On the cliff that hung over the sea, sunflowers and blades of grass swayed to the altitude's blustering winds. The gusts wavered in a somewhat gentle flow, harsh, but not overwhelming. The early sun reflected magnificently on the water: a soft yellow lulled across tranquil teal waves.
The family of this remote island were here today as visitors. Deliamois beckoned for you when the time came, or at least that was how the older relatives put it. It was a low sound that rang incessantly in your ear drums. There werebeautiful cliffs, rich vegetation, and flower fields sprawled about. The cool salty sea breeze was refreshing — it even felt like the air filled up your lungs more.
"Grandma, why did we come to Virosiad? It's so pretty here!" The child exclaimed. A little thing with black eyes and soft hair, clutching her cream-white dress. They were close, so she could hear the child's gentle soft-spokenness.
The old woman turned to the vast glittering sea, "No matter how many sins we have committed as a family, I will always come back here for the memory."
She reached her worn hands out to the drifting yellow petals and leaves.
"What is that supposed to mean?" The child tilted their head — such a confusing jumble of words.
Her expression softened, "This island holds many secrets, you know?"
For a moment, time froze to process what she had said, and what the child had heard.
The child paused, "I don't understand adult talk–"
"–You'll understand it when you're older."
And that was the end of that. She said he'd understand when he was older, but he was older — so now what? Unfortunately for him, that was all he got to learn about Deliamois.
That peaceful, beautiful island was like a painting: something frozen in time. Virosiad on the other hand was a business hub where foreign dignitaries and corporations gathered. The locals stood their ground, opting to produce luxury goods and providing services to assert themselves in the economy dominated by foreign conglomerates.
Perhaps his relatives knew what sins she was talking about, but he didn't bother with them. They were all too busy with their own lives. Although Catheris was already twenty-six, he was still considered a child, so they only nagged and cooed at him.
The thought of being away from that mess soothed him–hell, he moved even further away. Still, his life was as mundane as ever. It was the same cycle, the days blurred and looped in his head. It was painfully ordinary. The experiences he'd been having lately, on the other hand...
With nobody to confide in — Catheris thinks he's going a bit insane.
During those episodes, he can't move a muscle, he can only watch. A pitch black figure hugs the edges of his vision, slithering around his surroundings. It takes him a few seconds to snap out of it, left with a cold sweat on his palms.
Come to think of it, that terrifying stillness felt like that Cathedral on Deliamois. He still remembered the cold, chilling sensation that filled his nerves with dread like it was yesterday.
The whole island was off. It felt peaceful, like a fleeting dream — so it was only natural for Catheris to be wary. But the Cathedral felt so wrong. It looked out of place with its grandiose detail, large size, and pristine white stone, sitting on the highest cliff.
The air felt heavy. His poor lungs squeaked. He was careful, like it'd break his ribs. It was impossibly large, bigger than what it looked like outside as if it were all an illusion's shell. The intricate and detailed stone walls engraved with whales always struck him as majestic and yet foreboding, on a whole different level — that was the only way to describe the atmosphere.
It was like the tension in his head could snap at any minute. He held his breath, trying to not make the dizzying nausea worse. His grandmother held his hand too tightly —it hurt, but he never questioned it.
Adults knew better, he supposed.
It also had a bell that randomly rang. Creepy...
Catheris told his younger cousins what happened. At first, they didn't believe him. But when it was their time to go, they came back looking like they saw something they shouldn't have. After they told their younger siblings, nobody visited it again; the adults didn't bother with it because it was too much of a fuss.
It was private property, only the natives were permitted. Catheris didn't really know why — there were reasons and secrets that he wasn't privy to.
What else could he recall? Well, there wasn't much left to remember, anyway.