Land of Aria

Chapter 7

Its bright. Really bright.

Ariel can barely open her eyes with out being blinded by the glow in the room.

It takes moments for her eyes to adjust as she slowly opens them wider and wider, trying to take in her surroudings but to her surprise, theres nothing to take in.

The world is plain. An endless eternity of bright glowing lights. She spins in her place, looking around for something, anything but nothings there.

her breathes grow quicker and heavier. She trys to walk but it doesnt feel like shes even moving. One foot infront of the other. And again, and again, and again but it doesnt feel like shes moving. Shes not getting anywhere.

"What the hell?" she says under her breath through pants.

"Ariel?"

She suddenly jumps up. Turning around again in a hurry looking for whoever just called her name out but she sees no one.

"Who was that?!"

"Ariel? Do you not remember my voice?"

"Wha-" she suddenly stops in place. Stood there like a statue for a second before she slowly turns around again until a figure comes into her view.

She gasps as she takes it in. Her hands fly over her mouth, hung wide open as unwanted tears make their way up to her eyes.

"No." she gasps out.

Standing before her was her brother. But it didnt look much like him. Considering she cant see much of his face. Or actually nothing of his face.

Hes still in his pyjamas. The ones he last wore when he was taken. The last thing Ariel saw him in. But this time they were different. This time they were covered in blood. It looked like the blood had all been drained from his throat and fell down onto his little body like a waterfall.

And his face- his face. His face was a blur. No features in sight. Not even their outline. It was just a blur. A big circle of blur for his head. You could see them though. The dark color of his hair, the whites of his eyes, the tanned color of his skin. But just not his features.

Ariels knees go weak. Unable to support her weight anymore. A sob breaks out of her throat as she takes in the blood. It's still wet, it's still dripping.

"Diego-" She manages to blurt out. "What have they done to you-"

She gets no answer. All she gets back is the echoes of her crys.

"I miss you- i miss you so much."

"Miss me?" his young disorted voice echoes out making Ariel jump.

"Yes, yes ive missed yo-"

"You let me fade away Airel."

"What? No, no, no i didnt. I always carried you with me..in here" she points to her heart. "Right in here, en mi corazón. You, mama, and papa-"

"Carry me?" his voice is now growing louder and more disorted. "You cant even remember what i look like. You let me fade away."

By hearing those words the stabbing sensation in her chest grows, but she ignores it. "No i havent!" her sobs grow more violent. "I- I think about you every night, every second."

"Is that all you've been doing?"

"What is there more i could do?! If there was anything. Anything i could do to bring you back i would. I would, you dont understand."

"No i understand Ariel." The rooms glow seem to darken with his words, "You've moved on. You've grown. You've changed. But look at me. Look at me. Stuck in an
endless time loop. You get to breathe, to feel. What do I get? Nothing but shadows and echoes."