Papillon

Christmas Curse by air_says_hi

HONOURABLE MENTION 

Christmas Curse written by air_says_hi

Fear. Fear is the only emotion I can truly say is pulsing through my veins. My bare bloody feet pull me through the never-ending brush, and sharp, dead leaves stick to the wounds they create. Moonlight and shadows dance together to a tune I cannot hear.

Another frosty thorn, another scrape on my leg. I'm not sure how long I've been running, or even why. Another branch falls out of nowhere and I barely duck out of the way, but a pointy end still skims my icy cheek, tearing it open in a sharp slash of pain.

Snow and strings of lights are everywhere. Red and green ornaments litter the ground, and as I run over one, it crumbles into glass shards, sticking to my wounds.

I'm having trouble controlling my body. I need to stop. I need to stop running, I need to stop the pain, I need to stop my heart from exploding in exertion, but I can't. I crane my head backwards to find a cause for my running, and my already sprinting heart lurches as I lose complete control of my body.

I'm looking at an invisible foggy shape, and as I look up, I meet a pair of bloody crimson eyes. I'm too petrified to scream, hypnotized by the chilling eyes that meet my gaze. I haven't stopped running yet, and the eerie figure keeps up by leisurely floating behind me, keeping my pace. My mind is stock still from terror. It's Alix.

The figure suddenly throws itself towards me, and my head is wrenched forwards. As its invisible form envelops itself around me, I feel every hair go on end, and a chill creeps down to my toes. As soon as my entire body is covered in the bone-chilling sensation, the figure suddenly disappears, as if it has simply merged with my form. I try to look around for the figure, but I realize I have no control. I am trapped, a prisoner in my own body.

"Kim! Help! Kim!" Alix screams.

I'm running, faster and faster, begging for a miracle. My meaningless little dare led to this. I should have known.

"KIM!" Alix shrieks. She's hanging onto the Eiffel Tower, Christmas lights dangling from her other hand.

I'm under her now, breathing hard. She's at least a mile above me. "Alix, trust me. Let go. I got you." Her trembling frame weakly unclenches her hand, and then she's falling. She's falling. "ALIX!" The reality of the situation descends in me as fast as Alix is falling.

She lands on me, as expected, but her entire weight and force crushes me to the concrete and then more. I feel my insides shatter, and then I'm faced with blinding pain. I look to Alix, and seeing her in the same state I am in doubles my pain. Neither of us will make it.

My body is tiring fast, too fast. My lungs are on fire. My heart's overwhelming thumping is even more painful than the vines and branches and thorns and crashing into me all at once. I can't duck, I can't avoid anything. The pain in my chest keeps growing unbearably.

I need to stop, or I'll die.

"Kim." Alix weakly reaches towards me, looking at something in palm. Mistletoe. "Kim. This is my last Christmas wish." I don't hesitate in fulfilling it, before I fall limp, embracing darkness.

I can't die. I'm already dead. I'm mortal, yet still immortal.

The pain keeps expanding, and I keep running, faster than I could ever imagine, only the racing of my mind challenging the pace of my own footsteps.

I keep running, driving myself borderline insane looking for answers, until I come to a throbbing revelation.

This is for eternity.

This is everlasting torture.

I am cursed, forever on the run.

"I'm sorry, Alix."

"I'm sorry, Kim."