Midnight Concerto

Carmen started awake with a jolt as she quickly bolted upright in the thick shadows of the night. Her glassy, young eyes were visible in the dark confines of her room, beneath the auburn curls that had been tousled in interrupted sleep.1

Tiny, clear beads of sweat rolled down her furrowed forehead leaving a slick, chilly trail down to her nose. Her fingers swiped at her wet cheeks and she wasn’t all too sure she hadn’t been crying, as she lay dormant. She brushed away the long bangs that had caught in her mouth and stopped to listen intently. Her tongue moved over her chapped lips and her heart felt like a million hummingbird’s fluttering wings. Her body was rebelling against some invisible assailant she didn’t know existed.2

‘Thunk’!3

The noise caught her in confused thought. Carmen’s’ head whipped around searching for a remnant of comfort before partially hiding beneath the safety of the flowery, pink bedspread. Wide eyes shifted back and forth, wide and seemingly shrieking like banshees. She squinted at the shadows surrounding her as bulbous tears welled up in the corners.4

‘Creeeeak…Thunk’!5

The noise came again from beyond her bedroom door. The sounds were loud and hollow, like a heavy bag being dragged down wooden stairs. Carmen’s hands shook and the soft blanket shivered along with her. Was it her parents? Her boyfriend Brian, sneaking in to take her out on a romantic walk? If it was him sneaking in, he obviously wasn’t being any too quiet. No, she decided. She already knew that answer for some reason. He wasn’t silly enough to make such a racket.6

No. This was not a normal occurrence.7

It was no creaking house, settling in for the chilly night. No scraggly tree branch, like a hand scratching its nails on the siding.8

Nor was it the welcoming sound of her parents getting up to use the bathroom down the hall or getting themselves a drink of water from the noisy tap.9

It was new, and a frightening tyro to her. At 17 she fully knew the dangers of the world. Any sick person could invade the supposed safety of her home and it made her quake in fear. It didn’t help that the lightening was flashing outside her window in a dark omen. Carmen had been afraid of lightening storms and the dark all of her life. She needed comfort. 10

She contemplated screaming for her parents, but thought better of it. What if it was something horrible…lurking, and looking for her? The last thing she wanted was whatever it was to know her whereabouts. Somehow she knew that would be the biggest and last mistake of her short life.11

‘Thhhhunk’!12

It came again, sending waves of terror through the thick wood of the door, straight to Carmen. The fact that it didn’t seem to be getting any closer reassured her partially though. She stopped squinting so terribly as the room became more focused and her pupils adjusted to the lack of light. Her mind raced trying to figure out what to do.13

‘CRASH’!14

The metallic rattling noise seemed to vibrate through the halls and rooms of the house, devoid of warm life. Carmen pushed back the covers warily and listened for the sounds to come again.15

Listening intently it seemed that there was a deep, humming coming from outside the house. It drifted from the front, through the window. Words and a melody slowly trickled into what she could make of a song and it pooled at the base of her skull.16

It was the type that was intense, familiar and yet you could never quite grasp it. All she could tell was that it had an old movie musical appeal to it. The honey smooth notes seemed to caress her skin and she came out of her dumb trance.17

Thoughts raced through her mind at lightening speed. Who in their right mind would be outside her house, making so much noise, singing and knocking into things like a drunken town crier? It was crazy!18

But what if it wasn’t a harmless person in an intoxicated stupor? Even worse, what if it wasn’t a person at all?19

The possibilities were endless and not too cheerful. Was there really a modern day Boogie man? The Sandman? The thing nightmares are made of?20

‘Get a hold of yourself’ she thought. ‘The real world doesn’t breed storybook monsters.’ However it does breed immoral and unstable humans.21

Carmen steeled herself and swung her tiny feet over the edge of the bed, sheathing them in powder blue slippers. Adrenaline pumped anew through her stunned cold veins. Her slim fingers still clung to the bed sheets and her breath was labored but she managed to let go and stand shakily with the help of the bedside table.22

‘Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee..eraaaggggghhhh..thunk’!23

The humming continued and she almost lost her balance when her knees betrayed her at the sound. The door of her room seemed to be a million miles away as she inched slowly over the soft carpet. ‘At least the rug will muffle my footsteps. Something finally in my favor.’ She thought. It was now or never. 24

She forced a small elfin foot forward. Her muscles stretched at the effort.25

She continued to press her feet to move her forward until she was a few inches from the misfortune-portending door. The humming stopped and created a panic-inducing silence, as if on cue, its source was listening to her as she listened to it. 26

‘No’, she thought, ‘It couldn’t have heard me. I need to relax. Daddy always said not to panic in a bad situation, it just makes it worse’.27

Carmen didn’t even realize that she had been holding breath until her lungs began to burn. It all came out in a long squeaky sigh. Her throat constricted and she held back tears of fright.28

The humming began again but it was louder and more defined now. 29

The slow vibrations became clear words, though what they were she could not begin to answer. Her own mind was racing to fast to allow her to focus. It was like hearing with no memory of what word came before the next. She could swear it was a game.30

It was terrifyingly beautiful. The only way it could in fact be described as, would be a wave of sorrow and passion invoked within an operatic voice of an angel. So deep… so mournful… so intoxicating.31

Carmen’s tense muscles relaxed some and she simply stared at the tarnished, brass doorknob…entranced. Her yellow-tinted face stared back at her, beckoning a reaction. Whomever it was singing was surely so much a siren that it could entrance her own reflection.32

As if in slow motion, Carmen’s fingers reached out and enclosed the shiny metallic bulb and proceeded to turn it carefully. The latch popped and the hulking door creaked open a slight crack.33

She leaned her head forward and peered out the crack into the darkness. The shadowy hall showed no traces of temporary inhabitance and so she pulled the door all the way open before hesitantly stepping out.34

There was nothing among the white, gray-washed walls and gold carpet except a tiny nightlight. It illuminated the bend in the hall and made her feel more confident that there was nothing on the other side. The singing had not stopped though and she slowly followed its trail of melody down the narrow corridor.35

Carmen’s feet pitter-pattered around the bend and carried her past the bathroom. The oak door sat half-open in darkness. There was no longer any doubt in her mind that it wasn’t her parents. 36

She scurried out the end of the hallway and into the living room. Everything was as surreal as a Monet. The soft, silvery light of the full moon came through the white lace curtains covering the Bay windows.37

It splashed its cold light across the floor and Carmen’s heart froze along with it. She looked through the doorway at the other end of the room and into the dark kitchen.38

The vision chilled her to the bone. She crept closer and closer and finally stopped when she was standing in the middle of the doorway.39

The kitchen door, about six feet away from her led to the porch outside. Moonlight filtered through the thin mauve curtain covering the window of the door and there was a silhouette in motion.40

It took clearer form along with the singing. She wasn’t sure if her eyes were taking advantage of her but the shadowy shape looked like a man’s head and she could see their mouth moving along with the words of the song.41

She didn’t trust her eyes. The sound of light footsteps went along with the shadow, and the hollow wood of the deck betrayed it, as she heard it come closer to the door though the song stayed constant.42

She gasped. Carmen felt the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes again and she sobbed quietly for a moment as she closed her eyes and wished for it to go away. She would do anything to just make it go away. 43

She swallowed the rest of her sobs and rallied herself, squaring her small shoulders, head held high. Her heart raced, shoulders trembled and her sweat matted her bangs. Whatever it was, it was luring her in as she pushed back.44

Carmen’s eyes snapped open and a shriek caught in her lungs when the door burst open with brute force. The shadow darted through it and scuttled in front of her so quick it couldn’t have been real. Her hand snatched at her bare throat and she stumbled backward praying for it to go away. The back of her knees made contact with a chair and she almost fell.45

The shadow had taken shape to her now. A short twisted frame about her height with brown, putrid skin hanging like damp cloths. Its flesh was wrinkled and piled like wax poured over what she could make of a face. It was vile.46

What was truly terrifying was its eyes. A cool, blue like ice chips, they were large, glossy… and human. Oceans of familiarity among decaying matter that melted off high cheekbones. She didn’t scream, nor did she run in the minutes that seemed to pass. The eyes kept her stock-still.47

She began to pity it for its repulsiveness. Its solemn gaze was so real that it made her feel close to this thing. It conveyed humanity, naivete and ancient prehistory.48

What was coming over her? She felt sympathy for some mysterious… and not to mention hideous creature that popped up in the middle of the night. Was she losing her marbles?49

The rough folds of skin at the corners of the familiar eyes became taut and she grimaced in pitiful disgust. It squinted at her with child-like curiosity. It’s maroon lips, were slick with some mercury like goo and they curled upward to expose long, white teeth underneath.50

Carmen had a sudden need to trust him and hoped that he would trust her. She returned its mischievous smile and managed to form the words, “ Who are you?”51

The anomaly’s eyes lit up and his gleaming, white teeth seemed to increase in size. “You know who I am… and I know doubt know exactly who you are.“ His voice surprised her. The thing had a very proper English accent and that befuddled her mind even more.52

The thing could tell from the look on her face that she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about and he groaned in irritation. “I’ve been looking for you for a short while but I’m tired none-the-less. You put up a great chase. I am merely what you see. It’s not important right now. What’s important is that I finally found you.” He raised what looked to be an eyebrow but his features were so putrid and peeling that she couldn’t tell.53

“You confuse me… erm… sir. I don’t mean to be entirely rude but, you’ve burst into my house in the middle of the night and you expect idle chitchat of me? I really need to know who you are and why you’re here. I wouldn’t want to have to call my father out here.” Carmen bluffed.54

He grinned as if she had tickled his funny bone. “Now you know who I am. I told you that. I would have no need to explain my bloody presence to you little girl if you would just open your eyes. You on the contrary… I’m familiar to you as you are to me.”55

Carmen glared at him. “Listen, I have no idea who or WHAT you are but I want you out! I assure you that you have the wrong house and the wrong person because I am in no way acquainted with you, nor would I ever want to be. I don’t know you and you sure as Hell don’t know me buster. Now get out of here! I’m going to get my father and if he finds you in here he will call the cops.” She turned to walk down the hallway in mock threat.56

Carmen got no more than three furious steps before a deep, frightening laughter erupted. She whipped about and stared at him. The anger in her eyes became more subdued as she looked at him questioningly.57

“My dear, I have absolutely no intention of leaving. You’re not a very good liar. I know for a fact that there is no one here and you are in no position to order me out. You are the one who needs to get out.” The amusement in his eyes peeked through the brown folds of skin and she shuddered.58

“I am in a very good position to ask you to leave MY HOUSE! I’ll let my dog out on you if I have to.” She stepped over to the door leading to the garage and placed a hand on the knob.59

He laughed. “Go ahead… Spike the ferocious terrier isn’t out there my dear.”60

Her eyes grew wide in amazement and terror and she quickly opened the door. Carmen peered into the dark garage and saw indeed that her dog was no where to be found.61

She slammed the door and grabbed a broom that leaned against the wall.62

“WHERE ARE THEY?! What did you do with them you horrible little cretin?! No…no. Just get out of my house and don’t come back.” She pointed the end of the broom handle at him to make her point. He smiled and leaned on the back of a kitchen chair. “Anything that happened to them is not of my doing. You can trust me on that. I however, am not the least bit finished with you. Get used to it. Let me ask you a question. You owe this to yourself. Tell me… what are you most afraid of?” his gravelly baritone picked over the words carefully.63

Carmen thought in silence for a few awkward seconds while the monster looked like a cat eager to pounce. His eyes burned her skin and she felt naked and unable to conceal her thoughts in his presence.64

“That’s a silly question to be asking in this situation. Why should I answer? I don’t know who or what you are or why you’re in my house.” She said it more in a perplexed manner rather than in anger. She thought for a moment and decided to play his game since hers definitely wasn’t working. ”Well… I guess… I mean… I’m a little afraid of spiders and heights. Why?” she had felt compelled to answer.65

The gruesome being glared and looked her over as he pondered her simplistic answer. His smile disappeared. “No!” he roared. “No, no no! That’s not good enough! You lie. I know your lying to my face.” He shouted as silvery spittle flew from his trembling lips. His horrible puke-brown complexion became tinted with red in his fury and she just stared, paralyzed.66

Carmen’s eyes opened wide with horror. “I don-… I don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s your problem? I swear it’s the truth. I really don’t understand where this is going but I want you out of my home! Please just go! I haven’t done anything to you, please… please just leave! I don’t know what you want!!!” Carmen shouted back in wavering courage.67

The monster smiled his giant, toothy grin again and tapped a long, chipped, yellow nail against what could only be a chin. The cracks in it looked like golden veins.“ You can shut it out all you want. For your own good though, you’re going to admit it whether you like it or not. That is something neither of us have a choice on.” his voice crackled.68

He came at her and she swung the broom at him frantically. He dodged with lightening quick speed and after a few swipes he managed to take it out of her hands.69

“If you wish to do this the hard way then you have it! Be ungrateful if you want! Choose to not remember now but by the end of this, you will know!”70

Carmen cried out when his lean, skeleton-like fingers enclosed themselves around her right forearm. Her closed fist came down again and again on the monster’s hollow chest with disgusting thud’s. He pulled her towards the open door with inhuman strength and she fought her hardest futilely.71

“Mom! Daddddd! Please! Oh God… mom! Pleassseeee! Anyone! Let go!” her voice screeched in her last attempt as she was dragged out the door and into a thick white mist. It became a sound proof blanket and her cries were lost in the damp air.72

*******73

The journey was long and somewhere along the way Carmen passed out. Her eyes became tired of staring into the same white nothingness and her voice wore out from the crying. When she woke up again she felt something cold and hard beneath her.74

Her lids raised slowly, afraid to know where she was. She shook her head to clear the sleepy, fogginess in her head that matched what she had been pulled through.75

Her blurry vision began to clear and she realized she was at the bottom of a small, gray, stone corridor. The ceiling was high but the tunnel-like place was narrow, perhaps 4 feet in width. The stone beneath her was cold and damp. It chilled her skin into goose bumps and she rubbed her arms trying to regain some of her warmth. The floor was dusty and Carmen cringed at the sight of her dirty, torn nightgown. The white was now brown and gray tatters.76

A scuffling noise came from above her and she looked at the ceiling. There was a steel grate in the ceiling about three feet by three feet. Carmen squinted at the bright rays of light that shown through it. “Hello?” her voice came out hoarsely.77

“Please, is anyone there? Please, it’s so dark down here!” she shouted half-heartedly. There was no hope in her voice. The scuffling moved its way to the grate and when she saw the outline of a face she sighed in relief.78

It was short lived when she gasped; realizing it was the monster. He grinned and let out a scratchy laugh. “Expecting a knight on a white horse like you pretended when you were a child? Don’t worry, I won’t allow this to be a fairytale. Ready to admit it yet?”79

Carmen glared and looked away, tired and out of hope. “I don’t know exactly what you want. I told you what I was afraid of. I don’t know…” she searched her brain for a answer that might please him. “I hate… uh… needles. I’m afraid of needles. Oh, and I’m terrified of flying.” she offered as a last resort. Carmen was exhausted and had given up halfway along the journey asking how he knew such things about her. 80

“That’s not it! Well, I know how to get your attention. Enjoy.” He croaked before his shadow left the holes of the grate.81

“Fabulous... just fabulous. I’m stuck in Hell with a nasty little troll.” She cried and threw a rock at the wall. “Ugh… what did I do to deserve this?” she whispered as she looked up.82

Maybe if she was lucky, Brian or her parents would have found she was missing already and have people looking for her. She wasn’t sure that they would have any clue where to look though. She didn’t even have a clue as to where she was.83

The mist had engulfed them as soon as he had dragged her out of the house and it cloaked them the entire way. ‘He must have had a trail marked or something. How else would he have known where we were going. I miss my family.” she thought.84

She sat in silent thought, and after what felt like an hour, she gave up waiting and tried burrowing into a pile of dirty straw on the floor to keep warm. She didn’t even care about the filth anymore. All properness was thrown aside at this point. Her family and her boyfriend completely filled her thoughts and she hoped tearfully that she would see them again. It was the only thing she wanted, and she cried.85

Carmen had nodded off for a couple minutes when she woke up to something furry brushing against her hand. “Oh no! Ew… please tell me that’s a kitten or a puppy!” she whimpered and wiped her hand frantically on her nightgown. She peered around at the shadows trying to see what was in there with her.86

Something small moved in a corner of the hall and she let a small shriek. Carmen scooted up against the wall as far as she could. She saw another movement on the other side of her and she leaped up in fright. She wildly danced around trying to keep whatever it was off of her feet.87

A large spider lowered itself down in front of her face on a thin silken string. All Hell broke loose. She screamed with all her might and ran halfway down the hall, pulling at her hair to make sure it wasn’t on her.88

“No! No! No! Don’t you dare do this to me! No! It’s just a figment of my imagination! Just a figment! A big… furry… slimy figment!” she panicked and slapped her hands at her hair and body to fight off the eight-legged pests.89

More and more spiders invaded the small space. Carmen thought she was about to hyperventilate. Her chest was tight and unyielding. She could feel their cool fur dragging along her feet and she ran for the other end of the hall.90

Her small feet pounded the slick granite and her skirt swirled about her ankles. The spiders chased her and were gaining on her every step. “Leave me alone! I’m not afraid of you!” she gasped with exertion. 91

She could hear the skittering sound of them behind her and she dared no more looks over her shoulder. The end of the hall seemed to move backward as she moved forward and she cried out, thinking she would never get away from them. 92

Just as she thought the swarm of spiders would overtake her she made it to the wall and slammed straight into it. She flew through the wall at the end of the corridor like it was tissue paper and fell into unconsciousness. 93

*******94

Her eyes flew open and she wondered why her side wasn’t sore from the impact of stone against her weary body. The stone hall had dissolved away and the spiders went with it. Now what lay around her was a dark room.95

‘My bed room?’ she thought with hope. Her hopes were dashed when she tried to raise an arm and realized she was bound to a table. Brown belt-like straps held her to the cold slab. She cried out in frustration as she struggled with the bonds.96

Carmen stilled when a light came on overhead. It was a cold white room, sterile looking and small. She was lucky if each wall was 12 feet wide. She tried again to slip her arms out but it was no use.97

A P.A. speaker in one corner of the room turned on with the sound of laughter. It was easy to recognize it as that of the monsters.98

She turned her attention to a small tray beside her. She couldn’t quite see over the top of the sides but something was shining on it with an ethereal silver glow. The P.A. turned back off and she could hear a door behind her head open heavily.99

She panicked as she heard a latch and bolt close it. Footsteps came towards her and moved over to where the tray was. She finally locked eyes with her hated captor and had the urge to spit on his disgusting brown, fleshy face.100

His eyes shown such a cold blue malice that it made her whole body shiver. His lips opened up into a fierce toothy grin and more silver spit rolled down his chin. The monster tapped his nails on the tray and hummed a bit.101

She couldn’t stand the waiting any longer. “What are you doing?! I suppose your planning on keeping me in this asylum well… no. My parents WILL find me. My boyfriend will beat you into the ground and you’ll be put into jail for life.”102

He polished an instrument from the tray in a white cloth thoughtfully. “I’ve always admired your spunk. We need to keep you fighting my dear. I’m sure your feistiness won’t be in question here.” he chuckled as he took a 4 inch, silver needle out of the cloth. 103

Her eyes grew wide and she closed her eyes. Carmen rolled her head from side to side in anguish. “Please… please don’t. You really don’t want to do this. You know my parents aren’t poor. I’m sure they will answer any price you ask.”104

He smiled and took out a piece of brown thread from his pocket. He concentrated on the end of the needle as he pulled it through. “Your right, I don’t want to do this but money isn’t an option. You still don’t understand. I want you out just as much as you do. Its up to you little girl. Are you ready to admit yet?”105

He said as he took the needle in one hand and grabbed her hard by the chin. “Ah… you’re hurting me. I still don’t know who you are or why I’m here. Can’t you just let me go? What… what are you going to do?”106

He grinned, without remorse as he brought the needle down close to her face. “You may not be able to admit to it after I’m finished.” The needle headed straight towards her lips and she cried out realizing he was going to sew her mouth closed. As the needle descended she closed her eyes, praying… and drifted into unconsciousness again.107

*******108

When Carmen woke up, she immediately felt her mouth with one hand and sighed with relief to find no stitches. She looked around and found herself sitting on a comfortable gray chair. She tried to stand up but found a seatbelt prevented it. 109

She unlatched it and got up. She was the sole passenger on a plane it looked like. She opened the window shutter to see it was night and the clouds were drifting over the wings. ‘I’m ok. I can do this’ she told herself before heading up an aisle. 110

The silence was deafening and she started to get nervous. Why was there no one there? Where was the staff? She headed up to the curtain separating the passengers from the pilots’ cabin. She pushed the blue velvet carefully out of her way before grabbing the handle of the captains’ door.111

Carmen was surprised when it opened easily. There was no one in the cabin and the lights on the dash were blinking wildly. “Hello?” she called out before entering totally.112

The empty captains’ chair gave her a very uneasy feeling. As she stood there looking around she could hear fuzzy voices over a radio. She quickly sat in he large leather chair and grabbed the mouthpiece. 113

“Hello, hello? I need help. I can barely hear you. There is no pilot on my flight. What do I do?” she radioed in. She waited a minute but there was no response. She sighed heavily and leaned back in the seat.114

Carmen glanced out of the large window in front of her at the night and squinted at a bright light not too far in the distance. ‘What is that?’ she thought. She gasped as she realized it was a t.v. tower and she grabbed the radio again. 115

“Help! HELP! Please! I’m about to crash into a tower and I don’t know what to do! Help! I don’t know how to fly the plane!!!” she shouted. She cried out and yanked the radio right out of the ceiling when there was no response.116

She immediately threw it at the wall and it broke into a million pieces. She went back to the dash and looked over the buttons, panicking. “Oh god, oh god, oh god. What do I do?” she sobbed. She flipped switches and pressed buttons frantically to no avail.117

Looking out the window she realized she didn’t have time. The light was getting brighter by the second and she grabbed the steering wheel. ‘Do I pull up or down?!’ she exclaimed in her head.118

The bright light was about to engulf the entire plane when she pulled up on the wheel with all her strength. The light became the only visible thing and she sank into her own darkness as she closed her eyes.119

*******120

Her eyes flew open. Carmen looked around in confusion as she realized she was in the middle of a plateau. Her brow furrowed and she tried to regain her breath in frustration.121

Carmen dusted off her knees as she stood up to get a better view of where she was. The sun was strong and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. She smelled the clean air and tried to remember if she had ever been here before.122

No recognition came to mind and she ambled along, kicking pebbles of dry, golden dirt as she went. Maybe if she were lucky, someone nearby would find her and take her home. That was all she wanted… home.123

She parted a patch of tall scrubby brush and stumbled through to find herself on the edge of a cliff. “No! Not again!” she panicked once again. Tears forced their way through and she sobbed uncontrollably. Would this nightmare never end?124

She dared to edge her way up closer to look over. She heard an echo coming from the canyon below. It was about 500 feet down to jagged rocks and a raging river. Next to the river she recognized the small ant-like form of the monster along with three taller ones on the end of a rickety rope bridge.125

“We meet again! Had enough?! Ready to admit it yet?!” he shouted up to her while rumbling laughter erupted. Carmen sobbed harder.126

“I told you! I don’t know what you want from me! Tell you what?! Just please leave me alone!” she screeched hoarsely. She was tired of his games.127

“Caaarmeeennnnn!” his voice floated up to her in a foreboding melody, “Maybe you need a little more motivation. Perhaps you know these fine people I have here with me today. I believe they’re your mom and dad and, what his name again? Oh, right. Brian. Be a good little girl and say ‘hello’.”128

She was shocked and frightened. Now she did recognize the forms beside him. “Mom! Dad! Oh Brian. I’m sorry! I’ve missed you so much!” she yelled with renewed vigor.129

“Oh honey! Are you all right? What have you gotten yourself into?” she heard her mom’s voice say. It was like a safety blanket to her heart.130

“Darling, you have to go back. You can’t do this to yourself!” her father yelled to her. She mulled over their words and became even more confused.131

“Hey, reunion over. Are you ready to admit it yet!” the monster growled.132

“Admit what?!?!?!?”133

“Huh. Well, lets just see if this will help. Guys, lets take a swim.” The crabby creature started to push her parents and boyfriend toward the middle of the rope bridge that was already jerking around from the running water.134

“No! Stop it! Leave them alone! What do you want from me!?” her voice was fading from the exertion.135

“Honey, you know! Deep down you know and you have to face it. You can’t stay here! We know you’ll do the right thing honey. I’m so sorry I did this! We love you!” Brians’ voice came up to her trembling. It wasn’t the strong voice she remembered.136

Something clicked in Carmen’s head. She had to face this fear. She had to do it. She mustered up all the courage she had and grinned defiantly.137

“You don’t rule me fear! I’m not afraid of this. I just want my parents’ back. I don’t want them to be gone!” she said in a steely voice before her feet took her over the edge of the cliff.138

Her heart was fluttering as the fall felt like forever. Finally her skin came into contact with the cold river water for a split second before she disappeared into darkness.139

*******140

Her arms and legs felt like lead as her eyes opened. Carmen moaned when a dull ache traveled down her spine. “Mom…Dad… Brian?” her small voice muttered. She saw bright glaring lights and she reached a heavy hand to her forehead to find a gauzy material.141

“Carmen? It’s going to be all right. Can you move your legs? How many fingers am I holding up?” a woman asked her from her side.142

Carmen rubbed her eyes trying to clear them. A woman in white with golden hair like an angel’s was smiling down at her. She had a clipboard and a pen in hand. “I… where am I? I want my parents. Where are my parents?”143

The woman held the clipboard to her chest tightly and her smile disappeared into a frown. “Your tired. You should rest. You have been through so much these past few days.”144

“No! I want my parents. Where am I?” she said with authority.145

Sadness crept into the kind woman’s face and she gave an apologetic smile. “Honey, you’re in the hospital. You were in a horrible car accident. Don’t you remember? You and your boyfriend were driving home after a party. Your boyfriend was drunk and he ended up hitting another car head on.146

Carmen breathed a sigh of relief. “We’re all right. It was all a dream. Thank God.” She smiled. “Where are my parents and Brian. I have to tell them what a bizarre dream I had.” She exclaimed.147

The nurse looked down at the floor and placed a hand on Carmen’s arm. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to tell you this sweetie. Your parents were in the other car. They came looking for you when you weren’t home by midnight and… you’re the only survivor honey.”148