Echo

Chapter 20

       Birds chirping, wind rustling; I feel it on my face. The wind, the dew drops, it's calming. Like my soul is finally at peace, like it finally knows where it belongs. Like it's found home.

        I open my eyes and look around. It's a forest. Well, not exactly a forest, but it's all surrounded by trees. I can feel the change in the air it brings along.

        I feel a magnetic pull; like someone calling out to me and follow it through the woods.

       There, ahead of me is the bright light again. Just as the blinding light shines, the chirping of the birds and the rustling of the wind halts.

        Confused, I look around and above to see something falling down. It's still a distance away so I have to squint, but just as I realise what it is, my fight or flight response system kicks in and I run as fast as my legs would take me. A loud thud sounds from where I was just a few moments ago. Must have clashed down. A wall.

        Instead of the sweet voice of the birds, all I can hear now is the sharp 'kaw' of crows. I look up to see hundreds of them flying just above me. I pick up my pace to find shelter beneath some tree but the winds suddenly blow in the opposite direction. Not just winds though; cyclonic winds.

          To help support balance, I wrap my hands around a tree trunk. The winds keep on getting stronger and it's becoming more and more difficult for me to stand my ground. Literally.

         All of a sudden, everything goes dark and I am now surrounded by mirrors. Mirrors everywhere. All I can see is my own reflection.

          I bang on all of them trying to figure a way out, but there doesn't seem to be any.

           Before I can even process it, I'm now on a bridge. A very small bridge with only enough space for a single person to walk at a time. I look over the edge to find water. Clear as diamond glints on the snow, shining, reflecting the sunlight.

           I look around to find an end or a beginning, but nothing. It just goes on and on. All that's visible is water.

            A thundering sound bolts me back but I don't see lightening, infact, it's a clear day with the hot sun shining.

            I take a step forward and now I'm in the forest again, right in front of the bright light.

"Son"

            I look in the direction where the voice came from and am flabbergasted. Uncle Steph. Before I can even ask him what he's talking about, the winds and thunderstorms begin again, only a little calmer this time.

       I lower myself to get a grip and place my hands in front of my eyes.

"Last chance"

         The booming voice echoes, coming from the bright light. Last chance? What's it talking about?

       I start to walk ahead but the light only gets brighter, forcing me to stop and shield my eyes from blinding. The speed of the winds picks up again and the 'kaws' of the crows becomes louder, almost unbearable.

           I now cover my ears to keep the sound away, but it only seems to get louder.

           I don't even know when I did, but I'm now sitting on the ground. I bring my legs up to my chest and try to close my ears harder. What is happening?

"Aaina"

          I hear his voice but it's like he's talking through water. I'd recognise this voice anywhere. Ian.

          I look up and around but he's nowhere to be found. I'm sure that I heard him though. Where is he?

          Before I could call out to him, everything went black. Like someone just turned it all off and now there's nothing but darkness. Like always, blackness.