The Darkness Within

Chapter 9 - Falling

Jackson stood there next to Derrick watching him die. There was a wide smile on Jackson's face as he threw the knife down next to Derrick's head. The gun was on the ground between us. I remember making a dive for it, but Jackson was faster. He picked it up and waved it in the air and told me that my death would be far less painful than Adam's or Derrick's. Jackson motioned towards the cliff behind me. The canyon floor was two hundred feet below. Jackson told me that he was sorry everyone would think me a murderer, but that murder-suicide would be the story that would go around. He said he didn't want to hurt me, but he had no choice.

I thought about rushing forward and trying to wrestle the gun away from Jackson, but Derrick was far stronger than I was, and he had not been able to wrestle it free. It was then that I saw Derrick's leg kick out. I don't know if he did it on purpose or was it a last death twitch his body made as he gave up his last breath. But Derrick's leg shot out, and Jackson tumbled forward. The gun flew from Jackson's hands and bounced along the dirt before it went over the cliff.

Jackson got up from the ground. He was laughing again, and he kept laughing as he made a grab for me. He was so incredibly fast and strong. His hands twisted me down to the ground. I remember my hands flying towards his face, trying to claw at his eyes. But he moved back before I could. I pushed up against the dirt and my body lifted, and for a moment we rolled around in the dirt. We wrestled, our limbs twisted together in combat. I was fighting for my life. I had strength that I never knew I had. I didn't want to die. But Jackson was stronger and eventually got me below him on the ground, and his body was back straddling mine.

Jackson's fingers wrapped around my neck and he squeezed. I could no longer breath. He squeezed harder and slowly I could feel my life begin to fade away. I must have blacked out. When I came to a few minutes later, Jackson had lifted my body until it was held close to his. He was standing on the edge, and he began to push me over, but somehow I grabbed a handful of limbs from a big bush growing close by. My hands tangled in the bush and the leaves, and I was able to steady myself for a second. Jackson was surprised. I think that was the only reason I was able to knock him over. I held onto the bush and twisted my body and shoved him with my free hand. Jackson body went over the edge. His screams filled the air and then there was silence.

I remember falling to the ground. Sitting there panting and trying to catch my breath. My throat burned, dirt covered my body, and I was battered and bruised. It was then I felt it — a red hot burning on my side. I lifted my shirt, and there were four scratch marks. Long red lines pulsating against my pale skin. And then I heard the laughter — it wasn't human, it wasn't animal. It was not like anything I had ever heard before. It was something dark and terrifying. There before me was a large black mass. Like a fog that had taken human form. From within the dark fog, there were two yellow eyes that were staring at me. And I heard a voice inside my head. The voice told me not to be afraid. That it would stay with me. That it was my friend. It meant me no harm. And then in a chorus of voices, I heard the word tribute sung out in the air around me.

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