Short Stories

Eternity with Death

The area surrounding me was in a dimmed light, things in the further darkness sticking out like black shapes against a gray canvas. I felt... lost but at home at the same time. I didn't understand what was going on or how I had gotten there. My skin prickled as if someone had been watching me for a long time. I spun around in different turns and such, but nothing was there. No one was there. I was alone; completely and utterly alone. That feeling I was used to. But as quick as the feeling started to grow, it disappeared. The feeling of being alone and lost washed away from me. Peace was the only thing I felt.

My body leaned back and I landed on something soft, something similar to a bed. I stared up into the darkness, trying to remember what I was doing there. What was my life? Who was I? I couldn't remember even basic things as I lied there, tears gathering in my eyes for some unknown reason. My body must know what happened, but my mind was foggy and relaxed. I could only think about the darkness.

Footsteps caused me to rise up from the bed, searching frantically around the darkness to see what made the sound. Nothing. There was nothing there and I could only feel at peace. Why? Why did I feel at peace? I wanted to feel anything else, anything! I was not at peace, I was somewhere I didn't know. I was in a place that was so dimly lit, I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't remember who I was and I feared the worst. But I couldn't fear, only feel peace. But I thought about it in a calm way.

"Do you accept?" A raspy voice echoed through the shadows. I turned, seeing no one. I tried to speak, but something kept me from it. Who was there? Was I truly not alone? "Do you accept?"

Accept what? I remembered nothing, no one, and not even myself. What could the question possibly mean? As if my question was answered, the voice spoke once again.

"Do you want your memories back?" I was shocked, but I didn't feel shocked. My memories? Could this voice tell me what happened and who I was? My body moved on its own, walking into the shadows. Where was I going? "I see..."

My body kept walking until I saw a pool of water. Not a big one, but quite small. My body kept walking, my left foot going into the water. It didn't stop and the rest of my body went with it. Through the water, I drifted down, not feeling any need for oxygen. Was this it? The end of my life?

It was not. Whatever was happening had stopped. I was there, in the water, not breathing and floating in one spot. Light flashed around me within the water and small ovals of light appeared. I looked into them, seeing a woman. Then, I realized it. That woman was me, young and hopeful. She or rather I was a small child, looking around for frogs. I remembered that day, the day I saw my friend get hit by a bus. He was chasing after a squirrel and our parents were inside. It was too late before they ran out. They saw him all bloodied and bones sticking out from his body. He wasn't alive and my parents tried to shield my eyes. But I saw. I saw it all and I didn't know that would be the first of many.

In another light oval, I was sitting in front of my mirror. Tears rolling down my cheeks. I was in my 30's, cutting my hair as a tribute to my lost husband. He had been drowned by a gang in the city. I only learned of his death on the news. I was never the same after that. The light oval next to this one was of my best friend, laying bloody on the ground. Her wrists had been slit and I knew she couldn't handle the pressure of life anymore. At least I had someone to talk to: my husband.

I looked through more and more ovals, seeing the death and madness of my life. The last oval, the one with my child, was the worst. My child had asked for help with a problem at school but I was too busy to care. I was trying to pay the bills. The next day, the school contacted me and told me my child was in the hospital. A kid had smashed his head with a baseball bat in order to kill him. I've never felt such anger and sadness in my life. I visited him everyday in the hospital, praying he would survive. When he died, I was lost, alone, and utterly depressed.

For hours I spent looking for ways to cope. I found an article on where you could talk with people. I found a single person to talk to: LifeIsPrecious. They were kind and understanding. I told them everything. Then, they asked me if I was willing to do anything to bring them back. I, ridden with grief, agreed. They told me how to do it, that I had to use a sacrifice. I became a monster so I could bring my child back. LifeIsPrecious told me I could only bring one back.

He was back, but he wasn't the same. It wasn't my child, but some beast. I killed another child to bring mine back and he wasn't even my child anymore. I had to quickly stop him before he hurt the kids. He had already tried to hurt me. He looked like my child and ending his life was something I couldn't handle.

I had walked out of the house, towards the street. It was nighttime and reckless drivers always sped by. I laid upon the pavement, awaiting for what I had deserved. Then, a car came driving past and the pain was terrible, but it only lasted for a second. Complete darkness overtook my body.

After I opened my eyes, I was here. In this dimly lit room full of black shadows. I remembered it all, the pain, the sorrow, and the horror. I also felt the love I had for them all and the fear of being alone. I didn't feel at peace anymore. I felt— I felt broken.

"Do you feel the pain? Do you want it to disappear?" The raspy voice asked, closer and echoing around me. "Do you want it to go away?"

I could feel the tears rolling down my face, my heart wrenching in agony. "Yes, please make it stop!" I cried out.

The water around me turned a dark red color, covering my vision from the memories. Soon enough, my vision went dark and I fell unconscious.

I woke up in a dimly lit room, my head slightly throbbing. I looked around, not knowing where I was. Who am I? Why can't I remember how I got here? I could see something moving in the darkness, but I was sure my eyes were playing tricks on me. I felt... at peace. My mind was so relaxed and my body wasn't tense at all. It's so peaceful here...