Steps on-stage, and instantly dives for cover as tomatoes, axes and throwing knives cover the scene. Peeks out from behind the curtain and dodges an ill-aimed brick. "Sorry it took so long..." Dodges another brick "...But I have been virtually computer-less..." This time a knife "...For a long time..." Hears the sound of a gun being cocked "...So please forgive me and enjoy the story" Scrambles away as a bullet enters the floor where he stood seconds before.
A certain black-clad vigilante grumbles.
"You shouldn't keep you reviewers waiting like that, byacth"
This chapter can be quite disturbing. Consider yourself warned.
- - - -
She was trapped
Everywhere she looked, vines, grass and trees surrounded her, and every time she looked away, they seemed to move a little closer. Trying to choke her. The heat was sickening, her head pounded, it sounded like someone was using her head as a drum. All sounds were muted, yet, strangely clear.
Her vision distorted, everything began to swirl, her eyes stung with her own sweat.
A tingling sensation. She was being watched. She knew it.
Suddenly, the roots and vines began slithering like grotesque vipers, curling up her legs. She felt the rough texture on her sensitive skin. Up, up, up.
She ran trough the hellish maze of green, the leaves cut her face, she tripped over the evil roots, twisting and bending under her feet. Her heart beat in a manic pace. She was scared. No, terrified.
She saw a light! A smile spread on her grimy face. The exit was just ahead; she sprinted for all she was worth, the jungle became desperate in its attempts at stopping her. But she would not be stopped. Just as her happiness had reached it peak, she slowed down. Why go out?
Suddenly, the gardens of hell seemed much more inviting. The vines caressed her face, and gently leading her back in...
She felt a different kind of happiness now, the wild joy of running through a darkly beautiful jungle. She filled her lungs with the dense air of the jungle, and she felt ecstatic. She was warm, she was happy, she was free.
She saw the light again, and she could make out the silhouette of three persons standing there, as if waiting. One looked adult; the two others were much smaller, like children. They hovered there like spirits, almost pleading her to come to them.
She ignored them, ran straight past them. She was free.
Her feet began slipping, as if the ground was wet, slick with something. She looked down. The muddy ground was all red. Her legs were covered in crimson. The air was stale, filled with the coppery smell of blood, filling her mouth and nose. Now she was scared again. What was this?
She tried to run back into the light, but slimy red vines curled around her body like blood-soaked snakes, covering her in slick red secrete, making her sick.
She franticly clawed at the vines, and in a gush of blood and offal they released her.
Everything was red and black. Where was the light? She ran with all her might, ducking under the slimy arches of red goo hanging down from the dead trees.
She saw it! The light. Her lungs burned and her breath was ragged, but still she ran.
The ground disappeared under her in a swirling red vortex, and she found herself swimming in the stinking blood, pushing her body beyond her limit, fighting the current and trying not to swallow the vile liquid.
She saw the woman in the light hold out her hand. Rogue grabbed it and with a strange ease, the woman pulled her out of the bubbling pool of madness.
She sat down and tried to steady her breath. She was still shaking from the terrible ordeal. She looked at her saviour. The woman stood and looked at her gently, holding her kids in her arms. She was beautiful, and Rogue was filled with a strange feeling. Almost like happiness and sadness at the same time.
Rogue wanted to thank them, but it was if her voice had fled, and she couldn't manage to bring forth a single syllable. The woman put down her children, and the boy, who was merely a toddler, went to her and embraced her, completely ignoring the fact that every inch of her body was covered in blood. Soon the little girl and the woman joined.
And so they sat in their little sanctuary of light, holding each other, seeking refuge from the hell around them.
But hell found them…
Rogue saw the familiar red vines creep soundlessly towards them, leaving a trail of blood on the ground, and she tried to scream…
…yet she couldn't make a sound. The woman and the kids seemed oblivious to the fact that they had bloody vines creeping all around them, despite Rogues attempts to warn them, and she could only watch as the vines first grabbed the toddler.
"Daddy?"
He looked confused. Why were these nasty things here? It felt wrong! They were all over him!!
"DADDY"
"CRACK" The vines snapped together around him, and his fragile bones could be heard splinter under the pressure.
Rogue could only watch in muted horror as they took the girl and tore her completely in half, covering her in the girl's insides, and lastly the vine curled around the woman's neck and squeezed, making her head explode like a melon stuffed with explosives.
She saw red!
Anger sizzled under her skin, boiling her brain and making her entire body tremble with rage.
They killed them! She had fought so hard, she had bled and cried, and they killed them! For no reason!! THEY KILLED THEM!!! WHY!?
Everything became a red blur. It felt like she had been lifted out of her own body. She could no longer feel her pain or exhaustion. Only anger!
The only thing she could her was her own heart beating in an insane pace, blasting blood and adrenaline through her veins in an obscure amount. Fuelling her.
The first vine gave a most satisfying crack as she tore in half with her bare hands, and it writhed and spluttered as in great pain. She wasted no more time. She tore through the forest of blood, shredding the sinewy growths as she went, hurting, maiming, and KILLING! She revelled in the frenzied bloodbath, laughing like mad, gleefully embracing the bloodlust and allowing herself to take delight in the senseless slaughter.
Three pairs of frightened eyes met her. As she clawed a vine asunder, she saw them. The woman and her children, all strangely clean. And they were staring at her, with horror in their eyes. Did they not recognize her? She look a step towards them and they scurried backwards, the woman clutching her children tightly. Rogue looked down herself, and realization hit her. She was drenched in blood. The vomitous layers were so thick it looked like she was made of blood, like she a monster....
A monster....
Monster...
The woman and her children pointed at her...
Monster...
Monster...
- - - -
Rogue woke up screaming.