Dead Dreams

Twenty

The movements bring me back to consciousness. They aren't all that jerky, but at the same time, they aren't that smooth. Why am I moving?

I'm not supposed to be moving.

Who's carrying me?

My eyes snap open, looking up.

I see long, dark hair and...

An impossibly big smile.

I need to get away. I need to fight, scream, anything to get somewhere else. Anywhere else.

But I can't. I am not able to do anything else but stare.

It doesn't take long for me to start shaking. I clench my fist into the fabric of my shirt hard enough to hurt. My eyes tear up from not blinking for too long. My breathing starts to become shallow, and uneven.

Where is he taking me?

I shouldn't be going this way.

I'm scared.

It is then that I hear a voice in the deepest parts of my mind. Though I call it hearing, it has no sound. It's more like someone is writing the words directly to me. The words stick, not like the usual passing thoughts I have. These thoughts aren't even mine.

"Helpless thing."

I look around carefully, trying to gauge where it came from. I see nothing. Exhausted from all other options, I look back to my carrier.

This time, he is turned towards me.

I immediately look back down again.

"You must be in a rush to throw your life away. Look at me, or I might just throw you over another cliff."

Eyes widening, they snap up to his face again. The lower half. I can't bring myself to look up any more than that.

"It seems your intuition is good at the very least. Your luck on the other hand, is shit."

As soon as the words stop, I look around rapidly. Knowing my location won't be all that useful to me, but it's better than nothing. It looks like we are on a path, surrounded by trees. The trees aren't even. They start going down the mountain after one or two rows. We must still be on the same mountain as before, but I can't see much when I look up. My search ends quickly, as he stops walking.

We now stand in front of a large cave in the side of the mountain. The light from the stars is barely enough to illuminate the entrance, anything after that being complete black. It looks like a void.

It seems to hardly register to him as he continues walking after less than a second. I can't go in there. If I get away, I won't be able to find my way out. It instills a panick within me. How do I stop him from taking me in? I can't get out. I won't ever get out. I don't-

"I don't want to go in there!" The words fall out quickly. I don't yell them, but I say it loud enough to gain his attention.

He stops.

I tense up at the realization of what I've done. I've made a mistake. I'm usually so good at keeping myself together. I failed this time. I think that will cost me my life. I pull my eyes up the highest they can go. I'm terrified to see that he faces me again.

By the light of the stars, I can see the smile pull up just a little more. An impossible amount more.

"Are you afraid of the dark?"

I have no idea what kind of tone the words are supposed to have. There is no voice behind them. I feel that a good guess would be they are supposed to be mocking me.