The early morning sun was shining timidly through the foliage of a tree, the blue sky peeking through. She heard a voice calling for her in the distance. The echo awoke ancient memories of sunny mornings welcomed by poultry and bird choirs. The smell of dew on orchids, the old songs that sang joyfully, and the slow squeaking of wheels. The faraway whisper of the sea. In a blink of the eye, a child's face appeared above hers.
"Found you!" The child giggled, his blue eyes bending in delight, his brown, curly hair bouncing around.
"Ma! Let's go!" He stretched his bronze hand, taking hers and pulling her away.
Running through the golden field along a familiar path, she stayed silent as she listened to the child. Random stories and daily life gimmicks, useless and heart-warming chitchat.
"Everyone is waiting for you." He sauntered past the garden gate. "You're the only one missing!"
Conversations echoed and people's shadows flickered by a table of food. Behind the bushes, she could catch a glimpse of a familiar and comfortable scene.
"Pa!" The child yelled as he spotted a man's back.
He let go of her hand and ran to the man. She stilled, her feet rooted deep in place. This house, this family, this man's back. This child, this past of his, and this piece of her. The heart-warming scenery and the laughter pierced through her emptiness. She heard their joy, their love, their liveliness. She watched the shadow of herself witnessing the scene with an accustomed apathy, each echo stabbing and sinking deeper in the nothingness.
"Look!" The child grabbed onto the man's arm as he pointed to her.
The man patted his head, a doting smile illuminating his profile. Slowly, the man turned around and extended his bony hand, too far to reach her. The familiar warmth turned into the usual desolated scene. The handsome face melted into an abomination. Words of accusations. Cries and tears. The shivers of death. Light exploded in fragments of happier times. The despair. The scars. The blood. She had seen it on repeat for so long. The rot. The wails. The pungent smell of iron. This endless nightmare was stuck on repeat. Memories and desire came in waves. She stood there, immobile, witnessing for the umpteenth time the downfall of her existence. Screams filled the space within.
Wave after wave came at her. Overwhelmed by the pressure, she felt trapped, her breath stuck in her throat. In this endless dream, her shadow shivered and pain erupted. Her head buzzed and a surge of emotions rose from the depths of her soul to her fingertips. Panic. Anguish. A despair so great, so great... And anger. So much anger, towards herself, the universe, and destiny. Anger for being indecisive, anger for what she was. Wrath for being–
No. She needed to step back, to blend once again into the shadows. Seal everything away. Away from everything. Away from the ugliness she couldn't accept. She wanted to run, hide. She felt lost, unable to find her way out. Breathless. Exhausted. Her mind wanted it to end, wanted it to be destroyed. Destruction and annihilation. She could end it all. Right here, right now. She could–
She stirred and gasped, emerging in a wave, splashing water everywhere. Her hands cramped against the tub's edge as she sat up straight. Wheezing, her head was throbbing and her throat parched. She knew it.
'Red dust converging from all directions, merging with smoke and clouds over the entire city'.
No matter how many times she shed her skin and started over, she couldn't lay the past to rest. Darkness clouded her heart, vivid crimson blossomed in her eyes like a flame tree. Wrath. Endless wrath and madness. She wanted to let it seep out, let the blood pour out and dye the world. Let her wounds fester and rot.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Chasing Shadows
FantasíaOne burdened by immortality who lives in the shadow of the death of their loved ones. One who lived in the shadows of their family. One who used to be bullied for their appearance. One who chose violence to stand up to their aggressors. One who woul...
