a cast iron pot hanging from inside it. Have I been here before? Morgana wondered. She felt nostalgic.
“I’m here.”
Morgana gasped. She quickly looked around and saw another room on the far right.
She thought she saw a shadow move. There was no fear, only excitement with the thought of finally meeting her Angel.
Another simple room with a large bed and across it was a vanity table that stood by another window. Outside the rain began to come down.
“Come and sit with me.”
Morgana did not understand. She could hear Angel's voice but did not see anyone.
“What’s happening? What is going on?”
“I will show you. Come closer. Sit with me for a moment.”
She neared the vanity table but she refused to look into the mirror.
She was afraid to look at her reflection and see Nuri staring back at her. But as she dared to look, Morgana sighed with relief. She smiled as she stared at herself. Straight black hair, bangs swept to the side and her light brown eyes that seem to haunt her with dread.
“You need to see.”
“See what?”
She jumped as thunder clapped, shaking the ground and the room lit up for a split second.
“What is going on? I don’t understand. Please, tell me!” Morgana suddenly cried, staring at herself, tears threatening to fall. She was angry and frustrated all at the same time.
This has to be a nightmare! Morgana thought as she took a few breaths.
Then she noticed someone standing behind her through the mirror. She was expecting to see her Angel. Instead there was a man. Tall and slender, with pale skin. He wore a white cotton shirt and leather boots. He stared at her with disgust. His pale blue eyes bore into hers like daggers! Where did he come from? Surly not from her time. Yet, his expression seemed familiar. Morgana wanted to speak but no words came.
He spoke with anger.
“You are not welcome here!”
She quickly turned around to face this pale man but was aghast when she saw that she was alone. She turned back towards the mirror and screamed in terror. Nuri stared at her once again, mimicking her moves.
“I am here.” Her Angel assured her.
This can’t be happening!
“Angel, please!”
Morgana clasped her hands over her ears and began to cry in fear, shutting her eyes, hoping to awaken from this nightmare.
“It’s time.”

STATIC

Chapter 3  (ASR) The Bed of Roses series #2290339 by Serena Blade