Contest: Murder in a Land of Madness

Host: Mermaid1211

It was quiet.

Really quiet.

Too quiet.

I could hear them. Talking to me from the darkness. Screaming with their mouths gaping wide. Crying and asking why. There were so many of them; young, old, girl, boy, tall, small.

They wouldn't leave me alone.

"Murderer!" "Scratch, scratch, do it again!" "Murderer!" "Jordan ditched you!" "Disgusting, worthless, mentally disturbed!" "Scratch, scratch, do it again!" "Murderer!"

A painful scream rips free from my chest and my fingers dig deep into my scalp, pulling clumps of blonde hair from my head. Blood trickles down my face, running into my eyes and mouth and mingling with the tear streaks already peppering my cheeks. Salty and metallic liquid runs along my tongue, turning my teeth a crimson red and burning my eyes.

"Stop! Go away! Leave me alone! Go away!" I cry, rocking myself back and forth, trying to make the voices go away.

"No!" "You murderer!" "Scratch, scratch, do it again!" "Pull, pull, platinum hair, pull it out!" "Beetles, beetles, crawling on you!"

I jerk, glancing down at myself to see a million black bugs dancing all over my body. A terrible shaking overtakes my body and I rake my hands down my face, scraping my nails down my cheeks, neck, and arms. Desperately scratching away at the beetles eating my flesh.

"Stop! Make it stop! Jordan!" Blood runs, turning my white nightgown a dark red. Stickiness coats my fingers and knots in my hair.

"Jordan's gone!" "He ditched you!" "You're a murderer!" "All alone, all alone, die, die!" "Scratch, scratch, do it again!" "Worthless, crazy, unwanted!" "Pull, pull, platinum hair, pull it out!" "Dirty, dirty, dirty!"

"No, no, no!" I whimper, rubbing my palms against my cheeks, trying to rid myself of the icky blood. It was everywhere, on every inch of my skin and coating my thin gown.

"Beetles, beetles, crawling on you!"

I gasp, breathing in heavily and drag my nails along my legs, watching as the beetles fall away from my skin and how their dead bodies disintegrate before touching the floor. "Get off, get off, get off! Leave me alone!"

"No, no Dai!" "Scratch, scratch, do it again!" "All alone, all alone, die, die!"

I smack my lips shut, biting the inside of my lips to clamp them shut. Blood runs over my tongue and tears dribble down my cheeks, uncontrollable sobs wrack my body but I don't open my mouth.

"Die, die!"

A light headed feeling tugs at my consciousness, tiny sparkles of light burst behind my eyelids, and I suddenly find myself falling over. My head hits the dresser beside my bed and a glass bottle tumbles off the shelf, crashing against the floor and shattering to pieces.

A brilliantly fresh smell rushes through the room, forcing my lips open and finally silencing the angry voices. I gasp, slumping against the crimson colored sheets with relief. Every inch of my body hurt and blood covered my exposed skin, but the voices were gone.

"Jordan..." I whisper, closing my eyes as his scent fills my nose. His face appears in my mind, smiling that lopsided grin and eyes sparkling with worry and love. A sleepy sensation falls over me and I roll over onto my side, curling into a tight ball but the smell of blood forces me awake.

"The blood. Bad, blood is bad." A shimmering figure appears in the corner of the room, seated calmly in the chair by the desk. Jordan leans against the back of the chair and jerks his head toward the reddish bed sheets. I glance downward and finger the material in my hands.

"Bandage?" I question, looking to my brother. He nods and watches me as I rip the sheet apart and tie it around my arms and legs, before sticking some to my neck and cheeks.

"Sleep?" Jordan bites his lip and nods, a regretful look in his eyes.

"Die?" I wonder, referring to his hesitation. He nods grimly and pats his hand over his heart.

"I love you too." I whisper, curling up on my side and falling asleep.