Falling.
Everything was cold. I couldn’t see anymore. What was this place?
Crack.
I looked down.
Panic. Breathe.Snap.Sickening. Lost.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
BREATHE.
Wrong. Cold. Dark. Stiff.
…
…
…
…Black.
The kind of black that nothing, not even light, could escape.
There were beings in the darkness.
Shadow beings that paralyzed me at the sight of them.
There was no sun, no warmth, and nothing living, only death.
Something twisted up my limbs like tentacles, wrapping and knotting around me. I was paralyzed.
Not until the faintest warmth touched my skin, and the slightest light nearly blinded me.
I could see the faintest outline of my kitchen.
And her.
She was fighting them—the shadows. The shadows were absorbing the light, like they were using it as a power source. They slithered like snakes, twisting up her arms, piercing her body like spears. A glowing light burst from her in a golden haze, but the shadows consumed it as she screamed. Again and again, glowing energy mingled with blood flowed from her body, the black tentacle like entity ripping through her until it disappeared, leaving her motionless on the floor.
Her skin was gray, like the shadows consumed her from the inside out.
Then her hand closed around mine and pulled.
The darkness faded, and suddenly, I was lying on the cold tile of my kitchen floor.
All was still except for the thunderous pounding of my heart. I sat up as a howl sounded outside and I saw the broken window. I saw the glass shards on the floor beside my mom’s still form.
Even in death, she was beautiful.
It terrified me.
So I did the only thing I could—I ran.
My heart was poundingin my throat as I jerked upright. Ragged gasps for air tore through my lungs, and my skin was damp with sweat. I squinted as I tried to see the dimly lit chamber.
Where was I?
