Mini Bites

Running Scared

"Run" I kept chanting to myself, "run". Feet pounding against the ground. Dammit! Why am I barefoot? I could feel myself slipping as I ran faster. I managed to keep my balance and continued on.

I turned, hair whipping across my face and scanned the darkness behind me. I could hear ragged breaths penetrating the darkness. The sticky summer warmth clung to my skin and made me want to scratch myself. What was I running from? I don't know. But I wasn't going to wait and find out. "Run!!" I egged myself on.

The breathing behind me got heavier and closer. Whatever it was, was almost upon me. "Don't wake. Its a trap." a gruff voice said in my ear, making my skin prickle. A large warm hand grabbed my shoulder.

And I screamed. And screamed.

Footsteps. I just kept screaming. Tears flowing freely from my eyes. "Wake up. Its not real. WAKE UP". I heard voices. Someone shaking me violently. I managed to force my eyes open. "its alright. Its not real", someone held me close and let me sob into their shoulder.
Every night. The same dream. Being chased by an unknown entity who didn't want me to wake. An entity that insisted I go with it. Waking up, screaming. Does it mean something? I never wondered. That was not in my nature.

I felt someone pry open my mouth and pour a cool liquid in. Water. "Take this. You'll feel better. That's a good girl. Swallow it now". My throat constricted as I forced the big white pill down my throat. Every night, the same dream, waking up screaming and succumbing to the welcome darkness the pill provided.

As I dropped my head, waiting for sleep, I heard whispered voices.
"She's asleep again. Watch her carefully. Can't have her running away again, can we?"
Vision blurred, I saw the beings hover around my bed, their clammy hands raking my flesh. I tried to speak. But the pill wouldn't let me. The darkness was pulling at me. "Its alright. This isn't real",they said, grinning at me, their fangs poking from either side of their smile. "You're the last of your kind left. We just want to savour you". And as their grins got wider, my will got weaker. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was the scalpels.

And they were aimed at my heart.
"I shouldn't have woken up." Was my last thought as I gave in and embraced the darkness.