THE GALLOWS

Moments later, I was looking down at my body, I still hadn't quite grasped the magnitude of the situation that I was currently facing. Excruciating pain moments ago, turned to peace. I was ready to let go and pass to the other side

"Get up, Get up"

I keep hearing a voice telling me to get up. I don't know where it's coming from. It's stopping me from letting go.

Before I knew it. I started being pulled closer to my body , slowly yet surely.

"We almost lost you there kid" in the sound of a women

I slowly opened my eyes. The ceiling above me was covered in pipes and cobwebs, damp and rust-stained. The air was thick with the scent of metal and something rotting. I tried to sit up, but pain shot through me. Gritting my teeth, I looked down at mystomach was bandaged, but the wound still throbbed beneath. I turned to face the direction in which i heard the lady's voice. There she was, on the other side of the room, washing her hands in the sink. She turned round and approached me. She was about average height for a lady, with long black hair tied up in a bun and she wore glasses.

"Where am i ?" I asked nervously

The women responded boldly " your deep in the gallows, what are you doing here anyways. I can tell your not from these sides, can tell my the smoothness of your skin"

"Im the prince of Relkia, Ramon" i said

" What do you mean prince of Relkia" the lady said jokingly

" We don't have a prince in this nation, the king didn't have any kids, maybe your not thinking straight due to your injury, it's understandable"

I looked at her sideways, I wasn't quite sure if you was trying to take the piss out of me

Am I losing my mind? No. That witch did something to me

" I don't quite understand what you mean, because there clearly is and its me, I need to get back over there as soon as possible" i demanded

"Well your not leaving here in this condition, you wouldn't even be able to make it out the gallows even if you was healthy" said the lady

" what do you mean by that" i asked

The lady responded "well the gallows is an extremely dangerous place, im not even sure how or why you are here, but its not even safe to go outside sometimes, plus it doesn't help being deep in the gallows like we are now, how did you even get here ?"

" well seeing as you don't believe im the prince of Relkia, your not going to believe my story anyways, so let's just forget about it alright" i said coldly

"Suit yourself kid" the lady said as she smirked at me

"Tell me more about the gallows, why is it so unsure. So are you saying, its going to be difficult even for me to head towards the capital "

"Yes, once your in the gallows, its hard to get out, the gallows is like a darkness, and everyone within in has been consumed by it. It's hard to describe it, but people aren't themselves anymore. Something has taking over them, some supernatural force that has altered their way of thinking. Everyone just wants to kill everyone pretty much. The slightest miscommunication between another person down here can turn deadly. It's like everyone's emotions are super heightened and sensitive" explained the lady

"Woah, so how did this even happen, the upper capital isn't anything like this" i said

"Im not sure why it's like this, I was born into this darkness, its all I've known my entire life"

" But how comes your not like the people down here that you just described, you don't seem evil"

"Well that's because, i learned how to control the darkness that flows within me, and i use it to my advantage, rather than be consumed by it, but its constant battle in my mind everyday, i just wish it would all be over"

"I don't understand what you mean, what does controlling it consists of" i added

"Well, this so called darkness, is a type of life force that shrouds all aspects of the gallows, so much so that it's leaked into all of our souls. I wouldn't even say it's a supernatural power because it's more like a curse. Yes, are physical abilities may have been heightened, but it's not worth all what comes with it"

" wait so does that mean, the longer i spend down here, i too will eventually be succumb to the darkness"

The lady pointed her two thumbs up "bingo"

"Well then i need to get the hell out of here"

"I hate to break it to you kid, but the time your fit enough to leave, the darkness would have already consumed you, plus like i said, outside is a war zone. You wouldn't last five minutes"

I didn't even know what to reply, i just leaned back and took a deep breath, just hoping i was going to be woken up from this nightmare. How did this all happen so fast. Just hours ago, i was laying in my bed in the palace, in pure relaxation. To being stabbed in the stomach and in the pits of this place called the gallows

"So what might you suggest i do, because i need to get back to the palace immediately. I'll pay you one thousand gold coins if you help me"

"Woah that's a lot of money kid, you sure you got that" the lady questioned

I looked at her dead in the eye, with a serious and cold expression on my face

"Aright i believe ya"

"but here is how its going to work, in about the next ten hours, the darkness is going to try and take over your mind, but there is ways to fight it, so it doesn't consume you and control you. I can only give you tips and guide you beforehand, but if your resolve isn't strong enough, you'll fall victim to the darkness, and I'll have to tell you to vacate" explained the lady

" Ok, I understand, im ready. Please teach me, there's no way im going out in a place like this, im going to kill that witch, that sent me here, im going to rip her heart out"

I looked up at the lady, after i finished making that comment, she had a look on her face like she expected this. I had never thought of something so violent in my life. Is this the darkness she is talking about.

" Well lets get started then , prince of Relkia"