I watched with horror. It stood high above his body. Like a sock puppet without any of the clothes. Teeth that were grey and numerous. My friend who I grew up with was being eaten in front of my eyes. I sat helplessly. A creature that didn't belong of this world. Popping out of a overhead vent moments ago.

"Fred…" A voice laughed drowning the sounds of bones snapping. It was me, I was laughing. Tears fell unceremoniously, but I was far too shaken to notice. The person who was close to me like an older brother. Gone and I was waiting for… what? To die? I tried to get off the floor, my feet shaking from fear. I was at this point no longer laughing, I could only feel shame and repulsion. I need to leave and get away. Laughter came from outside the classroom. A group of students not knowing what horror was inside the room, turned the doorknob to the same scene I saw. Blood painted the floor. The blood of my dead friend. His eyes foggy and lifeless.

Unlike me, the leading student of the group decided to take action. Grabbing a nearby broom, she raised it to strike overhead. The creature made no effort to look her direction. Instead it screamed a high pitched shout. How did it know? I covered my ears, but I was far too late. I knew blood was leaking. The pain consumed my thoughts. I turned my head away from the monster. I turned just in time to see a large waxy mutt like creature burst through the window. It flew past me and ran straight for the group. The brave girl didn't stand a chance, taken by surprise her neck was ripped apart by the new monster. I'm going to die like that? I felt a bone chilling breeze hit my back which made me look out the broken window. Instead of a hot summer day, I saw a black mirror hovering a few feet from the window. My eyes were glowing a deep blue. My eyes aren't supposed to be…

A loud explosion came from behind me and my body flew towards the mysterious mirror. I closed my eyes. Pulling myself into a ball, I braced for impact. Everything was happening too fast for me to process it. Instead of hitting glass, I felt my body crash into something freezing cold.

I blacked out.

When I woke up, I felt weak. Confused and dazed, I tried to stand. I heard a voice speaking a language I didn't understand. Stumbling from nausea, I reached my hand against the stone wall. Breathing felt difficult, my back was bruised and hurt. My ears… I reached to touch them but found the blood dried. I searched for the voice and realized I was in a dark cave. Illuminated by a white flame, a small hunched woman crowded the small camp fire. She wore leather gloves and boots. Strapped across her waist was a sword scabbard. She didn't resemble any person I've seen before. Her eyes were ruby red, with white irises. It was unnatural and filled me with wariness. Her brown hair was short and didn't cover the gold necklace wrapped on her neck.

I felt envy. Not for the necklace, but the warm clothes packed tightly around her. I could feel my nose running and the wind blowing into the cave only furthered my thoughts. She must have seen my gaze because she reached for the sword handle. "Don't hurt me!" Stiffening my lips I raised my hands to show I meant no harm. This did the opposite effect and made her pull the sword out. She shouted at me in her language and moved to close the distance.

Caught off guard, I nearly stumbled over myself as I tried putting distance between us. I wanted to convey peace, but I could see I was failing miserably. Not daring to look away from her, I stepped out into the frigid air backwards. It seemed like me leaving the comfort of the cave calmed her down and she watched me silently from inside. Slowly turning away from her, I ran. I didn't know where to go. I didn't even know where I was anymore.

The sky was white. There wasn't a cloud in sight though… and the sun was tinted redder than usual. Where am I? I slowed my pace when I noticed some trees had glowing green leaves. Nothing makes sense. My breath came out shaky, my fears building as I imagined more monstrous creatures out in this strange snow covered forest. Be quiet I chided myself.

I went against a tree and tried to catch my breath. Finally with time to think, my mind drifted to Fred. I gagged. I turned my body a threw up the pasta from last night. I felt like crying.

Several hours passed. I wasn't sure when I fell asleep. I felt refreshed despite the circumstances. It was then I realized I couldn't feel my fingers. I couldn't feel my face either. My senses were stripped from me. I pushed myself up and saw a purple weed where I slept. Is that why I can't feel the cold air? How long can a person last without frostbite setting in! I stood up… I failed. My knees buckled from under me. What is wrong with me? Why do I keep falling?

Frustration welled up inside me, but I kept myself from trying to kick the hideous weed. My balance was abysmal and I had no doubt my efforts would land me on the ground. I want to scream. I shook my fist violently, but made an effort not to hit anything. The smart thing right now would be to situate myself and find out where safety hid. Anger threatened to consume me, telling me to scream. There might be more monsters I reasoned. Taking a deep and unstable breath. I felt the pressure melt away. I can't die out here. I need to find shelter.

My stomach growled loudly. I froze as the buzz from insects around quieted. Only in there absence did I realize how much I was tuning them out. The buzz from the insects refused to come back. The forest seemed more eerie. Insects don't normally do that? Don't they normally disappear as you get closer?

In the silence, I could hear the sound of something moving through the forest. Something large in the distance, like a wagon trudging through gravel. A stark contrast to the mounds of snow around me. I took a hesitant step towards the noise. Before I knew it, I was half running and half falling forward. Why isn't my body working? I growled quietly at my own ineptitude. I'm like a freaking toddler. In any different circumstances, I'd consider my plight amusing, but it wasn't cute in the slightest. It frightened me.

My fears were unfounded. After passing some snowy hills, I came across a gravel road. Snow was absent, as well as whatever wagon likely passed through. It went east? I checked the strange reddish sun's position and nodded. Yeah, it went east. Reassuring myself, I walked the road. I pushed away the nagging small voice that said I didn't really know where the wagon went.