Calamity [Zarry Stylik AU]©️

Chapter 1: TREAD LIGHTLY DEAR DREAMER

EDIT: This story is MINE and original. The only other copy of this work is on Ao3 under DeeLa17. Any other copies or translations outside of these users are not mine. Please refrain from stealing or publishing on any other platform WITHOUT my consent. If you wish to translate it into another language, feel free to contact me.

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H,

I have been walking for a while now, but I'm not tired or annoyed; in fact, I'm overjoyed, relaxed, and feel like I'm walking on air. I can tell I'm in a forest of some kind. There are trees, bushes, and green grass all around me. The fresh breeze blows away at my clothes as I walk barefoot through the woods. I look up at the sky, seeing how blue it is peeking through the treetops. Looking down I see beautiful flowers with vibrating colours, luscious leaves hanging from branches and bushes with beautiful berries hanging from them. The day is bright and beautiful. The sun shines down on me, making me feel all kinds of warm feelings.

I notice I am not alone. I am following someone who walks a few steps ahead of me. It's a man, not that much taller than me, but I can't see his face. He wears white clothes, contrasting with the blackness of his hair and the brownness of his skin. I can't see his arms, but I notice the tattoo on the back of his hand when he points at something to his right, beyond the tree line surrounding us. I can see his profile, he seems happy with a smile forming on his lips, manifesting in the skin around his eyes. The well-defined jawline makes my heart jump. His long neck, exposing the perfectly visible Adam's apple, shakes me. The breeze wafts in a scent I can only pinpoint as his own and I am surrounded by it. He continues to walk ahead of me, being kissed by the low branches of the trees that fall into our path. I can hear a voice. Is he talking to me? It's faint. Distant.

My clothes are caught in the trees around me as they come closer and closer, funnelling into our way. I manage to wiggle my way out. He's still ahead of me, pushing the branches away from his direction, going up and under fallen tree trunks. The sun is now barely visible, but it's still light and the breeze has become colder.

I trip on my feet but manage to catch my balance. The distance between us grows wider and I fear I might lose sight of him. My sleeve is caught in a tree, and I fight to release it. I pull, pull, and pull without looking at my sleeve because I don't want to lose sight of him. I know, the moment I look away, I'll lose him. He's already so far. I memorize the spot he's in and where he's walking. If I just look away for a split second, I might still see him or know where he went, following right behind. I won't lose myself.

I take a deep breath and then move my eyes to the sleeve of my shirt. It is caught in a lower branch, fragile but strong enough to resist my pull. I manage to wiggle my sleeve without ripping it and release my hand. When I look back, he's not there.

Nothing is there.

The forest is gone and all there is blackness.

I hear a voice again. Brought by the wind to me. I turn to follow it. It echoes all around me, going up and circles, going far and then running past me. I walk around following the voice echoing feeling like a madman.

After all the running, I stop. He's back. Right there. With his back to me as was, he's walking, but not moving from his place. He shines like a beacon in the middle of this black hole. I approach him, cautiously, and quietly. Broad shoulders, long legs, long arms. I see the peak of his tattoo on the back of his neck, the ink is as dark as his hair. I want to reach him. Should I?

With a trembling hand, I go to touch his shoulder. My fingers brush his shirt, and he stops walking. Everything goes quiet, all I can hear is my breath. He slowly turns his face to me, and I am immediately afraid. Instead of a face, there are a million holes oozing pus and his face is melting away. I back in terror, shuddering with disgust and fear all in one. Something is in my hand and, when I look at it, I see it too filled with little holes showing my flesh and bones.