I lean on to the great willow as I catch my breath. My heart desperately pounds against my ribcage as I ponder over whether to keep going or not. I turn my head to see the phantom staring back at me with its piercing white eyes. I try to let out a scream of terror but only a small yet longing squeak passes my lips. She had got me. She was putting disturbing, twisted thoughts into my head as I tried to break free from the paralysis.
Why must I be the one to suffer so violently? Of course I'd been warned about Mary's curse but some foolish little girl sitting sleepily on her Grandpa's knee half listening to a folk tale is never going to believe that one day after messing around with some stupid chant she'd be face to face with death itself, choked with fear.
"You're a strong one," I heard a croaky voice say; "Most of them give in straight away. I let them suffer in silence until it's too late." I was puzzled. Was the ghost talking? Did I have a chance of life? Not for long. Some invisible force threw me to the ground. I grimaced in pain as I open my eyes to see black smoke curling around me and keeping me trapped in a ball of hell that seemed to get smaller and smaller the more I tried to break free. At various points it would get slightly bigger, teasing me, until it shrank back down again.
Surely someone would have noticed by now that such an innocent girl was being tortured and thinking of death? Clearly not. I guess I was on my own on this desolate landscape. Even the sweet melodies of the birds were dull and faded to my ears. I prayed that someone was passing by and have sympathy for me. There's not much they could do but I could really use some help getting out of this tangle I'd manage to get myself into.
All of a sudden the smoke disappeared and the phantom was no-where to be seen. I curled up into a ball as the first of the warm, salty tears rolled down my cheek. I trudged through the open fields that lead to my home. I still had the thoughts, feelings and pain from my attack even though Mary had moved onto her next victim. Clever, clever Mary leaving me scarred like this. Oh, clever, clever Mary giving me no physical wounds, but mental ones so no-one will see me suffer.
I carelessly push open my door but hurriedly lock it again. I feel too ashamed to tell anyone what had happened, I might get in trouble. They might not believe me they might think it's unreal.
