Imogen
The cold, I remember feeling cold, drowning in freezing temperatures. I never remembered being this cold before; too cold to even shiver. But that’s not all I remember. I remember the darkness ebbing and rolling over me as it sucked me in, swallowing me completely.
So dark, it erases the pain that is consuming my soul, the darkness that comes with each breath, shoving me deeper into my mind. I try to push against it, knowing there is someone waiting, something I need to remember. Yet, I can’t remember what my mind is trying to fight against. I just know it is bigger than me, more important than me. Something worth fighting for.
I continue to push against the darkness, catching glimmers of images dancing in front of my eyes. Each image warms me slightly, but not enough to take away the cold I’m slowly being plunged into. The darkness threatens to consume me, my mind whispers something to me. I can’t understand what it is saying until I recognize one word. “Boy.” The word slowly slips into my mind, louder and louder echoing throughout me. Until I understand what the whispers mean.
It isn’t them talking, it is her; I recognize the voice, yet can’t remember her name. Her voice gets louder and taunts me, pulling at my heart, which feels like it stopped as it twitches in my chest at her words.
“Aw, he is perfect, Imogen. A little boy.” The taunting voice grows louder, igniting something within me. Calling to me to keep fighting against the darkness, pushing me out of the numbness that is trying to consume me. Little boy, I have a little boy. My little boy.
Every emotion I have ever felt around that one word floods into me, crashes over me like waves on a beach, tumultuous and unrelenting. Light breaks through the darkness, shining like a beacon above me, showing me just how far I have fallen into the depths of my own mind, trapping me in the darkness.
I feel like I can’t breathe, choking on every emotion, choking on my despair, choking on the thought of my son. I try to reach the beacon of light glowing brightly above me, stretching myself. So close, yet I can’t quite break free of the binds trapping me within myself, weighing me down. I struggle with everything I have, my fingers outstretched, trying to grasp the light. My fingertips light up as the light finally touches, warming me before I feel like I’m rushing upwards, reliving every pain, every memory flooding into me. Watching the time fly past me, my life flashes like an old movie before my eyes.
Watching my mistakes, watching my triumphs, then, seeing them. My body turns to static, everything electrifies as I see her and what she did, what she took from me.
Something within me wakes, as panic takes over every part of me. I’m thrown forward with so much speed, I try to catch a breath, desperately needing air. I suck back, feeling my body breathe as I’m plunged back into my surroundings jolting me awake. I open my eyes, fearing what I will see, praying it’s not the darkness.
Seeing green hypnotic eyes watching me, yet looking straight through me. I look around, the thunder and lightning cracking above us, seeing trees and the smell of damp earth. I breathe deeply relishing the air, it smells different, stronger. I can smell and hear everything, making me snap my head from side to side trying to pick up every little detail. Only to see the green eyes again. I clutch my hands onto him, to make sure he is really there and not a trick of my mind.
His stubble feels rough under my hands, tears prick my eyes when I realize, I’m not dreaming, he is really here. I’m still alive, still breathing. I look down to rub my swollen belly only to feel nothing, ripping at my clothes, trying to find what I know should be there.
“Where is he?” I ask, hoping he will have the answer, hoping they got here in time.
“Tobias?” He asks, watching me closely. I thrash around, trying to get him to release me.
“Where is my baby, Theo?” I yell, my voice breaking and echoing back to me.
He lets go and I fall to the ground. I look around before seeing the house up the path, I take off up the path, running. Please, please be still here. I run through the bottom floor singing out her name, begging her to give him back before running upstairs, throwing every door open and looking inside.
“Bianca, Bianca!” I scream, hoping to hear her taunting voice only to be met with silence.
Running back downstairs, I skid to a stop in front of the fireplace, Theo and Tobias stare at me, when I notice it. My life’s essence spilled on the floor. I drop to the ground, running my hands through it, hoping and praying I’m wrong. I died. She killed me. I’m supposed to be dead. She killed me and took him, took my baby. Tore him right out of me. Every detail flows into my mind as I relive the nightmare of my life.
“Where is he? Where is my baby?” I ask, peering up at them, tears run down my cheeks.
“We aren’t sure, we got here too late,” Theo whispers.
His words cut me deeper than any knife could. She has him, she has him, is all I can think of in his words. She took everything from me. I’m breaking, she broke me. She said she would, and she did. The bracelet on my wrist glows brighter and brighter. How have I not noticed it before? I can’t think what it means; I can only think of her with my son. Is he crying for me? Is he hungry? Does he miss me like I miss him? I can’t take it anymore.
I scream, not being able to hold on anymore as everything in me breaks and shatters; sharp edges, piercing my soul, taking everything out of me, as I feel nothing but overwhelming sadness, that is all-consuming. Then it lifts, shattering like a burst light bulb as it rushes out of me, bursting from my broken heart.
I don’t even recognize the noise that comes out of me, I just feel it break everything, break my world apart. Until it fizzles out, leaving nothing behind but darkness. I let it consume me, enjoying the feeling of power, rage washing over me, igniting a storm within me. So angry, I think I will combust; hatred. I have hated no one more than I hate her. She took everything and now I feel nothing but a burning desire to take it back, and take her to the pits of hell where she shoved me.