Apocalyse: Marked by Chaos-Chapter 41 - Prism of Illusion (2)

A smile tugged on her lips, tears glistened as happiness welled up inside her, slipping down her cheeks. Her fingers trembled as she peeled away the wrapping. The anticipation buzzed under her skin, an unfamiliar warmth flooding her chest. A gift. For her. For once, they had remembered.

She paused when she felt something odd within the box, shifting ever so slightly. The silk paper rustled, a faint hiss escaping from beneath it.

The moment she pulled the lid off.

The air turned cold.

Slitted eyes locked onto hers.

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A black snake, curled before raising its head, its slitted eyes gaze at her with intrigue.

"Little White." she murmured. Her brows furrowed deeper, fractions of strange memories of a white snake, a dragon, a human flickered through her head.

She groaned, her head buzzed with pain, it was like her skull was ripped apart by the sudden burst of memories. She gripped her head, her eyes dilating.

"Olivia," she heard the panicked voice of her family, a raw emotion of pain washed over her.

"I'm fine," Olivia shook her head, " The system... wasn't Freya chosen to fight the monsters?" she asked.

Their eyes flickered with a malicious intent, a look that Olivia missed, as she gently hit her head to clear her thoughts.

The smiles on their faces stiffened, the warmth draining from their gazes. Slowly, too slowly, their heads tilted at unnatural angles, their grins stretching wider, teeth sharpening into jagged points. "Why ask that, Olivia?" her father whispered, his voice no longer human.

" I remember that Freya was chosen by the system, am I wrong?"

" No dear, you are right." Sophia gave a knowing smile to her husband who seemed to be a little displeased by her answer.

" But everything has changed now, the monsters are no more, they have all gone extinct." She added with a smile.

'The monsters are gone? How? When?' Her thoughts prowled at the back of her mind. " But why can't I remember?"

'Something is wrong, but what is it?' She thought inwardly.

" Darling, it is because you fell down the stairs a day ago, you have been forgetting things." Freya chipped in.

Hesitating, Olivia nodded her ' That must be it.' Her gaze returned back to the little snake, her finger gently caressing the snake, who purred at the gesture.

" Where is Little White." She unconsciously asked.

The room became silent. Tension growing between them. 'Little white... Where is he?' Her thoughts banged at the wall.

She abruptly stood up from her chair, causing a painful screeching noise to the ear. "Where is he?" Her eyes grew darker, her muscles tensing.

'How could she have forgotten about him? What was going on?'

" Oh darling, I think the fall did a lot of damage to your head," Sophia gently as she caressed Olivia's head, a tear rolling down her cheeks. " I'm so sorry, I could not protect you." She added.

Olivia stiffened as she felt her warm embrace, she felt safe, she felt loved. Tears pooled in her eyes, her hands wrapped over the body of her mother. Her shoulders began to shake from the outburst of her emotions.

Seeing this, Freya and her father stood and joined the hug.

She never knew such a feeling existed, her lips curled into a smile, she wanted it to be like this forever, to be loved by her family.

"Olivia!" A distorted voice suddenly echoed across the room.

Olivia suddenly pulled back. " Did you guys hear that?" She asked as curiously looked around, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

" No, we didn't hear anything, are you sure your mind isn't playing tricks on you?" Freya asked, her brows arched.

Olivia blinked in confusion, she heard a voice, why is it just her that could hear it?

" Come let's continue the dinner" Sophia took her hand, leading her to take a seat.

" Olivia!" The muffled voice echoed again, it sounded like it was submerged under the water.

" Did you guys hear it, it's calling me again." She refused to take a seat. She walked hastily to the western part of the room, she placed her ear on the wall.

" what are you....."

"Shhh" Olivia curtly interrupted her.

" Wake up Olivia, It is not real... They are not real." The muffled voice said with urgency.

" Wake up, I can't hold on anymore." The voice cried out.

Then realisation dawned on her. All of these were an illusion, even the house was missing a window. She turned toward her parents, she could now see that something was wrong.

Their faces glitch like an unclear tape. A lump formed in her throat, her hands clenched against her chest. She shook her head in denial, 'this has to be real, it has to!'

" What are you doing Olivia? Don't you want to be with us?" Freya asked, her brimming with tears.

"You are not real... you are not my real family." Olivia muttered under her breath.

" Of course we are, is your head hurting again?" Her father asked with concern.

Olivia's eyes shut closed, releasing the dam of emotion that had overflowed her eyes. She really wants to stay, but this is not real. Little white is waiting for her.

Her gaze lingered on them, her feet refusing to move from there. She looked at the decoration again, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever done with her family, although these ones were not real. She was happy about it.

"Olivia!" The muffled voice called out again.

She knew she had to go now, she glanced at them again, tears streaming down her cheeks. " You are not real!" She yelled.

All her memories flooded back to her head, the room slowly dematerialised into a space of darkness. Her parents figure turning into a hollow dark smoke.

She swallowed the cry that threatened to come out from lips, as she was submerged under water.

Her hands flailed up, her legs kicking, but she couldn't find a way out. The dark figure swarms around her, their tendrils wrapped around her legs, dragging her down.

" You belong to us now." They screeched, laughing eerily at her plight.

The icy water coiled around her like living chains, squeezing her ribs until her lungs burned. Her limbs turned sluggish, her fingers grasping at nothing as the surface drifted further away.

No matter how she tried to kick them away, their iron grip hold still pulled her down.

Then a blazing hand suddenly appeared.