He sits on the spare bed, watching her sleep. Next to her, a machine rhythmically beeps her heart beats. He laughs a low growl. Not long now.
In her sleep, she is dreaming. Dreaming of soaring higher and higher. Dreaming of a better life. It is a slumber that is as deep as any. It is a slumber she will never wake from.
He watches her with amusement. Tapping into her dreams is easy enough. He watches as she soars in ecstasy. Not long now, my pretty, he thinks. He quietly reaches out and touches her dream.
In her sleep, she frowns. She is in an arid desert. The heat is killing. All around for miles and miles, there is nothing but sand. She tries to fathom where civilization might be closest. South, she decides. She begins to walk. Hour after hour and still no sign of life.
All of a sudden, the dry sand in front of her cracks. The crack extends and boiling hot fumes erupt. Her skin begins to chap and peal. It’s hailing. Hailing sulphur. Her skin begins to slowly burn. God help me, she cries.
He withdraws his hand in pain. Where had that come from? She is much calmer now. Hailing sulphur? Ha! She better get used to that. Where she is going, there is nothing but sulphur and heat. Loneliness and pain. He extends his hand towards her again.
She is on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Cool breeze blows through her hair. All around for miles and miles, there is nothing but water. She tries to fathom where civilization might be closest. South, she decides. She begins to row. Hour after hour and still no sign of life.
All of a sudden, a giant wave batters her raft. She is immediately hit by another wave on the opposite side. The sea that was calm just a minute ago is suddenly roiling and churning. The water becomes fire. Flames engulf her. Batter her. Consume her. Her skin begins to burn and char. The pain is excruciating. God help me, she cries.
He withdraws his hand in agony. Funny how fire soothes and yet the one name he was terrified of can burn. He watches, silently, as her dreams return to normal. She looks peaceful. The end is not far, he smirks. What you saw was just a whiff of your new home. Enjoy the calm while you can.
It is time. The end is not far. The beginning is close. The machine by her bedside begins to beep at faster intervals. He reaches out his hand once more.
She is on a grassy mountain. Multicoloured butterflies flit about her. The mountains look inviting. She would love to see the world from the top. She begins to climb. Hour after hour and still no nearer to the top. She decides to rest a while.
She sits on a boulder. All of a sudden, the boulder shifts and she is in a cave. The cave is pitch black. She is not alone. Gossamer wings lightly touch her and move on. Somewhere overhead, a bat screeches. A quiet voice whispers, it’s not too late to get out. Get out of the cave. The tunnel. Go back to the butterflies on the mountain slopes. Don’t walk towards the light.
The light? A ray slices through the darkness. She ignores the voice and continues walking. It is easy for her to do. She’s been ignoring that voice all her life.
He is there, walking beside her. Leading her.
The ray thickens and widens. Beckons, almost. He stops in the darkness. Rules are rules. It’s still not too late. The choice is hers to make. Brilliant light or grassy mountains?
She turns and for an eternity, gazes at the dark tunnel behind her and the peaceful plains beyond. She turns and looks at the brilliant light ahead. He hold his breath. She is still uncertain.
The machine beeps in staccatos. Faster and faster. And suddenly deadpans a single eternal beep.
She is free now. Free to make her decision. In the darkness behind her, he watches. Watches as she chooses her fate. Her destiny.
He knows that all that awaits her on the other side is oblivion. Brimstone, sulphur and fire make the light brilliant. Mortals always had a flair for romanticizing the deadly. Stupid mortals. Believing that the light at the end of the tunnel was their reward for being good. Stupid stupid mortals.
She takes an unsteady step towards the light. Her next step is more certain. Hadn’t mamma always talked about moving towards the light? She is more certain now. She has made her choice. She begins to walk faster.
And in the darkness behind her, he smiles.
