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Description
Herbs and mysterious powder combined into thick pasty ball between mortar and pestle. Satisfied Al stood from her seat on a tree stump and looked over the circle she'd created. Intricate designs were made from red string wound around stakes embedded in the snow covered frozen earth. She double checked the scroll. Everything was in order.

She shed her coat and dress, placing them neatly on the log. She took off her boots and tights last before stepping into the circle. She sat cross legged, centering herself, and with one last deep breath placed the ball under her tongue.

The taste was sharp and bitter. It seemed to coat her mouth almost instantly. Bile rose in her throat, but she ignored it, staring straight ahead. Darkness encroached on her view of the forest. Al felt herself trembling, not from the cold, but from fear of that unknown blackness. The way it invaded, fuzzy, striking. She swallowed hard and the darkness did the same, engulfing everything.

Nothingness. No. There was breathing. Her breathing. Al struggled to find herself, to wiggle a finger, to find her body at all. Just to know she was still attached to it. She could hear her heart.

Thump-thump

Thump-thump

Water. She could hear water now. She could feel. Cool, moist, concrete under her hand.

Flowing water, moist concrete.

Birds twittered and cicadas sang a song that was near frenzy. She could smell the air, sweet and fresh, but there was something else.

Something chemical. Something plastic.

There was a little light now, it was coming through. Painfully slow.

A sound low to the ground. Shoes on concrete. She was not alone on this bridge.

This Bridge.

Al's heart sank, a cold, piercing sensation.

That smell was plastic fishing lures and dirt. She knew this place. She didn't want to see it, but the light was forcing her to.

The world came into focus presenting her with an image that had haunted her for years. The path in front of her was blocked by three boys holding fishing poles. The one in front stared at her, stone-faced, he reached up touching the scar on the back of his head. Al willed her body to move, but she only managed a shuffled step back. The boys nudged each other with cruel smirks and vicious laughter. Her heart pounded as their features warped, becoming the animals she's known them to truly be. They lunged at her all teeth and claws making shrieks and growls as they seized her arms and threw her to the ground. Her head slammed hard making a loud crack and they were on her, biting, scratching, tearing away flesh.

She stared up at the sky, dreaming of someplace else. Somewhere far away from the beasts that swarmed her body. The beautiful sky smeared like paint as tears blurred her vision. She couldn't find it, this was her fate. Just lie back and be devoured. Just accept it-

A figure blocked the light. She blinked to clear her vision. Gerry stood above her, looking down on her expressionless. She tried to call his name, but her throat was locked too tight. She struggled, wrenching and arm free. She reached for him with her skeletal, blood stained limb. She reached with all her strength, but couldn't reach him. She clasped frantically at thin air, he'd have to meet her part way. She couldn't... not alone.

He shifted , leaning slightly to return her gesture. She felt a flood of relief, but it was short lived. His expression changed in an instant, he grinned reaching passed her outstretched arm to cover her face with his hand.

"You're too late." he whispered pressing down on her, water rushing up around her.

She gasped, sucking in frigid water. She thrashed until she broke the surface, gagging for air. It was dark again, her attackers nowhere in sight. She looked around frantically, barely treading water. There was nothing.

Nothing.

No.

Something bobbed in the water several yards away. She swam toward it. It quickly became apparent she was seeing a small body floating. She swam harder, kicking furiously, until she reached the child. She flipped them onto their back and a young Gerry looked back at her, eyes sunken, lips blue, breathless, but seemingly alive. There was no shock or gasp from her lips. Somehow she had known. She had seen it before.

"Hold on." She said pulling him against her as she paddled toward some unseen shore.

Soon her feet hit the bottom and she was able to walk out of the water carrying Gerry in her arms. Everything looked the same, all an indiscernible sheet of darkness, but she was drawn forward. It had to be the way out. That was it, she just had to get Gerry out of this terrible place.

Fingers wrapped around her ankle and she gasped looking down. Gerry, a teenager looked up at her. His arms were covered from wrist to elbow with deep gashes and scratches. He was soaked in blood, his face ashen.

"I changed my mind." he gasped. "Help me. I changed my mind."

Al, still clutching the boy in her arms, opened her mouth. Her lip trembled. "I-I can't carry you both. I'm not strong enough-"

A retching sound interrupted her as another as another Gerry crawled toward her gripping his throat, he gagged, coughing up foam and bile.

"Al..." He croaked. "Al...help me..."

"You promised." Rasped another yet unseen.

"I can't, not alone-" She pleaded, voice cracking at the sheer number of them. So many times she had seen him is such awful states. , mangled, poisoned, gagging for air. Had she ever really managed to save him?

They called her name, begged and cried for help.

"You promised."

"You promised."

"You promised."

A sound. A rumble. Something, something was rushing toward them. Somehow for all the darkness she could see it, a wave of pitch hurtling toward them. It washed around the Gerry's furthest from her, liquefying and absorbing them.

"Liar!" Voice screamed from the void. "Liar!"

She held tight to the youngest and ran, kicking free of the one holding her ankle.

"LIAR!"

She panted, that evil sludge hot on her heels.

Just one.

If she could only save this one.

She couldn't feel the ground anymore, couldn't hear the darkness, but still she pushed herself through the terrifying silence.

"You're too late you know."

Al's breath hung in her throat and she looked down at the little boy in her arms.

Just as peaked and meek as before he smiled up at her. "It's pointless. All this suffering, for what?"

"No, no, I can save you. I can save everyone-"

"What have they ever done for you? Why delay their fate, everything's fate. It all exists to be destroyed. Your family, your friends," He smirked. "and you."

"No!" She yelled just as the wave reached her, slamming into her back and enveloping her.

She screamed as she felt the little body in her arms dissolve into nothingness.

"Alberta, darling, what's wrong?"

Al turned, tears in her eyes toward a soft light. Her jaw trembled. Her mother stood before her, smiling brightly.

"Are those boys bulling you?" Her smile wavered just for an instant and she placed her hand lightly on her lower belly. "It's alright darling, I'm with you now."

"Mom..?" She squeaked.

"Yes, baby? What is it?" She still smiled, but her expression became more strained as she pressed a little harder on her stomach.

"Mom... are you okay? Does your stomach hurt?" Al asked. She felt so very small.

"It's nothing, mommy is just a little sick." She said softly, blood beginning to seep between her fingers.

"No...Mom... you're not okay-"

The blood grew darker, heavier, tinged with pus. "I'm fine. The doctors are making be better." She assured even as her cheeks hollowed and the glow faded from her skin. "Everything will be fine."

Al watched in horror as her mother's hair fell out in clumps and her hand sank into her abdomen like it was rotting fruit.

"It's not fine. Mom." She shook her head. "Please don't leave me. I need you."

Her mother looked so frail, like even the slightest breeze would shatter her into a million pieces. She reached out with a thin, trembling arm.

"I love you, you can't leave me." Al sobbed rushing toward her. She had to hug her, to hold her one last time. It was all she ever wanted, to feel her arms again.

A bright light erupted from behind Al, washing the scene in a violet tinged glow. She felt someone grab her by the collar. She was pulled up and away, just inches from her mother's embrace.

"No!" She shrieked. "Mom! No!!!"

She could only watch as her mother melted into the darkness, disappearing forever. Al felt tears streaming down her cheeks as the light surrounded her.

Al's eyes popped open to a view of the night sky. She shivered, sitting up. Snow had accumulated all over her body. She was disoriented and near frozen, but seemed to be in one piece. She saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She turned, much slower than she intended, to find her visitor from before leaning on a tree. He lowered his pipe and blew a puff of smoke into the crisp winter air.

"That was you wasn't it? You pulled me out of there." Al muttered through chattering teeth.

He glanced her way. "I had no choice, you were going into shock."

She licked her lips and staggered to her feet. As sturdy as magic-touched were, the sooner she got back into her clothes, the better.

"You've tried before. Haven't you?"

She paused her dressing. "Some years ago, yes."

"You should have said so."

Al pulled her dress over her head. "I didn't think it was relevant."

The man looked away from her. "You've been touched by it. You're tainted."

"So," she swallowed down the knot in her throat. "I went through that for nothing?"

"Not nothing..." He idly tapped his pipe. "The spell was merely hindered, but remember, if your will falters... you will fail."

"Slightly better off than I was before." She cleared her throat. "Why did I see what I saw? Did those visions have some meaning?"

"I don't know what you saw."

"Do... do you think I'm weak?"

He chuckled. "Weak? No. I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't think you had some chance."

Al closed her eyes. "I won't fail. I can't." She took a deep breath. "I can crumble later."

Description
Herbs and mysterious powder combined into thick pasty ball between mortar and pestle. Satisfied Al stood from her seat on a tree stump and looked over the circle she'd created. Intricate designs were made from red string wound around stakes embedded in the snow covered frozen earth. She double checked the scroll. Everything was in order.

She shed her coat and dress, placing them neatly on the log. She took off her boots and tights last before stepping into the circle. She sat cross legged, centering herself, and with one last deep breath placed the ball under her tongue.

The taste was sharp and bitter. It seemed to coat her mouth almost instantly. Bile rose in her throat, but she ignored it, staring straight ahead. Darkness encroached on her view of the forest. Al felt herself trembling, not from the cold, but from fear of that unknown blackness. The way it invaded, fuzzy, striking. She swallowed hard and the darkness did the same, engulfing everything.

Nothingness. No. There was breathing. Her breathing. Al struggled to find herself, to wiggle a finger, to find her body at all. Just to know she was still attached to it. She could hear her heart.

Thump-thump

Thump-thump

Water. She could hear water now. She could feel. Cool, moist, concrete under her hand.

Flowing water, moist concrete.

Birds twittered and cicadas sang a song that was near frenzy. She could smell the air, sweet and fresh, but there was something else.

Something chemical. Something plastic.

There was a little light now, it was coming through. Painfully slow.

A sound low to the ground. Shoes on concrete. She was not alone on this bridge.

This Bridge.

Al's heart sank, a cold, piercing sensation.

That smell was plastic fishing lures and dirt. She knew this place. She didn't want to see it, but the light was forcing her to.

The world came into focus presenting her with an image that had haunted her for years. The path in front of her was blocked by three boys holding fishing poles. The one in front stared at her, stone-faced, he reached up touching the scar on the back of his head. Al willed her body to move, but she only managed a shuffled step back. The boys nudged each other with cruel smirks and vicious laughter. Her heart pounded as their features warped, becoming the animals she's known them to truly be. They lunged at her all teeth and claws making shrieks and growls as they seized her arms and threw her to the ground. Her head slammed hard making a loud crack and they were on her, biting, scratching, tearing away flesh.

She stared up at the sky, dreaming of someplace else. Somewhere far away from the beasts that swarmed her body. The beautiful sky smeared like paint as tears blurred her vision. She couldn't find it, this was her fate. Just lie back and be devoured. Just accept it-

A figure blocked the light. She blinked to clear her vision. Gerry stood above her, looking down on her expressionless. She tried to call his name, but her throat was locked too tight. She struggled, wrenching and arm free. She reached for him with her skeletal, blood stained limb. She reached with all her strength, but couldn't reach him. She clasped frantically at thin air, he'd have to meet her part way. She couldn't... not alone.

He shifted , leaning slightly to return her gesture. She felt a flood of relief, but it was short lived. His expression changed in an instant, he grinned reaching passed her outstretched arm to cover her face with his hand.

"You're too late." he whispered pressing down on her, water rushing up around her.

She gasped, sucking in frigid water. She thrashed until she broke the surface, gagging for air. It was dark again, her attackers nowhere in sight. She looked around frantically, barely treading water. There was nothing.

Nothing.

No.

Something bobbed in the water several yards away. She swam toward it. It quickly became apparent she was seeing a small body floating. She swam harder, kicking furiously, until she reached the child. She flipped them onto their back and a young Gerry looked back at her, eyes sunken, lips blue, breathless, but seemingly alive. There was no shock or gasp from her lips. Somehow she had known. She had seen it before.

"Hold on." She said pulling him against her as she paddled toward some unseen shore.

Soon her feet hit the bottom and she was able to walk out of the water carrying Gerry in her arms. Everything looked the same, all an indiscernible sheet of darkness, but she was drawn forward. It had to be the way out. That was it, she just had to get Gerry out of this terrible place.

Fingers wrapped around her ankle and she gasped looking down. Gerry, a teenager looked up at her. His arms were covered from wrist to elbow with deep gashes and scratches. He was soaked in blood, his face ashen.

"I changed my mind." he gasped. "Help me. I changed my mind."

Al, still clutching the boy in her arms, opened her mouth. Her lip trembled. "I-I can't carry you both. I'm not strong enough-"

A retching sound interrupted her as another as another Gerry crawled toward her gripping his throat, he gagged, coughing up foam and bile.

"Al..." He croaked. "Al...help me..."

"You promised." Rasped another yet unseen.

"I can't, not alone-" She pleaded, voice cracking at the sheer number of them. So many times she had seen him is such awful states. , mangled, poisoned, gagging for air. Had she ever really managed to save him?

They called her name, begged and cried for help.

"You promised."

"You promised."

"You promised."

A sound. A rumble. Something, something was rushing toward them. Somehow for all the darkness she could see it, a wave of pitch hurtling toward them. It washed around the Gerry's furthest from her, liquefying and absorbing them.

"Liar!" Voice screamed from the void. "Liar!"

She held tight to the youngest and ran, kicking free of the one holding her ankle.

"LIAR!"

She panted, that evil sludge hot on her heels.

Just one.

If she could only save this one.

She couldn't feel the ground anymore, couldn't hear the darkness, but still she pushed herself through the terrifying silence.

"You're too late you know."

Al's breath hung in her throat and she looked down at the little boy in her arms.

Just as peaked and meek as before he smiled up at her. "It's pointless. All this suffering, for what?"

"No, no, I can save you. I can save everyone-"

"What have they ever done for you? Why delay their fate, everything's fate. It all exists to be destroyed. Your family, your friends," He smirked. "and you."

"No!" She yelled just as the wave reached her, slamming into her back and enveloping her.

She screamed as she felt the little body in her arms dissolve into nothingness.

"Alberta, darling, what's wrong?"

Al turned, tears in her eyes toward a soft light. Her jaw trembled. Her mother stood before her, smiling brightly.

"Are those boys bulling you?" Her smile wavered just for an instant and she placed her hand lightly on her lower belly. "It's alright darling, I'm with you now."

"Mom..?" She squeaked.

"Yes, baby? What is it?" She still smiled, but her expression became more strained as she pressed a little harder on her stomach.

"Mom... are you okay? Does your stomach hurt?" Al asked. She felt so very small.

"It's nothing, mommy is just a little sick." She said softly, blood beginning to seep between her fingers.

"No...Mom... you're not okay-"

The blood grew darker, heavier, tinged with pus. "I'm fine. The doctors are making be better." She assured even as her cheeks hollowed and the glow faded from her skin. "Everything will be fine."

Al watched in horror as her mother's hair fell out in clumps and her hand sank into her abdomen like it was rotting fruit.

"It's not fine. Mom." She shook her head. "Please don't leave me. I need you."

Her mother looked so frail, like even the slightest breeze would shatter her into a million pieces. She reached out with a thin, trembling arm.

"I love you, you can't leave me." Al sobbed rushing toward her. She had to hug her, to hold her one last time. It was all she ever wanted, to feel her arms again.

A bright light erupted from behind Al, washing the scene in a violet tinged glow. She felt someone grab her by the collar. She was pulled up and away, just inches from her mother's embrace.

"No!" She shrieked. "Mom! No!!!"

She could only watch as her mother melted into the darkness, disappearing forever. Al felt tears streaming down her cheeks as the light surrounded her.

Al's eyes popped open to a view of the night sky. She shivered, sitting up. Snow had accumulated all over her body. She was disoriented and near frozen, but seemed to be in one piece. She saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She turned, much slower than she intended, to find her visitor from before leaning on a tree. He lowered his pipe and blew a puff of smoke into the crisp winter air.

"That was you wasn't it? You pulled me out of there." Al muttered through chattering teeth.

He glanced her way. "I had no choice, you were going into shock."

She licked her lips and staggered to her feet. As sturdy as magic-touched were, the sooner she got back into her clothes, the better.

"You've tried before. Haven't you?"

She paused her dressing. "Some years ago, yes."

"You should have said so."

Al pulled her dress over her head. "I didn't think it was relevant."

The man looked away from her. "You've been touched by it. You're tainted."

"So," she swallowed down the knot in her throat. "I went through that for nothing?"

"Not nothing..." He idly tapped his pipe. "The spell was merely hindered, but remember, if your will falters... you will fail."

"Slightly better off than I was before." She cleared her throat. "Why did I see what I saw? Did those visions have some meaning?"

"I don't know what you saw."

"Do... do you think I'm weak?"

He chuckled. "Weak? No. I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't think you had some chance."

Al closed her eyes. "I won't fail. I can't." She took a deep breath. "I can crumble later."