Spring 62, 514 A.V.
Ireth woke up early.
Too early...
The sun had not risen yet when the busker's eyes flew open. At first, there was nothing. She lay ridged still upon her bed, listening, gazing around the room into the darkness, the moonlight peeking in through her window's shutters. The apartment's foundations creaked, but there was nothing besides that. Ire laid a hand on her stomach, feeling the baby, her eyelids flickering. Perhaps it had been nothing...
Who are you...
Who do you think you are....
You know that's not true... Shhh....
They don't care....
No... His little woman...
The Aperture! Who are you....
That's not true, that's not the truth...
A light at the end of the tunnel...
The Aperture! The Aperture! Shhh....
Are you lost...
Ireth shot up in the bed, shivers racing up and down her spine. She immediately regretted the abrupt motion, becoming light-headed and nauseous. She fought the need to throw up, clenching her arms to her side as her body became clammy and cold. The baby woke up, kicking and pounding at Ire from the inside. Clenching her eyes closed against the onslaught of changes to her body, Ireth rubbed her hand in a circular motion on her belly, just above her belly button.
The frights. It had been the phenomena from within the Aperture that roamed the streets of her adopted city in the night. They were there, just outside her window, attempting to scare her and draw her to open the window to frighten her. They'd done this before, six times by her last count.Their whispers were like death, it was as if they speaking directly to her soul, pulling and tugging at her essence.
Her legs swung over the edge of the bed, and her body moved to get up before Ireth got conscience control of her body again. She yanked her legs up to her stomach, digging her nails into her palms against the alien will for her to go open the window. She laid down on the bed, turning on her side so that her back faced the window, pressing her pillow to her ears.
Rhysol save me, Rhysol protect me....
But, for whatever reason, her pillow did nothing to block out the tempting whispers of the nightmares outside.
Rhysol, the Lord Rhysol...
The Aperture! Shhh....
He won't save you...
Are you lost....
Who are you.... Shhh...
Rhysol....
Is he here.... Is he watching...
He's not who you think he is....
Run! Run to the Aperture! Shhh....
