Chapter 7:
Aria POV:
Everything felt hazy and distant, like a dream. To me, it felt like a nightmare. I didn't know where I was going. I could barely remember myself as I was marched through the surrounding darkness. Everything felt surreal. Impossible. I was heading towards the unknown, and I wasn't even moving. It felt like someone else had barged inside of me and taken over. It felt like I wasn't in control of my own body. I could feel an evil and dangerous presence inside of me. And that was when I knew I was possessed.
As I sleepily trudged through my mysterious surroundings, I tried to move. I tried to escape. But it was no use. My hands barely twitched as I tried to hold them up with as much force as I could. My legs continued to move one in front of the other automatically. I couldn't even speak. Not even a yelp escaped my lips as I tried to yell as loud as I could. The only thing I had control over was my eyes. Therefore, I could see everything.
I knew I was in the woods, and that it was dark. Too dark. No stars filled the sky and the moon only gave off a slight eerie glow. I could feel branches scratch against my skin and tear away flesh, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The unmistakable smell of damp and moss flared my nostrils. All I could hear was the snapping of twigs and the crunching of leaves. In the distance, I could see the faint outline of a house. As I emerged towards the distance, my breath caught in my throat. Panic started to fill me mind. Because I now knew where I was, and I wanted to be anywhere else but here. I was heading towards Cimmeria.
Cimmeria loomed over me, and I had to strain my eyes to see the disintegrating turrets that stood watching over the deep, dark woods. By now, I had given up trying to escape the evil clutches of the haunted spirit, and was grudgingly stood on Cimmeria's crumbling front steps. Mechanically, my hand reached out to touch the rusty doorknob, as slow as a snail. Seconds later, my numb hand closed around the foggy doorknob. My hand heaved open the heavy door. I heard a satisfying click as the ancient door creaked open on its rusty hinges. A loud thud echoed through the night as the door collided with the weak wall. Before I knew what was happening, my aching feet marched my inside the mystical house. And then everything went dark and I could no longer see.
Dark. It was so dark. Frantically, my eyes darted around the chilly room; hoping that they would fine light. But they never did. I was alone with my anxious thoughts- and of course the secretive and strange spirit. It was then that I really started to panic. It was then that I realised the devastating thought that no one would come and rescue me. Or so I thought.
All of a sudden, an unexpected and noisy yell filled the air. After that, the door smacked hard against the wall. Light appeared inside and blinded me. Freezing air gushed inside and slapped me in the face. Violently shaking, I scanned the doorway for my saviours. Even with the blinding light of a dozen flashlights, I struggled to make out the shadows looming in the doorway. From what I could tell, they looked frightened and nervous. I could finally identify them as a teenage boy and girl; with a man and women behind them, holding a little girl close to them. I tugged at my memory- trying to find out who they were- however it was no use. I could hardly remember anything. Or anyone.
Eventually, after minutes of frantically trying to remember my heroes, I let my mind rest. All of the mysterious figures were gradually edging closer to me. I seemed to be able to see everything in slow-motion. I could feel the immense and sharp pain flow through my tired body. The aching in my legs turned to strong pain. I was wildly shaking; even though I wasn't cold. Sweat dripped of my hands and face, and I thought I felt my blood boil. My memories all came flooding back to me all at once. I could remember everything. It felt like I was being released and was free. Suddenly, all the pain immediately stopped and I saw glowing red smoke come gushing out of my mouth. Energy drained from my body and I felt weak and faint. My vision swam and everything looked blurry and disorientated. My legs gave way under me and I fell crashing to the dirty floor. My head smacked the hard floor and darkness engulfed me.