Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there
The four of them laughed, forcing the air from their lungs uncontrollably. Lana, Alphi, Tyler and Arianna sat at their favorite table, at their favorite ice-cream shop just next to the big Starbucks, where they could pick up the faint Wi-Fi signal.
Tyler banged his head on the blue plastic table, only to lift it back up in pain. 'Oww…' he muttered still laughing. Lana was the first to calm down. She picked up a plastic spoon and shoved it into their shared Ben & Jerry's vanilla ice-cream. She lifted it to her mouth, delicately licking the spoon as the flavor settled like fallen snow on her tongue.
'Lana, you've got a little something,' Alphi sniggered, wiping the vanilla mustache with his thumb against her upper lip.
'Hey, what if I wanted to keep that mustache.' Lana teased, pulling out her sleek, black iPhone to check her reflection.
Arianna placed her hands on the table, pulling herself up, out of the booth. 'Ok, I think I've had enough ice-cream for one night.'
'Aww come on how are we supposed to finish all this ice-cream without you,' whined Lana.
'Without us,' Tyler corrected, 'I've got to be going home too.'
Alphi wrapped his hand around Lana's nudging closer to her, 'Great! Then you two can go and walk home together and Lana and I can stay a little longer, together, alone.' He gave them a cheesy smile.
Arianna gave a pleading look to Lana and mouthed 'No.'
'Sorry, but my hands are tied,' she held up her hand enwrapped with Alphi's as proof.
Arianna sighed, 'Ok, come on Tyler.' She made her way over to the store door and pushed it open as the little gold bell tingled above her. Tyler followed after her, shoving his hands in his pocket after her gave an uncaring wave to his brother and Lana.
The walk back was long and silent. They walked briskly through a thick forest as the bright moon in the sky was obscured by the canopy of thick branches. The awkwardness between the two, wrapped itself around them, like a snake coiling its prey. Arianna frequently looked back to Tyler, studding his facial expression with mixed emotion, only to look away when he noticed his audience.
A raven flew through the trunks of the trees with exceptional grace and expertise. Tyler followed the raven with his eyes, before he lost it in amongst the dark leaves. He sighed and turned to continue walking as he was thrown from his feet, with a severe pain spreading across his stomach like plague. He felt the freedom of the raven as he pictured himself soaring past the trees in the dark night.
He woke with a terrible headache and a possibly broken arm. He whinnied as he slowly heaved himself up and gazed around. He was lost, in pain and… and… he had lost Arianna!
'Arianna! Ariannaaaaaa!' he called in desperation. He felt his heart rise to his throat, as he could feel the pump, pump, pump, of adrenaline rush throughout his battered body like a hungry cheetah. The pain no longer mattered. His right arm hung lose as he called, shouted, screamed to his one love. He began to run. Run where? He didn't know, all he knew was that he had to get her back. The trees seemed to move secretly into place, so that he could not get past them.
Tyler ran again in the opposite direction only to be blocked by more trees. They seemed to push against him, in circling him, closing in on him, taking all the light, leaving nothing but darkness. Like wolves upon their prey, they made no mistake of making any possible escape.
He felt a clunk on his head. He blinked clearing his vision, only to see what looked like the leftovers of Arianna's torn head. He screamed backing away into the thick cluster of leaves. Her black hair was messed and blotched in dry blood, her eyes were no longer there. The sweet, grey eyes that looked at him with affection, had been torn from their sockets. Her lips were dark red and her whole face was as white as snow.
He let out another shriek, as the rest of her body fell from the branches above. He could hear sinister hissing and felt cold damp breath along his neck. He turned slowly, feeling terror rise within him. He couldn't see it but he could sense something was there, plus he could smell its rotting flesh.
He backed away, too petrified to take his eyes away. He slipped on Arianna's head and felt a squelching sensation through his boot that made him want to throw up. He fell on his back, gasping and tired. It moved towards him, taking its time. To Tyler's horror, he started to see sharp fingernail marks make their way into his stomach. He screamed again and again but no one was there to save him from his terrible fate. Transfixed, there seemed no end to his pain. The dreadful fingernails had torn right through and scraping upon his spine. He could feel them caressing it and holding it and… snap, BREAKING IT!
He screamed once more, but felt nothing come out, his throat was dry and his body was numb. He could not move his legs and no longer felt his stomach. But he could see it. He stared in vain as the fingernails crawled up past his stomach and through his rib cage to his heart. They squeezed tightly around it, pushing the blood from it. Tyler was light headed and felt himself fade away. His self-conscious drifted from his body to the spirit world as he gazed in wonder at his damaged and pitiful body.
Being in the spirit world, he could now see what it was. It was an endless shadow of darkness that fed on life. Within the darkness were the faces of all its victims. It wasn't long before Tyler saw his own face and Arianna's too. On what seemed to be its head, were two rows of blinding, razor sharp teeth. They tore around at his stomach, gulping at his poor heart whole. He felt his stomach, making sure it was still there. It lifted itself up and stared at him, or at least he thought it was staring at him, it had no eyes. It unclenched its jaw and let out a high pitched screech.
At first, it deafened Tyler, but the noise began to fade away, as he too faded away to an everlasting bank of white. He regarded his surroundings. The clouds of white seemed to whisper his name.
'Tyler… Tyler…' the whisper was loud and clear. It was Arianna's voice whispering. He rotated around on the spot to see Arianna, more radiant than ever. She was bare foot and was wearing a beautiful white gown of silk. Her hair rippled in a non-existing breeze and her eyes sparkled with an angelic glow.
They embraced, holding each other tight. Tyler felt the warmth of her skin and her breath on his neck as he snuggled into her thick hair. They parted , held hands and gazed into each other's eyes. They turned and began to walk the way of the spirit world.
Never Breathing, Never Blinking.
Never Eating, Never Drinking.
Never Sleeping, Never Stopping.
Never Talking, Always Walking.