THE MAN WITHOUT YESTERDAY

Part 4-- Mike Tike

  I moved cautiously through the dense thicket, the cool breeze and the enchanting forest scenery creating a deceptive veneer of tranquillity. Suddenly, the soft rustle of leaves was interrupted by echoing footsteps. I spun around, my eyes straining to discern a nebulous form lurking in the dimness.

My heart pounded wildly in my ears, yet the relentless presence continued to chase me. The chilling sound of its breath and the rhythmic pounding of its pursuit grew increasingly deafening, composing a grim symphony of dread.

Adrenaline surged, urging me to run faster, my feet barely touching the ground. Despite my frantic pace, the distance between us dwindled with every heartbeat.

Tripping over an unseen root, I crashed onto the mossy forest floor, dampness seeping through my clothes. Towering above me was the figure, a menacing silhouette with eyes that gleamed malevolently in the twilight. It reached for me with cold, bony fingers. I gagged on the putrid warmth of its exhale, heavy with the scent of decay. Frozen by sheer panic, I found resistance futile. Leaning close, its voice, a whispery rasp, sent shivers down my spine: "I've been waiting for you." An impenetrable blackness consumed me.

As the abyss threatened to overwhelm me, a sudden warmth enveloped my hand. A soft, almost ethereal radiance began to pierce the inky void. Blinking against its gentle glow, I found myself being pulled upward, away from the looming figure.

The source of this light was a delicate, translucent pendant hanging from a silver chain around my neck – a trinket I had forgotten I was wearing, a gift from my grandmother. She had always claimed it was a protective charm, a beacon to ward off malevolent spirits. I had never taken her words seriously, but now, in my darkest moment, her claims held more truth than I could have imagined.

The spectral figure recoiled, hissing in anger and frustration as the radiance intensified. Its wicked eyes, once terrifying, now displayed a hint of fear. The pendant's glow seemed to form a protective barrier around me, pushing the entity further into the shadows from whence it came.

Gasping for breath, I scrambled to my feet, guided by the pendant's light. The once menacing woods now appeared as a welcoming guide, leading me to safety.

Emerging from the forest, the first light of dawn painted the horizon. The pendant's glow dimmed, its work done, but the warmth it provided lingered. Looking back, the woods seemed calm and untouched by the terror that had unfolded within.

With newfound respect for my grandmother's wisdom and the protective charm she had given me, I made my way home. I vowed never to underestimate the power of family and the magic in heirlooms passed down through generations.

I sprang awake, my heart hammering as if I had just run a mile, its loud thumps reverberating in my chest. I tossed the coverlet aside and sat up, my long hair falling over my eyes and briefly obscuring my vision.

Gasping for air in the suffocating silence of the night, I attempted to control my beating heart, each beat a vivid reminder of the nightmare's hold. The darkness of my chamber felt suffocating, like a physical echo of the dream's black tentacles. With quivering hands, I brushed my hair back from my face, desperately attempting to shake off the anxiety that clung to me like a second skin.

Stretching my arms towards the ceiling, I held the pose, feeling beads of sweat trickle down my back in small streams. Overwhelmed by a wave of lethargy, I reached for the sheet crumpled on the bed and used it to mop the sweat from my face, legs, arms, chest, and back before carelessly tossing it aside. The damp fabric bore the evidence of my discomfort, a makeshift towel in the absence of a better option.

My body ached for hydration, a desperate craving for water, juice, or any liquid I could find in the refrigerator that might quench my thirst and restore some semblance of equilibrium. The idea of splashing cold water on my face also crossed my mind, a brief consideration towards waking my senses from their current state of disarray.

However, the room was engulfed in darkness so profound that it rendered me nearly blind. No matter where I looked, an unrelenting blackness met my gaze, as if I were stranded in the depths of a coal mine where no light dared to penetrate. It was a world devoid of colour, where the concept of sight seemed a distant memory, and everything was cloaked in pitch black.