Dark Inside

The clock above rang at 12 midnight, resounding and thunderous, her tired eyes remained firm on the looming clock, as it chimed a tenth, eleventh, twelfth time before falling silent.

"It's time," he said from behind. "She waits. Follow."

"Will it take long? The process?" she asked, legs quivering as she followed him down the long, dim hallway, shadows seeming to pierce her frail body. She caught a glance of herself in a mirror; sallow skin, limp hair and dark-baggy eyes.

"That depends on you..." he replied. Stopping to open a door which revealed pure darkness, the only light from the hallway behind. "And, of course, your perception of time" he finished, as he herded her through the door.

"What?" she answered alarmed and confused, turning to the man in the half closed doorway behind her.

"See you soon," he said, closing the door and trapping her in darkness.

"Wait!" she cried, but gave way to a coughing fit. Try as she may, her eyes could see nothing but all encompassing darkness, so thick it seemed to devour her senses. Growling reverberated as deep red eyes revealed themselves directly in front of her, but for a moment. She tried to scream but searing pain flowed through deep in her gut, dropping her to the ground as the darkness did indeed consume her.

And then her eyes opened, at the sound of a clock above, chiming for the eleventh, twelfth time before falling silent. Shock froze her body at the voice behind, "She waits. Follow."

Not waiting for her, the man started down the hall but she quickly followed. "How is this possible? What was that?" she asked, keeping up with him more easily than the time before.

"The change." he simply stated before opening the same door. "No," she shook her head as he grabbed her arm and threw her in. "No!" she tried to run back out.

"See you soon," he smirked, slamming the door.

"Let me out!" she screamed and banged until she had to catch her breath. Again, the growling behind but before she could turn, pain filled her, lighting every bone in her body before losing all sense but the darkness.

And her eyes opened once more, the clock above chiming for the twelfth time before falling silent.

"Follow" he says. She does, fear, confusion, and lingering pain shaking her nerves.

"This isn't what I wanted," she whispered.

"Isn't it?" he replies, gesturing to the mirror beside her. She looked up and stared in disbelief, her frail skin now teeming with life, flushed pink cheeks and smooth skin reflected back. Meeting her own eyes, however, she saw the creeping black tendrils of shadow filling the whites of her now horrified eyes.

"What did you do to me?" she asked, once again led into the shadow.

"The change."

She looked back up, meeting his now completely black eyes standing in the light of the closing door.

"See you soon," he smiles gently and the darkness moves in.