Berceuse for The Suffering (Complete)

4. {Fragments}

The sun was shining bright as Lyli played happily on the side of the road. Her pleated hair and blue dress were covered with dirt, but she was completely oblivious to it all. Her eyes sparkled with innocence and joy as she chased a butterfly that caught her attention. She giggled and ran around, arms flailing in the air, as she tried to catch it.

They weren't in the city so the streets were quiet, with not much traffic passing by, but the few cars that did honk at her to move out of the way. She didn't pay them any attention, too caught up in the excitement of her game. Suddenly, a white van pulled up next to her, and the side door slides open. Before she could even react, a pair of hands reached out and grabbed her, pulling her inside.

Lily screamed as the van quickly sped off, leaving everything behind. Her heart raced with fear and confusion as she struggled to understand what was happening. The inside of the van was dark and smelled of old fabric, the only light coming in was from the small window in the back. She was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, all staring at her with cold, blank expressions. But as her eyes scanned the inside of the van, one girl, in particular, gave her hope. It was someone she had seen attending her school. But she eyed her menacingly. She clicked her tongue and said to her, "Shut up or you'd get all of us in trouble."

Lily was too distraught that she didn't respond. Tears welled from her eyes as she realized she was in trouble. As her eyes caught sight of the scenery outside more tears fell from her innocent globes. The van was running further and further away from her town. Her heart sank with despair. She knew she was in grave danger, but she had no idea how to escape or who to turn to for help.

Panting.

Someone screamed in the distance.

She was disgusted.

As she stirred from her slumber, Lyli became vaguely aware of the cold, damp surroundings she was in. Her body was stiff, and her head was pounding as she tried to sit up. She glanced around, dazed and disoriented, and saw that she was inside a cemetery. She looked down and gasped. She was leaning on a nameless headstone, half-propped up on one of its shoulders. Her hair was drenched with sweat and sticking to her forehead.

She tried to stand up and quickly realized that her legs were unsteady. She took a few cautious steps, grasping onto the headstone for support. Her mind was foggy, and she couldn't recall what had led her to this strange place. Was it even her that brought herself there? In the distance, she could hear the sound of something creaking but she couldn't tell which direction it was coming from.

She looked around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. The cemetery was old and neglected, and many of the headstones were broken and half-submerged in the ground. The air was damp and musty, and she shivered as a cold wind blew through the cemetery.

Why am I here? Lyli questioned desperately trying to make sense of it.

When her foggy mind refused to answer, her chest heaved and she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart raced, and her palms grew clammy as she hyperventilated. She felt like she was suffocating, each gasp for air seeming more labored than the last. Her mind raced as she tried to calm herself down, but panic seemed to overtake her. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing while the world around her seemed to spin out of control.

Desperately, Lyli took deep, slow breaths, trying to steady her racing heart. She focused on the sensation of air filling and leaving her lungs. Gradually, her breathing became less labored, and she felt a sense of calm wash over her. The panic slowly dissipated as she continued to breathe deeply and focus on the present moment. She opened her eyes, feeling more grounded and in control.