The windshield wipers whished rhythmically as Kyle navigated the winding road through central France. The rain had just gotten heavy within the last mile or so as he wondered for the hundredth time what he was doing here. He turned the radio up in an attempt to drown away the memory of Becca's funeral. It had rained then too, had it only been a week. 1
Her illness was sudden and too much to bear at the time, he could still hear the beeping of the heart monitor and the swooshing of the respirator as the life support machines kept her body alive while she lay in a coma for three excruciating weeks. It nearly drove him over the edge of all reason when the doctors pronounced her brain dead. He could hardly register Becca's mom hugging him as she cried on his shoulder. It was left up to him to pull the plug on the woman he loved. The spirit of his wife was gone and all that was left was her body and those aweful sounds. 2
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Suddenly there was a flash of light and Kyle instinctively jerked the wheel to get out of the way forgetting that he was on a wet treacherous stretch of road in a foreign country. The tires sqealed as he flew off the embankment into the trees. The airbags exploded as he bounced back in his seat. A soft voice called his name as he sank deeper into unconsciousness. 4
Kyle floated in a vast pool of darkness listening to distant chaotic voices calling to him. He tried to answer but his mouth could not form the words needed as the noise drifted away into silence. Confused he tried again to pull out of the dark so he could be heard. No sound came, he attempted to move his head, reach out his hands but the paralysis remained. Nausea set in as dizzying eternity settled in around him. 5
No, no, no, his mind screamed as he struggled against this terrifying bondage. His body grew cold as shock set into the core. The tears fell down his cheeks as he continued to float further down past all human sound.
Then it started so soft in the foreground. What was that? He strained to pick up the sound. There it was again. He tried to turn toward it but couldn't move. Then something soft brushed against him. Tinkling laughter filled the air as many winged creatures fluttered over his body. He internally gasped as they overwhelmed him, covering him from head to toe. There was no way he could shake them off as a few attempted to burrow into his hands and face. 6
No! He choked as they filled his mouth. 7
Yes. A cloying voice demanded entrance.8
With a jerk Kyle awoke with a gasp to the nightmare of cold rain pattering down through the tree foliage. Groaning in pain he rolled over onto his back and attempted to brush the butterflies off his face and body but they wouldn't budge. One crawled near his left eye and buried itself deep into his flesh, its probiscus slowly curled around his iris. The intense pain caused him to gag on a scream. As sudden as the pain was there it was gone. 9
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He blinked several times as he frantically wiped at his face. Then he pulled back surprised that he could see with this new eye. He saw that one with blue wings had attached to his right hand and that the pain was gone. Pushing against a tree he slid into the mud as he tried to stand. The car was gone as was the road. He twisted around to see where the hell he was but nothing looked familiar. Darkness surrounded him on all sides. The rough bark biting into his raw flesh was almost comforting in its familiarity.
A chill ran down his spine as he slowly realised he was not alone. Kyle noticed a grey mist rolling along the ground in the distance. He stood mesmerized as the gliding mist took form and moved with gaining speed The forms seemed to slip away then reappear closer each time as it moved amongst the trees. "Am I dead?" He wondered out loud. 11
Not yet. A voice in his head answered back. 12
Kyle shook his head to dislodge the voice. "What the hell!?" Then a voice echoed mockingly back at him as laughter filled his ears. 13
"Damn it!" Anger was better than fear any day. "What did you do to me?"
The probiscus tightened like a noose causing pain to shoot through his head. The dizzying nausea nearly caused him to black out. He sank down and retched.14
"You had no right." He whispered horsely as he blinked away the pain he realized the greys were shifting closer to him. 15
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They will devour you if you remain here but what do I care if they collect you, it sneered. 17
He stumbled a few feet in the opposite direction. The road shouldn't be that far away, he reasoned. He could wave down the next car he saw and get the hell out of this godforsaken place. The concussion must be the cause of the delusional voice in his head. He needed to get to a hospital right away even though the thought of going back into one after Becca made him sick to his stomach. 18
Kyle breathed a sigh of relief as a small light appeared ahead of him then suddenly disappear as quickly. Headlights. I'm not far, he thought. A snicker flashed inside his head but he ignored it. 19
The light reappeared to his left flickering like a flame. He held onto the hope that it would lead him to safety and kept going even when he wanted to give in and let go. 20
Why not just give up? 21
His head wound throbbed as he wiped the rain and blood from his face. Why not just give up? He stopped in his tracks as he grew increasingly more confused. The voice continued to repeat the question over and over. Why not just give up? 22
Shaken Kyle peered into the flame his brow furrowed as he tried to remember. Where am I? He fell to his knees as everything around him froze. He couldn't stop falling as he lay on his side under the ancient oak. 23
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Who am I?
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