Don't Let Me Die

I’m running as fast as I can.  Running away from everything, the forest is my cover.  I feel like I’ve been running forever but I can’t remember what from.  I was overcome with the strong urge to get away.  The thickness of the forest has just dawned on me and it makes me stop just to admire the beauty that is found in the darkest of places.  As I look around I still have the need to move forward.  This need has taken me off the path, making me climb through the thick over growth and dense forestation.  The further I move forwards the darker it becomes, the ground becomes more black and the trees become almost sinister but there is still something inside me telling me to keep moving, I’m not far enough yet.

Everything seems heavier even the air the we breath feels heavy in my chest.  My feet are like blocks of concrete but the drive inside me makes me move on, I have to keep going.  The weight is making me move slower but I feel like I’m close to something.  Two trees block my path, there’s not much room for me to slip between them but, whatever is drawing me into this forest, is on the other side, I must get through, correction I will get through.  I look up, the sky looks dark through the trees.  This is it I thought Whatever is forcing me , driving me to this point is through these trees, i just need to get through.  I squeeze through the trees, breathing in like it makes a difference.  The bark rips my clothes and my skin. It so dark and rough yet as my arm slips through to the other side it feels like the trees are giving way allowing me through, like I was destined to be here.  On the other side is a clearing,  I can see the sky but it’s still dark but it must only be about noon.  Tiredness falls upon me so I sit down to rest, as I wait I drift of to a slumber.

I wake with a jump,  it takes me a while to realise I’m still in the clearing.  I don’t feel heavy no more or tired, I’m just cold.  The temperature has dropped there’s a breeze in the air.  The sky is still dark and the clearing now is pitch black, I have no idea how to get back.  That’s when I noticed him. On the other side of the clearing a solitary man dressed in a black hooded cloak stands alone holding a single candle.  He’s so still it’s like the night hardly moves around him.  The candle doesn’t even flicker and the breeze doesn’t even touch him.

The figure stands with skin so pale and clothes worn and torn but at the same time his haunting figure is calming against my own fears.  I wonder how long he has stood there has he been watching me? Did he follow me?  I didn’t have time to worry so much as I’ve just realised he was walking and yet the man didn’t even make a sound. Not even the ground beneath him rustled.  Everything was still.  As he approach the centre he bent down and with his hands dug a hole into the ground.  He plants his  candle and slowly walks forwards.  And yet after all this the man didn’t make a sound.

As he stood I could see him speaking but I couldn’t hear a word.  As he walked closer towards me, his mouth still moving but everything was still silent even his voice was nothing.  He stood next to me and yet he was still silent.  He turned and look at his candle in the middle of the clearing so I did too.  Not one word was spoken to each other. The man held out his hand and I took it, I was transfixed  I watched the candle transform into huge tree right in front of my eyes, Something about him put me at ease though in a normal situation I would run from him.  We stood for a bit just watching and holding hands.  Then he stepped forward and we walked together towards to the foot of the tree.  The tree was magnificent, the biggest by far in this forest.  The trunk was as wide as a garage which you would find at the side of a house and you couldn’t see the sky through the denseness of the leaves. The leaves were red and golden and yellow and orange, it made the tree look like it was on fire and the trunk was black or a dark grey like ash.  The tree was truly a miracle.

The man turns to me, I could see him more clearly now, he’s eyes were golden and he had little to no hair under his hood, his lips were small and tight as I watched them open.  But yet I felt I’ve seen him before.  He was a local man, but now just a shell of that man.  His chin dropped to his chest as he let out a almighty deafening scream.  I tried to cover my ears but nothing could dull the screaming.  I dropped to the floor but I couldn’t escape, I was immobilised.  The noise hurt so much I had to close my eyes but nothing helped.  I could smell metal and then my lips felt wet, my nose was bleeding. That’s all, I remember at that point, I must of blacked out.

I woke up and it felt only minutes have pasted, the man appeared to of gone but the tree remained I thought about heading back but something told me to stay.  That’s when I noticed him.  I saw him in the tree, I tried calling him, I tried to stop him but it was like I wasn’t there.  I watched him tie the rope.  I’m shouting for him to stop but he won’t.  I saw him place the noose over his head .  I’m screaming desperately trying to get him to notice me, for him to stop.  But he ignored me.  I watched him fall. He’s leg dangled not far from me.  I heard the snap.  This time he didn’t scream.

Slowly the tree turn grey,  I watched the colour drain away from the leaves and start to fall.  Crumbling away before my eyes like watching the fire turn to ash.  I watched the tree die.  I felt a tear fall from my face and it took a while to realised I was crying, but once I realised I couldn’t stop.  A wave of emotion took hold of me and I just had to let it pass through me.

When the tears stopped I looked back to where the tree once stood, and there in the centre of the clearing stood a single black candle and a note.

"Don't  let me die.  Remember me.  Carry on till you return".

I knew almost immediately I must return to this place with the candle.  I carefully picked up the candle and returned to my solitary life.  Knowing full well my destiny.

Love in the Darkness

She finds solice in the stars
Sanctuary in the night
Lonelynss is her ally
For we all search for the one

The elusive lover we dream off
the soul mate to make us complete
But what of or soul?

Find comfort with yourself
Find joy in the silence
Make peace with your soul
To find love in the darkness

Sisters

“There is only one shit thing about working nights" Maria said to herself as she walked from the bus stop to her house,  "having to walk into a empty house normally mum would be in but she’s babysitting for Isabella, hope she’s having a good night."  Her road was quite as per usual, Everyone’s lights were out.  "This street is so creepy at night, why didn't this bother me when I was younger."  Finally home, as she rummaged through her bag trying to find her keys. "Jack will be home in a few hours and then everything will be wonderful. 

Hay just realised, we are both off tomorrow, we can watch that film together, my treat."

She walks into her Dark house and quickly runs around putting some lights on.  "It looks like it’s getting darker out, Is that even possible?  Better have a quick ciggy before it gets darker."  She steps out into the garden, the sky defiantly looks darker then before and the air has got colder.  The back of the garden the leaves rustle which makes Maria turn round, She tries to squint into the darkness but sees nothing,  "Must be the wind."  She quickly finishes her ciggy and almost runs back inside, "God that garden is creepy at night", she thinks to herself. 

She walks into the kitchen to grab some snacks and feeds the cat, “better grab a drink as well then I won’t have to get up again, I can sloth out in front of the Telly."  Then a noise came from upstairs.  She slowly walks to the bottom of the stair case, and the cat runs passed her legs, Stupid cat scared the crap out of me,  "what you do up there sweety" as she picks her up and gives her a mini cuddle.  As she puts it down so it can eat the phone rings.  "Oh thank god at least it will take my mind of the creepy shit.  Oh it’s Isabella."

"Hay Isabella, How was the date?"

"A disaster, I’m not doing this Internet shit any more. lol."

They stay on the phone for a while then a crash comes from upstairs again.  Maria turns round and sees the cat on the sofa all curled up and asleep.

"Isabella there was a crash from upstairs, It might be the cat earlier she was running about but I need to go check it out stay on the phone, It’s so creepy."  Maria voice turns to a whisper as she checks each room.  "Just my room left" she says as she walks in, it looks like it’s been ram shackled.  As she explaining what is happening to her sister on the phone her bedroom room door shuts, and as Maria turns round there' s Isabella, Phone to ear.

"Oh Maria, I love you I do, but I want your boyfriend.  I can do this anymore Maria.  He’s a good man and I deserve a good man.  Sisters always share."  Isabella jumps forward and wraps a cord around her neck, keeping a tight grasp onto it until Maria's lifeless body just drops to the floor.

Isabella practises her panicked voice and phone Maria's boyfriend...

"I was just on the phone to her, there was a crash and I could hear screaming, what should I do?"

"Call the police!  And meet me at the flat!"

She does what he asks and waits round the corner for everybody to arrive.  She runs like she ran all the way.  "Oh, what is it what did they find?"

He just breaks down in tears where she holds him comforting him.

"Hay look, I will help you, stay at mine tonight, you can’t stay at the flat" and he follows her home.

Back at her flat Jack notices a smell, Its Maria's perfume, then Isabella walks into the living room, it appears she has got changed into the dress he brought Maria for Christmas.  Coyly he states that she really reminds him of Maria. 

"Well Obviously, We are sisters", Isabella adds,

The he notices her bracelet Isabella is wearing, Maria never takes it off, he starts to panic, "why are you wearing Maria's Bracelet?”  She walks towards the door, Locks it and turns to him...

"Sisters always share"

The Figure in the Door

Most stories start with a once upon a time or a long time ago, but not this one.

This one starts in a room, a single lamp glows from a corner but the room remains still dim.  A fireplace in the centre of the wall opposite from the door that once housed a beautiful roaring fire is now just a home for soot and dust.  A rocking chair faces the dusty cold fireplace slowly rocking back and forth while the floorboard underneath lets of long creeks as it rocks.

The door handle turns and as the door opens it makes a sound that could make the un-dead’s heart miss a beat.  In the door frame a small figure, a silhouette made by the light from the dim lamp, then a voice, with the cords of an angel, so smooth and warm, it could melt the coldest of hearts beckons to the rocking chair,

“Mother”

The chair stops

“Mother”

There was no answer but the figure knew the chair was listening.

“Mother, I’m here for you, just turn around, please mother”

No response.  Just silence.

The voice was about to give up but then movement came from behind the chair.  A soft but week whisper answers gently,

“Hush now child, please go to sleep, I’m so tired and I can no longer weep”.

The figure shaken pleaded again.

“I can’t do this anymore, please mother”.

But a deathly silence came from behind the chair.  The figure sighed and closed the door.  The chair once again started to rock slowly and whispering words that nobody could hear.

The woman holds a blanket wrapped like a doll with a light grip, she will never let it go, and her heart longed for her dream which she clinged onto.  A dream of a life what could have been?  Her life now in tatters just her memories and dreams her comforts.  Hours passed as she dreams of her better life, and then the door opens again.

“Mother please, please let me go”.

“You know I can’t child”.

“Please, mother I bet you let me go”.

The figure now crying from the door frame, tears trickle down his cheeks like rain.

The woman from the chair slowly stood up, cradling her blanket and she turned around.  Her face was old and broken, her eyes dark and harsh, yet somehow her youth still remained.  She was frail and week and thin, her clothes hanged of her tiny frame.

“I can’t my son, please don’t make me”

The figure in the door looked at the blanket

“Let me go mother”

The frail woman fell to her knees; she placed the blanket on the floor.  It was so stiff and so heavy and yet so small.

“I’m sorry my child”

Her hands stretched out to welcome the figure, a reunion of love and the figure ran towards her arms.  Her cuddle engulfed the figure and tears fell from their eyes.

“You forgot about me, didn’t you Mother”.

“Never, my son”.

“You did mother, you did”.

The figure reached into their pocket, a dagger, new and shiny and deadly plunged into the woman’s back.  Again and again the dagger entered her back yet the woman didn’t scream or whimper she just whispered “my son”.

“I’m your daughter” the figure snarled back, as she turned away her mother dropped to the floor and slid over to the blanket on the floor.  With her last ounce of energy she unfolded the blanket and kissed the rotting flesh of her dead son lips.

“Finally together” she took her final breath.

“You should have let me go” her daughter whispered and closed the door.