The Broken

by A. L. Frances

  No response.

  “Who’s there…?”

  Again, there is no reply, and Eve can’t help but realise she’s trapped. Everywhere she turns, it’s the same. The trees are the same. The brown soil beneath her feet is the same. The sky is black, without a star in sight; it’s as though the universe has disappeared. The energy radiating through her body is like a surge of electricity and is making her heart race even faster. Feeling a strong aura, as though she’s not alone, and something evil is in her presence, Eve stops and remains extremely still. With only her chest moving as she breathes in deep, Eve looks up to the midnight sky. Feeling more vulnerable than ever, she shouts, “Help!”

  Eve falls to the floor. Her hands are cupped, holding her heavy head as her sobbing gets louder. In the emptiness of the forest, Eve’s cries echo through the identical haunted looking trees and circulates in the air. The ambiance is still. There isn’t a mist or any living thing to be seen. The eerie, dark trees are motionless. Eve reluctantly opens her eyes and glances through the gaps in her fingers; she sees nothing but darkness surrounding her. Any animal present would easily be able to sniff her out by the amount of fear she’s oozing. She can hear her own heart beating and the sound of her breath leaving her body. Her thoughts become loud. They are thoughts of sheer panic as her mind goes into overdrive.

  Accepting her fate, Eve curls herself up on the cold earthy floor surrounded by dirt and twigs. Suddenly, she picks up a vibration. Lifting her head slightly, she holds her breath. Again, she hears and feels the same vibration. Desperate to work out what it is, Eve is deep in concentration. The sound is faint; struggling, she manages to hear the tone. It’s a female’s voice. The sound is distant and almost sounds like singing. With her senses the strongest they’ve been, this enchanting voice is becoming established with every millisecond, and is now getting closer. She closes her eyes. With her sight gone, Eve’s hearing is now stronger. She’s almost certain it’s a female voice. She appears to be singing a familiar song or nursey rhyme. Eve speaks out: “Mum?”

  No response. She focuses all her sense of hearing on the sound. Closing her eyes tighter than ever, Eve is desperate to make out what the familiar song is. Suddenly, she hears the words – the mysterious enchanting voice is singing “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses”, but the words aren’t quite right. Eve wonders if it is, in fact, her mum. Sitting up, covered in dirt and autumnal leaves, she frantically looks around her. She’s desperate to see her mum again, even if it is in a dark haunted forest in the middle of nowhere. At the top of her voice Eve shouts, “Mum!”

  She suddenly hears the words of the nursery rhyme echoing around the forest. The voice doesn’t sound at all familiar. Lauren loved to sing this rhyme to Eve when she was a small baby girl, and yet the tone seems quite depressing, daunting and soulless. Still holding hope in her heart that it is her mum, again Eve speaks: “Mum, please, if it’s you, just answer me. I’m scared.”

  Instantly she hears, “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – your soul is mine. Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – you’ve been chosen for the dark side.”

  As these final words travel through her ears into her mind, Eve jumps up off the ground. The nightie she’s wearing gets caught round her ankles and she stumbles slightly. Righting herself, Eve runs as fast as she can through the forest, making no attempt whatsoever to watch where she’s going, as multiple twigs snap under her feet. With the adrenaline rushing around her body stronger than ever, Eve no longer feels pain.

  Waving her arms frantically in front of her, she desperately attempts to whack the branches out of the way. Her arms and face are continually scratched. It’s as though the trees and bushes are alive, reaching out to restrain her. One of the branches scratches her left arm so deeply that blood flows out. Becoming out of breath, but having no desire to stop, Eve hears loud female laughter surrounding her. No matter how far she runs, it’s as though the voice is travelling in the air – embedding its existence into her pores and resonating deep within her mind. The voice is stalking and taunting her. Again, Eve clearly hears the words of the daunting nursery rhyme being repeated, over and over and over.

  Exhausted, she finally stops. With no more fight left in her, she helplessly surrenders and falls to the ground, sobbing. Her lungs feel raw. Sore, and with nowhere left to go, she lies on top of the dirt, twigs and leaves. Reluctantly, Eve sits up and turns to face the darkness. The trees she’s just frantically ran through appear haunting.

  Eve’s eyes protrude out of their sockets. Appearing from out of the dark eerie mist is a female silhouette. She’s elegantly flowing and making her way towards her. Eve instantly makes a connection with this female form. Enticed by her grace and presence, Eve is unable to break free. Embracing every individual word of the possessive nursey rhyme, Eve is captivated.

  “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – your soul is mine. Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – you’ve been chosen for the dark side.”

  Physically frozen, Eve’s mind continues to race. She’s traumatised by the horrific image.

  “Why are you following me… Mum… Please, is that you?”

  There is no answer. The only words Eve can hear are the continually repeated nursery rhyme sung in the same dulcet tone. Submissively surrendering herself on the cold earthy ground, Eve screams out louder than ever: “Argh…”

  She covers her ears with her hands and folds herself into the foetal position, rocking back and forth. Her face, her energy and her body are expressing pain, agony and desperation. With tears gushing and exhaustion in her tone, making her sound hoarse, Eve shouts one final time, “Mum – please stop… I’m sorry.”

  With a sudden gasp of air, Eve shoots up from her pillow. She’s soaking wet from head to toe with sweat. Immediately, she touches her head and chest to ensure she’s in one piece. Relieved and wanting to run to her dad, Eve jumps off the bed and attempts to head towards the bedroom door. But as soon as both her feet hit the cold dark wooden floor, she loses the use of her legs and falls to the ground. Hysterical, she screams out, “Help!”

  Almost straightaway, she hears someone heading towards her room. Still traumatised and in distress, Eve begins to drag her limp, heavy body across the floor and heads towards the desk to hide under it. A gust of wind blows through the bedroom again, rippling the curtains. Suddenly, the female silhouette from her nightmare appears in her room. Only this time, Eve can see her clearly. Her jet-black hair hangs heavy and straight, and travels past her thighs. It’s separated equally on either side of her face. The hair is soaked with a thick black substance. The sinister-looking liquid travels down each strand and lands on the floor where she stands. Her eyes stand out through the gap in her hair. They’re as red as human blood. Not a speck of white can be seen. An overwhelming surge of anxiety travels through Eve and begins taking over. She’s so shocked she can’t even cry. She sits, silent in disbelief at the image her eyes are projecting into her mind.

  Slowly, the female form begins making her way across the room to Eve. With every step she takes, the black substance drips from her. Eve’s eyes transform and become dark as she gazes at this seemingly evil entity. Completely engrossed and fixated on her presence, Eve remains in a solid trance.

  “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – your soul is mine. Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses – you’ve been chosen for the dark side.”

  In these spilt seconds, Eve embraces the words being fed to her. The rhythm and vibration of this possessive rhyme enter her mind. It’s becoming part of her blood flow and embedding deep within her DNA. It travels through Eve’s internal organs as it makes its way towards Eve’s eyes, taking over her sight. Her nerves tingle as her eyes begin to change. It’s as though someone is repeatedly stabbing tiny needles into her eyeballs. This sadistic possession is taking over her body and is claiming her soul – her innocent soul, which is now accepting its fate.

  A huge bang sounds in the background. Eve breaks contact with the shadowy
woman and screams even louder than before. This time, she doesn’t stop.

  Suddenly, the dark woman appears right in front of Eve’s face. This time, Eve sees the truth. She sees her full expression. The evil entity’s skin is entirely grey. She’s covered with black cracks, which are spread all over her physical form. These deep embedded rips drip with the same sinister, thick, black bloody substance that fills her hair. The black oozes from around her mouth and from the centre of her grey soulless lips. Placing her grey forefinger, which has deep marks upon it, to Eve’s mouth, she signs, “Shh….”

  The black substance gushes out of her mouth and continues its descent down her chin, landing on the floor. Her temperature is ice-cold. Her finger stays on Eve’s mouth, the texture skin-crawling. It’s hard and rough. Eve’s nostrils are awakened by a pungent stench that leaves a metallic bloody taste in her mouth. The black substance begins to make its unwanted way to the back of her throat, growing at a rapid rate. Eve is powerless to remove it from her internal body. It’s taking over. Her mouth is wide open, but no sound is coming out.

  Matthew kicks violently at Eve’s bedroom door, but the sturdy fixture doesn’t yield. The solid golden doorknob rattles as he desperately tries to get to his daughter. He’s repeatedly shouting, “Eve… Unlock the door, Eve…”

  The doorknob turns one final time and the door opens. Matthew stumbles into the room wearing nothing but his green and white checked pyjama bottoms and a white-gold chain with a solid silver cross around his neck. As he gains control of his balance, Matthew looks around the dark and mysteriously eerie room, completely alone.

  “Eve…”

  In a state of panic, his breathing becomes heavy as his fear heightens. He looks at the bed. It’s messy, empty and no one can be seen. He hears a knock come from behind him that sounds like the tapping of bone. Matthew’s breathing rate increases rapidly. The room has developed a sub-zero temperature and he sees his breath leaving his body. The hairs on his skin stand to attention. With every deep breath he takes, the sub-zero atmosphere in the room travels around him. He notices a familiar, nauseating stench that develops into an equally disturbing taste at the back of his throat. He feels unwell. The fear of the unknown has taken over his mind.

  “Eve… Is that you…?”

  Jess suddenly rushes into the room behind him, covering her naked body with Matthew’s black silk dressing gown. “Matthew, what’s going on?”

  He doesn’t answer. His eyes are now the only parts of his body that are moving. Suddenly, his ears twitch as he hears a shuffling sound and feels a vibration coming from under the desk. He makes his way towards the sound and without so much of a second thought, he reaches out and pulls back the chair. He drags it so hard that the chair and all the clothes on top of it fly across the room. Kneeling, he moves towards the gap under the desk. As he bends and looks to the floor, he notices tiny spots of black liquid leading like a trail underneath the desk. More anxious than ever, Matthew’s now wondering not who, but what, is actually hiding under the desk. His body shaking, he suddenly feels an immense sense of relief.

  “Eve… There you are.”

  Putting out his arms, he reaches under the desk to hold his frail, timid-looking daughter. Eve releases an horrific ear-piercing scream.

  “Ahh!”

  Matthew leaps back in shock and Eve jumps, banging her head on the wooden desk top.

  In desperation, Matthew shouts, “Eve, it’s me. Dad.”

  Peering under the desk from a safe distance, he’s horrified by what he sees. Eve’s eyes are jet-black – no white can be seen. She’s laughing insanely at nothing. Her skin tone is changing with every second that passes. She’s turning a sinister shade of grey. Focusing her attention towards her dad, Eve’s head begins to move closer to him. The energy oozing from her feels strongly psychotic. Matthew once again leaps back, except this time, he leaps so high he practically throws himself and his spine hits against the wooden frame of Eve’s bed. Full of shock at what he’s witnessing, Matthew turns to Jess, who is stood in the doorway. She has her hand on her chest and is holding the locket round her neck. Her expression seems unnatural for the current situation. She appears calm.

  Eve slowly appears from under the desk, looking directly towards her dad who is motionless. Matthew’s face is still and radiates fear. His slightly hairy chest expands with every deep breath he takes. He watches as Eve reaches out with her right arm and places each of her fingertips onto the floor, one by one. Her thumb is the last to land. Her hand now resembles the long legs of a spider, and Eve begins to drag her heavy body from under the desk. As the air hits her physical form, Eve’s skin tone continues to darken.

  Watching this transformation take place, Matthew remains still. “Please, Lord – save our souls… Please, Lord, I beg you, save our souls…” he whispers.

  Eve reaches out with her left arm in the same manner, and this time her head follows. She looks down at the blood leaving her body, dripping from a deep cut on her arm. It appears red as it seeps through the rip in her skin, but then changes to black. Eve suddenly stops. Slowly she turns to face Jess. Their eyes lock and the pair connect. Eve’s skin changes. As she stretches out her face, deep cracks begin to form, like gaping holes in her body. Matthew looks again to Jess, who seems unnaturally content. She slowly steps backwards out of the room, gently placing one foot behind the other, being careful not to break eye contact with Eve. Jess’s expression oozes pride.

  With Jess out of the room, Eve turns her attention back towards her dad and her face turns venomous. She drags her heavy, limp body towards him as black blood drips from her mouth and smears across the floor. “Darmi la tua anima e non ucciderò, darmi la tua anima,” she repeats in a deep tone.

  Matthew is panicked. He’s unable to process the words she’s saying as she moves closer to him. His head begins to spin. He’s petrified, his body stuck in a mysterious trance. He has an item in his hand, which he’s holding onto tightly. The white-gold chain hangs from the creases of his hand. Slowly he opens his fingers and reveals the solid silver cross. There are imprints from the edges of the cross embedded in the palm of his hand. Eve’s eyes dart to the shimmering cross. She immediately stops, her facial expression is confused. Suddenly a gust of wind blows and the bedroom door slams shut, locking Jess on the other side. Looking down to the floor, Eve hears these words circulating inside her mind: “Your soul is mine!”

  She lifts her head and her eyes are filled with pure hatred along with a dark evil energy. She raises her leg in an acrobatic manner, her toes pointing perfectly to the ground. Her expression grows darker and darker. Her eyes are completely black; not a shade of white is present. They are like bottomless holes in her face. Dragging her body, Eve now moves faster and faster towards her dad, leaving smears of thick black blood on the floor behind her. Matthew remains frozen, tears of faith falling rapidly down his motionless face. He’s now gripping the cross so tightly that it cuts through his skin. Deep red blood begins dripping from the cross, falling from the creases in his hand to the floor.

  As Eve reaches her dad he holds the cross out and she instantly collapses. Her arms fall, and her legs go flat. Her body lands in a heap. Eve begins convulsing on the ground. A black substance foams from her mouth and her eyes are cloudy.

  Slowly, her eyes return to their normal colour. Her face twitches. It’s as though an evil entity is leaving her physical form and letting go of her soul. With every second that passes, her expression becomes less demonic and her skin is returning to her normal tone.

  The deep rips in Eve’s flesh begin healing on their own. The black blood dripping from each limb is absorbed back into her skin. The black foam travels down her chin and also begins to disappear. Eve now lies motionless. Feeling his heart beating as his own daughter is extremely close to him, Matthew is filled with terror.

  Not knowing what to do next, he hears a creek and turns to the door. I
t’s beginning to open. Jess, who was standing in the hallway, peers into the room from a distance. Once again, she’s proudly holding the locket around her neck. Matthew doesn’t speak. His breathing has become so heavy and erratic he looks as though, at any given moment, he’s going to pass out. Attempting to create some distance between him and Eve, as a precaution, he pushes his limp, stiff body onto her bed. Eve lies lifeless on the floor; she is motionless. Just like her mum when she died, it looks as though her soul has left her physical form. Matthew whispers, “Eve…”

  Suddenly, he feels an overwhelming surge of breathlessness as his head begins spinning round. It’s as though he has been spiked with drugs. His sight goes blurry, his hearing fades and his head becomes heavy. The room is spinning at such a rapid rate he feels as though he’s about to throw up. He becomes extremely light-headed. The last thing he sees is an outline of Jess heading towards him. She’s looking somewhat pleased with herself. Hearing his own voice one final time, he says, “Eve…” Slowly, this begins to echo inside his mind.

  He’s out!

  Chapter Seven

  The Games Begin!

  Matthew hesitantly opens his eyes and sees only darkness surrounding him. Jet-black to the left and jet-black to the right; no fixtures, no fittings, nothing. An eerie energy begins travelling through his pores, into his veins, and resonates within his mind. It’s telling him he’s not alone.

  Matthew is desperate to discover where he is. Riddled with anxiety, which grows with every second of the unknown that passes, he reaches out his hands and places them directly in front of his body. He slowly moves his arms around and it’s as if they are floating. He attempts to feel for anything. But still he sees, and feels, nothing.

  As his sight adjusts he places his hands a few inches away from his face, waving them slowly. He can see his tiny freckles, hairs and scruffy bitten nails. He turns them over and looks into his palms. He’s shocked at what he sees. In his right palm there is dark red, thick blood, along with four deep imprints. Blood drips from each cut and collects together to form a cross. His stomach turns. No longer able to hold it, he vomits next to where he stands. It evaporates almost instantly. A sickening acid taste remains at the back of his throat. Matthew feels ill and scared. He spits in an attempt to remove the taste from his mouth. Before he vomits once more, he bravely shouts, “Hello, can anyone hear me? Eve?”