I Truly Hate It Here

Grief (9/16/19)

Dragging myself through the tar-like mud, I push into the unknown through the tall golden grass. The chilling wind causing the blades to bow and goose-flesh to cover my skin. As I crawled forward the mud became thicker, sliding into my mouth, eyes, lungs, and through my shaking fingers. Slowly drowning, but anything is better than what would happen if I stopped moving. As I gasp for breath the smell of gasoline and sugar hangs heavy in the air. The singing is getting louder, with the wind picking up until becomes a torrent of screaming. My legs grow heavy and cold, and soon I'm dragging dead-weight behind me. Their heavy footsteps can be heard with the squelch of mud announcing their growing presence. They walk agonizingly slow, knowing that I can't outrun them. I start to see double as exhaustion invades my senses. I touch my forehead to the earth and close my eyes. I can still hear the singing. Forcing my eyelids open I choke back a strangled scream as I stare at the cold empty face of my little brother. His lips blue and his mouth slack, I can see the black gums and rotting teeth. Maggots fester where the eyes once were, a lifeless hand outstretched pointing north. I feel acidic bile rise in my throat as I crawl past him. Heaving with effort I push myself up onto my hands and knees. Raking my hands through my hair, coating it in mud I keep going.

The strange wind has stopped but the sky has grown darker. Lighting cuts through the sky like a knife and as I look behind me I can see the monstrous silhouette of five people. Linked hand in hand, slowly descending upon me. I scramble madly forward trying to get away from them but my feet keep getting sucked into the mud. The slick, wet earth that seems intent on keeping me trapped in its embrace. As I try to keep going forward the rain starts, no drizzle, no gradual build. It comes down in white sheets, the drops feel like rocks being pelted against me. The mud starts to rise, first up to my elbows, than my neck. I can't stop, anything they do will be far worse than this. Pulling myself forward soon becomes the brown river dragging my body through its currents. I expel the last of my breath from my lungs. Feeling my body sink deeper into the water, the tall blades whipping past me. Suddenly I feel myself free falling through the air. I slowly open my eyes to see that I am falling off the edge of the world into the swirling pools of stardust.