Road to Evergreen | #Wattys2016

e i g h t e e n

It's dark and I can't see what's in front of me. Leaves are crushing under my feet and it's freezing. I struggle to conceive where I am, but I stumble upon a bench. I hit my leg, hard and I squick. I curse under my breath.

I finally register that I'm in a park that's swarming with silence. I dash in the darkness, trying to find an exit but I keep going in circles. But then, I hear it. My pulse is ramping up as I look around in the pitch black night. It's nothing, I tell myself, I'm imagining things. But I hear it again. I freeze- all my breath trapped. I'm most definitely not alone. My heart is beating faster than ever now: one..two..three..four..five..six..seven. I learned to count my heart beats a year ago. It's my only mean of calmness.

I jerk upon hearing a scream again from behind me. I look down to my hands, and they are bleeding. I attempt to wipe them but as I look again, blood rushes, pouring heavily down. My heart is pounding too loudly and my breathing is harsh. I take a step forward, and I realize what I'm stepping on now are leaves covered with blood. I follow the trail and I meet a pair of eyes. I freeze. I wan't to scream, but no sound escapes.

I see darkness and rage in his eyes and then I see her. So helpless, so fragile. She's screaming and crying for help. He's hitting her back, telling her to shut up. I want to help her. I want to do something. I try screaming to the sight in front of me, but it comes out as a whimper. I try running, but my body is stuck to the ground. I can't function. My mind is yelling at me, help her Lesley, help her! But I can't. I swallow a gulp down.

And I wake up.