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IT WAS DAUNTING.
In the mist of it all, the only thing that remained clear to River Castillo was the monotone tick-tock of the wooden metronome that adorned the ebony surface of her father's desk. Even though it was position in the upper level of her victorian home whereas she laid the stone floors of the lower, the mention device sat in an office on farthest edge of the household, away from the various rooms in habitation — and her small figure rested near the entrance.
Additionally, somber and hefty smoke clouds seemed to isolate the quivering girl from the outer world, obstructing any extent of sight and smell, even the dreadful sensations from the smoke traveling through her lungs in manner only oxygen should, alike the layers of sweat that clogged her cheeks from the scorching heat, seemed to numb — those masses of vapor, too, successfully dimmed the noise of the rising, roaring even, flames that she had set.
Yet it was clear as day. The only aspect that, at the moment, was.
The sound remained a persistent anchor to the world outside her capsule.
At the moment, it was the only thing keeping her somewhat set of reality. Right then, she felt grateful for the obnoxious thing.
So many time she had wished to get ahold it, wrap her chubby fingers around the, surely cool, wooden material and hurl it against the nearest wall. Sometimes out of irritations, others, to provoke it.
However she never had. And the why would remain a mystery to both herself and anyone who dare ask.
Suddenly, the temperature ten-folded, reaching higher temperatures than it previously had. And slowly, it felt as her skin was getting set aflame. Her sweat like gasoline and her arms mere wood logs.
It was daunting, because then, she didn't feel anything. River Castillo became an onlooker to the catastrophe she had singlehandedly caused.
She had brewed an undoing. Hers. And now she must lay in the bed of flames she had made.
In the distance the screams could be heard above the crackling fire, yet, the sound of the tempo-meter only strengthen. The volume of it having been turned to full blast, and she sat besides the speakers.
Suddenly, there was no need for the fog-like smoke for the sounds became too painful — blinding and deafening. And River only floated farther away from the dreadful scene. Out of her subconscious mind, into a peaceful black world.
However not without a set her parting word — or rather noises — the most high pitch sequence of scream that had ever left her throat. So ear-piercing it seemed to overlap the unstoppable ticking.
Those aforementioned yells, not of pain nor fear, but something far more helpless and dark, had greeted her as she awakened.
Now, there were no taunting oranges, reds nor shades of grey. Just pitch blackness of the dorms of her prison. Regardless if it labeled a helping-home, River Castillo might be crazy but not foolish.
The short gasps for air eased.
Her right hand rose to her forehead to peel the sticking brunette locks from her sweaty forehead, as her left one peeled the paper-like sheets from her short legs. Shortly the aforementioned limbs swung towards the side of the creaky mattress and connected the freezing tiles with her bare feet.
Though the sensation was rather biting, it was, too, much welcomed.
Her feet took her towards the small window, which she pushed open forcefully, allowing the briskets of wind to enter her diminutive room. Allowing them to provide the confort she deeply needed.
There, she placed herself onto the floor staring at the midnight sky. An untarnished sight that many artist had attempted and failed to wholly capture — but they didn't need to try and pay it justice, the Castillo girl thought, after all, if one wanted to appreciate the massive rock — they just has to wait until nightfall for the moon would fulfill its unspoken promise and rise to the sky.
That night River Castillo sat, cross-legged, in the uncomfortable floor. Staring into the night's source of light.
However, whilst not at the current time, River Castillo was a girl looking into a dark tunnel, one, she wasn't so sure held a light at the very end.
