The darkness within

Chapter 3

Cold. That's all I felt. Wetness, seeped into my clothes as I laid upon the hard surface beneath me. I shivered as my hands lightly grazed what could only be grass. My eyes slowly blinked open, seeing trees and darkness surrounding me. How did I get here? I thought, shaking as I made my way up from the forest floor. Fog surrounded me obscuring the trees, moving around in the dark forest like smoke.

I sat up and groaned feeling pain erupted behind my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to suppress nausea that suddenly overcame me. Something wasn't right. I could feel it. I slowly got to my feet dusting off the dirt from my back and shivered at the coldness of my skin. My arms were wrapped around my stomach as I stood there in the middle of the dark forest feeling as if someone was watching me. I frowned at the quiet stillness of the world around me. The moon hung high in the cloud-filled sky with a red ring around it and as I stood looking at it. I could feel the danger in the air. Skating along my skin like a warning.

I swallowed down the terror and turned, seeing no one but I didn't feel alone. Suddenly out of nowhere, screams echoed around me and I watch as birds filled the sky. I stiffened, feeling completely frozen with fear. Harsh loud roars penetrated my ears. A roar that sounded distinctively familiar. A roar I knew I'd heard before.

"Oh god, someone helps me, please." A girl's voice screamed, far off in the distance. The desperation in her voice caused me to shake. "Please," her voice grew loud filling my ears with her words. Her footfall came closer followed by loud ear-splitting roars that shook me to the core. Whatever was following her was big.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to hide but I couldn't seem to move. Fear had me grounded to the spot. Pure utter terror filled my veins like a living thing taking me over. I stood there shaking watching in shock as the sounds grew closer and closer. Pain erupted from my back taking me off guard. I hissed as the warning grew louder. It's too late. The danger was here.

The girl burst through the foliage falling to the ground. She had blonde Carmel colored hair with dust of freckles I could see even in the dark. Her eyes were alive with pure utter fear. She laid there wearing a form-fitting black romper with a long gold jade necklace. She couldn't be no more than 17 years old.

"No," she screamed as she scooted back trying to run away from whatever was following her.

Suddenly the world grew still and the growls I heard moments ago began to fade into the distance until they ultimately disappeared. She sat there looking around in confusion, breathing hard from her run. I frowned not trusting the stillness.

"Hello," I said trying to gain her attention but she didn't acknowledge my existence. It was as if she didn't even know I was there. "Hey," I yelled watching as she stood from the ground shaking as she looked around herself. She was shaking in fear but she didn't even respond. I watched as she stood there with fear in her eyes. Her necklace suddenly dropped falling to the ground. She didn't even acknowledge it.

Then Black fog began surrounding her filling my veins with cold. My breath grew visible in the air as I watched in complete and utter shock. The black fog began to grow in shape forming into dark evil looking creature. Its claws gleamed in the moonlights. She gasped seconds before a blood-curdling scream shot out of her mouth. I watched as the creature grabbed her sinking its teeth into the side of her neck. Its blue glowing eyes turned red with the blood of its victim.

I screamed seconds before I jackknife in the middle of my bed, with sweat dripping down my face. My heart beat erratically within my chest as I struggled to breathe. I hissed in pain as my back began to burn. It's was all a dream. I thought as I grazed my fingers along my tattoo feeling a familiar sensation of pain. It was the same feeling I felt yesterday when looking out into the forest. Like a warning. The danger was coming but it was all a dream. Right?