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~ Day Dreams ~
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~ Chapter Twenty One ~
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~ Nightmare Within a Nightmare ~
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~ Eighteen-Years-Old ~
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~ Hazel's POV ~
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Thick mud forces my olive rain boots rooted into the ground, as I attempt all possible escape methods but fail horribly. I tug and tug, heave and heave, but my stiff legs would not budge.

"Hazel...!" An voice yelps from behind, echoes within the atmosphere of the dark, frightening forest. Dare I tell myself I am scared, because I am terrified. My emotions cannot portray the surface of my pale, freckled skin.

"Hazel...!" That voice again. Their voice sounds familiar. Dare I follow that echoing voice yelling my name for dear life.

My wobbly legs still would not shift out of the thick, sticky substance. My lungs scream for help as my voice echoes throughout the vast forest. Footsteps approach behind me, but I could not see who or what it could be. A shadowy figure comes into view as they grab my arms and pull me out of the thickness of the mud. The stranger tugs on their hoodie and reveals their shadowy face. Jake.

"Hazel, hurry. We have to run. They know what we did and we're in lots of trouble. You have to follow me through the forest." Jake said, pointing in the direction of death staring me in the face.

Jake grabs my hand without further words and pulls me towards the darkness of the forest. As soon as my hand falls into his I am finally safe at last. My breath breathes in rhythm with his as calmness spreads throughout my entire body. My muddy legs dash towards the direction of the foggy forest just ahead of Jake and I.

Forceful rain and booming thunder hover over the overcast sky, causing my heavy feet to pound through pitch-black darkness. A powerful gust of wind whips through my messy, tangled red hair, hair strands flying everywhere. The strong wind ripples through a dirty sapphire, long hooded open coat protecting me against the wild storm and a dirty white dress as I hold a fist of the material so I do not trip over. Why am I wearing a white gown? Why is Jake wearing a tuxedo underneath an unzipped jacket? Did Jake and I get married in secret? Are Jake and I Romeo and Juliet and that is why we are on the run and in some serious trouble?

The wild breeze catches my clumsy feet off guard, but Jake puts an arm to the small of my back and steadies me. His action causes my heart to skip a beat within my weathered chest. Why am I so nervous when he is in close proximity to me? Instead of the wind tripping me over, the gust catches my echoing squeak within the forest, causing wild birds and bats to descend within the treetops.

CRACK...!

"Jake, what was that?" my shaken voice questions as I straighten my posture.

Halting dead in our tracks, a twig breaks from behind us. I whip my head towards the sudden noise and identify nothing, but darkness. I am sure it was only a wild animal lurking through the forest trees. But there... vaguely, something shifts amongst the shadows of the trees. The depths of my consciousness said... RUN!

CRACK...!

"Hazel, you need to run. NOW!" Jake's voice echoes throughout the forest.

We are not alone within this dark, misty maze and they are not happy we are trespassing in their territory. There... something moves again. Our eyes connect, even in the pitch-black forest, I roughly see their angry eyes from afar. Lighting strikes the midnight sky, causing me light-years in the air as their eyes light up red within the nature of the vast forest.

"But what about you, Jake? I cannot just leave you here all alone."

"Don't worry about me, I'll hold them off," Jake let go of my hand as pain falls to the pit of my stomach. "Hazel, you need to go now before we become their dinner."

Without further questions, I obey Jake and my senses. Legs pounce through the dirt pathway as I force myself to not look back! Hazel, do not even dare! Just keep running! I tell myself over and over again.

Strangely, my legs know exactly their whereabouts, leading their way through the forest's broad trees and thick fog. Branches slap me hard across the face and body, leaving behind scratches and marks as twigs and rocks stab through my old, rubbery boots. Slippery, muddy puddles catch me off-guard an endless amount of times, but I push through the constant agony.

My conscience screams — breathe Hazel. But what about Jake? I cannot just leave him to die. I am too far away from him now and I am sure he can take care of himself. There's no time.

I start fighting my way through the dark woodlands of the forest as it begins pouring numerous amounts of rain, making my vision ahead blurry. The rain stings my already irritated eyes with razor-sharp, droplets of freezing water which causes shivers throughout my body.

A wooden surface collides into contact with my rubbery, shoe soles. Underneath my muddy boots stands a rickety, old bridge with an endless foot drop below. The deadly height refrains me; startling my motionless legs.

The structured bridge leads
a narrow, never-ending pathway straight ahead of me. Nothing but darkness I envision, barely aware of my own footing and pathway below me.

"Hazel, watch out behind you!" Jake says behind me out of breath.

Suddenly, my name hisses with anger from behind. "Hazel...!" I swerve in my boots and I am horrified. The figure fumes and pants in front of me... Fiona!

The thunderstorm approaches fast as it pours heavier rain and causes gushes of wild wind around my surroundings. I feel extensive freezing cold buckets of rainfall and breezes over my chilled, reddened skin.

"RUN, HAZEL!" Jake yells as he runs behind Fiona and distracts her so I can escape, but my legs do not even move an inch. Jake and Fiona fight as they both dodge their punches and kicks. Fiona catches Jake off guard and she pushes him off the bridge as he falls into the depths of the darkness below.

"Jake!" I scream, tears stinging my eyes as I watch Jake fall into the pit of fog below the bridge. "How could you?" my voice roars with anger, but to my disappointment, Fiona is nowhere to be found.

I fall to my knees onto the bridge as it wobbles underneath my body weight. Tears mix within the falling rain from above as the liquid slides down my cheeks. My weak body feels as though my heart has been ripped out from my chest as the open wound pains from within.

I am so sorry, Jake. I have failed you. Jake, why do you always try to save me? It was supposed to be my turn to save you. Jake, why did you have to leave? It was supposed to be me who leaves. Jake, why? Just why? Please, come back to me. I am sorry for everything. I am sorry for ever meeting you and causing you so much pain and hurt. This is all my fault. I regret meeting you on that beach as guilt consumes me.

I wipe my tears away with my drenching arm as I stand to my feet with my head high. I swivel in my soaking boots and maneuver across the never-ending bridge as the thunderstorm grows subsequently thicker and heavier by the second. I can barely breathe through my mouth or nose; due to the endless tears and rain shower. The major storm progresses into a horrific hurricane I am caught in the middle of.

Hazel, no! Do not look back! I cannot help myself... Tears stain my crimson cheeks as I gape to the rear of me. Fiona is still nowhere to be seen. Confused out of my mind, I continue my journey through the storm to escape Fiona's devil mark.

The storm gave what little light it possesses, as I slightly map out my own foot placement. The windstorm and hurricane feel impossible to ponder my way through, apart from leading to my possible, utterly, inevitable and internal death... I will either perhaps be ripped apart into bits from within the angry eye of the storm above, or perhaps fall into the pit of darkness that is lingering viciously below.

Tears continue to cascade over the stained stream of tears on my crimson cheeks as it falls like a waterfall. My legs and body cannot endure this pain I am enduring and I slip on a broken plank on the bridge as I fall to my knees once again. This time I cannot stop the sobs of tears from taking over my body.

I am so scared, confused and cold, but I have to keep moving no matter how sluggish I feel. Hazel... remember, this is not real, okay! This is just a dream, right...? I question my inner voice, but there is no reply so I pinch myself. Ouch!

But this pain feels real and this lingering pain of losing Jake hurts so much. I never deserved his love. I was never worthy of his love. I am not worthy of anyone's love. I am so pathetic reminiscing about the past but I cannot seem to stop myself from doing so.

This self-pity I have for myself is pathetic for being a monumental disappointment to myself, Jake, and my mother. I hate myself for not staying by Jake's side and now he is gone. For good this time.

It is all my fault. It should have been ME, not him. It is all my fault. Jake did not deserve this punishment. It is all my fault. He did not deserve any of it. It is all my fault.  I am the one to blame, not Jake. It is all my fault.

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~ Please ~
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~ Cheers ~
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Please, tell me in the comments what you thought about Chapter Twenty One? 🙈 I'll be greatly appreciated, thank you, you very kind soul!
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~ Chapter Twenty One ~
~ Dedications ~
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HeliiBoh
DebMorey
PeterPetruzzella
CaitlinWoodward9
DaniJones_14
ChloeMayerhofer
savvvy1998
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You guys should totally check out PeterPetruzzella short story! Lighthouse. It's amazing!
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You guys should totally check out ChloeMayerhofer story! Fallen! It's awesome!
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C.Morey 🥕 xoxo
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