No Matter What

Chapter 1

I can hear her voice, barley audible in the distance. It echoes off of the tall pine trees surrounding the perimeter of the park, getting fainter as the seconds drift by. I try to prop myself up with my left arm but I find myself glued to the surface beneath me. I look up and see large clouds of fog lingering from the ground to the top of the tallest tree.
The desire to follow the voice is becoming increasingly more urgent. Suddenly I feel my bond to earth brake, and I struggle to my feet brushing the dirt off my long black skirt as I stand and compose myself.

"Mhumhumhum."

There it is again. I can hear my sister's laughter echo around me, no, not laughter. I don't know how to explain it. It sounds somewhat like a muffled song mixed with the low breath of the wind. I head to my left through a series of slightly shorter pine trees, and her voice registers slightly clearer.

" Ellie." I hear in a slightly erie whisper.
"Come here."

I go about 12 my paces in front of me, leaves crunching under my bare feet, when I see a figure far off in the distance, clearing the fog.

"Ellie." The voice whispers again. But this time it doesn't sound like her.

The voice's register is much lower, but it seems to be coming from the same direction. As I continue walking forward the figure becomes clearer. It seems to be a tall, slender women with long curly hair.

"Kate!" I yell out.

I break into a run, but as I get closer something seems off. The silhouette of Kate has seemed to be in the same state of blurriness that it had been in when I had first seen it, but a new figure has started to appear behind her. This one is taller, and more broad shouldered, possibly a man.

I continue in the same direction, but I walk with caution. As I get closer, the shadow of my sister stays the same, but the silhouette of the man becomes more and more vivid. Now I can see that he is wearing a nice suit and dress shoes, his hair gelled back not one out of place. I keep walking. Suddenly his eyes become bright as day. Their pale blue color almost shocking against the dark foggy back round of the park. Then I see him.

I stopped in my tracks frozen in terror as I recognize his face. He reaches out in front of him, his sleeve covered arm grabbing my sister around the neck and drawing her closer to him. I scream in shock and fear and start toward them but the branches from underneath me cling onto my feet, trapping me in my place. I watch helplessly as he tightens his grip on her throat causing her to kick and scream.

"NO!" I shout. "Let go of her!"

I drop to my knees, cupping my face as tears run down my cheeks. When I look up again I no longer hear screaming, no longer see her fighting for her life. All I see is her limp body falling to the ground as he releases her. Dead. He smiles in satisfaction.

"Huuuuuuhh!" I shoot up, gasping for breath. Cold sweat dripped down my face, and my eyes fell like they're falling from my head. I look around me, the fog and trees have dissolved into concrete walls the image of my sister, gone, at least physically. I'm still panting.

"Just a dream." I whisper to myself.