19 Hell and Farewell

I ran towards the second floor, and as I arrived on the top of the stairs, the air suddenly changed, it became suffocating, visions of smoke and fire flashed before my eyes, blinding me partially. The heat was unbearable, I was in hell.

I pulled myself together and continued to walk on now what seems to be the stoned floors of the mansion, flames surrounding me. On the end of the corridor an enormous ebony door stood, it was covered with bones, two full human skeletons were the frame arching over and the knob was a skull the size of an infant's head, it glowed red with heat and the smell of blood hangs around the air. My body was like lead, too heavy to walk anymore. Closer, I watched as my hair began to singe in the tips. I felt like dying - no, I just wanted to die than to continue, but as I was to give up, I saw my grandfather's face smiling, I can't die yet, he will die of depression if I did. I forced myself to walk towards the door and as I grabbed the knob the skeletons tried to stop me, as they started to claw my face off with their cold bony fingers. Somehow, I managed to blow up their heads. I pushed the door open and inside in-front of the mirror little Annie was staring at me through the mirror, the eyes that looked back were those of the poor child that begged me for help, while the body looked back. I watched as it changed, shedding the skin of the child, as a black figure emerged from it, its horns wound at its head, with bloodshot eyes and claws that were sharper than any knife, this was the demon. It charged at me without it's usual pleasantries, its claws trying to gouge my eyes out. I was saved by a bottle of salt that I threw at its face and God's grace.

"You are wrong thinking that you will survive this, she's already mine and you can't save her!" it snarled, its face smoking from the salt.

I fired my gun, it dodged. "The fuck i care! I made a promise not to fail and I won't! I fired again and once more missed, but this time I ran away. I was at a disadvantage, he was stronger and there was no place to hide, it was a set for a funeral, and I wasn't planning on dying just yet. I ran inside one of the transformed rooms of the mansion and hid behind a door. I prayed that I won't be found easily because all I had left was one bullet. In the midst of my silent hailings, I heard the dragging of claws on the floor, "I can smell you... I can smell your fear", I swallowed. In one swift motion I was knocked down to the floor by the demon, its claws at my throat. I tried to fight back, hitting his face with my holy water blessed gun, making him lose his grip as he fell writhing on the floor. Taking my chance, I placed my knee on its chest and pressed my gun against its head, the demon's ebony skin sizzled as it touched barrel. However, as I was about to pull my trigger, "Robin please!" It was Annie, the adult Annie, the woman I love. She was crying, "please don't, don't do it. Please, I beg of you." I felt tears rolled down my cheeks, this was Annie, my Annie. I couldn't move, I wanted to pull the trigger, yet I didn't have the strength to do it. That single moment of doubt was my undoing, I lost my strength as my gun was stuck out of my hand and was now pinned to the ground by the demon. I was weak, I couldn't do it, I couldn't kill her. I closed my eyes waiting for death when I heard a voice whispered in my ear, "you promised me", yes I did, but I was too scared, and too in love. In my head I saw Annie's suffering face, was this the fate I wanted her to suffer for all eternity? No. One word of conviction made me pick my pride, as I was being strangled and the demon preparing to stab me with its claws, I made a pull on my father's knife from my side and in one last final attempt for survival, I stabbed the wretched creature on the chest.

The knife lit the demon on fire I heard its blood curling shrieks, engulfing him with its flames. I moved away trying to catch my breath and watched it burn, as the embers died away Annie's body was lying on the ground untouched, it was the body of a child. I ran to her and held her in my arms. I watched as she slowly opened her eyes, she smiled weakly at me, mouthed "thank you and good bye", slowly I watched her flesh turn into dust until only her bones lay on my arms - just like that she was gone. Annie was gone.