Chapter Six - Present (CHRIS's POV)

 

 The waves rose slowly, and steadily, daring me to step forward. Alex twisted in my arms again, to press her face into my chest. "It'll be ok... We'll get through this," I whispered to her, trying to convince myself as much as her. She nodded, keeping her face hidden.

 

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, the heat waves swallowing me in darkness. "Chris?" Alex's voice was quavering, and seemed like it was far away.

 

"I'm here," I squeezed her tighter to my chest. She was still there, but she was shivering, and cold radiated off her.

 

"C-chris..." Her voice was faint, like she was far away, yelling at me. I looked down but the darkness pressed against my eyes. I couldn’t even see my nose. I felt a heavy weight pressing me down, down, down...

 

I pressed Alex closer to me, taking comfort from her body pressed against me. "Christian...." She said again, before she disappeared in my arms.

 

"Alex!" I yelled. Now, fear lapped at me. Like spilling blood. It ran off me in warm streams. Light suddenly flared on both sides of me. I was in a long, damp, dark hallway, lit by fire racing on the sides.

 

"Christian..." I heard Alex's voice ahead of me, very faint.

 

"Alex!" I yelled again. I started to walk forward, quickly. I looked at the fire, and saw it was in a sort of trench. Looking closer, I saw that I was on a bridge. Underneath, instead of a river of water, there was fire. It licked the sides of the bridge humorously, and it seemed like it was laughing at me. Another whisper from Alex sent my attention back to her. I began running, my shoes slamming hard to the ground. The sound pounded in my ears at first, but then it began to echo. It echoed deep into the tunnel, and bounced off the walls surrounding me. Soon, my whole body was quivering. The sound was so strong it was inside me, it vibrated my very heart. I kept running. There was no change to the blank walls. The fire still roared on the sides of me. My footsteps were the only thing that I heard. The only noise in the tunnel. The fire didn't make any sound at all. Just silent mocking, forcing me to run, to try to get away from it.

 

I didn't get tired and just kept going, and going and going...

 

It seemed like I wasn't getting anyway. A song rang through my head, joining the vibration already there, thrumming with my feet. I couldn't remember the song name, so I counted the beats. 1, 2. 1, 2. 1, 2. Soon, I started counting it with my footsteps. 1, 1, 2, 2. 1 footstep, 1 beat, 2 footsteps, 2 beats. 1, 1, 2, 2. I started to get dizzy, and my breath started to come out in gasps. Slow, rib-breaking, gulps of air. The air began to get heavy, and as I breathed, I began to stutter in my rhythmatic running. I tripped, scraping the right side of my face.

 

"Uhhh..." I moaned, and closed my eyes. I could feel the warm blood trickle down my face.

 

"Christian..." I heard Alex murmur in my ear.

 

I shook my head and looked up excitedly, searching for Alex. "Alex?" I said. My throat was parched, and the fire began to gain noise. It roared and swallowed me in it's invisible claws of sound.

 

I got up again, something else repeating through my head, as my feet began to pound in the same rhythmatic stomp. Alex, Alex, Alex... Save Alex, Save Alex, Save Alex. 1, 2. 1, 2. Save her, Save her. I began to get dizzy again, and my head spun I spun around, everything was a blur, and sweat was pouring down my face. Droplets flew from my face as I twisted my head around. I closed my eyes, and I heard something.

 

"Alex will die tonight..." said an invisible voice.

 

"NO!" I shouted to no one.

 

"She will join me here; join me in the World of Flames. She will die..."

 

"No! No! Alex!! Alex!!!" I screeched at the top of my voice. Her name echoed in my ears, and tears joined the sweat. I still twisted around on the one spot.

 

"She will die." said the voice, more sinister then before.

 

Tears streamed down my face, but I hardly noticed. "No, no, no... Not Alex, take me," I started whimpering, "Not Alex, me, please me..." I dropped to my knees, and try to get my breath. "No... No she won't. I don't care WHAT you say, she will not, she won't... She won't... She won't....!! NO!" I got up again, a fierce glint in my eyes, and raced ahead again, more energy in me then before.

 

SHE WON'T DIE!!! I thought fiercely, SHE WON'T.... She can't... Not now...

 

More tears streamed down my face, while I disappeared in the endless darkness.

Author's Note

I had no idea what I was writing, while I was wirting this, I kinda jsut made it up as I went (literally), and didn't really pat attention to what I was actually writing, so I hope this is good anyways

Reviews

[Sseoni]

No! Alex!
This was a great chapter! It was very well written, wonderfully descriptive, and greatly detailed! I really enjoyed reading this! I can't wait until the next chapter comes out! Great job!

This is brilliant! My favorite chapter out of all of them, actually.
Great use of detail, and good way of drawing the reader into what was happening.
Neat suspense, and now I'm wondering what's happened to Christian.