Burned and Scarred

Chapter 5

I'm walking down a street. What street? I don't know. There aren't any signs anywhere. Empty buildings and car-less roads line the street. People are walking around, but their faces are blurry, like I can't see them. Like I wasn't meant to see them.

I continue walking, until I lock eyes with a little girl. Her face is clear. Bright blue eyes turn wide and tears start to fill them. She tugs on the hem of her polka-dotted pink and white dress. She suddenly screams. A blood curdling, heart wrenching scream.

Everyone on the streets suddenly turns to her, curious and scared. They all suddenly start screaming and running, frantically. Through the streets, more screams erupt along with cries for 'Mercy'. I try to find the little girl, drawn to her in some way. Among the pandemonium, I lose her, and my heart aches at that. Why? I don't know. I've never seen her in my life but I feel a connection towards her.

I shake my head, and begin to look around. What was it that they were screaming at?

"Isn't it obvious?" A cynical and dark voice asks from behind me. I whip my head around, adrenaline pumping through my veins, prepared to attack the person who sounds inhumanly evil. Nobody is there, and I clench my jaw, glancing to the side before relaxing slightly, thinking that it was just my imagination.

"Behind you," The voice once again says, in a mocking tone. I turn to face the window of the building I'm standing in front of. Again, no one is there, and only my reflection greet me.

"Who are you?" I demand, my voice firm and stern, my body lowered in fighting position. My reflection then stands up.

"Isn't it obvious?" He once again asks me. I look back at myself, and stand up as well.

"Who are you?" He laughs.

"I'm you, stupid. Can't you see?" He lifts his arms up and turns, as if to prove that he is me.

"What were they running from?"

"You don't know anything, do you?" He steps out of the reflection and walks around me. I look at him skeptically. He, or myself, gives me a bad feeling. He isn't natural, he doesn't feel human.

"They were running from you," He says smiling.

"Me? Why?" I ask, confused. He laughs a maniacal, chilling laugh.

"Why wouldn't they? Look at you!" I turn to the window, and see that I am covered in burn scars and blood.

"What the hell?" I ask, suddenly disgusted and even more confused.

"Look at what you did!" He grabs my shoulders, his hands cold and his grip hard, turning me to look at the sidewalk.

In front of me is the little girl, dead. Blood is spilled all over the sidewalk as her dress is burned.

"No," I say, weakly, looking back at my hands. I turn back to the alternate version of myself. "I didn't do this!"

"Of course you did. Her blood is all over you," I look at down and see my once white shirt fully stained red with blood. "Just accept it, Aiden. It'll be easier that way," He says, pretending to be sympathetic, putting a "comforting" hand on my shoulder.

"No! I didn't do this!" I repeat, shouting again and shoving my reflection away.

"You saw how the townspeople reacted when they saw you! They saw the real you! The side of you that you try to hide," He replies, stepping close to me and getting in my face.

"Who are you?" I shout, shoving him once again. He chuckles darkly, sending chills down my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.