"Away"

 

It was the day when another ritual should happen. There was no doubt that another member of this strange cult is going to be select as a scapegoat. Too many young people has already disappeared to be found dead later. These youngsters, that were pushed on the edge by the society, found a sanctuary in the cult. People that had nothing to lose. 

And then she was. The one that should stop it all. The only issue was that she didn't remember how she got in there. The part of the brain was erased. Everyone knew that the leader of this strange community would select her as a rightful member. Her past wasn't nice, it was full of the pain and despair. Yet she was still alive. And she was able to see which was something that the leader appreciated. That was a reason why she became his pet. 

When everyone got inside of the abandoned factory, one of the members jumped to her. His face - he was scared and full of the painful despair. He was shivering and unhealthy pale. The eyes of his rather covered behind the tears. She could see his hazy sight. It was ... gone. 

"Hi. I'm going to take him down. I have...I have to do it."

"Do what?" She asked with a frown upon her forehead. 

"I have to. I have to take him down. I'm so sorry. So, so sorry but there's no other way."

But before she could ever reply, the stern glance of the leaders bodyguard was shot towards them. 

"I just have to do it." He mumbled and disappeared inside. 

And she joined him. As the door closed, she walked to the table to lube the strange lotion into her palms. Every member had to do it. Nobody knew what this lotion was but everyone observed the rules anyway. As the milk was soaking into the skin, there was a strange feelings spreading in her guts. Like something really, really bad was going to happen. While she was turned back to the members that waited for the sermon, the hard swallow came through her throat. And then it happened. The loud gunshot spread over the whole room and she quickly turned around. It was the boy that was speaking to her outside. Her irises widened and the shock of the scenery got her frozen on the spot. Another gunshot. And then he aimed the barrel at her. 

Altough the leaders bodyguard jumped in front of the bullet and his heavy body fell on her. What she saw next got her nearly screaming. The leader was murdered. His face...his eyes were wide open and the blood was running out of his nostrils and mouth. 

The view at this terrifying projection made her push the guard away and she ran outside. Trembling, unable to breath, just cry. She knew she should be glad that the leader of the murderous cult is gone but she was devastated. And she ran and ran. Away from the place. With the echo of the police sirens towards the disaster. 

And then a figure dressed in the black coat stepped in front of her. He took off the cape hiding his face. Was her mind playing with her now?

"It's alright. It's me." He broke the silence and stepped closer to wrap his arms around the trembling girl. And she mirrored his gesture, releasing some more tears. Hopefully this is not any trick of her brain. Tightly keeping her eyelids locked together, some more tears has showed up anyway. 

"I expected the attack so I hired the doppelganger to replace me." He explained. 

"I thought you're dead." She sobbed while inhaling the scent of his hair. His perfume. 

"Shhhh, it's alright. I'm here."

He pulled away to take a look on her. To let her know that he's really there. It was just them now. It was forbidden but somehow she fell in love with him. And so did he. 

"We can go away - just us, together. I know you can open the door. Together we will be happy in there. This place brought nothing good to us. You've seen it..."

Together they walked on the edge of the cliff with the town behind them. She was scared to jump but she knew that she's not really going to die. Just move to a better place. With him. 

"Will they remember us? Our family? Our friends?"

"They will." 

As he replied, her chin trembled. She knew that they will feel the pain. The suffocating asphyxia made her realize that the right decisions are always the hardest ones to do. 

"Is this world just a dream and we're evidence of the reality?"

"They'll remember us as a living dream. But we never will be the part of their world. It's time to return to our world. Place without the pain and suffering."

She took a deep breath and with him - she made a step forward. Hearing the wind around her, the breeze ruffling the endings of her hair. Relief. Freedom. And then - with him - gone together. Out of the cliff, out of the world. Together they flew away.