My memories faded under the black sand

Estimated Studying Time — 5 minutes

I awakened mendacity face down in cool black sand. The air smelled strongly of the ocean, however after I sat down and wiped the filth from my face, there was no shore in sight. As a substitute, what I noticed was an limitless horizon of black desert. Every route was the identical; a flat plain of nothingness. I felt the nice and cozy warmth of the solar, however noticed no solar. Oddly sufficient, I could not even inform if it was daylight or not. The sky was grey, however not stuffed with clouds; virtually as if it had all the time been so.

I acquired up, selected a route to stroll in, and went in quest of something resembling society. That is when the concern began to set in. Earlier than that second, it was like my thoughts was in a fog. As if waking up in such a bizarre place was someway a traditional incidence. Now I used to be afraid. The place am I? How did I get right here? And scariest of all; Who am I? As I walked, I attempted my finest to recollect something about me. Favourite meals, coloration, native land – however I could not conjure up any recollections from deep inside my mind.

How lengthy I had been strolling was inconceivable to say. The sky by no means acquired darker or brighter; simply an unchanging grey cowl. I guessed possibly 9 or ten, but it surely was an actual stab at nighttime. My abdomen began to rumble. Am I hungry or just a bit hungry? Even this query was troublesome to reply. Ever since I awakened, my physique had been numb and funky, regardless of the warmth radiating from a hidden solar. I’ve to search out meals, I assumed. Or possibly I stated it out loud. It was getting laborious to inform if my dialogue was inner or if I had simply been speaking to myself the entire time. I do not fairly keep in mind a method or one other.

After what regarded like a day of wandering, I lastly got here throughout a small pond. Purple water lilies have been clustered on half of its floor. I dropped to my knees on the water’s edge and drank, spilling extra on myself than I managed to sip from my cupped fingers. I let my arms dangle down as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The water, just like the sand, was good and funky. It could or might not style horrible. I’ve hassle remembering that too.

I made a decision to remain some time on the fringe of the pond. Perhaps somebody would come by and assist me – possibly I might die. Anyway, I did not have many choices to select from.

It wasn’t very best, however to fulfill my starvation, I made a decision to select the purple water lilies. I keep in mind it very effectively, as a result of as quickly as I swallowed my first chunk, I threw up. I stared in each shock and horror on the black sand that appeared to devour my vomit. The sand crawled over the mess and sucked it into its mysterious depths earlier than returning to its completely flat state. Seeing this made me marvel about one thing. I turned to search for my steps, however they have been gone. The black sand coated my tracks as if aiding me in an elaborate flight wherein no hint could be left.

At one level, I managed to go to sleep, one hand touching the sting of the water. Once I awakened, a creature no less than two tales tall was sitting on the opposite facet of the pond, observing me. Panic flooded my physique, and immediately I used to be on my ft, however the creature did not transfer. I stood there for a very long time, frozen in place. I made up my mind that if it was going to harm me, it might have by now.

The creature had three lengthy, slender legs that moved like tentacles; all with large claws digging into the black sand. Behind her was a big half-shell that prolonged barely past her face and curved again, down, and to some extent. It had three glowing white eyes within the heart of its head – a grotesque face that I can solely describe as an abyss of shadow and darkness. As he stood up, a lot of lengthy, skinny antennae fluttered, protruding from a bony plate on the prime of his brow.

He watched for an eternity, his stance by no means wavering, his antennae dancing as he watched me. His uppermost eye slowly modified to a pale, yellowed white and set free a faint bone clicking sound. It was a sound that was extra sensation than noise – so low it made my eardrums buzz. He turned his large physique and strode away from the pond. Its antennae appeared to be beckoning me to observe, or possibly that half I had simply imagined. Anyway, I adopted the creature. It wasn’t laborious to catch up. He moved slowly, virtually lazy in his actions. I managed to stroll at a gentle tempo alongside her.

It appeared like one other eternity had handed because the creature and I had been on the pond. I puzzled if this could be my life now. Wandering aimlessly in a black panorama, facet by facet with a monster, in quest of meals and water; a primal, animal-like existence. A state the place solely these two targets mattered. Is there somebody I miss? Somebody on the lookout for me? Questions that I do know I did not have the solutions to. The improper questions. A voice in my head spoke, firmly. A voice that wasn’t mine.

On the horizon, a tree with white and pink petals appeared. Its thick and excessive trunk, leaning barely to at least one facet. The mighty creature stopped. One in all its antennae appeared pointed in direction of him. I walked in direction of the tree, the creature remained instead. I watched again as he curled his legs underneath himself, making a makeshift seat. Nearer to the tree, a hole grew to become seen within the trunk. It was about eye stage and formed like a hand. Fastidiously, I lifted my very own hand into the void. My hand would match completely. I took one other step to insert my fingers into the trunk. As I acquired nearer, the sound of chanting grew to become audible. Silent at first, however when my hand crossed the brink of the hole, it was deafening. My imaginative and prescient then left me. My respiratory was uneven and my knees have been shaking. Photos crossed my thoughts.

A girl and a person along with his arm round her waist are smiling at me. I checked out myself and noticed that I used to be carrying a blue costume. Commencement; the phrase got here out of my unconscious. It is a reminiscence. It is one in every of my recollections! I felt a tear roll down my cheek. And these persons are my mother and father! How might I overlook their faces? I felt indignant with myself. These individuals who raised me had disappeared from my thoughts, and I could not assist however really feel the necessity to blame myself for it.

My imaginative and prescient has returned. I pulled my hand out of the hole of the tree. Did I overlook to breathe? I gasped as if I had been held underwater a bit of too lengthy. I felt dizzy and nauseous, like I used to be going to vomit once more. I turned to the creature. There have been extra now. Too many to rely. It was as if a military of them had risen from the depths of the cool black sand. I used to be scared, and this time the sensation did not go away. They began to method me. I put my again to the tree. My respiratory grew to become quicker and shallower as a chilly, darkish hand slowly reached down the left facet of my head and rested on my face, abruptly pulling it again.

What occurred subsequent I do not keep in mind, however after I regained consciousness I used to be mendacity in a hospital mattress. My mind felt prefer it was being stabbed repeatedly by a sizzling iron. Although the ache was insufferable and my actions have been restricted by the varied tubes and wires connected to me, I managed to sit down up. A small metallic desk on wheels sat subsequent to me. Above, moist and bloody gauze, scissors, medical tape and a glass of water. I regarded down at my arm. He was numb, however I felt a tingling sensation coming from his again. I turned it over slowly, shaking it. Just a few phrases had been etched into my pores and skin in clear, exact cuts.

Black sand devours every little thing in time.

WRITTEN BY: RL Rogers

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