Morgan could feel the hot heat rising as his wariness collapsed under the weight of Hell. She watched as the blue cyclone rose high above the trees and shivered, knowing that where William once stood was the Devil in all his aggression and glory. Her knuckles went white as she held her bearings, knowing that if she had let go, they would surely raze the whole Olympic Peninsula.
She could feel her sharply manicured fingernails dig into the skin of her palm and winced, though still her resolve remained. She stayed where she was, not daring let herself beyond the safety of the bedrock corridor she had created for herself, and instead waited out the Devil’s wrath. Morgan shook slightly; every time William let the Devil take over, she feared that he would lose himself to Hell, which she would never allow to happen. Even if it cost her everything, she would venture to every layer of the Inferno to preserve and save the soul of her one last love in this world.
As the flames died, she sighed in relief, thankful that the outburst had finally ceased. She let the flames die completely for some time, leaving herself on the side of safety. After what felt like an hour, and the sun began to dip beyond the horizon, Morgan stood. Tired, she glanced down at her attire and pressed her lips together at the dirtiness of it. With a flick of her wrist, she changed the clothing on her body to a comfortable, black set of sweats and a hoodie, not caring for appearance. Finally, she rounded the bedrock wall and let out a sigh, letting the wall fall down. Now is my turn to be strong, she thought, thinking of the times that William had carried her from her own darkness.
On the ground before her lay William, covered in ash and sweat. The essence of anger clung to him like cologne, and her throat felt tight. They were both still so young and lost in their new abilities. It was hard to see what it was like while facing it from the other way around. It was similar to an addict watching themselves fall back into disarray. Without any inhibition, she knelt down and wrapped her arms around him, pulling his body into a sitting position so that she may gather him better. With concentration, she opened a portal under them, letting the two fall into William’s bed. She still held onto him, resolved to never let go of her best friend, for he had been lost too.
Finally, she let go and stood up, waving her hand over him. She watched as every speck of soot rose from his figure and collected in the air before dispersing among the dusty household. Again, with a wave of her hand, his clothes changed to something comfortable and familiar – an outfit she had seen him wear during a movie night or a run…she wasn’t sure. Finally, with one more wave of her exhausted hand, she procured a sleeping bag from the aether, and pulled from her storage. She laid it out next to his bed and slipped in it, refusing to leave his side, but resolved to leave him in his own bed alone, for who knows what nightmares will conquer him now?
William was lost, wondering down a long corridor in his mind. He didn’t know how long he had been out, or even what happened. All he knew was that he couldn’t wake up. He kept walking down the hall, frantically looking for Morgan. He couldn’t find her though, and panic welled up inside of him. He started to run, noticing that every time he passed a door, the same one would appear merely feet from him. He was running through a loop, unable to get out.
He finally decided to open the door, barging into it with his shoulder. It was then he realized he was sucked into his own personal hell. The images in front of him made him attempt to tear his out eyes. Blood curdling screams were filling the room, each scream bouncing off the wall and entering his brain, where they would bounce around once more. In front of him was a younger version of himself and Morgan. So small, so fragile. Young William was clutching Morgan tightly, both crying, both covered in blood. Their parents blood. “Why Will, why?” Little Morgan cried out, and soon her voice began to echo through the space.
William sank to his knees, his hands gripping at his face, nails digging deep into his flesh. “STOP.” He yelled out, and soon the entire room was filling with flames. Blue flames burned the younger visions, and soon crept up the walls. William shot up, turning to run out the room. The flames erupted, and figures of demons and ghosts chased after him. He ran as fast as he could down the hall, but soon he was swallowed by the heat.
“NO!” William screamed, sitting straight up in his bed. It was a dream, a nightmare. His body was drenched in sweat, clothes he did not remember putting on soaked. He looked around the room frantically, his heart beat pounding in his ears. “Morgan!” He cried out frantically, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark.
He heard faint breathing below him, and took a deep breath when he saw the most important person in his life tucked deep into a sleeping bag. He threw his blankets back, getting out of bed to slowly gather her in his arms. He turned, placing her on the bed, and crawled back in. He kept the blankets off of him, heat still radiating through him. He slowly pushed her hair behind her ear, and felt his brows knit tightly together.
It was her, she brought him here. She brought him back to his home, brought him back safe. His whole body was tense, his muscles feeling like they had been frozen in one position for ages. He slowly curled his shoulders back, cracking every bone from his shoulders down his spine. He rolled on his side, placing one arm around Morgan and pulling her tightly against him. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.” He whispered against her hair, feeling a sudden peace wash over him.
