Ch: 27 [Voices of the past]

On his way home, Hiro felt dizzy. A splitting headache grasped his mind. His eyes were burning like hell. All of the light in the street seemed too bright and the air felt too thick, and he was sweating buckets. 

He stopped his car near a park. It was empty, devoid of any lifeforms and everything was so quiet that his ears are ringing with the silence. He pulled out his smartphone and saw that the battery was dead. He looked around again but couldn't find a sign of any human presence, except for an abandoned playground swing and the remains of an old sandbox on the other side of the street. He closed my eyes tight as he took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

What the fuck is going on?

Water!

He reached out to the back seat and grabbed the water bottle. With great difficulty, he opened twisted the cap open and chugged a mouthful of water. Then he stumbled out of the car and fell on the concrete with a thud. He poured the rest of the water on his head and splashed his eyes vigorously before he tried to stand up. His legs shook like jelly and he collapsed again. This time, he didn't have enough strength left to support himself. He laid face flat against the ground. He was panting heavily as he turned around with a groan and stared blankly at the dark starless sky.

As Hiro lay on the ground, panting heavily and staring blankly, his pain slowly began to subside. Just as he started to regain some composure, he heard a faint, seductive voice of a woman calling out to him. The voice seemed to whisper in his ears, both alluring and eerie at the same time.

"Hi...ro," the voice softly beckoned, drawing out each syllable. "Come... to me."

Hiro's heart skipped a beat, and his senses suddenly alert. He tried to shake off the confusion and struggle to his feet, despite his wobbly legs. With sheer determination, he dragged his body toward the source of the voice, his mind filled with a mix of fear and curiosity, "Who?"

Before he knew he was walking toward the source of the voice.

As Hiro made his way through the empty park, the silence was only interrupted by the distant sound of his own labored breathing. The swings swayed gently in the breeze, creating an eerie creaking noise as if they were mocking him. The remains of the sandbox seemed to form grotesque shapes in the dim light, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.

"Who's there?" Hiro called out, his voice was shaky but determined. "What do you want?"

There was no response, except for the echoes of his own words. The voice seemed to have faded away, leaving Hiro alone with his thoughts. Doubt crept into his mind, making him question his own sanity. Perhaps it was just a figment of his imagination, a result of the intense pain and disorientation he had experienced.

But just as Hiro was about to give up and retreat, the voice returned, this time louder and more insistent.

"Hiro... I can give you what you desire," the voice whispered, its seductive tone sending shivers down his spine. "I can take away your pain, your suffering. You don't have to wear that fake smile anymore. All you have to do is come to me."

"Who... How do you know?" Hiro asked as he rubbed the sweat from his forehead.

"I know everything about you, Hiro. I know what they did to you and what you did to them," The woman's voice came to his ears.

"You are lying? You know nothing," Hiro yelled at the voice as a sharp pain pierced through his chest. That woman's voice was unsealing the forgotten memories and emotions he had buried long ago deep into his heart. The past he doesn't want to remember again.

"Come to me, Hiro. I know what you want. I know what you are thinking. I can fulfill all your desires. Are you just happy with your little wealth and a few women? I can give you real power," the voice whispered seductively.

Hiro hesitated, his mind filled with conflicting emotions. Should he trust this voice? What could it possibly offer him? The allure was undeniable, but deep down, he knew that something wasn't right. But if this woman knows about his past, he must meet her at all costs. His curiosity got the better of him, and with his body trembling, he continued to follow the voice.

As Hiro approached a secluded area of the park, the voice grew louder and more distinct. It seemed to emanate from a dense thicket of trees. The atmosphere turned even more oppressive, with unsettling energy enveloping the surroundings. Shadows danced on the ground, and the air grew heavy with an otherworldly presence.

Taking a deep breath, Hiro mustered all his courage and stepped closer to the thicket. His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared himself for whatever awaited him beyond the veil of branches.

"Who are you?" Hiro finally shouted, his voice filled with a mix of fear and determination. "What do you want from me?"

The response came in a chilling whisper, seeping into Hiro's very core.

"I am what you long for, Hiro," the voice replied, its words dripping with an otherworldly seduction. "I can give you everything you desire. Just step into the darkness and claim your salvation."

Hiro stood at the precipice, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. The choice before him seemed impossible, a leap into the unknown. Would he succumb to the temptation and embrace the unknown, or would he find the strength to resist the siren's call? The fate of his own existence hung in the balance as he prepared to make his decision.

Hiro's heart raced as he stood on the threshold of his decision. With a trembling voice, he managed to find the strength to speak, seeking assurance and guarantees.

"Show yourself," Hiro demanded, his voice filled with a mix of fear and curiosity. "Give me a reason to trust you."

As the words left his lips, the thicket before him began to stir. The branches quivered, parting slowly to reveal a figure emerging from the darkness. A woman stepped forward, her presence exuding an ethereal beauty that both mesmerized and unnerved Hiro.

She had long, flowing ebony hair that cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of darkness. Her eyes were an intense shade of emerald green, piercing through the shadows with an otherworldly glow. Her features were flawless, her skin pale as moonlight, contrasting with her crimson lips that seemed to beckon Hiro closer.

Dressed in a flowing black gown that accentuated her curves, the woman moved with a grace that was both alluring and haunting. Her every step seemed to leave a trace of smoke as if she were part of a wisp of fog brought to life.

But it was her presence that held Hiro in a trance. The air around her crackled with undeniable power, an aura of seduction that threatened to overwhelm him. She was a vision of beauty and danger, a temptation wrapped in mystery.

"I am Lilith," she whispered her voice a seductive melody that caressed Hiro's ears. "I am here to offer you liberation from your pain, Hiro. To grant you the power to embrace your desires fully. Just like we have promised."

Hiro's mind spun with a mix of emotions. He couldn't deny the pull of her words, the tantalizing promise she offered. But he needed more than just words, more than empty promises.

"No, no, no, no... You can't be real!" Hiro pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Oh! I am as real as you are, my sweetheart. Allow me to show you your forgotten past," Lilith said as she walked around him with her eyes burning with a faint reddish glow.

With a coy smile, Lilith raised her delicate hand and traced a finger along her own flawless cheek. As her finger glided across her skin, a series of letters materialized, glowing faintly in the air. The letters formed words, revealing Hiro's darkest secret—the truth about his abusive parents' demise.

"You... you know," Hiro stammered, his voice barely a whisper as the weight of his secret hung heavy in the air.

Lilith's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with ancient knowledge. "Oh, Hiro, I have always known," she confessed, her voice a haunting echo. "You see, I was the one who guided you, who showed you the power within yourself. I allowed you to orchestrate your parents' tragic end, to manipulate their emotions and turn them against each other. And you, with your ability to see their emotions in letters, played your part flawlessly."

Hiro's mind reeled with a mix of disbelief and horror. The revelation of Lilith's involvement shattered his perception of his own actions. He had believed himself to be solely responsible, but now the truth emerged like a dagger to his soul.

"Why?" Hiro managed to choke out, his voice trembling with a cocktail of emotions. "No, it can't be. You... It's all true then."

Lilith's gaze bore into his, her expression a blend of sympathy and amusement. "Because, my dear Hiro, you made a deal with me when you were drowning in the depths of the darkness and I accepted that deal."

Hiro's world spun, his mind teetering on the edge of comprehension. The realization that he had been a puppet in Lilith's game shook him to his core.

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