At the End of a Long, Dark Road. (Steemitbloggers Contest)

This is my entry into the @steemitbloggers EPIC Songspiration, A Music Prompt, Contest. This is my first ever piece of creative fictional writing (well, since school anyway). We were given 5 different epic music clips to create a story from and the one that inspired me is by Ninja Tracks. It is called The Long Path. Just click on the track and read along with the music.

I hope you enjoy it.

This is it. The end of a long, dark road. My journey to find the Genesis Crystal and save our people has reached its climax. I am in the Forest of the Doomed and up ahead of me is the very point that my map has been leading me to, Morgan’s Rock. If I can just reach this sacred place and remove the stone then the curse upon these lands will be lifted and the evil that stains this world will be banished once again.

Tired. So tired. Just moving my right foot in front of my left is taking all the energy I have remaining. But I must endure this pain. So many lives are counting on me to free them from this tyranny. The light is starting to cut through the darkness as the sun rises and that warms my heart. It gives me a little encouragement.

Then suddenly something changes. There is now absolute silence and the low hum that was there before has gone. The hairs on my neck stand up and I sense something behind me festering in the darkness. The foul stench of evil is in the air. I feel like something is watching me.

I start to move again. Forward, slowly. I listen for an indication of what’s going to happen next. Fear has given me a jolt of energy like a shot in the arm. Moving along the pathways, glancing back every now and then expecting to see something right next to me. I'm convinced that some hellish creature is there clawing at me, trying to slow me down but I see nothing.

A scream! So shrill and loud it chills my blood. I’m rooted to the spot. With pure terror I turn to face whatever evil awaits me. I’m unable to control the shaking that has taken hold of me. There is nothing to see in the darkness as the rising sun has yet to appear over the distant horizon. Straining hard to focus in the poor light I think I can make out a shape just in front of the trees though I am less than certain. Then the scream rings out around the forest once again and this time I turn and run.

I run as fast as my aching, weary legs will allow. The pain is excruciating. The fear of whatever it is behind me is driving me forward. The trees around me turn into a blur as I move at full speed. Whatever is pursuing me feels like its got into my head. I can sense the hatred and anger consuming it. It is telling me that it is useless to run and ridiculing me for trying to get away. I’m so close. I need to block it out and stay focused. The stone is just up ahead.

So close.

My lungs are burning. I feel like I’m going to suffocate from the over exertion that I have put my broken body through. I have no choice. Branches of trees, whipping at my flesh as I pelt through them. The evil from behind is gaining on me. The ground is wet and muddy. It’s starting to bog me down. I’m slowing. Another scream, different; more of impending victory than fear and hate.

So close.

Dim light exudes from the crystal. Less than fifty meters to go. My eyes are pulsating in time with my heart. It feels like it will explode out of my chest. My head is pounding through fear and from the whip of the trees.

I get to the clearing just in front of the rock. Splashing through a stream and stumbling out the other side, I continue sprinting as fast as I can towards the crystal, gasping for air to feed my faltering muscles. The splashes of my pursuer don’t come. Dare I believe that I have made it and left whatever was chasing me far behind? Was it even there at all? Keep running.

So close.

Then something hits me in the back of the head. A flash of light and confusion. I go crashing to the ground like a felled tree and just lay there, face down, in a heap. I’m breathing so hard it’s more like a wheeze. Consciousness is slowly leaving me. My heart sounds like a bass drum. Boom! Boom! Boom! Then, through the crescendo of my flaming lungs and pounding heartbeat, I hear it approaching.

I’m clinging on to the last moments of awareness.The final thing I remember is a shadow over me, a terrifying laugh, more of a gurgle, chuckling to itself. The grotesque sound trails away as I slip into darkness.

So clo…………………

Header Image from pxhere

Thanks for reading

Gaz

Join us @steemitbloggers
_{Animation By @zord189}