Death by Love: Asylum

Chapitre Une

He left me here in the dark, in a puddle of water mixed with blood. How long had the fight lasted? Was there even a fight? I don’t know—I can’t see the time or the sun anymore, for he sealed up the entrance from whence we came. He sprawled traps in front of the covered entrance, and in the middle of the traps he laid a sharp knife.

Should I risk it?

I looked about my surroundings. Nothing has changed since before; it was still underground, and still dimly lit from the torch up ahead. I was still the only one here, doomed to this tragic end.

Or so I thought.

There was a loud caw, calling my attention to the right. Upon a rock that protruded from the musty wall, lay perched a raven. How did he get in? How will he get out? Is he stuck in here like me? He cawed again, reminding me of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe—“The Raven.”

Once upon a midnight dreary,

As I pondered, weak and weary.

What a likeness to my current position.

I decided to try and stand, but there was a huge pain in my side when I tried. I felt it with my hand, and put it up to view that my fingers were tainted rouge with glutinous blood. The glimmer made my stomach churn with repulsion. This must have been where he tried to kill me—but thank goodness, it was only just a scratch.

It wasn’t fatal.

Somehow I was able to sit up, and that’s when I felt the cold, wet water running along my back. There was a small breeze coming from somewhere making it worse for me, and all I wanted to do was lay back down. Lie back, and be warm again. But if I stayed here, what was to become of me? I would just be wasting my time—and life.

I finally gathered up the strength to stand on my own two legs. I stared down and noticed my outfit isn’t fit for this occasion. A bathing suit and shorts? What was I doing before he brought me here? Why can’t I recall what his face looked like? I can’t remember. All I can recall are feelings, and that my attacker was male. I detest that.

The raven once again cawed after a long moment of silence.

Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

With that, the raven flew towards me, talons raised in attack. I moved out of his way, but he still managed to scrape my forearm. He came at me once more; trying to peck at me as it stayed soaring above me.

If I were ever going to get that knife, it should be now to get rid of this animal.

Without thinking, I ran straight towards it. I picked it up and thrashed at the bird, disabling his wings; now he lay there, suffering.

That’s when I finally felt the white hot pain in my left thigh.

I felt down, and there it was; an arrow. I was frightened—could it have been poison-tipped? No, I have to think positive. I did what I can to take it out of my leg, and when I finally pulled it loose I examined it. The arrow bore a seal, one I remembered seeing before. But where? Who? What did it mean? It was a dragonfly-on-a-rose, something that made me think of him. That man; my attacker.

I can’t stay here—I have to get moving. I’m in the middle of a trap ring.

I tip toed across, making sure not to trip a wire or set off another arrow that could hurt me even more. Watching my step—hold on—boots? How very, very interesting... Why would I wear boots if my outfit screams “beach”? I should have been wearing sandals, but I’m grateful that I am wearing these boots. I am still wondering what I was thinking back there. How did I lose memory of something that could have only happened a couple of hours ago? Is this some kind of dream?

It can’t be; I feel pain.

Can you feel pain in dreams?

I was out of the trap circle before I knew it. I began to walk normally again, towards the end of this cavern; towards the light of the torch which now burned brightly, playing games with the shadows on the wall.

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow.

What would happen if I was trapped in here, and the torch marked a dead end? Think positive, Rayne, I told myself. There’ll be another way out if this way doesn’t work. I’ll get out. I’ll live my life. I’ll find a prince charming and live happily ever after, the end!

But it won’t be the end just yet, because at the end of this cavern, there is nothing! No door, no left or right turns; it’s over. There’s no way I cant go back into that trap circle and risk my life trying to move a boulder that might not even budge. I sat underneath the torch, hoping it would fall and kill me so I wouldn’t have to suffer from starvation...

It didn’t.

I was about to grab it myself when I noticed the outline of a keyhole in the space to the left of the torch. I kneeled and looked into it—is this a door to another part of the cave? Why was it hidden?

I saw the seal just above the keyhole. He sealed this exit off to trap me in here, and he’s doing a damn good job. I tried to force the door open, I tried picking the lock, hell, I even tried putting a flame to it. None of that worked. If the door were able to speak, it would call me a series of bad names and then laugh at me for trying to escape fate.

Fate is cruel.

Or maybe not—can I fake a key? Would it work if I used something with the same seal? My brain ticked; it was worth a try, but I guarantee nothing.

I ran across the length of the corridor and stopped at the puddle where I began. Where did I drop that arrow? Ah, there it is; near the dying raven. Poor thing, I shouldn’t let him suffer like that...

Sadly, I smashed him. I didn’t want to, even after he attacked me.

Here I was again, facing the supposed door. Time to try out my inadequately thought out plan. I held my breath as I pushed the arrow into the socket. I turned it and—was that a click?—it began to form into a more visible door. I caught my breath again and debated with myself upon entering.

How would I know this isn’t a trap?

It can’t be a trap if it was hidden.

Maybe he knew I would have found this.

Maybe he didn’t.

I should just see what it’s like inside there...

I agree with you.

My mind was now made up, I was ready to enter. I reached for the door and pushed it open; it creaked.

And now my journey begins...