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Untitled- Excerpt |
| Written by Evan Dover | |
| Wednesday, 12 March 2008 | |
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Share it:       Jim and Nadia awoke, heads pounding, hearts racing, at the edge of a vast ravine. The drop was deep and hopeless. The eerie vision of the mist lingering in the fault struck fear in their eyes. Such a vast gap of emptiness, darkness, relatively death, a seemingly hell— nothing. A place which is filled with nothing; nor shall be filled with anything. To the left and to the right the dark abyss plunged down and around, so that it formed somewhat of an island about the rocks they were left on. As they lay, they noticed the coarse, yet soft, gravel, sand, and stone beneath their bodies. The area stretched beyond their sight, but was cut off on the sides by the abyss which they could not see past. A barren wasteland of horror was held before their eyes. The scarce, dead trees filled all the empty space possible. Every bit of possible vegetation was overthrown with darkness; curtailed and lifeless. The bountiful thorns spawned everywhere imaginable, from on the trees, to on the ground, and yet crawling down the abyss. The sounds which passed by their ears was dull. It was nothing, but it seemed everything. A humdrum tone flew through the space. A piercing, yet blunt noise ever passed into their ears. An incessant vibration which could make the most subtle man crazy. A quiet place, yet there lingered a devilish tone. This place— this island— was a nightmare. One of the most haunting types. For just like a nightmare it was also. Everything that was visible could not be perceived. Every noise audible could not be heard. All matter available to the touch possessed a poison— to the grasp, such an object would feel as it looks, but nothing was as it seemed on this hell-like island. The reality of it stood out while it also yet died down. A type of nightmare one cannot be woken from. The untold amount of time left speechless ceased, “Wh— Where are we?” said Nadia, in a nervous, fearsome, and extremely inquisitive state. “I can’t answer that. I’ve never seen this place. I’ve never heard of this place.” he replied while groping about the textured ground, gaining his balance, “I don’t quite know where this place is. I’ve never even imagined this place. This place is imaginable.” As Jim reached down for Nadia’s hand, a loud screech hurled through the air. A shrieking noise burst forth from somewhere in the brush ahead. Such a noise that none would ever fathom. The deep, lingering noise of exasperation ceased and was pushed out, suddenly and forcefully, as if the screech had power over all this land and the void noise both hated and feared it. Jim’s knee seemed as if it was pulled out from beneath him. The other knee made its way down to the ground also. The piercing noise of this screech was agonizing. Both heads seemed as if they were to explode. A migraine of the highest degree, willing to bring forth death. This land appeared to be without time itself. For the screech went on for hours, though it was actually held for a short duration. They laid there with raw ears, nearly bleeding from the screech. The intense pain finally ceased, after what seemed an eternity for them, and there was instantly an influx of that same deep noise which was held before the piercing screech. Just like a river will flow after the release of a dam, the noise came back with strength. “What are we to do?” questioned Nadia, searching her mind quickly for the answers to all that had befallen her so recently— at least it seems, for her perception of time was not even with her any longer. But Jim had not heard a word from Nadia that echoed across this rock island. The screech left dull ears and burnt minds. The blood rushing through the head and ears could be felt much more than the ground beneath their feet, which, still, they could not grasp with discernment. It was all still quite like an illusion, a nightmare, but such a nightmare that one could not be woken from. The only sense they had was that of their own bodies. But that sense was failing them, too; the screech had delivered a painful load to the body. Quite some time now had passed with the two mouthing words to each other, pretending each knew what the other was saying. But the ears started to relieve, and then they could hear the lingering humdrum yet again, which was now quite pleasant for them because of the sense of hearing. “Now where on God’s earth are we?” asked Nadia, yet again. Her tall stature stood past the edge quite a bit, for the fears of it. Her shining black hair dangled, but dared not move, for there was not a wind to touch it. She had a lean body, quite a desirable being. An appealing pale face with a small nose. Her astounding green eyes had no chance to glisten for the lack of light in this confusticated place. “That’s exactly what we need to find out,” he added, “but I have no clue where we should wander off and kill ourselves first.” “That’s not funny! We’re stuck here, in a dark place which I’d bet could just be described as ‘hell’, and you’re trying to make stupid jokes out of it?!” “I’m sorry. I’m still a bit confused and marveled by this strange place.” He said, trying to excuse himself. Fearfully, she asked, “How we got here… It’s how I’m starting to think we got here, isn’t it?” “Well, yeah, I suppose. I still can’t believe we’re here though.” He said, as if amazed. “Now which way should we out of this place?” Nadia simply lifted her finger and pointed down the land to their left, while their backs were to the abyss. So they ventured off into that direction, her hands firmly planted on his defined arms. He was nearly as tall as she, but came several inches short. His short, blonde hair already grew dirty from the dust. Quite a while had passed, or seemed it had passed, when they stopped. Both needed a rest, and desperately needed water. They sat on a large boulder several feet from a large tree which spiraled upwards, reaching towards the sky. Nearly thirty feet off, the abyss sat there and tormented them with an unknown fear, a taunting of sorts. With the time which had passed, they had begun to grow accustom to the never-lacking deep noise which filled everywhere and was yet empty at the same time. The boulder beneath them was solid; they could feel it normally. The air that was being breathed in was intoxicating, but yet acceptable. Their senses began to become attune to this strange world— they were sinking in. This strange world started to feel normal. It was absorbing them. The fear and hatred began to rest, but the curiosity remained. The strange nightmare was becoming reality. They could nearly see everything, feel everything, smell everything, and hear everything— which wasn’t very much with no winds to contribute for anything and nothing living that was yet visible— that they couldn’t when they first arrived. But it was now that something strange stirred the winds. A gust of wind and dust blew past their faces fiercely. An amazing sense had been reprised. The cool wind blowing past them felt so good and lasted for quite some time. It gave them both a great energy and refreshment. They both took this time very lavishly. Jim brought his hands up and lifted his head toward the ever darker sky. He opened his eyes and stared up into the sky while the breeze blew across his back. Astonished, he gazed, eyes wide open, upon the sky for a short time; there was a creature in the sky.
Copyright 2008 Evan Dover |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 May 2008 ) |
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