Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 54 – Inner Child

“The child is in me still and sometimes not so still.“–Fred Rogers

Kiya

All I could see is endless blackness.

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02:42

I should’ve been more careful. How could I have been so weak? Osiris thwarted my escape attempt once he got his slimy hands on me, proving Artemis right. I walked into a trap. His twisted game preyed on my willpower and desperation to get home. My suffering is amusing to him. Now, as my reward, I’m plunged into a realm of nothingness, detached from my body.

Trapped in a world without light is terrifying. No one is here for comfort or chatter; just a person and their thoughts. Thoughts they don’t want. A teeth–chattering chill blankets my form, nipping at my flesh with reckless abandon as I slowly arose to consciousness, aware of the foreign sensations.

What did Osiris do to me?! Knowing his modus operandi, the bastard can lurk in the surrounding shadows, waiting for a moment to strike. Monstrous, evil, dark–there is nothing good about that man. Despite my weakness, I’m willing to fight him until my last breath.

A sudden warmth brushed up against my side, soft and inviting; a heavy contrast to the surrounding chill. The warmth grew rapidly. When I turned my head to see who or what it came from, my eyes met with a pair of electric blues and an elongated snout. A snout I’ve grown to love. Squealing in excitement, I tackled the culprit, nuzzling my head in her soft white pelt.

“Artemis!” This is the second time I hugged my wolf in her physical form and I never felt happier. Feeling Artemis‘ fur in between my fingers is a feeling I’ll relish forever. I love her so much; my rock and best friend.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Kiki.” She responded, licking my face when I pulled back. Wet, her tongue left a streak of drool on my check. Unlike the average dog, I didn’t mind if Artemis licked the skin off my face.

“I’m glad you’re okay too! But…” My grin fell into a concerned frown when I scanned my dark surroundings. “Does this mean we’re dead, Art? Because last time-?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Artemis shook her head, fur swaying. “We’re still alive, thank Goddess. However, you’re in a state between wakefulness and sleep. Osiris shut your body down with his dark powers, but your mind is still alert and functioning.”

“So, I’m lucid dreaming, but to the extreme?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. My wolf sat on her rear, tail wagging.

“I suppose, but that doesn’t matter. We got to get you to wake up, but I feel Osiris influence everywhere, even around your physical body.” She warned, her voice dropping an octave. “We need to be careful. Anything can happen.”

Nodding curtly, I rose to my feet. This man earned himself a spot on my hate list. This madness has gone on far enough. I’m sick of the pursuit; I just want to go home. But I am worried about one thing; how am I going to wake up? Do I need to connect to my body and if so, how the fuck do I do that?

R

“Okay.” I sighed, calming my beating heart. Anxiety settled in my stomach like a rock at Artemis‘ and I’s prospects. There is no telling what will happen from here on out. But I’m sure with the two of us workin together, we’ll get out of this. “Do you have any ideas-”

A high–pitched, juvenile laughter resounded in the air. “He he he!”

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and I paused in our tracks, enthralled by the abrupt sound. It looks like we aren’t alone in the trenches of my mind. We heard the laughter again, this time louder and closer. There was something about that laughter that was familiar and nostalgic, as if I knew it. Enthralled as I was, I wanted to

“Ha ha!”

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like a child laughing with their friends. An unknown energy propelled my body to follow the sound like a zombie with Artemis hot on my heels, telling me to be careful. How could I not be careful? This is in my head! Something within urged me to investigate, motivated by pure curiosity. The closer

A mind overloaded with pain and

bit the hem of my shirt to pull me back. I didn’t. I continued walking for what felt like an eternity until I came across a strange

rotting bark and dying leaves falling and scattering beneath my feet, disintegrating into dust underneath my feels. There was no smell or sound. No chirping birds or singing cicadas. A macabre scene of nature withering into nothingness, swallowed by the darkness of either mine or Osiris“. It is becoming difficult to know

is when I saw

a stuffed animal in the air as she skipped around what looked like a pool of murky water surrounded by dead blades of grass.

her collarbone. Red bruising around her neck stood in stark contrast like a ring of fire. Underneath her sleeveless, dirty white dress, it hides more of her bruises; the hem flailing

as she did a pirouette. “Come on! Dance

name of my childhood toy!

all I could do was stare with my mouth agape. Artemis picked up on my shock and rubbed her snout on my arm to wake me up. My

This child…

I’ll never get tired of

“Who are you?”

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spot the faint red bruise on her cheek. Curious, the girl cocked her head to the side, hugging her toy to her chest for

challenged, her voice suspicious but

Kiya, and this is

eyes blinked in recognition, nodding before cracking a smirk. “Kiya and Artemis…oh

now.”

“You do?”

you!” She pointed

she is me! Halima, a name I hate so much, is my inner child! Faint memories of my therapist, Mayra, telling me

“Why are you

is my happy place!” Halima answered with a sharp giggle. “I’m safe here,

back the tears in my eyes. “It…the darkness must

duh!” She showed off her teddy bear. “I’m never lonely when I have her with

and I asked

Suddenly, the amusement left her eyes, leaving behind overflowing sadness with ripples of hatred. “She stopped giving me blankets after she said

would burst out of my chest at the intense feelings Halima was projecting. They were my feelings too. I didn’t want to feel this. I didn’t want to

though.” The child murmured, sitting her rear upon the deceased leaves. “Mommy will

are unthinkable. Wolf jaw agape with dismay, she promptly closed it to gather her words. “Halima, you shouldn’t

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not?!” Her wail was shrill, painful in my ears. “They made me suffer, so why can’t I want the same for them. They deserve it!” Her angry eyes darted to me. “You abandoned me, Kiya! I hate that stupid new nagp of yours! You pushed

“I’m sorry…

cyes.