Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Mystery
- Subject: Other / Not Listed
- Published: 04/18/2014
Bourge Town, this was the town I resided in ever since I was little. It was dull and creepy, but this place is home. There are no adults to tell us what to do and I have all the friends that I would ever need. Usually, us group of 7 would drive near the forest to play near the river, we had a great time. We always do, ever since I could remember.
Admittedly, there wasn’t much to talk about since I don’t even have fragments of my past memories. I don’t know why, but it seems that none of us do. We don’t remember if we used to have families to come home to, foreign places we’ve ever ventured, happy memories of the past – nothing. It seems that in our mind, everything is just pitch black before coming here.
To be honest, I don’t think any of us minded that. This place felt much more right than our pasts, whatever it is. And for that, we were all thankful for being able to come here. The only downside of this huge town is that everything is monochrome in color. Curious indeed, but everything must have a downside right? Still, every cloud has a silver lining. And in amidst of all these flat, grey buildings, there was a red cabin located in the heart of the city. The only object in this peculiar world that has its’ very own color.
The first thing I remembered when I arrived is a warm, radiant smile of a girl. Wavy obsidian hair glistened under the sunlight, sharp grey orbs looking straight at me, and her dark grey lips that contrasted greatly with her porcelain skin curved into a welcoming smile. She wore a soft grey v-neck t-shirt with dark grey shorts. Why in the world is everything here black and white in color? “Hello, my name is Kelly Reebs. Pleased to meet you! Welcome back to Bourge town, everyone is waiting for your arrival… Mm…” she extended her hand for me to shake while waiting for me to give her my name.
“It’s Dakota Wilkins. And why welcome back? I’ve never been here before,” I replied and cut off the handshake, her hands were disturbingly cold.
She chuckled, “Nonsense! Everyone here had been here at least once before. Even for a short while!” I frowned, obviously not being able to remember such situation. Come to think of it, I don’t seem to remember anything other than my name.
Sensing my internal shock at my lost memories, Kelly looked at me with a much softer expression, “You lost yours too, huh? Don’t mind it; everyone here is like that too.” She said that sentence cheerily, but I could easily distinguish the sadness in her eyes. Though it was quickly replaced with excitement as she proceeded to take hold of my hand, “But don’t let that drag you down. Come on! We’re going to go out on a picnic today since Petra is cooking.” She then sped off and I followed her with unsure footsteps, still wondering what in the world happened to my memories.
That encounter was followed by the introduction of 3 boys and 2 girls. At first, it was hard to adapt to the very peculiar surroundings and situation. But then, after a month, 7 of us had already become a close-knitted group. Petra, Claire, Jake, Drew, Alan, Kelly, and I spend every single day together. We had fun lots of fun. And I was immensely grateful that I’m here.
Today, we were planning to go on another picnic near the river. It was quite the distance but since Jake will be driving, it won’t be much of a problem. On the way to our meeting point, I suddenly sighted something different than the usual grey of this world. Surrounded by tall, rectangular, grey buildings was a cabin in red.
I had never seen that building before… It’s bathed in red, and even the shape of it is different. Strangely, I found myself extremely fixated on this strange building. I started walking off the route, and began detouring to the red cabin. What the hell? Why am I so drawn to this creepy building? This is not going to end well is it? Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, I can’t stop walking towards it. A hundred reasons to stop and turn around popped up in my head, but my body just won’t listen.
As I strolled closer to the building, I felt that my actions right now are extremely wrong. I should not be doing this. Yet, every step closer felt wrong in the right way, as if I this is an impossible obstacle that I should get over. Nevertheless, I didn’t like this feeling and even if this is the right thing to do, I didn’t want to continue. Nevertheless, my body was very uncooperative as it continued to close the distance between me and the cabin.
Oh man, at this rate, Kelly would have my head for being too reckless and late. The crimson cabin’s gates were now right in front of me. I stop. Without putting much thought, I slowly pushed the gate open (it wouldn’t move no matter how hard I pushed) and was greeted with a shocking situation. A guy of my age, with brown wavy locks opened the door of the cabin and his piercing blue eyes staring straight into my eyes. I stand rooted to the ground, unable to comprehend what’s happening.
What happened next is the thing that my mouth did when my thoughts were too fast to be filtered by my brain. I blurted out loud the most idiotic question you could ask a stranger, “Why are you in color?” Simply astounding, and to make it worse, all he did was to look at me as if I just lost my bearings.
I was about to leave when he paced towards the gates, leaving the confines of the house. He then extended his hand through the gates, and placed it in my. His hands were so warm, unlike those of mine or Kelly’s… Why is he so different? I look down to uncover my fisted hand, inside was a blue ring. Surprisingly, I felt nostalgic when I saw the jewelry. I fitted it into my left middle finger, and it felt so right it hurts. I don’t know who this person is or what this ring meant to me. But right now, the scarlet cabin felt so right in the wrong way.
I was about to question about the existence of the house, the ring, his existence and why does it differ so much from this black and white world. However, I could already hear Kelly’s loud yelling so I stuffed the ring into my pocket and sprinted away from the house.
“Dakotaaaaaaaa! Where the hell are you?! The gang is already here! Dakota!”
“I’m here!”
“About time, what took you so long?”
“Eh… I got lost?”
“Hmph, whatever, I’ll let you off the hook this time. Get in the car, I can’t wait to have lunch already,” she chirped happily.
All through the long ride, I was thinking about the strange red house. I mean who wouldn’t? That place had practically defied the laws of this world. It has a color of its’ own, a warmth that this world doesn’t offer. It’s different from everything normal in here.
“-Kota, Dakota. Hey,” Kelly whined as she poked me in my arm. Startled, I give off a weird yelp. We both stared at each other for a short while before laughing madly.
“Ahahaha! What the- what is with that stupid reaction?” she said as we stepped out of the car, still laughing loudly.
“Hey! It’s your fault that you shocked me,” I pointed an accusing finger at her, face wearing a loop-sided grin.
“Guilty as charged,” she replied in a sing-song tune, “But, it was also your fault for being too lost in thought that you didn’t even realize we’ve arrived. I mean, I was starving and you wouldn’t get off the car. I can’t just leave you can I?”
“Well… Yeah, but you didn’t have to do it that way! I would probably snap out of it myself, if given the time.”
“Yea, yea, we all know that wouldn’t happen,” she jokingly dug her elbow into my ribs and I pouted. All of a sudden, she turned all serious to me, her face decorated with a genuine worried expression that I’ve seen countless times. She was really too caring to every one of us. She was examining me closely, trying to determine if something is bothering me. I tried my best to hide my confusion but I guess it didn’t turn out well when Kel softly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I answered a little too quickly.
She rolled her eyes and slowly continued on walking to the stream, “As if. Something’s bothering you and as your best friend I would like to help, which is why I need some information. It’s fine not saying anything right now if it bothers you too much. Still, if you decided to ask for help, my offer stands and I’m giving you time to think about it, okay?” She then grinned at me and I found myself finding shelter in her warmth and care. She really is a great friend and I know for sure that I could confide in her. But still, I don’t know how to phrase it into the right words.
The next few minutes were spent with silence. Even though it wasn’t uncomfortable, it still grits at my mind. So I asked, “Mm… Kel?”
“Yeah?”
“How long have you resided here? You know… In this town?”
“I’m not sure… But I’m pretty certain that I’m here before all 6 of you are. If you think I have the information, ask away,” she merrily stated.
“Oh, okay… Then, would you know anything about the red cabin in the middle of the city,” I cautiously queried. I felt like I’m treading on thin ice. Hearing that, Kelly dropped her cheerful persona and stopped. The tension was so thick between us it’s suffocating.
“The red cabin? … Why of course, from whom did you hear that from?” she monotonously asked. I could see a flash of fear in her eyes, the tension in her shoulders masked with indifference as she awaits my next answer.
“Umm… You see… I kind of saw that house on the way to the meeting spot, that’s why I-“
“What,” her tone was eerily cold. Her pupils dilated in shock. It’s like I stroke a nerve or something.
“Huh?”
“What did you just say?”
“T-that I encountered the red hou-“
“Did you enter it?” she screamed at me. I’m terrified right now. I’ve never seen Kel react this way. What happened to the jovial girl that I knew? Her fingers were digging into my shoulder; her grey eyes stared straight at mine.
“No, no! I didn’t! Kel, let go. You’re hurting me!”
“What did you see? Is someone there?”
“Kel, let me go,” I yelled, but she did not budge, “I saw a guy okay? Happy now? That’s the only thing I saw and I did not initiate any contact with him. Now let me go!”
With that answer, she slowly relaxed and removed herself from me. She took a few deep calming breaths and slowly continued on walking away, “Okay. Don’t ever go near that house again. It’s very dangerous, okay? Just forget it.”
“Why? Did you know anything about it?”
A few beats of silence passed before she gave me an answer. It was a mere whisper, “It wasn’t even meant to exist.” And with that, we continued to the destination where the rest are already setting up lunch sites. The day went on as normally as it could ever be. Kelly and I didn’t spoke of the red house at all. We treated it as if it didn’t exist, as it should be. However, there’s still a nagging feeling in my mind all day; a curiosity waiting to be quenched.
Which explains why when the moon appears, I found myself standing at the gates of the red house; waiting for the boy inside to come out. I pushed the gates again and right on cue, his brown mop of hair appeared.
“Hello,” I called out. He just nodded in reply, what manners. It seems like I won’t be getting much of an answer from him so I asked, “Is there anyone else living with you?” He shook his head. Oh yeah, this world doesn’t have adults in it… I forgot. “Then… Do you have any friends there?” I tried again. He shook his head, just like before.
“So… You had always been alone? Aren’t you lonely?”
“… No, not alone,” he mumbled out with a smile, “Alice, you’re not alone.”
What. Me? What the hell is he talking about? Who the hell is Alice? I stood there motionless, unable to comprehend what the boy just said. I contemplated it over and over again in a matter of seconds. Why does his voice brought back another wave of familiarity and nostalgia to me?
“Dakota!” a smooth female voice called out. I turned to my left and saw Kelly again. Her appearance is disheveled; she must’ve just woken up. “What are you up to?! I thought I told you to stay away from that wretched house,” she grabbed my arm none so gently and pushed me into the car, “Why did you sneak around behind my back?!”
I yelped yet again, my arm hurts terribly. I look out to the window to see that the red house had gone few houses back. Jake, the raven-haired and soft grey eyes guy sitting shotgun, turned around and flashed us a tired grin, “Kelly woke us up in the middle of the night to find you. Man, you guys need to stop scaring us like that!,” Drew, the one who had platinum colored hair and tanned grey skin, held the steering wheel tighter and calmly said, “And you, Dakota, were talking to thin air.”
“Thin… air? Wait, what are you guys saying? Can’t you see the red house there?!”
“Nobody can see it, Dakota. It’s just your imagination,” Kelly said menacingly, each word slowly laid out like poison.
“But you did see it, Kel! How come you can see-“my sentence was caught off by surprise. For the second time in the day, my best friend was gripping me in the shoulders, looking at me like a mad man.
“How long do you plan on seeing it? It wasn’t even supposed to exist! This is my town, my world! You are mine and as one of us you should listen to me!” she cried out to me.
‘Alice,’ it's his voice again. No. No. No. No. This is not the time. I am not going to have an internal breakdown right now. I hurriedly closed my eyes, as if it could somehow make the voice go away. ‘Alice, you are not alone.’ What is going on?! I opened up my eyes, and what I saw was nothing but downright terrifying.
Behind Kelly, I could make out hundreds of bloodied bodies reaching out to me, screaming and uttering obscenities. They have hollow eyes and black figures, tears of blood running down their eyes. ‘Die.’ Some of them had a crooked neck, disfigured bodies, and even wrists caked in blood. They keep reaching out. ‘Die.’ They were relentless, they wanted me captured; they weren’t going to let me go. ‘Die.’ I pushed Kelly off, quickly opened the door of the car and ran off down to the street of the crimson cabin.
I can’t breathe. My legs feel like jelly. I’m not going to make it aren’t I? ‘Die.’ I saw the shadows looming closer to where I am. They covered the buildings on my left and those on my right. ‘Die.’ They were reaching out to me, trying to grab onto me. However, none were in my path. ‘Die!’ one of the figures screamed particularly loudly and unconsciously I turned my head in that direction. Oh how I wish I didn’t.
I saw Kelly, being enveloped by all those beasts. They were grabbing her, tearing her apart. What perturbed me the most is the maniacal gleam in her bloody tear-streaked eyes and the unfailing Cheshire grin stretched upon her face. She was reaching out to me, “Why?! Why do you want to live so badly? There is nothing! Nothing is waiting for us on the other side!” She started cackling and the shadows had managed to envelop her wholly, “Die.”
I ran and ran and ran. Yet the road never seems to end, my world was now all painted in black shadows and crimson blood. I want to get out of here. I want to go to the red house! I wanted to reach him! I don’t want to die anymore! Let me live, please.
‘Alice.’
Black was then replaced by white and crimson by gold. I looked forwards and saw the guy smiling towards me; he had a soft blue aura glowing around him. Finally, the gates of the red house were open for me. Finally, the boy had opened his doors for me.
He reached out to hold my hand, it was warm. He then pull me into a deep embrace, life is warm. “Welcome back, Alice,” he whispered softly to my ear. I then finally realized that I was alive.
___________________________
“-ce! Alice!” a smooth voice frantically shouted, “Doctor! My girlfriend has woken up!”
My eyes slowly fluttered open. Bright lights invaded my field of vision. The beeping of machine surrounded me and I can distinctly feel the pain in my left hand where they injected the IV into my body. Even though I’m kind of chained into this annoying environment, I can’t help the butterflies in my tummy from taking flight.
After all, the first feature I saw was the striking blue eyes of the brunette that I had learnt to love the most. What’s more is that it’s filled with love, hope, happiness, and gratitude. He was playing with the blue ring I had on my right hand cautiously, as if I’m a fragile glass that would break at the slightest pressure. He then cupped my hand to his face, and I lovingly stroked him with it. Tears were falling, both from my emerald orbs and his sapphire ones. We were laughing, smiling, thankful for the miracle that brought me back to this world.
“Welcome back, Alice.”
I chuckled weakly, “Yeah… I’m finally home, Levi.”
My world was finally in colors, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
______________________________________________
It had been a year after the ‘Return’ suicide pact incident from the internet. The 7 members of the group called each other by their screen names. It was found out that this was all set up by a girl called Nicola Anderson, or her screen name, Kelly Reebs. Further investigation announced that she had an aggressive character to herself and had no friends at all. She must’ve felt lonely, as did the rest.
They all wanted friends. It doesn’t even matter to them if it would occur on the other world. All six of them died from prescribed drug abuse, except for the one girl who had miraculously survived; from the terrors of the monochrome world.
Welcome Back Home(Steffy Jeslyn)
Bourge Town, this was the town I resided in ever since I was little. It was dull and creepy, but this place is home. There are no adults to tell us what to do and I have all the friends that I would ever need. Usually, us group of 7 would drive near the forest to play near the river, we had a great time. We always do, ever since I could remember.
Admittedly, there wasn’t much to talk about since I don’t even have fragments of my past memories. I don’t know why, but it seems that none of us do. We don’t remember if we used to have families to come home to, foreign places we’ve ever ventured, happy memories of the past – nothing. It seems that in our mind, everything is just pitch black before coming here.
To be honest, I don’t think any of us minded that. This place felt much more right than our pasts, whatever it is. And for that, we were all thankful for being able to come here. The only downside of this huge town is that everything is monochrome in color. Curious indeed, but everything must have a downside right? Still, every cloud has a silver lining. And in amidst of all these flat, grey buildings, there was a red cabin located in the heart of the city. The only object in this peculiar world that has its’ very own color.
The first thing I remembered when I arrived is a warm, radiant smile of a girl. Wavy obsidian hair glistened under the sunlight, sharp grey orbs looking straight at me, and her dark grey lips that contrasted greatly with her porcelain skin curved into a welcoming smile. She wore a soft grey v-neck t-shirt with dark grey shorts. Why in the world is everything here black and white in color? “Hello, my name is Kelly Reebs. Pleased to meet you! Welcome back to Bourge town, everyone is waiting for your arrival… Mm…” she extended her hand for me to shake while waiting for me to give her my name.
“It’s Dakota Wilkins. And why welcome back? I’ve never been here before,” I replied and cut off the handshake, her hands were disturbingly cold.
She chuckled, “Nonsense! Everyone here had been here at least once before. Even for a short while!” I frowned, obviously not being able to remember such situation. Come to think of it, I don’t seem to remember anything other than my name.
Sensing my internal shock at my lost memories, Kelly looked at me with a much softer expression, “You lost yours too, huh? Don’t mind it; everyone here is like that too.” She said that sentence cheerily, but I could easily distinguish the sadness in her eyes. Though it was quickly replaced with excitement as she proceeded to take hold of my hand, “But don’t let that drag you down. Come on! We’re going to go out on a picnic today since Petra is cooking.” She then sped off and I followed her with unsure footsteps, still wondering what in the world happened to my memories.
That encounter was followed by the introduction of 3 boys and 2 girls. At first, it was hard to adapt to the very peculiar surroundings and situation. But then, after a month, 7 of us had already become a close-knitted group. Petra, Claire, Jake, Drew, Alan, Kelly, and I spend every single day together. We had fun lots of fun. And I was immensely grateful that I’m here.
Today, we were planning to go on another picnic near the river. It was quite the distance but since Jake will be driving, it won’t be much of a problem. On the way to our meeting point, I suddenly sighted something different than the usual grey of this world. Surrounded by tall, rectangular, grey buildings was a cabin in red.
I had never seen that building before… It’s bathed in red, and even the shape of it is different. Strangely, I found myself extremely fixated on this strange building. I started walking off the route, and began detouring to the red cabin. What the hell? Why am I so drawn to this creepy building? This is not going to end well is it? Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, I can’t stop walking towards it. A hundred reasons to stop and turn around popped up in my head, but my body just won’t listen.
As I strolled closer to the building, I felt that my actions right now are extremely wrong. I should not be doing this. Yet, every step closer felt wrong in the right way, as if I this is an impossible obstacle that I should get over. Nevertheless, I didn’t like this feeling and even if this is the right thing to do, I didn’t want to continue. Nevertheless, my body was very uncooperative as it continued to close the distance between me and the cabin.
Oh man, at this rate, Kelly would have my head for being too reckless and late. The crimson cabin’s gates were now right in front of me. I stop. Without putting much thought, I slowly pushed the gate open (it wouldn’t move no matter how hard I pushed) and was greeted with a shocking situation. A guy of my age, with brown wavy locks opened the door of the cabin and his piercing blue eyes staring straight into my eyes. I stand rooted to the ground, unable to comprehend what’s happening.
What happened next is the thing that my mouth did when my thoughts were too fast to be filtered by my brain. I blurted out loud the most idiotic question you could ask a stranger, “Why are you in color?” Simply astounding, and to make it worse, all he did was to look at me as if I just lost my bearings.
I was about to leave when he paced towards the gates, leaving the confines of the house. He then extended his hand through the gates, and placed it in my. His hands were so warm, unlike those of mine or Kelly’s… Why is he so different? I look down to uncover my fisted hand, inside was a blue ring. Surprisingly, I felt nostalgic when I saw the jewelry. I fitted it into my left middle finger, and it felt so right it hurts. I don’t know who this person is or what this ring meant to me. But right now, the scarlet cabin felt so right in the wrong way.
I was about to question about the existence of the house, the ring, his existence and why does it differ so much from this black and white world. However, I could already hear Kelly’s loud yelling so I stuffed the ring into my pocket and sprinted away from the house.
“Dakotaaaaaaaa! Where the hell are you?! The gang is already here! Dakota!”
“I’m here!”
“About time, what took you so long?”
“Eh… I got lost?”
“Hmph, whatever, I’ll let you off the hook this time. Get in the car, I can’t wait to have lunch already,” she chirped happily.
All through the long ride, I was thinking about the strange red house. I mean who wouldn’t? That place had practically defied the laws of this world. It has a color of its’ own, a warmth that this world doesn’t offer. It’s different from everything normal in here.
“-Kota, Dakota. Hey,” Kelly whined as she poked me in my arm. Startled, I give off a weird yelp. We both stared at each other for a short while before laughing madly.
“Ahahaha! What the- what is with that stupid reaction?” she said as we stepped out of the car, still laughing loudly.
“Hey! It’s your fault that you shocked me,” I pointed an accusing finger at her, face wearing a loop-sided grin.
“Guilty as charged,” she replied in a sing-song tune, “But, it was also your fault for being too lost in thought that you didn’t even realize we’ve arrived. I mean, I was starving and you wouldn’t get off the car. I can’t just leave you can I?”
“Well… Yeah, but you didn’t have to do it that way! I would probably snap out of it myself, if given the time.”
“Yea, yea, we all know that wouldn’t happen,” she jokingly dug her elbow into my ribs and I pouted. All of a sudden, she turned all serious to me, her face decorated with a genuine worried expression that I’ve seen countless times. She was really too caring to every one of us. She was examining me closely, trying to determine if something is bothering me. I tried my best to hide my confusion but I guess it didn’t turn out well when Kel softly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I answered a little too quickly.
She rolled her eyes and slowly continued on walking to the stream, “As if. Something’s bothering you and as your best friend I would like to help, which is why I need some information. It’s fine not saying anything right now if it bothers you too much. Still, if you decided to ask for help, my offer stands and I’m giving you time to think about it, okay?” She then grinned at me and I found myself finding shelter in her warmth and care. She really is a great friend and I know for sure that I could confide in her. But still, I don’t know how to phrase it into the right words.
The next few minutes were spent with silence. Even though it wasn’t uncomfortable, it still grits at my mind. So I asked, “Mm… Kel?”
“Yeah?”
“How long have you resided here? You know… In this town?”
“I’m not sure… But I’m pretty certain that I’m here before all 6 of you are. If you think I have the information, ask away,” she merrily stated.
“Oh, okay… Then, would you know anything about the red cabin in the middle of the city,” I cautiously queried. I felt like I’m treading on thin ice. Hearing that, Kelly dropped her cheerful persona and stopped. The tension was so thick between us it’s suffocating.
“The red cabin? … Why of course, from whom did you hear that from?” she monotonously asked. I could see a flash of fear in her eyes, the tension in her shoulders masked with indifference as she awaits my next answer.
“Umm… You see… I kind of saw that house on the way to the meeting spot, that’s why I-“
“What,” her tone was eerily cold. Her pupils dilated in shock. It’s like I stroke a nerve or something.
“Huh?”
“What did you just say?”
“T-that I encountered the red hou-“
“Did you enter it?” she screamed at me. I’m terrified right now. I’ve never seen Kel react this way. What happened to the jovial girl that I knew? Her fingers were digging into my shoulder; her grey eyes stared straight at mine.
“No, no! I didn’t! Kel, let go. You’re hurting me!”
“What did you see? Is someone there?”
“Kel, let me go,” I yelled, but she did not budge, “I saw a guy okay? Happy now? That’s the only thing I saw and I did not initiate any contact with him. Now let me go!”
With that answer, she slowly relaxed and removed herself from me. She took a few deep calming breaths and slowly continued on walking away, “Okay. Don’t ever go near that house again. It’s very dangerous, okay? Just forget it.”
“Why? Did you know anything about it?”
A few beats of silence passed before she gave me an answer. It was a mere whisper, “It wasn’t even meant to exist.” And with that, we continued to the destination where the rest are already setting up lunch sites. The day went on as normally as it could ever be. Kelly and I didn’t spoke of the red house at all. We treated it as if it didn’t exist, as it should be. However, there’s still a nagging feeling in my mind all day; a curiosity waiting to be quenched.
Which explains why when the moon appears, I found myself standing at the gates of the red house; waiting for the boy inside to come out. I pushed the gates again and right on cue, his brown mop of hair appeared.
“Hello,” I called out. He just nodded in reply, what manners. It seems like I won’t be getting much of an answer from him so I asked, “Is there anyone else living with you?” He shook his head. Oh yeah, this world doesn’t have adults in it… I forgot. “Then… Do you have any friends there?” I tried again. He shook his head, just like before.
“So… You had always been alone? Aren’t you lonely?”
“… No, not alone,” he mumbled out with a smile, “Alice, you’re not alone.”
What. Me? What the hell is he talking about? Who the hell is Alice? I stood there motionless, unable to comprehend what the boy just said. I contemplated it over and over again in a matter of seconds. Why does his voice brought back another wave of familiarity and nostalgia to me?
“Dakota!” a smooth female voice called out. I turned to my left and saw Kelly again. Her appearance is disheveled; she must’ve just woken up. “What are you up to?! I thought I told you to stay away from that wretched house,” she grabbed my arm none so gently and pushed me into the car, “Why did you sneak around behind my back?!”
I yelped yet again, my arm hurts terribly. I look out to the window to see that the red house had gone few houses back. Jake, the raven-haired and soft grey eyes guy sitting shotgun, turned around and flashed us a tired grin, “Kelly woke us up in the middle of the night to find you. Man, you guys need to stop scaring us like that!,” Drew, the one who had platinum colored hair and tanned grey skin, held the steering wheel tighter and calmly said, “And you, Dakota, were talking to thin air.”
“Thin… air? Wait, what are you guys saying? Can’t you see the red house there?!”
“Nobody can see it, Dakota. It’s just your imagination,” Kelly said menacingly, each word slowly laid out like poison.
“But you did see it, Kel! How come you can see-“my sentence was caught off by surprise. For the second time in the day, my best friend was gripping me in the shoulders, looking at me like a mad man.
“How long do you plan on seeing it? It wasn’t even supposed to exist! This is my town, my world! You are mine and as one of us you should listen to me!” she cried out to me.
‘Alice,’ it's his voice again. No. No. No. No. This is not the time. I am not going to have an internal breakdown right now. I hurriedly closed my eyes, as if it could somehow make the voice go away. ‘Alice, you are not alone.’ What is going on?! I opened up my eyes, and what I saw was nothing but downright terrifying.
Behind Kelly, I could make out hundreds of bloodied bodies reaching out to me, screaming and uttering obscenities. They have hollow eyes and black figures, tears of blood running down their eyes. ‘Die.’ Some of them had a crooked neck, disfigured bodies, and even wrists caked in blood. They keep reaching out. ‘Die.’ They were relentless, they wanted me captured; they weren’t going to let me go. ‘Die.’ I pushed Kelly off, quickly opened the door of the car and ran off down to the street of the crimson cabin.
I can’t breathe. My legs feel like jelly. I’m not going to make it aren’t I? ‘Die.’ I saw the shadows looming closer to where I am. They covered the buildings on my left and those on my right. ‘Die.’ They were reaching out to me, trying to grab onto me. However, none were in my path. ‘Die!’ one of the figures screamed particularly loudly and unconsciously I turned my head in that direction. Oh how I wish I didn’t.
I saw Kelly, being enveloped by all those beasts. They were grabbing her, tearing her apart. What perturbed me the most is the maniacal gleam in her bloody tear-streaked eyes and the unfailing Cheshire grin stretched upon her face. She was reaching out to me, “Why?! Why do you want to live so badly? There is nothing! Nothing is waiting for us on the other side!” She started cackling and the shadows had managed to envelop her wholly, “Die.”
I ran and ran and ran. Yet the road never seems to end, my world was now all painted in black shadows and crimson blood. I want to get out of here. I want to go to the red house! I wanted to reach him! I don’t want to die anymore! Let me live, please.
‘Alice.’
Black was then replaced by white and crimson by gold. I looked forwards and saw the guy smiling towards me; he had a soft blue aura glowing around him. Finally, the gates of the red house were open for me. Finally, the boy had opened his doors for me.
He reached out to hold my hand, it was warm. He then pull me into a deep embrace, life is warm. “Welcome back, Alice,” he whispered softly to my ear. I then finally realized that I was alive.
___________________________
“-ce! Alice!” a smooth voice frantically shouted, “Doctor! My girlfriend has woken up!”
My eyes slowly fluttered open. Bright lights invaded my field of vision. The beeping of machine surrounded me and I can distinctly feel the pain in my left hand where they injected the IV into my body. Even though I’m kind of chained into this annoying environment, I can’t help the butterflies in my tummy from taking flight.
After all, the first feature I saw was the striking blue eyes of the brunette that I had learnt to love the most. What’s more is that it’s filled with love, hope, happiness, and gratitude. He was playing with the blue ring I had on my right hand cautiously, as if I’m a fragile glass that would break at the slightest pressure. He then cupped my hand to his face, and I lovingly stroked him with it. Tears were falling, both from my emerald orbs and his sapphire ones. We were laughing, smiling, thankful for the miracle that brought me back to this world.
“Welcome back, Alice.”
I chuckled weakly, “Yeah… I’m finally home, Levi.”
My world was finally in colors, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
______________________________________________
It had been a year after the ‘Return’ suicide pact incident from the internet. The 7 members of the group called each other by their screen names. It was found out that this was all set up by a girl called Nicola Anderson, or her screen name, Kelly Reebs. Further investigation announced that she had an aggressive character to herself and had no friends at all. She must’ve felt lonely, as did the rest.
They all wanted friends. It doesn’t even matter to them if it would occur on the other world. All six of them died from prescribed drug abuse, except for the one girl who had miraculously survived; from the terrors of the monochrome world.
- Share this story on
- 4
COMMENTS (0)