Fragment 003

This place was so unfamiliar to me. Although my memories were vague, non-existent in fact, I couldn’t help but feel as though I was a foreigner here. Deep down, my heart felt lost. Not just because of my unknown location. It was as if a part of me was missing. But even still, I felt that I was where I was meant to be.

I lay on the ground, longer than I should have, staring out at the endless red sea of sand before me. Thoughts rattled through my mind. My main concern was, where did I just come from? That containment of darkness, what was that?

Scrambling to my feet, I spun around to look behind me.

“W…what is that?”

A few feet away lay the most grotesque sight I could imagine. A lifeless corpse. A horrifying creature. Its eyes were dark, empty, soulless and mournful. Its mouth was frozen in an endless gasp of terror. From its back protruded long, slender limbs ending in jagged, spiked points.

Hesitantly, I stepped closer, drawn towards it despite myself. Its flesh sagged in layers, the skin dry and torn, as though it had been lying here for days. Then I saw it. A sack beneath its torso, split down the centre, spilling unknown fluids and matter absorbing into the sand.

Too focused on the carcass before me, I failed to notice what was happening in the near distance.

A harrowing scream sliced through the air and my head shot up.

My legs gave way beneath me and my heart nearly stopped as I collapsed to the floor.

“What is this nightmare?”

My chest tightened, forgetting to breathe as shock consumed me in a suffocating haze. Moving towards me with alarming speed and intent, a small group of those monsters advanced across the sands.

I knew I should run, but my legs refused to move. I could only sit there and watch as a scene straight from my nightmares grew closer. “Come on! Move!” I ordered my legs.

As reality closed in around me, I finally managed to force myself upright. Once I started moving, it became easier to keep the momentum going. The screams grew louder. The monsters drew closer.

I ran as fast as I could, but deep down I knew I couldn’t outrun them. It felt inevitable. They would catch me eventually. They were too fast. I didn’t even know where I was running to.

Scanning the landscape ahead, I saw nothing. Nothing but sand, rock and decaying foliage. Far off in the distance stood cliffs and hills, but neither were of any use to me, nor could I ever hope to reach them before the creatures caught me.

“Dammit!”

Was this it? Was I going to be the life I knew before dying? Born from the stomach of a monster, only to be hunted down and torn apart by its kin?

No. This couldn’t be all. There had to be something I could do.

My eyes darted desperately across the terrain, searching for anything that might give me a chance. Then, at the edge of my vision, barely noticeable, I spotted it. The ground dipped slightly ahead. An escape?

My heart leapt.

Even if it meant falling, I might still escape them. I would rather throw myself into the unknown than be ripped apart alive. At least I would have a chance.

I adjusted my course towards the edge.

“This is useless… I don’t think I’m going to make it.”

I could hear the pounding of their limbs striking the ground behind me, their jagged legs piercing deep into the sand. Every few seconds I felt the rush of wind from a swipe narrowly missing me.

My legs trembled violently beneath my weight, threatening to give out entirely. Between their relentless attacks and my weakening body, I finally collapsed.

The ground slammed into me.

My legs flew over my head as I spun frantically across the red sand.

The monsters scrambled to stop themselves at the sudden halt in my movement. Their long limbs granted them terrifying speed, but little grace. They stumbled into one another, crashing together in confusion, unprepared for my abrupt fall.

Is this it? Had I somehow caught a break? Another chance?

I dug my feet into the sand, searching desperately for stable footing, clawing against the shifting ground as I forced myself forwards once more.

But just as I regained momentum, one of the creatures lashed out at the last second.

“Aaarrggh!”

An agonising scream tore from my throat as a jagged limb slashed across my leg.

I tried to ignore the pain and keep moving, stumbling with every step. Could I still reach the edge? It had seemed so close before. Maybe if I hadn’t taken that hit…

Pushing through the agony, I pressed onwards. Every step felt endless. Behind me, the shrieks of the creatures tore at my ears as they regained their balance and resumed the chase.

“Just a little further now!”

I tried to encourage myself as the cliff edge finally came into view…I made it…But, why had I stopped moving?

A searing heat erupted through my shoulder and my eyes slowly lowered.

“Uuuuh!!”

The breath was ripped from my lungs as a long, jagged limb burst through my chest.

My eyes widened.

The rest of my body went limp and crumpled beneath me.

With a violent pull, the blade-like limb tore free, leaving me to fall forwards onto the ground below. My body convulsed uncontrollably across the sand.

Using the last of my strength, I forced myself onto my back.

There, staring down at me, were the creature’s hollow, lifeless eyes.