Fear in the Darkness

My eyes flutter open as I roll over to my right side. I can hear my alarm blurting at me. I pull my blanket over my head and turn off my alarm. I can hear birds singing and my brothers and sisters yelling. I live in a big house, so this is pretty much every morning when I wake up.

I got up, I was wearing my favorite PJ's I walked across the wooden floor to open the window. When I opened the window, a bird came in. It landed on the foot of my bed. I named her May, it's my only friend in the house.

I got dressed in my sunflower hoodie and black jeans and put on my black boots. Then I heard banging on my door. Then it swung open hitting my closet and causing the books on top to fall. May flow out the window when they heard the big bang, caused by the books.

"Hey Ruby, two things. One Mom is calling you, two keep that flying rat out of the room. Got it?" They said, " Got it, Adrian," I said back crossing my arms and rolling my eyes. " I saw that. After you are done with whatever she needs you to do. Want to come with me and the other two out?"

"Yeah, I'll go," I said as I walked past him, bumping him with my arm. And by the way, thanks for the gum." I smiled and threw him his box of gum. "I should be mad at the fact you just pick pocketed me, but I am impressed." He said, closing my room door. Then he walked off.

My mom wanted me so I could get yelled at. I zoned out as she was yelling at me. I am the child of 6, 2 girls and 4 boys. I am the only child who gets yelled at and punished for stuff that my sisters do. My dad got home early today from work.

She heard the front door open, and she looked at me and gave me a death stare. I went around her and walked into the living room. " Hi there sugar!" Dad said and he put his hand on my head. Making my hair fuzzy. " Hi Dad, I said with a smile."

I hate my life but there are 3 people that I don't Dad and my two brothers. " I got you something, close your eyes, now open them!" He said with a bit of joy in his voice. A new notebook/sketchbook. " Thank you, dad!"

Then he went and hugged me. He whispered in my ear " I know she was yelling at you, I heard her when I walked in the second time." He said as he let go of me. " Go have fun with your brothers Sugar." I walked out of the house.

I saw my brother's truck. I walked up to it and opened the back door. " Move over this is my spot," I said to the other brother the middle brother. He moved to the right side; I hopped in then the truck started moving.

I looked out the window seeing the trees pass by. We go out almost every day with my brothers to the special spot. I might be the only girl in the car, but I act more like a brother. Maybe that's why Mom is so hard on me.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear Adrian calling my name. Then my brother, Eithan, who was sitting next to me, hit me in the arm, and I turned to hit him in the throat. " Try that again Bitch and see what happens," I said with a hiss in my voice.

" I told you that she would hit me." Said Eithan as he was still coughing and holding his throat. " Ruby, you good?" said Adrian " Yeah... I'm good? Sorry, I didn't hear you calling me." I said as I looked at my hands. My hands are bleeding from holding a fist for so long.

My nails cut me. " Fuck, Ruby again?" He said as he got out of the car. To my side and hopped my door. I do this a lot after Mom yells at me. My brothers understand what I am going throw. " So, what was she yelling at you about this time?" He said as he was cleaning my hands.

" Sorry," I said as he finished what he was doing. " Why are you sorry? It's not your fault?" So why was she yelling about?" he said as he helped me out of the truck. "She yelled at me for the twin's messy room and told me to stop being lazy and do something in life.," I said as I jumped on a tree stump.

" You know mom is just a bitch right, she wants everything her way. And she is only targeting you?" He spoke. " Eithan, didn't you clean the twin's room before you left?" Adrian said as he went to pick up a rock and throw it. "Yeah, why?" " Cuz Mom was yelling at her for the messy room."

I jumped off the rock that I was standing on. I started walking, we all have our own little spot in the forest. I was walking to a tree. And there was a rope. I Have a tree house that my brothers helped me make. My hands still hurt but I don't care.

I went and gripped the rope and started to pull myself up the rope. "It's only a 25-foot drop. You fell from my tree like six times already and haven't broken a bone yet. I never broke a bone before. Let's hope you don't do that today?" I said to myself.

I got to the top and pulled myself up. I only did this for two things. One is for that I can have the upper body straight and two is for no one else can come up here. Good idea, right? Not until you fall and face plant into the ground like I did once.

It's a cozy tree house. I have a few knives up here, so I can do some wood carving. I walked over to a corner lay down and put my head on my arm. I have some pets like birds and a raccoon. That lives in the tree house. I close my eyes.

When I opened them again it was night. I could hear my brothers yelling my name. When I opened my eyes. I wasn't in my tree house. I was somewhere deeper in the forest. I went to yell, but nothing came out. Then I felt a hand grab the back of my neck. 

I was scared, and their hand was cold and wet. It whispered to me, "Come with me, Ruby. I'll set you and your brothers free. Just come with me." they said as they put their hand out. It had long black claws and it was dripping some kind of liquid.

I was too scared to look back. I lifted my right hand to touch their hand, but something bright went and hit the creature. I heard it scream, but you can hear many screams. I saw Eithan and Adrian run after it with flashlights.

" Jasper, protect Ruby until we get back." Said Adrian. I just sat there all I could hear was ringing, I looked at them trying to read the words that spilled out of their mouths. Jasper was saying something but I couldn't hear him or read what he was saying. I could feel something warm running down my arm I turned my head over and saw that it was blood.

It was running down my arm, red, warm blood. I looked at my brother. I couldn't hear what I was saying, but I knew what I said. I didn't feel good. That was what I said when I felt dizzy. I tried to get up, but when I did, I felt my body drop like a bag of rocks. That was when everything went pitch black.

The next thing I knew I was awake. Trying to get my eyes to force, once it did all that I saw, was something in front of me. I headbutted them and tried to get away. But something was preventing me from getting away. I couldn't see who or what it was, I went to scream for help but nothing came out of my mouth it was dry. I was scared out of my mind.

At that moment I started to cry. I felt hopeless, my blood ran cold, and all I had was fear in my eyes. But the same person that I headbutted grabbed my head.

" RUBY! It's me! It's me! Look at my eyes; it's me, Adrian," he said as I looked at them. They let go of me. I hugged him, and I could feel tears running down my eyes and falling from my chin. I had fear in my body. " WHAT WAS THAT?" I yelled, fear making my words shake as they rolled off my tongue.

    I was crying as I hung on to his shirt. " It's called a whisper. It's a shadow creature. They come to children who are lost in the forest or have been taken from others. They also try to find lost souls. I will tell you more when we get home or tomorrow " Adrain said as he was trying to calm me down.

" Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" he asked as he hugged me. " Yeah, they cut my arm a little bit with their claws," I said as I was taking slow and deep breaths, making my heart beat low down. I finally calmed down and then Adrain helped me up. " What did they say to you?" He asked I looked him dead in the eyes. Letting the words slip from my mouth," Come with me, I'll let you and your brothers free." I said as I was getting up. I started to walk away then I bent down to pick up a rock and started walking back to my tree house.

    “ Ruby, may I see the cut?” Eithan said as he walked behind me. I stopped and looked over my right shoulder. I turned around and gave him my arm which was injured. “ It’s not bad, but when we get in the truck, we have to go and put something on it, " he said as he patted my head and smiled.

    “ I’m not a fucking dog, Eithan ” I snapped as I gave him a dirty look as if I would have stabbed him if I had the chance to. I turned around and started walking away. We got into the truck and left for home. I was looking out the window.

    Counting trees as they passed by, thinking about what happened. Are they hiding something from me I bet they are, the thoughts kept on getting worse. Till Jasper grabbed my shoulder. “ We are home, let's go. I'll walk you to your room, so Mom won't say anything,” he said as we got out of the car.

    All of us walked into the house it was midnight. Jasper walked me to my room. Then he went into his, I changed into my PJ's and I looked up at the paper stars that were on my ceiling. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Hoping that tomorrow I'll get more information about the Whisper.

Is there more than one? How many are there if there are more? What brought them into this world? Are they good or evil? My thoughts were everywhere. I finally stopped thinking when I fell asleep.

Morning has come and my pet bird came from the window. I changed into something Gothic. Big buckled boots, white tights, a black dress with shorts, and long vampire-like sleeves. Someday's I wake up sad and tired and today was one of those days. I heard a knock at the door. " Come in" I said as I was feeding May.

Adrain came into my room. " Ruby I think it's time for you to know the truth about this family." He said as he walked to my bed and sat on it. He took a deep breath. I sat down next to him as May was on my shoulder. He looked at me in guilt.

" You know how yesterday I said the Whispers also try to find lost souls. They will try to find them and bring them into the light. Some people die and their souls are lost in this world and they don't know how to get out but some are, able to go whenever they please." He said as he was petting May. " So what are you saying exactly?" I ask in a puzzled voice and look.

" Ruby," He said with a gentle look as he grabbed my hands. " Do you wonder why you are home-schooled? Or how people just walk past you like you are invisible?" He exclaims " Yes but I don't have the guts to say anything." I said to him confused. " Let me tell you a story that happened 300 years ago."

I just look at him and nod as if a yes. " Long ago, There was a small family. They had everything. The women in the family would make silk and turn it into fabric to sell and the men would hunt. An sell the meat so get more money. Years went on and on until one of the children got sick. The Father sold everything to get medicine for his firstborn daughter.

By the time he got home with the medicine, she had already passed away. That night as they all sleep the father couldn't take it anymore. Losing his daughter, the next day as he was making breakfast for everyone he put poison in it. They woke up dead and confused. But they saw their daughter and sister again.

They all could pass on because they all knew how they died but the daughter didn't so they all made a promise that once she was able to pass to the afterlife they would go with her. But she never did. They fake a new life, this life." I looked at him in fear. " Are you telling me that I'm.." I was about to say but he cut me off.

" Dead, Ruby You've been dead for 300 years. The whisper is here to bring you to the afterlife. I will tell the family but you need to move on. Go back to the spot where you saw them. I will meet you there as you pass on." He said with a sad smile. " Ok," I said gently. I went around the house saying goodbye to my brothers because I had a weird feeling that I couldn't shake off.

I rode my bike back to the forest by the time I got there the sun was setting. I walked around, then I heard something behind me it was the Shadow character. " Hello, child. I see that you know the truth. come with me I will take you away to where you belong." It said as it reached out its hand to me. I took their hand and started walking toward a tree.

The Tree of Life is a bright portal open between the trunk of the tree. We were to talk about it before I did. I looked back and saw my family. Smiling at me, I waved goodbye to them and went throw the portal. I saw nothing but light. I turned around and my family was there I went to hug them but I went throw them.

I looked at them confused then they vanished out of sight. I was alone the brightness went away as the darkness around me ate me. Then that was when I realized I was the sacrifice so they could move on. That was when I felt anger going throw my blood.

Everything looked to be coming back to me. When I opened my eyes I was in the forest. I looked at my hands and saw that they were black and I had claws and like mist was coming from them. I looked at a lake that was nearby and looked at my reflection. I realized that I had become a Whisper.

A shadow creature that helps children to the afterlife but if they were sacrificed they become their helper. Now I need to help lost souls and keep the living children that are lost in the forest safe until I am free. From this course. This course that my dear loving family put on me. Until I can break it I will make this into a gift.

THE END

Or is it just the beginning?