THE FOREST OF DEAD CRIES
Rachael can't get her mind off the things she heard when she was half-asleep. She heard what Elma said and from what she could make of it, Samuel is in love with her. She can't help but feel pleased about it but then what does that say about her feelings for Gabriel.
Are they true?
Is what she feels for Gabriel love or is she just trying to repay him for his sacrifice?
She knows she loves him but it might not be in the way he loves her. She looks at Samuel's face as he carries her in his arms, gliding over the waters as the moonlight illuminates his face.
It must hurt knowing she has feelings for two different men with the same face. Every time she thinks of one the other comes along.
She can tell Samuel is in pain but he refuses to show it. His eyes look focused as he looks forward with a mind further away than she can imagine, "What must be going through his mind?" she thinks.
Her eyes widen as she remembers he can hear her thoughts, a reminder to keep her nastiest thoughts away when close to a sphinx. After a while he remains quiet and she feels some relief but it also makes her question how much power he still has.
On a normal day he would have said something about her thoughts but not now.
His wings look frail compared to what they used to boast and it makes her wonder if he will be strong enough to take on Alucard.
"Samuel, maybe we should stop this. What if you can't take on Alucard?" she says and for the first time on their flight he looks at her. The moonlight reflects on his face at the right moment, revealing a gleam of tears behind his eyes while he maintains a calm face.
"Don't say that, Rachael. Gabriel is coming back to us, no matter what" he says.
They reach the shores of a forest where Amanda and Elma wait for them. Samuel lands as gently as he can and let's Rachael down, "This isn't going to be easy. We have to find the gate to the edge somewhere in this forest," Amanda says, "The forest of dead cries," Elma mouths, "What was that?" Rachael asks as the vampire's mumble prick her ears.
"The forest of dead cries. That is what this place is called. Don't worry love, you will survive" Elma says to her.
Rachael chuckles for a bit, "I know this was supposed to feel like an adventure for me but this has just been torture," she says and the girls laugh.
"Don't worry, this is new for Elma too" Amanda says, Elma walks between the girls, "I have been on adventures but most of them happens in the real world. Where we have money and blood.
This Otherworld thing is for these crazy supernaturals," Elma says, "Imagine, no tech, no internet. I wonder why the fuck supernatural beings live here?" she adds.
Rachael's straight face lights up into a laughter, "Nice to see that I'm not alone," she tiptoes toward Elma and opens up for a hug but she stares at Rachael with death glowing blue eyes and a disapproving shake of head.
"No, you stink and I'm not getting whatever is on you on my pretty body," Elma says.
Samuel wears his shirt and watches them laugh, it makes his skin cringe that they can still laugh in this situation. It pisses him off as he folds his arms.
His eyes catch Rachael's as she laugh and in less than a thought his chest falls and his heart beats a different kind of rhythm into him. "Fuck it," he rubs the top of his forehead and carries his hand toward his torso as a habit from his usual tux only to recall the change of clothes and the absence of his Bourbon.
"When you are done catching your breathe and making fun of the situation, can we return to the matter of the dead before I become dead?" Samuel says.
"Of course, next time don't go tying yourself to a dead man." Amanda jokes as she starts to walk, Elma and Rachael follow behind. They pass the first few brushes of the little bush surrounding the outskirts of the forest and head into the darker core and taller trees of the forest.
Sounds of bouncing crickets and air light wings fluttering in the night fills the air.
"Uh, I can't see jack" Rachael complains as they go deeper; a cold soft hand wraps around her own and a pair of blue eyes that almost glitter in the dark.
"I've got you love," Elma says, Rachael is a bit surprised but the forest hides her features.
They walk quiet for a bit and it suddenly seems like all the footsteps around them becomes distant. The only footsteps Rachael's ears can pick are her own, the only reason she is sure the vampire is still with her is because of her cold hand around Rachael's wrist.
Rachael tries to hold Elma's palm but she shakes it off and retains her hold around Rachael's wrist, "What are you doing human? There is no way we are holding hands. This alone requires me washing my hand in blood and sanitizers for a month or something," Elma says and Rachael grunts like a little child.
"Why are you helping me anyway? I know I haven't been your favorite person recently. I heard what you said to Samuel about me and Gabriel. That he has to choose, why do you feel that way?" Rachael says.
Elma cackles in the dark, "That is the way it is Rachael. I am just telling you the way I see things. And we both know that I am right," "You are wrong," "Then tell me Rachael, do you love Gabriel?" Elma asks, "Yes, yes I do," Rachael says.
"And Samuel? Do you love him?" she asks. Rachael's heart beats louder and Elma smiles at the new sound in her chest.
"I love Samuel," Rachael says, "Good. So who do you love more?" Elma says with a wide grin, a grin that Rachael will never see as it is buried in the dark.
"Elma, what is this? Why are we talking about this? We should be focusing on saving Gabriel first," Rachael says and Elma scoffs.
"The odds of that seem really slim to me. When we went through one of the portals at the Sea of Stars, Samuel and I fell into another world. Long story short, Samuel had his ass handed to him by some wizard.
The old Samuel could have taken him but our Sammy right now is going to die at Alucard's hand," Elma says.
"If you believe that why are you here?" she breaks a twig under her foot and jumps over a protruding root, "Because I care about him and even though I know he is making a bad decision I will be there for he and Gabriel," "Me too. I will be there for them, no matter what." "Let's see love, let's see" Elma chuckles as they begin to see some rays of moonlight penetrate into the forests.
They hear a loud howl in the forests and the soundings of fluttering wings nearby, "Is that bad?" Rachael asks, "Yes it is," Elma responds.
Rachael looks back to see Samuel walking behind them, a ray of light shines on his face, she sees his breath and a gleam in his eyes.
What is he feeling? She wonders.
Amanda stops and raises her hand, "Wait, something is following us?" she says and turns her eyes to the end of the line they walk in and a loud and eerie cry comes singing in response to her suspicion.
Rachael looks in shock as she sees it, a scrawny looking creature with thin and dirty hair hanging on one side of its head. The top is nothing but the white of its skull and it has only one eyeball and sharp teeth.
"Fuck,".