Endless Bolero

The following days I slipped in and out of the memories, and when I woke the demon was always beside my bed forcing me to be it's vessel, I had lost track of days on how long I was there, all I wanted was to get out, until one day a chance presented itself. Domingo De Leon walked into the room to bring a tray of food, and failed to fully close the door behind him as he left. I pushed the tray aside, I rummaged my bag for the small crucifix necklace I always bring with me and I picked up Antonina's jar, "Beth don't! It's a trap!" she exclaimed at me. In my head I told myself, I know, along Antonina's bottle for some stupid reason I grabbed a fork as my weapon, funny I know but I don't think a spoon will do me any better again the demon.

"Dear girl it's dangerous out there!" she continued to tell, but what can she do she was a mere wisp in a bottle and I was the one with the arms and the legs.

"Antonina, if I die, please kill him", I responded to her in resignation, slowly I pulled the door and walked onto the corridor.

I almost threw up as the foul order of the place it, smelled like decay and death, the whole place had a fiery red glow about it, I went down to hands and knees crawling towards the banisters to see the lower floors and to my horror it was the night of the engagement party, the one in which everyone was dead and demons danced around their mangled flesh. I can hear the screams of agony as the imps tortured the people at the lower floor. In my head I can hear Antonina scream as she was being tortured as well.

The cries of anguish echoed endlessly, I felt weak on my knees and my resolve almost began to break, but for a split second the image of Annie came into my mind, that's right, I can't let her worry about me to. I strengthened my resolve and drew Antonina's bottle closer to my chest, and slowly I began moving towards the stairs. Alas luck was never in my favor, I heard a growl, and at the bottom of the stairs a hellhound was staring at me.

My heart was at my throat, this time Ciel was out of reach and all I have with me si a fuckin' fork, how do i fend off this thing. Then in my head i heard Antonina's voice, "Run". Slowly I backed away, the hound made a leap for the stair and ran after me, I rushed back towards the corridor and towards the other side of the stairs. The growls of the beast got the attention of the demons below and began pursuing me as well, I dropped my fork and grabbed whatever I can swing or throw towards anything that would block my way.

I can hear Antonina's paid screams, as if being out of the room was bringing her agony, but we needed to get out, as we got to the bottom of the stair my eyes witnessed the gruesome scene before me, bodies upon bodies littered the place and a feeling of malice that makes you weak on your knees, in the center of the room stood Domingo De Leon with his demon beside him, they grinned at me, the next thing I knew a sharp pain ran through me and in front of me was the demon and his claws piercing my abdomen.

Like a movie, everything felt as if it moved slowly, the shattering of Antonina's jar as I dropped it on the bloody floor and the muted laugh of the demon as I began to fall towards the floor, everything moved slowly.

As my body hit the floor the world returned to normal, I was bleeding and trying to hold on to whatever consciousness I have left, I watched how Antonina's wispy soul formed into an image of a person, and Domingo De Leon walked towards her. There was fear in her eyes as he approached her, she backed away slowly but the demon was behind her and pushed her towards him.

"It's been forever since I last danced with you," he said holding his hand to her

"I know," she replied, reluctantly she took it, but before they began Antonina looked at me and quickly glanced at the shards of glass on the floor, I understood.

Out of nowhere music began playing into the hall, it was the bolero they had danced on the night of the engagement in the Martines, the imps and the demon watched as they dance. I saw how much joy and sadness was in Antonina's face as she stared at him, it was true, even after everything he was still her beloved.

Slowly I dragged myself towards the glass shards picking the biggest and and sharpest piece I can hold, I took off my small crucifix from my neck and wrapped the chain around the glass shard. Slowly I moved myself to a corner and forced myself to stand. She gave me a chance to end this, and I will not waste it. As fast as I am able I moved towards them, with the demon distracted this is it, I caught Antonina's eyes on their last turn and nodded weakly.

"Ingo, I love you, always", she said to him

"I love you too", he responded.

Antonina placed her arms around him in a tight embrace as he saw me running towards him, when the demon realized it was too late I drove the shard of glass through Antonina and towards his chest. I fell down the floor as all of my strength has gone, even the adrenaline can't even help me stand, Antonina's appeared beside me, we watched as Domingo's body fell back towards the floor, the crucifix prevented himself or his demon from removing it. Both he and the demon howled in pain as the flesh around the glass shard begin to burn, and all the imps and hounds started to disappear. The demon started to burn it's cries became blood curdling shrieks of agony, soon nothing was left of it but ash and soot. The whole place began to collapse, it was now evident that the manor was held together by the demon's power.

"Nina, we have to go", I told her noticing that the roof will be caving in soo

"Beth, I won't go with you, I can't," she responded, I forgot she was a soul too.

"But..." tears began falling down

"Hush now child all will be fine", she kissed my forehead, "it's okay, you need to get out of here".

All I could do was cry, I forced my body to stand once last time as I nursed my bleeding abdomen, she walked towards the dying Domingo de Leon, she held him on her arms. I saw how he smiled as she held him, as if it was his dream come true. She looked happy as well, this was the moment she has been waiting years for, finally they are together, finally he was liberated from his demon and finally, at peace.

She looked at me for the last time, and smiled. I felt my heart breaking. I was leaving her behind but I can't take her with me as well. I tried my best to smile back and after a last glance I ran out of the house as fast as I could.

I was found outside the collapsed manor the following day, Ciel was the one who found me, I was barely alive at that time, and everything else was blurry. I know I lost a lot of blood and was injured trying to get out, it was a miracle that I was alive.

When I woke up I found myself in a hospital, beside me was my brother who was sleeping soundly, his bodyguards were by the door and his laptop was by the table. My whole body ached as I tried to sit up and my abdomen was in pain, I almost forgot that I got stabbed. The room was quiet except for the sound of the air conditioning, but then out of the blue the world fell silent and at the foot of my bed stood the person I wanted to see; it was Ciel. He was wearing his suit today, he looks serious, he smiled at me and walked to the other side of my bed.

"Beth," he said, I smiled back at him

"Hi," i responded, my voice was hoarse and my throat dry, he helped me drink some water before we continued

"Thank you", he said, "my job was completed because of you. Thank you so much"

"You're welcome," I replied, "is that how you found me? I mean, you went to collect the souls?" He nodded, I stopped myself from sighing, he was just doing his job as always.

"I came not just to thank you. I came to say goodbye", he said sadly. My jaw dropped, the word goodbye hit me like a knife to my chest, my eyes welled up with tears without my notice.

"I'm sorry," he said, "this is how things are, thank you for helping me with everything. I will never forget it." All I could do was nod, I was already sobbing, I was an idiot.

"I know. Thank you for saving me countless times."

He hugged me tight, I whispered, "Goodbye", then he was gone. I never had the courage to tell him what I felt about him, all I could do was cry.