Itch One: Minds Eye
Moments before the massacre of the Unicorn Brigade...
She was running through a giant field of barley. The yellowish stalks towered over her, blocking herview of the moonless night sky. The field was endless. Every turn right, every turn left, she found herself surrounded by the giant yellowish plants. It was a nightmarish cage of soft yellow, and she was trapped inside.
Something was chasing her. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it was very close behind. So close behind, she could literally feel its thick, putrid breath blowing over her neck. She could feel its clammy dead palm brushing against her arms, the sharp-sting of teeth gnashing at the heels of her feet. But even worse, she could feel whatever was chasing her– IT – she could feel IT's need to find her, IT's need to take her…
And so she ran, pumping her ninja legs as fast as she could.
Kasumi was fast, but IT was even faster. She was a trained to be agile, to be quick, but she was only human. She could already feel the tired, dull burning sensation in her chest as she struggled to take in great mouthfuls of air. Her head was spinning, her mouth was parched, and her legs felt as heavy as solid granite.
She was slowing down.
And IT was not.
IT was driven by something supernatural. Something demonic, even. Its legs didn't ache, and its lungs didn't burn from the lack of oxygen. Hell, IT probably didn't have lungs, or legs, and didn't even need air.
Not knowing why, she knew, somewhere deep down, she just knew IT would never stop chasing her. She was going to die and there was not a damn thing she could do about it.
And despite her impending death, she couldn't help but laugh.
She heard the tales from her fellow comrades who had come precariously close to joining the next life. A great tunnel of white light. Faint glimpses of loved ones already on the other side waiting. The entirety of a person's life; memories, successes, regrets, and failures laid out with unflinching clarity and honesty.
The spirits did not gift her with any of those. For Kasumi, there was no white light and no comforting images of loved ones. People who didn't even die in the end were granted the white light. Here she was, truly going to die, and no damn light. She felt absolutely cheated.
Yet as she ran, one regret came unbidden from the back of her mind. A deep rooted regret; a wish, a longing she had long since buried under never truly believed excuses of being too childish and stupid. Or so she thought.
Tir...
And IT suddenly appeared in front of her. IT's mouth opened, and it's black tongue, forged from the darkest and purest steel, shot out and impaled her through the chest.
Then she woke up.