The Faceless Figure

CHAPTER ONE

Frightened with sweat and tears dripping down my cheeks. Taking

short, sharp breaths with my eyes pinned to the path before me. I need to get out of here, it’s too quiet, unnaturally quiet, not even a cricket, only the thunderous pounding of my feet. I don’t even know what I’m running from, just that I need to get away from it. Suddenly I stumble over a broken branch, only now noticing the dirt, leaves and dried blood covering my feet. I frantically try to get up, glancing over my shoulder - the number one rule of what not to do when running from something.

Shock rips through my body, I didn’t realize how close the figure was to me and I doubt I can produce a good scream for help, my mouth is too dry; but the hell if I don’t at least try. I take a deep breath, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through my chest, at which moment my nightgown gets caught on a branch, causing me to lose my footing and fall into a ditch.

I look up in agony, not sure if I should feel relief, as there seems to be no sign of the figure, or if I should feel hopeless with the fact that I’m now stuck in a ditch.

Still contemplating what to feel exactly, I freeze as the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. My heart stops beating for a second as I look up at this faceless, shapeless figure, its hands reaching out to me. I’m not even sure I can call it hands, it’s more like talons snapping at my neck. I try to back away from it, staring in horror as the talons move closer until it wraps around my neck and forcefully drag me from the ditch.

I can’t scream, I can’t even cry, and the longer I stare into this thing, the more it feels like I’ve seen it before, like that moment when you bump into someone unexpectedly and it takes you a few seconds to place the familiarity. But all thoughts disappear, replaced with one single thought. I can’t breathe.

My eyes fly open as I gasp for air, drenched in sweat, nightmare fog still clouding my brain. I reach for my throat, sighing in relief when all I can feel is clammy skin. “Just another dream” I whisper to Minx, my calico cat curled up at my feet. I squint my eyes against the bright screen of my phone which informs me that it is 03:03 am. With a sigh I stare at the mirror across the room when it hits me. The room is pitch dark and deadly quiet . Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but ever since I started having this nightmare I have been purposefully leaving a light on with the radio playing in the background. I bolt out of bed and turn on the bedroom light, releasing the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding. I shake my head and bend over to give Minx a kiss before heading to the bathroom, a hot shower is exactly what I need to clear my mind.

As I flick on the bathroom light I turn to the mirror; staring at nothing, yet everything all at once. Unblinkingly I lean over the damp basin till my nose touches the cold surface, studying my eyes and searching for an explanation of what’s going on with me lately. Trying to figure out what this dream meant, never quite remembering the details, just the immense terror that I am left with each time.

I drag myself into the shower enjoying the scalding hot water, breathing out slowly as I endure the warm prickles against my skin, imagining that it’s the dream washing down the drain, ridding me of any leftover insanity.

CHAPTER TWO

This is my favourite part, watching them sleep, crawling through their subconscious mind, fucking with their heads. But this one was spectacular. She was a fighter I could tell by the way her dreams would twist and turn trying to evade attack after attack. Man this is fun. The anxiety emanating from her as she slept was so tangible, I could taste it on the tip of my tongue. I run my eyes over her body, tossing and turning, causing a sleepy cat to move further down the bed. The cat’s eyes linger on me for a split second before she returns to her sleeping position.

I groan as she wakes from the dream, annoyed at the fact that I got distracted by a cat. But the annoyance quickly fades when I see her touch her neck, looking for the scars. I can’t help but chuckle at the sight of her, sweaty, breathless, terrified. Delicious.

I roll my eyes as she scurries to switch on the bedroom light. It’s so pathetic how easily the dark affects people.

I follow her to the bathroom, watching her try to forget the dream, the feeling of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, ignoring every instinct shouting “it was real”.

CHAPTER THREE

By the time the rest of the world starts to rise, I am already showered, dressed and on my third cup of coffee. “Maybe I should go for a walk through the woods?” I ask Minx who looks at me lazily as if to say, like you haven’t been having nightmares of the woods for the past couple of weeks. “You’re right, that is looking for trouble” I whisper to Minx, who is now lazily grooming herself. I finish my coffee and head out the door, I need fresh air.

I stare at the empty park in trepidation, it looks a bit eerie with no one there. “Stop it” I say out loud and incidentally a little louder than intended, as a pedestrian stops mid-step a short distance from me. I lower my head: “Sorry”, I say sheepishly and hurry across the road to my favourite bench.

I take out my sketch pad and start to sketch a few of the winter trees around me when I notice a mom with two children heading to one of the swing sets. Personally, I think it’s a bit early for that but as a single 26 year old I keep my thoughts to myself.

The mother looks my way and I smile in a -I promise I am not a weird lady trying to steal your kids- way, and continue with my sketch. Shrill giggles ricochets through the park drawing my attention back to the family. The pure joy on their faces enthralls me so, I can’t help but try and capture it on a page.

After a while I realise I must have zoned out for quite some time as the world has become alive with the sounds of shop bells and good mornings; which in turn sends panic through me because that undoubtedly means I am late for work.

CHAPTER FOUR

With the tilt of my head I study her, she’s not the prettiest, or even the smartest one I’ve hunted but there’s something about her, a power, a darkness, that I don’t even think she realises she has. I creep up to her whispering into her ear ”You looked right at me. Did you feel it? did you recognize me?”.

CHAPTER FIVE

The morning went by quickly and I only noticed the time as my stomach made some loud gurgling noises. My boss chuckled, “Go, get a hot dog from Larry and bring me one too”. “Thank you, I’ll be quick” I called back as I walked through the door.

“Hey Larry, the usual please” I say as I take out my wallet. A soft hand touches my shoulder “Hi, sorry to impose, I saw you sketching my children this morning and I was wondering if I could see it. I’m curious”. I look up to see the mom from this morning, she has a gentleness to her. “Sure, but please remember that I am not an artist by any means whatsoever, I am still learning”. I fumble through the pages, I don’t really like showing my sketches,

but I guess I can’t say no to the subject I was sketching, now can I; so without looking at the sketch I hand it to her, already cringing on the inside. “Uh… a bit grim, actually, no this is sick” She shoves the book back in my hands and rushes off to her kids. I look at the sketch and shock shoots through the core of my being.

I had sketched the mom and her two children alright. But the mom’s face have been scratched out and instead of hands, she had talons which was impaling the two children who now hung lifelessly from the swings. When I looked up from the sketch the mother had left with her children. Who could blame her, I want to run away from me too.

CHAPTER SIX

Adrenaline is coursing through my body as I walk away, I have never been this brassy in my actions but the thrill as I asked to see her sketch was exhilarating; and the look of horror on her face when she realised what she had done was so worth it.

I grab the children's hands and "tsk" as I rush around the corner in mock disgust. Once I am out of sight from any possible witnesses I take out the amulet and with a few chosen words, all illusions disappear. I have outdone myself this time, three entities at the same time, impressive if I may say so myself.

My ingenuity never ceases to amaze me, when I had switched the sketches, I never would have guessed that this would be the last crack before the foundation starts coming down.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I rush home, disgust and fear coursing through my body. I know I didn’t sketch that picture yet there it was, in my style, in my sketch pad, with my signature. I frantically flip through the pages, and each and every one of them are the same. They’re my sketches but with blood and guts and a faceless figure in all of them.

I feel like I am going crazy, my head is spinning as I am losing grip on reality. Like I’m slipping through the looking glass and nothing is as it seems, like I’m losing my mind.

“Losing my mind” a voice mocks. “Oh poor logical me, I’m losing my mind ” the voice mocked once again, coming from the direction of the mirror. I glance at Minx who has perked her ears in that direction and I feel relief wash over me, that at least means I am not hearing voices in my head.

I try to swallow and wipe my hands nervously on my jeans. With

determination I walk closer to the mirror. “Are you sure you’re not hearing voices in your head?” the voice sneers. I rip the mirror from the wall and feel around the edges of the frame for any listening devices or cameras and knock on the wall to see if it’s shallow. That’s what they do in the movies, and I don’t have any other explanations right now. No bugs, no hidden passageways, nothing, just me and my paranoia .

I hang the mirror back on the wall ready to take a few days off and see a really good psychiatrist. I look at my reflection, my eyes are wild and my face a sickly pale. With a sudden gust of wind and a resounding “Boo!” the faceless figure appears behind me. I try to scream, but it sticks in my throat. I turn to see an empty apartment, nothing is there. I turn to the mirror feeling my body shake with anxiety. “Still here” it says in a sing song voice. I know this voice, I’ve heard it before, I’m sure.

“You have heard it before” the figure swirls in a black cloud and ambiguous shapes and suddenly behind me is the mother of today, the one who rushed away in complete horror. I spin around to confront her and again nothing. I don’t know what is happening. “Oh that’s right, you only met her once, you’ll probably understand this one better” I turn to the mirror and the softness I experienced earlier today is replaced by a harsh voice and cold eyes.

The mother makes a flamboyant gesture and suddenly there are two of my faces staring back at me. “Please don’t try to turn around again, don’t be that daft” the voice, my voice, says condescendingly. “Let me show you something” the other me says.

She moves away to where Minx is perched behind a chair. I watch in horror as she slowly picks her up by the scruff of her neck, causing Minx to yelp in pain. I want to turn to look at the reality, not the reflection but a warning look and ominous shake of her finger has me bolted in place. Minx’s meows are becoming louder and her struggles more violent. “It’s okay kitty cat, I won’t drop you, I promise”. The other me’s free hand morphs into talons and she gingerly scratches Minx’s chin with it.

I want to cry, to scream, to beg her to stop, but I am frozen in place as she continues to scratch Minx. Her eyes flash to me for a second and by the sinister look on her face I know exactly what is coming.

“No!” I scream as the talon spears right through her head causing Minx’s guttural yowl to be cut off midway. I drop to my knees sobbing, the tears no longer frozen as my heart is ripped from my chest. “Why!” I cry, “ why, why me” I sob; “why her, why? She was a poor innocent creature who has done nothi -” my words and sobs are cut off short when I suddenly feel a soft bump

against my leg . I open my eyes and there is Minx not a scratch on her, staring at me inquisitively. I shakily run my hand over her body, but she’s fine, she’s purring safe and sound. I pick her up and crush her into my chest, fresh tears of relief streaming down my face.

The apartment is quiet and there are no longer two reflections in the mirror. Minx wiggles from my grasp and drops to the floor heading to her food bowl. I need to phone someone, I am not okay and I need help. Before I can reach my phone a voice interrupts me. “Thought this was over?” My head snaps upright at the sound.

There is no mirror in this room, he is no longer just a reflection; she is standing right in front me and there is blood dripping from her talons.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Watching her cry and beg and fall apart was truly inspiring but now it’s become tedious. Time to shatter her reality. “Thought this was over?” I ask appearing in front of her and thrusting my talons through her chest. enjoying the squelching sound it makes as it pierces through her body. Revelling in the feeling of power as I watch the realisation dawn on her. She’s about to die.

Humming softly I drag her to the a full length mirror so I can peal

back the veil kept over her eyes. I point to the mirror, the reflection glass gives way revealing five other me’s huddled in fear. “Look, look in the mirror!”.

“See Parallel realities exist and I am the most wanted in all of them, well the ones I’ve entered anyway” I chuckle. “ I found a way to hopscotch through them. My life was a complete nightmare so what better way to escape and become someone else’s– “. “Are you me?, am, am I dying?” she stutters interrupting my monologue. “No do they look dead to you, No. Your essence is being sucked through the mirror giving me even more power and freedom to do what I want, where I want;, that’s what these are for” I snap my talons making her recoil in fear.

CHAPTER NINE

“What happens if she dies?” I groan as the gaping wounds in chest pulse with every heartbeat. The other five shrink back, trembling, "They know by now not to try to fight me, but you, you’re all guts and no brains" She sighes and continues "Well then I will inhibit

you, and them, it’s a little spell I concocted. I will literally take over your minds and bodies, stuck in that world of pure torture” She pauses to point to the one who has sat through all of this stoically “see number one over there, she is witnessing the brutal murder of her lover by her own hands on a loop, well my hands, It all gets a little confusing; and you will witness your cat being impaled over and over and over again, get it?” . She taps my head and I feel the anger build inside me.

With a deep breath I heave myself from the ground, grab her talons and shove it into her chest. “Fuck, don’t mess with the cat lady” she jokes but I can see the fear in her eyes. “No, you don’t” and I shove the talons further watching her fade and appear on the other side of the mirror with the other me’s.

I touch the glass “I don’t know how to get you out, but I will, I promise, for now she is all yours”. The pleasure I take from the terror in her eyes shocks me. I almost want to laugh. How the tables have turned.