I could hear the movement all around me... Sickly sounds of wet slithering things, dragging their mutilated forms along the broken pavement as they writhed like an infection within the darkness. Knowing that at any moment, if I was careless for even a second... I'd be surrounded.
I couldn't let that happen. I had to keep going, no matter how battered my bones or the steady growing ache throughout my nerve endings. Stopping was not an option. I had to survive, no matter what. I had to keep moving, or they'd be waiting.
They've always been waiting.
Time seemed to to pass in languid succession as I forced my broken body to push onward, toward a distant source of light that appeared to be my only salvation from the ravenous abominations swelling behind me within an all consuming wall of shadows.
A low thunder of sound rose behind my ears... The rush of my panicked blood roaring through my heated veins, pushing me further as I fought for every new step forward. Tendons began to tense, muscles screaming in protest as I forced myself to remain mobile when every fiber of my being threatened to self-destruct.
'It won't be long now...' A disembodied voice sang in a disturbing lull all around me, feeling as though it was trying crawl in through my pores so it could tear out my eyes. 'You're flesh will feed many...so sweet.' I shuttered at the words and swallowed the hard lump of growing anxiety that was trying to lodge itself in the back of my throat and tried to shake the voice from my mind when it added, '...so nice.'
A growl trapped itself behind clenched teeth when a surge of adrenaline exploded within my ribcage. Anger burned through my lungs, feeling as though I had a phantom chestburster seeking a way out. I held on to that pain, focused on the way it swept through my tired form and brought forth a scolding wave of energy I never thought I'd regain.
I closed my eyes and stopped dead in my tracks.
"You wanna play?" I muttered in a low growl and felt them move in all around me; waiting for that moment to attack. "Let's play."
The world went frighteningly still. Their movements; that constant dragging of wet and thicker things slithering over each other became a flood of white noise as my focus became a pinprick within my mind. For just a moment...I could hear the ocean. A steady chorus of waves crashing over my senses. Cleansing my fear...and all my doubt. The pain of my bones a distant memory. I was suddenly dead calm. My breathing had slowed, my heart beat a haunting melody that thundered deep within my chest, reminding me I was still alive.
In that internal place of peace... I waited.
Knowing...they were closing in.
There was a fluttering...and slow dragging of things inching closer all around me. And as the darkness seemed to thicken; so black you couldn't see an inch in front of your face, I focused on the energy pulsing within my chest. I could feel it respond to me, as though it had its own consciousness and was aware of every breath I took. A secret guardian made of memories and blood.
A slow curve began to pull at my lips...
Something brushed along my shoulder, dripping and warm down my flesh. I ignored it. They were trying to get me scared so they could feed off of my screams as they tore into me. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. I wouldn't be afraid.
The pulsing intensified behind my ribs and I nearly collapsed. With every swell of scolding energy, I felt fire surge through my body, threatening to burn me alive.
But I fought it. I had to wait...just one more moment...for the horde of nightmares to initiate their attack.
I didn't have to wait long...
Suddenly they were all around me, the air had become heavy and humid, the rancid scent of decay sticking to the back of my throat in sickly sweet waves as I tried not to gag with every breath I took.
Something wet slid down my neck, clinging to my heated skin only to ooze, slowly, toward my arm. I clenched my teeth. I forced myself not to move, even as my body began to itch for me to slap the rotten piece of decaying flesh from my tense form. They were baiting me. Wanting me to move, to make that fatal mistake.
...Just Breathe...
But the horrific stench of rot began to choke me and I felt my stomach twist into a nest of angry vipers; hissing and writhing for an escape. I couldn't keep up this game... I had to do something before I snapped... I had to finish this. Once and for all.
A slow drag of something hot and slimy along the right side of my face, followed by the fanning of rancid breath that nearly made me wretch and caused my eyes to water. That was it. I couldn't take it anymore.
Suddenly...everything just...stopped.
There was no sound, no smell. I had become so incredibly still, as though my body were a lone rock within a violent storm.
I had no breath, no heart beat. For just a moment, I was suspended in time...
And in that terrible peace I felt something...snap.
I was violently thrown back into my body when a blinding light exploded from my chest, nearly throwing me off my feet.
High pitched screams of agony echoed in my head when something took form within that brilliant solar flare.
All I could make out was a massive jaw filled with endless rows of dagger like teeth. A leviathan of light had shattered the wall of living shadows, unhinged its terrible maw and swallowed the horde of nightmares in a single bite.
There was a loud crackle of energy, as if lightening had licked the darkness with an electric whip...
Suddenly...silence.
I was lying flat on my back when it was over. Groggy, I dragged my body off the broken earth, and as I stood, small tendrils of smoke twisted up all around me, only to be devoured by warm sheets of rain free-falling from the heavens.
Blinking, I rubbed a bruised hand over the center of my chest and surveyed my surroundings.
I was alone.
The horde of nightmarish things had become nothing more than scolding ash.
Something had saved me...
And for the first time...I wasn't afraid.
* * * *
Than I woke up... O.o *takes a drink of her instant coffee O'Doom and tries to shake the images from her brainpan*
Good times, no? *chuckles and shakes her head* Not the most pleasant dream to have, but it wasn't a complete Nightmare. Especially since I felt free at the end and not afraid.
Ya, I have some pretty messed up dreams sometimes... But man, do they make awesome short stories :D I think Stephen King would be proud ;) Well, at least I'd like to hope so... He is my favorite writer after all ^_^
*finishes off her instant coffee O'Doom* Needs to make me another cup! *scampers off to do so* Now, while I wait for the water to do its thing in the microwave O'Doom, I shall hang out here and ramble on accordingly ^_^
Honestly, I would Love to create a book of short stories, much like Stephen King's, 'Night Shift' that I love so very much. I don't know what it is about writing horror that I enjoy so much... Probably because I've just always loved the thrill of having to survive an almost impossible situation.
*hears the ding* Oooh water's ready! *scampers off to create her second cup*
*returns with delicious caffeine goodness* And the world is right again ^_^
*chuckles'n'shakes her head whilst taking a sip of that delicious goodness*
Now, back to my entertaining rambling...
I think that dream was influenced by me listening to 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons (Both the Original and the Cover) while I slept. Well, here's the rest of the complete song list for my nightly dreamscape...
O'Death by Jen Titus (Supernatural)
Lil' Red Riding Hood [Cover] Laura Gibson
Lil' Red Riding Hood by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
The Beast In Me [Cover] Mark Lanegan
The Beast In Me by Johnny Cash
Hanging On by Ellie Goulding -Only-
Be What You Wanna Be by Sarah Fim
Sora by Yoko Kanno
Flames by Vast
Interesting songs to listen to while I sleep. They definitely create an interesting dreamscape for me to travel while I'm resting. I tend to fall asleep faster when I'm listening to music, it makes very pleasant background noise so I have something to focus on rather than the thoughts streaming through my mind at a break neck speed.
I'm hyper aware at night... Part of my Nocturnal Nature. I've always been like that, for as far back as I can remember. The world stills and becomes louder. The lack of sunlight actually makes the air lighter, so sound can travel faster. Isn't that a trip? Light is actually Heavy and can dim sound. That's why everything seems so much crisper at night...just the slightest noise within the black, can seem like an echoing growl from the gaping jaws of a terrible beast.
When in reality, it's just the neighborhood cat sneezing near the alley....or something O.o *chuckles*
Damn I have an imagination... And with as much rambling I've done, I think I'll stop here and get ready for my day O'Doom. The weekend nears and there's only Two Weekends left of Faire... :( Ya, really don't wanna think about it.
And on that happy note, I shall bid thee Anon ;)
-Adieu
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