"oh god I'm so sorry, River.. please keep quiet right now.. please I'm so sorry." a silhouette of a woman whispered to the child. "mom? what's happening?" the child questioned. A twig snap was heard behind them.
The moms breathing shortened, cradling her child closer to her. 'please please let my child live' . she kept her eyes shut, struggling to keep quiet. 'shit, shit, shit!' she couldn't control her breathing, she was suffocating herself, often taking gasps of breath which were no where near silent. 'so this is it.. fucking hell..' she thought to herself. "mom is so sorry, river.." she whispered to her child, realizing what she needed to do. someone was going to be killed tonight, and she was going to make sure it wasn't going to be her child. "for what?" Rivers child-like brown eyes were both scared and worried. she has never seen her mom like this in all her 7 years of living.
Rivers mom stood river up and put both of her hands on rivers shoulder. "Run to the nearest river. the hiding spot i showed you, remember? stay there and don't move.. mom will find you soon later.." she kept her voice low but stern. river knew not to mess around. "..ok" she hesitantly said, but the truth was the last thing she wanted was to be left alone in the dark woods. "do not let them find you. no matter what." the mother continued, her voice breaking little. "how long will it take you to find me?" the mom paused. " i don't know.." river bit her tongue. "but remember that i love you okay? i always have and i always will."
another snap of a branch was heard behind them, only this time much closer. the mom held her breath.
"go" she mouthed, lightly shoving her daughter deeper into the woods. River looked back, her mind still sleepy and cloudy from how late it was. " now" her mom sternly whispered.
' i don't want to' she wanted to cry out, but she knew better than that and ran off. soon after, she heard her mom shriek, river turned back for a moment, worried.
A loud, horrifying scream. only a scream a person could only scream out when their guts are spilling out of their body as they watch.
River wished she never looked back. the sight of her moms bloody hands trying to keep her guts in place as a silhouette slashes her more with a knife. the blood and chunks of skin spilling everywhere. it was horrifying.
She continued running faster, full of fear. Not once did she stop, not once did she ever look back to see if the person was chasing her. she never wanted to see her mother like that ever again. tears overflowing in her eyes, blurring her vision. she tripped over multiple roots and branches, but never stopped. She kept running until she was hidden in the hiding spot next to the River. only then could she let her body relax. she'd be safe here. her brown eyes swelled up in tears, the picture of her mom getting brutally murdered still in her head. the night seemed like a nightmare. unreal.
mom is dead.
she crawled up into a ball, freezing in the night air.
this has to be a nightmare. mom will wake me up soon, she has to! This must be a sick joke. who traumatizes children like this?? how do i wake up? surely if i fall asleep everything will be back to normal when i wake up..
she closed her eyes, her breathing steadying. from how exhausted she was, it didn't take much for her to fall asleep.
