My name—the first thing I remembered since I got here; ELYSIA. My heart started racing, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts until I was hyperventilating. I wanted to reach out, to answer. I screamed, "I'm here! I'm over here, please… hear me, see me!". My knees gave out, and I collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. I wasn't in any physical pain, but the emotional ache was worse. That voice—I knew it. Soft. Reassuring. A woman's voice. Familiar, though I had no recollection of who she was . All I knew for certain was that I knew her. For a moment, happiness surged through me—no, more than happiness, I was overjoyed. But it was short-lived…
The flowers came back, blooming to its full glory and looking as beautiful as ever. Its sweet scent filled my nostrils. I was happy to see them but then I wondered why they had bled and vanished the first time. I walked over to one and crouched down in front of it to take a good look at it. After contemplating for a moment, I decided to pick one, it didn't bleed; instead, its warm watery sap just oozed onto my fingers. But, as usual, I couldn't feel it.
Just as I was focused on the flowers, I heard something move behind me. I'd felt like something was following me ever since I heard my name, but I hadn't dared to look. Now, however, I could hear it heavily breathing only a few feet away, its presence; dark and haunting. Summoning all my courage, I slowly stood and turned to face the sound.
Its bony claws flexed slowly as drool leaked from its deer-like skeletal face. It stared straight at me with its empty sockets. A breeze blew what looked like fur on its emaciated, 10-foot-tall body. It smelled of death and rot, a scent so strong and suffocating that it made me light-headed. It didn't move, just huffed as it breathed and kept staring at me. Then, it moved.
I took off in the opposite direction, running for my life with everything I had. I could hear the loud thud of its feet as it chased after me. The moment I turned back, it swatted me like a fly with the back of its huge hand. I shot sideways, hitting a tree like a bullet, and immediately blacked out.
I woke up almost immediately, back in the same spot where I first awoke. I got up and scanned the area for the creature, but I couldn't find it. Though still scared, I breathed a
sigh of relief. That's when I noticed the forest had changed. There were now clear trails, and the trees looked more spacious, yet the woods felt denser. I started walking, no longer in circles, and just kept moving forward even though I didn't know the way. The flowers were everywhere, looking as beautiful as ever in full bloom.
As I walked, I closed my eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and told myself that I was imagining the creature, that nothing had happened. When I opened my eyes, I was in the same spot, but the forest was dark. Not the darkness of night, but a hollow, empty darkness as if something was blocking all the light. I looked up and saw nothing—no sun, no moon. The flowers were withered, and the smell of rot filled the air. Then I noticed them. Behind every single tree was a creature, watching me, waiting. The forest was eerily quiet.
The moment I blinked, I was back on the bright side with the flowers in bloom. My limbs were frozen in place by fear, and my eyes burned as tears dared to pour from them. A heavy lump stuck in my throat, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push it down. I took one step, and I was back in the dark forest. This time, the creatures weren't hiding. Some were levitating in the air, while the rest stood firmly on the ground. All of them were breathing heavily, staring at me. I didn't dare move. Just then, I was back on the bright side.
The world began to glitch and flicker like a faulty video feed. Trees appeared and disappeared, replaced by fractured glimpses of the dark forest. With each nauseating flicker, the creatures drew closer, their silent forms growing larger in the shifting reality. Yet I was still frozen in place, unable to move a muscle.