Remembering Limbo

Past demons

     I sighed in frustration as my car stopped rolling forward. You have got to love living in the city. My lips squeezed together to the side as dramatic eyebrows inclined in frustration. Calm down Arlene; maybe the people pulling the strings just want you to become frustrated. They're most likely laughing their heads off now. I let out another calming sigh and put on a look of sheer determination. 

     Hallelujah! Amazingly enough, the cars-they move! Just a few more meters and I am home-free! In my haste I cut off a now very annoyed driver. The entire car jolted as the front tire hit the sidewalk before I was catapulted into the driveway. I ripped the keys out of the ignition and barreled out of my ugly white car with a thud onto the rock-hard pavement. Pushing my upper body off the ground, I turned around and winced when the sight of my shoelaces tangled with the car seat came into view. The laces were extricated off of the strange hook with difficulty; tugging and pulling until I just gave up and tore them off. Several people passing by were laughing their heads off at my misfortune like a pack of muffled hyenas. City-people are jerks. 

      I slammed my car door with a bang!- the hinges squealing in protest. Sprinting to, and unlocking my wooden door with a violent twist. I cooled down as the door slammed shut and looked around. My house  was too plain. The amount of white could make the sun squint. It was also small and constantly noisy. Whether the noise was from the antsy traffic or the angry hum of the air conditioner, it was never quiet. 

     I breathed in. The entire place still smelt stale and new; it felt too empty. Sometimes I wish I never moved out of state- everything in the city seemed cold and abandoned. A huge contrast from my homey house in the sunny state of Florida... but that is irrevelent. I sauntered down the hallway; the soles of my flats clicking on the linoleum floors. I took a right and made my way into my room where a tall and wide vanity mirror stood dominating the left panel. On the right, my twin sized bed was neatly made and facing the mirror with a large oak bookcase beside it.

      Continuing on to my final destination, I finally stood staring at my reflection. A girl with creamy coffee colored skin stared back with her nearly black eyes; black hair up in a perfectly messy bun. She did not look the least bit pleased to see me; however, that was probably because my face seemed to default as a frustrated frown. I snapped my hair out to the side letting it whip to my left and settle down my back.

      "I thought you would be excited to see me again!"

     I yelped and made a full aerial one-eighty to turn my death glare on two very soft, rainy blue eyes. The owner looked startled and flinched, water escaping from his eyes. My glare cooled as my expression softened in recognition; my demeanor changed from hostile to welcoming within the second.But it was too late. My friend had already begun to sulk on my bed; he hugged a side-pillow close to him seeking comfort. I, myself, deflated in dejection; I hate it when I make other people sad. It's as if it's my own lame superpower.

     " Sabel, of couse I'm excited to see you! You just scared me a bit, how could I even think of hating you?" I moved closer and clambered onto the bed next to him. He looked appeased; though a bit miffed. Slowly, he shifted closer to me, he was probably still upset about something.

     "You know, most people where I'm from say something to friends they haven't seen since when." He said this all while looking up at me expectantly; albeit, a hint of irritation in his eyes. I pulled him the rest of the way into a snug hug. At this his theatrics wavered until he finally gave in to wrap his arms on me much like a koala, or a gigantic baby.

     "Hi, Sabel. How was Limbo?"

     "Hi, Arlene. It is just the way you left it. It's lonely without you. Everything there misses you... but I think you already know that."

     I pulled back a little and took in his appearance. He had the darkest red hair; borderline black. His eyes could not be defined; it was as if someone diluted the blue sky and put that color in his eyes. He wore soft pale skin; a healthy creamy shade. Whereas my skin was like coffee with some creamer his was like creamer with just a dash of coffee. As of now, he was nearly shining with a very toothy, cheeky grin on his face.

     I ruffled his hair and praised him saying, "Wow, Sabel, what happened to the little runt I used to know? Youv'e gotten too handsome."

     For a second he beamed at me until I saw his eyes shift to something behind me. His pupils widened and he froze in terror. I could feel a chilling aura pass over me and dared to look behind me. The mirror was turning dead black around the edges and was pulsing violently! Each time it sent a shockwave of vibrations...thump. Thump. THUMP! Pieces were fraying off like black sand and Sabel's reflection; it wasn't there. I turned back around to see that he was leaking rivulets of blood through his mouth, his nose, his eyes! Wet harsh coughs bubbled up from his throat  but as he began to convulse. Scarlet blood was all over him in a matter of seconds but it refused to stain anything else!

     I pushed Sabel out of the reach of the mirror and ran to it. I reared back and began punching with all my might. I didn't care as shards broke off and sliced my knuckles bloody! I couldn't let it in. Not again. With each punch more cracks appeared like spider's webs. The mirror was oozing black sludge; pulsing even more violently as my fists did their damage. Thump, Crack! Thump, CRACK! Haunting screams and howls filled my ears. Some in pain, some in mourning, some in sorrow, some in anger. At some point tears started pouring out of my face like a raging storm and I began hurling both fists at the beast.

     The howls would stop at some point. The monster would shatter. But I would not. When my flesh was hanging off my hand in bloody chunks I just started throwing myself against the empty wall; the mirror now innocuous pieces on the floor. I vaguely remember that someone was still screaming -possibly me or Sabel. I remember something trying to stop me- definitely Sabel. Then a blank except for one whispered memory, "Limbo."