Heaven in Hell

Chapter 8: DEJA VU

Darkness brood over her. Pearl didnt know where she was, but she knew she was on a different realm entirely. she holds her chest in fear. Everywhere was so dark so she couldn't see anything. She was too scared to even move. The nightmare she had before was still vivid in her mind. Pearl says a short prayer. She prays for God's protection and for her not to have another nightmare.

After what seemed like eternity, She decided to move and try to find her way out of the darkness. She begins to walk aimlessly. She keeps walking and walking for hours, yet she was still in the darkness. Out of frustration. She screams. Her scream echoed in the darkness. Yet nothing happiness. After waiting to no avail, Pearl began to cry.

"Pls bring me out of this darkness"

Suddenly, Pearl saw a trail of light appeared. The light looks quite strange and ethereal. It was dim, yet it shone brightly in the dark. It had a variety of colours ranging from red to blue. Pearl cleaned her eyes and began to follow the trail. She keeps walking till she got to the end of the light. She was expecting to see an opening of some sort. But saw nothing. She felt anger well up inside her.

"I'm tired of this. Let me out of here" Pearl screams out of frustration. Right before her eyes, a door filled with light popped out of nowhere. The door looked so old and strange. She was scared but she wanted to get out of the darkness. She touches the doorknob and holds her breath in fear. She slowly turns it. The door opened and she stepped inside and gasped at the sight before her.

She was in a forest. A beautiful forest, though the forest looked different compared to other forests. In the forest, everything was a bright red, the trees, the grass, the rivers, the plants, even the flowers, everything was red. Surprisingly, the forest looked so beautiful despite its odd colour. Pearl forgets all about trying to find her way out of the spiritual realm and begins to wander around the forest, admiring everything she saw.

Unknown to her, her presence was felt by someone, a lady, who sat in a dark castle at the far end of the forest.

"I can feel Pearl" The lady spoke smiling cruelly. She laughs, her bright red eyes burning with intensity.

"I'll get her this time. Nothing will stop me!" The woman said and stood up. At the same time in the physical realm, Alvin sat besides Pearl in the hospital. Oblivious to the things that were happening, Pearl keeps roaming in the forest. She starts to hear voices and walk towards the direction of the voices. She sees a young man and a young lady cuddling. She hides behind the bushes so no one could see her. The man wore a robe, and had a hood over his head. The man had his back turned to her, and his tall frame hid the lady, so Pearl couldn't see neither of their faces, but had a feeling of deja vu.

"I love you Pearl! More than anything in this world. Never forget that. I'm nothing without you my love. You're my heartbeat, you're my joy, you're everything to me" The young man said solemnly.

"Pearl?! Did he just mention my name?" Pearl thought to herself bewildered.

"Lothario! I love you so much more. You're the only man I'll ever love till eternity" The lady replied passionately.

"Lothario! Lothario! Hmmmm! Why does the name sound somewhat familiar?" Pearl wonders and her head begins to throb. She holds it in pain. She look towards the couple and sees another man with them. After saying something in a language she couldn't understand. The man left.

"I'm sorry my love. I have to go now. My father is looking for me. Pls go home. And stay safe Pearl " Lothario said patting her head. Pearl catches a glimpse of long, shiny, dark hair and gasped. That was exactly how her hair looked like.

Oblivious to Pearl, another lady,with bright red eyes had entered the forest searching for her.

"Pls don't go love. Let's go to my father, trust me, he is forgiving, he will forgive you. Your father is evil, he will just keep using you. Pls love. Don't go" The lady begged earnestly.

"Pearl..... I'm too evil for your father to forgive. Don't worry my little angel. I'll be alright. Let me go and face my father." Lothario said and turned to go but the lady hugged him tight,refusing to let go.

"Pls don't go Lothairo! Pls love! Your father is too evil. He can't be trusted. I'm sure he has some tricks up his sleeves. He always does. He is the devil. We can't trust him" The lady cried. Strangely, Pearl could feel her pain, her chest began to ache. Pearl was shocked. It was as though her body was feeling the same pain the lady was going through.

"But how is it possible?" Pearl thought clutching her chest. She hears Lothario laughing. The laugh had a sad ring to it. Pearl looks up and felt immense pity for him.

"Why am I having all these strange emotions?" Pearl wonders still clutching her chest.

"My father is the devil. And I'm his son. So I'm the devil's son. How are we different? The same blood run through our veins" Lothario said sarcastically.

"You are his son but you're different Lothario. You're good.You have a good heart. You're sweet, you're affectionate, you're caring. You're not like him Lothario. You're the love of my life " The lady said fiercely still hugging him tight. Lothario laughs, but this time the laugh was filled with happiness and amusement.

"Ahh! You are too stubborn Pearl. Sometimes I feel you're more stubborn than I am" Lothario said hugging her back. Pearl is touched by their love display and felt tears brim in her eyes.

"But I have to go now. Don't worry I'll come back. Stay safe. I'll come back. I can't keep running away from my Dad. I have to face him " Lothario said and removed her hands from his waist. The lady kept crying, her cries echoed round the forest. Lothario kisses her head and vanishes.

Pearl was shocked at the speed at which he vanished but was more shocked when she saw the lady's face. The lady looked exactly like her. Even their gray-ash eyes were the same. Pearl felt her head throb again in pain. She looks up to see the lady collapse, crying loudly in pain. For unknown reason, Pearl starts to cry as well.

"Stay with me. Don't leave me. Pls don't go" Pearl and the lady said simultaneously. In the physical realm, Alvin bent his head and heard what Pearl said. Somewhere deep down, he felt she was talking to him.

"Something must be wrong with her, she looks as though she has a fever, Let me get the Doctor" Damian said and left the ward. As he left,Pearl begins cry harder both in the physical realm and the spiritual realm. Alvin uses his thumb to wipe the tears off her cheeks. In the forest, the lady with the red eyes approached Pearl. Pearl was still crying, oblivious to the woman's presence.

"Finally I've found you Pearl" The woman said and stretched her hands to grab Pearl. At the same time, in the physical realm, Alvin kisses Pearl on her lips. Immediately, Pearl vanishes from the spiritual realm.

" No! No!No! This can't be happening!" The lady screamed. She yanks her hair in anger.

"No! I won't let her go. I must find her" The lady said and began to mutter some words. An image of Pearl sleeping on the hospital bed appears. The woman laughs and stretches her hand to pull her, but she couldn't. She keeps trying, but to no avail.

"What's happening? who is obstructing me?" The woman shouted in anger. She sees Alvin holding Pearl's hand. She gasped.

"Him?! Again! I'll kill him this time, I'll take Pearl! She's mine" The woman said with vehemence.