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.