Something a bit different this week for Glitterlady's
#TuesdayTales. The first 100 words were posted on Glitterlady's blog as a hook and the rest is posted here. For continuality, I posted the first 100 here as well. The prompt is: spectrum
Visions
Alana walked through town, completely unprepared for the sudden assault of images in her mind. What was happening to her? Her thoughts were filled with a spectrum of evil, of blood, demons, and death. Stumbling, she steadied herself against a nearby park bench.
The silver spiral pendant around her neck sparkled as she moved, reflecting the sunlight. Out of habit, she rubbed the pendant between her thumb and forefinger.
Instantly, the evil thoughts left her mind, just as quickly as they appeared. Breathless and disoriented, she sat on the bench and tried to figure out what just happened.
“Alana?”
She turned and saw the figure of her friend David walking quickly down the street toward her.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
“Uh, yeah,” she replied. “I just got dizzy all of a sudden.” Telling David the truth didn’t seem like a wise idea. The last thing she wanted was for him, her first friend in her new town, to think she was crazy.
“Does this normally happen to you?” David asked as he sat down next to her on the bench.
“No, but I haven’t eaten yet today so maybe that’s why.” That wasn’t a complete lie. She hadn’t eaten breakfast and it was mid-afternoon.
Alana had spent a good portion of the morning cleaning up the house, dusting and sorting through what was left to her by her grandparents. It was a long process and she still had the upstairs and attic to complete.
“Alana, it’s nearly 3pm! Why haven’t you eaten?”
“I guess I forgot?”
David harrumphed and shook his head as he rose from the bench, holding his hand out to Alana. “Come on, time to feed you. There’s a great diner around the corner from here that serves breakfast all day long.”
“Breakfast?” Alana asked as she stood with his help, her legs still a little shaky.
“Yep. It’s the most important meal of the day!” he announced with a smile on his face.
Alana returned his smile, thinking of how handsome her friend was and that he should smile more often.
As they walked, they passed the town hall and clock tower. Alana looked up and a flash of the images returned. Blood was everywhere, and evil spirits surrounded a car that was smashed beyond recognition. A baby was crying, piercing the sudden quiet.
She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could. When she re-opened them, everything was back to normal. No blood, no smashed car, no spirits.
Am I going crazy? she thought to herself.
David peered down at her, concern clearly etched across his face. “Alana?”
Shaking her head, she resumed walking. She was stopped a moment later by David’s hand on her arm.
“Alana, what just happened?” The look on his face told her he wasn’t going to be easily brushed off.
“It was nothing,” she said, trying to make her voice light. “Let’s go eat.”
“No, Alana,” David insisted. “That wasn’t nothing. Your face became as white as a sheet and you looked terrified. What happened?” He stood in front of her and grasped her upper arms firmly.
Alana bowed her head, unable to look him in the eye and instead stuck with staring at his chest …which wasn’t really a bad thing but was at an inappropriate moment.
“Hey,” he said softly, lifting her chin with his finger so he could look in her eye. “It’s okay, Alana. You can tell me.”
She sighed, realizing he was not going to give up. “I saw something that scared me.”
His brows furrowed in puzzlement. “What was it?”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy,” she said with resignation. “I saw a car accident. It was horrible. A baby was crying and there was blood … so much blood.” She shuddered as the image came back to her.
David rubbed her back as he pulled her into a hug. “It’s okay, Alana. You’re safe.”
She sank into David’s arms, her fear ebbing out of her. Alana had no idea what brought that image on or if it was a distant memory. Something about it seemed so familiar but she couldn’t put a finger on it.
David continued to hold her, running a hand through her hair in an effort to relax her. “I’ve got you, Alana. No one can hurt you, and I don’t think you’re crazy.”
Alana buried her face into his chest, only then realizing she had been crying when his shirt felt wet. She was so afraid that he would treat her differently if he knew what she saw. Lord only knew what he would think when she told him about the voices and whispers she heard as well. Alana decided to keep that to herself for the time being.
With a deep breath, she finally pushed away from David’s chest. He didn’t completely let go, but kept an arm around her protectively. “Let’s go eat,” she said softly. While she still wasn’t hungry, she’d need her strength and her wits about her. She didn’t know what was going on, but felt that it was only the tip of the iceberg.
Total: 865 words
