Closing Stages, the Journey Begins

The sound of the music drifted through the hall, faintly, barely audible, like the whimpers of a small child trying to hide its sobs. The sounds touched her ears with the gentle kiss of memories, flooding in from out of the bitter darkness.
She knew what the sound meant, as her heart began to pound, and the sweat began to bead upon her forehead.
He had returned.
She wanted to let loose with a scream of terror, for her soul was already shrieking, but her vocal cords were already frozen solid f...