The Darkness that Surrounds Us

The transition

"On the count of three everyone. One, two-" I glance over at Luke as he gives me a reassuring nod.

"-three."

I tilt my head back as I swallow the remnants within the container. The liquid was thick as it ran down my throat. It felt as if I had swallowed a block of ice. It didn't take long before my entire neck stiffened and the chilling sensation turned to heat. A deafening ringing plays within my head. Pounding within my ears.

My hands fly to my neck as my body heaves trying to vomit back up the serum. I drop onto my knees, coughing. My throat was dry, I couldn't get any moisture in it. My fingers try to dig into the frozen sand underneath me. My fingernails chipped at the force as they weren't strong enough to penetrate the frozen sand.

My body was on fire, and only after seconds my eyes were heavy, I was drained. So many emotions and sensations all within a few moments.

I couldn't get enough time between coughs to breathe in, I couldn't get the air into my lungs. I could feel my ribs contracting as I began to panic, I couldn't get enough air. A noise comes from my throat, sizzling as if I were really on fire. I claw at my protective body suit, desperately trying to get it off until I press my body against the frozen sand trying to cool or relieve the pain in any way.

Agony and complete chaos, I could only describe this as absolute agony. I was going to die.

Something clicks in my head and the ringing stops. Although, the sounds that came next were worse. My ears, my head was filled with the screams of my peers, the screams of my family.

"Make it stop," I say, my forehead and nose pressed against the sand as I shriek out in pain. My hands move to my ears as I try to block out the havoc around me.

Suddenly hands were shaking my entire body. I look over and come face to face with Luke. I jerk away from him landing on my butt. Blood, blood was coming from his eyes and mouth.

"The water, get into the water." He croaks out as his entire body is shaking. I glance around seeing my entire community on the ground, shaking, withering in pain.

My body jerks back into a coughing fit as I pull myself towards the water. I could already feel it splashing up against my arms and upper body. Everything hurt even in between my fingers.

"Luke," I yell. His eyes, could he even see? I was so close to the ocean, the water felt relieving, but where was Luke?

"Luke," I cry out louder than before. I turn my head before my body heaves and a warm liquid comes from my mouth and through my nose. I start to gag, choking on my own blood. It made my sinuses boil.

My skin itched to be within the water. Every part of me, every cell, atom was begging my brain to get into the water. There was no reasoning, no debating as if the natural man had taken over. I slip into the water, without Luke, and without my father.