The Animal Within You

Chapter 5

I desperately continued to run on a long, dirt road, heaving from the constant running and kicked-up dust. The endless, cold darkness covered my surroundings, obscuring my sense of sight and direction. Breathing became more and more difficult, and I gasped for air as I raced along and called out for her.

"Mom!" I cried out and carelessly wiped at my tears, preventing them from blurring my vision. "Mom!" She appeared in front of me, her hand extending out as she reached out for me. Her lips moved against the silence; the words mute and indiscernible as I tried countless times to grasp her hand. Her white dress fluttered as she floated farther and farther away.

A black hole rimmed with purple appeared and started to swallow her, dragging her to a pit of pure obsidian. I sprinted faster, hoping to grip her distant hand but she continued to pull away, increasing the space between us. A single tear rolled down her cheek before she vanished inside the dark abyss, mouthing something to me one last time.

"No!" I screamed after her, repeating the word until it turned into a chant. I collapsed to the ground and held my head in my hands. My body shook in anger and sorrow as tears continuously poured out of my eyes, sobs wracking through my body.

"Please." I whispered hoarsely, gripping at my chest. "Don't leave me alone, mom." I cried violently as I yelled once more.

"Come back!"

My body shot up as I screamed those last words from the top of my lungs. I felt my face and looked around my room, my throat raw from the sudden explosion of sound. The door to my room flew open, my dad rushing in.

"Caitlyn! Caitlyn, sweetie." My father called out in relief once he saw I was physically intact. "What's wrong honey?" He hugged me tightly, trying to calm me down.

"It was a dream about mom." I said and shut my eyes, feeling disoriented by the dream. "Is it already that time, dad?" He hugged me tighter, silence meeting my ears. I already knew the answer, but I needed to hear him say it. It made it more real.

"Oh, sweetie..." He said slowly, taking a shaky breath. "Yes. It's been a year since she passed." He finished quietly, silence settling between us. He rubbed my shoulders before getting up and walking towards the door. "You're sweating, I'll get you a towel." He explained cautiously, waiting for my numb nod before pacing to the bathroom. When he left, I cried again, sobs tormenting my body. I hadn't felt this much misery in a while, but it still felt familiar regardless of the time. Perhaps it'll always feel familiar. I wiped my tears away when my dad came back, taking the towel and wiping my face.

"Thanks dad." I said with a small smile, my eyes burning from rubbing at it. He forced a sad smile, kissing me on the cheek before ruffling my hair.

"Try to get some sleep." He said and looked at the clock. "If you need to take a sick day from school, I'd understand."

"I'll be fine." I mumbled as I pulled the covers over my head, sniffling once more. He walked out of my room and gently closed the door, sighing behind it. My eyes were left opened, despite how heavy they were. Afraid to fall asleep, I stayed awake until morning.

🐾

"Oh man!" Alex spoke loudly when I walked in for our English class. "What happened to you?" He asked, eyebrows furrowed. I sighed and sat at my desk. 

"I couldn't sleep last night." I explained briefly, rubbing at my forehead. I looked over to Jackson, who was sleeping. "Now he has the right idea." I rested my head on my folded arms, slinking my eyes closed. Hopefully I could get some decent rest from this power nap.