Post by Lady Nightmay Eimair on Oct 29, 2005 20:04:32 GMT -5
This is something I wrote for a writing contest on another website... It had to follow the theme: Heading into danger... It's not really that creepy, though. Just kinda abstract. A lot of my short stories/prose are, since everything I write that has a plot takes several pages. Well... Enjoy!
~*~
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
Those were the words that crackled loudly from a little radio she carried in her hand. It was small, black, and portable, buzzing slightly in her fingers. There were no knobs, no buttons; nothing on it indicated that the maker had wanted the user to be able to control what came out of it. Nothing at all.
How had she come here?
The question rose to mind as she stared at the dusty road and the trees that were on either side in lines as straight as if they had been made with a ruler. Curling roots protruded from the ground, twining along each other and leaving a gnarled surface along the edges of the road. They did not touch the path, however, almost as if they didn’t dare. Green leaves fell like emeralds, vivid bursts of color in the fading sunlight, only to land on the ground and be swept along by the dusty wind, turning over and over across the dirt until they had turned as colorless and grey as ash. She stared blankly at those for a moment, and then decided they didn’t concern her.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise. Walk forward and keep walking. Don’t linger.
Those last seven words were supposed to guide her to safety? Better than nothing, she supposed. At least it was easy. She couldn’t get walking forward wrong, even if she wanted to. And besides, it wasn’t as if she were going to be walking backwards. The trees’ roots easily cut off the edges of the path, a twisted gate blocking the route to either side. The voice had also said not to linger. So forward it was.
Her steps made small sandstorms of grey dust and ash, twirling lazily around her ankles. Though the path was devoid of stones, she was glad to be wearing shoes… No. Wait.
She wasn’t wearing shoes. She could’ve sworn that she’d had some before she had gotten here. And how had she gotten here anyway? Strange, funny even, but she didn’t remember. She hadn’t grown up here. She hadn’t even been born here. Yet she was here now, as if she had opened her eyes, and seen the impeccably placed rows of trees and the long, winding path stretching out infinitely before her.
Don’t linger, the radio-voice repeated, its tone growing soothing. Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took another step. Nothing happened. She cracked one eye open. The sky hadn’t fallen down about her ears yet, so it seemed safe enough. Her bare feet moved across the beaten dirt path as she continued walking.
The sun was setting, brilliant rays of golden light arching across the sky. Like soft rose petals, pink clouds clung against the horizon, daring to touch the fiercely bright sun. Dusk would fall soon, and then the road would be dark. She would be unable to see the emerald leaves falling like sparks of life to dwindle into nothing on the dusty ground. The row of trees would fade to but a memory, their snaking, twisting roots only the quietest trace of darkness lingering in the back of her mind.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise, the radio crackled out more words, thick with static, yet still recognizable to her.
She started to run, her feet pounding over the dirt path, scattering leaves in her wake. As they rose, they rose with their former, emerald glory of colors, yet even then they would fall, a trail of fluttering, falling green against the orange-gold of the setting sun, and, as they touched the ground, they would fade to grey once more, their beauty ebbing away like life.
But she took no notice of this; she ran forward, her sight focused only upon the path ahead. Her breath came in short gasps now, her lungs straining, desperate for the air they needed. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t continue. She couldn’t keep pushing herself. It was impossible! She couldn’t do it!
Yet she kept running, fueled by fear. It felt as if something was uncoiling in the back of her mind- or was it behind her? No time to check. Just keep running; if she was lucky, maybe she’d be able to outrun it.
The leaves rustled and trembled, spun along the path by her passing, stirred by her fear. It was coming; even the leaves could sense it. She just didn’t know what it was.
She couldn’t waste her breath, but if she could, she would have screamed in terror.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
The scream was bitten back, tumbling back through her throat as a wave of calm spread through her. As the words emanated from the radio, she felt her fears wash away, and the twisting, uncurling darkness that seemed to have grown behind her, faded back into nothing. Calm grew in its wake, and she stopped as quickly as she had started, almost falling to her knees, breathing deeply and heavily; her lungs were grateful for the air.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
She started walking again, ignoring the protests from her feet. The sun had almost set. Though her moment of terror had gotten her much further along the road than she would’ve reached by walking, it wasn’t far enough yet. She would reach the end of this pathway come nightfall, she was sure of it.
A smile grew upon a face, though it was not her face. It was another’s. A face of one who was further back along the path. One who’s smile was not intended to show kindness, though cold, quiet laughter emerged from that smile. One who held a radio in their hands. One who was patient, who could wait. After all, no matter how quickly she ran, how far she went, this one would follow until the end of time- until this one reached her. This one smiled, speaking again, into the radio, repeating the same words that had been repeated again and again.
The radio crackled again on her end: Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
If she had known what would lie ahead- and behind- she would have run again. She would have run until she could run no more, her mind petrified with fear. But she did not know. The words were comforting in her mind, and she continued walking into the diminishing sunset, her outline cast in ebony, her shadow black upon a rosy golden field of sunset. She walked forward, oblivious to her own fate, though her fate had been told to her since the first message she had received from the radio.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
~*~
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
Those were the words that crackled loudly from a little radio she carried in her hand. It was small, black, and portable, buzzing slightly in her fingers. There were no knobs, no buttons; nothing on it indicated that the maker had wanted the user to be able to control what came out of it. Nothing at all.
How had she come here?
The question rose to mind as she stared at the dusty road and the trees that were on either side in lines as straight as if they had been made with a ruler. Curling roots protruded from the ground, twining along each other and leaving a gnarled surface along the edges of the road. They did not touch the path, however, almost as if they didn’t dare. Green leaves fell like emeralds, vivid bursts of color in the fading sunlight, only to land on the ground and be swept along by the dusty wind, turning over and over across the dirt until they had turned as colorless and grey as ash. She stared blankly at those for a moment, and then decided they didn’t concern her.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise. Walk forward and keep walking. Don’t linger.
Those last seven words were supposed to guide her to safety? Better than nothing, she supposed. At least it was easy. She couldn’t get walking forward wrong, even if she wanted to. And besides, it wasn’t as if she were going to be walking backwards. The trees’ roots easily cut off the edges of the path, a twisted gate blocking the route to either side. The voice had also said not to linger. So forward it was.
Her steps made small sandstorms of grey dust and ash, twirling lazily around her ankles. Though the path was devoid of stones, she was glad to be wearing shoes… No. Wait.
She wasn’t wearing shoes. She could’ve sworn that she’d had some before she had gotten here. And how had she gotten here anyway? Strange, funny even, but she didn’t remember. She hadn’t grown up here. She hadn’t even been born here. Yet she was here now, as if she had opened her eyes, and seen the impeccably placed rows of trees and the long, winding path stretching out infinitely before her.
Don’t linger, the radio-voice repeated, its tone growing soothing. Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took another step. Nothing happened. She cracked one eye open. The sky hadn’t fallen down about her ears yet, so it seemed safe enough. Her bare feet moved across the beaten dirt path as she continued walking.
The sun was setting, brilliant rays of golden light arching across the sky. Like soft rose petals, pink clouds clung against the horizon, daring to touch the fiercely bright sun. Dusk would fall soon, and then the road would be dark. She would be unable to see the emerald leaves falling like sparks of life to dwindle into nothing on the dusty ground. The row of trees would fade to but a memory, their snaking, twisting roots only the quietest trace of darkness lingering in the back of her mind.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise, the radio crackled out more words, thick with static, yet still recognizable to her.
She started to run, her feet pounding over the dirt path, scattering leaves in her wake. As they rose, they rose with their former, emerald glory of colors, yet even then they would fall, a trail of fluttering, falling green against the orange-gold of the setting sun, and, as they touched the ground, they would fade to grey once more, their beauty ebbing away like life.
But she took no notice of this; she ran forward, her sight focused only upon the path ahead. Her breath came in short gasps now, her lungs straining, desperate for the air they needed. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t continue. She couldn’t keep pushing herself. It was impossible! She couldn’t do it!
Yet she kept running, fueled by fear. It felt as if something was uncoiling in the back of her mind- or was it behind her? No time to check. Just keep running; if she was lucky, maybe she’d be able to outrun it.
The leaves rustled and trembled, spun along the path by her passing, stirred by her fear. It was coming; even the leaves could sense it. She just didn’t know what it was.
She couldn’t waste her breath, but if she could, she would have screamed in terror.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
The scream was bitten back, tumbling back through her throat as a wave of calm spread through her. As the words emanated from the radio, she felt her fears wash away, and the twisting, uncurling darkness that seemed to have grown behind her, faded back into nothing. Calm grew in its wake, and she stopped as quickly as she had started, almost falling to her knees, breathing deeply and heavily; her lungs were grateful for the air.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
She started walking again, ignoring the protests from her feet. The sun had almost set. Though her moment of terror had gotten her much further along the road than she would’ve reached by walking, it wasn’t far enough yet. She would reach the end of this pathway come nightfall, she was sure of it.
A smile grew upon a face, though it was not her face. It was another’s. A face of one who was further back along the path. One who’s smile was not intended to show kindness, though cold, quiet laughter emerged from that smile. One who held a radio in their hands. One who was patient, who could wait. After all, no matter how quickly she ran, how far she went, this one would follow until the end of time- until this one reached her. This one smiled, speaking again, into the radio, repeating the same words that had been repeated again and again.
The radio crackled again on her end: Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.
If she had known what would lie ahead- and behind- she would have run again. She would have run until she could run no more, her mind petrified with fear. But she did not know. The words were comforting in her mind, and she continued walking into the diminishing sunset, her outline cast in ebony, her shadow black upon a rosy golden field of sunset. She walked forward, oblivious to her own fate, though her fate had been told to her since the first message she had received from the radio.
Don’t be afraid. Everything is going to be all right… After all, I promised, didn’t I? There is nothing to fear. However things go from this point, no matter what you see, it’s going to be all right; I promise.