HEARTS IN DARKNESS: EPILOGUE

[yourkeepers]

When dawn finally comes, you find them.

They're hanging in the grand hall, bound - almost cocooned - in inky black thread. The bodies of the victims, the ones without their hearts, are now miraculously whole. Cold and untouched, as if those terrible wounds had never been carved into their flesh.

They hang in various positions of rest, some limbs tangled and suspended, others simply hanging limply. Their eyes all all closed. The searchlight's body is still dull silver. The singer's hair dangles long and dark. The oracle's robes pristine.

It's like they've been left here for you, within your reach. The rest is in your hands.

Comments

[chromaticscale]

She accepts it, then shrugs. She doesn't know how to feel right now, but she doesn't have any particular reason to say no. "Sure."

[grotesqueobserver]

"Okay." He offers an arm should she need to lean on him, but won't push if she'd rather walk on her own. It doesn't take long to get to their destination.

"Well uh...here we are," he says, a bit awkward. "Is there anything else I can do? Did you want to talk or anything? Or um...if you need some time alone that's okay too."

[chromaticscale]

She does feel bad because he is being kind, and trying so hard, but she just has an overwhelming need to detach for the moment. It's been a long and trying stretch, and she just wants to collect herself. She tries to smile as brightly as she can.

"I just need some time alone. I'll come see you later, okay?"

[grotesqueobserver]

Fortunately he seems to understand, though it does little to ease his worry. "That's fine. You've been through a lot. If you change your mind...just talk to my statue."

...that sounds so weird when he says it out loud. "I'll hear you," he adds, by way of explanation. He pats her shoulder gently and stands. "Get some rest, okay?" He leaves her to her thoughts, quickly swallowed up by the foliage.