Descent to Sanctuary

Episode 1: Isabel

The chilling sound of lead riffling through it's metal constraints penetrated the dense muggy air. Before he could formulate the thought of death within his mind, he was knocked mercilessly upon the ground. He felt no pain as his eyes looked up at the hazy cloud-filled sky. Then, just before his eyelids sealed him in eternal darkness, he saw the face of his hunter. He smiled and whispered softly: “So it was you...”

Hadrian lifted his weapon and released another shot at the motionless body. Never assume... a scratchy voice resonated through his mind as he began to walk away from the lifeless heap. The old geezer's words never did go away... I wish it would... I'd be happier living in silence. Hadrian walked pass the parking lot gates and towards his Z3. As he tucked his Browning-45 back into its holster, his left hand produced a set of shiny keys from the pocket of his khaki coat. Two abrupt beeps echoed against the empty cement walls.

I wonder if it was a mistake to get such a nice car... Then again, life is too short to be frugal... He rested himself upon the cushy black leather seat. The smell of new car esters filled his nose. A quick twist of the car key and the engine came alive with a loud roar along with the car radio. A soothing female voice filled the car's enclosure: “Do you know where your life is going? Are you scared? If you feel lost and alone, please call...”

I know exactly where I'm going... I just don't know when I'll get there... With several swift motions of his right hand he placed the car in gear and escaped from the bowels of the underworld.

Am I scared? He shifted the car into third gear and watched the speedometer reach 70. No... I'm not scared... I'm beyond being scared. In fact, I'm beyond everything... even death...

Suddenly, a drop of liquid splattered upon his windshield. Several seconds later another fell like droplets of tears. Then, the whole sky was weeping, saturating the dessicated world. Hadrian drove on.

Not too far in the distance, amidst the liquid veil, he saw the bright red light of the busy intersection. He depressed the break pedal and the car eased to a gentle stop. Within a few moments, another car on the left lane pulled up beside him. From the corner of his vigilant, azure eyes he saw a woman in the driver seat. Their eyes suddenly met; her innocent orbs of green stared steadily into his. For those few seconds they seemed to be diving deep into his soul and examining it in all its blood-filled glory. He quickly pulled away away; then the female voice from the radio earlier suddenly echoed within his mind: Do you know where your life is going? Are you scared?

As soon as the street lights turned green, Hadrian shoved his foot against the gas pedal, causing his tires to screech out in anger. He needed to get away, far away! Those eyes, they kept burning their way through, tunneling deeper and deeper within. He wanted to scream but found it difficult to make any sound. His tortured mind was too preoccupied for him to notice the sudden bend upon the road ahead. Without warning, the car thrashed itself against the metal railing. The sound of rubber scraping against cement and metal scraping against metal, wailed out against the roar of the pouring rain.

At first Hadrian could only hear the muffled thump of his beating heart. Next, he felt the warmth from of his breath brushing against his cool lips. Lastly, he heard the persistent pounding of the heavy rain against the roof of his tattered car. He opened his eyes. It was at this moment that an acute jolt of pain shot up his right arm. He looked down and let out a gasp. His right hand, completely mangled, laid limp and bloody by his side. He looked up and saw the blood splatters upon his smashed windshield. A sudden pain of horror tickled his mind at the thought of what had happened. After the initial shock, like a drunkard, he stumbled out of the crumpled car. He was immediately soaked through by the warm, summer's midnight rain. Feeling too weak to walk, he slowly slid down upon the rough, rain soaked ground. For some reason, even though his hand screamed with pulses of pain, he did not seem to care. The rain felt good; it was cleansing him, washing away all the unforgivable sins from his scattered past. He could feel his body becoming lighter and lighter.

So this is how it feels... it's not so bad... He slowly drifted towards the sanctuary of blessed sleep. Just before he closed his eyes, a pair of bright headlights beamed upon him. He heard a dull thud followed by the sound of rubber soles splashing against the moist ground. And there they were again, those mossy green eyes of judgment, calling out to him, dragging him away from his sanctuary. “Please let me go...” He whispered horsely.

“I can't.” She replied. “It is not for me to decide...” That said, Hadrian felt himself being lifted up by a pair of small but strong hands. She spoke again in a winded voice: “I can't lift you by myself. You have to make an effort to stand.” Again, he whispered to her: “Don't bother. I'm not worth the effort.” She paused for a moment. He could feel her labored breath against his neck. Then, in a firm voice she said to him: “I don't know where you came from or where you were heading, but it doesn't matter. What matters is right now you are going to make that effort to live!”

Maybe he was too tired to argue, maybe he was too delirious to care, maybe... her words triggered something deep within his sealed heart. Whatever it was, he felt strength returning to him and slowly, he moved his legs and used them to push himself off the ground. She lent him all of her strength and after a few stumbling steps, they managed to reach her car.

After she made sure that he was seated and properly strapped in, she climbed into the driver's seat and released the parking breaks. In a gentle voice she asked him: “Tell me, what is your name?” Hadrian slowly opened his eyes. He stared at her for a moment and let out a gentle sigh before mumbling softly: “Hadrian... my name is Hadrian. What's yours?”

There was a pause, then in a pleasant voice she replied: “You can call me Isabel.”