Hope

Today, I have a Dual Point-of-view snippet to share with you! It is a bit longer, but I am really excited to share this with you.

Enjoy!

Hope

People walk past. Their feet take them wherever they wish to go.

The sun shines, but it goes no further than the surface.

All so cold. 

So empty.

I dig my fingers into my sweatshirt and pull out a small pendant. The sun glints on it, reflecting the light in the crystal.

Warmth runs back through me.

Hope.

I tuck it back in, and a small smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

Yes.

There is hope.

____

Heat. 

Pain.

Fire.

My eyes snap open with the pounding of my heart. 

My irises contract against the bright sun, and I tug at the metal encircling my wrists.

Who do they think they are? That they would restrain me?

Fire ignites in my veins, the metal heats and glows. I bare my teeth and lift my head to the sky, my black hair whipping over my eyes.

Yes.

The time has come.

____

I lift the edge of the box and take out an old, ragged photo. A black-and-white portrait of a lovely young woman with sweeping dark hair down to her hips. Her right hand clasped a small pendant. A wide smile on her lips, a glittering happiness in her ebony eyes.

Carless.

Free.

I run a finger along the frayed edge. 

Turn it over.

A delicate scrawl of cursive writing spanned the top corner. I squinted, bringing my face closer to the cramped words.

To my dearest girl. May you forever remember who you are. Never lose hope, even when the darkness seems too strong.

There is always hope.

A shaky tear falls on the photo, smearing the ink.

I wish.

____

I smooth the black leather over my shoulders and smear bright red lipstick over my lips.

Perfect.

I tug the edges of the jacket over my scarred wrists and leave the room.

The floor creaks under my feet. Dust and cobwebs swirl through the air. A spider hangs from the dead lightbulb in the ceiling.

I pause at the attic door.

Now.

My fingers clutch the cold doorknob.

Heat flares in my veins.

I open the door.

_____

The door to the attic creaks open.

I look up.

A tall woman stands in the door frame. Black hair, black eyes, black clothes.

The candle that lights the dim space beside me gutters out. The thin trail of smoke wafts into the air.

I stand, my thin legs shaking, my heart pounding.

“W-who are you?”

The woman does not blink. She steps into the room, her eyes fixed on me. Cole-black lashes unmoving.

A thin smile crosses her lips.

Cold fills my chest. I am sinking, drowning.

Fear.

_____

There she is. Shaking, scared, weak.

Pitiful.

This will not take long.

I walk forward and place my hand on her shoulder.

“Mirah,” I say. My voice cool and soothing.

“Why do you run?”

She stares up at me, her rich brown eyes frozen.

I lean closer and whisper in her ear. 

“You cannot contain me.”

_____

Her breath is sweet, like almonds.

I want to listen.

It would be so much easier.

No fight.

Peace.

Her eyes widen as I place my hand in hers. Her skin is warm. Her veins pulse with a reddish glow.

I look back into her eyes.

A thin, glowing red ring frames her irises. Pulsing.

“Will it hurt?”

Her warm hands caress mine.

“No,” she breathes.

I want to give in.

I close my eyes.

_____

She is so close.

Heat throbs deeper and deeper within me.

Victory is in sight.

“Believe in your fears,” I whisper. “This is the only way.”

She nods, her eyes still closed.

“There is no hope.”

_____

I will do it.

As I open my mouth, my gaze falls on the pendant hanging from my chest. The light in it is faint, like a distant spirit.

But it is still there.

I look up into the void, the darkness of her eyes.

“How did you get out?”

She stiffens, the red glow in her eyes flecking outwards.

“That is not why I am here,” she croons. “Don’t fight it.”

My eyes narrow. I jerk my hand from hers and clasp my pendant.

“I am not afraid.”

_____

Light beams from the pendant, streaming into my eyes.

No.

NO.

I clench my hands, my nails cut into my skin, and the fiery blood flows down my fingers. It drips on the wood, leaving scorch marks.

Drip.

Hiss.

“You wish to fight me?” I hiss. 

The girl draws herself up. Her eyes alight.

“Very well.”

Fire burns through me. I pull iron chains from my jacket pocket and hold them out. The metal heats under my touch.

“You have one last chance.”

____

I lift my chin.

“Never.”

Fear will never master me.

_____

She has made her choice.

_____

Fire burns.

But it cannot change my will.

Despite the pain, there is a feeling that goes much deeper.

There is always hope.

A smile spreads across my lips.

A free smile.

I look up into the black woman’s eyes and whisper one word.

“Hope.”

_____

I fall back. The air swirls around me.

What did she do?

The fire reverses itself, burning my skin, pulling me under.

I lift my head to the sky as I fade to blackness, the chains securing themselves once more.

I fade.

____

I pull myself off the floor, still clutching the pendant, which glows like a lantern.

I look across the attic.

My reflection looks back at me from a dusty mirror.

Brown-black eyes. Black hair.

One and the same.

But the fear has gone.

And now I am free.

A smile lights my face.

I have re-found my hope.

I have killed my despair.

Free.

Forever.

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Above photo is copyright by Legend Fiction, to view their website, click on the photo or on the link. Legend Fiction

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