A Nightmare

[Millicent]

Fall 72 513

Millicent felt a tremblings start in her knees that quickly caused her legs to give way. A wind whipped around her tearing as her skin and bringing tears to her eyes. Shielding her eyes with her arm, she tried figure out where she was. At first, she could see nothing. The darkness seemed to be absolute. Slowly her eyes adjust, but she found herself in a barren expanse of sand.

Like tiny rocks, wind born sand pelted Millicent as she started to stand. As if in protest, the wind blew harder, pushing her back down. The dark sky seemed to loom low over her. Fighting back against the wind, she stood up. Every direction seemed exactly the same. Her whole body slouched forward in defeat and she fought back more tears. Then faintly, she taught she heard something in the wind.

She was not sure how long she walked across the perfectly flat sand. There was no way to tell time, everything was exactly the same. Even her footsteps disappeared in the sand. Her only companion was the wind. No, not companion, a tormentor. It pelted her constantly as if to push her forward, and always right when she had thought herself lost, it gave her just another whisper.

Finally after what felt like several hours or walking, she gave up. Dropping her arms across her chest, she sat on the ground. The whisper came again, and Millicent could almost make out the words. Sighing she started to stand back up. Then half way up she felt a hot fire burn in there stomach. “No, I don't care” She said plopping down and almost pouting. Then the winds and its allies pulled another trick. The darkness lighten just enough for her to make out a strange shape in the distance.

Hurrying, before the wind changed its mind, Millicent rushed toward the object. It appeared to be piece of metal stabbed deep into the sand. It was dark black, like a cast iron pot and about the size and length of Millicent’s leg. Reaching out, she started to touch it, but then she jerked her hand back. Holding her hand, she stared with her mouth slightly open at the piece of metal like it had just bite her.

A course rope, as thick around as her wrist, was tied tight to the top of the spike and was pulled taunt. The rope was tint a slight green as if moss or something had started to grow on it. Despite that it did not seem frayed or damaged. Millicent felt weak at the knees again as she followed the rope into the darkness. She could not see where it end, and she gulped down her nerves as she continued to follow it.

The wind had never stopped and it causes the rope to sway ever so slightly. The whisper carried on the wind grow louder and louder, but Millicent could still not understand it. More ropes began to converge and Millicent felt her legs turning to lead and each step became a fight. Why am I doing this she ask in her head not daring to make a sound.

The darkness seemed to thicken ahead as the rope extended forward at Millicents eye level. More and more ropes converged forming what she thought was almost a nest. Pushing through the ropes, her heart pounded in her chest, till she reached the center and pushed through a wall of ropes. Gasping, she put her had over her mouth took keep her heart from jumping out. Right before here was a girl about her age bleary hanging off the ground. Ropes transfixed her arms and chest, keeping her suspended there.

Pushing against the wall Millicent felt tears rolling down her face, and her legs trembled uncontrollably. Her throat seized up keeping back her scream. Suddenly she was falling through the ropes. Scrambling, she clawed her way backwards frantically wailing with her arms. After pulling herself fully from the ropes, she collapsed with her back against the ground.

Tears began to well-up an over flow from her eyes. and her whole body quivering and shaking. Her mind could not even recalled what the figure looked like, but it still haunted her. I don't want to be here She thought whimpering. Gripping the ground to stand up, she felt something like rough cloth under her hand. Opening her eyes, she saw a stone ceiling and her heart leaped again as a dying ember cast a figure across the ceiling.