Cerebus || Book 2

Chapter 3: Compelled

The whistling of leaves brushed past her ears even while she slept deep within the stone covered cavern.

Birds sang their songs, and the familiar smell of dirt and pine had the girl smiling subconsciously, serotonin filling her veins as a fond memory played itself out in her dreams.

A little girl was being pushed on the swings. It was warm outside, not quite hot. But it was comfortable enough for the squirrels to be running amuck and the pretty pink flower buds to open slightly as if taking a peek of how it looked outside.

The girl giggled and squealed as her father pushed her on the swing. Her tiny hands squeezed the rope on each side, and he legs pumped up and down vigorously even though the power of the swing was coming from the man behind.

"Mama, Mama, can you push me now?" The girl called out to her mother who was sitting on the bench a few meters away.

The older woman smiled gently at her daughter and made a move to stand up but was immediately told not to by her father.

"Siobhan, no, you shouldn't be exerting yourself."

The girl frowned as her father left her on the swing, his absence stilling her movements .

She sat there as he walked over to her mother and crouched down in front of her to hold her hand.

The girl didn't understand why her mother couldn't push her on the swing. But she also didn't understand why she had to take several pills every morning and night, and why her head was always wrapped in a purple scarf.

"Mama?" The girl called out, as she was feeling ignored at this point.

She wanted to run over to her parents, but her feet were several inches above the ground, and she was scared to make the jump.

"You can do it." She whispered to herself as she shuffled closer to the edge of the swing.

"One"

"Two..." Her barbie shoes dangled over the dirt as she prepared herself.

"Three!"

Iris gasped as she was jolted from her sleep, and a hand flashed over to her stomach as she tried to still the falling feeling that consumed her every time, she had that dream.

When she finally came to it, she sighed and covered her face with her hands before tucking loose curly strands behind her ears.

She settled against the cool surface of the cave once more, before the surrounding silence had her perking up.

"Niklaus?" She questioned as she finally noticed that she was alone.

Her eyes fixated on the cave entrance and the spot where he once was, which was now empty. Even the sétaiwas gone, and that had her even more concerned as she knew how much he valued that...thing.

With slight panic, she scrambled towards the opening, and ignored the slight burn to her palms as she carelessly let them brush against the stone walls.

When she finally saw the light, she squinted, a bright white blinding her before she was finally able to take in her surroundings.

After a few blinks she was meet with absurdly tall trees and grass, along with the odd flying bug that circled her head every now and again.

"Niklaus?" She called again, although less confidently this time as she was wary that her voice would carry and attract another animal that wanted to end her life.

When still, there was no response, Iris paced back and forth, her mind racing with different possibilities as to why the alien would be missing, and if he didn't come back, what she should do.