Chapter one
Belle
Black.Empty.Lifeless.That’slife in the Abyss. The place of nightmares. I can no longer feel my fingers and toes; I’m not sure if I’m even still alive. I’ve lost my sense of self, and it truly is depressing.
The enchantress did warn me, after all. She told me that the Abyss is no place for human beings and that many simply perish who are unfortunate enough to find themselves stuck there.
But I’ve always been a rebellious spirit. When someone tells me that I can’t do something, then it’s like a spark has been ignited inside me, and then I go and do the complete opposite of what I’m told. It sounds like self-sabotage, but I don’t care. I have to see my monsters. I would crawl to the ends of the earth if it meant that I could glimpse them once again.
We were only together for a short time, but it felt like a lifetime.
I try to see through the murk around me, but it’s too dark. So I stretch out my fingers, hoping to make contact with something. Anything would be better than nothing. The tip of my boot catches on a rock, and I tumble forward.
I face-plant the ground, tasting dirt, and finally, the first sign of life. I spit the mud out and peer around. My surroundings come into focus, but everything is still blurred. But there’s no mistaking the silhouettes of trees.
I’m inside a forest.
Climbing back to my feet, I wipe down my jeans, glancing back the way I came. I’m greeted with a wall of shadow. It appears I got through the first hurdle. Miles and miles of black, empty nothingness have led me to this point. So if I’ve made it this far, then I can go further.
I hold my rifle ready, continuing my way through the forest again. Twigs crunch beneath my feet, the first sound I’ve heard ever since I said goodbye to my father. That feels like a thousand years ago, and it truly is disorientating. I’m not sure how time works here, but I’m determined to find my monsters and save the human world.
I always thought that the shadows would disappear the moment the monsters left, and then all our problems would be solved. But it appeared the problem had been humanity all along. The monsters were just mere by-products of our ugliness. Our toxic ways finally caught up with us in the end, and now the human world has plunged into darkness.
And it’s up tometo save us all.
Falling in love with the monsters was just my first test. Now I have to find a way to rid the world of the darkness. Should be easy.
A squeal echoes through the woods, and I jerk, aiming my gun. I only have so many bullets, so I need to use them wisely. I can’t go shooting at every little noise.
Another screech and now my body shakes when I remember the shadow wolves that chased me when I escaped the castle.
It’s okay, Belle. You got this. You’re no damsel in distress. You can fight any adversary with pride.
Something whizzes through the trees, and I know my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me anymore. Iambeing pursued. Fuck whatever creature has decided to make prey out of me. I will blast it between the eyes.
Nothing happens at first. A silent breeze wafts through the trees, bringing the scent of bacon grease.
Bacon grease? Odd.
Another breeze, and now I get the scent of burned porridge, fighting the urge to vomit. It’s enough to make my eyes water.
Why am I getting random food smells? Sure, they’re not pleasant, but it doesn’t make sense. Although I’m probably not going to be able to remove the smell of bacon grease from my hair for a while.
Shit. The smell of burned porridge grows stronger, almost blinding me now, and this just isn’t fair. They could have thrown the scent of shit my way, or rotten garbage. But they had to pick the sickly sweet scent of burning oats.
I bet they’re all stuck on the bottom of the pan too. Ugh!
It’s just too much. It appears this creature of nightmares has gotten the best of me. I’d take the stench of wet dog over this stink.
Finally, something materializes through the bushes, and I gaze up through a shroud of tears. It’s a little girl. A creepy little girl with soulless eyes and hanging sheets of black hair, and I stagger.
Shit, shit, shit.
I’ve always hated creepy little ghost children. As a kid, I watched the movieThe Ringwhere she climbs out of the TV, and for weeks after I imagined her standing at the end of my bed, watching me through her dark sheets of hair.
And now she is here.
Also, she looks a lot like the girl who used to bully me back on my old playground, and I was terrified of her. I was six and she was eight, so obviously, she was bigger and more intimidating than me.