Status: completed short story.
Keep looking...
1/1
She turned away from the harsh wind as it whipped up her charcoal hair, swirling it around her head and making it even messier than before. Cobalt irises stung with salty tears as the air bit into her pupils, making her mouth form a tight line of annoyance. The too-early morning sun was rising above the cobbled streets, outshining a small collection of stars that remained, lighting the sky with colours and clouds. It illuminated her as she surged forward, as though being pulled by an invisible force. Dainty birds with puffed out chests and russet feathers that glimmered like silk chirped in the branches of decaying trees on the outskirts of the tiny village, acting as an alarm clock for the villagers were still buried under warm duvets.
Air whistled through cracks in the tree bark as she stumbled through the thicket, making her way into the darkened forest. The excess water that had collected in her eyes dried up, leaving an unseen trail of fallen tears that had rolled down her carefully carved cheekbones and down into the curve of her neck. Her parted mouth sucked in the chilled air, her throat curving delicately as she inhaled and exhaled now-warm breaths. They turned to mist as they mingled with the atmosphere, spiraling upwards in tendrils of smoky particles.
She thundered through the crowds of trees, crunching leaves and twigs underneath her heavy footsteps as she quickened her pace. Quicker and quicker and quicker, until she was running. Her breath came out in short, loud gasps and she thought her heart was thudding so loudly that the creatures of the forest might hear it. Kaleidoscope lights danced before her eyes as her head swam from lack of oxygen; the teal veins in her hands jutted out and pulsed with flowing blood.
Run, it whispered. Run as fast as you can.
The voice inside her head was spurring her on. Whispering in her ear, such dirty words. Kiss her, hit her, hold her, scream at her... scream for her.It was always there, whispering to her, coaxing her, inserting ideas into her brain that weren't there before. It made her leave her cosy bed this morning, it made her grab the knife as she hurtled through the living room, it was telling her to run faster. Come and meet me by the lake, hurry... Run faster, come on.
The tops of the trees blocked out the sunrays that desperately wanted to beam down to the dying blades of grass beneath her feet. She slowed down to catch her breath, her heart still pumping tired beneath layers of skin and bone, muscles and tendons. Her breathing was the only sound she could hear in the vast forest, piercing her eardrums with each gasp and echoing as they reverberated around her. The soft pad of her feet slapping against the grounds soon accompanied her breaths, and she jumped when she heard a sharp crack from behind.
Keep moving, it muttered. You're almost there.
She came to a halt at the lake, admiring the willow trees that surrounded it. The branches twisted around each other as they dipped and disappeared into the murky water. Impulsively, by habit, and perhaps almost subconsciously, she drew the knife and polluted the already dirt lake water with a deep crimson of her own. A solitary swam skimmed the top of the water, sending gentle laps to the edge of the lake, and the air still hummed with the throb of tiny morning transparent wings. She edged closer to the water until her knees were almost submerged, staring at the lone swan as though it would produce some sort of an answer as to why she was there. Look into the lake, it breathed in her ear. You'll see.
She leant over reluctantly, forcing herself to look down, only seeing her pale reflection staring balefully back.
Air whistled through cracks in the tree bark as she stumbled through the thicket, making her way into the darkened forest. The excess water that had collected in her eyes dried up, leaving an unseen trail of fallen tears that had rolled down her carefully carved cheekbones and down into the curve of her neck. Her parted mouth sucked in the chilled air, her throat curving delicately as she inhaled and exhaled now-warm breaths. They turned to mist as they mingled with the atmosphere, spiraling upwards in tendrils of smoky particles.
She thundered through the crowds of trees, crunching leaves and twigs underneath her heavy footsteps as she quickened her pace. Quicker and quicker and quicker, until she was running. Her breath came out in short, loud gasps and she thought her heart was thudding so loudly that the creatures of the forest might hear it. Kaleidoscope lights danced before her eyes as her head swam from lack of oxygen; the teal veins in her hands jutted out and pulsed with flowing blood.
Run, it whispered. Run as fast as you can.
The voice inside her head was spurring her on. Whispering in her ear, such dirty words. Kiss her, hit her, hold her, scream at her... scream for her.It was always there, whispering to her, coaxing her, inserting ideas into her brain that weren't there before. It made her leave her cosy bed this morning, it made her grab the knife as she hurtled through the living room, it was telling her to run faster. Come and meet me by the lake, hurry... Run faster, come on.
The tops of the trees blocked out the sunrays that desperately wanted to beam down to the dying blades of grass beneath her feet. She slowed down to catch her breath, her heart still pumping tired beneath layers of skin and bone, muscles and tendons. Her breathing was the only sound she could hear in the vast forest, piercing her eardrums with each gasp and echoing as they reverberated around her. The soft pad of her feet slapping against the grounds soon accompanied her breaths, and she jumped when she heard a sharp crack from behind.
Keep moving, it muttered. You're almost there.
She came to a halt at the lake, admiring the willow trees that surrounded it. The branches twisted around each other as they dipped and disappeared into the murky water. Impulsively, by habit, and perhaps almost subconsciously, she drew the knife and polluted the already dirt lake water with a deep crimson of her own. A solitary swam skimmed the top of the water, sending gentle laps to the edge of the lake, and the air still hummed with the throb of tiny morning transparent wings. She edged closer to the water until her knees were almost submerged, staring at the lone swan as though it would produce some sort of an answer as to why she was there. Look into the lake, it breathed in her ear. You'll see.
She leant over reluctantly, forcing herself to look down, only seeing her pale reflection staring balefully back.
♠ ♠ ♠
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