Fragments -ON HOLD-

Chapter 1

I wake up in a flash. Quickly, I sit up, body shaking. I'm scared, but I don't know why. Disoriented, I look around me. Where am I? A long expanse of something green is all around me. The world seems to sway and I fight to keep stead. Behind me, I see tall trees casting their shadows down. I stand up, feeling my legs shake. The grass I'm standing on is wet with dew sparkling in the morning sun.

I turn in a full circle. I don't know what to do. I'm cold and shaking, barely able to stand. Where am I? Why am I here? What should I do?

My whole body aches. My head is pounding and my arms and legs ache. I'm sweating buckets and my head hurts.

I look up to the grey sky. Suddenly, I hear a loud noise coming from behind me. Is it in the sky? I don't know, but panic rises up in me. I start running, stumbling, I don't even know where I'm going.

I feel something cold under my feet and I'm on the ground. I get up, unsure of what had happened. There's a stone in front of me, I must've tripped over it. But this doesn't look like a stone I know. The top is cut off, shiny and glinting. And, there's something carved deep into it. I run my fingers along the cold stone and it and somehow it calms me. Momentarily, I forget about the strange loud noise chasing after me.

I sit beside the rock, rubbing my fingers along its smooth top and rocky sides. The thunderous roar interrupts me, scaring me again. I look up into the sky--that's where this sound is coming from, right? I duck down behind the rock, breathing hard.

The roaring passes and I get up. I peer into the distance. What was that? A...a...I can't quite remember the word. The pounding of my head is a drill carving deep into my skull. Blood rushes in my ears. I shut my eyes tight to try blocking out all the noise. What's happening? I fall to the ground in agony. I want to scream for help but I can't. My arms and legs ache, my head pounds, my ears are ringing, my body is so so hot. Why is it this hot out?

Through the screaming in my ears, I hear a noise. Something's coming after me, I just know it. I feel warm hands touch my arms, pulling the away from my ears. I kick, and flail about, what's happening? I try and open my eyes to see, but all I can make out is blurry movements. I shut my eyes tight again, feeling my strength fade.

Suddenly, I feel something cold and damp on my forehead. I calms me and momentarily quiets my headache. I'm scooped up and carried forward, then set down on something soft. Cold air blasts at me and I'm moving forward.

"Mari?" A far away voice calls. I don't answer. I can't. "Mari?" It calls again.

I turn away and fall into a deep sleep.