Nightmares and Dreams

The landscape flew past as I am running. A heavy, malevolent mist seems to keep pace with me, obscuring everything a few feet in front of me. It would seem that I am on a narrow mountain path that lead to some unknown destination above. On my left is a sheer wall with endless row after endless row of jagged rock-teeth. On my right was a drop off that disappears into certain death. The thin mountain air choked all vegetation long before I started on this path.

My whole body burns, but I keep my frantic pace. I'm sure that I look like a hunted animal which holds some truth. Sheer terror shines from my eyes like a neon sign. I try to go faster, and a rock trips me.
Fortunately, the depths of the mist doesn't swallow me. The thought of jumping briefly crosses my mind. A faint ember of Hope tells me no.
Glancing behind, the wind carries whisperings and the scent of sulfur to me - my demons. Voices from the past.

I start limping away as fast as I can, trying to outrun the Voices. I trip again, this time I hear my ankle snap. I try to stifle my cries of pain and frustration.
The Voices are laughing now, and they sound closer. Screaming like a drill instructor, the ember demands that I rise. Running no longer being an option, I start to climb the wall of teeth. I stop when I can't see the path anymore. I hope that the mist won't betray my hiding spot. The wind is so cold that I try to keep my teeth from chattering, but am still sweating profusely.

Dead silence.

I wait for what seems hours before continuing my climb. The jagged rock wall bites into my hands. Inadvertently, a small rock slams into the wall on its way down. Normally, you would hardly notice it, but when contrast it to the silence the small stones might as well have been boulders.
"Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha!" I could fell their hot breath on the back of my neck. I was too afraid to look behind me.

Finally, I reach what seems to be another path, or was it the same path. I can't tell. Not knowing which way to turn I instinctively decided to continue up. The heavy mist followed me up here, or maybe it has swallowed the mountain and I am just traveling its intestines?
As I'm limping, I feel a sharp pain in my back and a tug that stops me in my tracks. I look back to find that a length of chain exploded out of my back and attached itself into the wall. I stare dumbfounded as dozens more chains from my body follow suit. I'm trapped. I hear the Voices close in on their prey, and all I can do is close my eyes. I can't see the ember. Where is it?

















That's Not the End

So things were not going my way. There was no hope of me getting out of this fix. Or was there? Feeling in my pocket, I remember that there is a knife still in my possession. An idea begins to form. Life is breathed back into the ember and into me.
I open my eyes. To my surprise I didn't see any horned demons bent on tearing my flesh. However, the mist and the chains were still there.
I took out my knife..... I paused because I wasn't sure that I really wanted to do this. I compared my situation with that of a fox having his foot caught in a bear trap. If this is what it takes then I guess I had to do it.

The knife dug into my abdomen where a chain exited me. Every chain amputated was excruciating. It took awhile, but I freed myself of dozens of chains. Now, I had to deal with the ones coming out of my back that I couldn't reach.
I began tugging, hoping that the wall would give. No luck. Never loosing steam, I kept tugging, and there was a glimmer of Hope. The sound of flesh being ripped apart.

After awhile I was finally free of all of the chains. Small chunks of flesh still on the chain bid me a sad farewell and reminded me of the horrible scars that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. Exhausted, I readied my knife for an attack. I waited. And waited. And waited. The Voices have been silenced.

I bandaged my wounds and got some well earned rest. When I woke up, the mist was still there obscuring the path in front of me. However, the mist revealed the path behind me and all that I had endured to get at this point. I looked down at the path I traveled. With my demons conquered there is no reason not to go back home. And I can always go back, but for now the unknown intrigues me for some reason.

That's the End