The Lost Lake: Bleed Me Dry

The Lost Lake

I don't know how long I've been here but my legs do, they've been running and climbing trees to get away from it. I don't know what it is, but I know it's out for me. 

The crys, the screams all of it I'm sure it's mimicking them from past times before it kills it's victims. My breathes are heavy, and my legs are tired, I don't know how long I can last. I've been running out in the woods for what seems like months. I can't find civilization. I can't find sanity.

As my feet lift off the ground I hear my own heart beat, but a soft tick I hear as well, it's from its heart. It lives. It's not just my imagination, not just my head playing games. But, it lives.

I run faster now through the swampy woods, pushing off of trees to gain momentum. The blisters on my feet tell me to stop running, my existence disagrees.

I run down a hill past a few trees, following a trail to the risen swamps edge. A cliff. I turn my head to the right and see trees hanging over the cliff with a few vines attached, i must climb down. I must.

Lunging toward the vines, I see it in my peripheral vision. Why does it exist? I can't remain on this thought for long or I shall be consumed in its treacherous bellows. I quickly slide down my passage way to what I hope isn't forest life.

My legs feel as if they're going to collapse any second now, like they're a pair of sticks holding up 1 ton of cinder blocks. But the sticks will hold, for the meantime that is. To what is not my control, i stop and turn my head looking at the looming cliff I once stood on and look at it, a mirror reflection of me, but different, half of me I must run away from. Must escape from.

It stares at me, no emotion, just that damned blank stare. It's black hair, and beard, pale ish skin, not enough to be pale, but just lighter than normal. It is me, but only just half. We share the same features, we are the same, but yet different, on the inside.

I look away, and start to run again. The Forrest floors dark mushy terrain envelops my shoes. Please no. I can't end like this, I don't want to. I pull my shoes now covered in sludge, out of the marsh and continue to run with the discomfort of wet socks.

I pass more trees, seeing wild life around me as press on, running from myself. I keep following a path which was obviously man made. Then I see a sign. It says "lost lake: recreational center." I dont know why there would be a recreational center out in the woods but I don't care, it's my only sign of hope I have left.

I turn around, still sprinting, to see that it was taking long strides with its legs, our legs. Defying all that is reality. My mind aches and my stomach knots at its sight. How did I even get myself into this. How? I follow the winding path and find myself at a pond, where a small house with a gazebo located across from the pond.

There's no path around the pond or any bridge to go over it. Did they intend to make it this way? No. They couldn't. Why would they. Maybe it's a wading pool. I see a small cross and one of the gazebos support beams. Wading pool alright. I step my foot into the pool and try to run, but the water prevents me from quick movements. This is time sensitive, please, i need to escape myself.

As soon as I reach the middle of the pool, i start to sink. What. No. The water becomes thick and prevents me from any movement. I struggle, trying to break free from the waters grasp.

I'm suddenly jerked around, and am now facing it. Myself. I stare into its eyes. It touches me on the forehead, it's face starts to melt, meat and tendons being exposed. It is now a liquid. It's running itself on me. We're morphing.

As we morph, i feel new emotions come in. Pride, love, joy, and just a hint of sadness. But not fear. Fear has been bled dry. I have been bled dry.