43 Lights out

Did you really think I'd let you take her?

***

That voice?

It didn't sound like Azrael.

And it definitely didn't belong to Felix since he was a cat and all he could do was meow at the moment.

In fact it was the first time I had ever heard that voice.

I turned around to see who it was and then... "Blackout, Blackout."

"Surprise motherfudger!" I was in total darkness. I blanked out, not like I was hit in the head or anything and I definitely wasn't punched in the face, I just fainted and all I remember before my eyes shut was landing on something soft? Someone caught me? That was the only explanation but who? I didn't recognise that voice. I didn't recognise that voice at all.

I was encompassed by darkness for some time. Darkness was the only thing I knew. It was so empty. A void of nothing. I had felt this way before. It was strange that I was knocked out cold when I was usually a light sleeper and now I was heavily unconscious so much so that I couldn't even hear or feel what was happening around me. I had lost all my senses.

What happened after this mysterious stranger whose voice I had never heard before caught me?

Was he carrying me?

I couldn't feel anything, my body was out and the only thing that seemed to be still working was my mind. Questions kept on floating around in my head.

What happened to Felix?

Where's Azrael?

Is Felix still a cat?

What's going to happen to me?

Did the guy I had yet to see take me or did he just leave me in that spooky graveyard in the middle of nowhere?

Was I kidnapped again by this guy now?

Is he working with Azrael?

Am I back where I started?

Felix saving me was all in vain?

I screwed this up, didn't I?

Too many questions... said my conscience, you'll strain your brain if you ask anymore.

So many questions were left unanswered as usual I suppose. I knew I would only get my answers as soon as I awoke, if I awoke? And that's what terrified me. What would I be waking up to? I could be waking up to the end of the world for all I know. This wasn't like anything Azrael had done to me.

When Azrael put that spell on me I could still feel I was being carried even though I was numb. I could still hear his voice and I caught glimpses of lights from the cinema so I knew he was taking me but with this? I didn't know. I couldn't tell and the only way I'd know what was going on was once I awoke from this nightmare that's if I don't wake up to a nightmare.

This guy was a stranger and Azrael was too I suppose but at least I knew how he looked before he kidnapped me. But this guy? All I know is his voice. I never got a chance to see him since I lost my consciousness the moment I turned around to see who it was.

Felix was with me when it happened but it's not like he could do anything given that he was a cat. For how long would he stay this way?

Other than him being able to disguise himself so that people didn't know he was an actual person and think he was just your regular black cat and that as a cat he could scare away ghosts, his cat form proved to be pretty useless not that I'm complaining, he did get me out of a pickle more than once I suppose.

I can't just keep relying on the poor guy. It's clear that he was doing everything he could. He freed me from this trap. The trap Azrael lured me into to keep me with him but my idea of Azrael or you could say Death had changed as well during the short period of time I spent with him.

Death wasn't actually the bad guy. "I'm the bad guy, duh" (What? It's a song). He was quite far from it. In fact I wanted to help him but all this happened so fast and next thing I know I'm on the run with Felix, bumping into that creepy cloaked being with bones for fingers and now I'm unconscious with some stranger.

"Things had definitely taken a turn for the worst."

There was only darkness and no light. A mind still thinking but eyes completely closed. Shut to the reality I'd have to wake up to. You know the saying... "the lights are on but nobody's home?" In my case... "the lights are off but everybody's at home."

I let the abyss of darkness take over. I let is suck me in.

Blank

I blanked out all the questions floating around in my head during my unconscious state.

The only question I left to be answered was...

What would I be waking up to?

After all it was the only question that needed to be answered given my current situation and all the others were meaningless.

....

...

In the time I had been unconscious it felt as though time had slowed. I wanted to wake up already but I couldn't and it felt like ages until I finally awoke.

....

...

I woke up to something soft. A bed? I rubbed my head. Why does something like this always have to happen to me? I either end up unconscious, numb or both. This was starting to get old.

Where am I? I looked around noticing that I was in a room. Not again. Seriously?! I'm back to where I started, aren't I? That's what I thought as my feet landed on the cold ground? I was in a sitting position, my feet touching the cold surface.

I couldn't see properly since I just got my eyes open but now as I took in the room it was clear that this wasn't the same room Death kept me in and the bed felt really different too. This bed was way too soft and covered in a black silk blanket with two huge white pillows on it. The room also had no black feathered carpet, just cherry wood laminated flooring. The room itself seemed so plain. This person was definitely a minimalist based on their taste in furniture.

From what I could see the room wasn't well lit, in fact it was rather dark (this seems to be a common trait for all of the places I had been to, they were always dark and for some reason I never tried to find a light switch but I guess darkness makes the story more exciting), but the windows were huge and so was the wooden antler chandelier that hung in the centre of the ceiling with what looked like blue tiny lights on the tips of each antler. This gave the effect of fireflies and it somehow reminded me of one of Eden's memories I had seen.

I stared at the chandelier for sometime as I thought back to the memory. I shook my head hearing the sound of water trickling but when I looked outside through the huge white framed windows I saw that there was no rain? So where was the sound coming from? I looked ahead of me now, from where I was sitting.

Quite a distance away from the bed I saw a black door with a shiny silver doorknob. The water trickling sound seemed to be coming from behind that door so I'm assuming that, that door was probably the door that led to the shower?

I stayed looking at the door until I heard the sound of the water that was trickling...

*Trickle, Trickle* (I did that for effect)

... stop.

Who was behind the door?

I waited for awhile. My eyes still fixed on the door as I began to see the doorknob move.

"Oh sh@t?! Whoever is behind that door is going to see that I'm awake."

That realisation was all it took for me to jump back into the spot I was previously sleeping in and pretend that I was lights out unconscious when it's clear that, that's not the case but hey maybe whoever is behind that door would buy it? (The question mark is my doubt).

"You never know, might as well try, right?"

I heard the doorknob twist as I tried my best to make it seem like I was still asleep. The door closed as I heard footsteps at the end of the room where the door to the shower? had just closed.

"I wonder if she's up?" I heard as I tried my best to keep my eyes sealed. What a manly sounding voice this guy had. His voice was deep and rough but not too deep just deep enough for you to know that this guy was definitely the boss of some elite company? I'm assuming. A high end corporation?

Honestly, I don't think it matters but he definitely sounded like some type of person with authority or of a high status? Not that I care. I just want to get out of here.

Was this person even a he? Hey, some people get offended if you assume their gender. For all I know maybe it's a woman with a manly voice? Well the only way to know is to peek, right? Now I feel like I'm invading their privacy. I mean, what if they're naked? They just got out of the shower. Yep, I'm definitely not peeking.

Frick no.

Ha that's a laugh. Me respecting the privacy of the second person to kidnap me this week. They clearly never thought of how I would feel when they kidnapped me, this goes for both Azrael and whoever this guy is, (yes I'm assuming it's a guy okay, forgive me if I'm wrong. Maybe it is a woman but I'm just going to think it's a guy, okay?) and yet I think of how they would feel. Why the heck should I? They never once thought of me.

Currently, I was still lying on the bed that was super soft. This bed was way too soft. Where is Goldilocks now? "This bed is too hard. This bed is too soft. This bed is just right." No, this bed was just way too soft for my tastes. So I'm guessing this guy is a man of luxury? Show off. Even his bed or her bed? is over the top with how soft it is. (Yes, I'm still assuming it's a guy. I know what you're thinking... how dare I assume their gender? But it had a manly voice so what do you expect? I mean, come on).

I didn't plan on peeking on this person anytime soon considering that they might be naked since they just got out of the shower and also because I didn't have any holy water on me to cleanse my eyes from the unspeakable things it would see if I looked.

"I can't unsee that, okay?"

It's like opening Pandora's box. Once you look you can't go back. The footsteps that was quite a distance away from me before seemed to be approaching me. I heard each step until this person was in front of me? A shadow silhouette blocked out the light that was filtering into the room almost like the shade a tree would provide a person on a hot summers day.

This person was standing right in front of me. I didn't want to peek but what if they were going to kill me? What if they were standing over me with a knife in hand? (Yeah, I watch too much horror movies what can I say. But the killer always stands over his victims before killing them. If this was a killer, that is).

So out of curiosity and fear I did what I didn't want to do... I peeked. Gosh this is a pervy move (it's not funny if I have to keep on telling you that I'm joking but for the sake of those who get easily offended, for some reason? I'm here to tell you that I'm joking about the whole perv thing).

Looking through the gaps of my eyelashes since my eyes weren't exactly "fully closed" I braced myself for the "unknown" and I took a peek. And what did I see? A naked man? No, I'm just messing with you. It was a man but he wasn't naked. He had a white towel around his... uh? that area. Manly area? What do you want me to say? I'm keeping this clean as best I can.

Wait, why was I even looking there?

"Again, what is it with me and shirtless guys?"

This time however, it wasn't just a "shirtless guy." He was practically naked if it wasn't for that towel. Then again he did just come from the shower. It's not like you bath with your clothes on.

Okay, so just to clarify he wasn't naked and I didn't have to soak my eyeballs in holy water. Not that I'm a church goer. The man started bending down, his head moving towards my own. Somehow? I think he knew I was awake. I felt the bed dip as his hot breath hit my ear and I flinched momentarily. My long eyelashes now blocking my vision, I wasn't sure if he could tell but I tried my best to keep my eyes shut, that is until I heard the words... "Welcome to Hell."

My eyes shot open seeing the man (yes, it was a man so I didn't assume anyone's gender) with both his hands indented into the soft bed and leaning over me. It was beyond intimidating considering that this was a grown man that looked to be at least 25 years of age and I'm still practically a girl even for my age of 18. Hell, I don't even look my age, if anything I looked younger. Womanly? Nope, I wasn't that, not a sense of the word. In fact I considered myself a girl even though they say that if you're 18 years old you're supposedly a "woman."

"Welcome to Hell." Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. I shot back into the wooden headboard of the bed as I broke out of the rest of my thoughts, my eyes going wide.

"Welcome to Hell?" I questioned as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Precisely." His deep voice resounded throughout the room.

"Then that means you must be-" I couldn't finish my sentence since I was lost for words or you could say I was too shocked to speak.

"In the flesh." He said clearly trying to intimidate me and yes, indeed it was working I just wish I could knock some sense into myself and stop myself from being so god damn shaky.

"The Devil?" I gasped. I was surprised for some reason? (Why the heck was I being so dramatic?) Honestly, I don't know why. It's the Devil? Big whoop... So what? Who cares. I just want to get out of Hell? or wherever I am currently? Well, he did say "Welcome to Hell" so I guess, getting out of Hell is probably the best option for me I'm assuming.

Great first Death now him. What's next? Said my conscience.

"Hmm? So she isn't as daft as she looks." The Devil himself, snickered in a mocking tone.

"That's a bit harsh and I'm not daft you air-" I was going to say "airhead" when he clicked his fingers and I couldn't talk. I went mute, couldn't say a word.

"Ah ah ah... I do the talking around here." He said practically leaning against me. I moved back. My mouth felt like it had been glued shut but the funny thing was... there was no tape or anything sealing my mouth shut. Nothing was sealing my mouth shut and then I remembered... Ah he's the Devil.

I seemed to have forgotten that I'm dealing with the Devil.

"Yep, I was dealing with the Devil, both figuratively and literally."

"You've changed quite a bit from how I remember you." He said with a devilish smirk but then again he was the Devil so what did I expect. I'm definitely not going to get an angelic smile even though ironically he is a fallen angel and here I am just humouring myself cause I've got nothing better to do.

I couldn't protest. My lips were sealed shut. All I could do was go... "Mmm, mmm, mmmm!" which was code for... "You've got the wrong girl."

What was this guy- I mean the Devil talking about?

I've never met him in my life.

Honestly, I didn't plan on meeting him, but who does? and I definitely don't remember selling my soul to him. There's only two ways to meet him, right? One: was do something wrong that breaks the- was it 10? commandments? and two: was by selling your soul to him. And just to clear matters up... I didn't do any of that so why am I here?

Why is he saying he knows me?

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm?!" I still couldn't speak, great. Is he going to leave me like this?!

He clicked his fingers and my lips finally separated. Taking a huge gulp of air I could finally breathe properly. "Speak only when spoken to..." was all he said as he moved away. His tone seemed rather harsh like someone that was giving orders and I only noticed he was mere inches from me once he had moved away.

He was so close to me and I hadn't noticed because I was too focused on the fact that my mouth was sealed shut. (I know what you thinking... I deserve it because I talk too much but the truth is I hardly spoke at all. Most of the things you've heard from me were my thoughts and unfortunately for you, dear reader, I can't stop thinking, I apologise for that)

"Speak only when spoken to..." I replayed that sentence in my head. He was threatening me by implying that if I spoke out of line he'd seal my mouth shut literally. Wow, talk about only hearing what you want to hear.

"Don't disrespect me." I heard his deep voice echo in the silence that encompassed the dark room.

How is me trying to say he's got the wrong girl, disrespectful?

Oh wait, is it because I almost called him an airhead?

When I looked again he was dressed? and walking towards the door that I assume leads to the passageway on the other side of the room. How in the world?

"Wait..." was all I could say as I struggled to find my words. He stopped in the act and looked back at me before he reached the door. He was so intimidating I couldn't think straight and his stare was so cold it sent shivers down my spine.

Would it be weird if I said I missed Death?

I'm kind of starting to have mixed feelings about this.

"Why?" was all I could say as I sat up on the bed with my arms slumped down as my hands rested on my crossed legs.

"Why? What?" He looked at me furrowing his eyebrows and then suddenly I saw a playful smirk pop up on his face. It wasn't like Azrael's though. It was more... more devious. Like he was scheming something. Wait, why am I comparing him to Azrael, damn it, damn it, damn it.

I paused, my lips parting in the process. "Why am I here?" I spoke on. My voice was timid, it didn't sound like my own and it lacked confidence. I sounded like I was afraid of him which was strange because I wasn't or at least I thought I wasn't afraid of him. Although, I will admit that he is a bit more intimidating than Azrael but not enough for me to be as afraid as I sounded.

He was still at the door looking at me. How he had changed so instantly was beyond me as well. He was standing at the door with a black tux on, white shirt and black bow tie. His dark hair was still wet from the shower? I guess? but somehow it looked nice. If he wasn't so frigging intimidating I would have found him attractive.

"Why am I admiring the Devil?"

Don't answer that though, it was rhetorical. Why the heck am I being bombarded by "attractive guys?"

Speaking of which... where is Felix?

He was a cat last I remember before the whole waking up to a naked stranger- sorry man with a towel covering his- you know what? I'm not going to bring that up again. Let's just pretend that when I got here the Devil was fully clothed.

The sound of footsteps clicking on the laminated flooring is what got my attention. I hadn't noticed that he was approaching me as I sat on the bed. I backed away slowly as I witnessed him approach me as if I was his food? Moving, step by step towards my direction. For some reason in my mind I felt like I was shrinking.

With every step he took forward, I felt like I was getting smaller and smaller but of course I wasn't and this was just all in my mind because that's how intimidated he made me feel. Yes, I was being dramatic but can you blame me? He's the Devil for Pete's sake.

"Are you coming or do I have to drag you?" was all I heard as he pulled me off the bed and away from the headboard I had backed up into. Distance from him was the only thing that made me feel safe but now I was so close to him and his hand was clamped around my own. Almost like a handcuff that I could not free myself from.

"Hold on," I said before he could pull me to the door, "you've got the wrong-"

"girl?" He questioned, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked back at me and finished my sentence.

I paused seeing a spark in his eyes. A mischievous one, a toying playful one. He stopped pulling me and I stopped resisting. I thought for a bit. "Yeah?" I said slightly doubting my choice of words. "Yeah..." I thought again sounding more sure now. I'm pretty sure he thought I was someone else unless he was-

Was he one of the people that was after me?

Great, just great. As if things couldn't get any worse.

"Well, I hate to break it to you but you are the girl I'm looking for... Alice," his voice hijacked my thoughts as I heard him stretched out my name, "or should I say Eden."

"Geez, I'm not Eden." I said mindlessly not even bothering to think of my words or whether they would offend him or not. "Why does everyone think I'm her?"

I thought he would seal my mouth shut after my impulse to speak. My tone was a bit well- off? I sounded agro for some reason that was beyond me. I don't know why I felt angry. It's just that everyone, well not everyone- mainly Death and now Saturn (I said his name wrong on purpose) over here keeps on saying I'm Eden. Lost memories or not I'm not her anymore or at least I don't think so.

"Well," he spoke on paying no mind to me or my outburst and not sealing my mouth shut which came as a surprise to me since he had done it before, "hypothetically speaking you are her but at the same time you're not her if that makes any sense?"

I was confused at his words and so I didn't answer. He looked at the door a distance ahead of us and then back to me. "I'll explain it to you later." He said seeming less intimidating now and clearly reading into the confusion that was written on my face.

"Now come on." He said as he gripped my hand. "We have guests."

Guests?

To be continued...

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