Misty Creek: Silent Spirits (RPDR AU)

IV

Spice looked around with wide eyes. It felt so familiar. Like she had been here before. She was on a stone path surrounded by dark trees. There was mist in the distance, but it wasn't cold. It was hot here. Not unbearably hot, but it was there. She wasn't sure if she liked it.

"Spice?"

She quickly turned around to look behind herself. Her eyes landed on Sugar, who came running towards her. The other girl practically collapsed into her arms, studying their surroundings in fear. "Where are we...?"

Spice held onto her tightly and protectively. She felt as if she had walked this place before. But the vibe was so different. And the more she studied the mist, the more it appeared to be something different. Something darker without a hint of moisture. The scent was strong, and she held onto her sister tighter when she realized what it actually was.

Smoke.

"I...I feel like I've been here before." Spice said softly, slowly walking towards the trees. The darkness between them seemed to stretch on for miles. "This looks so much like the place Loosey found me in. When she kept me from passing over."

Sugar started to become even more nervous. "A-Are we dead...?" She asked. "Is Loosey gonna come lead us away?"

"No, this looks like the place. But it doesn't feel like the place." Spice said, taking her hand and starting to walk down the path. "This place feels darker. Loosey's world doesn't have a sun or a moon or stars, but there's still a bit of light. It's dark, but you can still see clearly. But here..." She looked up at the pitch black sky. "There's no light anywhere..."

Sugar whimpered a bit, huddling closer to her side. "I don't like this dream very much..." She whispered.

Spice didn't think this was a dream. It almost felt like she was supposed to be there, despite her fear of her surroundings. The further her and Sugar walked, the hotter it became. She was about to stop and turn the other way, until an unfamiliar noise made both her and her sister freeze up.

It was deep and animal-like, resembling a growl. But when the two girls slowly turned around to face the shadows behind them, a large figure was crawling towards them. It only grew larger the closer it came, and the girls could only make out the two beady white eyes against the completely dark body. Until its mouth open to reveal sharp teeth.

Spice snapped out of her shock first, grabbing onto Sugar's arm. "Run-" She squeaked out, taking off down the stone path.

The figure behind them screamed, immediately running after them. Sugar stumbled and tried her best to keep up with her sister as her heart pounded in her chest. "W-We need to wake up-"

"I don't think this is a dream we can wake up from normally-" Spice managed to get out, almost tripping over roots and cracks along the ground. It grew hotter, so hot that she started to pant for breath. Yet she kept hold of Sugar and continued to run, starting to panic when the force of the figure behind them began to shake the ground.

"What do we do?" Sugar cried, her limbs shaking as she struggled to stay ahead of what chased them.

Something sparked against the ground the more they ran. Spice couldn't focus long enough to get a look at it. But the trees around them grew denser and more twisted, and the smoke started to grow thicker.

And then the flames sparked.

The girls gasped when fire was lit all around them, and up ahead, a firey pit had formed amongst the trees. The figure behind them grew closer and closer, and Spice began to really panic when feeling as if they were trapped and surrounded. Until a corner between one of the twisted trees and the pit caught her attention. A corner that hadn't been swallowed by the flames.