The frigid air did nothing to soothe the burning that seared her clammy skin as she convulsed, expelling what little her stomach held.
Go back.
We told you not to eat that, heh.
Reckless stupidity.
Death crowded her.
She expelled it.
Useless again.
Slowly she planted her hands into the frost burdened soil with the chill stinging her nerves while her arms shook. Bit by bit she forced herself up, lugging her legs under her as she managed to move onto her knees with the cold still gnawing at her hands. Vomit and mud soiled her clothes again as her vision blurred, threatening to leave her while pain tore through her abdomen.
Faced with starvation and armed with incomplete knowledge of foraging left her with a stomach full of deadly plants, however, through a stroke of luck she remembered a root that would force her to purge her stomach. She did not know how long she must endure the convulsions it produced or how much more of them she could bear.
Her arms slipped around her stomach with her fingers digging into her sides in her desperate clutch, silently begging for the pain to stop. She was cold, hungry, and exhaustion did not broach the truth of how little energy she had.
Keep going. Don’t stop.
You can’t.
Death waits behind us.
You can’t go back.
They plot against us. Against you.
Go back and the Unworthy will find youuuuu.
Years had passed by without a moment of silence. Always a whispering voice at the back of her mind, and always five more to follow. She tried to live around others, but the whispering souls kept her from trusting, kept her from breathing, kept her from living, except on one occasion, but that was a fluke. She did try again though, but the voices were right. Amidst their doubting words, truths lie.
It was nearly a month the last time. A month until the town started whispering of necromancers - of the foul acts she must commit - of the reasons that they must purge the town of her to ensure their own safety. But, that was weeks ago. She retreated to the mountains to live where the harshness was not disguised, where death was too lazy to hide, where she could see truth without agonizing over the fake smiles.
Don’t eat the poison! Then you ate it.
You will survive.
This is your fault.
We told you.
You’re competent.
Don’t fall asleep.
Slowly Reena released her bruising grip on her sides to grab the edges of her fur cloak, pulling it tighter around her shivering form as she laid a top her knees, rocking slightly. Her pants were soaked by mud and vomit, and her shirt was soiled as well, while her cloak - dampened by the rain - weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Rain, rain, go away.
Reena will not come back another day!
Hahahaha!
Shhh! What’s that?!
A snap.
She’s scared.
Reena’s blurred sight darted to see a figure moving through the trees.
It could be help.
It could be death.
Death awaits us if you don’t move.
Be careful, Reena.
Is it a person?
I can’t see.
“A person?” she gasped in a cracking voice with the sharp inhale bringing pain.
Light shines upon the figure with a welcoming light.
The unknown where it doesn’t belong as it lurks with a threatening aura.
She is torn.
Friendly or threatening?
Friend or foe? Foe or friend?
Never the one, not again.
It’s moving closer!
Reena! Move!
She staggers through the pain, ignoring the way it begs to shatter her. Shuttering breaths drawn by reluctant lungs.
You didn’t take the right wrong herb soon enough!
Your organs are shutting down!
Just kidding!
Do you think it could be the Unworthy?
A path to the right.
Yes. A path. Stay on the rocks. No footprints.
She looks to the rocky path to her right, and then to another that goes left.
What is she doing?
Where is she going?
Go right.
Left. She’s going left. Why?
Height.
Quiet like the wolf, and sight like the raven.
Quietly the snow crunched beneath her feet, whispering the secrets of her presence to those that would hear a mouse.
It’s narrooowww.
Don’t look down, hehe, death waits below.
Pretend that death isn’t waiting, be something other than useless.
Crunch, crunch, crunch! Oh! The snow it goes crunch, crunch, crunch!
It’s going to see you.
It’ll know you’re worthless.
Hush… I can’t focus.
The snow continued to gossip about her weight while she continued to drudge her way through the snow.
A shimmering blanket of pristine innocence held the path she traveled with the breathtaking view of the valley below.
A tragic slip away from falling into her demise, and if she should survive the fall she will have no other choice than to be a victim to whatever travesty the being may plan.
Careful!
She’s weak.
She’s tired.
You’re going to give up? Dive from the ledge?
Join us. Be us.
One foot in front of the other, Reena.
Her legs trembled with her weight as she fell to her knees, catching herself with her hands that plunged into the snow to nearly embrace her elbows.
Just breathe.
She’s cold. So cold.
Keep moving!
You’ll freeze to death.
Don’t close your eyes, Reena.
Reely Useless. Prove me wrong.
Weakness plagued her, so she continued her way upon her hands and knees, still managing to only whisper of her location.
Good, good, good.
That’s it!
Keep going.
Steady and quiet.
Breathe.
You can do this.
Her bones shook with the cold, her heart threatened to give up, her lungs continued to grow lazy, but she continued. Pain riddled her body. Starvation gnawed at her. Poison amplified it.
If nothing else, Reena is not without perseverance. Her body shakes as it aches, with her paler-than-ice skin tacky with sweat - despite the absence of heat - and darkened patches lingered beneath her eyes with her absence of rest.
Too hot.
Too cold.
What is the old saying?
Starve a fever?
Feed a cold.
What do you do for freezing and feverish? Heh heh
The figure is out of sight while she continues to crawl her arduous path with the sun beginning to set. Her fatigue will no longer carry her, and she collapses to the ground with the freezing rain falling with a heavy snow joining it.
Whispering breaths is all she can manage. Her body has never felt so heavy.
No, no, no!
Stay awake!
Don’t close your eyes.
Useless.
Fire! You need fire!
We will freeze to death.
Finally a chance to rest her aching body within the welcoming embrace.
Searing cold failing to reach her numbed senses. There is no hope left for her as her eyes slip shut.
Reena! REENA!
We’ll die!
She’s tired… Let her rest, hehe…
Death approaches.
Forever never.
Never forever.
She’s asleeeeeep.
Reena. Wake up.
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