Ascension

Chapter Twelve

I arose in a panic, fearing for my life. I fluttered my eyes open and twitched at the crackling light above me. It was dark, only a small pocket of space slightly lit by the luminous source above. My frail skin, tattered and torn, shivered and failed in an attempt to heat myself up. I could see my own breath that escaped my bruised and cracking lips, watching as it flew mystically in the air.

The floor was concrete, cold, like slippery ice. I placed my palms tentatively down, leaning forward, and letting my brown tangled locks slip off my slim shoulders and into my view.

Where am I?

I used all the strength I could muster, which wasn't much, and pushed myself to my feet. I wobbly stood with my back arching down in pain, and using my arms to maintain my balance. The thin fabric that was my white button down, covering my body was stained in shades of red and dirty brown, some places even ripped and exposed more parts of my broken flesh.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice scratchy. Dryness. I started to get a hold of my senses. My dried out tongue and throat, pleading for water. My body, shivering for some type of warmth, stinging from the bitter cold, and my eyes blinking non-stop, trying to fight back the resistance of keeping them permanently closed.

Was this my deathbed?

I felt a warm liquid roll down my chin. I lifted my hand slowly to my face, tracing over the line of blood to my lip. It had split open and dripped tiny bits of blood when I spoke. I lapped it up quickly and desperately stuck my finger in my mouth, trying to get some liquid no matter how small the portion.

I was that desperate.

I then noticed an exit sign glowing faintly in the distance. I started making my way towards it. I walked carefully, I tried not to fall and prevent further damage. As I started to get the hang of it, I fought towards the door.

But then I stepped into something warm.

I looked down and saw the red thickness slowly start to seep into the cracks of my skin. I yelped and fell back, my eyes shooting up and saw the walls surrounding me. Splattered lives, some of which I knew and others not so much.

All I see is red.

I screamed, burning my throat, and immediately brought my face to my knees, my hands on either side of my head attempting to block all of this out. This had to be a dream. It had to be. I started crying hysterically. All I could remember was the two bodies in my front yard. The way their blood pooled into the cracks of the concrete, was the same way this blood was flowing through the cracks of my feet.

After what seemed like forever of pure sobbing, I finally sat up and looked around. I tried to ignore the putrid smell, the blood, the decaying bodies, and only focused on the exit sign in front of me. I had to get out of whatever this was.

I figured someone had to be watching me. I shifted to my knees and scanned as far as I could see. "Hey! Is anyone in here!" I yelled, straining, but had no response. "Hey! I want to leav-" I was cut off by the bright lights turning on.

I shielded my eyes with my arms above my head. Once I felt like they finally adjusted, I peeked them open to look around. I saw a woman in the corner. I had to rub my eyes to make sure everything I was seeing was correct.

"Mom?" I mumbled and the figure just grinned.

My mother was dead.

I rose to my feet again knowing that something wasn't right. I started to limp run and finally understood what it meant to be the dumb blonde in the horror movie. I had absolutely no clue what was going on, or what was about to happen to me. I kept moving as fast as I possibly could but suddenly, a sizzling burn formed around my ankle.