Falling In the Black

by Cheshire's Catalyst

The InkySquib magazine creator I think he's the creator asked me to write something for his fourth issue, Haunted. So I made this. It took forever just to make up a permanent idea in my head and to put it on paper.

-Falling In the Black-

{Chapter One}

Seconds pass, but it feels like hours. Something cold presses against my bare arms, leaving an icy touch behind.

My nails dig into the surrounding wall, expecting ice or water. But my hand makes contact with something else. Dirt. Dirt and rocks.
Suddenly the darkness was broken. Light streams in, blinding me. Voices shatter the silence, voices of happiness and hope.

Something grabs my arm, and I'm immediately pulled out of my grave. My breath returns as I fall to the ground. People surround me, all smiling in my direction.

I dig my fingers into the ground, tears spilling down the sides of my face.
Someone hugs me, but I ignore them. The dirt turns into mud as rain starts to fall. I feel myself being lifted off the ground and carried away.

The voices cease, but I still hear something in my head. "Kara, are you alright?" The person carrying me asks. I don't answer. I couldn't answer. My voice has been stolen. He doesn't ask again.

"Can you tell us what happened, Miss Aiden?"

My eyes lift towards the tall, thin man sitting across from me. He stares at me from behind horn-rimmed glasses. I shift in my seat, deathly silent.

The man writes something down on his clipboard and asks the question again. I still won't answer. He becomes frustrated and stands up.
The door behind me opens and he leaves. Another man steps inside, smiling. I lean back, a sigh slowly escaping my lips.

"Hello, Kara. How are you?" He doesn't sound fake.

He sounds like he actually cares. I shrug as a strange sense of protection enters the room. He takes another chair off the wall and sits next to me.

"I want you to know that I'm not going to just sit here and write down things on a clipboard."
I stare at him. His eyes remind me of the morning sky, breaking away the night. A smile drifts across his face, leaving small lines around his mouth.

"Now, do you want to tell me what happened?" I saw a look in his eyes. Hope. I nod as a quick answer. And soon the words spill onto the metal table.

{Chapter Two}

I see them. I hear them. They follow me everywhere I go. They're like my shadow, waiting to be set free. I can feel them watching my every move.

I couldn't stop them from hurting people. I couldn't stop them from hurting the people closest to me.

I took a step into the empty corridor, a camcorder in my hands. Dust drifted into the musty air and out the open windows.

Cells cut into each wall, all empty and rusting. I could hear my heart beating against my chest. The camera beeped as I continued to walk down the hallway.

Something hits the floor, and I turn. A shadow darts across the walls. An unknown fear drifts into my eyes as I step forward.
"Who's there?" My voice cracks when a door slams shut.

A click follows, signaling that it has been locked. Oh no. This cannot be good. I swallow air and step forward. The I freeze. Something behind me moves, but I don't turn.

I don't want to see whoever, or whatever, it is. An overwhelming sense of being watched washes over me, sending a chill down my spine. 'Just calm down, Kara.' I think, but it doesn't help.
I turn my head and turn to stone. Standing only a few feet away is a tall, powerful shadow. Its ghost white eyes watch, as if I am its prey. Oh, crap.

The camcorder falls from my grip before I take off running. The farther I ran, the more the temperature drops. Goose pimples appear on my arms, and my breath turns to fog. Just keep running. Don't look back. Don't turn around.
Right as I arrive at the door, something grabs my arms and pushes me against the door. My eyes slam shut out of fear and not wanting to see this...beast.

But it wasn't just a beast. It was much more. So much more. I could feel its grip, but it doesn't feel human. That could only mean one thing. This thing wasn't alive, it wasn't a solid being. This has just gone from bad to worse. Great.
Suddenly it stops. I open my eyes to find the ghost is gone, leaving only a snow like ash to fall from the open roof. My hand reaches for the door, but I don't look away from the dark hallway.
As I leave, one thing enters my mind: Something that powerful wouldn't just disappear. This will not be the last time I see this spirit.

The man watches me. He's still smiling. "How did you know that this beast was-"It wasn't a beast. It was a ghost," My voice returns, but it's quiet.

He nods and wipes his hands against his coat. "How did you know that this spirit was going to appear again?"He asks.

I knew the other doctors were watching this, but I didn't care. Let them watch. Let them see. Let them see the truth.
I let a grin split across my face. The air shifts, and the man shivers. "Wow, I've never realized how cold it could get in here,"

He chuckled before pulling at his crisp coat. I cross my arms over my chest. "So, how did you end up, um, burying yourself?" The smile doesn't fade from my face.

{Chapter Three}

It's been almost two weeks since the whole haunted jail thing. No one has asked me what happened there, but I could tell they want to know.

Nothing feels different, except how sick I've been getting. My doctor says that I probably just ate something bad. I don't really know.

I replay the video over and over, but nothing was caught. Nothing interesting, that is. My boxer, Maxx, lifts her head in my direction.

I chew on my bottom lip and sigh. "Looks like nothing'," I mutter. She tilts her head as I stand. "They wouldn't believe me anyways," My shoulders lift as I walk into the kitchenette.

Yeah, it was small, but I loved my apartment. At least the landlord allows pets.
Maxx follows me to the sink. I grin and turn the silver knob. "Y'know, boss wants me to scope out the graveyard," The dog stares at me with her wide, green eyes and barks.

I scratch the back of her ear before lifting my head towards the mirror. Suddenly, I'm on the floor, gasping for breath. Maxx is growling as if someone has broken into the apartment.

Did I just see someone in that mirror? No, that's impossible. I lift myself to my feet and groan at the sharp pain in my leg.
A second look into the mirror shows nothing but a scared and shocked woman. I let a nervous laugh and shrug once more. "Eh, just my overactive imagination. Right, Maxx?" She only barks.

"So, you saw that ghost in your mirror?" He asks. I bow my head, my face an emotionless mask.

The man shifts in his seat and grins. "Did you go to the graveyard?" My eyes just move towards the black corners in this small room.

{Chapter Four}

A fog drifted into the graveyard as I walk past each tombstone. Harsh winds wrap around me like a blanket. The moon was high, its glow almost blinding. An animal howls to the sky, calling to its family. I clutch a small camcorder in my hand. Rock music blares through the neon green headphones around my neck, matching my heartbeat. Fall leaves crunch beneath my feet, mimicking the sound of breaking bones. "I can't believe my boss wants me to walk through here!" Of course, I just had to work for a paranormal investigator. I hear a branch snap, making me turn. A rat scuttles across the rocky path in search for food. My eyes close as a sigh escapes my lips. 'Just a stupid rat. Don't be so weak, Kara.' Crows fly overhead, their beady black eyes focused on me.

'Kara...'

I stop. What was that? My hands start to shake. I gulp down the cold air around me and slowly start to walk again.

Another sound breaks the silence, and I realize it's my cell phone. The glowing called ID reads 'Big Boss.' "Yeah?"

My eyes scope out the landscape, seeing only tombstones and dying willow trees. A heavy mist floats above the ground, drawing in an eerie feeling.

"You see anything?" Big Boss asks, hope filling his gruff voice. I respond with a quick 'no,' and he ends the call. How many times is go-

'Kara, come here...'

My heart stops. I look around, but see no living being. "Who's there?" The same feeling I got at the jail returns once more.

Suddenly, a jacket isn't enough to keep out the cold. Great. Just stay calm, Kara. I shake off the feeling and rush forward.

'Kara, come this way...'

Where am I moving towards? A single tombstone comes into view. It's taller then most and even more extravagant.

Black roses wrap around its base, leaving a deadly shield of thorns. A rough crown is engraved into the very top, surrounded by a strangely shaped oval.

Royal 'guards' are placed around it for protection. I lean closer, only to find a single name visible beneath the filth. A-I-D-E-N. Wait a minute. My fingers brush against the tombstone, pushing away dust.

Alexander Aiden.

I've heard that name before, but where? Suddenly, I hear my grandfather's voice telling me a story of a king. King Alexander Aiden, the second king that belonged to our family tree.

Something sparks within me, and I hit the ground. A solid groan echoes throughout the area as a pair of ghost white eyes stare at me from behind the grave. That cannot be good. I slide across the dirt, but it moves closer.

'Kara...come to me,'

I violently shake my head and frown. Don't listen to it. Don't look at it. My nails dig into a rock causing a sharp pain to vibrate into my hand.

I glance down to see a claw like hand pulling my wrist into the ground. A scream rings out, and I realize it's my own. A phone rings nearby, but it's to far to reach. I still try for it but fail.

'Kara, don't even try to call for help...'

I struggle to pull from the tight grip as it digs deeper. Scarlet blood drips down my arm, soaking the ground. "What do you want?"

The spirit moves closer, its strong presence was overwhelming. The heavy stench of death and maggots fill the air.

'Kara...you will help me,' It wasn't a request.

I shake my head once more, fear welling up in my eyes. The spirit wasn't so happy about my response.

I suddenly find myself pinned against the tombstone, blood dripping from my slightly open mouth. I gasp for air as it escapes my lungs.

"N-no!" I manage to say. Its grip on my arms become bone breaking. A snap enters my ears, sending a vibration of pain down my arm.

'You will help me!'

It screams. I keep my eyes close, but I feel how close the ghost has become. Cold metal presses against my neck, almost breaking skin. My hands claw at the grave, breaking nails in the process.

I could taste metal filling my mouth. "S-stop!" My voice falls into silence as the pressure increases. I reach for a broken off branch, my fingers nearly touching the wood. C'mon, reach! Somehow the ghost doesn't notice.

I push my arm to reach farther, this time grabbing the branch. At the moment my foot breaks through the air, causing the ghost to stumble back. I tighten my grip on the weapon and turn to face empty air.
I take a few cautious steps forward, just as something latches around my ankle, jerking me to the ground. My head makes contact with a large stone, close to breaking consciousness.

I turn to see a large shadow clutching my ankle, dragging me across the ground. Rocks and sticks dig into my back, drawing in more pain.
Then, I'm falling. I know where I have entered just by the sudden cold that wraps around me. The shadow stands above the open ground, clutching a shovel in its hands.

'If you will not help me, then I'll have to do this myself...'

Dirt is thrown into the grave, increasing the cold feeling. I reach for the edge but end up fallling back once more. Air is slowly escaping into the sky.

I struggle to escape, but the ghost won't allow it. Each ounce of dirt applies more pressure to my chest. I can feel more and more pain building up.

As more of the grave is filled, I found myself drifting closer to death. "Help!" I scream, but no one comes.

'There is no one to help you, Kara! No one to save you!'

Suddenly, I fall into the arms of Darkness.

{Chapter Five}

"So, the ghost buried you?" The man questions, confusion masking his unshaven face. I nod but don't look at him. My eyes are focus

ing in on the two-way mirror nearby. They're still watching. I can see them, but they don't realize this. The man leans forward, his eyes concentrating on my far away expression. "How could it bury you? It's just a ghost," My head shakes.
"It isn't just a ghost," I say, but it is directed towards the men behind the glass. I notice that my breath as slowly died down, leaving nothing but empty air. "It is a lot more," He says nothing.
That's when the blood starts to fall. At first, it only appears beneath his nose. The man wipes it away and continues his questions. I watch his head shake as blood drips down from his mouth.

Fear shows up on his face as more blood is drawn. "What's wrong, doctor?" I as in a teasing tone.
His bloodshot eyes dart towards my relaxed position. He screams, near shattering my ear drum. I stand. The door is rattling but does not open. My hands press against the metallic table as I lean forward.

"What's wrong, doctor? Do you need help?" He falls to the ground, color draining from his already pale face. I step closer and smile from ear-to-ear. He watches me as his life is slowly sucked out of his body.
I lift my head towards the glass and freeze. My hand reaches towards the mirror, making contact with my reflection. But what I see isn't normal.

All I see is a cloak of darkness and ghost white eyes watching me. The door bursts open, allowing the men to enter.

"Kill her!" One points in my direction, but I don't move from my spot. Bullets are fired, but they never reach the shield that surrounds my being. A laugh ripples through the air as I step back.

'Kara...'

I turn my head towards the mirror once more. A woman stares back at me with sea foam green eyes. I step closer and just watch.

'Don't listen...'

The woman's voice drifts into the background, leaving only a painful silence.

'Please...'

Suddenly, I smash my fist against the mirror, shattering it. Shards of glass clatter against the tile floor, breaking even more. Black blood drips from my split knuckles and onto the glass.
The men lay there, wrapped in cloaks of Death. I walk towards the door, almost dead myself. I feel empty, broken. It feels as if someone has ripped out my soul and threw it across the world. I stumble out of the building and fall.
I lay there, eyes fluttering, as a white blanket of snows falls from the ash filled sky. The ghost hovers over me, frowning. It mouths something, but I don't understand. It drifts away from me, and disappears into the shadows.

I lie there, motionless and shattered. The voice has gone, but my soul is not returned. The ghost's moving lips drift back into view. Its silent voice fills my ears. I close my eyes, allowing my spirit to be released.

'I'm sorry...'