CRESCENT | ATEEZ FANTASY AU |

ONE

Winter

Lost, stuck, frozen, trapped. There was no right word for this situation. You stood in place, anchored in by time and unable to move. A bystander, a watcher, or a participant, you’re not sure which one best defines your role at the moment. 

The setting that surrounds you is depressing. The town is covered in some kind of hazy fog. Was it a fog though? You couldn’t be sure since it invaded your lungs and made you want to gag. There wasn’t a sign of life in sight. The buildings sat in the distance, lonely and untouched by life. The fog grew thicker the more you looked on. It was beginning to suffocate you, but there wasn’t a thing you could do about it. 

Soon, you heard footsteps. They echoed throughout the ghost town. Someone’s here. Should you be worried, or relieved that someone else is finally made themselves known? Many thoughts ran through your mind and each one made your stress go up.

One moment, your eyes blinked. When you opened them again, the world became something different. That’s when you realized it’s a horrifying nightmare. Your breathing became more ragged as you saw the mob of people circled around a gruesome sight. They all held torches that were burning, but they were brightly lit green. Such an odd color, but it made the scene all the more horrible. 

The mob surrounded a pillar, no not a pillar, it’s a cross. There’s a man hanging on the front of it. He doesn’t seem to be awake, or aware of what’s happening to him. You wanted nothing more than to scream, to warn the man of his oncoming doom. However, nothing came out. Your mouth felt like it was stitched together without the stitches. You couldn’t utter a sound. The only available option was to stand and watch. 

The second time your eyes blinked, everything was much louder. The green flames climbed the cross with ferocious haste. Each second they became closer and closer to the man that hung from the wood. The mob was rioting now. 

“Burn the witch!”

“Kill him!”

“Let the Devil spawn burn!”

If your body allowed you to, you would’ve sobbed at the horrible shouts from the villagers. Instead, your breathing became heavier and your eyes rapidly shifted amongst the crowd. The flames inched closer to the man.

Your eyes scanned the crowd as a new insults were being shouted. Soon your eyes met someone else’s. Across from you stood a woman, who wore all red. It contrasted nicely with her deep black hair and her raven like eyes. A chill was sent down your body as her gaze stared deeply into your own. There was some kind of presence in those raven eyes of hers. You couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but you knew it was nothing good.

The woman’s lips curved up as she whispered, “Happy birthday my lily.” And though she stood so far away from you, her gentle menacing whisper was heard from everywhere. It felt as if it was an intimate moment meant for only the two of you, and you alone. 

In another blink of the eye, the green flames reached the man’s body and consumed him whole. His agonizing screeches reached your ears, and then you tore your stare away from the woman to gaze upon the murderous spectacle. The last thing you experience is the smell of burning flesh in the air. You now know that it was never fog in the air, but rather a deadly smoke.

Jerking up from your bed, you inhaled a deep breath as you came out from underneath the harsh sea of sleep. Breaths came out ragged and quick. The cold sweat dripped down from your brow and raced down your cheek as your mind raced with thoughts of what you’ve conjured up in your dreams in the night. It was difficult trying to get your thoughts in order. Out of all the things your mind has to offer, why did it have to be the image of what you’ve been taught to fear most.