Grotesque

 I slipped. My hands flailed upward as I tried to regain my balance. I looked down at my feet to see that the floor had a shiny liquid on it's surface. I stooped down for a closer look. There I saw that the substance that had made me lose my balance was a dark crimson. My heart sank as I knew what I had slipped on was a pool of blood. It's source I was unaware of. 

I felt my face very moist and thought that all the walking had brought up a sweat. I instinctively wiped my brow with my hand and felt more moisture added onto my face. I looked at my had which was cloaked in blood. My breathing got faster and louder. The rusty smell entered my nose as I looked around and saw no one. I wiped my hand on my pants and lifted my shirt to wipe my face. Not able to see much further ahead I kept walking in the dark. 

I became more aware of the crunching my feet had on the ground as I paced forward so I began slowing down. A faint noise in the dark came. Indistinguishable and foreign, yet I was drawn to it. It has been a while since I heard the noise. Suddenly it sounded again. It was the cry of an infant. I felt a cold wave rush through my spine. 

The static of a radio turned on. I walked towards it. Maybe someone is around that can help me. Then the static silenced. As if someone unplugged the radio, or the power went out. Again another brush of cold came over me. This time as if the source was behind me. I turned around hoping to see someone and at the same time dreading what I would see. To my disheartened delight there was no one. 

I kept walking for what seemed like an hour. As I advanced I saw in the corner of my eye what seemed to be a shadow moving. I looked towards where I thought I saw the movement but nothing was there. I stood there silently. Listening for a noise. Nothing.

There was a wall that had what seemed as scratches and one long swipe. I went closer to the wall to see what I realized was what looked like bloody fingers scratching. The gash above that was as deep as the first bend in my finger. I didn't know what caused either of the markings on the wall, or if they were related. Suddenly as my mind was thinking the horrors that happened at this wall a snarling sound of an angry beast broke the silence. 

I ran into the darkness not knowing if I was going towards it or away from the animal. I do not know if I am really living this or if I am watching myself run towards my death. My mind is more preoccupied with giving a form to the sound in the distance. Then it stopped. I realized that I had been moving in what seems like an old factory. The ceiling has gotten higher, causing my footsteps to echo more. And I see that there are massive machines covered in old white cloth. I walked and explored the factory mesmerized and curious to know what this place created in its prime. 

Again, breathing from what sounded like lungs in an overweight body. I swung around and saw nothing behind me. I walked away and opened a door into an office. It was poorly lit when I opened, but at the corner was an edge of darkness in the form of what seemed to be a person. I closed the door. I saw a sign that said exit around the corner office. I opened the door and saw a nearby forest. I ran to it. As I ran I considered if I should hide in there until the morning or keep moving. 

A howl behind me sounded in the distance. Moving was my only option. The ground was muddy, and my feet were being weighed down by the mud accumulating on my feet. I decided to take off my shoes. I advanced much faster with the weight off and my mobility increased. I realized that there was a clearing in the distance so I moved quickly towards it. It was a highway. I walked onto it hoping a car passed. I realized it would be some time before a car passed so I began walking on the pavement not looking at the ground and I stepped on glass shards. My exposed feet once painted brown by the dirt now trickle with red blood coming from the wound. I sat on the side of the road trying to remove the pieces of glass imbedded on my foot when I heard a grating sound of metal on the pavement. I turned around and saw a shadowy figure of a man dragging what appeared to be an axe. I tried to get to my feet and run away but my body was tired and the pain from the cut was too much, I fell. I screamed for help. I knew my life was coming to an end. The man picked up his axe, grunted and swung the axe downward. 

I got up looking around. I looked at my feet and they were not dirty or bleeding. I looked around and saw I was in my room. I got out of bed and still felt my heart racing. I noticed my window was open. I walked towards it to close it and decided to look outside before, and saw a masked face looking at me as surprised as I was.