Branches scratched at my face as I made my way through the dark. Everything was still except for the constant sound my boots would make as they crunched through the snow. The snow in my shoes gradually melted, making my socks wet and me colder.
I ran on and on until a blue light shone before me.
I was almost there.
The light became stronger as I hurried towards it. I could see the outline of a figure standing, their arms open in greeting. Happiness filled me to the very core of my soul.
Now near, I embraced the almost angelic being. Warmth shot through my body making the moment all the better. Suddenly, just as quickly, the warmth was seized from me and coldness spread in its place. The stranger above me dug its nails into my back while giving a laughing snarl. I shoved the creature. My back hit the cold, hard ground.
The now horrific being stood over me. It held my gaze with its unbreakable silver eyes of glass, my memories of terror drifting to and fro inside of them. Its mouth opened impossibly far, its glistening jagged teeth ready to shred what I had left of my life.
I struggled to get up, but I weakly fell back to the ground. I gave my last breath in defeat, but I had forgotten. I had forgotten that things were never that easy.
The creature bore its mouth over me and I squeezed my eyes shut. Not feeling pain, I opened them.
It was a mistake.
It was pitch black but almost immediately I could feel the air rushing past my ears as I started falling swiftly in the never ending sea of darkness. I suppressed a scream by biting my lower lip piercing the skin. With effort I shut my eyes, but seeing no point I blinked them open again.
A light out of the blue shone above me. Looking down I could see the stone ground, plummeting towards me. I let out my scream and just as quickly, I hit the ground with a thud. I groaned. I lifted myself up and surprisingly I was able to stand. I shook myself and more than satisfied I had no broken bones, I looked at my surroundings. It was still pitch black other than my little slab of grey stone and what felt like a spotlight pointed on me.
Then I saw it. At first it was just a small dot of color on the curtain of black but still it came closer, almost seeming to skip into my observation. A little girl, about my younger sister’s age, came skipping into observation. She wore a floral pink dress with white trim with white lacy socks and black buckled shoes. The darling child had blonde hair cut to her shoulders; her blue eyes peeked out from underneath her chopped bangs. In her left hand she clutched a tattered rag doll. Her right hand was held to her face and a shimmering blue tear broke free, dropping to the ground.
“Are you alright?” I ask concerned.
“I want my mommy,” she cried.
I walk closer, leaving the lit circle. “Everything will be alright. She must be here somewhere.”
“I want my mommy!” she yelled.
Still, like the person I am, I come closer and kneel, clasping the little girl in a hug. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I pull away only to clumsily jump back in horror. The child had transformed into what could only be explained as a monster. Every part of her eyes was black like a demon’s. Her pale skin stretched across her dark and hollow cheekbones making her look skeletal. Her lips pulled back to reveal sharp teeth, the tips of them covered in blood. A droplet of blood dribbled off one of her teeth and down her chin, joining the others on the front of her dress. I immediately felt the back of my neck, flinching as my fingers grazed across a new open wound on the back of it.
“Will you be my mommy?” the girl innocently asked only ruined by the look of cruelty on her face.
I let out a scream that would’ve cracked a man’s skull and ran back to my tiny lit area. I screamed for help when I saw the child silently walking towards me. I attempted to make a run for it once again, but I was stopped. An invisible wall bolted me shut in the little circle. I glanced around for an escape or someone to help me and I saw another dot in the distance. I yelled and banged on the invisible walls of my prison for its attention then regretted it. It was another child, only this time a boy and a little older, but he, or more appropriately it, had the same frightening features as the little girl. More dots started emerging into sight. All children, all the same.
Tears cascaded down my face turning into large puddles gathering at my feet. All felt hopeless yet I still didn’t give a rest pounding on nothing at all.
Quite suddenly, memories of my family’s death sprung up in all places. I twirled and spun but everywhere I turned, etched fear faces of my family hit me in the face. My mother’s dull eyes, my father’s blood covered face, and my sister’s unrecognizable parts made everything more unbearable.
My heart thumped in my chest at an impractical pace. I whimpered and sobbed in agonizing pain of loss and fear.
A sharp pain shot up my leg, bringing me back to the present. I gazed down only to find myself looking into the eyes of the little girl who was now biting my leg. Her grin was still engraved on her face. Terrified, I tried to shake her off only to have the other children sink their teeth also into my body. I was pulled down with great force and piled on by the other many little monsters, now being gnawed on in every free place that could be found.
I gave my last cry for help with my very last breath.
Then everything was thrown into darkness for the very last time.