No Mercy

Christmas Miracle

At first, there's nothing.

Fleeting thoughts, unable to stay or be remembered. Sometimes colors. Sometimes sounds. Nothing is permanent. An emptiness of endless black. Comforting in a way, but also terrifying.

Has it always been this way?

He doesn't know. Doesn't remember. He can't dwell on it. The thoughts come and go, slipping through his grasp like water through your fingers. In the darkness, sometimes, there are whispers. He can hear them. Sometimes calm, sometimes panicked, and sometimes angry. Nothing intelligible. Mostly breathless, wandering whispers. He likes them. That's the first thought that sticks. And when it's quiet, he misses them.

Maybe this is what dying feels like?

That's the second thought that sticks.

He waits as he can't do anything more. An emptiness of endless black. And then back come the whispers. He heard a cry, then a name? It was all for him?

He's not scared at least not yet. He doesn't know how to be right now. The whispers were panicked again. The voices were far away. He was far away in an emptiness of endless black. They can't reach him here. It almost saddens him but if only he could feel more. Sometimes, he thinks nothing. Sometimes, there is nothing, but other times he dreams. Dreams of light, voices and laughter. Of warmth and arms around him, pressing him close.

"Eli, remember when we found that lizard at camp and put it on that bully's sleeping bag?"

Eli.

That's his name.

What's his name?

"Calm down, HAWK."

He can't remember. It comes and goes. He has no control over it. Looking up at the sky in the middle of summer. Then down at gulfing hills and shimmering dirt roads. Running while the dust clouds up behind him. Running, running always running but always alongside someone.

"Dude, slow down! I can't catch up!"

"Not my fault you're slow!"

The smell of wet grass gets stronger when he gets closer to the park. Oddly enough it's much brighter there. His companion does his best to keep up. He doesn't like him running, it's always hard to keep up with. He laughs and waves at his companion whose facial features could not be seen by the bright sun.

"Hey Eli, is your dad home?"

"Umm.. yes."

"Can I go over?"

Right when he was about to respond it gets dark once more. He looks to his side to see a tall man in the distance but his face wasn't distinguishable in the darkness.

"Eli, get your ass here!"

A sudden pressure filled his chest making it almost impossible to breathe.

"I said get over here or it'll be a harsher punishment!"

He shook his head in what felt like fear. He turns around to attempt to escape this horror and saw a ray of light beaming from afar. It seemed like an exit, an escape to this nightmare. He began to walk towards the light.

"Where are you going? Get over here or I'll kill you!"

Now he was running. Running away from the menacing voice, the light getting bigger every couple of steps, seeming much closer. Now the man was stomping towards him only making him increase his speed. He was so close, so close to the warm luminous end. However, he was brought to a stop as he felt a strong grip on his wrist. He turns over to see the figure with brunette hair once more. His face unrecognizable but this time due to the darkness.