Welcome to Nightmare Land |Complete|

Chapter twenty-one

Death is perplexing. 

You spend you're whole life wondering what it all is really about. The scariest part is not knowing what's after life, for me.  Not knowing how it will feel. Not knowing where your mind is going to go after. Wondering  if it'll hurt. Concerned with how your friends and family are going to feel after you're gone.

But here I am now. In a roller coaster and very well may be approaching my death. Surprisingly,  I don't feel as terrified as I thought I would about my life ending.

How it will end, is the question in my mind. 

Will It take me?  Will It hide me away for a few days before killing me? Or will It kill me right here?

I let my mind wander as the coaster slowly ascends up the rickety structure. The sound of its instability causes my stomach to knot in angst.  I try my best to secure myself in my seat and hold my safety bar down. I hear everyone else yelling at us as we travel up, but I cannot decipher what they are saying. 

It doesn't matter. I'm sure this is how its going to end. 

I hear the strain of the metal and the wood working together. If this monster doesn't kill me, the collapse of this faulty structure will. 

I watch as Veronica latches onto Kellan's cart and hoists herself up. She climbs in just as the mist arrives. Kellan cowers behind her and she stands tall, despite being in a moving cart.

"No more." She speaks through gritted teeth.

"Foolish girl." It speaks, the red eyes finally emerging from the mist. "The longer you make me wait, the weaker you become."

"I don't care." She spits out, but I can see how It's affecting her. Her eyelids are becoming more hooded and her knees are buckling.  "You can't have him."

"Fair enough."  It says. 

My eyes bulge out and I draw a breath in shock as I see the mist enter Veronica. Her body becomes rigid and her eyes close momentarily. I, almost inaudibly, whisper her name. Her ears perk up and she turns her face to me. With a sly smile, she opens her eyes. Revealing piercing crimson eyes. I scream while looking around helplessly. I look down and see everyone looking up in confused concern. I don't think they know what exactly is going on up here. 

I don't think I know what exactly is going on up here either. 

The coaster stops momentarily at the peak of the track, just before the drop. Veronica turns around to face Kellan, who is now screaming louder than ever.  She grabs him by the shirt and raises him up, peering into his eyes. His eyes widen and gloss over. His mouth continues to move but there is no sound escaping him. 

A few seconds later, the coaster makes it's drop. The movement causes my stomach to turn along with the scene playing out before me. She raises him up higher and reaches for the knife that is attached to her belt. She holds it up momentarily, pointing the tip towards the center of Kellan's face. 

"I had to choose you. Since this is what you feared the most." She taunts. She pauses for a bit, listening to Kellan's whimpers and then proceeds to slash his throat. 

My vision wavers and I scream in disbelief. The force of the motion on the roller coaster causes  Kellan's blood to spray my face.  I feel as if I may throw up. I also hear everyone below us wailing, as they just witnessed Veronica slit Kellan's throat. 

Kellan struggles to make a few gurgled noises but I finally see the light leave his eyes. I hear laughing again. Once the coaster reaches another peak, Veronica throws Kellan's limp body off. He lands with a thud and tears pour from my eyes, mixing with the blood  on my face.  Veronica crumples down and holds the railing. For a moment I think I hear her voice. I lean forward to listen better. 

She turns her head to me, eyes still red. I am scared into silence and I lean back. A large smile creeps onto her face as she begins crawling over to me. We descend again, causing her to fly into my cart. Working against the wind, she drags herself closer to me. She uses my neck as leverage to hoist herself up.  I scream and struggle against her grasp. Still holding the knife, she drags it up my body roughly. 

Through a sudden rush of adrenaline, I kick the hand that is wielding the bloody blade. I use my foot to hold her wrist onto the railing. I hear her groan in discomfort. I grind my heel on her hand until she releases the knife and it falls off the edge. I watch it land on the ground and I slowly bring my eyes back to Veronica. I whimper as I look into the red eyes as her grip tightens. My airway is starting to close up and I am struggling to breathe.

"Veronica." I gasp out, clawing at her hand desperately. I am beginning to feel dizzy. "Think of your mom and Mary. . .don't let it win. You're stronger than them."

The red eyes stare into mine and her hand tightens even more. 

"You're stronger than this." I barely make out, I am slowly feeling my consciousness slipping away from me.

 I hope I pass out before she kills me. At least I won't have to feel the pain. 

Her eyebrows knit together and her breathing becomes ragged. Her grip on my neck waiver s between strong and weak. I manage to steal a few breaths before she re-tightens. I hear her whimpers from deep inside her body. Her body begins trembling. 

I stare into her eyes as they flash between red and brown. I realizes that she's actually fighting It.

She throws herself back from me, coughing. She clutches her abdomen with tears running down her bloody face.  The mist escapes her a bit and returns inside. She makes some strangled choking sounds as she fights within herself, eyes still flashing between the two colors. 

The coaster reaches another peak. She stands up straight, turns her head to give me a broken smile, and lets her body fall off. 

My last scream is all I have left and I lose consciousness.