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Whiteclaw (The Clock) Part 2

My eyelids flew open underwater when I came too from the hard throbbing pain in my head, and gasped as saltwater scurried into my lungs. I tried to cry out for help, but only more water rushed into my system.

I was drowning for sure.

I swung my arms and kicked my feet, dying for breath, while my claws only cut the surface of the strange water above me. My jaws open wide to scream as I swung harder, yet nothing managed to break the water's calm surface.

You're afraid... The voice of the clock sneered in my mind, Good...

With a wild random kick, I somehow managed to squeeze my snout out of the water and gasp for air through my flared nostrils. My eyes popped as I inhaled the cold air, but my lungs thankfully opened up to allow the essence in. I kicked again, and my full head came out of the water, along with my body as I struggled to shore. Or wherever shore was. I dragged myself to the black rocked earth, wheezing painfully as blood stained the rocks red. I was terrified now, so much that I couldn't control it. When I had the chance, I just ran. Ran to nothing. It was black all around me, just darkness, the feeling of earthquakes, and the air smokey and hot. I slipped as I ran, tumbling a bit, but kept going, not knowing where I was heading.

Aww Whiteclaw.... The voice continued, sounding as if it was behind me, You can't run from fear...

I heard a hiss grow into a growl behind me, and I flung around skidding to a halt.

There was nothing there.

I inhaled once, out of breath, then turned around....

Only to get caught by the neck of a red-eyed monster.

I had no time to cry out or attack whatsoever, and my heart skipped a beat as his claws sank into my neck. A chunk of meat from the right of my neck, not so deep to be fatal, got swiped out from the attack, and even more pain was added to my wounds.

I can control you now, It clicked, there's no escaping death...

"Stay away from me!" I croaked, juddering with my claws, "STAY AWAY!" His jaws lunged out, only to snap in mid air with a pop as I slithered away. But his tail swipe threw me away violently, like a rag doll into some strange mist, and when I popped out, my spine hit solid earth, then scattered into another hallway. I trembled to my feet as my alternative self popped out of nowhere, snarling at me.

And then came out another. But that wasn't me this time.

"Blackclaw....." I trailed off as I saw my brother's ghastly body down the hallway. Another hiss came from my left, which turned out to be Drexel apparently. Brownclaw and Amberclaw came from where my other self stood, and Sky and Razorclaw....

"No..." I shook my head as I stepped back, literally watching my friends and family approach me, "No, it's just a dream, it's just a dream."

Oh it's real alright.

"You're not real!" I screamed, bumping into a wall with wide eyes, "None of you are real!"

You let us die

You let us die

You let us die.

"Please...." I began to weep, "It wasn't all my fault." As I backed up faster, they began their movement towards me, from a small little trot to a full out sprint. And quickly, I began to sprint too. My heart pounded as I raced through the slippery hallway, feeling the smoked breath of death behind me, then pulled away from them after turning some sharp turns at certain intersections.