Missing Link II

2
On a wintry night, the blanket of snow shrouded the town in a serene hush. As the snow extended towards the northern fringes, where the forest loomed, the sky grew ominous, heralding an impending tempest. The visibility diminished to nearly nothingness, yet the confines of my home offered solace from the brewing storm. Nestled above the hills, my abode was a quaint log cabin, its haven-like aura accentuated by the white pine sentinels guarding against the ferocious wind.An aura of peculiarity clung to the air, for both my parents were home—a rarity. Their presence emanated an unsettling vibe, perhaps a result of the weather's impending fury.It was not typical of them to remain indoors, and their proximity felt like a muted disturbance in the atmosphere.My thoughts swirled as I pondered the cause. Were their tense expressions borne of the brewing storm, or was something else afoot? The rarity of their united front concealed the tensions that usually simmered beneath the surface. Despite this unease, a glimmer of contentment welled within me, grateful for their shared presence on this peculiar night.Whispering my plea to the skies, "let this day never end," I wavered between sarcasm and ignorance of an impending revelation. The pregnant silence hung in the air, a testament that the night held secrets yet unspoken."Ah, dinner will be ready soon," my mother's voice interjected, accompanied by a forced smile.My gratitude welled up genuinely, as the delicious aroma filled the room. A stew, her culinary specialty, had been prepared, and the anticipation for the concluding treat of apple pie only heightened my delight. Yet, a shadow seemed to hang over our gathering, as each family member slouched, their energy sapped.It appeared that they had slept off. "he-he...hmm"A soft, eerie laughter, reminiscent of a distant echo, broke the silence, and my gaze shifted to find my mother across from me, her smile unnervingly broad. The thrill in her eyes was unmistakable.It dawned on me—a sedative had been slipped into our meal. —As the haze enveloped me, the phrase "where am I?" reverberated within my mind, echoing countless times. The darkness swallowed me whole, devoid of any point of reference, and I grappled with the loss of orientation.An invisible force tugged at my essence, a sensation akin to perpetual drifting in the abyss. My heart weighed heavy, as I struggled against the inexorable pull of the unknown. Contemplations swirled, and in the midst of this uncertainty, a peculiar vanishing sensation swept over me.A fleeting, transient dream—or perhaps reality—resurrected, fragments of memory intermingling with the obscurity. In this surreal moment, memories surged forth, fragments suspended within my slumber.And then, a transition, as I found myself secured haphazardly within the confines of a family car. Warmth cocooned me, and I glimpsed a snow-laden scene outside the car window, moonlight weaving through the clouds like silver threads.A profound question loomed—was this mere dream or nostalgia cloaked in reality? The touch of cold against my fingers affirmed the tangibility of this moment. My eyes scanned the interior, absorbing the tableau before me.My parents occupied the front seats, leading their lives oblivious to my presence. My efforts to be heard faltered, akin to a voice lost in the wind. A dream within a dream, ensnaring me in a perpetual cycle, a sensation of waking eluding me.A murmur emerged, a muffled exchange between a young couples in the driver's seat—my parents in a younger form. Beside them, a young girl gazed out of the window. A puzzle piece missing, her features remained a blurry tableau.Her lips moved, words transpiring in a conversation beyond my reach, eclipsed by the hum of the car engine and the cocooning warmth of the interior. The world felt like a blur of sensations—acceleration, weightlessness, and the resonance of tires screeching against the road.Suddenly, gravity released its grip, weightlessness seizing me as the car spiralled out of control.Unbeknownst to me, the edge of a precipice approached—the darkness of an accident and the descent down the hill awaited. —The smell of metal overpowered the foggy air, with each hot breath leaving a trail of cold air behind it. Visible streams of vapour dissipated in the dark void.Argh… At the end of this extended dimness—an ethereal space like a fleeting dream—a sudden shock, brought on by an intense urge, jolted my consciousness into focus.My head was bowed, facing the black headliner as I felt a sudden urge—wanting nothing more than for my brain to burst in two and release all my pent-up energy. A wave of nausea and warmth washed over me. I struggled to stay upright though the metallic smell of iron made me feel sick to my stomach and a throbbing pain shot through my gut; feeling a pulsing ache in my core.My limbs were numb and immobile; it was as though part of me was disconnected from reality. But I couldn't feel any pain, just confusion at why my body wasn't responding to the sensations like before—it almost felt like a dream.After spending what felt like forever fighting against the restraints, I finally managed to loosen the straps enough for me to move. Realizing standing wasn't going to work, I crawled out of the car through the broken window with plans to call for help.Slowly, slowly… I crept through the shards of broken glass and flakes of dried snow on the frozen ground. My arms bled, creating scarlet-red tracks.By the time I made it out from underneath the vehicle, my legs were completely frozen from all the crawling.Going outside the car would almost certainly result in death from hyperventilation or freezing.But—if I could call out for help, I might be able to save everyone.It was wishful thought.After a while, I lost the ability to move—my body gave out since I couldn't muster the strength to move again, so I rolled onto my back.The severe cold forced deep breaths out, heavier by the second, as blood streamed out, coating my pathways like a painted canvas."H-help...! H-help…!! H-help…! H-help…! Hah… H-e—", I leaned back and yelled with all my strength. My throat was burning, as I had inhaled the snow that filled the air."Help…!" I screamed in desperation as my voice echoed through the empty night. But no one came to my aid. The silence only amplified my feeling of isolation and despair.Why isn't anyone out at this hour? I thought. Nobody would find us until morning, and by then we were all going to be dead."—He-he… He-h… Ha… Ha-ha… Hahahahahahaha!!"The sinister laughter shattered the silence, a chilling discordance that jarred with the situation. The sky seemed to taunt me, starlit and indifferent, as I realized that the haunting laughter was mine, contorting my face into a grotesque mask of amusement. Why was I laughing? A paradox of awe and dread gripped me, as I faced the grim truth that perhaps this was the only resolution.Inescapable fate—everyone's demise was carved in inevitability. The creeping laughter underscored the finality of it all, a cascade of emotions culminating in grim acceptance.Why was I laughing? A strange combination of awe and dread bubbled up inside me. I had the sudden realization that this was probably for the best. Everyone going to dieI’m going to die here alone.Everything will end*crack. A loud crack echoed from the snow. I looked down and saw a large fissure cutting through the ice beneath my feet. Before I could do anything, the cracking began to spread around me—I was standing on top of a frozen lake. The ice collapsed beneath me, trapping me in its icy depths as it was too weak to support my weight.Desperately, I reached for air with one arm while trying to swim upwards with the other. My limbs were becoming numb from the cold as I felt my strength ebbing away. The bubbles escaping my lungs floated up towards the surface like tiny beacons of hope.In the heart of the frozen abyss, my consciousness dimmed, a struggle against the inevitable. The dream waned, leaving me suspended in a void of uncertainty.