Why I Can't Rule The World

No. 13

"So neither he who plants
nor he who waters
is anything, but only God
who gives the growth."
-- 1 Corinthians 3:7

<<<<<<<<<<

    I turned around in the completely dark room, terrified. I couldn't remember the last time I had been this scared. My hands shook furiously, as did the rest of me. I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. I could sense something lurking in the dark, coming for me. The air was a deadly cold; each breath stabbed my lungs.

    "This isn't real," I whispered to myself. "This isn't real..."

    The thoughts in my head consumed me. They felt so tangible. A rush of air swooped past me and I nearly screamed. I knew subconsciously the thing wanting to hurt me was dangerous. My legs shook and I waited.

    "Do you know who you are?" the thing asked. Except it wasn't verbal, it was in my mind.

    Chills ran through my body and I nearly collapsed. It was so unnerving. I wanted to cry but no tears came. I was too afraid to do that.

    "Who are you?!" I yelled, walking a step in every direction. I didn't want to run into that thing. "What do you want from me?"

    The thing laughed heartlessly. What shocked me was that it sounded familiar.

    "I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet."

    "Stop it!" I screamed, covering my ears.

    "I'm you, you idiot. Who you're going to be and who you are."

    "No..," I mumbled. For some reason that panicked me.

    "Look at me!"

    A cold hand slapped me across the face and I felt blood run down my cheek. I fell to the floor in a heap, pain coursing through my body. I struggled for the horrible air as I sat up. Only I found myself staring into the eyes of myself. I almost shrieked.

    Whatever it was, it was an exact replica of me. Except, it looked emotionlessly calm. Like it had found what it was looking for and was going to do whatever it took to get it. Or in this case, me.

    I scooted backwards as it loomed over me, an evil smirk on it's face. Slowly, it turned out not to be myself, but something worse. Darker. So black that it faded into the backdrop around me. The thing split into many things, all of their voices shifting inside my head. I panicked. If I couldn't see it, how could I run?

    Suddenly, one of them pushed me. Kicked me, shoved me. My face was in the ground countless times. I was being thrown around like a child's toy and it hurt. Finally, my head slammed to the ground so hard, I thought I was going to die. I forgot about it not being real.

    "Tin!"

    I looked up to see Sawyer waving me over, a frantic look on his face. He had a lantern, the only light.

    "Tin, get over here!"

    "You don't belong there, you never will," one voice stated plainly in my mind. It started chanting the words and became louder. For some reason, they all sounded like people I knew. I shut my eyes and screamed as I felt something grab my wrists.

    When I opened my eyes, Sawyer was running and yelling at me. I began to crawl toward him. Somehow I knew that if I listened to him, I'd be okay. It took all my strength to keep going.

    Then Alivia was in front of me, ahead of Sawyer. She fell on her knees and put a hand on my face.

    "Come with me," she said. I nodded-- it was all I could do. Tears were running down my face. I sat up on my knees, feeling restrained and leaned into her. She held me and whispered, "It's okay. God will protect us. It's okay. They're lying."