I find a stream to follow and walk beside it. Nyx was right, its cool here but I’m not sure if its night or day. The sky here is so odd. So far, so good, I think before I spy what looks like a swarm of insects making their way to me. Quickly, I pull the scarf out of my bag and wrap it around my head and mouth. Covering my hair as the swarm approaches.
What I didn’t expect to see were sprites. Demon sprites to be exact. Evil looking little creatures with long pointy ears, sharp teeth, and a mottled grey, black skin tone. Their black, silvery wings buzzing as they make their way toward me. If I didn’t know better, I would think that they were heading straight for me.
“What do we have here?” The leader of the swarm buzzes about my head.
“I don’t want any trouble. I’m just trying to get to The Great Divide. I need to speak with Luc.” I say as the demon sprites buzz around me.
“Did you hear that? She needs to speak to Luc?” The swarm laughs and points at me as if I’m hilarious. “That’s new.”
I begin to feel seriously uneasy as I say, “Really, he will speak with me. I just need to get to him.”
All the tiny demon sprites begin to snicker, their laughter borders on an evil taunt that I can’t seem to ignore. I’m drawn to the wicked little creatures and they form a barrier in front of me, and announce, “You are not a dead soul. You are unusual but it makes no difference.” They say in a singsong voice, “You belong to the Fields of Punishment now.”
My heart stutters to a stop, “What do you mean? I’m sure that if you looked to Luc’s guidance, he would want to talk with me.” I’m scared, and I now know that they mean me harm.
They converge on me all at once, and in an instance, I’m covered in their pixie-like dust. It’s dark and feels so wicked. I find that I’m smothered by it, and I can’t escape it. It clings to me, suffocating me, intoxicating me. Without warning, I feel dizzy, uncertain, and everything around me appears distorted somehow as if I’m on a bad trip. All the while the wicked little sprites continue to giggle and torment me. Looking around, I see the sandy soil begin to rise up to form images of my loved ones until they no longer look like sandy statues but real people. Shaking my head, I try to dispel the hypnotic feeling that has taken over my senses.
“Are you kidding me?” I demand. “You’re not real. None of this is real.” I whisper.
“Lillie Joanna, what are you doing?” The granules of the soil solidify to form my father.
“I don’t know,” I stammer as I sink into the mirage before me. “I need to find …” I pause uncertainly before stammering, “I’m not sure.”
He laughs, but his laughter sounds harsh and menacing, not at all like my father, “You were always the weak one. Weren’t you?”
“Wh … what? You always said that I was strong?”
“And you believed me? So, you’re dimwitted as well, my daughter?” My handsome father looks down on me in bitter disappointment.
“This can’t be right. None of this is real.” My voice breaks as my reality begins to crumble. More dust rains down on me. Where is this glittering dust coming from, I wonder. What’s happening here? Where am I again?
“That would ease your insecurities, your pain, but you know I speak the truth. You are not worthy to be my daughter. To be a goddess of … NOTHING!” My father bellows. He glares at me and I know that there is some sort of manipulation going on here but it seems so real. My father’s disappointment stings. I sink to the ground and bury my face in my hands. He’s right, I’m the goddess of nothing.
Looking up, I see my mother’s form before me, granules of sand seamlessly coming together to become my mother, “You are such a disappointment. Look at you. Snevelling in the sand by a stream abandoned in The Underworld. You are not my daughter. You are WEAK!” My mother glares down at me and I cower under her scrutiny. She’s right. I’m weak. I’m nothing. No one wants me and no one will miss me.
My brother kneels before me, “Oh thank the gods, Lachlan. You found me. You can help me get out of here.” I look around in confusion, not sure anymore of where I am, but I plead none the less, “You came for me, help me. Please.”
My handsome brother sneers, his face a mask of contempt, “Help you? Why would I do that? I’m finally free of you! No longer bonded to you as your guardian.”
“No,” I whisper, “this can’t be real. You love me, Lach. You would never -”
“I would never, what? Leave you behind?” He straightens up, a harshness settles over his handsome features. “I already have.” He backs away from me to stand with our parents.
Not able to stand the looks on their faces, I stand and turn to run away from this nightmare only to run into Daxell. He’s not alone. The leggy blond from the bar is wrapped around him and the two are intertwined in one another, their kiss seems to go on for hours and I can’t tear my eyes away from the two, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces. He pulls away from the woman in his arms and pins me with a withering stare, “You thought you would be enough for me? You can’t even follow simple directions. What a fucking screwup! You’re on your own, honey cheeks. I’ve got better things to do than babysit you.”
Closing my eyes, I whisper, “This isn’t real.
