This story is by Godfrey Kamsoko and was part of our 2020 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Slowly drifting to sleep,I flinched as I fought a mosquito hovering loudly over my head.The annoying little critter was having too much fun.I sighed as I observed it’s maneuvering tactics.I took a deep breath lifted my right hand and swiftly grabbed the mosquito in my hand ending its life instantly.Opening my hand;were tiny dots of blood.I felt a new lease of freedom and sadness at the same time.
I took a long deep breath in and breath out through my mouth to calm my nerves. I slowly drifted into another realm.I was half awake and could hear the rhythm of my own heartbeat.Breathing exercises always put me at ease.
I could see my body laying on the bed as I ventured into the uncharted territory.The path was small with greyish brownish shrubs sandwiching the tiny wavering path.I could feel the moisture on my bare feet.There were little thorns but I could barely feel them except for a slight tingling sensation.
There was dead silence as a cloud of dark mist rose behind me rendering rear view in total blindness.It was a little dim ahead of me.It was far much better to forge ahead than go back.There was an awkward drop in temperature but my forehead was dripping sweat droplets.
The path suddenly turned into a tunnel with no light at the end but I miraculously had clear vision.I felt very light as if I was floating rather than walking.I heard a snarl and then a growl and I stopped in my tracks.
Looking back it was darker than ever.I wasn’t about turning back.I told myself that I wasn’t about to turn back.The darkness behind propelled me forward.
Two red eyes flashed before my eyes and my heart skipped for a second.More snarls and growls got louder as I inched forward.I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping through my frame of body.I saw the eyes,green with envy.The tongue was long rough and bright red.I studied it as the reptile flicked it’s tongue at me.It appeared there was a force field between me and the wall of darkness that was preventing the tongue from touching me.The reptile was coiled up with massive sharp teeth.The sides of its mouth were plastered with tar like saliva .It appeared to be drooling over me.The serpent inched out slowly with my movement.At this point,I reached out to touch the dark tunnel wall.My hand sank in as if I was touching smoke then I felt a little tug.I moved my hand back quickly.
Looking to the left was an alligator like creature with two legs just below its ugly head and the rest of its body was a tail.Somehow it was very mobile.The reptilian animal scanned me out with its black hateful eyes.I looked up ahead and saw an army of reptiles twitching,wiggling and mingling on both sides of the path.They were very determined to get to me but were somehow limited.I realized that the force field was acting like a shield that was protecting me from the rugged creatures.
I grew bold,I wasn’t looking back,I was moving forward.The more I took steps ahead,the more aggressive the reptiles became.Suddenly there was stench of sewer that stung my nostrils and the roof of my mouth became instantly dry.
I choked and coughed up a thick greyish phlegm that landed on the ground with a slight thud.I stepped on it and it had solidified into a small rock.I quickly kicked it away.That was weird I thought.But nothing that was happening was normal to say the least.
The reptiles were getting irritated as I moved along.The snarls and growls became louder.The tunnel became narrower.I began to feel the cold wetness of the reptiles.The fecal smell was replaced by the smell of ammonia .
The reptiles appeared to be swimming in some fluid like substance that wasn’t water.
A bend appeared as the reptiles fought harder to come closer.I could feel their breath and heavy stench.There was a flash they all looked ahead and I heard a loud shriek before they all bolted and vanished.It was suddenly quite.The heavy stench was replaced by an aroma of fresh vegetation but I couldn’t see any flora.
I felt at ease.Before I could get comfortable,there was a thud as a huge tree trunk fell on my right side of the path.I jumped only to realize it was still on the other side .An ape-like creature appeared and disappeared as fast .It was a flash appearance.I had a crack of bones and chewing before I looked up.There were two very huge human eyes on a reptile head.Its whole body was coiled around what looked like a burnt tree trunk.The tail was slightly protruding at the bottom of the trunk into my path.The reptile was looking down at me without blinking.The eyes were green and glittery.They were beautiful but I didn’t trust them.
I walked slowly avoiding the tip of the tail in my path.The reptile seemed fixated on the tail.I sensed that stepping on the tail was going to be the end of me.I got around it slightly touching it with my toe as a rush of electric current flooded my nerve system.I ran as fast as I could without looking back.I stopped after what seemed like a couple of miles to take a breath.My hands were on my knees as I tried to get some air.
I slowly looked up and saw the same reptile and it’s glittery eyes still staring at me.I was at the same spot.I had barely moved.I looked around and realized I was trapped but I couldn’t go back.I gathered my thoughts and decided to make a move.Slowly I moved around the tail once more and completely avoided it.Its eyes suddenly turned red as if they were burning.It stunk like fireworks smoke.The reptile grew bigger as if it was being filled with some air before it exploded into a thick red smoke.
Before me was a clear sky.A beautiful place of peace.It was filled with nothing but emptiness.There was absolutely nothing.I could feel that there was someone or something watching over me.I had a feeling of assurance.I walked around and listened.I could not hear anything or feel anything.
I slipped and fell into a hole .I was tumbling down very fast as if I was falling through a crevice.Even if I was falling,I felt like I was defying gravity.I was falling up but going down because I could see the moon and stars.I finally saw my body lying on the couch.I went closer and touched my body as I reconnected with it.It felt like I was wearing into my skin.I smelled like ammonia and fecal matter.I rushed to the bathroom to take a shower.Something told me I was going back again,this was just the beginning of an eternal journey.
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