Chapter 19- vision, peering into the void

When I look at my past, I realize it wasn't the first time I had seen those white, monster-like beasts. However, seeing them morph into my classmates and try to kill me made me question everything. My mother might be right; I wasn't hallucinating but actually part of a curse or hex that has haunted me all my life.

Back to the present:

Where am I? Was I being transported to another place, to another plane again? I held onto hope; maybe this was a dream. Real or not, I felt the tremors internally. My heart was beating too fast. This wasn't just hyperventilating; this was a heart attack.

But it seemed like my body, which had morphed into a different species, seemed to be far stronger than my original. I didn't faint, I didn't sweat. To call this a blessing in disguise would be an understatement. But amidst the cries and muffled sounds around me, amidst the pitch-black, gray, and white mist surrounding me, I noticed it. I noticed it again.

I trembled, yet I did not falter. Not now,t was one of those white fiends. White body, long fingers, too long forearms—its body subhuman at best. It was staring at her, seemingly choking something invisible. I couldn't see it, or more like it wasn't there. I noticed its head rocking back and forth like an unfathomable force was impacting it. Was this my chance? Was this to finally—

I felt the urge, primal and deep within me. From when I was a child, I had constant nightmares, not knowing what was real, if they were real. But the only way to find out was to feel, to act. I felt an animal rage. I have been a prisoner by my own fear all my life. This ghost-like phantom could never be felt or touched, but in the dance between survival of the fittest, I needed to change. I needed to become more than a cornered rabbit, a caged rabbit. No, I needed to be ferocious, to be furious. I would not allow that thing to continuing to haut me all my dreams all my life. because right now, I never felt so awake, so alive, so hungry.

I darted forward, my feet sinking into the void below me, yet I felt there was solid ground beneath. I pushed myself step by step, leap by leap, towards that thing, towards the nightmare that had ruled my subconscious all my life, which had taken control of my fear. But no longer would I be afraid. No longer would fear be my burden. Let it aid me, guide me. I am not fearless nor invincible, but I am mad and enraged. I let it all out, let my rage open, let my madness consume me.

I screamed as I got near, yet it seemed to be pushed by something much faster. As it was flying across some distance, on its back, struggling like a phantom was attacking it. Whatever it was, it helped. I noticed it trying to get back up. This was my chance, my shot.

I never knew how to throw a punch, but I had met many people in my life that I wanted to punch right in the jaw. All I needed to do was copy how I envisioned it in my head countless times. So, I did. I punched the creature in its jaw. I felt it crack—not my fist, but the jaw of that thing. I pinned it to the ground.

I could actually hit it. I never could before, but I wouldn't stop there. This thing had haunted me for far too long. It was about time things changed. I pinned its long arms above its head with one hand, veins extending on my arm as it tried to wiggle itself free. But I didn't stop there. I used my other arm to aim not at its jaw or cheek, but straight at its flat nose, in the center of its two eyes. Then, I retracted my arm. It felt good to exact my revenge. I didn't stop as I aimed at its head, trying to make it lose consciousness. It didn't work, as it kept screaming and struggling. I never felt so strong. I kept bashing its head in what seemed like the void floor.

I wanted it gone, I wanted it dead, to never haunt my dreams again. I wouldn't allow it to take my friend away.

"He's mine. I won't allow you to take him away."

I looked up, noticing many more stares, what seemed like a horde of these things running towards me. Damn, did this creature have a way to communicate with the others? I wasn't sure.

But they seemed to want to attack me. As one got closer, I used that split second where it leaped at me in mid-air to leap back at it, but faster. I had watched enough movies to at least perform, maybe not the best hip throw, but at least an effective one. I dodged under its claw-like fingers as I used my right arm—not to punch this time, but to perform a cross grab. My arms went over its shoulder and my other arm went underneath the creature's arm as I locked both of my hands together behind its back and used my hips and body to flip its body. It wasn't perfect, as the creature easily got out of my grip.