Beyond The Curtain: A Nightmare

Turn the corner. A sheer curtain hangs before you. Beyond the curtain lies a blossoming valley and glittering lake. The sun shines warmly as starlings call to each other. A soft breeze billows the curtain gently. You raise a hand to part the curtain. You are stopped. The curtain will not budge. You pull and pull but it is useless. The curtain becomes a barrier. You gaze longingly at the beautiful lake. The singing of the starling beckons you forward and a single tear slides down your cheek as you push uselessly against the barrier. Holding your arms tightly, you back up. You bite your lip as fear grips your heart. The seemingly harmless, sheer, and white curtain changes. It fades to gray and becomes thick with cobwebs. The sparkling lake has vanished and not even a whisper of the starlings is heard. With a wild cry you tear them off the wall. As you hold them in your hands and breathe heavily, your head spins with adrenaline. The tattered remains flow from your fingers and fall to the floor. A smile spreads across your face. You are still staring at the curtain in sweet anticipation of what is beyond. You look up. The smile fades into a nervous glance. As you advance through, into the valley, something seems wrong. The starlings' song has turned into a raspy whisper and the air carries a foul stench. It is still beautiful and seems to call you but, you don't know why. As you leave the fallen curtain behind, the sky becomes gray and brown. The starlings morph into crows and descend upon you. They peck at your hair and your flesh. The water crawls out of the lake, licking at your feet. It drags at your legs until you are in its shallows. The once fresh water has turned salty and burns your pecked-at skin. It pulls you deeper and deeper. You are drowning. With one final cry you raise your arms to heaven and are taken under.

The Dark

     Look over your shoulder. Feel its presence. You hurry your step and strangle a gasp. The hairs on your back tingle with fear. You start to run as the Dark looms up. Its vicious claws tear at walls as it gropes to take hold of its prey. Abandoning your dignity, you cry out for help. And yet, no one hears you because you have not really screamed; you've only whispered. The Dark converges and your feet trip about uselessly as you struggle to take your eyes away from this fascinatingly hideous beast. Beneath its growls and roars you can distinguish intelligible words.
     "Come with me. There's nothing left. Your mine. Don't struggle." You turn and flee down a hidden passageway. It rumbles after you in desperate pursuit. The passage ends and you find yourself up against a wall. You beat at it with your fists in useless denial. Sinking to the ground, you curl up in a ball hoping the Dark will not come.
      You hear a low menacing growl. You look up and see the beast, the dark. You curl tighter and start to cry.
       You stop. You raise your head. "There is nothing left." you whisper. You stand and bow your head. The beast advances slowly. It knows you are trapped; it tortures you by prolonging the end. Raising your head, you lift your arms up to the sky and give in.
       You are consumed by the Dark. Its wild teeth gnash and bite. You feel your skin tear as its powerful jaws rip your flesh. Blood spills and pools around you. The beast withdraws for a second to admire its handiwork.
       You are sitting in a pool of blood watching it all take place as if you were outside your body. You wake up.
       You are sitting in the shower. You stare around you as the dim light flickers through the curtain. Tears are streaming down your face and your arm hurts.
           
             You are sitting in a pool of blood...
           
             With a razor in your hand.