Eurêka | ONC 2019

Burn.

19th December 2018;

There were two bodies lying lifelessly in a pool of blood at her feet. She sunk to the floor her hands dangling limply, her mouth and eyes wide, as the sound of the gunshots echoed around. Searching frantically for any sign of life, her chest rose and fell heavily.

None. Her heart sunk. Neither her mother nor her father moved or showed the slightest hint of a possible survival.

She sucked in a deep breath struggling to stand up. She wouldn't stop shaking as a black silhouette approached her. The man took few confident steps towards her shrinking trembling figure. He stopped right in front of her, smirking. Frozen to the spot, her feet wouldn't just move.

Leaning forward, he smiled mischievously, his breath fanning her face. She grimaced, her heart ready to jump out of her ribcage. Her eyes widened as she heard him shuffle around with his gun. Her throat constricted. "Boo," he whispered. She backed away slowly finally getting control of her legs then turned quickly stumbling.

Gaining her balance again, she started running as fast as she could, adrenaline pumping in her veins. Her speed picked up when his ugly laughter filled the empty place.

"You can't hide," he laughed again. "You can't run." His voice wasn't that far but he was nowhere to be seen, or anything else for that matter, in such dimness.

She wanted to get out of there. But where should she go? She stopped and leaned forward panting. "I am everywhere." She turned to the sound, looking around. Nothing.

She turned her head again only to find him standing in front of her grinning. "I am here." She gasped and turned to run in the opposite direction only to find him again. "And I am here." He laughed.

She backed away but collapsed to the floor, tripping. She hugged her legs to her chest, her eyes tightly shut, hoping he'd just disappear. His laughter was deafening. She covered her ears and shook her head violently.

"Go away." She mumbled rocking herself back and forth as a sob escaped her mouth. "Go away!" she shouted on top of her lungs. "Please..."

When she finally calmed, there was nothing but silence. Blinking her tears away, she looked up but was unable to see. It was dark, completely pitch-black. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her. Shocked, she fell on her elbows and crawled backwards. Then the footsteps turned into running. "Go look for her." The voice snapped.

Stumbling to her feet, she started running in random directions whimpering for she had no idea where to go. Gunshots filled the background. Out of nowhere, a blinding light appeared and she shrieked.

Coming to an abrupt stop, she cowered back, putting her arms up in order to shield her squinting eyes to see. A feeble sound of fear tumbled out of her mouth. She was about to resume her pace when her mother's muffled voice filled her ears.

"Mom!" she called twice. No response. "Mommy, please..." she begged walking in the opposite way of the light but stopped dead in her track at the sound of her father.

"Baby girl." Her eyes widened.

"Daddy?" She gasped. "Dad, where are you?" She looked around, turning in circles hoping to catch sight of any of them.

"Run, Rho, run!" She jumped back at the frantic shouts of her father when she stepped further into the darkness.

Then the gunshots and the footsteps were back. She inhaled sharply turning on her heels and heading toward the light. She jumped into it and felt herself falling and swirling into an endless abyss of emptiness filled with the voices of her loved ones. Screams, pleas, shooting...and simply voices.