There were a stray few loiterers that lingered still, lingering and loitering about the place.

First to greet our entrance were the homeless, bundling up, some with sleeping bags at the ready, others making do with wrinkly newspapers salvaged from waste bins.

Surprise they're still okay with sleeping without at least some kind of roof over their heads after the Blight came and went. But I suppose when options are few, you're just gonna have to do what you gotta do and make do.

My heart goes out to them.. can't say the same for the next group of lingerers we cross paths with.

The typical all-smiles all-bright enamored young couples hand in hand out for a little midnight stroll surrounded by nature's loving embrace, with the moon's faint silvery glow their cold tender limelight in a night so amorous.. must be so romantic for them.

Well, I'm here as living proof that one man's romance flick can also be another man's horror movie. Here I was, the ill-fated feeble-abled protagonist, shambling, stumbling through the dewy grassy trenches of the deep, dark unknown.

Loved the park. Came here as often as I could when I could. It was my little country in the big city. I'm a broken record right now, I've lost count of how many times already I've mentioned this.

But bear with me, I needed to just affirm this fact in my head once again, cause I just can't shake the feeling of being a stranger in my own home. The looming branches up high, every crunch of grass from under my feet.. felt like I was intruding, not visiting. I was completely unwelcome.

Thank the heavens for the angel that was Ash. Her footsteps followed mine every step of the way, always just a hair's breadth away.. she was the single sturdy pillar left standing tall keeping my resolve from a total freefall.

Not so much though, the loud, tumultuous footsteps that closely followed hers. I mean what's a horror movie without its comic relief character, am I right? Least I can take solace in the fact that those types of characters always end up kicking the bucket first.

Not that I wanted him dead, that is. It's just, y'know.. anything can happen. I'm not saying it will happen, I'm just saying that I don't know it won't happen is all.

Soon we've passed the last of the lingerers. We broke away from the beaten path... a place more secluded, an area obscured to the public by a hectic amount of thick sharp foliage.

Here, the dirt trail narrowed. Here, the dirt trail looked bleaker here. Here, we came to a stop.

"I'm afraid we can go no further," Ash solemnly spoke, a hand raised to stop a vlog-filming Tyler from taking another step. "None is to be within the vicinity save for you. Her instructions were clear."

I grunted. I wanted to say I understand. Lost the words somewhere down the line.

It was here that Tyler finally looked straight without a camera in his face.

"This... what's going in, really?" He threw his confusion to both Ash and me. "Spooky woods. Middle of the night. I'm getting Satanist cult vibes here, are you...?"

"No, shitty place to worship the Antichrist anyway," I waved him off. "Just go. Go home. I'll be back when... I'll just be back."

Now it was just my footsteps sounding alone in the night. I remembered turning back, the last thing I saw before the darkness consumed all was the green glow of Ash's eyes.

Could tell she wanted to say more, she only held her tongue cause Tyler was there. But what she couldn't say, she showed.

I've gotten quite good at reading faces... and hers was an open diverse book.

She looked tense, apprehensive and many other things that encompassed that subtle... a far cry from the myriad of wonderful expressions she showed sitting shotgun in a sports car.

It was when I was already too deep in to turn back did I then realize we didn't even say goodbye to each other.

Biggest red flag I've ever planted on myself. I might've just signed my death warrant.

Ah well... might as we just let things play out.

I rested... but I haven't rested enough. Was leaning on tree trunks and gasping for breath and I don't think I'm even there yet.

Suddenly there was rustling in the leaves. Nothing too conspicuous so long as you ignore the fact the wind wasn't blowing.

Another rustling again, same place... this time, a dark furtive blur between trees. I stood quiet, watching, straining my eyes where I last saw movement.

And of course, I saw it again, with eyes now focus - a flutter of violet skirting through the leaves, slowing slinking its way towards me.

I closed my eyes, breathed in deep, and when I opened them again, I finally clearly could see the bright glow of amber amidst the deep purple.

Sera looked exactly how I saw her last. Same violet cloak, same violet mouth veil. Looking at me with those golden eyes with that same pissy stare.

Guess greetings are in order.

"You called?" I said, playing off a casualness that I was far from feeling.

Sera, of course, didn't speak out.

Instead, she emerged out a pale, almost translucent hand from the dark depths of her cloak, curling a forefinger and motioning to me an obvious gesture...

Come hither...

Then she haughtily turned and crept away, nearly bitch slapping with the ends of her cloak in the process.

I just sighed.

More walking, it is.

A week and a half of no contact, this was not how I envisioned our next. Being hauled off by her for some cause that I'm still yet to know about.

She can't talk, I knew that. But I wasn't going to let that stop me from trying to communicate.

"Hey, listen," I paused, scouring at her for any sign that she was. "Nod for yes, shake for no, alright?"

No nods, no shakes. Let's test the waters.

"Are you bringing me to Ria?"

I stumbled on a twig, breaking my gaze - looking back up, I think I just only caught the end motions of a nod.

"Is my part in whatever it is you're planning on doing really going to wake her?"

A nod again. Saw the complete version this time.

"Will the process be quick?"

First time, a shake.

I tried again. "A few hours?"

A shake, second time in a row.historical

"More than a few hours?" I rephrased myself. "Will it take all night?"

A brief nod broke the head-shaking streak, much to my dismay.

Was afraid that was the case. Ah well, alright... just one last question.

"Is this really all you're bringing me here for?"

Sera heard me speak loud and clear. She had to. No wind howling, no critters chirping.

Yet she didn't nod her head... and she didn't shake it either.

The darkness around us didn't look so dark all of a sudden... there was a tint of orange in the air... flickering... like a frail flame smoldering slowly.

We finally came to a gradual stop, standing before the source of the glow.

A week and a half, and Ria still looked just as we left her. Eyes firmly shut tight, the rise and fall of her chest slow and frail, and the cinders detaching from her long flaming locks, shriveling away just as fast as they formed.

The only thing different from back then was that her resting place had changed from slabs of concrete to a bed of soft grass.

I was starting to think that I will always be seeing her this way...

Didn't realize it, but Sera was making even more gestures at me, I only caught it after I heard a sharp impatient growl emerging from that veil of yours.

She was like... slanting an arm on top of... her other arm, while also nudging her head sideways... and...

What the fuck is this midnight game of charades, I am honest to God so confused.

She wanted me to do something, and it was either I sucked at interpreting, or she sucked at miming.

Or maybe we both just sucked at the same time. That's likely the case, actually...

Took a while, but we eventually got me doing exactly what she wanted me to be doing.

She wanted me to lie near to Ria at a very specific angle, where I am diagonal across from her, with the top of my head touching hers.

I was not to move, not to blink, not to remove my hands folded atop my chest, and to ease my breathing.

The position I was in sprouted assumptions in my head, and I figured right then was a better time than any to have them affirm.

I read my fair share of fairy tales to know a little bit of just what this exercise might have in store for me.

"Will you be putting me to sleep too?"