Chords stick inside of his fingers, insistent on getting out into the world.
He stumbles out into the desert, not knowing what he’s meant to do.
A cave greets him. The witch figures he has nothing to lose. He enters.
The entrance slams shut behind him, locking him in. A single torch lights his way, illuminating a plaque that reads, “Find the ending, then you shall find yourself.”
He scuffs the dirt with the toe of his boot and screams in frustration.
The only way out is forward, so he goes into the darkness.
Ahead, a pinprick of light catches his eye. It seems to fade in and out of his sight, like it’s swaying in the wind.
The witch wishes he were back in his own realm, but alas. He will get through this no matter what.
He heads for the light, unbothered by the rest of the suffocating darkness. His footsteps echo in the cave’s abyss. The guitar on his back smacks against his shoulders with every step.
The path leads into a slight downhill slope as the light ahead of him gets ever so slightly brighter, becoming larger with every passing minute.
A red cloaked figure appears in the light, which turns out to be a dying campfire. The hood is up, completely covering their face. It tenses up when he gets closer, shoulders drawing up to their ears.
The witch puts his hands up, showing he means no harm. The figure shuffles back a few steps.
They stare at him. Or seems to stare, without having a real face.
“Do you know how to get out of here?”
It perks up at that. Nods excitedly, hood moving back and forth over the void of its face.
One hand is extended to the witch, fingers wiggling expectantly.
The witch takes it reluctantly, fingers becoming clammy at their touch.
They walk through the cave, twisting and turning at random, not talking save for the witch needing to slow down.
It chitters at him sometimes, as if it wants to talk.
“I don’t know what you’re saying,” he admits.
They huff. Chitters to themself, then holds onto him tighter.
Interesting. He has now adjusted to the void-like darkness, and can tell they are getting closer to the end. The scent of the cave has changed, becoming cleaner. A brighter layer of rock appears as the walls close in.
The witch shivers. If not for the creature, he would be running to escape.
They carry on, letting go of one another as the walls close in far enough to brush against their shoulders.
Out of nowhere, they burst out into the hot Vegas sun.
The witch looks around, getting his bearings. His internal compass spins around in his skull until it straightens out. He then becomes their leader, taking the creature in the direction of his home.
As it comes into view, he remembers that he is not allowed to have anyone over. Fuck it.
At the studio, the witch clears up the mess he’s managed to make in the few days of living there. The creature sits on the porch, content to stare out into the desert. Being out of the sun seems to help its mood.
This is how the witch met The Other.