Soon...
Windchimes. Soft, tinkling bells. The sound leans against the walls of empty space, bound only by the limits of this false reality.
Elliot's eyes open, slow and fluttering. A calm light fills his vision and guides him awake. Without any sense of fear, he peers about, wondering. This place...
The floor, solid as it is to hold him, seems soft and blanket-like. Callused fingertips spread over the surface, filling his mind with the sensation of safety. And that scent... He turns, quick and hopeful. Behind him is only a wall of glass, shimmering and tall.
He rises slowly, paws walking up the wall until he is fully upright. The same world lies beyond the glass, only void of any person. To the left; nothing but the soft environment. To the right; ... Wait.
Life!
Barely in reality, a figure sits against the other side of the glass, hugging its limbs closer. Elliot's heart flutters with a curious glee as he calmly heads closer to the blurred and cased figure. That gentle, aimless touch never leaves the wall that separates them. Those feelings of joy fade the closer he gets, replaced by the ghosts of uncertainty.
The air fills with a strong stench. Death hangs here, he knows. His smile fades and his eyes lock onto the still indistinct figure sitting on the other side.
He hesitates, drawing back his hand. "...Hello?"
Like pushed into motion, the figure stands up in a flash, its body barely being controlled. It turns and reveals its face. A gaping wide mouth, tarnished with sores and scars. Green infections cling to the open wounds. Those eyes, a bloodshot and fierce reflection of his own, stare at Elliot. Its breath fogs the glass, tainting its perfect surface with flecks of a sick purple-red splatter.
Infected. Monster.
"No," he whispers, stepping away.
"Yes!" The creature cries out, broken vocal chords fracturing its speech.
"No! Never!" Elliot yells back.
The disgusting being grins, revealing rotted and blood-smeared teeth. "Soon, you'll be just like me."
Much like the creature in his dream, Elliot sits up as if pushed into it, right out of his sleep. "NO!" A hand clutches the softly glowing amulet hanging over his chest. The magic it contains feels weak and tired, just as he does.
"No," he repeats, quietly. "No..."
Elliot's eyes open, slow and fluttering. A calm light fills his vision and guides him awake. Without any sense of fear, he peers about, wondering. This place...
The floor, solid as it is to hold him, seems soft and blanket-like. Callused fingertips spread over the surface, filling his mind with the sensation of safety. And that scent... He turns, quick and hopeful. Behind him is only a wall of glass, shimmering and tall.
He rises slowly, paws walking up the wall until he is fully upright. The same world lies beyond the glass, only void of any person. To the left; nothing but the soft environment. To the right; ... Wait.
Life!
Barely in reality, a figure sits against the other side of the glass, hugging its limbs closer. Elliot's heart flutters with a curious glee as he calmly heads closer to the blurred and cased figure. That gentle, aimless touch never leaves the wall that separates them. Those feelings of joy fade the closer he gets, replaced by the ghosts of uncertainty.
The air fills with a strong stench. Death hangs here, he knows. His smile fades and his eyes lock onto the still indistinct figure sitting on the other side.
He hesitates, drawing back his hand. "...Hello?"
Like pushed into motion, the figure stands up in a flash, its body barely being controlled. It turns and reveals its face. A gaping wide mouth, tarnished with sores and scars. Green infections cling to the open wounds. Those eyes, a bloodshot and fierce reflection of his own, stare at Elliot. Its breath fogs the glass, tainting its perfect surface with flecks of a sick purple-red splatter.
Infected. Monster.
"No," he whispers, stepping away.
"Yes!" The creature cries out, broken vocal chords fracturing its speech.
"No! Never!" Elliot yells back.
The disgusting being grins, revealing rotted and blood-smeared teeth. "Soon, you'll be just like me."
Much like the creature in his dream, Elliot sits up as if pushed into it, right out of his sleep. "NO!" A hand clutches the softly glowing amulet hanging over his chest. The magic it contains feels weak and tired, just as he does.
"No," he repeats, quietly. "No..."