Hello, everyone!! This is Lightning Strike again! Jeez, it's been forever since I last uploaded something! BUT now I have, and it's weirder than ever! Crimson is a girl who's been plagued by nightmares for the past two years. But, when she's offered the chance to live again without the pain or horrible dreams, she refuses the offer. However, the thing that's been haunting her isn't about to take no for an answer. And when she wakes back up, she's not the same person…she's not even human anymore…
Crimson's eyes slowly slid open. She was curled into a small, tight ball, as she had been when she had fallen asleep, her head resting on her knees, her arms crossed at her middle. There was only one difference between now and the time she had closed her eyes last: She was no longer on the solid ground of the mountains.
A familiar misty darkness had engulfed her, but now a strange shimmering moved within the screen of deep carbon haze. Warily stretching from her rolled position, standing at her 5'4" height, she finally noticed the floating sensation. Running her fingers through her chestnut hair, sweeping her bangs back to reveal the small rosy star on her forehead, she began to tune her ears to any sound within the fog. She didn't have to wait long.
Presently a soft hissing reached her ears. Glittering emerald eyes fixed straight ahead Crimson exhaled, noticing for the first time that she had been holding her breath at all. Again she held the air in her diaphragm, daring not breathe out for fear that she might miss some important noise.
Crimson, a voice hissed softly, so far below a whisper's tone that she almost missed it. Again releasing her breath and drawing in another, she spoke to the shifting silhouettes that danced around her.
"So you decided to spare me the usual suffering of the dream deaths?" she asked. Even to her own ears her voice was soft and distant, the comfort of a human voice absorbed by the murky darkness until all she felt from her speech was the cold indifference of the creature that toyed with her dreams night after endless, horrible night.
A nasal chuckle reached her from one of the numerous shadows. Have I really made your life that miserable? it asked. Crimson could almost hear it sneering at her, and she had to try her hardest to remain expressionless, keeping the scowl off of her face. She nodded solemnly, for once furious at the dream she had repeat over and over in her mind both during the day and as she slept. The snicker slowly became a chilling laugh, a sound that made her shudder involuntarily. After a few eternal minutes the cackling subsided.
If you feel that badly about it, would you rather go back? Do everything over again? Without the pain?
Two jade orbs grew and brightened in the depths of the shadows. Crimson felt her breath become fast, her heart speed up at the prospect her enemy had just shown her.
"To have it all without the pain…" she whispered, the only sound that of the blood rushing through her ears. As she opened her mouth to accept the offer the reality shone through the original joy.
"Wait," she murmured, her chin resting in her right hand, her left hand supporting her right elbow. "That would change everything. You said yourself, once, that my friends were supposed to have different fates than the ones they have. If I did this again, it would revert to the reality you dream of, wouldn't it!?" she cried, her right hand moving to catch the wandering silhouettes around her, fury and fright dominant in her hunter green eyes. Her calm had become a panic as red began to seep through her vision.
So, you choose to decline? The shade asked, its voice coated with sugar as it moved so that Crimson could see its position. Then the hysterical laughter filled the gloom. You're right, you will not know this life again! But don't worry, this should be our last encounter.
As pain flooded her body and carmine smoke clouded her vision, Crimson felt cold metal cupping her chin, forcing her head up. Another piece of icy steel touched her forehead, the star at the center. With a blinding flash she found that her sight was back to normal. The nightmarish creature before her was holding its eyes, snarling in pain.
She could easily make out the Pokémon's figure, an Alakazam. However, by the time her eyes reached where its legs should have been, its body had faded to a wispy haze. A blood red Misdreavus necklace hung around its neck, the largest orb the gold yellow of a Sneasel's jewel. On it's forehead was the tear shaped Sneasel gem, and the tri fingered hands over its eyes had long claw-like nails, clutched in each an Alakazam spoon.
With a roar of fury the strange creature placed both spoons forcefully on Crimson's temples. Immediately the scarlet fog blocked her vision, then all faded to black.
Hence it begins…
Questions? Comments? Please review, and you can drop me a line if you'd like. My E-mail is lightningbeacon@aol.com. Hope to talk with you soon!
