Laboriously, She returned to a waking state after a heavy, comatose sleep. She felt as if someone had beaten her down with a flyswatter. An almost unbearable pain raged in her head, thrumming in time with her pulse. What on earth had happened? A blackout after a night of heavy drinking? That was out of the question. She didn’t drink alcohol—she remembered that much clearly. What happened after remained hidden in impenetrable darkness. The terror had returned to her life, in the form of dripping insomni. Just to realize that only the crow survives, in this fantasy, called, ”Life.”
“Again?” The doctor’s fingers drummed against the clipboard, eyes flicking between the chart and the woman sitting across from him. She hadn’t slept in seventy-two hours, not since the last time, not since the—well, he couldn’t say it aloud. The city’s emergency rooms were full of people like her now, hollow-eyed and twitching at shadows that weren’t there.
She pressed her palms into her thighs, nails digging crescents into the denim. “You know what’s happening,” she said, voice cracking like old pavement. Outside, the distant wail of sirens cut through the afternoon haze. Not ambulances. Not anymore. The crows had started following those sounds weeks ago, black wings gliding low over rooftops, waiting.
This was a hauntingly, bird’s eye view, of terror, as the darkness becomes her fate. Thank you, Elke for allowing my ink to fall.
Thousand times thank you for your kind words, dear Abbey. It is up to me to thank you for this wonderful collaboration! 🙏🏻
This is a good short story. Nice collaboration.
Thank you very much for your kind comment, dear Fia!
Great collaboration Elke. Your words shine ever so bright.
Thank you so much for your awesome words, dear Keith! 😊
Hauntingly penned, Elke & Adagio. Excellent collaboration you two. Appreciate you both.
Damian
Thank you very much for your kind words and your appreciation, dear Damien!