Chapter 57: The Phantoms.

(Author’s Point of View.)

Getting inside the room, shivers ran down Amelia’s spine at the iciness the man seating across the extremely large room in chains, with his head facing downward was exuding. Amelia clasped the hem of her beautiful flower dress as she took a heavy step forward in his direction.

“Reagan?” She called in a shaky breath but was met with silence.

Amelia’s whole body was trembling with her heart almost jumping out of her chest. Seeing him right now did not just frighting her alone, but it also made her heart ache at the sight of how he was chained up like an animal.

“Reagan?” She called yet again the name of the one she truly wished to see right now. It’s not like she does not accept his other sides; then again, she only knows one side of him, and that is the one she had fell in love with. As such, she wished he would be the one to come back to her. She wished to feel the sparks that ignite between them whenever their skin touches. She wished to kiss his wicked lips and tell him how sorry she was for hurting him as she did. She wished to yell at him for keeping all these secrets from her.

Sadly, she was met once again with silence.

Halfway through to him, Amelia halted on her footstep and then sucked in a deep breath to calm her pounding heart that was threatening to jump out of her chest any second. After dragging a couple of long breaths, she proceeded towards the fellow who wasn’t moving an inch or showing any signs of awareness.

“Reagan?” Amelia called again standing a couple of feet away from him. “Can you hear me? Please say something if you are aware of your surroundings.”

Amelia’s heart ached seeing him up-close. Those chains, whatever they were made of, were not ordinarily. Every part of his flesh they touched, was burned. This was all because of her. He was forced to let the incensed Zegan free because of her. That being the case, she must do all she could to get him out.

But what should she do? Amelia pressed her lips together in dejection.

Just then, “Love!”

Amelia’s eyes instantly shot up to hear his voice. “Reagan? Is that you?” She asked in uncertainty. Although she was sure it was him, however, she got this inkling in her that just maybe, it wasn’t him. Therefore, she has to take precautions.

“Yes, love! It is me!” Reagan said lifting his head and his green orbs bore into her deep blue ones. “Come here! Let’s get you what you want.”

Amelia moved closer to him; her eyes brimmed with tears. She cupped his cheeks in her hands, and her eyes narrowed feeling the iciness against her skin. “Something is not right. Since when does his skin feels this cold? What’s more, how did he know I came here for a reason?”

Recalling that Artemis had told her something about her darkness consuming Reagan, it registered on her that something was indeed out of the order, and she abruptly stepped away from him.

The iciness she exudes when her darkness takes over was now emitting from him. Amelia pursed her lips together in apprehension. This was not Reagan, neither was it Adgan or Zegan she concluded. “Who are you?”

“Wrong! The question should be what we are!” Reagan’s eyes instantly turned black.

All colours drained out of Amelia’s face. “What the??” She exclaimed in horror hearing so many voices at once. “Just what are these things?”

“We are known as the phantoms. What do we want? We want nothing! It is you who wants something from us. We feed on lies, doubts, fear and most importantly, anger!!!”

“What do you mean it is I who wants something from you? I never wanted, and never will want anything from you!” Amelia declared firmly.

The phantoms laughed. “You always did, and always will because you were made the perfect combination of both light and evil! You belong with us, and we belong with you; and through you, we shall live on!!”

Amelia was flabbergasted. “There’s no way in hell I will let you live, talk more of letting you get back inside me again!”

The phantoms hissed venomously at her word. “If you don’t let us back, we will consume him! He might be strong, but his mind is in a huge conflict with himself right now and is perfect for us to inhabit. Still, we want you! We choose you! And before you make any comments-”

“Crack”

Reagan’s head twisted backwards then his body rose from the chair as though he was floating in space, while the chains clanked around him. “Think again!” The Phantoms warned, and Amelia’s stomach dropped in dread, with her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.

“Stop it!” She yelled in despondency. Seeing how they toy with Reagan like that made her blood boil.

“Invite us back in, or we will make him the perfect monster to ever walk the earth! Thanks to you, he is weak from exerting too much energy in drawing us in’ without feeding for months. The Phantoms spoke. “How pathetic this thing you call love is.”

Amelia’s nails dog into her flesh as she gnashed her teeth together in exasperation.

“Crack”

Reagan’s neck twisted to the right side of his shoulder. “Crack!” His arms bent in an awkward position, followed by his legs and every other part of his body; making him look like a deformed zombie.

“Okay! “Okay, I agree all right? Just fucking stop it!” Amelia’s head was spinning, and her stomach seethed. “I will do what you want. But please, don’t make me hurt anyone again. Especially him,” she pleaded in resignation.

“We are what you make out of us! We are your mind and whatever you want us to be!” With that, Reagan’s body snapped back to its original position. “Hurry up and invite us in so you could carry on with your plans, the Phantoms vocalized. “We will fuel you with our strength to survive him because a part of him really wants to hurt you. And he will!”

Amelia’s heart skipped a beat to hear that Zegan would indeed hurt her. Yes, she was certain it was him because neither Reagan nor Adgan harbours any sort of resentment towards her. “Why are you helping me?” Amelia inquired narrowing her eyes. These things were very strange. First, they threatened her, now they want to help her. Just what do they want from her? What are their motives? Most importantly, how does she even get rid of them? Amelia’s head was a mess.