Behind Closed Lids
A young girl walks along a narrow, dirt path, woods envelop her on all sides. Trees sway with a gentle breeze, fallen leaves rustle as unknown creatures scurry about, and darkness encroaches upon the innocent child. The girl feels a sense of dread as the hair on her arms stands rigidly in fear. She wants to scream, to cry, to run, but her practical mind knows that any of those options would be suicide. So instead, she treads through the dark expanse in front of her, ignoring the fact that she can't see her hand when she holds it inches from her face.
One second she is shuffling along the path, and the next thing she knows, she tumbles onto the damp ground. Shaking her head at her own vulnerability, the girl attempts to heave herself back onto her unsteady feet. However, she finds that her foot is restrained by some unrecognizable force. The girl takes a deep breath, as if preparing to dive into an endless pool of water, and swivels her head in the direction of her foot. At first, she sees nothing in the solid darkness, but as the girl turns to further assess the situation, a flash of light illuminates the obscure world and reveals a ghastly hand gripping her ankle. She tries to scream but finds that her voice has been lost. As quickly as the light came, the darkness returns and the hand loosens its grip, retreating away from the child.
Trembling, the girl searches for some sign of the hand's source. When nothing reveals itself, she decides that she has no choice but to act bravely and continue along the path. What other option does she have? If she stays, this monster will surely return with more vigor than before, but if she goes, won't it simply follow her. No, the girl knows that if she wants to make it out of this place alive with a story to tell, she must keep walking.
The girl walks for what feels like a century before she hears a sound in the eery forest. A bush to her left rustles. Then, silence. One minute goes by and a twig to her right violently snaps. Once again, silence. She waits, expecting something to appear or make a sound, but instead is met with more silence. What is this cruel game? She wishes that it would just end right then and there. Unfortunately, that isn't how it works.
Expelling all thought from her mind, the girl begins to sprint through the forest. The resilient silence is broken as she tears through the woods. Flash. A figure darts in front of her path during the split second of light. This time she welcomes the darkness, as the light only reveals her worst fears. She pivots to face the expanse behind her, and a pair of bloodred eyes greet her, their owner still unknown. She clenches her eyelids together, and a realization occurs. Her eyes are tightly closed. How long has this been the case? Has this all been her imagination? With a sigh of relief, she laughs at her own ignorance and hastily blinks her eyes open. With no more trepidation, the girl meanders through the now-familiar darkness, ignoring the thought in the back of her mind telling her to be afraid. Flash. The wrangled body of the monster appears inches from the girl and she feels the sensation of sharp claws graze her arm, and reality slips away.
One second she is shuffling along the path, and the next thing she knows, she tumbles onto the damp ground. Shaking her head at her own vulnerability, the girl attempts to heave herself back onto her unsteady feet. However, she finds that her foot is restrained by some unrecognizable force. The girl takes a deep breath, as if preparing to dive into an endless pool of water, and swivels her head in the direction of her foot. At first, she sees nothing in the solid darkness, but as the girl turns to further assess the situation, a flash of light illuminates the obscure world and reveals a ghastly hand gripping her ankle. She tries to scream but finds that her voice has been lost. As quickly as the light came, the darkness returns and the hand loosens its grip, retreating away from the child.
Trembling, the girl searches for some sign of the hand's source. When nothing reveals itself, she decides that she has no choice but to act bravely and continue along the path. What other option does she have? If she stays, this monster will surely return with more vigor than before, but if she goes, won't it simply follow her. No, the girl knows that if she wants to make it out of this place alive with a story to tell, she must keep walking.
The girl walks for what feels like a century before she hears a sound in the eery forest. A bush to her left rustles. Then, silence. One minute goes by and a twig to her right violently snaps. Once again, silence. She waits, expecting something to appear or make a sound, but instead is met with more silence. What is this cruel game? She wishes that it would just end right then and there. Unfortunately, that isn't how it works.
Expelling all thought from her mind, the girl begins to sprint through the forest. The resilient silence is broken as she tears through the woods. Flash. A figure darts in front of her path during the split second of light. This time she welcomes the darkness, as the light only reveals her worst fears. She pivots to face the expanse behind her, and a pair of bloodred eyes greet her, their owner still unknown. She clenches her eyelids together, and a realization occurs. Her eyes are tightly closed. How long has this been the case? Has this all been her imagination? With a sigh of relief, she laughs at her own ignorance and hastily blinks her eyes open. With no more trepidation, the girl meanders through the now-familiar darkness, ignoring the thought in the back of her mind telling her to be afraid. Flash. The wrangled body of the monster appears inches from the girl and she feels the sensation of sharp claws graze her arm, and reality slips away.