Ava Woods' POV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          I made my way slowly up the slight rise to my house. Thank Notch, the eerie feeling was gone... However, it had been replaced by hunger. My stomach made rude noises and I scowled. Food later, I needed a second crutch now, and more wood. I finally made it to the front door and shouldered it open, scooted in, and slammed it behind me. I glanced dully at the broken, dull wooden ax-head in the corner...I needed one of stone, or I'd never get enough wood before sunset. I grumbled to myself and knelt down stiffly by my pitiful excuse of a chest. It was more of a wooden box with an ill-fitting 'lid' of sorts. 

          I lifted the top and glanced over quickly at my belongings. Not much, some leftover stone chunks from when I brought home some coal, a pitiful amount of wool, a few sturdy branches for emergency firewood and some leftover wheat seeds. An idea suddenly struck me and I grabbed some of the stone and the straightest branch I could find. I scooted so my back was leaning against the chest, then spread out the items in front of me. 

          Eyeing the wooden ax-head in the far corner across from me, I took the largest chunk of stone with the shape closest resembling the retired ax, and started to chip away at it with a smaller stone, meticulously shaping and sharpening it. In about two hours, my fingers were raw and red, but I had a pretty good-looking ax-head with a little niche in it for tying it to the branch. Reaching behind me and into the 'chest', I felt around for the wool. I felt it's fluffy surface and drew it out, pulled a tuft taut, and began rolling it against my thigh, making a sort of rope. I did this until I had six strands about a foot or so long, then braided them into two thicker ropes. I used this to bind the stone ax-head to the branch. I held the finished product in my hand, grinning, feeling accomplished.

         I spat on my fingers to relieve the stinging and pushed myself to my feet, "Welp, time to take ya out for a spin, baby!" I grabbed the ax and hefted it, testing its weight. Hopefully, I'd get enough wood to start carving another crutch. I had an old stone knife down in the basement somewhere, I'd use it to carve the rough shape of a crutch, as the little iron one I had was reserved for emergencies ONLY. it was the only relic I had woken up with in this valley.

          I stepped outside the door and glanced skyward, shielding my eyes with my hands, seeing how much daylight I still had. Plenty, the sun was still slightly East, thank Notch. I took a deep breath and started off to the woods. The slight breeze pulled and played with my hair, bending the grass, tossing leaves and playing with the flowers, making them dance. I smiled at the beautiful meadow and continued towards the woods. I had to keep flicking my hair out of my eyes, as it was long and rather unkempt. I relied on finger-combing, but I didn't care too much about my hair and often let it do its own thing.

          I entered the woods, and immediately shivered at the lack of full-on sunlight. I headed a little deeper before choosing a tree, as I didn't like taking down trees at the forest fringe. Stumps would ruin my view. I chose a young oak that wasn't too thick, positioned myself and began swinging. The ax bit deep with each hit, and felt good in my hands. It took awhile, with my weakened muscles and awkward stance, but the tree finally tumbled with a great crash and swishing of branches. 

          I smiled and wiped my brow, but my work was far from over. I went over to the fallen trunk, and began hacking off branches to clear the log. As I worked, I began unconsciously humming a song I usually hummed when scared. However, without me knowing, words began to form on my lips...I slowly stopped chopping, staring blankly and straitening, my eyes unfocused. The ax fell limply at my side as the haunting melody continued...

           "O-oh hush now little one, go to sleep.

          Pray HE won't haunt the Land of Dreams.

          Oh, hush now, little one, go to sleep.

          Pray HE won't haunt the Land of Dreams.

          Little one, hush now, don't you speak

          For HE will punish one small mistake

          Little one, little one, HE is near

          Do not cry, or HE will hear

          O-oh hush now little one, go to sleep.

          Pray HE won't haunt the Land of Dreams.

          Oh, hush now, little one, go to sleep.

          Pr-pray HE won't h-haunt the L-Land of D-rea-ms."

          I suddenly snapped out of it, the ax dropping to the ground as I fell to my knees with a cry of pain. A migraine blossomed from behind my eyes and I began to shake uncontrollably, grasping my head. A sudden sense of dread washed over me, I could hardly breathe. My heartbeat hammered in my ears, it was so loud. Tears started to form in my eyes, and I tried to scream, but what came out was a whimper, "H-help...no-no, please...stop, make...it stop..." I fell onto my side, my teeth chattering from the horrible shaking. I was scared, oh Notch why was I so scared!? Flashes of white began to fill my vision, then images of fire. I saw a village burning. 

          I cried out, shutting my eyes. These were images from my nightmares! "Stop! Make it stop!" 

          The horrid visions continued. I saw blood, so much blood. It was everywhere, smeared on the burning walls of houses, pooled on the ground, beneath dark shapes...What was this!!?

          The dark forms were bodies. I shuddered at the realization... One was small...it was-no, it couldn't be...

          My eyes shot open and I rolled over quickly as I gagged. Only a little water came up, but my stomach continued to convulse until nothing was left. Tears blurred my vision as I wept. That was a child, why had it been so still!? I fell back onto my side, curling up in utter despair as another image flashed before me, bringing with it another wave of pain. A man was standing, his back to me, watching the village burn. Illuminated by the firelight, he looked tall and powerful, dressed simply in a faded blue tunic/jerkin, leather gauntlets, and indigo pants tucked into dark gray boots. A leather belt circled his waist and another looped over his shoulder. A knee-length gray cloak whipped in the wind, as did his longish, dark brown hair. He held a bloody sword. I mentally pleaded to Notch to make the torment end, but the horrid visions played on. The man turned, a bit of dark hair framing his chin beneath the sharp, wicked smile on his face. His eyes-oh his eyes they...they were-

          Terror knocked the breath from me, I know not why. I screamed, "No! Don't look IT in the eyes! DON'T LOOK IT IN THE EYES!!!" Another wave of agony crashed into my head and beat me down into merciful darkness.

          I never saw its eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daaaaang right? Tell me your thoughts!! Here we learned a bit more of Ava Woods' mysterious past...a tragic one it was, too. You'll learn more of Damon in the next chapter...seems like Ava and Damon have a lot in common, aye? 

(Man I wrote this so long ago,,, my eyes, they bleed)