Death Becomes Her (2)

'Trinity.' A voice calls out softly, resonating in Trinity's mind, but not audible outside.

She opens her eyes with a jolt and sits up abruptly, having just heard her name. "Shiori?!" She looks around, hoping she's woken up back in her room and everything will have been a dream.

However, she can see that she's still in her father's room and he's still very dead on his bed. She feels a sudden pain in her chest and looks down to find the knife still embedded deep inside her.

"Why aren't I dead?" She pulls the knife out, releasing a yelp and shouting, "Damn, that hurts!" She looks down at the wound left behind, the gash looking very pronounced and blood dripping out from the edges. "I stabbed myself right through the heart, so why am I still alive?"

'Trinity.' A voice calls out to her again, and she's surer than before that it was Shiori's voice.

"Shi! Where are you?" She gets to her feet, a mild feeling of hope filling her chest. She runs out the bedroom and through the house once again, calling out for her sister. "Shi! Shiori! I'm here!"

'Trinity, come find me' She speaks again. Her voice sounds clearer but is still distant. 'I'm here.'

"Shi?!" Trinity becomes panicked and searches more frantically, but soon comes to understand she's not in the house. "Please. Shi, tell me where you are! I want to go to where you are!"

'Follow the path. I'll be waiting for you Trinity. Please hurry…I'm scared. I don't have time.'

"Path? What path?" She doesn't get an answer. "Shiori, what path?! Please tell me where!"

'Come find me, Trinity. You can do it. Just follow the call. It's always been inside of you.'

"You're not making any sense Shi; this isn't a game!" She again gets no answers, but she suddenly feels a sensation in her chest. She thinks it's likely her wound, but looking down, it's now gone. "Huh?" Not a trace of the wound remains, her chest fully healed as though nothing was ever there. "How is this possible?" She feels the sensation again, now even stronger.

'Come find me, Trinity! Hurry! I'm out of time! You have to find me quickly, or I'll be taken.'

"Taken? Taken by who?" She gets no answer as before, so she finally follows her instincts. She's confused and scared, but this may be her final chance to see Shiori again. She won't squander it.

She grabs the bag she packed earlier from her room and hurries to the door. She opens it and prepares to step outside, but she stops just before crossing the threshold. Call it instinct or maybe it's just her fear catching up, but she knows that the moment she steps outside, everything will change. She's finally free to leave, yet she feels too scared to take the step. "I can't do this."

'Trinity…please.' Shi's voice call her again, but it's noticeably weaker than before.

"Shi…." Trinity clenches her fists as her arms lightly shake. She's terrified of what she's about to face, but she also knows Shiori needs her and so she must go no matter what. "I'm coming!"

She rushes outside, not allowing herself to hesitate further. She crosses the threshold with ease and doesn't look back. She's leaving that man, that pain, those memories, it all behind. She keeps running until she reaches the end of the street, only now looking back. To her surprise, she finds the house disintegrating, evaporating like smoke towards the sky, until nothing is left.

"I don't understand…what's happening?" Trinity is confused, but she once again remembers Shiori. She turns away for the last time and runs towards the woods. "I'll be there soon Shi!"

She makes her way through the thicket of the trees and bushes, looking for any signs of Shi. She feels as though she's running endlessly to no destination. Just as she begins to lose hope, she hears Shi's voice again. 'Trinity!' This time it's so loud, she can't miss it, and follows it.

A bit further in, near a flowing stream, she finds a small mound covered with branches and leaves. It could almost pass for nature, but Trinity can feel it. She can't explain it, but it's a sensation that grows, seemingly being called to that exact spot. She digs with her hands, not stopping for anything, finally reaching a large plastic tarp which is wrapped around something.

She pulls it out and instantly feels dread. She's terrified to open it but knows she must. She does and immediately vomits the moment she sees the contents. "Oh my god! Shiori!" She's repulsed by the gruesome sight of her remains, but she also clutches them against her chest with fondness. "I'm sorry Shi, I'm sorry!" She can once again only say sorry, failing to protect her sister again.

As she cries, the remains she holds begin to shimmer and suddenly she becomes engulfed in a glowing light. It wraps around her, emanating from the remains, until she's fully covered. She can feel something inside her changing, as though every atom in her body is rapidly evolving. Black flames flicker in her eyes wildly. In her hands, she now holds a titanium golden scythe.