Chapter One

Charmaine

Charmaine, a twenty-four-year-old woman, was a religious cult member in her town. As I grew older, and questioned the absurdity of the cult's beliefs. Because of that, I am now deemed an outcast. I ran through a once calm and foggy area that was now a fiery inferno caused by a man seeking vengeance. This place is like a nightmare where souls enter but never leave. They make the deaths of the deceased no mystery by broadcasting their remains on television. Sirens echo through the town, warning people to seek sanctuary in the church. However, I can no longer consider the church a place of safety, believing it houses more evil than good. I can hear the metallic fan in the background. I sought one thing in this craziness forming around me: shelter from their web of lies. Having no clue what awaited me outside the false protection of the Order. Yet, I had had enough of the harsh treatment from those who were supposed to protect me, tired of the tear-soaked pillows and broken-hearted nights from the nasty things the women spat at me from those around me because I didn't have a husband as they did, perfect families but behind closed doors were ancient skeletons haunting their closets. The thoughts of their ridicule fueled me to keep running, to remain brave in this nightmare and its surroundings; and I refused to give in; deciding on the start of this journey to put up a fight; come what may, I couldn't bring myself to regret leaving those who had hurt me.

The intense hues of red and orange that made up this realm made it difficult to see anything around me, yet, in the distance, a tall figure walked ahead, unaware of my presence. The roaring of the fan made it impossible for anyone to hear much of anything in this realm of horrors. Knowing where I now roamed and what I was in the middle of, fear seemed to hover over me like a deadly virus; what or who could the silhouette of a person be? Could they be a beacon of light in this insane domain of blood and rust or an omen? Fear caused my heart to beat like a train about to derail from the tracks. I wondered if this was the mysterious man detested by the people I now viewed as my adversaries. Finding this person could be light in this madness and sadness. Debating my choices, the figure stopped in its place. As if though they had possessed the power of mind reading. As I, too, stopped in place. "You have my attention. Why are you stopping now?"

I looked at the man facing me, his lavender eyes and dark black hair. He looked human as I walked over to him. "I need help." I looked at the man, whose gaze never left mine. "My people kicked me out. I have nowhere to go, no home or friends, no family."

"Hindrances cloud better judgment. Fire blackens innocent hearts. You have done well to leave those fanatics with your innocence intact." I looked at the man, who continued. "Is it the thoughts of living and dying in the unknown that scares you so?" he leaned against the bloody walls, continuing to look at me.

"What does that even mean? Are you going to help me or not?"

"The hero seeks help from the villain? This is rather interesting. I'm intrigued; sure, let's go."

The man turned on his heels and started walking as I followed him. "So, tell me this. Do you always seek help from strangers? I teach my children to never talk to strangers, but here you are, going home with one. Are you well? Should I be concerned?"

I looked at the man. "You wouldn't harm me."

"Oh?" the man stopped, turning his head to face me. "Why do you think so? Enlighten me."

"Because you would have already done it. I know who you are. I know your history. You are the crazed executioner. I've heard stories about you and that Raylina woman."

"Hm, seems that I am popular. Dead or alive, people know who I am, a wimp in sickness and everyone's nightmare in my death. I was rather the wimpy sort of human male. Mouthy, corrupt women have done no man any favors. Raylina and I had a history. She may have won the first round of the lover's quarrel, but I had the last say." The man laughed. "Secrets and lies catch up to people. Remember that, little flower, and you will go far."

"A lover's quarrel and history is enough to drive a man over the edge and make him want to destroy his girlfriend; maybe I'm the one who should be concerned for my safety; what could a woman do to make someone want to cut her head off and leave her to rot on the streets? Did she burn your oatmeal and toast or something? I've heard of short-tempered, but that was a little excessive, don't you think?"

"Girlfriend, hardly. She was my wife. She never cooked, so the odds of her burning things were likely. However, that had nothing to do with what I had done; she was a mouthy woman when I needed her most. The only thing she did was grumble and complain. She made the vow in sickness and health, but only when I was slaving away and benefiting her was I valuable. Once I was sick, she had grown tired of it and finished what the sickness would have if she had given it another month. Nature would have cared for me fourteen years ago, and I could finally rest for eternity. However, I'm this."

I looked at him as he turned back around and sighed. "Let's get going; I have errands I need to run. You know how to cook, right?"

"Don't worry. I can cook; I'll try to have you something to eat when you return."

"Not for me. I have children; they are at home, probably tearing up the place. They said they were hungry, and that's why I came out; I was looking for food, but the cults cleaned the shelves out, so I was worried about how I was going to take two eight-year-old girls out of the town and maintain my powers if you could stay home and cook from them, I would appreciate that."

"Sure, no problem; I love kids."

The man exhaled a sigh of relief, and we walked further into the town.