Voices From Beyond

Chapter 5

I'm in a full sprint, the cold air stings as I gasp for air. Branches snap at my legs, their sharp edges tear at my skin. The sky above the trees is pitch black, there is no moon or stars. It's just empty. I don't know what I'm running from, all I know is that fear blankets me like fresh snow on the pine trees I had saw earlier that day in Noah's truck. Leaves and twigs snap and crunch underneath my feet. There's people screaming. I can't see them but they sound close, almost as if they're surrounding me. Tears stream down my cheeks, I'm too afraid to glance behind me.

My shoelace gets caught on a log, I tumble toward the forest floor. I see my reflection in the puddle below me as I fall. My hands splash into the cold water, droplets splatter my cheeks. The screams go silent, everything goes still. All I hear is the sound of my own breath. Clouds of fog escape my lips, I'm staring at my reflection again. Behind me, a figure emerges. They're faceless as far as I can tell. I squint to get a better look, not wanting to turn around to face it. I feel it's frail fingers touch the back of my neck and trace their way to both of my shoulders. I can see the long and bony, pale fingers rested on my shoulders when I clench my eyelids shut. I hold my breath, hearing the raspy breaths behind me. I wait for them to leave, but they don't. One of the hands retract from my left shoulder, I am unsure if I should open my eyes now. A thin tickling sensation runs across the front of my neck. On the count of three I will open my eyes. One. Two. Three.

The hand is squeezed tightly onto my neck and the faceless person is hidden behind me. "Listen to the voices," a voice I can't identify whispers. I stare into the water. The hand moves quickly, its jagged nails piercing into my neck. It pulls away fast, a large slit forming on my neck. My breath gets caught in my throat, pain pulses over me. Blood splatters the clear water and turns it to a burning red. My vision blurs. I am struggling to breathe. My arms are shaking, they give out and I crash into the water. I shoot up from my pillow, my breath still caught in my throat.

Sweat drips down my forehead as relief sets in. I'm home in my bed and the sun is out. My room is brightly lit, I'm thankful for this because I would have been more paranoid had it been nighttime. I wipe the sweat on my forehead and reach for a glass of water on my nightstand. My alarm clock reads 12:00 p.m. Everything is alright.

The day goes by quickly, I don't do much except waste time. Nothing significant happens. Before I know it, the sun has set again and I'm alone in my room. My bedroom light is off, I can faintly see shapes around me because of the pale moon glow through my window. I pull my covers closer to my chin and shut my eyes. I get the sudden feeling that someone is in my room with me, the feeling of being watched. Trying not to freak myself out, I pull the covers over my head. The only thing not covered up is my nose, it peaks out of the covers for air. My eyes are covered, no light reaches them. I am laying on my side. I'm curling into a ball when I feel the other side of my mattress being pushed down as though something else is putting weight on it. My eyes shoot open. I stop moving. My muscles tense up at the sound of someone humming. It's a man, his voice is deep. He's sitting on the edge of my bed, only inches away from my feet. I feel the mattress move as he stands up. The sound of his steps make their way to the side of the bed my nose is pointed. My heart is hammering in my chest. I focus on the quick thump thump thump. It's not real. There's no way it's real.

He stands still for a few moments. The moments feel like hours. A loud thud sounds downstairs, his footsteps make their way to my bedroom door. The door creaks open and then shuts abruptly on his way out. The room goes silent. I'm alone again. I convince myself I'm just dreaming. I shut my eyes and force myself back to sleep after hours of listening to the empty silence for any trace of voices. Nothing else happens. Sleep consumes me once again.