The In-Between (Book 1 - Death, Demons and Mere Mortals)

Chapter TWENTY-FIVE - A Series of Haunting Events

The mist crept by her feet, slithering around the ground and weaving between her legs. The world around her was dark and her hand was empty. She blinked a few times, but no one was with her and she wasn't in the room of rocks with death and stone hands. The smoke surrounded her, distorting her vision.

'Blake?' Her voice stolen by the fog. She swallowed the fear that sat heavy in her throat. Was this the end? She allowed her heart to rage inside her, she could feel it vibrating in her chest. Tediously, the smoke began to pull away and Emma started to see. The grass was dead, the dirt had been kicked up and came to life with creatures. Worms writhed at her feet; bugs crawled over her shoes. She kicked them off, turning her mouth up at them.

There was a figure with its back to her, standing ahead. She smiled, relief flooding her body. Her heart stopped and slowed, her quivering hands and breathing calmed. 'Grim.' She whispered in delight, his loyal scythe hanging over his head.

Her brows furrowed and her hands began shaking again. His scythe didn't shimmer, it was dull. 'Grim?' Her voice wobbled as she stepped forward, crushing the life wriggling below her. He started to turn, showing a carved stone before him. Emma glanced down at it, but his body hid it again as he turned.

She held her breath, dread grew dense within her body. She released the air inside her, her eyes filling with horror. She stepped back, wanting to run away. Grim was nothing but bone. His beautiful sea-blue eyes were nothing but black holes leading into his hollow skull. His bony fingers gripped the scythe, cracking as they moved and tightened. It wasn't Grim, it wasn't a he. Its jaw moved, breaking into a chilling smile. Teeth were missing, the few that it had were stained yellow and laced with cracks.

Emma's breath came out in ragged pants as she stepped back. However, she didn't move back. Instead, she moved forward. The ground pulled her towards the skeleton, its arm raising and pointing to her as she was dragged towards it. She let out a scream, closing her eyes as she awaited the collision.

It never came. She lifted her head and opened her eyes nervously. What she was met with, was a gravestone. She was standing where the skeleton had been. Her mouth fell open as she read the words.

'In ever-loving memory of

Emma Bridge

Daughter, Sister, Friend

In our hearts, you live on.

1999-2015'

She read the words, not blinking once. The dirt looked fresh as if the body had just been buried. She didn't believe that it was hers, she shook her head. Her mind was playing tricks on her, it wasn't real.

A hand shot out the soil, reaching up to her. Emma screamed, leaping backwards as the dirt-covered hand shook and waved for attention. Grime lay underneath the nails; the crevices of skin stained a dark brown. Emma's hand slapped against her mouth, sickness rising within her as she wondered if it was her hand on her old body begging for help. She let out a wail.

She let out a wail and just as she dropped to her knees, the world changed. The dark, foggy graveyard altered, and she was thrown into freezing cold water. She gasped at the chill that grabbed a tight hold of her. She snapped her mouth shut, saving the little air that she had as she was plunged into the icy liquid.

Emma tried to move, the current pulling her in another direction. Her hands rose, hitting something hard above her. She was trapped. Her hands moved along the smooth wall stopping her from freeing herself. She kicked against the water, her mind panicking as flashbacks dashed through her mind. Her heart seized up and panic struck in. She felt the sweat even in the water, she heard the ringing in her mind as anxiety took hold.