Oh god! Oh god!!

Where was it!? It had been here!!! No one had even touched the garden, much less this room!! So why was it gone!? You ran forward, feeling the mud caked to your feet wash away as you splashed through rain puddles, the cold water soaking the bottom of your nightgown and making it feel heavy.

Frantic, you searched all around the old chapel, checking under the broken pews and behind the statue in haste as the sounds of the screeching corpse just across the garden grew louder and more desperate. You fell to your knees and crawled all around the stone sculpture, tears falling down your cheeks as you swiped at burnt candles and rocks while wet, pink flowers brushed against your hands and wrists. Each one that stuck to your skin made you want to scream in frustration, the memory of seeing the man crushing your lone petal in his hand like it was your own heart.

CRASH!!!

You sprung to your feet to look out into the garden, almost barely unable to see over the little stone wall and across the way at the barricaded door. The bench you used to block it was almost giving in, it was knocked forward but still enough in the way to keep Abigail from getting out. But this didn't stay true for long, the little crack of outside light seemed to have given the creature more vigor. She could only stick her fingers through the opening, her rotten digits clawing furiously at the thick wood before she pulled the door back and slammed it hard into the bench. 

The resulting bang made you jump, eyes slowly widening in horror as she slammed the door over and over until the bench started to finally inch out of the way. Now the crack was wider, enabling her to squeeze out her whole arm and ripping off some of the brown, withered skin from her wrist to her elbow. Abigail let out a series of grunts as her shoulder pushed out next, struggling through the crack like a cat slinking through metal bars. She couldn't push out her whole head though, disfigured face visible through the opening and snarling in rage. She quickly pulled her body back inside and went back to slamming the door against the bench, making it move inch by painful inch and making it bigger. 

You shuddered in fear and took a step back, too petrified to do anything else but watch as the bench gave way for Abigail to finally squeeze through. Her arm wiggled out first, bending a bit in an awkward angle as her shoulder came next, then her head. Nausea overcame you as you realized she was even more decomposed then before, her head was almost completely bald, looking wrinkled and wet with oozing browns and yellows. There were some strands of hair hanging over her brow and ears, but they were frizzed and grey instead of the wondrous brown curls you'd seen in the mirror. Her cheekbones were showing, some of her flesh having peeled off at some point and her teeth looked even more yellow as she snapped them angrily in her struggle to get free. 

She was determined now, going so far as to slam her head hard into the door frame to make the crack wider. You watched her bend and howl as her other arm squeezed out along with her chest. She slammed her back against the frame, the sounds of cracking bone penetrating the air before she stumbled out into the garden. 

Abigail swayed slightly, upper body bent forward as it looked like she was trying to catch her breath. Then the corpse heaved, once...twice...three times before thick, black sludge spilled from her mouth and onto the grass. You covered your lower face in horror and sobbed, unable to tear your eyes away as her head snapped up to look right at you.

She clumsily righted herself, arms hanging limp at her side as she continued to heave. Her chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm as she took her first step forward, looking like she'd developed a limp along the journey from her mirror. Her ankles were the cause of this, gnawed all the way to the bone by rot and maggots and looking ready to snap at any moment.

Abigail moved slowly, hesitantly even. Her black, vacant eye sockets staring right at you as she neared the center of the garden, upper body swinging slightly as if she had lost all control of her movements. Her mouth opened wide, slime dripping down her chin as she let out a long, wavering breath.

"Give it to meeeeeeeeeeeee....."

Instinct seemed to finally kick in at this point. Your chest felt tight with dread as you ran forward, fumbling for the heavy chapel door and closing it as fast as you could. Abigail saw this and let out a shrill wail, quickly careening forward to try and get to you before you could lock her out, but you were already slamming it shut before she even made it to the the little wall. Heart pounding painfully against your chest, you quickly started to gather as much heavy debris you could and piled it in front of the entrance; broken pews, big rocks, anything heavy and hard to move. You ignored the aches and pains in your body with each rushed lift, growing more and more tired as the pile grew larger. 

The sound of a body smacking into the ground just outside the door alerted you that she had made it over the wall, probably falling down due to her unable to control her limbs. This didn't stop you from piling more items in front of the barrier, pushing the last pew in place and faltering backwards when a pounding rattled the door and it refused to open. Abigail screamed and seemed to ram her whole body against the wood, her frail form somehow making the whole rubble of furniture you built shake in place.

Then a new noise met your ears. It took only a moment to figure out what it was, waves of shivers washing over you like cold water as the sound of nails scratching desperately at the door destroyed any semblance of silence. You stumbled back quickly when a series of moans and wails followed, agony and despair echoing against the walls and ringing in your head. You almost cried out, fear making you tremble and cower before you covered your ears in an attempt to block everything out. 

She was going to get in, she was going to get in!

You were now curled up in a ball by the broken statue of the woman as Abigail slammed her hands against the door again and screamed. You felt like a defenseless child as she continued to pound and scream at the door, sounding less and less like a human with each wail and snarl of anger. She did this until it seemed like she had no voice left, heaving and snarling while her knocks became weaker by the second.

You didn't dare move, listening closely for the ghost that was now pacing back and forth just outside, her skinless feet padding against the wet ground. You started to feel like this was truly it, with no other escape and no means of getting help, you were almost convinced that you were going to die tonight. You were going to die with fear twisting in your chest and your body coiled in a tight ball like some animal. Even the moments of stillness became tainted when she would randomly ram her body into the door, putting her full weight into each smash only to wail in anger when nothing happened. Abigail would repeat this for what felt like an eternity, feeling like years were being torn from your soul the longer you stayed in this chapel and waited for your death.

So, that's what you did. Waited for her to get in. For her to claw her way through the door and squeeze through the cracks, body wiggling and jerking in erratic force until she finally made it inside. You gripped your head as she slammed her body against the door again, now imagining her rush at you and swipe. Her nails would be chipped and bloody from her scratching, skin having snagged on splinters and torn without care. She would snatch your throat and dig her digits into your neck, slowly closing off your airway as you would fight back with no hope until you finally stopped moving beneath her. She would stare down at you in triumph, satisfied with her murder before searching around your prone body for the jar-

You gasped.

The heart!!

You looked around frantically, shocked you'd lost track of the item in the rush of getting to safety. Not having it in your hands made you feel more vulnerable, weak, and fragile as if the item had been keeping you safe by a thread. Breath heavy and heart pounding, you almost started to scream with the same anguish as Abigail, pulling at your hair as you swept your gaze over the room before stopping in one spot. There it was, resting on it's side next to some of the fallen candles; most likely you had dropped it during your frenzied search for the little wooden chest or even when you were piling items in front of the door. 

It didn't matter though, you'd found it!! A sick sense of ease settled over you as you crawled forward and snatched up the jar, hugging it so close to your chest that it almost seemed like it was your own heart and you were trying to push it back in. Taking deep breaths, you closed your eyes and held onto it for dear life, doing your best to ignore the sounds of heavy breathing and pacing just outside the chapel. She started to slam her body against the door again, the rattling of the wood making the room vibrate as your anxiety grew. 

But that didn't matter, you could handle dying, especially now that you had the jar safely back in your hands.

You inhaled. 

In and out, in and out.

In and out, in and out. 

In and out, in and out. 

"What are you doing?"

You jerked and looked up, as if finally noticing the tall, angry man from your dreams. He towered over you like a black mass, cloak hiding his form and white fur-trimmed collar tickled his jaw.

It was the first time you could see him so clearly. The chapel's roof was in so much disrepair that the moonlight was bright enough to shine through and give you a better look at the male before you. He was a slim man of a relatively tall height with faint shadows right under his cold, steel eyes. His nose was long and straight and he had dark, wild hair and sideburns that led down to a small goatee. Though he seemed like a man who hadn't seen the sun in a decade, his skin still held a hint of a tan, as if years in it had permanently kept it dark and slightly exotic.

He mesmerized you.

Despite your dire situation, you couldn't help but just stare at him, entranced by his appearance as you found yourself falling into his icy, grey eyes. This man could catch anyone's attention with the simplest of gestures but also know when to disappear from one's mind. He probably stalked around with direct purpose, knowing exactly what he wanted and when.

He scowled, handsome face unmarred and beautiful despite his anger as he crouched in front of you. He reached out with his sharp fingers and grabbed your chin, forcing you out of your gawking with just a prick of his nails. The male then tugged you closer, making you uncurl from your ball and sit up on you knees to accommodate him. You stared into his eyes again, feeling like you were lost at sea with no where to go, frightening you that you would allow him to touch you. But you didn't want to look away. You wanted to stay lost as long as you didn't have to stop staring into those silver orbs.

"Why haven't you put it back?"

You felt his fingers dig into your skin, startling you out of your daze.

"T-The chest," You replied, finding you focused better when you stared at anywhere else but his face. But he knew what you were doing and dug his nails deeper into your chin and forced you to look right at him. "I can't find it..."

His eyes narrowed before he pushed you away to stand once more. The male looked around the room in disgust, finding that he couldn't see the item in question as well. He looked a bit tired, haggard even; as if he had gone through all that running and lifting himself and was becoming worn and weary. The sight made you gently caress the jar, feeling a little bit satisfied that he was suffering as much as you were.

This was the wrong thing to do because he quickly slammed you against the base of the statue, gripping your neck with one hand while his other snatched at the hand that had stroked the glass-encased heart.

"Don't do that!!"

You whimpered and tried to wiggle away but his grip was firm, glaring down at you in anger before he looked over his shoulder in a frown. He stared at the door, the silence deafening the room while he looked deep in thought. His hand on your throat lessened it's hold but kept you still as he turned back to look at you.

"I don't have the energy to waste on this," he whispered more to himself, moving closer to you and trapping you against the broken sculpture. 

He looked thoughtful, eyes not really gazing at you as he seemed to plan something. Then he was closer, breath fanning over your face and fingers now petting your throat in a sluggish manner. The touch made you shiver and writhe, breath hitched and body trembling as his fangs glinted in what little light there was.

The man moved his hand over your jawline, slow and deliberate while he inched even nearer. His chest was now pressing tightly against you while he moved his knees to block your legs from kicking at him. The hand gripping your wrist became loose before he slid it into yours, fingers entwining together in a romantic gesture of comfort and assurance. His whole body seemed to engulf you, cradling you close with the utmost care while also pressing you achingly into the statue.

He dragged his fingers just under your chin and tilted it upwards, making you look right into his face and into his deep, alluring steel eyes. He said something in a language you couldn't understand, the words deep and echoing in the chamber like a thick mist. Something twisted around inside your chest, tugging and pulling painfully and making you suddenly cry out. It roared inside you, tearing away at your very being and making your nerves feel like they were igniting into balls of fire.

But he forced you to keep staring in his eyes, refusing to let you get away from the ache that seemed to split your chest wide open. You wanted it to stop. It hurt so much and you just wanted it to stop!!!

"Shhhhhhh," He caressed your cheek with a feather light touch, tingles shooting down your spine and body growing hot. The man leaned closer, the pain soon forgotten the more you looked into his eyes. They seemed warm now, swirling grays and blacks now staring at you with such affection that you started to lean in to him. You wanted to hold onto him forever, to never leave his side or waver in faith from his words.

You wanted him to kiss you. To ravage your mouth until it was numb and swollen.

He smirked and the sight made your body arch into his. "Good girl."

Then his lips were on your throat, tracing soft kisses along your jugular while he wrapped his arms around you in a tight embrace. Pleasure rocked your body as he stopped in one spot at the base of your neck, he parted his lips slightly, making hot air puff against your skin. One of his hands was now brushing your hair, fingers entangling themselves in the tendrils in a soothing gesture while also coercing your head to lean further back.

You hadn't realized you'd been holding your breath, just taking in the moment like it was all you had. The weight of the jar felt even heavier, the object stuck tightly between both your chests like a connecting link, tightening it's hold and binding you both together until the end of days.

It all felt so good, so much better then the ripping and tearing that was happening around your heart.

He chuckled against your neck, a tingling sensation rushing through you and making you want to be even closer. You needed to be closer to him, you needed his warmth and solid form to take you in and just hold on tight.

Something pierced your neck, agonizingly slow and sharp with intent on getting to your jugular where it was most succulent. His fangs dug deep, head tilted to get the best angle to enjoy his meal while his hand now gripped your hair, keeping you from looking down as he began his feast. You could feel his teeth finally descend all the way in, tongue brushing against your skin before he started to drain you. 

You shuddered, pure pleasure rippling throughout your body as blood slowly started to drip down your front like warm honey.

You wanted more, you wanted so much more. 

His lips pressed tightly into your skin, his teeth sunk deep into your neck. You needed more of it, you wanted it to last until every last drop was drained...

Tired. You were suddenly so tired. You had no energy to hold yourself up, your body gradually going limp in the man's arms as he kept his fangs latched onto your throat. 

Then it felt like something was ripped out of your chest, pain flaring and scorching your body like raging fire and making you cry out. Tears quickly spilled down your face as you started to struggle, too weak to do anything but try and push the man away with your fumbling hands. God, it took so much effort to even move.

Your vision wavered, darkness growing at the edge and clouding your mind. You blinked furiously, trying to stay awake as dots started to blind you. You could practically feel death's loving embrace start to entrap you, ready to drag you down to hell where you would be forever tormented by this castle until you were long forgotten.

You didn't want to die. You didn't want to die!!!

"Please-!!" You sobbed, body now too frail to do anything buy lay in this monster's arms as he took everything away from you. "S-Stop!!"

To your surprise, he did.

The man sighed under his breath and unhooked his teeth from your throat, blood painting his mouth and dripping down his chin. He licked his lips, looking annoyed that it had ended so soon. He stared at you without pity, fingers moving up to wipe away any excess red from his smirking lips.

He leaned forward and kissed at your tears, holding you close like a lover who hadn't seen their partner in the longest time. The man brushed his hand over the left side of your chest, right where your heart rested, pounding unsteadily beneath his palm. He looked satisfied at what he felt before laying you down on the ground, gentle and almost in a protective manner before he tucked a lock of hair behind your ear.

"Stay here. I'll take care of it."

Take care of it? What did he mean?? But you didn't have the energy to ask, just watched him stand up and wipe his chin, licking whatever blood was left off his fingers as he strode towards the door. He didn't have to lift a finger to move the debris, the pathway was already clear for him.

You stared in confusion when you finally noticed the room was different from before. No longer were the pews broken and piled in front of the door, but lined up like their original intention. There was no fallen rocks on the ground or tattered tapestries hanging off the walls. The only thing that seemed to be the same was the hole in the roof, shining moonlight down into the cold room. You couldn't understand why it was this way and you were too exhausted to even try.

He opened the door and looked outside with a scowl, displeased at what he saw. You couldn't see past the door, your position only giving you a view of the old wood and it's frame. The man turned to look at you, eyes flashing in the shadows.

"Find the chest." He looked threatening and dangerous now, the sight making your heart freeze in place and your throat feel raw with pain. "Don't let anything take my heart."

And then he left, closing the door softly behind him and leaving you to lay in the chapel as your body refused to move. You closed your eyes, quaky breaths exhaling from your frame while tears started to fall again.

You were so tired. You just wanted to sleep into oblivion and never wake up. 

And then you heard a blood curdling scream, forcing your eyes open and your body to sit up with a jerk. You swung your head to look at the door, finding it barricaded once more with broken benches and rocks just as you'd left it. The scream echoed again, growing louder as pain vibrated through the woman's voice. You heard a thump and some kind of struggle on the other side, like her body was convulsing on the ground and she was having a seizure. 

Then it stopped and a loud silence filled the room.

You shakily rubbed your eyes, wondering if you'd somehow passed out during Abigail's attempts to get inside, exhaustion having finally taken you into a deep sleep. It shocked you that you could easily let your guard down like that. 

Shifting, you found that you could move again and it made you even more aware that you had been dreaming. All your energy seemed to be back and you weren't in any sort of pain. Nothing in the chest, nothing in the neck...

You reached up to touch your throat, hesitant at first but confident there was nothing there like all the other times. You brushed over the smooth skin, relief flooding into you as you seemed to find no gaping holes in your neck.

But then you realized how sticky it felt and you pulled your hand away to look at it. You parted your fingers and stared down in horror at the red liquid painting the slender digits, dripping off the tips and onto the stone floor. Hand quickly going back, you searched desperately for any sort of mark, a gash or cut that may have caused the wound, anything other then-!!!

You froze, feeling two little puncture wounds just beneath your index finger. Your body tensed and your heart started to beat rapidly as you slowly looked down. There, covering the whole front of your dress was blood, fresh and wet as the white cloth clung to your flesh.

Then everything felt much too real and you wondered what sort of pact had been made between you and the demon in black.