Excruciating pain pulled me back from the edge of insanity. The hand supporting my head still oozed blood. As I struggled to my feet my legs gave way and I crashed to the floor. Then I remembered…
I was walking home alone from soccer practice, just on dusk, and the streets were deserted, it was only a ten minute walk and mum would have dinner ready. As I turned the corner a dark shadow caught my eye, was that someone standing at the fence?
I looked again, no-one was there, shrugging I continued on trying to ignore the hairs rising on the back of my neck. I stopped at the next driveway and pretended to tie my shoelace so I could secretly look behind me, but the pavement was empty. Feeling stupid I carried on but those little hairs continued to warn me.
There is was again that shadowy something in the corner of my vision. My heart thumped loudly and fear churned my stomach.
"Who's there?" I called out
There was no answer. A cold chill gripped my body and I started to shiver.
Taking a deep breath I told myself to keep walking, of course there was nothing there I was just letting my imagination run wild, but my feet refused to move. The cold intensified. The flickering shadow appeared larger and more menacing.
I looked at my watch but it appeared to have stopped or was time standing still. Sheer panic caused my legs to move and I started to run but the shadow and cold stayed with me.
In desperation I urged myself onwards, as a mysterious fog swirled about me and the darkness descended. My breath came in ragged gasps and an intense pain in my side left me defeated, I stopped.
Suddenly I saw a familiar sight, my old school. Its lights, like a beacon, shimmered through the fog and I stumbled towards it. Frantically I hammered the door with my fist, but no-one answered.
Grasping a nearby rock I shattered the glass panel. Ignoring the jagged shards, I thrust my hand in and unlocked the door. Momentum carried me into the hallway, but the fog and the shadow followed, engulfing me in their chilling darkness.
Terror alone forced me on down the hallway. Blinded by the darkness I fell through an open doorway and my head exploded with pain as I crashed into a row of desks. Dazed and unable to go on I curled into a ball and cradled my head. As the fingers of cold crept over me, I inhaled the icy fog and surrendered to the darkness.
Bright lights burned through my blood incrusted eyelids, and a strong hand shook my shoulder.
"Hello! Hello! Naminè can you hear me?"
"She's got a pulse, she's alive" I heard a voice say.
Slowly I attempted to move towards the sound while excruciating pain pulled me back from the edge of insanity.