Thanatophobia | Teen Ink

Thanatophobia

April 19, 2016
By Mrs.Bandini SILVER, Tirane, Other
Mrs.Bandini SILVER, Tirane, Other
6 articles 0 photos 2 comments

I wrapped the covers around my body trying to let everything escape but I could feel another presence inside the bed. It was warm and comforting allowing me to fall right into its arms. Oh the warmth was all I craved for, the warmth however was what had killed my sister. While the covers wrapped around me, flames consumed her, taking her from this world, the flames took everything I had, all that I loved, all the hope still inside me.
“Shh,” said a voice, ringing throughout the once silent room. “I am here.”
The voice was sweet and resembled that of a mother. Slowly, I opened my eyes and in a sleepy haze I turned around to see the bright blue eyes my sister had once claimed from my father. I tried to stand up but a force, much stronger than gravity, was keeping me glued to the bed, this force was longing. I refused to stand up, knowing that once light filled the air I would wake and my loving sister would no longer be there.
“Summer?” I asked, as she placed a hand on my head smoothing down my hair. “I’ve missed you.”
“Fall asleep now, trust me I’ll always be by your side, in one form or another.” She smiled at me through the darkness and in her arms, I let sleep consume me. Slowly the warmth seemed to disappear even though I could still feel the presence of someone in my bed. The warm hand that was resting on my head had become cold and it gave me sharp pains where it made contact with my head, it felt bony and heavy on my skull, nothing was comforting about the fleshless and heaviness of that dreaded hand. The hand began gripping my head harder but I could not open my eyes no matter how hard I tired.
“Shh” said a menacing voice, in the same tone as before, “I am here.”
Shivers ran down my spine and goosebumps appeared on every part of my body. The hand continued to claw into my head. I felt it breaking the hard bone of my skull and grabbing my whole brain in its sharp hands. Suddenly my eyes shot open and I saw the dead body of my sister floating above my head. Her flesh was slowly peeling off and in many parts of her body you could see the bones poking out. She still had patches of hair poking awkwardly out of her skull. Her blue eyes were now nothing but hollow holes that led everyone into the abyss of fear. I screamed and my door was thrown open, my mother entered. 
“She’s back! Summer is here!” I screamed at her, the terrible image refused to leave my mind. The bright image of my older sister was ruined, nothing remained but a black and white version of the colored picture I once had. I couldn’t stop shaking and my mother didn’t know what to do. She slowly moved closer to me and cradled me in her arms as if I was an infant. It didn’t help.
“Hon, it was nothing more than a nightmare,” her voice was filled with nothing but worry. “Don’t strain your heart, please, your arteries can’t take it.”
Tears ran down my face and when my mother moved to touch my head, I quickly pulled back. The sharp pain lingered where her fingers had brushed against my hair.
“You’re probably right,” I lied, resting my head against the headboard of the bed, slowly sinking to my pillow. My mother turned the light off and as her presence was diminished, another seemed to recreate itself in my small room.
“Such a shame that she’s moved on, the love for her child is still present but you fear the flames, you fear death, you fear Fear, and I am Fear, such an easy target you are, so trustful, so faible, weak.” The horrid voice sounded again, bringing the image of peeling flesh in front of my eyes.
I opened my eyes forcibly, again the embodiment of fear stood above me, taking shelter in my sister’s body. The bony hand moved to touch my face in a tender manner, making me see the image of my sister one last time before pain began to eat me. I could feel it from my toes all the way to my head, my inner organs hurt the most, my heart aching more and more as the seconds ticked by.
“Summer, help me.” I whispered slowly. The figure hovering above me shook its head.
“No.” It said and that’s when I gave up and the creature took control of my body. Fear ran through every cell in my body not the sweet, crimson blood that once flowed through my veins. My heart was beating faster and Fear would not lessen its grip, it continued to gnaw at me. 
Faster and faster my heart continued to beat until I could no longer feel anything. I let one more scream escape from my mouth, a mouth that would never speak again, I let my last words be a cry for help. I knew it would eventually end, but never did I think that I was so weak that Fear would be the death of me…
On the bright side, I’ll finally get to see Summer. Oh, how I’ve missed her.


The author's comments:

What can conquer death? Love? Maybe... 


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This article has 1 comment.


Nola541 SILVER said...
on Jun. 6 2016 at 4:05 pm
Nola541 SILVER, Tirana, Other
5 articles 0 photos 1 comment
The way in which this story is written creates a vivid picture in the reader's mind of what is happening and despite not being a very long story, I find it easy to get to know the character. Absolutely thrilling!