Knives

The Beginning

My eyes flutter open, startled by the salty air.  I hear the ringing of the local police department's sirens behind me, becoming slightly more aggressive after every passing second. Coming to my senses, I heave off the cold, autumn sand and begin to run. I know that if they catch me, I'm done with, over, ruined and all I can think about is home, how badly I want to go home. This pushes me harder and despite my aching limbs and throbbing lungs, I keep running. Time seems to pass like a snail, slow and steadily and I feel like I have been on the move for ages.

Finally, I come to a halt as I near the edge of a sharp cliff. With the sound of the sirens still ringing through my head, I cannot think clearly. All my mind is telling me is jump.. jump. For the first time in what seemed like years, I listened to my conscience. Feeling the stinging of the open air on my body as I fell was a surprisingly satisfying feeling, leaving me breathless. Everything was still, for just a moment and I felt free, until I was yanked back into reality by the sudden contact of me limply hitting the ocean's surface. I plunge under the water, which makes my ears crack and my head throb. I continue to go deeper, never seeming to reach an end and my breath is getting scarce, leaving me feeling faint. As the cloud of unconsciousness overwhelms me, I begin to hallucinate.

I hear screams echoing off the stiff walls of the old barn house that I once called home. "You can't hide from me, I'll find you and make you pay for everything you've put me through". At that moment, I was the most afraid I have ever been, of my own mother. Bipolar disorder had recently consumed her life, causing her to have... episodes. This was one of the most extreme, causing her to become violent, even murderous. In the small cupboard that I had squeezed myself into, I could hear her aggravated breathing , causing me to stiffen. As she continued moving, I could sense the oak floor-boards bending, creaking after every step. I exhaled slightly, only to catch her attention. For a split second, everything was silent and peaceful, even. The door sprang open, and I caught a glimmer of the sun-light beaming off of the butcher's knife that was held in her hand. I breathed my final breath, or so I thought..

Suddenly, my body was overwhelmed with adrenaline and my eyes shot open. My vision was blurred by the salt water, blood clouds forming around my vulnerable body. As I look up, I hear a slight splash, and knowing that I had not made a peep, I began to worry. With quick, sharp movements, I managed to fling myself to the waters surface, and to my surprise, I was not alone. A small box floated delicately next to me, creating almost unnoticeably small ripples. It took all of my strength to keep my weight afloat, as I extended my frail arm and clasped the box. Pulling it close, I could further examine the intricate details that had been inscribed into the cover, which looked suspiciously like words, but my brain was unable to make sense of them.