19th December 2018;

There were two bodies lying lifelessly in a pool of blood at her feet. She sunk to the floor her hands dangling limply, her mouth and eyes wide, as the sound of the gunshots echoed around. Searching frantically for any sign of life, her chest rose and fell heavily.

None. Her heart sunk. Neither her mother nor her father moved or showed the slightest hint of a possible survival.

She sucked in a deep breath struggling to stand up. She wouldn't stop shaking as a black silhouette approached her. The man took few confident steps towards her shrinking trembling figure. He stopped right in front of her, smirking. Frozen to the spot, her feet wouldn't just move.

Leaning forward, he smiled mischievously, his breath fanning her face. She grimaced, her heart ready to jump out of her ribcage. Her eyes widened as she heard him shuffle around with his gun. Her throat constricted. "Boo," he whispered. She backed away slowly finally getting control of her legs then turned quickly stumbling.

Gaining her balance again, she started running as fast as she could, adrenaline pumping in her veins. Her speed picked up when his ugly laughter filled the empty place.

"You can't hide," he laughed again. "You can't run." His voice wasn't that far but he was nowhere to be seen, or anything else for that matter, in such dimness.

She wanted to get out of there. But where should she go? She stopped and leaned forward panting. "I am everywhere." She turned to the sound, looking around. Nothing.

She turned her head again only to find him standing in front of her grinning. "I am here." She gasped and turned to run in the opposite direction only to find him again. "And I am here." He laughed.

She backed away but collapsed to the floor, tripping. She hugged her legs to her chest, her eyes tightly shut, hoping he'd just disappear. His laughter was deafening. She covered her ears and shook her head violently.

"Go away." She mumbled rocking herself back and forth as a sob escaped her mouth. "Go away!" she shouted on top of her lungs. "Please..."

When she finally calmed, there was nothing but silence. Blinking her tears away, she looked up but was unable to see. It was dark, completely pitch-black. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her. Shocked, she fell on her elbows and crawled backwards. Then the footsteps turned into running. "Go look for her." The voice snapped.

Stumbling to her feet, she started running in random directions whimpering for she had no idea where to go. Gunshots filled the background. Out of nowhere, a blinding light appeared and she shrieked.

Coming to an abrupt stop, she cowered back, putting her arms up in order to shield her squinting eyes to see. A feeble sound of fear tumbled out of her mouth. She was about to resume her pace when her mother's muffled voice filled her ears.

"Mom!" she called twice. No response. "Mommy, please..." she begged walking in the opposite way of the light but stopped dead in her track at the sound of her father.

"Baby girl." Her eyes widened.

"Daddy?" She gasped. "Dad, where are you?" She looked around, turning in circles hoping to catch sight of any of them.

"Run, Rho, run!" She jumped back at the frantic shouts of her father when she stepped further into the darkness.

Then the gunshots and the footsteps were back. She inhaled sharply turning on her heels and heading toward the light. She jumped into it and felt herself falling and swirling into an endless abyss of emptiness filled with the voices of her loved ones. Screams, pleas, shooting...and simply voices.

"Run!"

With that last shout she felt herself collide with darkness again, but this time her eyes were sealed. Opening them was hard, but, she managed to after blinking repeatedly. Adjusting to the light, she felt impotent, numb and cold.

"Find her and kill her." She heard and her heart skipped a beat.

Blinking again, she came to realize her position. She was lying down in a muddy hole dug in the ground. A lump was forming in her throat as a handful of dirt was thrown on her face. She coughed trying to breathe without inhaling it. More followed suit.

They were burying her alive.

Suddenly, the men disappeared and silence took over. She was puzzled but couldn't move so she just glanced up and stared at the moon. She smiled weakly when a raindrop landed on her eyelid sliding down like a tear, even though the sky was starry, igniting life inside her.

She shook her head just as a face appeared from above. "Amelia," she whispered reaching forward to touch her cheek but she withdrew and stood looking at her from atop. Rho followed her and climbed out of the grave. 

Her black dress was now sticking to her body while the rain washed away all traces of the mud. "Amelia?" she called. Turning around, a gasp escaped her lips at the sight before her.

"Amelia!" She shouted when she saw her lying lifelessly in the grave. She kneeled next to it and pounded her fists. Sobs raked her body and she shook.

"No!" she howled. What's happening?, she inquired blinking the tears away, pushing herself up on unsteady legs. "What the fuck is happening?" She growled tugging at her hair, her head pounding.

"Burn it down." Her head snapped toward the direction of the voice.

"You?" She choked on her breath, seething.

"Burn." He spat, smirking. Her dress caught the fire and she found herself watching it eating her alive. Tilting her head back, she laughed hysterically resembling a complete maniac, tears flowing down.

Everything around was black again and she was the only source of light. Pictures flew right past her and she saw what she's been trying to forget. Memories she'd dreaded for so long. Accepting her fate, she welcomed death with open arms.

"Die" echoed in the empty space as she let out a deafening screech.

Her eyes fluttered open and she jolted straight up, her chest stung with pain and her screeches filled the air. She was out of breath, her throat dry.

Placing her hand flat on her heart to prevent it from hammering its way out, her chest rose and fell heavily. Her head spun and she pushed herself out of the bed, stumbling and stabbing her toes against the nightstand. Cursing under her breath, her fingers moved sleepily to rub her eyes.

She leant against the wall for support and forced herself to the kitchen. Her hand slapped the tap few times until she managed to turn it on and fill the cup she'd grabbed.

Aurora gulped it then slid down the sink until her butt touched the cold tiles, sighing. At least I can still feel something, she smiled half-heartedly.

She's gotten used to those nightmares by now, though she always forgot to place a bottle of water next to her for when she wakes up like this in the middle of the night. All sweaty and scared...and alone. She'd tell herself that it's okay then try to go back to sleep. Keyword: try.

She'd always end up tossing around, messy sheets and discarded pillows all over the room from her attempts at yelling her frustration into them, crying then throwing them across the room. She'd watched the sun rise from the dead far too many times that it had lost its peaceful and beautiful values to her. She'd hated it too much to consider it anything near being romantic.

The dizziness had subsided and her frantic heartbeat returned to its normal rhythm. The aftermath of the nightmare was fading away slowly and she'd been staring at the cup in her hand. The glass glistened under the dim light coming from the window.

It caught the rays and shone faintly. A total contrast to her heart, the nightmare and the thoughts flooding her mind. And a grim reminder to the fire that ate her alive every damn night. She held it up closer to her face, her eyes roaming the small thing then her gaze hardened.

She tossed it across the room and it crashed against the wall, the voice echoing throughout the silent flat. Just like the voices inside her head.

Aurora pushed herself up and headed to the window in her room. No need to lie in bed and beg for sleep to come. Not when every time you close your eyes, you're woken up a while later drenched with sweat. She won't be able to fall asleep and taste the mere comfort of being unconscious for few hours. 

Not when she's haunted by voices.

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