Existence 02 - Predestined

time I might be stuck in this underwater island began to sink in.
    Leif frowned at me then understanding seemed to dawn on his face. “You don’t remember. I should have guessed the travel would have messed with your head a little. It’ll all come back to you but I won’t make you sit around and wait for that.”
    Standing up, Leif closed the space between us and I started to back up when he placed his hands on each side of my head. Warmth radiated though my skull and slowly images began flashing in my eyes. Then, as if a movie screen was set up behind my eyelids, I remembered everything. Every awful detail.

    Stepping back out of his grasp I covered my face with both my hands. I was here. Forever. Wyatt was gone because of me. Miranda had lost both of us because of me. And Dank, he’d never know what happened to me. Could he even find me down here?
    “I’m sorry, I had to remind you. Last night you only had to deal with this knowledge for a few short minutes before we went under. In time you’ll heal from this. I promise,” Leif’s soothing tone was so out of place with the words that were coming out of his mouth. Did he even realize he’d just told me that I’d get over the fact my friend was DEAD because of ME? There was no getting over that. There was no getting over the fact I was stuck here for eternity with him while the guy I loved walked the Earth searching for me. My mother would mourn me. Miranda... ohgod I didn’t want to think about Miranda. She wasn’t emotionally stable. This wasn’t something she was going to handle easily.
    “I know it’s a lot to take in right now. But all those things are of that world. You have to let go of the life you knew.” Leif flashed a bright smile and spread his arms out wide as if offering me the world, “Pagan you can live here as you have never lived before.”
    I had no response for that. He truly didn’t understand. The humanity I’d always thought he possessed, even in small amounts, really had all been an illusion. Leif’s emotions and thoughts weren’t that of a normal human. He believed he was offering me this wonderful world that was far greater than the world he’d taken me from. But I was a prisoner. I’d always be a prisoner. I was here because I couldn’t allow his father to take any more souls. It was my soul that had been damned. It was my soul that would pay.
    “Come with me. Let me show you the island. It’s beautiful here. You’ll love it. It’s like no other paradise you could have imagined. We’ll walk along the whitest shoreline and the water is a crystal clear blue. Then there is my father. He wants to officially meet you. And--”
    “I’m not leaving this room.” He may have the power to force me to stay here but that didn’t mean I had to appease him. I wasn’t a freaking pet he could play with. I was staying right here. Maybe I’d lose my mind and start talking to imaginary friends. That would be much more preferable than reality.
    “Pagan, please don’t be this way. You’ll grow so bored in here. I want to show you all the things there are to love about Vilokan. It’s your home now. Please, come with me.”
    No way in hell. I shook my head and walked over to sit down on the bed. “Do you have any books here? I’m doubting my iPhone works,” I reached into my pocket to see if my phone was where I’d last stuck it. But, of course, it was gone.
    “We have an entire library. Full of anything you could possibly want to read. Come with me. We’ll get you so many you can’t carry them all.” The hope in his voice only ignited my fury more.
    Shaking my head I snarled, “No thanks. I’ll just sleep,” I informed him, laying down on the black satin sheets, I turned my back to him. I wasn’t going to be able to go to sleep but maybe if he thought I was I’d be able to get rid of him for the time being. Having him here wasn’t helping me cope with things. The door behind me opened and closed and I let out a sigh. Rolling onto my back, I stared up at the black chiffon and tried to imagine my eternity. It looked very bleak. Hopefully, insanity would claim me quickly.

    I must have drifted off to sleep because the sound of the stone door moving startled me awake. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and watched as Leif walked into the room.
    His smile was tentative when his eyes met mine. Good, I’d made him nervous to approach me. Maybe I’d be the worst “companion” ever and he’d let me go and find a new