The Gifted

                                                                     The Dream

     The night sky is dark. Shadows move eerily in the cover of the thick underbrush of small trees and bushes outlining the narrow pebbled path that my feet trample briskly upon. The beautiful moon is no longer glowing brightly overhead and the stars are no longer glimmering like diamonds in the sky.

     I continue walking steadily along the narrow pebbled path, all alone, through the dense dark forest. I feel the sharp edges of rocks grinding fiercely into the tender soles of my feet. I cry out softly in pain.

     I want to stop, to massage away the burning ache emitting from my tattered feet but it is as if I have no control over my own body. I feel as if I am in some kind of bizarre trance. I want to turn left as I always do, toward my favorite hidden spot deep in the woods, but something is pulling me hard in the opposite direction, forcing me to go to the right, as if willing me to come closer.

     I am frightened. My body trembles with fear. A gentle breeze is blowing, caressing my cheeks like a subtle whisper. It is a warm humid night but chills run up and down the length of my body as I make my way slowly down the long dark path. I continue walking anxiously, veering to my right despite my inner voice crying out for me to just stop. My head is screaming at me to turn around.

     "Please Flower don't go in there!" a voice desperately calls out to me.

     I’m not sure if it is my own inner voice speaking to me any longer or someone frantically trying to warn me of an incoming danger. I plead insistently with my legs to please turn around but they continue to defy my commands. The dense branches from the over-hanging trees begin to dissipate gradually as I climb vigorously over a final inclining hill.

     Then it vaguely comes into view, as if chillingly reviling itself to me. It stands large and ghostly against the dark night sky. I can barely identify the massive structure encased in almost total darkness. As I fluently advance closer, a soft green glow cast out a dim light and creepily illuminates my frightening surroundings.

     I gasp in astonishment at where my feet have carried me, “Old Bridge Church”. I can vaguely see the spooky deteriorated graveyard softly illuminated off to the right side of the church. A creepy mist is flowing over the crumbling stone structures, where bodies from long ago were laid to rest. I can barely identify the tops of the graves peeping up curiously through the thick fog.

     I briefly recall the childhood ghost stories, told by the elders of my hometown, of the slaves who were hanged from the old tree beside the church. I swallow hard as I turn and gaze expectantly to the right of the graveyard.There it stands, hanging eerily over the briskly moving creek, like a horrendous grounds keeper protecting the deceased. Its branches hang eerily over the creek like long bony fingers reaching out to grab me. There is a natural bridge that lies conveniently over the creek providing a pathway to the old church. 

     I hear a slight creaking noise that brings my attention back to the old church. I look up slowly and am terrified once more at the sight of the door at the entrance of the church slowly inching open, ever so slightly, as if inviting me in.

     The door is old. Cracks run up and down the length of the damaged door. One hinge at the top corner of the door is missing, causing the door to hang slightly to the side. The church had long ago been abandoned. My grandmother told me stories once upon a time, when I was a young girl, of a few of her friends from school sneaking off to the old church one night on a ghost hunting adventure. They told her that they could hear chains rattling in the distance and could still see the blood on the walls from the massacre that took place there long ago.

     I hesitantly take a deep breath and slowly push the door further open. The sound from the door screeches loudly in my ears...Creeeeekkk. I swear I can hear, in the distance, the faint rattling sound of chains coming slowly in my direction, clanking and dragging along the rotten wooden floorboards as they move closer and closer. I close my eyes for a brief moment and take a deep breath to calm my unsettled nerves. I am terrified. I feel the sweat accumulating on my brow.

     “Be brave, Flower!” I tell myself encouragingly.

     I urgently convince myself that my mind is just trying to play tricks on me. My rapid heartbeat begins to slow and I muster up the courage to continue. As I open my eyes and peer out into the dark open doorway, I am frozen in fear once more as a figure slowly appears out of the darkness; a milky mist creeping up out of the darkness at first, then I see the eyes, nothing but the eyes. All I can see is the eyes, glowing eyes, peering at me as if they want to consume my entire being. They are large and oval shaped, with a horrifying green glow.

     I stand mesmerized by their presence for what seems like an eternity. I cannot move. I cannot turn away, as if they are drawing me in with their enticing, controlling power. They hold me speechless, motionless.

     ”Leave! Get out now, Flower!” The familiar voice from before exclaims, snapping me out of my trance.

     Fear instantly shoots throughout my paralyzed body! I turn and take off like a shot! I run as fast as my feet will carry me away from the intense magnificent glowing substance that once drew me in.

My feet are pounding furiously against the hard damp ground as I make my way across the graveyard, jumping and dodging graves on my course away from the hair-raising unknown being. I bound quickly over the ragged wooden fence that surrounds the graveyard in one immense leap and land flat and steadily on both feet. I jerk my body to the left and head straight into the dense, dark forest.

     I duck my head swiftly as the branches from the low lying trees brush slightly over the top of my head, threatening to collide with my upper body. I let out a bloodcurdling scream as I carelessly trip over a stump that erects viciously from the ground. I fall hard, landing squarely on my right side. I do not let myself give in to the pain.     

     I scramble back up to my feet and begin running again. I anxiously look back over my shoulder, scanning the horizon for potential followers. I see nothing behind me, with exception to the outline of enormous trees and darkness. I turn back around quickly…… I see it hanging down directly in a collision course with my head, before I can duck, before I can move out of its path ...WHACK...I feel it slam hard and swiftly against my head.

     I am tossed with a thundering THUDD to the ground. I feel a tremendous pain sear through my head and shoot down to my aching feet. As my eyes slowly drift close, I feel something warm ooze freely down my forehead to pool up evenly in the curve between the corner of my eye and my nose. Then, slowly but surely, consciousness begins to fade away leaving me in nothing but the darkness......

     I awake the next morning with a start. I slowly lift my head from my pillow and realize that I am safe and sound in my own bed. My heart beats wildly in my chest. Wow what a dream, I think, as I try to erase the disturbing images from my mind.

     I rise swiftly out of bed and stroll carelessly down the long hallway to the bathroom. My head begins pounding and my feet ache extensively as if I had endured some kind of major trauma while I slept. I squint my eyes tightly as I reach up to massage away the pain from my temple.

     I suddenly gasp as my fingers make contact with a sticky substance glued to my forehead. I walk sluggishly through my bathroom door. I quickly glance up into my bathroom mirror. Overwhelmed by horror, I stumble backwards, crashing into the wall behind me. I cannot believe the image that is reflecting back at me through the glass.

     My face is covered in blood, dirt and gravel. My hair is matted with a brownish colored muck and a gruesome open wound is situated squarely on the side of my forehead. What happened to me? I wonder frantically. A strangled cry emerges from my trembling lips as the images from the dream come rushing back to reality…….