Short Stories Vol. 1

Rebirth

All I could feel was the cold. The siren ripped through my ears like lightning and struck down upon my head. Only the wet metallic floor held me, the one touch I felt as I re-entered the world. I struggled to open my eyes; the flickering lights felt like a thousand stars gleaming into my awakening retinas. So so cold. I cried out for anyone. A blanket of darkness was wrapped around my head, trying to pull me back to the dark sleep. Shining globes muffled flew around me. My arms shortened, feeling heavier than the gravity keeping me from getting up. I reached and reached yet the glow slipped from me.

I pried my weak eyelids with my long dirty fingernails. A hovering slab of metal, coffin like, stood wear id escaped. Walls appeared in my vision around me; standing was beyond my ability and the ceiling was only above my head. I tried my knees, scraping my hands on the floor to pull myself towards the other side. A small hole opened; the muffled globe appeared behind the corner ahead. I followed. Running my hand on the wall I felt a slime hold me. Like the dead skin of a creature, I could not even fathom. I followed the light, eyes still squinting. Continuing and leaving darkness behind me.

The charcoal womb had spat me out, and freedom filled my lungs. Looking up, my corneas grappled the intense blue sky above me; asphalt rubbed against my kneecaps. A sense of familiarity crept upon me. Stocky brick houses lined both sides of me, identical, like the street I knelt upon was a mirror. The path in front of me seemed endless, an infinite road leading to more of what was.

Ache pained my legs, walking seemed impossible. I attempted to stand first. Almost giving in, I propped myself up. The sun glared upon me. I felt chills upon my back, turning around I saw my shadow. My body was being pulled back to the black mass I'd come from. The split figure of mine pulling me, I stood my ground.

Pushing to walk forward, his hands wrapped around my cut legs. The shadows hands were cold and left me numb. Clenching my jaw I stepped further past the brick houses. Every step was a fight against the pressure to return to where I'd come from. Doors became blurs to me and I'd lost the ability to move my gaze from the road. My legs had driven me to the end of the road. I was unsure if the act of escaping was in favor of something better than what I'd left behind. 

As my vision returned a cul-de-sac appeared to be in front of me. I stopped, stood still, and looked upon the ring of homes. A road entered upon every angle, each with a man upon it and a black shadow crawling behind them. I stared out, deciding whether to continue forward. I took a step, the rest marched with me. We closed in on each other as I entered the center. I could not walk any further, I was just one the many pressed up against each other. My eyes looked upon the men in front of me. Their eyes were bright red, lips cracked, and their stares met mine. I took a deep breath and collapsed. I awoke again lying, grass tickled my raw arms. The blue sky was pretty, a jet flew up above me. I thought it was time to rest.