Chains, Shackles and Hopeless

Here I am, in this cell.. with a Corpse that is making really small weird noises. It's kind of creepy and I can't make out anything about it, I have no idea who this is or how long they've been here. What about me? What's going to happen to me? How long am I going to stay in here or what are they planning to do with me? I begin to recollect all the previous events as my mind begins to wander, the vivid image of my Hero getting slain lingered in my consciousness, and the sight of my fallen crusaders echoed in the dark. I'm deeply afraid and I am beginning to lose hope, this very well may be my last moments...

Why did this all happen to me, I only fought for my Lord Jesus and to take back His Holy Land. To be locked up in the Hell is the worst fate of a Christian! Why did this all happen to me, what did I do to deserve this?

These thoughts continued to plague my mind and I begin to weep very softly to myself.

After a few minutes of sorrow, I began to remember the Word of God and my spirits lifted for just a moment. A Christian shouldn't be overwhelmed but a overcomer! I should welcome death as a release of this life into the next.. but dying still frightens me. I do know that this place isn't my home, but to be with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My countenance begins to lift up as I remember the Good News of the Lord Jesus.

I should at least spend these last fleeting moments in peace and good will. I hang my head high and stand to my feet, I then walk myself to the prison bars, they are sharp and pointy and the shackles around my feet are cutting into my flesh giving a piercing pain. I look around myself and I cannot take my eyes off the Living Corpse that's next to me..? I wonder if this 'thing' is even alive, or if it's just another tortured soul in this Inferno. I guess there's only one way to find out huh... I then call out to it, "Hey, can you hear me Corpse? Do something if you can hear my voice?"

I hear no response but the echo that vibrates into the Darkness. I guess it's hopeless then, I will spend my last moments alone in this Dark Cage. I turn around and grab onto the thorny bars and lean against them. As I do this, I hear a faint crackling noise happen behind me that caught me completely off guard!

"Hey! Was that you? Did you just try to speak to me?" I shouted abruptly. The Corpse said nothing and maintained total silence. Damn, I guess it was just a fluke. I turned back around and gazed into the cells in front of me, and saw only Darkness shrouding around it. Again I heard a faint crackling noise behind me, I turn around and say, "Is that you..?"

I waited for a response but got none, "Do that again if you are trying to talk to me..?" I asked.

There a short gap of silence, and then my anticipation arose, then I heard it, the Corpse moved their hand and it gave off a crackling noise. It was at that point that I knew that it heard me, if I can ask it questions, then maybe I can discover things or just pass some time in here as I wait for my coming demise. I moved towards the Corpse and kneeled down before it. As I kneeled down, I caught more of it's appearance, it was curled up in the corner of the room, the hair was white and stringy, the eyes were shrunken in as well as the head and body, it had spiderwebs in various places and it was grey in color. It was almost like looking at a skeleton. It must be tough work to speak in that state, maybe I can figure out an easier way to communicate with the Corpse.

I was then hit with a brilliant idea! Maybe I can hold the hands and ask yes and no questions to it and learn more about it! That seems like a great idea, let's put it to work. I lean in and reach out to grab the Corpses cold and bony hands. As I make contact, I feel a slight resistance pulling away as if it doesn't want me to hold it. I say in a calming tone, "Don't worry, it's okay Corpse, I don't want to hurt you, I just want to talk to you.." Okay maybe that wasn't the best thing to say, let me elaborate on it a bit more, "Sorry, let me start over. My name is Jean Sinclair of France, I am a crusader and faithful Christian by heart, I wish only to speak to you, would you please allow me?"

The Corpse answered nothing and made no noises. I figured that would be the case. I stand to my feet and walk over to the Thorny Bars. I may have scared it with my sudden and boisterous approach, I should have treaded with more care. I was deeply sorry and said in a melancholic tone, "I'm sorry, please forgive me for my rudeness, I will leave you alone now." I leaned my head against the bars and felt the thorns begin to press into my forehead.

Then from the blue, I heard a faint, soft and distilled voice behind me say, "Je....an" I turned around immediately and saw the figure slowly stretching it's hand out, I made haste quickly and kneeled down before it and grabbed the skeletal hand. "Did you just say something right now? Did you just call out to me? Squeeze my hands if you were."

As I said this, I felt a gentle and weak grasp wrap around my hand. By the God of Heaven it's true! I ecstatically answered, "It's true then! Please tell me, what is this place? How long have you been here?" After speaking, I realized that those questions might be a little too difficult to answer. I apologized again, "I'm sorry.. I got too excited there.. forgive my insolence..", "Allow me to try again. Have you been here long? Squeeze for yes and do nothing for no?" The Corpse then squeezed my hand, so it has been here for long. I asked another question, "Tell me.. are you male or female? Squeeze for male, do nothing for female." The Corpse did nothing and I waited for awhile. After a few seconds, I concluded that it was a female.

"So you are a girl then.." I said. The Corpse did nothing, I wondered if I could ask anymore questions to it but I know nothing to ask. I guess the only thing I can really ask if it's a damned soul or a demon rotting away in here? Let me try that then.

I asked the Female Corpse, "Tell me, are you a damned soul in this place or are you a demon that is rotting away in this prison? Squeeze for soul, do nothing for demon." The Corpse responded in nothing, but did do something unexpected. I then saw her open her crackling jaw, and was baffled with what I saw. As she opened her jaw, she made a small hiss, I then noticed she had fangs and this arose another question in me. Only a few creatures I know have fangs, and one of them is only known in fairy tales, but I guess anything is possible in this Damned Place.

I looked at her and asked, "Are you undead? Squeeze for yes..?" She squeezed my hand as I said this. I thought to myself, she must be one of the mythical blood suckers known as Vampires, I believed that they only existed in myths and legends, but it's possible that I'm kneeling before one. I asked her one last question, "Are you a Vampire..? Squeeze for yes.. do nothing for no..?", the Corpse didn't squeeze back, but instead it spoke this in a broken and crackling tone..

"Ro...ya...l ...Va...pi....re".

Did she just try to say, "Royal Vampire!?"