𝓉𝑜𝓍𝒾𝓃 (𝒽𝒶𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓇𝒶s 𝓍 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 1, 𝔡𝔢𝔫𝔦𝔞𝔩.

Despite the fact I thought I had escaped, I continued to run. Short gasps escaped me as my lungs continued to tighten. 

It hurts.

But I didn't have the luxury to slow down. Thump, thump, thump. No matter how many times my feet hit the ground, it wasn't enough. Branches scraped against me and the humid, summer air weighed me down. 

How long did I have until it went after me? How long had I been running?

It was meaningless to think right now; until the sun came up, I needed to run.

Across the bridge and through the trees I ran. The well treaded path that I took everyday...back to my home. But not anymore.

Pass this hill! There would be help there for them!

Help for them...? They aren't alive anymore. There is no aid for them now; my little brother, my mom, dad. I saw it with my own eyes, didn't I? The blood, the lifeless eyes and a dark figure hunched over Rin.

I was starting to slow. Wait. I had seen my father, I knew he was gone, but I wasn't sure about Rin and my mother. I stopped immediately. They can't all be dead, right? Maybe that figure was helping them and I jumped to conclusions!

"Ha..haha!" Relief washed over me and I fell to the ground. Of course! They can't be dead, tears poured from my eyes. I shook from laughter, how ridiculous of me! My dad wasn't dead either! God, my family jokes like this all the time!

My cheeks hurt from the grin that stretched ear to ear as my laughter died down. Instead, there were the sound of feet on gravel. It's them, isn't it?

I spun around, "Y/n? What are you doing out here so late?" I flinched as it choked out my name. It wasn't my mother's sweet voice, my dad's drunken slur nor Rin's shy tone. In fact, it wasn't a human voice at all. It was a sound much like that of crushed glass, and it pained my ears.

"Y/n dear, come to me! Hurry now!" The figure stayed within the trees. What do I do? How would they know my name if they weren't a family friend? I choked out a sob. I didn't want this to be real. I knew they weren't a friend, I knew I should run. But the adrenalin was wearing off and I could feel every excruciating ache. I want to wake up now. I want to hear my family laugh as they embrace me and soak me in their warmth.

A low growl echoed through my head, it was starting to get impatient. I took a deep, shuddering breath before I willed myself to move. There was fear gripping my every move.

I jumped up and ran. I ran over the hill, I ran through the meadow, I ran past Rin's treehouse. Tripping through the path, I could hear it coming for me. Cackles filled the air but they did not belong to me. My eyesight was blurred and my heart rattled in my chest. The noise was getting closer, and so was the figure. But I was so close. The lights of the town sparkled with the promise of life. So...close. I focused on breathing, so much so that I found myself falling. 

Fuck.

A small, insignificant pebble was all it took, huh? It's all over now.

I guess this what I deserve.

I squeezed my eyes shut as it crept near. It hummed a familiar tune as it gripped my shoulder; long nails piercing my skin.

I'm sorry.