Ba-Dum..Ba-Dum..Ba-Dum..
The sound of her racing heart filled her ears and drowned out the sounds of the forest. The sweat poured from her. Her face was red. She ran as if the hounds of hell were at her heals. She leapt over fallen trees and ducked low hanging branches. She ran. And ran. And ran hut the church was nowhere in sight. The forest was shrouded in darkness as the last rays of sun fell from the sky. Not even the stars dared to shine. She stopped. Unable to see it would be pointless to keep running she slowly regained her breath, calmed her racing heart and allowed her eyes to adjust. The fear had gone. Nothing was chasing her. Had it all been in her mind? But it felt so real. A thought flashed before her eyes..She had spent so long running towards the church, why hadn't she arrived? She followed the path back, she should have arrived at the church before the last light faded. Why? Why wasn't she there? She franticly began to look around her and take in her surroundings. Where was she?
"Why are you panicking my dear..?" a honey like voice whispered softly in her ear.
She turned. There was no one there.
"Are you lost..?" the voice came again. Still no one.
"Who's there? Who are you? Don't play tricks on me!! Show yourself." Ellie called trying to sound braver than she felt.
"I am me, I have always been here, I always will..." The voice sneered.
"Show yourself!!!" Ellie shouted
"Are you afraid...Ellie?.." The voice whispered again.
Ellie began to panic. Who was it? Where were they? How did they know her name?
"What do you want?" Ellie called.
"..you.." The voice said.
The fear Ellie had came back and filled her with an urgency...She didn't know what to do her mind went blank her hands trembled a high pitched noise filled her ears. She grabbed her ears, closed her eyes and fell to her knees and began to scream as loud as she could...
The darkness dissipated and a reddish glow shone through her eyelids..
Ellie opened her eyes. She hadn't moved. The sun was still setting. What happened? Suddenly rustling in the bushes in front of her she didn't have time to react she slammed her eyes shut and waited..
"Ellie are you alright? What happened? Why are you kneeling?..." a worried voice enquired.
A tall kind man strode forward and scooped her into his arms. She opened her eyes. It was Asmodious. He looked at her with a soft expression. Ellie began to do something she had not done since she was a child....She cried...