𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞. | ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ ᴏɴᴇsʜᴏᴛs

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬

Walk Through the Flames

Drops of rain spattered on my face. I felt a deep pit in my stomach. A pit I had been filling up with endless whiskey for the last month and a half. What stood before me was the edge of a cliff I was about to plunge into. I didn't care to live. The bottom of my third bottle today was giving me the extra courage I needed to not think about what it. Soon it would be all over and I wouldn't have to live with this misery anymore. I would finally find sweet release.

About to take a step forward, a soft voice came from behind. "Are you going to kill yourself?"

I turned around, confused that someone was out here in the storming rain. I mean, I was, but I had a reason.

Behind me was a little girl. She stood under five feet, her hair silver-colored and long, stretching all the way down her back. Her skin was pale, her body frail and she had this uncanny valley feeling. But what put me off was her eyes. The pupils were a milky glaze but the iris was a bright golden color. It was actually beautiful in a horrific way.

"Get out of here brat," I waved my hand, wanting this to be a lonely moment for me and not to give a child some trauma.

"But you're going to jump off that cliff, aren't you?"

I swallowed; a burning sensation at this point due to all of the alcohol I had been drinking today. "Yeah..."

"Why?"

My head looked down, I felt shame for what I was about to do. Even though my drunken state was supposed to remove all anxiety, the fact a child was here watching me made me feel even more pitiful.

"Just- it's been a bad time," my voice broke.

"Is it because your wife killed herself? Or maybe it was because your son was kidnapped and murdered?" she spoke with a sudden coldness.

My eyes lifted, sudden, seething hatred coursed through my veins as I looked at her. How did she know about all that?

I marched towards her, my anger blinding me because I didn't need to hear any of this right now.

"I wouldn't let my hatred get the best of me right now if I were you." she spoke with authority.

"SHUT UP!" I snapped.

She didn't say anything, her lips tightly sealed. I kept looking at her, my hatred still boiling but when I thought about it a little more, I was able to take a few deep breaths and cool my head.

"No, I shouldn't have said that to you. But how do you know about my situation?"

She walked towards me, no fear in any of her movements and I thought she was blind but it seemed like she knew exactly where I was. She looked up at me with a dead stare. "I've come to help. Do you know anything about the Redeemer's Forest?"

"N- No..."

I can take you there. And if you can get through the journey, all of the pain you've felt will be healed."

I looked at the child. Her face looked sincere enough and I thought about what she had said. No, this didn't make any sense. How would a child know about any of this stuff? But did it matter? I humored her.

"What do I have to do, little girl," I said with a hint of condescension, but she didn't seem to take offense to my skepticism.

"Go home. Drink a glass of water. Get in bed at exactly midnight."

The rain was still splashing on my whole body, leaving me drenched and cold. Maybe this was all a strange hallucination I was going through. But, what did I have to lose? I already lost everything as it is. What's one more night? There's always tomorrow.