"What are they?" I stared out the window at the hundreds of Black Baggers whose heads were turned to look back at me. Not that they could see; their heads were encased with bags of black plastic.
Jason glanced out the window and then back at me, "I call them Baggers and they used to be residents of the Other Lands. Many of them I used to call friend."
"What happened?"
"No one is sure. One day they just started to appear and soon there were so many that they became a serious threat. Many species had to team up to fight them but without the power of the fairies and the angels there was nothing we could do."
"Under the command of Dorothy we stood together," A voice behind me spoke. I turned to see Alex pushing himself off the bed, "But whenever we battled them we lost and they gained. I watched as people who I cared about were dragged into the crowd and the next time I saw them they had a black bag over their face."
Alex walked to the window and closed it. Drawing the curtains he turned, "Before I go on, you're going to have to tell us who you are. Otherwise you go right back out the window, and this time we won't give you a rope."
Stephanie stepped between Alex and the child, "Jesus Alex! She's just a child!"
"She could be working for Mardockt! We can't take any chances, we've already lost so much! I'm not going to get all teary eyed over a follower! If she can't tell us who she is then the Baggers can have her."
Stephanie grew silent and I realized in horror that she agreed. None of the others spoke up either. They were all willing to end my life to avoid the risk that I worked for someone named Mardockt.
"My name is Alice. I was sent here to find you Alex. I was sent here by a man named Ben Wiltshire/Ashford."
Alex stared at me as Jason walked over, "Ashford? As in the son of Wilson Ashford? Little girl, you had better not be joking."
"I'm not. He wants me to ask Alex about the thing that wants to escape. Also, Carl wants me to say hello."
Alex sat down in surprise, "Carl. Carl Miller? I haven't heard that name in so long. Time here works a bit differently so it's been over three hundred years since the last time I spoke to him. How is he?"
"I don't know him that well. I only just met up with everyone."
"Everyone? Does that mean John was with them?"
"No, I didn't meet any Johns. The only people Ben runs with are Carl Miller, Saba Zahid, Crystal Ferguson, Nick Brown, William Melahn, and Kelly Hartmen."
Jason looked surprised, "My sister . . ." He smiled, "If she can get her powers back then we'd certainly have a better chance."
I sat down on the bed, "So, could someone tell me something to tell Ben please?"
Alex walked to the window and glanced out, "The being he's worried about is known as Mardockt and we can't really tell you that much about him. All I know is that for the last three hundred years we've all been fighting against his minions."
"Ben had a book. A book written by his father. He needs to know why his uncle would want him to think he's a murderer."
"A book?" Jason spoke up, "Wilson never had a book. He hated the things, he said that the best way to learn was experience and memory. There is no chance that it was written by his father."
As if on cue the entire building began to shake.
Showing posts with label Alice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alice. Show all posts
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sunday, October 9, 2011
205: Hartman Tribe -Alice-
I stood there frozen in place as I heard movement all around me getting closer. The Black Baggers were hunting me and I didn't know what direction they were coming from.
I was still in the garden, but my back was against a stone wall with pathways leading to my left and right. On the other side of the plants in front of me, I could hear the Bagger that I had escaped from trying to pull at the plants. For the moment they were holding, but I couldn't be too sure how long they'd stay that way.
From both directions I could hear movement now. I was trapped with out any way to defend myself.
Why had I agreed to this? Had Ben known it would be dangerous? If so, he didn't say anything. I shook my head. No. Ben wouldn't have done that, he wouldn't have put me in danger intentionally unless he had no choice.
The screaming started up again as they got closer. Any second now they'd be visible in the pathway, and soon after they'd get to me. I sat staring to the right, waiting for them to appear.
"Hey!", I felt something hit the top of my head, it was a rope made of sheets. Glancing up I saw a guy's head looking out a window.
"Are you going to stay down there and let them get you, or climb up?" There was sarcasm in his voice, but I ignored it as I grabbed the sheet-rope.
Just as they started pulling me up The Black Baggers appeared in my pathway racing toward me.
"Pull faster!"
"We're pulling as fast as we can!"
I swung my foot out and caught a Bagger in the face as it got close. It fell back, causing the ones behind it to trip into a mess of black bags, arms and legs. When the next group of Baggers got to me, I was too high for them to reach. I grabbed the windowsill and pulled myself inside.
Inside the room stood the guy that helped me and four people. There was a young woman with a young child, a tall, fat guy who was lying on the bed looking at the ceiling, and another tall guy that wasn't as fat as the last, but had some weight on him.
The one who helped pointed to the young woman and child, "This is Stephanie Berthiaume and her daughter, Emily.", he gestured to the one that was lying down, "That's Alex Kayser, and finally this is Vincent Smith. He joined us just right before you did." He held out his hand.
"And I'm Jason Hartman."
I was still in the garden, but my back was against a stone wall with pathways leading to my left and right. On the other side of the plants in front of me, I could hear the Bagger that I had escaped from trying to pull at the plants. For the moment they were holding, but I couldn't be too sure how long they'd stay that way.
From both directions I could hear movement now. I was trapped with out any way to defend myself.
Why had I agreed to this? Had Ben known it would be dangerous? If so, he didn't say anything. I shook my head. No. Ben wouldn't have done that, he wouldn't have put me in danger intentionally unless he had no choice.
The screaming started up again as they got closer. Any second now they'd be visible in the pathway, and soon after they'd get to me. I sat staring to the right, waiting for them to appear.
"Hey!", I felt something hit the top of my head, it was a rope made of sheets. Glancing up I saw a guy's head looking out a window.
"Are you going to stay down there and let them get you, or climb up?" There was sarcasm in his voice, but I ignored it as I grabbed the sheet-rope.
Just as they started pulling me up The Black Baggers appeared in my pathway racing toward me.
"Pull faster!"
"We're pulling as fast as we can!"
I swung my foot out and caught a Bagger in the face as it got close. It fell back, causing the ones behind it to trip into a mess of black bags, arms and legs. When the next group of Baggers got to me, I was too high for them to reach. I grabbed the windowsill and pulled myself inside.
Inside the room stood the guy that helped me and four people. There was a young woman with a young child, a tall, fat guy who was lying on the bed looking at the ceiling, and another tall guy that wasn't as fat as the last, but had some weight on him.
The one who helped pointed to the young woman and child, "This is Stephanie Berthiaume and her daughter, Emily.", he gestured to the one that was lying down, "That's Alex Kayser, and finally this is Vincent Smith. He joined us just right before you did." He held out his hand.
"And I'm Jason Hartman."
Thursday, July 14, 2011
202: Black Baggers -Alice-
The grass beneath my feet felt cool and comfortable as the world around me came to focus. I found myself standing in a grove of trees outside of a massive building that looked like something out of ancient lore.
Ben had tried to explain everything and had told me how important it was that I find Alex, but now that I was in the Other Lands, everything seemed vibrant and interesting. Every sight tugged on my curiosity and filled me with awe.
The Other Lands seemed like Earth before humans covered most of the globe; natural and filled with a beauty not seen in many years. The large building I was next to didn't stick out against the natural beauty, instead it was built specifically to emphasize the world around it. I stared at the massive structure, my eyes following the flowing terraces and the columns that lined the walkway to the entrance.
The more I stood there looking, the more I noticed the silence of the place. The more I noticed the silence, the more unsettling it became. There were no noises from within this giant building. The air of abandonment was very evident as I stepped up to the entrance and read the words above it aloud, "The Academy." My voice echoed off the walls of the building.
I pushed on the heavy oaken doors and was surprised that I didn't flow straight through them. For the first time since I'd gotten here, I noticed that most of my ghostly properties were gone. I was still slightly translucent, but I couldn't travel through solid objects like I could on Earth. Here, I could feel my mortality, while on Earth I lacked the feeling of being alive. I knew as if by instinct that I could die here and I shuddered to think of what happened then.
The doors opened easy, swinging wide and slamming loudly against the walls. Stepping into the hallway, the first thing I noticed was the mess. It looked as though a battle had taken place inside this building, complete with broken furniture and dark brown bloodstains splattered on the walls. The place became intensely more creepy on the inside, but I was still led by my curiosity.
The door opened into a hallway and that hallway opened into a large courtyard. The plants of the courtyard had become overgrown, making it difficult to see across to the other side. The paths had survived the overgrowth, leaving natural hallways with walls of dense plant life. The sight was as breathtaking as it was disturbing. No one had been through these halls in many years. No one had been here to take care of the garden or clean up the place.
I climbed over a fallen archway and made my way down the path behind it. After a few minutes, I found myself staring at a tall, naked man standing in the middle of the walkway. The man was very pale and thin; skin hanging on his bones like clothes on a clothesline. His face was completely covered with what looked like a black, plastic bag tied tight around his neck. Even as I approached, the man didn't move. He just stood there, his arms slack at his sides and his head tilted as though looking at the floor.
I was terrified by the sight of him. He stood there still and silent, his chest not even moving to draw a breath. I pushed myself against the walls of green as I squeezed past, never taking my eyes off his thin frame. Who ever and what ever it was had left me utterly shaken, forcing me to increase the distance between me and it. I quickly turned my back to it and continued down the pathway.
I had made it about ten feet when a noise behind me made me freeze. I felt the blood drain from my face and my heart leap into my throat. I stood quietly listening for any sounds of movement. Hearing nothing I slowly turned around, and found myself staring at the black-bagged man. He stood three feet behind me unmoving again. He was facing in my direction, his head tilted like a curious child, though it was anything but endearing. The shock of him being so close nearly made me scream, but I grabbed my mouth. I fought to keep it in, fearful that if I did scream, what ever this thing was would hear me. The silence of the courtyard filled my ears as I sat there staring at the naked man.
Then it moved.
Slowly it stepped forward, so slowly that at first glance you would have never noticed. Even though the black bag kept me from seeing its face, I could tell it was staring at me. I began to crawl backwards, desperate to get away from the horror of its presence.
The further I moved away, the faster the black-bagged man moved. I spun to my feet and began to run, no longer trying to be silent. Fear filled me as I heard its heavy footfalls behind me. It was running too. I didn't glance behind me knowing that it was only a few feet away.
To the right near the ground I spotted an opening in the plants and dived through it. I pressed myself against the opposite wall as the man's arms stretched through the opening toward me. It tried to pull itself through the small opening, but soon quit trying when it realized it was too big. I breathed a sigh of relief. The relief didn't last long.
An ear-splitting scream, like something from the depths of Hell exploded from the pathway the creature was on. The sheer volume of the sound caused the sudden onset of a painful headache. When the sound had faded away another sound took its place. From all directions, the sounds of distant muffled screams slowly filled the silence.
This place was infested with these black-bagged people, and now they were all looking for me.
Ben had tried to explain everything and had told me how important it was that I find Alex, but now that I was in the Other Lands, everything seemed vibrant and interesting. Every sight tugged on my curiosity and filled me with awe.
The Other Lands seemed like Earth before humans covered most of the globe; natural and filled with a beauty not seen in many years. The large building I was next to didn't stick out against the natural beauty, instead it was built specifically to emphasize the world around it. I stared at the massive structure, my eyes following the flowing terraces and the columns that lined the walkway to the entrance.
The more I stood there looking, the more I noticed the silence of the place. The more I noticed the silence, the more unsettling it became. There were no noises from within this giant building. The air of abandonment was very evident as I stepped up to the entrance and read the words above it aloud, "The Academy." My voice echoed off the walls of the building.
I pushed on the heavy oaken doors and was surprised that I didn't flow straight through them. For the first time since I'd gotten here, I noticed that most of my ghostly properties were gone. I was still slightly translucent, but I couldn't travel through solid objects like I could on Earth. Here, I could feel my mortality, while on Earth I lacked the feeling of being alive. I knew as if by instinct that I could die here and I shuddered to think of what happened then.
The doors opened easy, swinging wide and slamming loudly against the walls. Stepping into the hallway, the first thing I noticed was the mess. It looked as though a battle had taken place inside this building, complete with broken furniture and dark brown bloodstains splattered on the walls. The place became intensely more creepy on the inside, but I was still led by my curiosity.
The door opened into a hallway and that hallway opened into a large courtyard. The plants of the courtyard had become overgrown, making it difficult to see across to the other side. The paths had survived the overgrowth, leaving natural hallways with walls of dense plant life. The sight was as breathtaking as it was disturbing. No one had been through these halls in many years. No one had been here to take care of the garden or clean up the place.
I climbed over a fallen archway and made my way down the path behind it. After a few minutes, I found myself staring at a tall, naked man standing in the middle of the walkway. The man was very pale and thin; skin hanging on his bones like clothes on a clothesline. His face was completely covered with what looked like a black, plastic bag tied tight around his neck. Even as I approached, the man didn't move. He just stood there, his arms slack at his sides and his head tilted as though looking at the floor.
I was terrified by the sight of him. He stood there still and silent, his chest not even moving to draw a breath. I pushed myself against the walls of green as I squeezed past, never taking my eyes off his thin frame. Who ever and what ever it was had left me utterly shaken, forcing me to increase the distance between me and it. I quickly turned my back to it and continued down the pathway.
I had made it about ten feet when a noise behind me made me freeze. I felt the blood drain from my face and my heart leap into my throat. I stood quietly listening for any sounds of movement. Hearing nothing I slowly turned around, and found myself staring at the black-bagged man. He stood three feet behind me unmoving again. He was facing in my direction, his head tilted like a curious child, though it was anything but endearing. The shock of him being so close nearly made me scream, but I grabbed my mouth. I fought to keep it in, fearful that if I did scream, what ever this thing was would hear me. The silence of the courtyard filled my ears as I sat there staring at the naked man.
Then it moved.
Slowly it stepped forward, so slowly that at first glance you would have never noticed. Even though the black bag kept me from seeing its face, I could tell it was staring at me. I began to crawl backwards, desperate to get away from the horror of its presence.
The further I moved away, the faster the black-bagged man moved. I spun to my feet and began to run, no longer trying to be silent. Fear filled me as I heard its heavy footfalls behind me. It was running too. I didn't glance behind me knowing that it was only a few feet away.
To the right near the ground I spotted an opening in the plants and dived through it. I pressed myself against the opposite wall as the man's arms stretched through the opening toward me. It tried to pull itself through the small opening, but soon quit trying when it realized it was too big. I breathed a sigh of relief. The relief didn't last long.
An ear-splitting scream, like something from the depths of Hell exploded from the pathway the creature was on. The sheer volume of the sound caused the sudden onset of a painful headache. When the sound had faded away another sound took its place. From all directions, the sounds of distant muffled screams slowly filled the silence.
This place was infested with these black-bagged people, and now they were all looking for me.
Friday, June 3, 2011
190: Change Of Heart -Crystal-
A fireball narrowly missed my head as Nick, Saba and Carl began their battle with Bob. Saba played defense, deflecting weapons and holding Bob's power back as best she could. Nick pulled long distance with his fireballs, which gave off so much heat they melted an entire set of plate armor to the ground. Carl stayed inside with close quarters combat. Even with all this, Bob still held his ground. He avoided the fireballs with grace while blocking Carl's attacks and still getting some attacks in, even though most of them never hit. Saba would levitate an item in the way of them.
I heard a young girl scream as she was nearly burnt to a crisp by one of Nick's stray flames. I rushed over and pulled her away as the fight moved in her direction, "Are you alright?"
The girl clinged to me as her eyes watered with tears. These people had been through so much for no reason; no reason at all. I felt more hatred toward the thing that had killed my closest friend, putting people through so much for such a petty reason.
"Here, let me take her. You go get the rest. If we don't get them out of here . . . ", I turned to hand the girl to a man.
"Yeah, let's just get these guys outside." I turned to go help some more children trapped under the dead bodies of teachers and fellow students.
"My name's Andrew." He rushed to bring the girl outside and as he turned away, I could swear there were tears in his eyes.
The fighting continued as Andrew and I worked to get the children outside, but with only the two of us it was slow.
"BEN! Ben, where are you?" What if he didn't make it?
"I'm at the Door of the Dead!", his voice made me breathe a sigh of relief, "He came from the door, maybe there's a way to send him back. Keep getting the people out! Get Will to help."
Will! I searched, only to spot him trying to pull someone out of a pile of the dead, "Will! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Kelly's in here! I guess she came inside when she saw what happened at the door." I watched him pull the young Taxi driver from the pile of bodies.
Andrew walked over to him and Will's face went white as a sheet, "But . . . you died."
"Yeah, I was dead for a long time, but I'm alive now. Let's get these people out of here."
We all nodded in unison and rushed off to help others as Saba was slammed into the wall so hard that the ground shook.
Bob was winning.
I heard a young girl scream as she was nearly burnt to a crisp by one of Nick's stray flames. I rushed over and pulled her away as the fight moved in her direction, "Are you alright?"
The girl clinged to me as her eyes watered with tears. These people had been through so much for no reason; no reason at all. I felt more hatred toward the thing that had killed my closest friend, putting people through so much for such a petty reason.
"Here, let me take her. You go get the rest. If we don't get them out of here . . . ", I turned to hand the girl to a man.
"Yeah, let's just get these guys outside." I turned to go help some more children trapped under the dead bodies of teachers and fellow students.
"My name's Andrew." He rushed to bring the girl outside and as he turned away, I could swear there were tears in his eyes.
The fighting continued as Andrew and I worked to get the children outside, but with only the two of us it was slow.
"BEN! Ben, where are you?" What if he didn't make it?
"I'm at the Door of the Dead!", his voice made me breathe a sigh of relief, "He came from the door, maybe there's a way to send him back. Keep getting the people out! Get Will to help."
Will! I searched, only to spot him trying to pull someone out of a pile of the dead, "Will! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Kelly's in here! I guess she came inside when she saw what happened at the door." I watched him pull the young Taxi driver from the pile of bodies.
Andrew walked over to him and Will's face went white as a sheet, "But . . . you died."
"Yeah, I was dead for a long time, but I'm alive now. Let's get these people out of here."
We all nodded in unison and rushed off to help others as Saba was slammed into the wall so hard that the ground shook.
Bob was winning.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
188: Underestimated Race -Ben-
The museum had changed since I'd fallen asleep. The lobby where I stood was filled with people lying on the ground unconscious, and surrounding them were large, hulking beasts. A bloody pile of headless people sat in the corner and gave off a horrid scent.
Every thing froze when I stood up. The creatures looked at me with confusion, as if they'd never seen that happen before. For several minutes they stared at me and as they did I began to fill with an unexplainable fear.
"Why don't I hear the sound of smashin-", a naked, young, redhead boy stepped around one of the beasts, "What?! How did this happen?"
"Maybe Patrick knew more than you did." A voice next to me spoke in a soft tone that I recognized. Looking over I could see the translucent form of the girl I had killed.
The young boy sneered, "Are you saying you did this? No human has ever escaped that prison."
"I'm a little confused . . . who are you?" The boy looked at me as I spoke.
"He's the God of Fear. He was released from the door, I think. He's looking for something and started killing everyone." The girl then whispered, "His name is Bob."
"Please explain to me how exactly you are standing in front of me." Bob looked furious.
"You're the cause of all this.", my voice came out barely a whisper, "You killed all these people. You forced me to kill an innocent. You put everyone I care about at risk."
"Oh please, it's not like any of you matter. You're just humans. You're a stupid, barbaric race that has no defining features at all. What does it matter if a few of you die?", Bob laughed.
"You're sick.", Alice spoke with conviction.
"I'm sick? No, young one. I'm powerful. Look around you; at your friends. Humans aren't powerful enough to save themselves. They're weak in every way, and with out someone to protect them they are easily picked off! You think you matter? You don't! Insignificant and meager, that's what you humans are. I've crushed thousands of you in my time so you don't have the right to think low of me!"
I felt my anger raise. This guy had hurt so many people, all to prove his strength.
"Awww. Is the human getting upset?", Bob laughed at me, "The truth hurts. I'm the most powerful person here and I can crush all of you in a moment. There's nothing any of you can do about it. Yes, you escaped, but you're alone. Your only ally is the ghost at your side, and she can't do anything to help any of you. Your friends are at my feet, and as long as they stay there, nothing you say can make me think otherwise. Humans are weak, uncoordinated, barbaric, unintelligent and unimportant." Bob emphasized each of his words with a stomp.
On the last stomp, the room erupted with noise as everyone in the room woke up all at once.
Bob's face was priceless.
Every thing froze when I stood up. The creatures looked at me with confusion, as if they'd never seen that happen before. For several minutes they stared at me and as they did I began to fill with an unexplainable fear.
"Why don't I hear the sound of smashin-", a naked, young, redhead boy stepped around one of the beasts, "What?! How did this happen?"
"Maybe Patrick knew more than you did." A voice next to me spoke in a soft tone that I recognized. Looking over I could see the translucent form of the girl I had killed.
The young boy sneered, "Are you saying you did this? No human has ever escaped that prison."
"I'm a little confused . . . who are you?" The boy looked at me as I spoke.
"He's the God of Fear. He was released from the door, I think. He's looking for something and started killing everyone." The girl then whispered, "His name is Bob."
"Please explain to me how exactly you are standing in front of me." Bob looked furious.
"You're the cause of all this.", my voice came out barely a whisper, "You killed all these people. You forced me to kill an innocent. You put everyone I care about at risk."
"Oh please, it's not like any of you matter. You're just humans. You're a stupid, barbaric race that has no defining features at all. What does it matter if a few of you die?", Bob laughed.
"You're sick.", Alice spoke with conviction.
"I'm sick? No, young one. I'm powerful. Look around you; at your friends. Humans aren't powerful enough to save themselves. They're weak in every way, and with out someone to protect them they are easily picked off! You think you matter? You don't! Insignificant and meager, that's what you humans are. I've crushed thousands of you in my time so you don't have the right to think low of me!"
I felt my anger raise. This guy had hurt so many people, all to prove his strength.
"Awww. Is the human getting upset?", Bob laughed at me, "The truth hurts. I'm the most powerful person here and I can crush all of you in a moment. There's nothing any of you can do about it. Yes, you escaped, but you're alone. Your only ally is the ghost at your side, and she can't do anything to help any of you. Your friends are at my feet, and as long as they stay there, nothing you say can make me think otherwise. Humans are weak, uncoordinated, barbaric, unintelligent and unimportant." Bob emphasized each of his words with a stomp.
On the last stomp, the room erupted with noise as everyone in the room woke up all at once.
Bob's face was priceless.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
183: Escape -Alice-
I didn't wait for the speaking to start before I bounded down the stairs. Everything was where it was before; the vats, Ben, and me tied tightly to the deathtrap.
Just as I started to move toward the vats of water something collided into my side, throwing me to the ground. It was the person that had stopped me from before. I looked up into his face as he stared maliciously down at me.
"You aren't supposed to be here. You're supposed to be dead, and useless." He looked angry as he reached into his tattered trench coat revealing a long, sharp blade, "No matter . . ."
He lunged at me and I closed my eyes. Out of reflex my legs lifted and pushed out, catching him in the stomach. He flew backwards and the sound of breaking glass and loud splashes filled the room. The vats burst, releasing the children who coughed the water from their lungs.
"No! What have you done?!", he screamed.
Honestly, I had no idea what I'd done, but the first thing I did afterward was to go to and release my young self.
Then I was in the museum again and still dead. Ben was pulling himself to his feet next to me, a confused expression on his face.
Just as I started to move toward the vats of water something collided into my side, throwing me to the ground. It was the person that had stopped me from before. I looked up into his face as he stared maliciously down at me.
"You aren't supposed to be here. You're supposed to be dead, and useless." He looked angry as he reached into his tattered trench coat revealing a long, sharp blade, "No matter . . ."
He lunged at me and I closed my eyes. Out of reflex my legs lifted and pushed out, catching him in the stomach. He flew backwards and the sound of breaking glass and loud splashes filled the room. The vats burst, releasing the children who coughed the water from their lungs.
"No! What have you done?!", he screamed.
Honestly, I had no idea what I'd done, but the first thing I did afterward was to go to and release my young self.
Then I was in the museum again and still dead. Ben was pulling himself to his feet next to me, a confused expression on his face.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
182: The many versus the one -Alice-
"Do you know what you did?" A voice floated up to me from down the stairs.
"I was saving people. I had no choice." That was Ben.
"You always have a choice, and you murdered her. A poor innocent little girl, dead. All because you wanted something and she was in the way." The voice was very similar to Ben's except rough and sinister.
"It wasn't like that. He was going to kill all of them, I had to stop him." Ben's voice cracked.
"You lie," The other voice rose to a yell, "You wanted to save yourself! You could care less about the girl! You are turning out just like I predicted, a monster."
Ben's sobs could be heard from where I was standing at the top of the stairs. I was hit with conflicting emotions, one part of me felt upset that Ben was going through this but another part felt that justice was being done, that this was what Ben deserved. I was locked in place unable to move because I wasn't sure if I needed to help him.
All he'd ever done for me is end my life.
"I'm not a monster. I'm not."
"Well, here's your chance to prove it. Hurry and make a choice otherwise all those children . . . poor innocent children will drown," The voice laughed, "Only you can make the choice to save them, but you'd have sacrifice thi-"
A loud bang interrupted his sentence and pulled me out of my thoughts. That sound was one I recognized. Another child had died, another me. The murderer had struck again.
"See . . . I told you Ben . . ." His words faded and the entire building vibrated violently.
When the vibrations had stopped, I was still standing at the top of the stairs.
"Do you know what you did?" It was that sinister voice again.
"What is going on!? Not this again! When will it end?" Ben was yelling at no one now.
"You always have a choice, and you murdered her. A poor innocent little girl, dead. All because you wanted something and she was in the way." A deep chuckle followed that sentence.
"I didn't want her to die. I'm not a monster. Please, just let me go."
It was replaying itself over again. The whole scene over again. Ben was in a loop, reliving his greatest sin forever. He deserved it. I turned to the door and as I went to open it I heard the other voice again and it stopped me cold.
"Well, here's your chance to prove it."
I spun around and ran down the stairs two at a time. Ben pulled himself out of the chair as I got into the room. Blood and brain matter splattered all over my face as the shotgun's loud bang echoed in the small room.
This time the voice said something different, "Who are you . . . " and the walls began to vibrate again. Everything blurred together and when it has all stopped moving I found myself at the top of the stairs again.
"Do you know what you did?"
I didn't wait to hear Ben's answer. I bolted down the stairs and entered the room. Sitting in the middle of the room were to chairs. In one sat Ben, completely untied and able to move, yet he looked trapped. He looked as though he didn't want to move.
In the other chair sat a younger me. I ran to myself as tears filled my eyes.
"It will be okay. I'll get you out." I couldn't help but notice how terrified I looked. I looked like I knew what was coming, I looked like I wanted a mother that I'd never had.
"NO!" It was Ben. "Not her, save them first." He nodded behind me.
I turned to see three large clear vats of water, each one filled to the top and then covered with a heavy metal plate. Inside each of those containers was a child struggling to breathe. My heart flew to my throat as I turned to the younger me and then back.
"I'm sorry." I ran to the vats of water and gripped the heavy metal plate. Just as I had begun to get it sliding, two strong hands grabbed my wrists and pulled me away.
"I won't let you ruin this for me! Where did you come from?"
Time seemed to slow as I was pulled away from saving those children. They were in such agony that they didn't even notice that I'd been pulled away. I watched the air bubbles slowly filter from their mouths and felt a piece of me die as they struggled against the heavy metal plates. I pushed against my captor in an attempt to get over to them; to save them before their life left.
The hands were strong, to strong for me. They pulled me farther back until I could see the two chairs again and realized that there was only one option.
The only way to save those kids, would be to kill myself. At that moment, everything that Ben had done became clear. He had been given a choice, and I was the necessary sacrifice. No other options were available except the one that killed me. I felt tears fill my eyes as I tightly closed them.
"BEN! SAVE THEM!"
"I know." ,was what he said, followed by a loud bang as my younger self's head exploded.
"You're both monsters." The hands loosened their grip as the walls began to vibrate again.
In a few short moments, I stood at the top of the stairs once again.
"I was saving people. I had no choice." That was Ben.
"You always have a choice, and you murdered her. A poor innocent little girl, dead. All because you wanted something and she was in the way." The voice was very similar to Ben's except rough and sinister.
"It wasn't like that. He was going to kill all of them, I had to stop him." Ben's voice cracked.
"You lie," The other voice rose to a yell, "You wanted to save yourself! You could care less about the girl! You are turning out just like I predicted, a monster."
Ben's sobs could be heard from where I was standing at the top of the stairs. I was hit with conflicting emotions, one part of me felt upset that Ben was going through this but another part felt that justice was being done, that this was what Ben deserved. I was locked in place unable to move because I wasn't sure if I needed to help him.
All he'd ever done for me is end my life.
"I'm not a monster. I'm not."
"Well, here's your chance to prove it. Hurry and make a choice otherwise all those children . . . poor innocent children will drown," The voice laughed, "Only you can make the choice to save them, but you'd have sacrifice thi-"
A loud bang interrupted his sentence and pulled me out of my thoughts. That sound was one I recognized. Another child had died, another me. The murderer had struck again.
"See . . . I told you Ben . . ." His words faded and the entire building vibrated violently.
When the vibrations had stopped, I was still standing at the top of the stairs.
"Do you know what you did?" It was that sinister voice again.
"What is going on!? Not this again! When will it end?" Ben was yelling at no one now.
"You always have a choice, and you murdered her. A poor innocent little girl, dead. All because you wanted something and she was in the way." A deep chuckle followed that sentence.
"I didn't want her to die. I'm not a monster. Please, just let me go."
It was replaying itself over again. The whole scene over again. Ben was in a loop, reliving his greatest sin forever. He deserved it. I turned to the door and as I went to open it I heard the other voice again and it stopped me cold.
"Well, here's your chance to prove it."
I spun around and ran down the stairs two at a time. Ben pulled himself out of the chair as I got into the room. Blood and brain matter splattered all over my face as the shotgun's loud bang echoed in the small room.
This time the voice said something different, "Who are you . . . " and the walls began to vibrate again. Everything blurred together and when it has all stopped moving I found myself at the top of the stairs again.
"Do you know what you did?"
I didn't wait to hear Ben's answer. I bolted down the stairs and entered the room. Sitting in the middle of the room were to chairs. In one sat Ben, completely untied and able to move, yet he looked trapped. He looked as though he didn't want to move.
In the other chair sat a younger me. I ran to myself as tears filled my eyes.
"It will be okay. I'll get you out." I couldn't help but notice how terrified I looked. I looked like I knew what was coming, I looked like I wanted a mother that I'd never had.
"NO!" It was Ben. "Not her, save them first." He nodded behind me.
I turned to see three large clear vats of water, each one filled to the top and then covered with a heavy metal plate. Inside each of those containers was a child struggling to breathe. My heart flew to my throat as I turned to the younger me and then back.
"I'm sorry." I ran to the vats of water and gripped the heavy metal plate. Just as I had begun to get it sliding, two strong hands grabbed my wrists and pulled me away.
"I won't let you ruin this for me! Where did you come from?"
Time seemed to slow as I was pulled away from saving those children. They were in such agony that they didn't even notice that I'd been pulled away. I watched the air bubbles slowly filter from their mouths and felt a piece of me die as they struggled against the heavy metal plates. I pushed against my captor in an attempt to get over to them; to save them before their life left.
The hands were strong, to strong for me. They pulled me farther back until I could see the two chairs again and realized that there was only one option.
The only way to save those kids, would be to kill myself. At that moment, everything that Ben had done became clear. He had been given a choice, and I was the necessary sacrifice. No other options were available except the one that killed me. I felt tears fill my eyes as I tightly closed them.
"BEN! SAVE THEM!"
"I know." ,was what he said, followed by a loud bang as my younger self's head exploded.
"You're both monsters." The hands loosened their grip as the walls began to vibrate again.
In a few short moments, I stood at the top of the stairs once again.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
181: Wake Up -Alice-
The world around me came into focus and I found myself staring off the edge of a massive cliff. An old man lay dead to my right, a look of complete agony permanently planted on his face. The sound of begging behind me made me turn to see Ben fighting against invisible bonds as he attempted to reach the three people locked in battle nearby.
Three children just a bit younger than me fought; a blonde, what looked to be a younger Patrick, and a black-haired one with an uncanny resemblance to Ben. It was Patrick and the blonde versus the one with black hair, but even at two against one the black haired boy didn't look like he was losing.
I glanced at Ben and I could see the suffering in his eyes as he fought to get to them. I didn't care about his suffering, I just wanted to know where I was and how I got here. Things were happening too fast and it was overwhelming me.
"You'll be okay, Alice." A kind-looking middle aged man walked over to me from the left near Ben. I hadn't noticed him before, but the amount of new people I'd met in the last hour was getting ridiculous.
"Who are you?", I spoke as though his arrival was nothing new. It might have been rude but being thrown all over the place was getting tiresome.
"Gilfred Odephius Doorstop." He smiled and slowly I began to feel a bit better, "You can think of me as . . . a needed push, or a hint."
"I don't need a push. I need a time machine." I turned to look at Ben again, but this time his face of suffering actually hit home and I felt tears in my eyes, "Where are we?"
"We're in Ben's worst memory. A time when he was imprisoned and unable to help the people he cared about most."
"Why are we here?"
"Because the ignorant retard that put everyone into their worst feared memory didn't realize what he was doing." He turned to me and smiled, "Lucky for us, huh?"
"What am I supposed to do here?"
"There's nothing you can do. Your part comes later, after this is done. Now you should watch and remember this time always.", he walked over to the black haired boy that was dominating the battle so far. "Alice, I have to go. I can't be in two places at the same time."
With that he pulled a spear from behind him and stabbed it through black-hair's chest. The world twisted and spun as both me and Ben were yanked into the sky. The clouds surrounded us making it impossible to see each other.
"Ben?!"
I felt my feet touch ground and I found myself standing at the top of a staircase. Ben was no where to be seen. The smell that came from the bottom of the stairs made my skin crawl. My skin? I looked down at myself to find that I'd aged quite a bit. I looked to be eighteen, but that wasn't the most disturbing thing.
I was alive.
Three children just a bit younger than me fought; a blonde, what looked to be a younger Patrick, and a black-haired one with an uncanny resemblance to Ben. It was Patrick and the blonde versus the one with black hair, but even at two against one the black haired boy didn't look like he was losing.
I glanced at Ben and I could see the suffering in his eyes as he fought to get to them. I didn't care about his suffering, I just wanted to know where I was and how I got here. Things were happening too fast and it was overwhelming me.
"You'll be okay, Alice." A kind-looking middle aged man walked over to me from the left near Ben. I hadn't noticed him before, but the amount of new people I'd met in the last hour was getting ridiculous.
"Who are you?", I spoke as though his arrival was nothing new. It might have been rude but being thrown all over the place was getting tiresome.
"Gilfred Odephius Doorstop." He smiled and slowly I began to feel a bit better, "You can think of me as . . . a needed push, or a hint."
"I don't need a push. I need a time machine." I turned to look at Ben again, but this time his face of suffering actually hit home and I felt tears in my eyes, "Where are we?"
"We're in Ben's worst memory. A time when he was imprisoned and unable to help the people he cared about most."
"Why are we here?"
"Because the ignorant retard that put everyone into their worst feared memory didn't realize what he was doing." He turned to me and smiled, "Lucky for us, huh?"
"What am I supposed to do here?"
"There's nothing you can do. Your part comes later, after this is done. Now you should watch and remember this time always.", he walked over to the black haired boy that was dominating the battle so far. "Alice, I have to go. I can't be in two places at the same time."
With that he pulled a spear from behind him and stabbed it through black-hair's chest. The world twisted and spun as both me and Ben were yanked into the sky. The clouds surrounded us making it impossible to see each other.
"Ben?!"
I felt my feet touch ground and I found myself standing at the top of a staircase. Ben was no where to be seen. The smell that came from the bottom of the stairs made my skin crawl. My skin? I looked down at myself to find that I'd aged quite a bit. I looked to be eighteen, but that wasn't the most disturbing thing.
I was alive.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
180: Meeting Bob -Alice-
I had heard enough ghost stories to know that I didn't have to open the door, so getting out of the room was simple. Going through the door felt like I was going through a layer of water except I could breathe. I felt my hair stand on end when I reached the other side, because of a small static reaction between me and the door.
The silence was the first thing I noticed as I entered the large lobby of the museum. The only sounds were that of the large, shambling creatures moving toward a door on the opposite end of the lobby from the entrance. On the floor a few feet away lay the guy who killed me and the lady that was with him, their eyes closed.
What was going on here? What were those things? I should have been terrified, but already being dead meant that there wasn't much to be afraid of. Their long, spindly fingers moved rhythmically as they stepped around the bodies of the presumably sleeping people. The doors of the room they were heading into had been ripped off its hinges and inside I saw a massive archway of stone. Inside the archway an eerie, white glow shined brightly, and each one of the massive creatures knelt in front of it and bowed what could only be assumed as their heads.
I glanced back at Ben. I didn't care about the creatures, I only cared about making Ben pay for killing me. I reached out to touch his face, but as a ghost my attempt failed. How would I go about exacting my revenge if I'm not able to touch him? I glanced at the creatures again and back at Ben.
"What am I supposed to do!?", I swung my hand to slap him but it was a failure, "Why?! You could have let me live! You had a choice!"
The light from the door faded and inside the archway stood a very young boy. His hair a pale red and his body nude, he strode toward the creatures and laughed.
"Good. Now, we must find it. The anomaly is in the area so we're going to go through and kill every person here before we go any further with our plans. I want to see this place full of ghosts, just like that one.", he pointed at me.
Before I had thought that being dead meant there wasn't anything to fear, but something about the way he looked at me made me uncomfortable. I could feel the fear in me rising.
"You." He was still looking at me, "Come here."
I didn't move. I kept staring at him.
"I said-", his voice had an unreal calm, "come here."
Just earlier today I had been a normal teenager and now I was dead, looking at a young child who could command creatures of the like I'd never seen. I was so scared that I found my self wishing that people were trying to throw gum in my hair on the bus ride back to school. I took a shaky step forward.
"Do speed up." He glanced at a small faerie-like creature lying on the floor near his foot, "I don't have all day."
He lifted his foot and smashed it on the small being with such force that I could hear the floor beneath it crack. He swiveled his foot as though he were squashing a bug, and as I approached I saw pieces of wing and flesh smear along the ground.
"All of you!", he glanced at the room full of unimaginable beasts. "Kill everything. I want a room full of ghosts and one of them must be of the anomalies."
All around me the monsters slowly stood as they made their way out of the room, two of them dragging the bodies of a blonde girl and a tough looking guy. I could see them breathing, so they weren't dead yet.
"They're not sleeping." I turned to look at the boy as he spoke, "You could even say they aren't here. I've transported them to the time or place they feared most or will soon fear. See, I don't like to kill something that knows they're dying. Just doesn't sit right with me."
"Who are you, and what's going on?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Bob, and I presume you were planted here by Patrick, yes? Of course, you had to be, he is what he is after all."
"I'm Alice, and I don't work for anyone." I tried to sound tough, but all my legs wanted to do was run, and fast. In the other room I could hear sounds similar to that of a watermelon being smashed and even though I tried not to think about it, I could picture what was going on in the other room.
Bob lifted his foot and picked the rest of the creature he'd killed off his foot, "Everyone works for Patrick. What does he think a ghost can do? No matter. We've won and the only thing he could do to stop us is come here himself."
"He was here." I saw Bob stop and I felt my fear subside when I saw it form on his face, "He left."
The fear on his face turned to anger, "He thinks he's so mighty! I'M THE GOD OF FEAR! HE'S A JANITOR! How can he just toss me aside and pretend that I'm NOTHING?! He left a ghost to stop me!", he leaned toward me and his face got even more angry, "HE LEFT A NEW GHOST TO STOP ME!"
He grabbed a teddy bear off the floor and tore it in half, "WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?! AFTER WE'RE DONE HERE, WE'LL KILL HIM! And you . . . ", he tossed the pieces of the bear aside and looked at me, "There is only one way to get rid of you." He snapped his fingers.
The world around me disappeared.
The silence was the first thing I noticed as I entered the large lobby of the museum. The only sounds were that of the large, shambling creatures moving toward a door on the opposite end of the lobby from the entrance. On the floor a few feet away lay the guy who killed me and the lady that was with him, their eyes closed.
What was going on here? What were those things? I should have been terrified, but already being dead meant that there wasn't much to be afraid of. Their long, spindly fingers moved rhythmically as they stepped around the bodies of the presumably sleeping people. The doors of the room they were heading into had been ripped off its hinges and inside I saw a massive archway of stone. Inside the archway an eerie, white glow shined brightly, and each one of the massive creatures knelt in front of it and bowed what could only be assumed as their heads.
I glanced back at Ben. I didn't care about the creatures, I only cared about making Ben pay for killing me. I reached out to touch his face, but as a ghost my attempt failed. How would I go about exacting my revenge if I'm not able to touch him? I glanced at the creatures again and back at Ben.
"What am I supposed to do!?", I swung my hand to slap him but it was a failure, "Why?! You could have let me live! You had a choice!"
The light from the door faded and inside the archway stood a very young boy. His hair a pale red and his body nude, he strode toward the creatures and laughed.
"Good. Now, we must find it. The anomaly is in the area so we're going to go through and kill every person here before we go any further with our plans. I want to see this place full of ghosts, just like that one.", he pointed at me.
Before I had thought that being dead meant there wasn't anything to fear, but something about the way he looked at me made me uncomfortable. I could feel the fear in me rising.
"You." He was still looking at me, "Come here."
I didn't move. I kept staring at him.
"I said-", his voice had an unreal calm, "come here."
Just earlier today I had been a normal teenager and now I was dead, looking at a young child who could command creatures of the like I'd never seen. I was so scared that I found my self wishing that people were trying to throw gum in my hair on the bus ride back to school. I took a shaky step forward.
"Do speed up." He glanced at a small faerie-like creature lying on the floor near his foot, "I don't have all day."
He lifted his foot and smashed it on the small being with such force that I could hear the floor beneath it crack. He swiveled his foot as though he were squashing a bug, and as I approached I saw pieces of wing and flesh smear along the ground.
"All of you!", he glanced at the room full of unimaginable beasts. "Kill everything. I want a room full of ghosts and one of them must be of the anomalies."
All around me the monsters slowly stood as they made their way out of the room, two of them dragging the bodies of a blonde girl and a tough looking guy. I could see them breathing, so they weren't dead yet.
"They're not sleeping." I turned to look at the boy as he spoke, "You could even say they aren't here. I've transported them to the time or place they feared most or will soon fear. See, I don't like to kill something that knows they're dying. Just doesn't sit right with me."
"Who are you, and what's going on?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Bob, and I presume you were planted here by Patrick, yes? Of course, you had to be, he is what he is after all."
"I'm Alice, and I don't work for anyone." I tried to sound tough, but all my legs wanted to do was run, and fast. In the other room I could hear sounds similar to that of a watermelon being smashed and even though I tried not to think about it, I could picture what was going on in the other room.
Bob lifted his foot and picked the rest of the creature he'd killed off his foot, "Everyone works for Patrick. What does he think a ghost can do? No matter. We've won and the only thing he could do to stop us is come here himself."
"He was here." I saw Bob stop and I felt my fear subside when I saw it form on his face, "He left."
The fear on his face turned to anger, "He thinks he's so mighty! I'M THE GOD OF FEAR! HE'S A JANITOR! How can he just toss me aside and pretend that I'm NOTHING?! He left a ghost to stop me!", he leaned toward me and his face got even more angry, "HE LEFT A NEW GHOST TO STOP ME!"
He grabbed a teddy bear off the floor and tore it in half, "WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?! AFTER WE'RE DONE HERE, WE'LL KILL HIM! And you . . . ", he tossed the pieces of the bear aside and looked at me, "There is only one way to get rid of you." He snapped his fingers.
The world around me disappeared.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
179: Not Supposed To Matter -Alice-
I walked to the door and as I reached for the knob, a noise behind me made me freeze. Someone was breathing. I turned around and stared at a tall man wearing an expensive suit walking toward me. Something about him made me tremble. There was something in his eyes; something very ancient and powerful.
"Alice. So nice to finally meet you, Alice. I have been watching you for a very long time." His voice made me feel unnaturally calm, which instead of making me comfortable, put me on edge.
"What are you, a pervert?" I retorted.
The man laughed and then shook his head, "You've lived a very difficult life Alice, and you deserved better. Beaten everyday, forced to clean after your parents habit while avoiding your father's drunken rage, and everyday you wished you could die. You wanted it all to end and hoped that you'd feel no more pain."
He knew too much of my thoughts, of my life. I stepped back, "Are you God?"
He stared at me for a long time and then smiled, "No. I'm as far from a God as you can get, and I'm not even sure if the big guy even exists." He stepped forward and held out his hand, "My name is Patrick Bernauw, and I'm here to give you what you really want."
I'd always read stories of deals made with the devil and this sounded like one of those times. I shook my head and stuck my tongue out at him, "No way. You'll ask me to do something later, something I won't want to do."
"There is no catch. In fact, I'm not doing this for you at all. I only choose you because your life needed a change and I felt generous." The way he said generous made the incorporeal hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"You killed me to make my life better? Did you flunk out of grade school?"
He laughed again, "You are so smart, Alice. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did flunk out of school. Except it wasn't grade school. Have you ever heard of a place called the Other Lands?"
I shook my head still not trusting his words. This could all just be a plan to get me to go along.
"Well, you are a ghost, also known as a Walking Soul in the Other Lands. Walking Souls are the only beings capable of instantaneous travel between this realm and the Other Lands without training. With training a Walking Soul can become a very dangerous being, but that is not important to you. What's important is that you understand that the afterlife humans refer to is the Other Lands."
"Why is that important?"
He stared at me, "I'm trying to give you a better life, Alice. You need to trust me."
"I don't. You're a smelly old man that likes watching a fourteen year old. Even if my Mother couldn't teach me to be careful of guys like you, I'm not stupid." I stepped back again.
He nodded and stood up, "Well, I'll be seeing you again sometime. When we meet again you might think I'm doing the wrong thing, but I swear I'm not the bad guy. The bad guy is a lot worse than me."
"I don't even know who you are! I'm dead, remember?! I'm not supposed to matter anymore!"
He laughed as he walked toward the opposite wall, "Alice, your life is just beginning. Give my regards to Ben."
"Ben? Whose that? Why me? Hey! Stop walking away!"
He turned and smiled, "Ben is the guy that killed you, Alice."
And then he vanished and I was again alone.
But even more confused.
"Alice. So nice to finally meet you, Alice. I have been watching you for a very long time." His voice made me feel unnaturally calm, which instead of making me comfortable, put me on edge.
"What are you, a pervert?" I retorted.
The man laughed and then shook his head, "You've lived a very difficult life Alice, and you deserved better. Beaten everyday, forced to clean after your parents habit while avoiding your father's drunken rage, and everyday you wished you could die. You wanted it all to end and hoped that you'd feel no more pain."
He knew too much of my thoughts, of my life. I stepped back, "Are you God?"
He stared at me for a long time and then smiled, "No. I'm as far from a God as you can get, and I'm not even sure if the big guy even exists." He stepped forward and held out his hand, "My name is Patrick Bernauw, and I'm here to give you what you really want."
I'd always read stories of deals made with the devil and this sounded like one of those times. I shook my head and stuck my tongue out at him, "No way. You'll ask me to do something later, something I won't want to do."
"There is no catch. In fact, I'm not doing this for you at all. I only choose you because your life needed a change and I felt generous." The way he said generous made the incorporeal hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"You killed me to make my life better? Did you flunk out of grade school?"
He laughed again, "You are so smart, Alice. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did flunk out of school. Except it wasn't grade school. Have you ever heard of a place called the Other Lands?"
I shook my head still not trusting his words. This could all just be a plan to get me to go along.
"Well, you are a ghost, also known as a Walking Soul in the Other Lands. Walking Souls are the only beings capable of instantaneous travel between this realm and the Other Lands without training. With training a Walking Soul can become a very dangerous being, but that is not important to you. What's important is that you understand that the afterlife humans refer to is the Other Lands."
"Why is that important?"
He stared at me, "I'm trying to give you a better life, Alice. You need to trust me."
"I don't. You're a smelly old man that likes watching a fourteen year old. Even if my Mother couldn't teach me to be careful of guys like you, I'm not stupid." I stepped back again.
He nodded and stood up, "Well, I'll be seeing you again sometime. When we meet again you might think I'm doing the wrong thing, but I swear I'm not the bad guy. The bad guy is a lot worse than me."
"I don't even know who you are! I'm dead, remember?! I'm not supposed to matter anymore!"
He laughed as he walked toward the opposite wall, "Alice, your life is just beginning. Give my regards to Ben."
"Ben? Whose that? Why me? Hey! Stop walking away!"
He turned and smiled, "Ben is the guy that killed you, Alice."
And then he vanished and I was again alone.
But even more confused.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
172: Out Of My Head -Alice-
Life is something that you have until you don't, and once gone you lose everything; gain nothing. At least this is what I thought when I'd woken up this morning and slipped on my clothes. They were hidden beneath the beer cans filled with various liquids unknown that littered the living room floor.
I stepped over my Dad's passed out body and made my way over to the other couch, where my Mother lay naked and bruised. I could see her breathe as I covered her with the living room rug that had gotten swept up in last night's binge drinking. A cold draft came from the open front door. Stepping carefully over the many empty syringes and pill bottles, I made my way toward it.
Today, I was lucky. I was going to a museum for a field trip, which meant I wouldn't have to deal with my Dad's violent hangovers and my Mother's scalding tongue of hate. I was never good enough to them and honestly, I didn't think I was either. I guess that's what happens when you live your life always being told how pathetic you are.
I grabbed my yellow stained backpack and as I shut the door behind me I sniffed it, only to find that my Dad had probably lost control of his bladder in its general vicinity. Ignoring the smell I headed off to the bus.
The entire bus ride to the museum I endured the children that made passing comments about my hair and the smell of my backpack. Being fourteen is hard, being fourteen with my family . . . is impossible. Some days, I just wished I would die. That bus ride was the last one I'd ever take, and I wish I could take it again.
I wish I'd never woken up in that chair, unable to move and staring at a strange, terrified looking man. I heard another man say what was going on, and I saw the man in front of me make the single choice that I'd never realized that I didn't want.
My Mother was horrible. My life was a mess. I had no friends, but I didn't want to die.
The pain as the guy stood up was beyond explanation. Small metal shards pushing their way through the side of my face, making mush of what I once called my brain. My life was over in an instant because one guy decided that I wasn't worth living, just like everyone else I knew. I welcomed the darkness that should have followed. I closed my ethereal eyes and waited for the nothing.
I still could think but that would be gone soon. Even the voices of the people in the room would fade. All cares would be gone, and there would be nothing of me left. Soon.
Fifteen minutes passed and the room had become empty.
So why was I still here?
I stepped over my Dad's passed out body and made my way over to the other couch, where my Mother lay naked and bruised. I could see her breathe as I covered her with the living room rug that had gotten swept up in last night's binge drinking. A cold draft came from the open front door. Stepping carefully over the many empty syringes and pill bottles, I made my way toward it.
Today, I was lucky. I was going to a museum for a field trip, which meant I wouldn't have to deal with my Dad's violent hangovers and my Mother's scalding tongue of hate. I was never good enough to them and honestly, I didn't think I was either. I guess that's what happens when you live your life always being told how pathetic you are.
I grabbed my yellow stained backpack and as I shut the door behind me I sniffed it, only to find that my Dad had probably lost control of his bladder in its general vicinity. Ignoring the smell I headed off to the bus.
The entire bus ride to the museum I endured the children that made passing comments about my hair and the smell of my backpack. Being fourteen is hard, being fourteen with my family . . . is impossible. Some days, I just wished I would die. That bus ride was the last one I'd ever take, and I wish I could take it again.
I wish I'd never woken up in that chair, unable to move and staring at a strange, terrified looking man. I heard another man say what was going on, and I saw the man in front of me make the single choice that I'd never realized that I didn't want.
My Mother was horrible. My life was a mess. I had no friends, but I didn't want to die.
The pain as the guy stood up was beyond explanation. Small metal shards pushing their way through the side of my face, making mush of what I once called my brain. My life was over in an instant because one guy decided that I wasn't worth living, just like everyone else I knew. I welcomed the darkness that should have followed. I closed my ethereal eyes and waited for the nothing.
I still could think but that would be gone soon. Even the voices of the people in the room would fade. All cares would be gone, and there would be nothing of me left. Soon.
Fifteen minutes passed and the room had become empty.
So why was I still here?
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